The Ultimate Removu K1 Review!
So today’s article is going to be our ultimate Removu K1 review that we have been meaning to publish for a month or so now but we simply have never had the time. We are constantly seeing people reaching out about the Removu K1 asking if it is worth adding to their vlogging or action camera setup due to its lower price tag, ease of use and very small size.
Now, in our opinion, the Removu K1 was initially more of an entry-level all in one solution and it definatley has grown a large customer base while also earning a well deserved reputation within the community. That said, its main rival, the DJI Osmo Pocket is a much better device and after its recent price reductions, it is only around $100 more and well worth the additional money if you have the budget available.
That said, the Removu K1 can still do a decent job for anyone who is on a strict budget. It serves as a solid little 4k camera that comes with its gimbal included and is ready to go pretty much right out of the box. It is much cheaper than the more traditional vlogging setups that are based around a DSLR, mirrorless or point and shoot camera, especially when you factor in the cost of the gimbal to get the level of image stabilization you can get on the Removu K1.
Although the K1 has a large customer base of people who use it for a large number of things, the two main groups are based around vlogging and action sports. Due to this, we will be basing most of the article around its performance in these situations as we feel that is what the majority of our readers who are considering purchasing the Removu K1 will be using it for.
Performance And Functionality
The Removu K1 offers a maximum battery life of up to four hours but keep in mind that the video resolution that you are recording your video footage in is going to have a massive impact on this. For example, we have seen a number of people reporting that when recording their video footage in 4k, the K1 was only able to provide them with just over an hours worth of battery per charge. If you are wanting to use 4k as your primary recording resolution then the DJI Osmo Pocket is definatley the device you want over the K1.
When the device is in low battery mode, you do get a low battery warning but then the device starts to do some random stuff. The gimbal will power down seemingly to try and keep the camera working for as long as possible but without the image stabilization from the gimbal, this is useless. We rather than it just kept the gimbal going when low on battery to ensure the device remains usable.
Once the device does run out of battery, it can take up to three hours to recharge and although this may seem like a long time, considering that the Removu K1 is also recharging its camera at the same time, we feel the three-hour mark is acceptable, especially for its price tag.
Now, as we mentioned the Removu K1 can record 4k video footage up to 30 FPS although this will be fine for anyone who is just wanting to have fun, anyone who is wanting to get a YouTube channel or social media platforms off the ground in this day and age should probably be aiming for the 4k at 60fps like on the DJI Osmo Pocket. With there being so much competition in the vlogging and social media space, quality is everything and there are plenty of alternative content producers out there who are offering the best quality possible.
The built-in LCD screen on the K1 is bright and easy to see with its 1.5-inch screen size being large enough for you to see what you are actually recording when using the gimbal in selfie mode. This allows you to ensure that you are in the center of the frame and that the camera is capturing exactly what you want. One thing that we would like to point out about the screen is that it does not flip when in selfie mode to produce the mirror image effect. This can be a little strange at first but you quickly get used to it.
The lens on the K1 has been custom designed to offer the best wide-angle performance possible for the price range. Although it does a solid job of recording anything center of frame, it can have a strange stretching distortion effect at the edges of the lens. Although this effect does not really have a negative effect on landscape footage, if you have peoples faces in your frame then it can make some people look a little strange.
Although the aperture of the Removu K1 is listed as f/2.8 it does have pretty poor low light performance but it can get the job done if you are a hobbyist vlogger. One thing that we have seen a number of people wrongfully report as a fault is the default audio track on the K1. The built-in microphone is actually very sensitive and the default shipping settings for the K1 at are 0 dB. If you quickly go into the settings of the K1 and adjust it to the -12 dB setting, the audio track of the device improves drastically.
All in all, the Removu K1 performs pretty well and offers some solid functionality, especially for its price tag but in all honesty, we would probably just save up that additional $100 and go for the DJI Osmo Pocket if possible. Until its recent price reduction, the Osmo Pocket was more than double the price of the K1 but now the difference in price tag is not too much whereas the difference in performance is massive.
User Interface And Control System
As you would expect from even an entry-level device that will have a large amount of its user base doing extreme sports, the joystick on the controller is very responsive, even when your thumb is cold or wet. We have lost count of the number of devices on the market that are solid but as soon as your hands are cold or wet, you are unable to control them in any way, thankfully, this is not an issue for the K1.
The navigation menu on the gimbal is also extremely easy to get used to allowing you to quickly and easily get to grips with how to customize the device to get exactly what you require out of it. This easy to use yet highly customizable system ensures that the Removu K1 is ideal for both entry-level and experienced vloggers and videographers alike. We really do have to hand it to Removu when it comes to their control system, they have done an excellent job and we really can’t fault it.
Smartphone App
The app pairs well with the Removu K1 and once connectivity is established, the app seems to hold its connection well without any random disconnects that you can get with some competing smartphone apps for other gimbals. Additionally. the actual navigation menu on the gimbal is very easy to use and allows you to quickly and easily navigate to any settings on the gimbal that you want to change without having to waste time.
If you are a travel vlogger or something similar, you can use the app to your advantage to hike to a vista and then use the app to remotely get the Removu K1 to pan through the video with you in the frame too. Although its something small and easy to do, it can help increase the impact of your travel vlog and add an additional level of depth rather than having you holding the camera all the time.
Build Quality And Design
The actual gimbal head is put together really well to ensure that you get the best range of movement possible for your K1 camera and can easily get the best video footage possible. The 1.5 inch LCD panel on the K1 is also industry-standard right now and the screen is very bright, clear, and easy to see too.
The four way joystick controller on the Removu K1 allows you to quickly and easily navigate its settings menu as well as have some manual control over where the camera is aiming during use. On top of this, as we mentioned earlier, the joystick is also responsive and easy to use even if your thumb is wet or cold too.
The Removu K1 is constructed from high-quality materials that are both lightweight as well as tough and its small size ensures that it is as easy to transport or store as possible. We have seen a number of popular vloggers who use the K1 simply say that they just keep it in their pocket as it is small enough to sit by their phone without issue until they need it.
FAQs
Question – Does the Removu K1 have any issues with overheating?
Answer – We were able to find a few reports of the K1 overheating when used with 4k video resolution for extended periods of time but we did not experience it ourselves.
Question – What is the video bitrate on the Removu K1?
Answer – The video bitrate is 60mb/s.
Our Verdict
That brings our Removu K1 review to an end and as you can probably tell, for its current price point in the market, it is a pretty solid camera. Since its release, the Removu K1 has earned a fair few independent reviews from users that you can read for an external insight into the K1. It offers some decent performance, it is very small and easy to use so ideal for anyone who is looking for an easy life to use.
That said, if you have the budget available to go for the DJI Osmo Pocket over the Removu K1, we would highly recommend that you go with the Osmo Pocket. When it comes to performance and functionality, the Osmo Pocket absolutely blows the K1 out of the water offering superior image quality in our opinion and is well worth the investment.
