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DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price

DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price

DJI currently has three versions of its Phantom 3 drone: the Standard , Advanced and Professional . While there are several important differences between the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard ($799, £649 or AU$1,299) and its two linemates, the feature gap between the Professional and Advanced amounts to two things.

The Phantom 3 Professional shoots video in 4K (3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and has a 100-watt battery charger. It retails for $1,259, £1,159 or AU$1,950. The Advanced captures video in 1080p (1,920x1,080) and has a slower 57-watt charger, but costs $999, £899 or AU$1,550. That's it.

The 4K video from the Professional is a step up from the Advanced's full-HD results. But it's not a big step up, and unless you want or need the extra resolution and have a computer powerful enough to play and edit 4K video, the Advanced's 1080p video doesn't disappoint. And since the drones' features and controllers are the same, the Phantom 3 Advanced is as easy to recommended as it is to fly. Which is to say it's really easy.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Design and features

The quadcopter itself is, for the most part, unchanged from its predecessor, the Phantom 2 Vision+. You'll find all the same convenience features like color-coded, self-tightening propellers for easy installation and replacement, and a slot-loading battery pack, though it's a newly designed battery making the Phantom 2's batteries incompatible with the 3.

The three-axis gimbal on its belly stabilizes the camera in roll, pitch and yaw directions keeping the video looking smooth even with sudden stick movements or wind gusts. Plus, the camera can do a 90-degree tilt, letting you shoot straight down, straight ahead and anywhere in between. The camera is permanently attached to the gimbal, so if you irreparably damage one or the other, you'll have to replace the entire gimbal-and-camera assembly. It also means you don't have the option of using the camera for anything else, unlike models that use GoPro or other small cameras such as 3D Robotic's Solo or EHang's Ghost.

The Advanced's camera features a Sony-made 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor behind a new f2.8 20mm lens (35mm equivalent), which gives you a 94-degree field of view. That's much narrower than the Vision+ camera's 140-degree field of view resulting in far less distortion.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Sitting to the back of the gimbal is the new Vision Positioning System, a set of sensors to help the Phantom 3 hover while indoors when GPS isn't available. There are many caveats for it to work properly, however, such as not flying over sound-absorbing materials, water or highly reflective surfaces. It's also only effective up to about 10 feet (3 meters). If you're thinking of getting the Advanced to fly above crowds in an arena or auditorium, you better up your piloting skills first.

When you're outside, GPS is used to help the drone determine its position and yours and is what makes it possible for the drone to stop and hover in place when you release the controller's sticks as well as delivering accurate location data for safety features like automatically returning to a home position. The more satellites it can lock onto, the better off you are, so DJI added the Russian navigational system, GLONASS, which lets it tap into more satellites than GPS alone.

Satellite acquisition speeds are noticeably faster compared to the Phantom 2 Vision+, so you can lock on and start flying more quickly. Also, with the Vision+ there were times I would struggle to get a solid lock on six satellites (the minimum for GPS-assisted flight). The Advanced never had a problem grabbing onto 10 satellites or more in a matter of seconds and regularly had upward of 15 in my testing. This makes a huge difference when it comes to putting the drone in the exact position you want for photos and video.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The controller and DJI Go mobile app (formerly called Pilot) are important, too, of course. The Advanced and its controller have DJI's Lightbridge technology for better image transmission between the sky and ground. Lightbridge allows for a continuous connection back and forth between the two and increases flight range over the wireless range extender used for the Phantom 2 and the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard. This does mean you'll need your iOS or Android device's charging cable to use it, but the performance improvement is well worth it.

On each of the top corners you'll find discrete camera controls for starting and stopping recordings, taking pictures, reviewing your shots and two wheels, one for adjusting exposure compensation, ISO and shutter speed and the other for the gimbal's tilt. Two customizable buttons are on the bottom as well that can be used for a handful of gimbal or camera functions. Overall it's a great setup, but more than a few times I accidentally switched to playback mode while trying to snap a photo.

DJI also included a Return-to-Home button for those times when panic starts to set in and you just want to bring it on back. The controller's battery is built in and will last through several flights before you'll need to recharge it. DJI simplified charging, too, using one power supply with two cables attached: one for the controller's battery and one for the drone's.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Connecting your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet is as simple as plugging in your device's charging cable into the USB port on the Advanced's controller. (It'll keep your device charged while you use it for flying, too.) Then, with the controller and drone turned on, you just open the DJI Go app and tap to get the camera view.

The controller's device mount can handle phones and tablets big and small, however the app is optimized for use with the iPhone 5S, 6 and 6 Plus. Android device support is thin, with just the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3, Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 II, Google Nexus 9, Xiaomi Mi 3 and ZTE Nubia Z7 Mini listed. I tested with both a 6 Plus and a Galaxy S5 and the app performance was clearly stronger on the iOS device with the S5 occasionally freezing up forcing me midflight to restart the app.

In addition to a first-person view from the camera, you get complete camera controls, meters for signal strengths, GPS and battery life and access to settings for the whole system. It will also notify you if a firmware update is necessary (which occur with some regularity) and, eventually, you'll be able to do the updates through the app; currently they're done by downloading a file to a microSD card and popping the card into the drone's camera.

The app can also be used for automated take-offs and landings, if you don't want to handle them with stick commands, and triggering the Return-to-Home safety function. Another new safety feature of sorts is the Beginner Mode. This sets up virtual barriers called a geofence with a maximum altitude and flight distance of 30 meters (98 feet), giving you a safe way to limit where the drone can travel. It's pretty amazing to see in action as you send the Phantom full throttle toward its limit and the drone stops as if it's been snagged in an invisible net.

As for the camera settings, video recording options include full HD (1,920x1,080-pixel) and HD (1,280x720-pixel) resolutions at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second and you can choose between MOV or MP4 formats. Thanks to the Lightbridge technology, you can even use it to live-stream video straight to YouTube and uses your mobile device's mic for capturing audio.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

For photos, you can capture in JPEG, DNG raw format or both simultaneously. Shooting modes include single shots or bursts of three, five or seven; HDR and auto exposure bracketing (0.7EV bias) of three or five pictures; and time-lapse continuous shooting at 5-, 7-, 10-, 20- and 30-second intervals. You can also control ISO, exposure compensation and white balance.

At the time of this review the Phantom 3 Advanced (and Professional) didn't have DJI's Intelligent Flight features including waypoint navigation, point of interest (POI) flight planning or Follow Me function, but these are now available.

Waypoint navigation lets you set up a multipoint path for the drone to follow while you control the camera, while POI flight planning allows you to autonomously fly a circle around a subject, keeping it centered. Follow Me sets the drone to track your movement based on your orientation. Support for SDK apps already created by third-party DJI developers is available as well, giving the Advanced more features and future potential.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Flying

If you're reading this review, you probably already know that DJI's Phantom quadcopters have a reputation of being extremely easy to fly (and fly away, but it's something I've never experienced). With the Phantom 3 the experience has only improved.

