Blynk by Lyfeshot review
Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Blynk By Lyfeshot
Blynk by Lyfeshot Initial thoughts
Prior to receiving and researching the Blynk by Lyfeshot I was not really aware that a device existed to continuously record your actions in a photographic manner. The Blynk by Lyfeshot allows you to take photos as fast as 1 second snippets. Its simplicity and small size were some of the features that did appeal to me right away. I love taking photos, but I’m not one to have the latest and greatest equipment to document my outdoor adventures and endeavors. I do, however, want a means to report my passions to my friends, family, and of course, the social media crowd.
I am able to visit some beautiful places simply by running or biking up a mountain, and it’s a shame not to have visual record of those occasions. The actual size of the Blynk was so much smaller than I had first imagined. Sure, I read the dimensions: 2.5” long x 1.5” wide x 1/2” thick, but when I actually held the blynk in my hand I was pretty surprised by how tiny the camera actually was.
Out of the box – directions, USB Cable, Blynk, and snap-on Blynk “Buddy” stand
The Blynk by Lyfeshot Features
First of all, I want to be clear about several things. This is not going to replace your nice high end camera. This is a very basic method to capture life around you as it happens. The photos are not necessarily the highest quality, but you will get hundreds if not thousands to choose from. The Blynk allows you to go about your day, walk in the park, run, ride, or attend a little league baseball game without having to worry about taking that “must-have” shot. You simply turn it on, and forget about it. Later on you can look at the video it created and/or select individual images for downloading.
The Blynk Buddy – Stands by itself…. If you flip down the plastic footer it will stand even better. It’s adjustable, so it can also handle uneven surfaces
The Blynk by Lyfeshot comes with the handy clip that is sturdy and will clip onto many items. The Blynk Buddy can also be purchased, and I highly recommend you add that, because your ability to capture so many more things goes up dramatically. From selfies, to time lapse shots, a sturdy base will provide you with the shots you need.
Check out the size of this thing?
Slim is in. Notice the clip for easy attachment
Blynk by Lyfeshot in action
When it comes to technical equipment, I do need to take my time to familiarize myself by reading the instructions. But guess what? A device this simple means that the learning curve is incredible fast even for a novice like me. The simplicity is what makes this such a wonderful device from all angles. Are there sacrifices, of course, but you are able to capture things while not actually having to “take” pictures. The quality of the photo is up to par, so sharing on my social media outlets is easy and painless. One thing to keep in mind, a fast or jerky movement as the picture takes will tend to produce a few blurry pictures. Hence the percentage of available pictures does go down especially when mountain biking or doing something active. With several hundred images to choose from, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the ones you are able to download and use.
To get started, you simply clip it onto yourself and depending on your setting it takes pictures at pre determined intervals. These are set and established beforehand through its downloaded program (Lyfeview version 2.0.11). The intervals start at 1 picture every second, and goes up to 1 every minute. There’s also a “Custom” option, so basically, you can take a picture at whatever interval you choose. The “Camera Settings” in Lyfeview will have to be set as the Blynk is connected to your computer. The simplicity of this camera means that there are no screens to make adjustments, and there’s only one button on the camera itself. That’s right, one single button to the Blynk; On and Off.
As the Blynk by Lyfeshot powers on, the number of green and red blinking lights do give an indication of the battery life, and memory availability. As long as you see more green than red, I think you’ll be alright for shooting. The actual recording time available ranges from 15 hours when set to 1 picture per second to upwards of 60 hours. I am aching to hike up one of Colorado’s 14ers, and capture sunrise with the 1 minute interval setting to see the dramatic flair that can be created in a half hour or so time frame. That may have to wait until next summer though.
Once, you plug in you can save pictures. I saved the ones I thought were worthy, and then put them into a photo editing software mainly to crop and straighten some of them out.
Landscape Panorama – Crested Butte, CO
Landscape Shot – Aspens in Crested Butte, CO
Action Shot – Mountain Biking in Golden, CO
Walking around town at sunset
Chocolate anyone?
The Buddy Clip appears to have multiple uses. First of all, it helps protect the Blynk. The Blynk by Lyshot is small, and if you are taking it into nature’s playground a ‘cage’ simply helps it with the little bumps and scrapes that are ever present (very helpful, at least in my case). The Buddy Clip will also allow you to screw it onto a tri-pod for stable and accurate picture taking. The clips at the bottom are great as you can swing the large clip one way, and the smaller clip in the opposite direction. They actually can be set at any angle allowing you to place it on even the gnarliest of rocks.
The Blynk Software loaded in no time flat, and the simplicity of the Camera carried over to the software usage. Scrolling through images is simple. It plays as a movie, but you can pause at any point to view a particular image, and you can also view on a frame by frame basis.
Final Thought on the Blynk by Lyfeshot
If you are looking for a simple and small device to record your adventures or every day life, the Blynk by Lyfeshot is your go-to option! I do wish the intervals of photo taking could be changed on the go from the 1 or 2 seconds to 5 or 10 seconds. When I am running, the scenery slowly changes, and a shot every 2 seconds is way too many. On the other hand, as I reach the more beautiful and scenic views of my runs being able to dial my intervals back down would be nice.
It’s great to just forget about having to take pictures and in my case being able to focus on the beautiful surroundings. I have never really gotten any action shots while mountain biking, so this proved to be my training ground on one of Colorado’s most epic Trails, the 401 in Crested Butte. I wanted to show my wife and friends the beauty of flying through the meadows and descending through technical rock gardens. Mission accomplished!
MSRP: $149 – includes the Blynk Buddy.
For more information and purchase please visit: www.lyfeshot.com
