A solar-powered action camera that can take 70% of its charge from the sun in just 30 minutes has been announced by Activeon. The Solar X uses a 16MP CMOS sensor to shoot a combination of stills and video footage, and can supplement its two-hour internal battery with four hours of additional charge from a pair of solar panels mounted on its detachable charging case. In Burst Speed Charging mode the case takes half an hour to get the battery from flat to 70%, and then it takes a further half an hour to get it to 100%. 

The Solar X uses a 2" touch screen for its menu system, as a viewfinder and for viewing footage recorded. Video can be recorded in what the company calls 2160p 4K resolution, but at a rate of 15 frames per second. The camera can manage six frames per second in stills mode, and users will have control of white balance, ISO and exposure values. The camera can also detect when it is mounted upside down. Built-in Wi-Fi allows the Solar X to be controlled via a smartphone app, and the company will launch an automatic cloud service for its users. 

The Activeon Solar X will be available from March at around $430. 

For more information see the Activeon website.