DJI has added a flight simulator to the mobile app (iOS only) that you can use to learn your way around the app and controls. I found it to be a little frustrating because the actual drone performs so much better in real life. Regardless of safety features and how stable the Phantom 3 is, I highly recommend taking your first flights out in an open area where there are no people or distractions.

Again, if you don't want to use stick commands, you can takeoff and land with a tap and a swipe on your screen. With GPS, the drone will just sit and hover wherever you leave it. Start flying a bit too close to a tree and you can just let go of the sticks and it will stop while you regroup and steer away. You can fly without GPS, but if you release the sticks the Phantom won't stop but instead continues to drift in the direction it was last headed. It's a gut-wrenching experience watching $1,000 float away seemingly uncontrollably, so it's best to fly with GPS until you fully understand the controls.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The app is well laid out and at a glance you can see all the information you need. There's even a battery timeline meter giving you estimates on everything from remaining flight time to the power required to return home or land.

Speaking of battery life, DJI says you'll be able to get up to 23 minutes of flight time. I was able to get to just under 21 minutes of flying -- nothing too aggressive, mostly hovering in place and in light wind -- before it took over and landed itself. That flight time is very good when you factor in all that it's doing to stay in the air while recording video. It does feel short, though, especially if you're trying to get out some distance for a picture and still make it back. And extras are pricey at around $149, £125 or AU$205 each.

Video and photo quality

Closely examining the 4K video of the Phantom 3 Professional or DJI's higher-end Inspire 1 straight from the camera against the 1080p clips from the Advanced, there are noticeable differences, mainly in the level of fine detail and sharpness of subjects. There is better detail from the 4K and it's especially visible if you're viewing on a large TV or monitor. So, if it's necessary for you to capture the highest quality video without ponying up a ton more cash, the Phantom 3 Professional is the better choice.

Frankly, though, the full-HD clips from the Advanced look pretty great as do its photos, and they're more than suitable for sharing online and/or viewing on a phone, tablet or laptop. It's also a huge jump in quality from the Phantom 2 Vision+. For those considering an upgrade from that model to the Professional, your needs might be met with the less expensive Advanced.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The live-streaming quality to YouTube is just OK. You have to have a pretty strong wireless connection to keep the video moving smoothly and even then the results were a bit glitchy and compressed. Still, it's sort of amazing it can do it at all and could be helpful for professional uses.

Lastly, whenever you record a video, a compressed 720p version is stored to your mobile device. To help make the most of these clips, DJI built in a basic video editor to the Go app. You can use it to cut up your clips, gather them up and then combine them into one movie. DJI also included some style templates with music you can apply before you save. Then you can just share away.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Conclusion

The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is a great little aerial photo and video machine, however it's the whole system -- the drone, the controller and the app -- that make it so easy to pick up and just start flying. It's not inexpensive, but compared with the $900 Parrot Bebop with its Skycontroller , you won't regret spending the extra money. And if you don't need the Professional's 4K video, you can put your money toward a spare battery or two so the good times don't come to an end after 20 minutes.

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Source

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DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price

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DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price

DJI currently has three versions of its Phantom 3 drone: the Standard , Advanced and Professional . While there are several important differences between the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard ($799, £649 or AU$1,299) and its two linemates, the feature gap between the Professional and Advanced amounts to two things.

The Phantom 3 Professional shoots video in 4K (3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and has a 100-watt battery charger. It retails for $1,259, £1,159 or AU$1,950. The Advanced captures video in 1080p (1,920x1,080) and has a slower 57-watt charger, but costs $999, £899 or AU$1,550. That's it.

The 4K video from the Professional is a step up from the Advanced's full-HD results. But it's not a big step up, and unless you want or need the extra resolution and have a computer powerful enough to play and edit 4K video, the Advanced's 1080p video doesn't disappoint. And since the drones' features and controllers are the same, the Phantom 3 Advanced is as easy to recommended as it is to fly. Which is to say it's really easy.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Design and features

The quadcopter itself is, for the most part, unchanged from its predecessor, the Phantom 2 Vision+. You'll find all the same convenience features like color-coded, self-tightening propellers for easy installation and replacement, and a slot-loading battery pack, though it's a newly designed battery making the Phantom 2's batteries incompatible with the 3.

The three-axis gimbal on its belly stabilizes the camera in roll, pitch and yaw directions keeping the video looking smooth even with sudden stick movements or wind gusts. Plus, the camera can do a 90-degree tilt, letting you shoot straight down, straight ahead and anywhere in between. The camera is permanently attached to the gimbal, so if you irreparably damage one or the other, you'll have to replace the entire gimbal-and-camera assembly. It also means you don't have the option of using the camera for anything else, unlike models that use GoPro or other small cameras such as 3D Robotic's Solo or EHang's Ghost.

The Advanced's camera features a Sony-made 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor behind a new f2.8 20mm lens (35mm equivalent), which gives you a 94-degree field of view. That's much narrower than the Vision+ camera's 140-degree field of view resulting in far less distortion.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Sitting to the back of the gimbal is the new Vision Positioning System, a set of sensors to help the Phantom 3 hover while indoors when GPS isn't available. There are many caveats for it to work properly, however, such as not flying over sound-absorbing materials, water or highly reflective surfaces. It's also only effective up to about 10 feet (3 meters). If you're thinking of getting the Advanced to fly above crowds in an arena or auditorium, you better up your piloting skills first.

When you're outside, GPS is used to help the drone determine its position and yours and is what makes it possible for the drone to stop and hover in place when you release the controller's sticks as well as delivering accurate location data for safety features like automatically returning to a home position. The more satellites it can lock onto, the better off you are, so DJI added the Russian navigational system, GLONASS, which lets it tap into more satellites than GPS alone.

Satellite acquisition speeds are noticeably faster compared to the Phantom 2 Vision+, so you can lock on and start flying more quickly. Also, with the Vision+ there were times I would struggle to get a solid lock on six satellites (the minimum for GPS-assisted flight). The Advanced never had a problem grabbing onto 10 satellites or more in a matter of seconds and regularly had upward of 15 in my testing. This makes a huge difference when it comes to putting the drone in the exact position you want for photos and video.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The controller and DJI Go mobile app (formerly called Pilot) are important, too, of course. The Advanced and its controller have DJI's Lightbridge technology for better image transmission between the sky and ground. Lightbridge allows for a continuous connection back and forth between the two and increases flight range over the wireless range extender used for the Phantom 2 and the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard. This does mean you'll need your iOS or Android device's charging cable to use it, but the performance improvement is well worth it.

