Brinno Time Lapse Camera BCC300-M: Full Review

Brinno is a Taiwan-based company that specializes in timelapse photography equipment and accessories. They have been producing timelapse cameras since 2009, starting with simple point-and-shoot models and progressing to more advanced DSLR timelapse solutions.

The Brinno BCC300-M is one of their mid-range timelapse cameras designed for outdoor and construction site monitoring applications. It offers an weatherproof IPX4 design, long battery life, LCD screen, and various timelapse capture options.

The BCC300-M aims to provide an accessible and easy to use timelapse camera for consumers and professionals to document projects over extended periods of time. Its rugged construction makes it well-suited to withstand tough environments.

Overview

The Brinno BCC300-M is an outdoor timelapse camera designed for capturing long-term construction projects, weather patterns, plant growth, and more. This rugged camera features a durable IPX4 water-resistant housing that can withstand outdoor environments.

Key features and specs:

• 12MP image resolution
• Wide angle lens with 120° field of view
• LCD screen for image preview and camera settings
• Interval timelapse mode from 1 second to 24 hours
• Battery life up to 6 months (up to 150,000 photos)
• Motion detection to start recording when movement is detected
• 32GB microSD card included
• Magnetic wall mount included
• Works in temperatures from -4°F to 140°F
• IPX4 water resistance rating

With its durable construction, long battery life, and flexible timelapse options, the BCC300-M is ideal for unattended, long-term timelapse projects in rugged outdoor conditions. The wide angle lens captures expansive views.

For those who are looking for an enhanced bundle, the Brinno Time Lapse Camera BCC300-C Bundle offers additional accessories and options. This bundle includes an extended battery pack for even longer filming durations, and a greater variety of mounting options to ensure stability in different environments. With advanced features and accessories, the BCC300-C bundle provides a comprehensive solution for all your time-lapse photography needs, making it perfect for both novices and professionals looking to capture intricate projects over time.

Design

The Brinno BCC300-M has a rugged yet compact design perfect for outdoor use. The camera body is made of durable plastic with rubber grips, measuring just 2.4 x 1.5 x 1.3 inches and weighing only 3.5 ounces. Despite its small size, it feels sturdy and well-built.

The matte black finish looks subtle yet professional. The rubber sides provide a secure grip when handling the camera. There are standard tripod threads on the bottom to mount the camera. It also comes with a metal wall mount to attach the camera to surfaces.

The minimalist design focuses on functionality. There are only a few physical buttons, with the power button, shutter button, and a navigation toggle on the top. The back has a small monochrome LCD screen and an OK button. Overall, the pared-down design reduces bulk while still delivering the core functionality needed for timelapse photography.

The Brinno BCC2000 is another excellent choice for professional timelapse photography. It features a higher resolution sensor and improved low-light performance, making it ideal for capturing stunning timelapse videos in challenging lighting conditions. With its weather-resistant housing and extra mounting options, the Brinno BCC2000 is versatile for various outdoor applications. For more details, please visit the Brinno BCC2000 page.

Display

The Brinno BCC300-M has a 1.5 inch LCD color screen that allows you to preview your shots and view playback. The screen has a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels, which is decent for a camera of this size. It's not a touchscreen, but you can navigate through menus and settings using the buttons next to the screen.

One handy feature is that the screen flips out 180 degrees, allowing you to mount the camera facing you while still being able to see the display. This is useful for selfies or vlogging applications. The LCD screen brightness can also be adjusted, which helps when shooting outdoors in sunny conditions.

Overall, the display is functional and provides the essential tools you need to compose shots, view previous images, and change settings on the Brinno BCC300-M. It's not the largest or sharpest screen, but gets the job done well for a compact action camera geared towards timelapse video.

Image Quality

The Brinno BCC300-M captures images at 4MP resolution, which is on the lower side but sufficient for basic timelapse videos. The lens has an f/2.4 aperture and a 145° wide angle field of view, allowing you to capture broad vistas.

Image quality during the day is decent, though colors can look washed out at times. Low light performance is just average, with visible noise in night shots. The lack of image stabilization can also lead to blurry shots if the camera moves during capture.

Overall, the image quality is good enough for basic timelapse videos and documentation, but more discerning users may want higher resolution and better optics. The lens and sensor combination work reasonably well in good lighting, but struggle in low light scenarios.

Timelapse Features

The Brinno BCC300-M has several useful timelapse features that make it well-suited for construction site monitoring and other outdoor timelapse applications.

