STK's  Explorer action cam does almost everything the big  brands do --  and more

Bangalore, April 18 2016: A new sub species of digital camera has evolved in recent months:  the Action Camera, fine tuned to film action, even while being immersed in it. Sometimes  known  as Go Pro cameras  after the first major brand in this niche, Action Cams  are  typically  compact, rugged, waterproof and  WiFi-enabled. 
The STK Explorer  is all of these things:  a full HD 1080p video camera and a 12 megapixel still camera combined  with two additional modes:  a time lapse mode where  you can set it to shoot stills at   2, 3,5.... 60 second intervals  and a burst mode which clicks three shots   1.5 seconds.  The 170 degree wide angle lens  captures a  huge chunk of the frontal view --- very useful if the camera is strapped to your helmet or bike handlebar, as you hit the trail.  And if your outdoor tastes run to wet-n-wild or underwater, the Explorer is waterproof up to 30 metres depth, if you use the special housing provided.

The accessories run into dozens -- a  mount, strap  or  fixture for every conceivable  situation.  I found very cool the  mobile app that lets you control your  camera from your phone -- even turning  the phone screen into the  viewfinder. The camera  has no memory of its own  -- you have to insert a micro SD card up to  32 GB.  I am no extreme sports fan, but after a  few leisurely jaunts with the Explorer pinned to my topi, I have become addicted to  recording the Travels of Anand  regardless of whether posterity cares or not.  Good value at Rs 12,499 ( a couple of thousand rupees cheaper online). Anand Parthasarathy