On each of the top corners you'll find discrete camera controls for starting and stopping recordings, taking pictures, reviewing your shots and two wheels, one for adjusting exposure compensation, ISO and shutter speed and the other for the gimbal's tilt. Two customizable buttons are on the bottom as well that can be used for a handful of gimbal or camera functions. Overall it's a great setup, but more than a few times I accidentally switched to playback mode while trying to snap a photo.

DJI also included a Return-to-Home button for those times when panic starts to set in and you just want to bring it on back. The controller's battery is built in and will last through several flights before you'll need to recharge it. DJI simplified charging, too, using one power supply with two cables attached: one for the controller's battery and one for the drone's.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Connecting your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet is as simple as plugging in your device's charging cable into the USB port on the Advanced's controller. (It'll keep your device charged while you use it for flying, too.) Then, with the controller and drone turned on, you just open the DJI Go app and tap to get the camera view.

The controller's device mount can handle phones and tablets big and small, however the app is optimized for use with the iPhone 5S, 6 and 6 Plus. Android device support is thin, with just the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3, Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 II, Google Nexus 9, Xiaomi Mi 3 and ZTE Nubia Z7 Mini listed. I tested with both a 6 Plus and a Galaxy S5 and the app performance was clearly stronger on the iOS device with the S5 occasionally freezing up forcing me midflight to restart the app.

In addition to a first-person view from the camera, you get complete camera controls, meters for signal strengths, GPS and battery life and access to settings for the whole system. It will also notify you if a firmware update is necessary (which occur with some regularity) and, eventually, you'll be able to do the updates through the app; currently they're done by downloading a file to a microSD card and popping the card into the drone's camera.

The app can also be used for automated take-offs and landings, if you don't want to handle them with stick commands, and triggering the Return-to-Home safety function. Another new safety feature of sorts is the Beginner Mode. This sets up virtual barriers called a geofence with a maximum altitude and flight distance of 30 meters (98 feet), giving you a safe way to limit where the drone can travel. It's pretty amazing to see in action as you send the Phantom full throttle toward its limit and the drone stops as if it's been snagged in an invisible net.

As for the camera settings, video recording options include full HD (1,920x1,080-pixel) and HD (1,280x720-pixel) resolutions at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second and you can choose between MOV or MP4 formats. Thanks to the Lightbridge technology, you can even use it to live-stream video straight to YouTube and uses your mobile device's mic for capturing audio.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

For photos, you can capture in JPEG, DNG raw format or both simultaneously. Shooting modes include single shots or bursts of three, five or seven; HDR and auto exposure bracketing (0.7EV bias) of three or five pictures; and time-lapse continuous shooting at 5-, 7-, 10-, 20- and 30-second intervals. You can also control ISO, exposure compensation and white balance.

At the time of this review the Phantom 3 Advanced (and Professional) didn't have DJI's Intelligent Flight features including waypoint navigation, point of interest (POI) flight planning or Follow Me function, but these are now available.

Waypoint navigation lets you set up a multipoint path for the drone to follow while you control the camera, while POI flight planning allows you to autonomously fly a circle around a subject, keeping it centered. Follow Me sets the drone to track your movement based on your orientation. Support for SDK apps already created by third-party DJI developers is available as well, giving the Advanced more features and future potential.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Flying

If you're reading this review, you probably already know that DJI's Phantom quadcopters have a reputation of being extremely easy to fly (and fly away, but it's something I've never experienced). With the Phantom 3 the experience has only improved.

DJI has added a flight simulator to the mobile app (iOS only) that you can use to learn your way around the app and controls. I found it to be a little frustrating because the actual drone performs so much better in real life. Regardless of safety features and how stable the Phantom 3 is, I highly recommend taking your first flights out in an open area where there are no people or distractions.

Again, if you don't want to use stick commands, you can takeoff and land with a tap and a swipe on your screen. With GPS, the drone will just sit and hover wherever you leave it. Start flying a bit too close to a tree and you can just let go of the sticks and it will stop while you regroup and steer away. You can fly without GPS, but if you release the sticks the Phantom won't stop but instead continues to drift in the direction it was last headed. It's a gut-wrenching experience watching $1,000 float away seemingly uncontrollably, so it's best to fly with GPS until you fully understand the controls.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The app is well laid out and at a glance you can see all the information you need. There's even a battery timeline meter giving you estimates on everything from remaining flight time to the power required to return home or land.

Speaking of battery life, DJI says you'll be able to get up to 23 minutes of flight time. I was able to get to just under 21 minutes of flying -- nothing too aggressive, mostly hovering in place and in light wind -- before it took over and landed itself. That flight time is very good when you factor in all that it's doing to stay in the air while recording video. It does feel short, though, especially if you're trying to get out some distance for a picture and still make it back. And extras are pricey at around $149, £125 or AU$205 each.

Video and photo quality

Closely examining the 4K video of the Phantom 3 Professional or DJI's higher-end Inspire 1 straight from the camera against the 1080p clips from the Advanced, there are noticeable differences, mainly in the level of fine detail and sharpness of subjects. There is better detail from the 4K and it's especially visible if you're viewing on a large TV or monitor. So, if it's necessary for you to capture the highest quality video without ponying up a ton more cash, the Phantom 3 Professional is the better choice.

Frankly, though, the full-HD clips from the Advanced look pretty great as do its photos, and they're more than suitable for sharing online and/or viewing on a phone, tablet or laptop. It's also a huge jump in quality from the Phantom 2 Vision+. For those considering an upgrade from that model to the Professional, your needs might be met with the less expensive Advanced.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The live-streaming quality to YouTube is just OK. You have to have a pretty strong wireless connection to keep the video moving smoothly and even then the results were a bit glitchy and compressed. Still, it's sort of amazing it can do it at all and could be helpful for professional uses.

Lastly, whenever you record a video, a compressed 720p version is stored to your mobile device. To help make the most of these clips, DJI built in a basic video editor to the Go app. You can use it to cut up your clips, gather them up and then combine them into one movie. DJI also included some style templates with music you can apply before you save. Then you can just share away.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

Conclusion

The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is a great little aerial photo and video machine, however it's the whole system -- the drone, the controller and the app -- that make it so easy to pick up and just start flying. It's not inexpensive, but compared with the $900 Parrot Bebop with its Skycontroller , you won't regret spending the extra money. And if you don't need the Professional's 4K video, you can put your money toward a spare battery or two so the good times don't come to an end after 20 minutes.

