TIKEE3 PRO+ LONG-TERM TIMELAPSE
Today, I have a special camera to review for you. The Tikee3 Pro+ from Enlaps.
Use MATT12-ENLAPS at checkout to get a discount on https://enlaps.io/en/
INTRO
Full disclosure, this camera was sent to me to review. But, I've been a fan of the Tikee2 Pro and have been using it for my timelapse projects for the past two years. So, I couldn't say no when Enlaps approached me to review the latest version.
Before getting to the unboxing let me tell you why I really like the Enlaps system for long-term timelapse.
WHY I LIKE ENLAPS SYSTEM
So, I have been using two Tikee2 Pro cameras for a two-year job in Italy and in 2020 when deciding on what camera to use for this specific job, I initially thought of making a DIY setup or using my old system. However, the problem was that I had to leave the camera in Italy while living in Spain, so I couldn't trust a DIY setup and I couldn't afford to fly back and forth every month to check if everything was going well. I am also not very skilled in DIY, eh eh, so when I saw this camera, I was very interested because it had a built-in solar panel, a web app that could create the timelapse remotely, and a very competitive price.
And indeed, the result was truly remarkable. By positioning the solar panel at the optimal angle, the battery level never dropped below 96%, even during the winter or prolonged periods of overcast weather. Also, the convenience of being able to monitor the camera from a different country daily, and create monthly time-lapses through the web software was truly impressive. I only had to visit the construction site 3 times in 2 years. For the installation, to move the camera to another spot and to take it down. It did exactly what I was hoping for.
THE CAMERA AND ACCESSORIES
And so, here it is! The camera comes in a stylish case, inside there are the instructions, a microfiber cloth and an Allen key to adjust the solar panel. They also sent me a fixing bracket, a reinforcement plate, and a larger solar panel. I think the option to get a larger solar panel is pretty cool, as sometimes you might not have enough sun during the winter, or if the camera is installed in an area with a lot of shade during the day.
On the camera, there's a small, 4.1-watt adjustable solar panel on top, a plug at the back for the solar panel, a slot for a sim card, a micro SD card that supports cards up to 512 GB and a USB port to charge the 24000 mAh Li-Ion battery, which can last for more than a month with the ideal settings, if there isn't power coming from the solar panel. And last a metal insert to secure the camera with a padlock.
The camera is rated IP66, which means it's waterproof and can handle rain, snow, or sand. I can vouch for that because I used it during one of the worst winters in Italy, where temperatures dropped to -10 degrees. It also held up very well during hot and humid summers with temperatures reaching 40 degrees.
The two lenses, each with 16 Megapixels at f/2.8, capture a super wide scene - to be precise, 220 degrees - but don't worry, the stitching happens automatically on the server, producing a high-quality panorama timelapse. And with the 6K resolution, you can easily zoom in and create a 16:9 video without any black bars, if required.
The Tikee 3 Pro+ has also an 'Always-on" option, when using it with a 4G connection, meaning that you can check what's going on at the location whenever you want, I remember a client asked me if I could see an object on the construction site, but with the Tikee2 Pro, I had to wait for 24h to see it, so the Always-on option would have been quite useful in that case.
There is also a new GPS Geolocation, so you know exactly where the camera is at all times.
SETTING IT UP
Setting up the camera is super easy. First, make sure it's level, then use an app to find the best angle for the built-in solar panel and adjust it with the Allen key. Turn on the camera and connect it to the Enlaps app via Bluetooth, then connect it to the internet so it can send images to the server. If you're near a Wi-Fi router, connect directly to the Wi-Fi, otherwise use the 4G data of the sim card. You can take a quick look at the frame by clicking on Preview and finally, create a timelapse sequence.
THE PHONE APP
Here you've got three modes to choose from: Long, Event, and Burst. Burst mode is for really short timelapses, like sunsets or sunrises. Event mode is for short events, like graffiti painting or building an exhibition stand. Long mode is for long projects, like a construction site that could take months or years. In this case, I am going with Long mode since the camera will be here for a few weeks. Choose the start date and schedule the camera to only take photos during specific times, like work hours at a construction site, to save on space and battery.
Let's set the interval to 3 minutes. If you're working on a multi-year project, I'd bump it up to 10 or 15 minutes. Pick an image format, DNG, Jpg, or Jpg+DNG, you can only upload the Jpg and save the DNG to the card, and you're good to go! Press start and the camera will start shooting right away with your settings
THE WEB APP
After you got the first hundreds image you can go to the web app and start playing with it, they have built a few cool AI tools to get rid of bad days or frames with raindrops in it, you can also blur people faces if you have the top subscription! Pretty cool!
So, Let's make our timelapse, choose the date of the first image and the last, and select the Timelapse Builder, here you have two options, you can let the Enlaps app automatically get rid of the flicker and choose the best setting, or you can manually select what you want to do and finally you can set the duration of the timelapse, the name, choose the resolution and the format of the final timelapse.
And that's it! In a few minutes, you will receive a notification allowing you to download the clip directly from the server.
PRICE AND SUBSCRIPTION PLAN
So, what's the price? well, it is less than you think. The basic kit starts only at 1,800 euros, if you need the complete pack with the mounting arm, reinforcement plate, fixing kit and a hard case, it cost 2,649 euros, which is still an amazing price, compared with other systems.
The other thing you need to get into consideration is that you need a subscription to use some of the cool tools on the web app, you still have a free version, but is limited to 10.000 images and 1080p timelapse with their watermark. The cheaper subscription is 35 euros per month, which is not that bad and if you using it for a job you will bill it to the client invoice anyway.
CONS
What are the cons? well, the only cons I can think of, during the two years of using it, is that there is no lens covers built-in for the rain, so every 6 months I had to send an assistant to clean the lens from the dirty raindrop.
But they kindly gave me a design to 3D print a lens hood which helped a lot.
Also in this system, there isn't a de-freeze option like the high-end system, so I had the lenses all covered by ice in the morning during winter.
The image quality is very good, not mirrorless or dslr good of course, but you can zoom in on the video without losing too many details. During the night is a bit noisy, so, do not expect to shoot milky way timelapse with it.
But other than that. I am very happy about the Tikee cameras!
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, would I recommend this camera system for a long-term timelapse? definitely yes! The camera is reliable, it creates good quality timelapse and the price is very competitive, also the service they provide with the web app is super good, and in case you have any issues, customer service is good and fast, which is also a plus.
Man, I remember my first long-term timelapse job back in 2014, everything was so complicated and expensive, I had a Photo Sentinel case, and a Canon 550d with Magic Lantern installed, comment below if you know what Magic Lantern is eh eh, an external battery and a solar panel connect to the battery. As I was shooting in London during winter, the solar panel couldn't fill the external battery fast enough and also as I couldn't schedule when shooting, the camera was on 24/7 to save energy. So in the end I had to plug the camera into the main. If I wanted a camera like the Tikee back, I would have to spend at least 5000 euros or build it myself. Things have definitely changed!
If you want to get a Tikee 3 Pro+ yourself, use MATT12-ENLAPS at checkout to get a discount on https://enlaps.io/en/
Thanks again Enlaps for sending the camera for review, I hope you found this video and my experience with this camera informative and helpful.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.
Thanks for reading! I'll see you in the next one.
CIAO CIAO
