HTC Re camera’s quirky versatility

It is shaped like a periscope and is waterproof up to a depth of one metre. But for whom is the quirky HTC Re camera actually designed for?

The HTC RE camera has a sensor in the grip so it turns on simply by being grabbed. Courtesy HTC

The HTC Re is one of the quirkiest cameras you are likely to use. And as it retails for around Dh800, it’s not really a spur of the moment buy so I’m not sure who it is designed for.

It has been built to fight and enhance the camera phone by being waterproof up to a depth of one metre (so not for scuba divers); it also offers greater resolution than most phones with a 16-mega pixel 146-degree ultra-wide-angle lens, and it can be used with just one hand.

That may not convince most to buy this gizmo, and the word gizmo was certainly invented for this camera. Yes it looks strange but its design isn’t a gimmick: there is a reason for its strangeness.

Firstly, there is a sensor in the grip so it turns on simply by being grabbed; secondly the ultra-wide lens means that it is very hard to miss whatever you are trying to capture and the fact that there is no screen to check the image means you are always in the moment, there is no detachment.

It needs to be periscope-shaped to keep the point and shoot ability pure, and it is pure. You take a picture by simply pushing the button on the top and a video by holding the same button down for a couple of seconds.

You can also shoot a slow motion video easily; I found myself taking far more photos and videos with this little thing than I ever do with my phone. It is robust and unobtrusive, though you do feel a bit like a spy when you are using it.

The camera can also hook up to your Android smartphone via Bluetooth with the phone’s screen then becoming the camera’s screen. However, there is a bit of lag between taking and seeing the image but you can also take photos using the phone, which is kind of funky.

The wide-angle lens provides images far bigger than most phones come close to and any fish-eye can be sorted out on the computer with the Re’s app. In low light it is not a good camera, the images have no depth and lack sharpness. However, under the water it takes decent images and, again, it is easy to operate.

q&a get to grips with this gizmo

Andrew Scott reveals more about the HTC Re’s quirky attributes.

Why would you design a periscope-shaped camera?

I know it looks strange and it took me a while to get my head around it, but I really like this camera.

Why exactly?

Apart from being able to take pictures and videos around corners – which is surprisingly useful, and unnerving for others – it also sits in your pocket easily and is almost unnoticeable when it’s in your hand. The fact that you hold it like a gun brought out the child in me and I found I was videoing a variety of activities. The waterproof element proved useful as well.

But is it worth the money?

If you have a high-end smartphone then this little camera doesn’t warrant such an investment, but the wide-angle lens does produce great results. Remember though, the iPhone allows you to take panoramic pictures seamlessly. If, on the other hand, you have a rather underwhelming phone or you just love gadgets and have money to spend, then this is your product. It’s a perfect accompaniment that allows a camera experience almost as good as a point and shoot. However, if you ask anyone else to take a photo you have to spend five minutes explaining to them how to operate it and then you’ll end up with a video rather than a picture.

And how long does the battery life last?

You can record one hour and 40 minutes of continuous video before the battery runs out.

Top five cameras of all time

1 Kodak Brownie 2 Nikon D3s 3 Hasselblad 500CM

4 Minox

5 Contax RTS-3 Source: photographymonthly.com

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