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Source

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Don't pull a Rudy Giuliani: Prevent butt-dialing with these 5 tips

Don't pull a Rudy Giuliani: Prevent butt-dialing with these 5 tips

I've done it, you've done it, and now the president's lawyer is guilty of it too -- I'm talking, of course, about butt-dialing. Butt-dialing, or "pocket-dialing" as it's called in politer circles, is the result of a perfect storm of bad smartphone habits that starts with forgetting to lock your device. Next you toss your unlocked phone into a pants pocket (often a rear one). Then, as you move around with your unlocked phone shifting in your pocket, taps and bumps combine with static electricity and a bit of moisture to fool your phone's touchscreen into thinking it's being pressed, pinched or zoomed.
From there, it's really just a crapshoot in terms of which app your phone opens or who it decides to call. In Rudy Giuliani's case, the former mayor's phone dialed a reporter Giuliani had recently spoken with. The call went to voicemail, capturing part of a chat between Giuliani and an associate.
Butt-dialing happens to everyone, so here are f ive ways to make sure it's not your behind on the line when it does. 

Forgetting to turn off your phone's screen before pocketing it is the first step to an accidental butt-dial. 

Angela Lang/CNET

Lock. It. Up.

If everyone would just remember to hit the power button to turn off their screens before pocketing their phones, we could leave butt-dialing behind us. But I get it -- the whole point of owning a phone is convenience. Thankfully, both iPhones ($500 at Best Buy) and Android phones have an auto-lock setting that can turn your screen off for you. iPhones will turn off their screen and lock the phone in as little as 30 seconds with no activity. Android phones have an even shorter option: 15 seconds.
Depending on how you use your phone, setting auto-lock to 15 or 30 seconds may be more trouble than it's worth. For example, if you read a lot of news or e-books you may find your phone screen going dim before you're finished reading the page you're on. But if you want to avoid the shame of pocket-dialing, you may want to try and adjust the time setting so it works for you.
Here's how to change the aut o-lock or sleep setting on your iPhone or Android:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Display or Display & Brightness.
3. Tap Sleep or Auto-Lock or Screen timeout (your phone may call it something slightly different).
4. Choose the shortest interval you feel comfortable with.

Google's new face unlock feature uses a combination of radar and infrared sensors.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Use a passcode, fingerprint or facial recognition to unlock

If you don't have a security lock on your phone, set one. Not securing your phone with a security lock can leave you vulnerable to crooks and snoops and makes your phone more likely to unlock itself in your pocket. Adding a passcode or requiring a fingerprint or facial identification to unlock your phone makes butt-dialing practically impossible, so long as you lock your phone before you pocket it. 

Here's how to set your phone to require a passcode, fingerprint or facial identification to unlock:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Security and lock screen or Touch ID & Passcode or Face ID & Passcode.
3. If you already have a passcode, you may be asked to enter it.
4. Set your phone to require a passcode, fingerprint or facial identification to unlock.

If your digital assistant can be summoned from the lock screen it can also accidentally make calls without your knowledge. 

Nicholas Tufnell/CNET

Give your digital assistant a break when your phone is locked

Whether you use Siri on iPhone or Google Assistant on Android, it's quite possible your digital assistant is to blame for the occasional butt-dial. If your phone is set to always listen for "Hey, Siri" or "OK, Google," or you can summon either assistant with a button while the screen is locked, your chances of butt-dialing increase exponentially. All it takes is a misunderstood word or phrase or an errant button press and next thing you know your assistant is dialing out.
Here's how to restrict Siri to only respond when your iPhone is unlocked:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Siri & Search.
3. Next to Listen for "Hey Siri" turn the toggle off.
4. Next to Allow Siri When Locked turn the toggle off.
Here's how to restrict Google Assistant to o nly respond when your Android phone is unlocked:
1. Launch Google Assistant.
2. Tap the inbox icon in the lower left corner to open Assistant settings.
3. Tap your profile picture in the upper right corner.
4. Tap Assistant on the top menu bar.
5. Scroll all the way down to the Assistant devices section and tap Phone.
6. Next to Access with Voice Match turn the toggle off.
7. Next to Lock screen personal results turn the toggle off. 

Clear your recent call history to avoid butt-dialing the people you last spoke to.

Screenshot Clifford Colby/CNET

Practice good phone hygiene

As happened with Giuliani, your phone may pocket-dial the last person you spoke to. One way to make sure that doesn't happen is to clear your recent call history. You may especially want to do this if you've recently spoken with, shall we say, sensitive contacts, like your boss, an ex or a political journalist.
Also be sure you don't have anyone saved in your speed-dial or favorites folder to whom a butt-dial might result in negative repercussions. Basically, the easier you make it to call someone, the easier it is for your phone to accidentally call them.
If you have an Android device, you can take an additional step and make sure you have on-body detection turned off. The whole point of on-body detection is to keep your phone unlocked while it's on your person, which is simply an open invitation to butt-dialing.
Here's how to turn off on-body detection on an Android phone:
1. Open Setting s.
2. Tap Security > Smart lock
3. Enter your passcode.
4. Tap On-body detection.
5. Turn the toggle off.
Butt-dials aren't the only modern-day frustration vexing smartphone owners. As the sheer volume of robocalls continues to rise, wireless carriers are starting to address the problem themselves, but in the meantime there's still more you can do to protect yourself. If you're stoked about dark mode on your phone but salty more app developers haven't gotten onboard with it yet, at least Gmail has finally caught up with the dark mode trend. Finally, are you still trying to figure out the right combination of presses, taps and swipes to take a screenshot on your phone? Check out our guide to taking screenshots on any phone.

Originally published earlier this week.

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Personal line of credit: How it works and when to use one

Personal line of credit: How it works and when to use one

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To support our work, we are paid in different ways for providing advertising services. For example, some advertisers pay us to display ads, others pay us when you click on certain links, and others pay us when you submit your information to request a quote or other offer details. CNET's compensation is never tied to whether you purchase an insurance product. We don't charge you for our services. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear.

Our insurance content may include references to or advertisements by our corporate affiliate HomeInsurance.com LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 8781838). And HomeInsurance.com LLC may receive compensation from third parties if you choose to visit and transact on their website. However, all CNET editorial content is independently researched and developed without regard to our corporate relationship to HomeInsurance.com LLC or its advertiser relationships.

Our content may include summaries of insurance providers, or their products or services. CNET is not an insurance agency or broker. We do not transact in the business of insurance in any manner, and we are not attempting to sell insurance or asking or urging you to apply for a particular kind of insurance from a particular company.

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In a digital world, information only matters if it's timely, relevant, and credible. We promise to do whatever is necessary to get you the information you need when you need it, to make our opinions fair and useful, and to make sure our facts are accurate.

If a popular product is on store shelves, you can count on CNET for immediate commentary and benchmark analysis as soon as possible. We promise to publish credible information we have as soon as we have it, throughout a product's life cycle, from its first public announcement to any potential recall or emergence of a competing device.

