LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 — I hate having three different cameras to address various situations in life – iPhone for when I’m lazy, DSLR when I want to pretend I know how to take pretty pictures, and a GoPro for when I’m doing something adventurous. Thankfully it looks like I’m going to be able to discard at least one of those cameras from my bag now that the MiVue is in existence.
The MiVue is a wearable Point Of View iPhone camera-system that increases the viewing angle past 180 degrees so you don’t have to worry about whether or not your buddy’s triple-backflip was caught in the frame or not. Making its debut at CES 2012, the MiVue system comes with 3-water resistant skins that free users from the dread of splashes and rain puddles ruining their precious phone.
We’ve tested a few similar devices while we’ve been at CES, but the MiVue is the best iteration we’ve seen. The video quality on other POV systems usually looks distorted and pixelated, but he MiVue captures wide-angle video that maintains clarity throughout the frame. After the conception of the idea the MiVue creators spent over a year coming up with the perfect glass for the lens. Rather than going with a hard plastic to reduce the unit’s price they decided to use the same type of glass used on most DSLR camera lenses which ensures a long lasting quality build.
Even though he wasn’t ready to talk specs, Co-Founder Oscar Aguilera claimed that the viewing angle of the MiVue is about 10-15 degrees greater than GoPro. We don’t think the MiVue can completely replace the need for a GoPro, but it’s a serviceable alternative depending on the activity you plan to use it for. Units of the MiVue just went on sale for $79.95 — considerably cheaper than a $300 GoPro system — and if you already own an iPhone, that’s one less camera you need to carry around on your adventures.
