Enlaps Tikee 4 - Best of Breed?
As some of you know I’ve been taking timelapse videos for over 10 years, some of which are posted here - it was probably for this reason that Enlaps contacted me last year, to see if I wanted to take a look at their Tikee 3 camera. I did a review - see here - and have been using it for 12 months on a construction project, see the video below exported straight from the myTikee cloud platform. It did an amazing job and I never had to touch it once during the entire period - a very reliable and effective solution for long term timelapse projects or monitoring.
A few months ago Enlaps came out with a somewhat simpler version of the Tikee 3 called the Tikee Mini: another great option for timelapse projects, at a lower price point and mainly focused on shorter videos or indoor locations, as it does not feature a solar panel. See my article for a few more details.
The Tikee 4 - Enlaps’ Latest Camera
Just recently, the company launched another new camera for their Tikee ecosystem, the successor to the Tikee 3 Pro +: The Tikee 4. Once again they asked me if I wanted to try it as well, and below is my overview video (in German, but the English subtitles are pretty good) or you can read this blog to learn what I thought of the new version.
The Tikee, even in its third version, was arguably the best tool for creating long-term timelapse videos, making it as easy as possible to monitor projects, landscapes, and more over months or even years. This is complemented by the cloud platform, which simplified video editing and data analysis. But what improvements are there this time around? I had some suggestions for the Tikee 3, so let’s see if Enlaps has addressed them as we take a closer look at the Tikee 4. As a quick disclaimer, I am an ambassador for Enlaps, and I received the Tikee 4 for this video for free. However, I haven’t been paid otherwise, and my opinions here remain honest and reflect my actual impressions of the camera.
What’s New?
The Tikee 3 Pro Plus hasn’t been on the market all that long and was already delivering excellent results. I used it on a construction site for over a year in all types of weather, and it performed autonomously without any adjustments, capturing a perfect timelapse video that was ready in the cloud with no need for further post-processing. Nevertheless, Enlaps has made some improvements in the Tikee 4.
Looking at it on the outside, you might ask, “Is this really a Tikee 4?” It looks almost identical to the Tikee 3, and that’s true – there’s been no change to the external design, and I had no complaints in that area. The Tikee’s design is already quite effective, so the Tikee 4 maintains the same look. But internally, quite a bit has changed. Below are some of the most interesting updates:
1. New Sony Sensors: The Tikee 4 now integrates two updated Sony sensors, providing enhanced dynamic range and significantly improved noise reduction, especially beneficial in low-light conditions like dawn and dusk. This advancement enables clearer, more detailed images for demanding timelapse projects.
2. Upgraded LTE Module: The LTE module has been enhanced, with better signal transmission for improved connectivity. Although connectivity was reliable on the Tikee 3, this upgrade aims to further stabilize remote connections.
3. Improved Battery Performance and Charging Range: The Tikee 4 now supports charging across a wider temperature range, from -10°C to +50°C, allowing for use in more extreme environments. Battery life has also been extended by approximately 15%, which can be especially useful for projects in locations with minimal sunlight or indoors.
4. USB-C Charging Port: The outdated micro-USB port has been replaced with a USB-C port, a long-awaited and more practical improvement for faster and more reliable charging.
5. Cloud Continuity for SD Card Issues: The Tikee 4 addresses a common concern regarding SD card reliability. Now, if the SD card is full or fails, the camera can continue uploading images directly to the MyTikee cloud platform, ensuring uninterrupted project documentation.
Beyond these updates, the Tikee 4 retains many of the features of the Tikee 3 Pro Plus, such as its IP66 rating, which means it can be used in rain, snow, dust, and other outdoor conditions. The dual-lens setup provides a 220° panoramic view at 6K resolution, which remains unchanged, along with the solar panel that allows Tikee to operate autonomously – a key feature in a long-term timelapse camera like this one.
Setup
The Tikee 4’s setup process remains intuitive and aligns closely with that of the Tikee 3. After connecting via Bluetooth to the mobile app (available for both iOS and Android), users can configure their Wi-Fi or LTE settings, define the first timelapse sequence, or take test shots to ensure optimal framing. The Tikee 4 can be mounted on a standard tripod or secured with Enlaps’ metal arm, available as part of the Tikee pack, which includes additional accessories like an SD card, charging cable, lock, and carrying case.
MyTikee Cloud Platform
As with previous models, the Tikee 4 integrates fully with the Enlaps MyTikee cloud platform, enhancing the overall experience. MyTikee offers users comprehensive management of the camera, and handling of extensive image collections. Key features include organizing, sorting, and filtering thousands of images based on specific criteria like weather conditions, and generating videos with automated exposure adjustments to balance images captured across different times of the day or under varying lighting conditions. Image stabilization, exposure correction, and interval adjustments are all managed with a very simple interface, providing even beginners with high-quality, cohesive video outputs directly from the platform.
The platform is optional – you can save images only on the SD card and configure Tikee using the app, or you can use the limited free version of the platform. Personally, I find the MyTikee platform worth the investment. I understand if someone feels, “I’ve spent a lot on the hardware; I don’t want to pay monthly for software as well.” But the simplicity with which you can manage, sort, and filter tens of thousands of images on the cloud platform, like selecting only sunny days with a single click, and creating a video where exposure is automatically balanced across different times and days, is extremely difficult to find elsewhere.
Comparison of standard unedited video and the automated output of the myTikee platform.
There might be other ways to achieve this outcome, and maybe even without subscriptions or possibly even free software (I don’t know of any), but it’s going to be much more effort, there is no doubt. The simplicity and quality of the output of the integrated Tikee and MyTikee platform solution is really hard to replicate.
Summary
All in all, the Tikee 4 is a solid upgrade, enhancing several camera functions and addressing some of my critiques with the Tikee 3. Some areas that could still use improvement: it would be nice to find a way to protect the lens better from dust and rain, and, as a photographer, I sometimes wish for more control over the Tikee’s exposure settings. It currently handles everything automatically, and it does it well, but occasionally, more flexibility with shutter speed, ISO, etc., would be nice. This could be a feature for advanced users in the future. In terms of software, more flexibility in MyTikee subscription options would also be welcome – for example, to facilitate short-term timelapses at a lower cost, or a different type of subscription for sporadic use. Additionally, I’d appreciate – as with the Tikee 3 and Tikee Mini – the ability to configure multiple timelapse sequences in parallel, so I can switch between them as needed, such as a long-term sequence and a short interval sequence.
The Tikee 4 is currently available for €1,590 or in a package with the arm and other accessories for €2,298, both prices excluding VAT. With the code FLOENLAPS50, you’ll get a discount, so be sure to use it if you’re considering buying the Tikee.
In summary, the Tikee ecosystem remains perhaps the best solution for long-term timelapse. You can piece together something similar with other products and software, potentially for less money, but achieving the same results with the same simplicity and reliability is really challenging, if not impossible, and I believe the Tikee remains the best option on the market.