How will we know if we're fulfilling our mission? We constantly monitor our competition, user activity, and journalistic awards. We scour and scrutinize blogs, sites, aggregators, RSS feeds, and any other available resources, and editors at all levels of our organization continuously review our coverage.

But you're the final judge. We ask that you inform us whenever you find an error, spot a gap in our coverage, or have any other suggestions for improvement. Readers are part of the CNET family, and the strength of that relationship is the ultimate test of our success. Find out more here.

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11 amazing Starbucks coffee drinks you can make at home. Here's how

11 amazing Starbucks coffee drinks you can make at home. Here's how

Missing the ease of your daily Starbucks coffee fix? So are we, especially the secret menu. Even while coronavirus lockdowns have made it difficult to actually go out to grab the real thing, copycat recipes are close enough to hit the spot and save you a few bucks if you don't want to pay for Starbucks delivery (though we do hope you tip generously when you do). 

Pretty soon you'll be able to make some of the most classic Starbucks drinks -- hot or iced -- from the comfort of your own home. And if you buy all the ingredients up front, you'll probably save money on coffee in the long run, which is a huge plus.

Caveat: If you don't already have some of the special syrups mentioned below at home, expect shipping delays when you order online -- or you can take the extra step and make those, too. Try this vanilla syrup recipe (don't stress if you only have extract, but add a little extra), and this homemade caramel syrup recipe, and you'll be all set. And if you want to try a totally new kind of coffee, the dalgona coffee craze is worth the hype.

Read more: Best coffee makers for cold brew at home

Caramel Frappuccino

This is the perfect drink for a hot day (or a cheat day), and it's the drink that got me hooked on Starbucks years before I discovered my need for pure shots of bitter espresso straight into my bloodstream. And this Caramel Frappuccino recipe was actually featured on Good Morning America, so you know it's a good copycat! You can use espresso shots or strongly brewed coffee, and any milk you like. You'll also need both caramel sauce and caramel syrup, but the xanthan gum is optional (it's there to thicken things up for the ideal frappe kind of texture, but adding more ice works just as well).

Because you're the barista, feel free to get even more generous with the caramel. For authenticity, top it off with some whipped cream and a little caramel sauce drizzle.

Read more: Best home espresso machines for 2020

Cold brew with salted cream cold foam

If you want a more restrained but equally refreshing option that still satisfies the craving for a little something sweet (and salty), this simple cold brew with creamy, salted sweet foam is perfect. This copycat salted cream cold foam cold brew recipe promises everything you love about the drink, except the instant gratification part, since you'll need to steep your cold brew for about 18 hours.

Read more: The one thing you're getting wrong when making cold brew

Pumpkin spice latte

The fall-time favorite, which I admittedly have still never tried, has become synonymous with Starbucks, so I'd be certifiably insane to not teach you how to make it at home. That way, you could start every day with a PSL. And, you're saving even more money because this copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe even teaches you how to make your own syrup. You're so welcome.

For the latte itself, you'll want to start by heating your milk for one minute and then frothing it a bit with a blender or whisk. Put your syrup at the bottom of your cup, then add your coffee and frothed milk. For that PSL effect, top with whipped cream and some pumpkin pie spice.

Read more: The best coffee accessories you never knew you needed

White chocolate mocha

This is actually one of Starbucks' most popular drinks. It's my go-to when I'm craving something very sweet, and it's the everyday order of none other than Kim Kardashian West. Celebrities, they're just like us. This white chocolate mocha recipe calls for about 3 tablespoons of white chocolate chips rather than syrup, but if you like it much sweeter, just add more chocolate! Make sure to whisk often when heating your coffee, milk and chocolate, and don't skip the whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top.

Read more: What Is white chocolate, exactly?

Vanilla latte

Hot or iced, the Starbucks vanilla latte is my thing. It's so simple, yet so delicious. It's even perfect with any kind of milk -- regular, soy, coconut, you name it! And this one is so easy, you don't even need a recipe. Froth your favorite milk with a whisk or blender, add your preferred espresso or strong coffee and pick up some vanilla syrup from your local grocery store. When summer comes around again, I strongly suggest making this over some ice.

Iced caramel macchiato

Perhaps the most Instagram-worthy drink on this list, the iced caramel macchiato looks difficult because the espresso is so beautifully layered on the milk, but I promise it's super simple, thanks to this Iced Caramel Macchiato recipe.

You'll need to get vanilla syrup and caramel syrup too (if you want things sweeter), plus some some caramel sauce for the bottom of your cup (OK, and the top). When pouring in your espresso, go slowly and the coffee will layer naturally on top of the milk. I know a lot of people choose to mix that until they blend, but I actually enjoy it separated.

Read more: These are the best coffee makers of 2020

Passion tea lemonade

In what is perhaps the most basic thing in the world, I stop in a Starbucks drive through once a week every summer on the way to beach volleyball for one of these things. The passion tea lemonade is as addicting as it is delicious, and I think it's just as good unsweetened.

For this Copycat Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade recipe, you'll need the straight up passion tea that Starbucks makes. But good news, they sell it in stores and in bulk online! You'll need to boil water and steep the tea first and foremost, because tea just doesn't dissolve to its fullest in cold water. You'll also need to add the sugar in now (if you so choose) for the same reason; it'll dissolve much better in hot tea. When you've boiled water and you're satisfied with your tea, refrigerate it for a little while. When it's ready, fill your cup with ice. The recommended ratio for the passion tea lemonade is one part tea, two parts lemonade. That way it'll be naturally sweet.

The Pink Drink

Closely related to the above thirst quencher, the equally Instagram-friendly Pink Drink is made from passion fruit, acai, strawberries, and coconut milk. This copycat Starbucks Pink Drink recipe has a base of acai berry tea and uses white grape juice to help sweeten it and intensify the fruity flavor. Adjust the sweetness to taste with agave nectar (you'll need a LOT if you want it as sweet as Starbucks) and add coconut milk to give it that pale blushing color and creamy texture. Sliced strawberries top it off.

Chai tea latte

This drink is one of Starbucks' bestsellers, and I STILL haven't tried it. There used to be a time when I would leave for Starbucks and my dad would always yell, "Get me a chai tea latte," so this is the first one on this list I'm dying to make for myself. While Starbucks sells Tazo tea cups for your Keurig, it's a little more fun to run down the spice aisle at the store and get everything you need to follow this DIY Starbucks chai tea latte recipe. You'll need cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves and ginger, plus honey, black tea and milk (and water, of course).

