GoPro is known around the world as being the camera to use for almost any situation, including those in which the camera could be dropped or accidentally hit. Capturing the actual video, however, is only part of properly capturing an event.
The other part is audio, which is where the new Instamic steps in. Instamic is being branded as the "GoPro of microphones" and is a small, strongly built microphone designed to capture the audio of your life.
"Whether you're a videographer, musician, or a family on a video conference, Instamic was made for you," says the company on its Indiegogo page.
While the company is funding the device through Indiegogo, it has actually already been funded, sitting at $63,256 in only three days at the time of this writing.
The microphone itself is certainly nothing to laugh about. It comes in two versions, with both microphones able to record lossless audio at 48 kHz and 24-bit, perfect for pairing with video. They are both also able to capture video at mono or dual-mono, with the "Instamic Pro" being able to record in stereo. The directional pattern is omni, meaning that everything around the microphone will be captured, as opposed to only audio in front of it, and the frequency response is between 50 Hz and 18,000 Hz. To put that into perspective, the scientific range of human hearing is 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, but being able capture from 50 Hz to 18,000 Hz is probably a closer representation for most adults.
The device is very easy to operate and works in conjunction with a smartphone app, which is available for both iOS and Android, although it can also work standalone if that's what the user wants to do. It is able to stick to most surfaces through different backings, including sticky, magnetic and Velcro backings, and can also be attached to things like lanyards. Last but not least, the device can last up to four hours on a single charge and can record four hours of audio in mono mode or two hours in stereo.
Once the recording has taken place, users are able to transfer the files to their computer through the microUSB port, which is also used for charging.
The other key difference between the Instamic Go and the Instamic Pro is the fact that the Go is splash-proof, but the Pro is waterproof up to five feet. So, while you wouldn't want to take the Go swimming, it can get a little wet and still be fine.
To get your own Instamic, you can head to the Indiegogo page until mid-July. The Go can be bought for $99 and the Pro for $129, but if you're interested, you'll have to be quick, because there is a limited supply. Prizes range up to $500 for a pack of four Instamic Pros.
