Garmin Virb 360 Action Camera

[Sabel Kantah]

Youractive lifestyle is about more than just video and audio. Capture relevant performance data with G-Metrix technology, including speed, altitude, G-force and even heart rate5. Built-in Garmin GPS (10 Hz) and other sensors automatically record data so you can easily overlay gauges and graphs onto your footage to prove how far, how high and how fast you went. Other compatible Garmin sensors and devices pair with your VIRB to extend camera control and provide detailed, measurable data tailored to your activity. Check the Compatible Devices and Accessories tabs for a list of compatible products and sensors.

Your active lifestyle is about more than just video and audio. Capture relevant performance data with G-Metrix technology, including speed, altitude, G-force and even heart rate. Built-in Garmin GPS (10 Hz) and other sensors automatically record data so you can easily overlay gauges and graphs onto your footage to prove how far, how high and how fast you went. Other compatible Garmin sensors and devices like chartplotters or zumo pair with your VIRB to extend camera control and provide detailed, measurable data tailored to your activity.

This bundle solution includes a powered case and 12V power supply for hard wired install on a boat, ATV, etc. The bright LCD color touchscreen lets you see exactly what is being recorded. Its intuitive touchscreen works in and out of the included weatherproof case, and simple menus let you easily adjust settings if needed. Turn the camera on and off swiftly with one-touch buttons, or snap a quick photo during the action.

In addition, to the left we have a GoPro compatible mount, so you can snap it into any GoPro accessory out there. On the right, we have a mount that changes the orientation of the camera 90* (different than the mount seen attached to the camera above).

For example, if you shoot at 120FPS, but then use a conventional 24FPS or 30FPS playback speed, that means that the 1 second of video recorded at 120FPS becomes 4+ seconds at 30FPS. Virtually everything you watch today on TV/movies is at either 24FPS or 30FPS. The one item to be aware of here is that like most consumer action cams on the market, as you increase FPS (Frames per Second), you tend to get a decrease in quality (resolution).

The VIRB Elite includes a GPS sensor that allows the unit to record your current location, as well as record/display information such as speed and distance. The GPS will then automatically set the correct time for the unit, and keep it set correctly each time it turns on. In general I found GPS reception very quick (almost always under 30 seconds). The little GPS icon will stop blinking once signal is found:

From a track standpoint, I found the tracks perfectly fine for what I was doing. If I look at the tracks as seen when I cycled around town, they aligned to the roads I was on, without any notable deviations.

The Virb Elite supports connecting directly to certain types of ANT+ sensors. This means that the unit will collect the data from those sensors and record it for later use (as well as display it on the screen of the unit itself).

At this point, if I were to slide the slider forward to start recording video, both cameras would automatically record. No further action needed. When I turned off recording on the first, then it would stop on the second. Same goes for photos. Super simple.

Additionally, I had some troubles with getting multiple chained cameras working on the Fenix side of things. Within the Edge there were no problems, but on the Fenix it was being finicky. In talking with the VIRB team about that, they believe an upcoming firmware update should clean up that problem by streamlining some of that process.

In this case, no matter how tight I locked things down (or loose I made them), the bounce was simply far too much for any sane person to want to watch. Nonetheless, if you want to watch it, here ya go:

You know what I love about product testing? It gave me an excuse to go skiing. Seriously. I brought the VIRB (and an army of other cameras) into the Swiss Alps to knock out a bunch of testing in colder weather. This would also be a great opportunity to toy around with the Tempe support (temperature sensor) piece as well, which I just attached to my backpack.

I setup a bunch of action cameras a few weeks ago to see how things shook out battery wise. In the case of every camera above, all of them were under 4 weeks old, thus the batteries should all still work as specified. I configured all units for 1080p/30FPS recording, and then left on GPS for those units that had it. Additionally, ANT+ was left enabled on the VIRB, though only a Tempe sensor was nearby to be picked up.

While video quality and functionality is important, action cameras live or die based on their mounts. Not just in terms of whether you manage to kill your action cam, but more specifically, whether the market does. The GoPro, for example, is incredibly successful in large part due to the mount system.