Peppermint mocha

Shout out to this copycat Starbucks peppermint mocha recipe for making it possible for me to enjoy a piping hot peppermint mocha even in the middle of July. Isn't that what everyone wants? Use milk or dark chocolate, or mix them both for multilayered flavor. And do not confuse the peppermint extract with mint extract; peppermint is a strong flavor, so use to your taste, but the recommended amount is anywhere between an eighth and a quarter of a teaspoon. Personally, I think the chocolate makes this drink plenty sweet, but feel free to experiment with additional sugar, honey, agave or any other kind of sweetener you may want.

To get really festive, top it with whipped cream and crushed candy canes (which, I'll admit, may be hard to find now that Christmas is long gone. I won't tell anyone if you use the peppermint candies from your grandma's house in the off season).

Flat white

The wildly popular flat white got me through midterms and finals week in college. I'm not kidding. Now you'll know how to make something to get through all your stress and exhaustion! The key to a successful flat white is a fine, frothy milk. If you actually have a frother, now is the time to use it! If not, you can blend or whisk the milk until it froths. All you need to do is pour the milk over the coffee when you're satisfied with the froth. Stir in sugar to taste, but this is a drink that I think is actually better without the sweetener.

This story was written by Toniann Pasqueralle for Chowhound.

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Borderline personality disorder what causes borderline personality disorder what to do borderline personality disorder symptoms borderline personality disorder dsm 5 criteria signs of borderline personality disorder borderline personality disorder and relationships borderline personality disorder vs bipolar disorder borderline personality disorder traits borderline personality disorder test borderline personality symptoms

Borderline Personality Disorder: What It Is and How to Get Help

Borderline Personality Disorder: What It Is and How to Get Help

Borderline personality disorder, also known as BPD, is a mental health disorder that impacts your ability to regulate your emotions and feelings about yourself and those around you. It affects approximately 14 million Americans. To be clear, it's different from normal fluctuations of emotions and diagnosed variations like bipolar disorder. 

People diagnosed with BPD experience long-term patterns of extreme and unstable emotions that impede their ability to function in everyday life. You can think of BPD as the extremes of everything -- either really good or really bad. The opinions and perceptions of things change extremely fast, leading to impulsiveness in relationships and actions. 

Here's what to know about borderline personality disorder and seeking help.

What causes borderline personality disorder? 

Experts don't fully understand what causes BPD, though current research suggests that genetic, social and environmental factors contribute. Some research investigating twins and families has found that personality disorders may be inherited, or familial relationships may predispose you to BPD.

The next factor is environmental and social influences, especially in early childhood. Traumatic life experiences, like a history of neglect, child abuse or abandonment, can contribute to BPD development. One of the most tangible markers for BPD is the fear of abandonment and the willingness to do anything to stop it. The behaviors taken are extreme, like self-harm or aggressive actions to physically keep a person there. 

Finally, your brain structure may contribute to BPD. Research that studies brain images of those with BPD found that the amygdala and hippocampus -- brain structures crucial for emotional regulation and the fear response -- are smaller than in the average brain.

Signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder isn't just a roller coaster of emotions. It fundamentally affects how you interpret your feelings about yourself, your behavior and your relationships with others. While the experience of BPD symptoms will vary by person, there are typical behavioral markers that help therapists diagnose the condition. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual identifies the symptoms of BPD as:

• Having an intense fear of being abandoned by friends and family. For many with BPD, perceptions of being left or relationships ending are big triggers. They will frantically try to avoid both real and imagined abandonment. 
• Significant mood swings can range from happiness to anxiety and irritability. These episodes can last a few hours or as long as a few days. 
• A history of unstable personal relationships with friends and family members. 
• Impulsive and risky behavior like binge drinking and eating, quitting a good job, reckless spending and drug use. 
• Frequent changes in how someone views themselves. Goals and values may change as well. 
• Self-harm behavior and suicidal threats .
• Periods of intense anger or bitterness, which can lead to physical fights.

How severely and how often someone may experience these symptoms will depend on the person. 

Borderline personality treatment

The prognosis for borderline personality disorder is pretty good, and even better if you seek treatment. It's essential to see a licensed mental health professional who will complete a comprehensive medical examination.

A therapist can help create an effective treatment plan that includes psychotherapy, medication management or peer counseling. Psychotherapy methods are the primary treatment for BPD, including cognitive behavioral therapy, schema-focused therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. These therapy sessions help you build long-term coping skills you can use to manage your symptoms and reactions to situations. 

Medications may also be a part of the treatment plan for BPD. Mood stabilizers or antidepressants can be prescribed to help offset the extreme mood swings of BPD, though no pill cures symptoms. 

No matter what your treatment plan looks like, the goal of BPD treatments is to help you overcome emotional issues and manage the symptoms of the disorder. 

Borderline personality vs. bipolar disorder

While on the surface, borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder seem like the same thing because of their shared symptoms, they are two distinct disorders that cannot be lumped together. BPD is a personality disorder, while bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. 

BPD is marked by instability in your emotions and actions, in how you perceive situations and in how others see you. When someone with bipolar disorder isn't in a manic or depressive episode, they have stability that those with BPD do not have. 

Additionally, bipolar disorder is more responsive to medication because it is biologically based. BPD cannot be treated like bipolar disorder because additional psychological factors must be addressed.

Finding help for borderline personality disorder

Living with borderline personality disorder or being the family member of someone who has it can be stressful. When you're in the thick of it, finding help can seem unattainable, especially if you don't know where to start or how to find a therapist. 

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, you can contact your primary care doctor, who will refer you to a mental health professional who's trained to help. When preparing for your appointment, write down your questions beforehand and make sure you have a list of your current medications on hand. You want to bring in as much information as you can. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Also, it is more than OK to bring a spouse, friend or relative. You should feel empowered to do whatever you need to ensure you're comfortable and in the best position to get help. The prognosis with long-term talk therapy is good, but it improves the more willing you are to accept help. 

Use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Behavioral Health, or SAMHSA, Treatment Services Locator to find the therapist in your area. 

Self-care tips for borderline personality disorder

The fact is, borderline personality disorder isn't something you get rid of. But it doesn't have to rule your life and wreak havoc on your self-image and relationships. In addition to talk therapy and support from mental health professionals, there are things you can do on a daily basis to take care of yourself. 

• Set realistic goals. 
• When you have a big task, break it down into smaller, achievable steps.
• Make sure your family and friends know what situations or actions may trigger you. They may do things unintentionally, and setting expectations can help avoid those situations entirely. 
• Allow yourself to seek out things that bring you comfort. That may be a place, people or a certain situation.
• Integrate exercise into your routine to help reduce stress. 

