PARALENZ
PARALENZ+
MSRP $699; no housing required
CONTACT paralenz.comDurable and compact, this camera is de-
signed to withstand depths up to 820 feet.
The combination of rotating ring switch and
magnetic push-button was unique in our
test, but proved to be intuitive and ergonom-
ic. The simple operation is accompanied by
audible and vibrating haptic feedback when-
ever the camera changes modes or begins
fi lming. “Love audible and physical cues,” one
diver noted, adding, “I wish all underwater
cameras had this.” Another noted, “I love that
I can comfortably operate the camera with-
out looking at it.” The camera’s footage was
rated very good for clarity, with nice contrast
and sharpness. Test divers were especially
impressed by the camera’s depth-controlled
color-correction (DCC). “Beautiful color,” as
one tester commented. When shooting with a
video light, the white balance of the Paralenz
can be set to match the Kelvin temperature
of the light. However, you can’t add or remove
the DCC—or the optional depth/temperature
overlay—effect after fi lming, so it’s impor-
tant to have the right one set. Framing and
stability were rated as good. The 140-degree
lens makes it hard to miss the action, but for
closer encounters, testers often aimed ei-
ther too low or too high until they got com-
fortable using the camera. Quality construc-
tion and clever software make things such
as fi lters and housing obsolete, but as one
tester said, “Without a visual display, I don’t
really care about the rest of it.” Shooting
blind might not be ideal for framing cinematic
masterpieces—but the easy operation, mul-
tiple mounting options, powerful color-cor-
rection and depth-dependent auto start/stop
function make the Paralenz a good choice for
divers who want to record their dives without
being distracted from them.ErgonomicsVideo QualityBattery LifeSPECS
»Depth
820 feet
» 4K Frame Rates
30
» FHD Frame Rates
30, 60, 100
» Image Sensor
8 MP
» Released
July 2018SCORESS
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30 / SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 SCUBADIVING.COMimage stabilization or crop-
ping other than what was
originally done by the camera.
The footage-comparison cat-
egories were:»Clarity: How clear and sharp
does the footage look? Does ithave good contrast?
»Color: How natural is the
color in the footage? Are dive
modes effective in restoring
color? Do any unnatural hues
overshadow the footage?
»Stabilization: How stable is
the footage? Is it shaky?
»Framing: How well was theintended subject framed? Do
subjects seem to be cut off
awkwardly?
»Lowlight: How well did the
camera capture footage in
low-light environments?
»Photo quality: How well
does the camera capture
still images?Battery Testing
We also tested each cam-
era’s relative battery life.
Each of the cameras was fully
charged, and optional fea-
tures such as power-sav-
ing modes and voice-control
functions were disabled. The
cameras were left on>> Cont’d from pg. 29A
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