The camera offers timelapse intervals ranging from 1 second to 24 hours, providing flexibility to capture changes over different durations. It has built-in motion detection that can automatically start recording when activity is detected in the frame. This helps optimize storage capacity and battery life by only capturing relevant footage.

One of the most useful modes is the segment shooting feature. This allows dividing the total capture time into smaller segments. For example, you can set the camera to record a 1-week timelapse but split it into 1-day segments. This makes it easier to manage and review the footage in smaller chunks.

The BCC300-M also has HDR timelapse functionality to handle challenging high contrast lighting situations. It takes multiple exposures and combines them for properly exposed timelapses in mixed lighting conditions. This produces more balanced footage in outdoor construction sites with areas of bright sunlight and shadows.

Overall, the timelapse options of the Brinno BCC300-M provide extensive control and customization for professional-level timelapse capture. The segment shooting and HDR modes make this camera particularly versatile for outdoor long-term timelapse projects.

Battery Life

The Brinno BCC300-M has excellent battery life for a time lapse camera. It comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery that lasts up to 6 months on a single charge when capturing images every 1 minute. This long battery life makes it well-suited for longer term construction, weather, and plant growth timelapses.

The camera has different battery life estimates based on the timelapse interval:

• 1 minute interval: 6 months
• 5 minute interval: 9 months
• 10 minute interval: 12 months

So you can extend the battery life even further by customizing the timelapse settings. The battery life is a major advantage compared to GoPro cameras that may only last several hours before needing a recharge. The long battery life means you can set up the Brinno for timelapses lasting weeks or months without worrying about the battery dying.

Overall, the exceptional battery performance is a key strength of the Brinno BCC300-M for timelapse photography. It frees you from frequently recharging or swapping batteries during long term projects.

Durability

The Brinno BCC300-M is impressively durable for its compact size. It has an IPX4 water resistance rating, meaning it can withstand splashing water from any direction without issues. The camera is not fully waterproof for submersion, but the IPX4 rating gives good protection from rain, snow, and other wet conditions when used outdoors.

In terms of drop resistance, the plastic body seems sturdy enough to withstand minor falls onto flat surfaces. However, there are no specific drop test ratings provided by the manufacturer. Users report the camera surviving drops from ladders and trucks without damage. But large drops onto hard surfaces will likely cause issues.

The overall build quality feels solid thanks to the durable plastic housing. The camera has a nice heft to it despite the small size. Buttons provide good tactile feedback and the sliding battery door stays securely shut. Overall, the Brinno BCC300-M feels like it can withstand tough use, especially given its IPX4 rating. Just don't expect it to survive large drops onto concrete. But for outdoor use in rough conditions, its water and shock resistance help it hold up well.

Connectivity

The Brinno BCC300-M has built-in WiFi connectivity, allowing you to wirelessly transfer images and videos from the camera to your smartphone or tablet. Simply download the Brinno app on your device to access the camera's media and adjust settings remotely.

The app provides full control over the BCC300-M. You can start and stop timelapse recordings, adjust timelapse interval and duration, set image size and quality, update firmware, and more. This wireless integration makes it easy to monitor your timelapses in real time and ensure you capture the footage you want.

The camera's WiFi has an impressive range of up to 30 meters. As long as you're within range, you'll be able to wirelessly view live previews, start recordings, and transfer files through the app. This gives you tremendous flexibility in setting up your timelapse shots.

Overall, the Brinno BCC300-M offers excellent wireless connectivity and app integration for convenient remote control and monitoring. The long WiFi range and full app functionality enhance the timelapse shooting experience.

Pros and Cons

The Brinno BCC300-M has several great features that make it a solid choice for outdoor timelapse photography, as well as a few limitations to be aware of.

Pros

• Excellent battery life - can last for months on a single charge
• Rugged and durable construction - IPX4 water resistance rating
• Simple operation - designed for easy setup and use
• Useful mounting options - comes with accessories for mounting to surfaces
• Large internal memory - built-in 32GB storage
• LCD screen - provides live preview and playback

Cons

• Lower resolution sensor - produces decent but not outstanding image quality
• Fixed wide angle lens - lacks ability to zoom or change focal length
• Slow data transfer - requires cable instead of wifi for offloading videos
• No motion detection - must take continuous timelapses only
• Basic smartphone app - lacks advanced features and customization

Overall, the Brinno BCC300-M is a great choice if you need a robust, no-frills timelapse camera for long-term outdoor recording. Just be aware of the limitations around image quality, connectivity, and flexibility compared to higher-end models.