Borderline personality disorder is a lifelong condition. You shouldn't expect your symptoms to go away or get better overnight. You'll see gradual improvements in your thoughts and actions with therapy and self-care. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Xiaomi yi review a higher end action cam with auto xiaomi yi review a higher end bourbons xiaomi yi review a higher end meaning xiaomi yi review a higher end appliances xiaomi yi review a higher grade xiaomi yi review article xiaomi yi review atlas xiaomi yi camera review xiaomi yi 4k xiaomi yi action camera xiaomi yi home xiaomi yi windows

Xiaomi Yi review: A higher-end action cam with an entry-level price

Xiaomi Yi review: A higher-end action cam with an entry-level price

Editors' note: The Yi is now available in a US version exclusively through Amazon for $99.95 . This review is for the Chinese version of the Xiaomi Yi. The cameras are identical, but with the US version, the packaging inserts are in English as is a new version of the mobile app to use with the camera.

Among all of the smartphone and wearable tech news that came out of 2015's Mobile World Congress was a surprise from Chinese electronics brand Xiaomi -- the tiny Yi action cam.

Outside of China the company is best known for its smartphones, but it has a growing lineup of related devices such as the Mi Band fitness tracker and headphones that it's been putting the Xiaomi name on.

The Yi is one of those, continuing its expansion into other categories beyond smartphones (not unlike what HTC did last year with the Re camera ) and further building its reputation for offering products with high-end features at budget-friendly prices.

Though it's primarily available in China for 399 yuan, you can buy one for just under $100 (about £65 and AU$120) from online retailers like GearBest.com, which is where we got ours. That price isn't quite as good as the converted price of about $65, but is still excellent for what you're getting.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Out in front of the little lime-green and teal box (it's available in all white, too) is a nice f2.8 wide-angle lens with a 155-degree angle of view, while inside is a Sony-made 16-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, a Broadcom wireless module and an Ambarella A7LS system on a chip (SoC) running the show.

To give you some perspective, Ambarella's chips can be found in many POV cameras and DJI's quadcopters and, more specifically, the GoPro Hero3+ Silver, Ion Air Pro 3 and Drift Innovation Ghost-S use the A7LS chip family. Aside from the SoC, those cameras all have one other thing in common: prices of $300 or more.

Now, those cameras do offer things that the Yi doesn't, but the Yi can do more than others at its price such as the Polaroid Cube and Monoprice MHD 2.0. Also, although the slightly more expensive entry-level GoPro Hero has very good video quality, the Yi still beats it there and on features and, depending on your needs, design.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Features and design

For starters, the higher-end specs mean it can capture 1080p video at 60, 48, 30 or 24 frames per second (fps); 960p (also called tall HD) at 60 or 48fps; 720p at 120, 60 or 48fps; and 480p at 240fps. It can also snap pictures at resolutions up to 16 megapixels one at a time; in bursts at 3, 5 or 7fps or 7 frames over 2 seconds; or at time intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds. You can also set up a self-timer for 3, 5, 10 or 15 seconds. There's also a Snapshot mode that captures 10 seconds of VGA-quality video for quick social sharing.

Other cameras at the Yi's price offer a fraction of those options and typically record video at a maximum of just 1080p at 30fps and 720p at 60fps. However, unless you read Chinese, using the camera to do all that it can do is a little tricky at first.

Again, this camera is made for the Chinese market, so the instructions that come with it are in Chinese (a US version of the camera is now available on Amazon). If you've used a similar action cam or aren't afraid to press buttons, the Yi is simple to figure out. If you haven't or are afraid, well, it's still easy.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The camera has three buttons. The one on front is for power and switching between capturing stills and video. (The defaults, by the way, are single, 16-megapixel photos and 1080p at 30fps.) A button on top is the shutter release and for starting and stopping recordings. On the left is a small button for turning on and off the camera's wireless. There are record lights on the top, back and bottom and a light around the power button gives you a battery status by changing color.

On back you'll find a door for the battery compartment and another covering the microSDXC card slot, Micro-USB port and Micro-HDMI output. A battery and short Micro-USB cable are included for charging and transfers, but you're on your own for storage; it supports cards up to 128GB.

If you're looking for the cut corners that got the price so low, the lack of included accessories is one of them. There is no polycarbonate waterproof housing and the camera isn't waterproof without one.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Also, unlike almost every other action cam I've reviewed, not one mount is included. Xiaomi has accessories coming in April such as a 40-meter (131-feet) waterproof housing, but that will of course cost you more. It has a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount on the bottom, so you do have a lot of available third-party mounts to choose from and an inexpensive adapter for GoPro mounts opens you up to even more. But, again, out of the box you have nothing.

There is also no screen of any kind, so to change camera settings you'll need to use the camera's Wi-Fi to connect to an Android or iOS device running the Yi app. Fortunately, much of the app is in English, so getting around in it even if you can't read Chinese shouldn't be much of an issue. (A US version of the camera is now available on Amazon.)

Press the camera's Wi-Fi button for a second to start up the wireless and after a few more seconds it will begin to blink, which is your signal to connect. Launch the app, tap a camera icon at the bottom of the screen and it should start the direct connection to the Yi. If it doesn't you may have to select the camera from your available networks listed under Wi-Fi settings on your mobile device. After the first time, though, it will automatically connect when you launch the app and tap the icon.

Screenshot by Josh Goldman/CNET

With the app you get a live preview of what the camera sees as well as a live stream while recording. I tested with a Samsung Galaxy S5 and it worked near flawlessly and held onto the connection very well. The app can be used to start and stop recordings, snap photos, change all of the camera's settings and view your photos and videos and download them to your device, too.

Along with changing what resolution and frame rate you record at and selecting other photo modes, you can set the camera for loop recording -- perfect for using it as a dashcam -- as well as correcting the wide-angle distortion from the lens (assuming you don't want it), turning on an auto low-light option to improve exposure indoors or at night and other miscellaneous settings.

Battery life and video quality

Small battery packs typically don't equal long continuous recording times on action cams, and that's certainly the case with the Yi. Set to record at the default 1080p at 30fps with the Wi-Fi off, the camera continuously captured video for an average of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Bumped up to 60fps, the average time dropped to just less than an hour.

Sarah Tew/CNET

By comparison, the similarly featured GoPro Hero3+ Silver gets about 2 hours of continuous 1080p recording at 60fps and 3 hours at 1080p at 30fps with Wi-Fi off. Granted it uses a 1,180mAh battery compared with the Yi's 1,010mAh pack, but the Yi's battery life is certainly something to consider. The positive here is that it is easily swapped out if you're OK with buying and carrying extras.

Picking high-end parts doesn't guarantee good results, but that is what you get with the Yi. Excellent results actually, especially given the low price. Color and exposure are very good, and the camera recovers quickly and smoothly under abrupt lighting condition changes.

As with most action cams, the larger you view the video and the closer you are to the screen, the more artifacts you'll see. Still, when recording at 1080p at 60fps video looks sharp and smooth and with a bit rate of about 25Mbps, details don't turn to complete mush, even when moving at high speeds.

