Garmin Virb Elite: our complete test

In direct competition with the Gopro Hero 3+, Garmin Virb Elite offers correct image and appreciates for its ease of use, as well as for its electronic stabilization. However, our test of this HD action action has allowed us to take some false notes, which do not prevent the virb Élite from being one of the most interesting models in its category.

Garmin Virb Elite: Design and external design

If it is better known in the geolocation markets and ON -Board cameras, Garmin has recently made an extraordinary incursion into its action cameras, thanks to strong choices such as the integration of the sensors. For his Elite Garmin Virb, the manufacturer decided to innovate with an unusual design. This camera has an aerodynamic appearance, which breathes quality from the first contact.

We must greet the right choice of materials managed by Garmin, to obtain a robust gadget, even if you feel on weight – 180 g equal! Solved on a bicycle helmet, the Garmin Virb elite appeared heavy, after a few hours. The dimensions are not also the most compact (32 x 53 x 111 mm).

After these details, the manufacturer made some efforts to make this action cam easily manipulable, providing it, among other things, with great keys housed on one of the faces and allowing you to navigate quite easily through the menu. On the other hand, a button allows you to start or finish video recording.

In short, the distribution of the keys is generally satisfactory and when we add the LCD screen of 205 x 148 px, we have all the ingredients for easy use. With such a definition and the absence of backlight, the feedback is not at the top, but however we use good visibility to be successful in the definition.

To close the chapter of external design, note that Garmin Virb Elite offers more or less easy access to connectors, memory cards and battery. As for the latter, it hides access to the memory card; Which forces you to remove it in advance. Micro-USB and micro-hdmi connectors are well protected by rubberized coverage, which has the advantage of keeping them out of the water. The camera can also go down to 50 meters, under water, but it is necessary to use the waterproof box. Without this box, the seal is limited to about 1 meter underwater, for 30 minutes.

Image quality

While 4K tends to impose themselves as a reference technology, some filming of HD cameras still manage to provide a satisfactory image quality. This is the case of the elite Garmin Virb, which counts on a good choice of component to offer a good visual rendering, which bows in front of the GoPro.

On the material side, there is a 16 MP sensor within this CAM action, which therefore offers sufficient definition for HDTV 1080 recordings. For this definition, the video flow is limited to 30 IP. For quick actions, it is necessary to go down to HDTV 720, in order to obtain a speed of 60 IP. A third choice of definition, 848 x 480 px, is still available and offers a flow of 120 IP. As for the photos, we have the choice between clichés in 16, 12 or 8 MPX.

An advantage with the elite Garmin Virb is the presence of stabilization, even if the latter is not such as that of the Sony action of Cam. The tremors are moderately compensated, with a certain softness, however, which transpired into the movements.

In terms of precision, the Garmin Virb elite obviously does not make wonders. Able to sweep away a quite large field of 170 °, it provides clichés affected in full light and slightly rough and not very detailed, when the brightness drops.

In line with visual rendering, the Action Virb Elite camera offers medium sound performance. A trip for the helmet would undoubtedly be useful to control the intake of the sound, but the manufacturer did not plan it.

Characteristics

If the choice of HD definitions is quite wide with the elite Garmin Virb, we regret the absence of optical zoom in this CAM action. He is satisfied with an electronic zoom from cutout. There are many methods and options and options to configure the sockets to your liking. For photos, for example, you can opt for the Burst mode with a speed of 6 IP or program the catches for intervals of 0.5; 1; 2; 5; 10; 30 or 60 seconds.

On the other hand, Garmin has, as with its other models, has distributed its experience, integrating many action sensors into its virb and a GPS elite. Therefore, in addition to obtaining the exact position and speed, the recordings are enriched by the information collected by these chips installed inside the device.

Electronically very rich, the Garmin Virb elite incorporates a compass, an accelerometer and an altimeter. In addition, compatibility with Ant+devices allows you to associate other sensors to collect even more data such as heart rate and temperature, for example. The integration of sensors combined with the possibility of adding others is an ideal camera for sportsmen.

In addition, the Action Virb Elite camera shows good connectivity. In addition to the Ant+compatibility, it has Wi-Fi for a wireless connection with a smartphone or computer, which allows not only to have more pleasant feedback video than on the screen, but also to make many settings or check the CAM action remotely.

Garmin Virb Elite also offers very comfortable autonomy. This is provided by a battery of capacity of 2,000 mAh, which contains more than 2 hours of video recording after a complete load. The battery is interchangeable, it is possible to provide an emergency battery as an option for long use sessions.

Our final opinion on Garmin Virb’s elite

Garmin’s garmin elite is a success in terms of solidity and resistance. Usable in the rain or up to 1 meter underwater, without box, this action CAM accompanies you everywhere (setting on handlebar, shoulder, windshield, helmet, etc.) and captures beautiful HD images, accompanied by original data, thanks to its sensors and its GPS.

Although we have observed a drop in performance, including a loss of precision, in low light conditions, the Garmin Virb elite comes out overall better than most of its competitors of similar characteristics. This camera is easy to use and offers comfortable autonomy.