From a completeness perspective, the VIRB has pretty much every type of accessory that GoPro has. They did a good job in covering all the bases. And given the tiny included GoPro adapter, in the event something is missing, you can always leverage a GoPro mount with the VIRB.

What I do though tend to use more often with action cameras is actually taking photos. It gives me a way to transfer higher-quality images to the phone that the phone might not otherwise take. So lacking that (today) within the VIRB app is a downer.

I just purchased the Garmin Virb and intend on using it for a marathon. I am estimating a 3:30-3:40 finish. What modes would you recommend to use in regards to the video settings (fast, economy,slow-mo etc), field of view and format (whatever NTSC and PAL stands for)? Also well for photos?

Hey man, thanks for the most in depth and comprehensive review ever! Your review actually made me buy one for myself. Just a quick question, did you ever do a test with the dive case? How did it fare? If so do you have a video on it?

I had a similar problem with one computer/USB hub. The hub is powered so it should provide power to the device even when the computer goes to sleep. But it seems that at some point (I assume when the computer powers down but I have not been able to verify for sure) something happens and the camera then turns on with the viewfinder showing what the camera is looking at. And as a result the camera does not charge, in fact it discharges, and the next morning I find it completely dead.

I assume the problem is something to do with my computer and how it provides power to the USB port when going to sleep. Something about that causes the Virb to think it should turn itself on (no matter what the cause, I consider this to be a Virb bug).

I am rowing the Atlantic Ocean this december, 2015. I want to be able to take time lapse pictures, but more importantly want to have remote access to camera while In cabin during rough weather. Would the camera , on its mounts, stay attached during rough condition , or even when the boat turns over?

How is the lens for short distance I.e. Fish eye etc?

Is it worth getting the dive cover, considering the camera will probably get wet evey day with salt water?

How long does charging take through a twelve volt system?

Should I wait till later in the year to buy ,having seen your review about updates?

Being a nuby: price wise garmin or go pro, elite or basic, ?

Thank you

Hamish. Atlanticbuoys2015. Fb

What I presume to be the case, is an issue with the battery charging and status. I mean charging with a usb to computer as opposed to the wall with a garmin socket charger. Tried both, and even overcharged it to no success. My problem is not an isolated one either. If I was in the USA or UK id just send it for repairs. I am in Kuwait and the 1 year warranty has expired. It will cost and take too much time to send it off. SO any solutions or ideas that you can help me with? Im really at my wits end now.

Could you with the ELITE version of the camera, try to disable the GPS inside camera and try to see if it works by starting directly on the Fenix3 an activity (any, running, skiing, cycling) and verify that the camera begins to record a video? And when the fenix3 stops, also the camera goes in pause/stops?

I have a virb but my wife would like to buy a GoPro (the cheapest one) I would like to know if you can merge the videos produced by the two cameras. I mean, if the Garmin edit software allow the videos from GoPro to be edited or viceversa (GoPro Software to edit Garmin Virb produced videos). Thank you for your detailed reviews. They are simply awesome.

Is it possible to overlay GPS and ANT+ data over pictures? I am looking at buying a Virb for a charity ride that covers 550 miles, and I want to use the camera in photo mode as I will have long days in the saddle and not want to have 5-6 hours of straight video. I would like to have the photos show current data (i.e. HR, cadence, speed, power, and GPS position) if possible. Thanks!

Thanks for the reply. I have a 7200mah external battery that could sit in a stem bag to power the Virb along with a class 10 64GB SD Micro card for recording. I think that should get me through my rides pretty decently, with a nightly download on my laptop. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

This is the 3rd year in a row doing this ride along the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to San Diego, and I really want to capture more of the ride without having to stop and pull my cell phone out so much. I like the time lapse idea, I run with that. I just ordered a Virb, so I get a couple of days to experiment with it prior to the start of the ride.

The two account thing happens to users who had an autonomous YouTube account prior to Google using your main Google/plus account for login. At some point they attempted to merge the credentials, but it seems like every once in a while you can come across a layer where the cracks still show.

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