Low-light video is noticeably softer with more visible artifacts and some color noise, but far better than from any other sub-$100 action cam I've reviewed. Note that you may notice some glitches in the clips following the initial driving scenes in the video above. Those were caused by a faulty microSD card, not the camera.

The Micro-HDMI port does support live video output while recording to a microSD card in the camera. There is an overlay of recording time, battery and Wi-Fi status shown on the display you're attached to, but it's not visible in the final recording.

Photo quality is good, too, however you can only shoot in 4:3 formats, so you might want to crop photos to 16:9 if you want to drop them into your videos. Otherwise, they're not unlike what you get with video: sharp, well-exposed images with good fine detail in daylight, but softer, noisier images in dimly lit conditions.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi Yi Action Cam's video quality and shooting options are well above those of other cameras in its class, but you'll need to bring your own accessories.

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Should You Buy Used Camera Gear?

Should You Buy Used Camera Gear?

If you're looking to save some money and don't need the latest and greatest, it's worth considering buying used camera gear. Whether it's for a summer vacation, a road trip or you just want something that's better than your phone, a great camera at a not-quite-new price is the best of all worlds.

And it's not just the cameras themselves. Lenses and many accessories are also available used. I'm not talking about eBay... or at least, not exclusively: There are a variety of ways to get used camera gear that's been tested by professionals so you know exactly what you're getting. 

Is it worth the risk? I thought so. I've bought a variety of used camera gear in the last few years, including most recently an $1,100 lens in like-new condition for 30% off. Here's what to consider and where to look.

Options

Three used GoPro Hero 10 action cameras on KEH.com. For reference, the Hero 10 is $500 new.

CNET/KEH

If you have a local camera shop, that's ideal so you can physically look at the camera/lens/whatever and make sure it works, doesn't have peanut butter smeared in the battery compartment, and so on. I actually drove out of my way on my 10,000-mile road trip last year to visit a used camera store so I could sell my old gear and buy a new Canon R6 and a used Sigma 50mm f1.4. However, this is not feasible for most people. 

So what about the web? If you've visited eBay at all in the last few years you'll have noticed the vast majority of sellers are companies hawking their wares. You can find person-to-person sales, sure, but they're quite outnumbered. I mention eBay first as it's the website that's probably top of mind when most people think "buying used on the internet." Personally, I'd never buy expensive gear on eBay, because you never know what you're going to get until it arrives. The same is true of Craigslist, which offers the added bonus (terror) of meeting the seller in person.

A listing for the Sony ZV-1 on Adorama. For reference, the ZV-1 is $750 new.

Adorama/CNET

What's needed is a filter or a middleman that can look at the used gear, judge its fitness and sell it. Fancy car companies call this "certified pre-owned." Fortunately, there are several websites that do exactly this: Examples include KEH Camera, MPB and LensRentals. Most of these sites either have pictures of the actual item, a description of what appraisers found or both. Some other companies, like Adorama and B&H, include used options alongside their new offerings. 

Beyond the camera-speciality realm, there's also Amazon's dedicated Amazon Renewed program. What's notable there is a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. (Keep in mind that's not for any used items or third-party Marketplace items on Amazon, only items in the Amazon Renewed program.) 

How it works

Most sites have info about the specific item you're considering, but MPB has photos of it, which is rare.

A screenshot of a Sony camera on the MPB website.

I had a lens I wanted to sell as I'd never used it. I had also fixated on getting another lens for my current camera. (Don't get into photography, kids. It's expensive.) I decided to check out the used camera gear sites.

First, selling. The process is similar on each. You put in the brand and model of what you're selling along with a general appraisal of its condition (good, OK, peanut-butter smeared, etc.). You're then given a quote/estimate of what the company will pay you for the product. (In my case, a lens.) I went with the site that gave me the best estimate, obviously, and it emailed me a label I could print out for shipping. The cost of this shipping must be included in their pricing as there is no separate shipping charge.

After a brief time in transit, I got an email saying they'd received it. A few days after that I got a final quote, which I accepted; it was for slightly less than the original quote, which I deemed fair based on the lens' condition. A few days after that, the money hit my PayPal. It was exceptionally easy, so it's certainly worth seeing if any of your older gear is worth selling.

KEH's grading system.

KEH/CNET

Buying is, with one addition, like buying anything else online. That addition varies a bit with each site. It's how, and how elaborately, they explain the condition of the used gear. For instance, KEH uses an 8-point scale, as seen in the image above. LensRentals has a 4-point scale. MPB goes all out and actually photographs the specific piece of gear you're considering.

B&H's rating system

B&H/CNET

I ended up going with KEH for both as they had the highest price for the one I was selling and lowest for the one I was buying. That price difference is going to vary depending on the gear, so it's absolutely worth checking all the sites for the best deal. 

Weighing the risks

The obvious risk is the gear not working as promised. With most websites and on most gear there is a return policy, often a few weeks. So if it doesn't work or look as described, you can return it.

Then there's the question about longevity of gear that's already been used, perhaps heavily. There's no way to know this risk: That's the price you pay to get lower prices. This is mitigated somewhat by the inspection process you're paying these middlemen for, when you could theoretically get the same gear for less direct from someone selling it used.

There likely won't be any manufacturer's warranty. If something does go wrong, you'll have to pay to fix it. Even if you get something within the manufacturer's warranty window, since you didn't buy it new they likely won't honor it. Since you didn't buy it new from a licensed dealer, it's possible the manufacturer won't fix it even if you're willing to pay. However, you should still be able to get it repaired at a third-party repair place.

Certain sites will offer their own short-term warranty on gear they sell to you. KEH and MPB each come with six months, while Amazon Renewed and LensRentals products have three. You might also be able to buy an extended warranty from the website, though read the details about what these cover. 

Is it worth it?

If you have old cameras or lenses laying around it's worth seeing if it's worth anything. It might partially or fully pay for new gear!

GettyImages/Ozgur Donmaz

Personally, I've had good luck with used gear. Then again, I've bought lenses (and they tend to last a long time). If the price was right I'd probably buy a GoPro if it was in good condition, since most people use them for Disney vacations and not wingsuiting through canyons or whatever this is. 

I'd also check used sites for any accessories, with the exception of batteries. There's no telling how poorly a battery's been treated.

Would I buy a used, full-size expensive camera? I don't think so. I think for something I couldn't easily replace if it was damaged I'd want a warranty and the peace of mind that it was all new parts... and any damage done was only the result of my own clumsiness.

However, that's all a personal calculation. Saving dozens, perhaps hundreds of dollars against the chance that something might not last as long as a new one could be worth it. Just go in with your eyes open. If the price seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

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As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.

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