Ribcage Modified YI 4K Action Camera

The Ribcage Modified YI 4K Action Camera from Back-Bone Gear features the advanced YI Technology 4K action camera professionally installed in a heavy-duty yet lightweight cage that supports interchangeable lens mounts, allowing you to significantly expand your shooting options. It comes with an M12-mount (also called S-mount), CS-mount, and 5mm C-mount ring that attaches to the CS-mount and allows you to use professional C-mount lenses.

On top of everything, the camera also comes with the native YI 4K camera lens, which has a 2.68mm focal length and 155° angle of view. This 7-element glass lens is redesigned to attach to the included M12-mount, so you have an ultra-wide angle lens to shoot with right out of the box.

The included M12-mount is reversible to allow the lens to be closer to or farther from the sensor for different conditions. The CS-mount is limited to varifocal lenses only, but does directly support select Entaniya, iZugar, and other fixed focal length lenses that allow for high-resolution, high frame rate 360° spherical VR video capture with fewer cameras. (Custom firmware is available from YI Technology that enables synchronized triggering of multi-camera arrays.)

C-mount compatibility, however, is where this camera really takes off. There is a large variety of vintage C-mount lenses, such as those designed for 16mm movie cameras. C-mount lenses are also commonly used in scientific and medical imaging equipment, so the camera can be connected directly to many microscopes and telescopes, and you can additionally insert custom filters in order to capture specific wavelengths.

Among the advantages of using these optional C-mount lenses is the ability to manually control focus, zoom, and iris, achieve more cinematic depth of field, and shoot macro images, depending on the lens. In addition to that, the advantage of interchangeability means you can use one type of lens when using the camera on large gimbals and another when using it on small gimbals and drones.

The Ribcage aside, the YI 4K camera itself is a powerhouse to begin with. It features a 12MP Sony sensor and Ambarella dual-core processor, and is capable of capturing up to Ultra HD 4K resolution video at 30 fps with a high bitrate of 60 Mbps. It records sound via two built-in 360° omnidirectional microphones, and shoots 12MP stills in bursts of up to 30 images a second.

The camera also boasts in-camera 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer image stabilization and lens correction (for 1080p video) that provide you with clear images and reduced fisheye distortion. Furthermore, the camera can be set to automatically adjust to different lighting conditions, whether in bright or low-light environments. You can preview your shots on a 2.2" touchscreen LCD or via an included iOS/Android app over built-in Wi-Fi, and can use the app to perform basic video-editing functions and easily transfer/share files.

Included with the Ribcage Modified camera is a custom Back-Bone GOcase, which is durable and offers all the right pockets for neatly carrying the camera, lenses, and accessories.