Two-minute review

Shooting timelapse videos doesn’t have to be complicated, and the ATLI EON makes capturing these dynamic videos incredibly easy whether you’re capturing the progress of a construction site, a landscape, a cityscape or even a more intimate scene such as building a model or a flower opening. It’s a versatile camera despite its simple and minimalist design, and that’s part of what makes it so easy to use.

Except for a power button and manual focus ring on the lens, there are no other controls on the camera, including no screen for adjusting settings. This helps to keep power usage low, with only Wi-Fi offering a 5m radius running alongside the camera as it shoots. All controls are accessed through the aTLi Cam app, which shows a live preview as you shoot with the ability to adjust settings during capture.

The ATLI EON is small and lightweight at 2.1 x 2.7 x 1.9 inches / 54 x 70 x 50mm and 4.4oz / 125g with a battery. The kit comes with the ATLI EON camera, a silicone case, and silicone lens hood with a UV filter to make the camera weather-proof, a mini tripod, a tripod riser nut, a 16GB microSD card and a USB cable for using an external power source. The single battery kit costs $169 / £186, while the dual battery kit costs just $174 in the US, making the latter a more attractive option.

The aTLi Cam app is easy to use, thanks to a simple and intuitive layout that anyone with even a basic knowledge of smartphone cameras will be able to understand and navigate with ease. One quirk of the aTLi Cam app, which is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play store, is that this isn’t the most recent version. 

If you install this way, you’ll be directed to the ATLI website from within the app to download the most recent version, so you have to allow your smartphone to install apps from unknown sources. You can also scan a QR code in the instruction manual that will take you directly to the most recent version.

Android users, depending on their smartphone model and the installed Android version, may find that the camera and phone won’t connect via Wi-Fi through the app, even after the camera has been added to the app and shows as being online. When this happens, you simply have to obtain the Wi-Fi password from within the app and manually connect to the ATLI EON WiFi, which works just fine. And once the password has been input, you won’t have to do it again but you have to connect before the app is started.

The ATLI EON can be used for shorter capture periods, or scheduling can be set so that the camera shoots between specified times on chosen days, within the limitations of the battery. There’s also a power-saving mode that will disconnect the camera from the app for shooting over longer periods, which is advertised as providing up to five days of power for longer intervals, or up to eight hours with a one-second interval. Plus, you can attach an external power source such as a USB power bank or a small solar panel via the USB-C connection that’s specifically for this purpose.

A great feature of this camera is that it offers manual focus between 2.7 inches / 7cm to infinity, so you can capture small and close subjects. There’s also a notch in the focus ring that tells you that you’re focused to infinity, which is ideal for wider scenes. The silicone case and silicone lens hood provide weather resistance, and the hood can be used to remove reflections when shooting through glass.

Other features include the ability to capture photos and videos, alongside a time-slice feature that allows you to select a number of photos that are then split together in a pattern chosen from within the app, allowing you to show the passing of time in a single image. There’s also an infrared mode within the white balance presets that captures timelapses with pink foliage, if you’re looking for a more stylistic approach to capturing time-lapses.

ALTI EON Timelapse

When shooting a time-lapse with an interval between 0.5 sec and 24 hours, you can simply capture a 1080p MP4 video that will be stitched together in-camera in the H.264 codec at 25fps. You can also capture the individual photos as JPEGs, which are larger at 2688x1520px, so 2.7K. It’s annoying that the camera can’t natively create time-lapse videos at 2.7K since it’s capturing photos at that resolution, but on the plus side, you can stitch these into a time-lapse on your computer using time-lapse or video editing software.

Image quality isn’t as good as even a smartphone, but this is common with small cameras of this type; they’re designed to make capturing time-lapse videos easy with the ability to shoot over long periods when required. That said, image quality is sufficient, although the white balance tends to be slightly too warm when using presets and Auto white balance. There is a manual mode where you can set white balance, ISO and shutter speed manually or leave some settings on auto, with additional control over image sharpness, saturation, contrast and hue. And for more advanced users, this mode yields the best results the camera is capable of producing, including improved white balance.

 Should I buy the ALTI EON Timelapse Camera? 

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the ATLI EON Timelapse Camera

The ATLI EON was tested over several days in different locations to see how it copes with different weather conditions and environments. The focus of the testing was the time-lapse functionality rather than any other features that may be available, although additional features have been covered in the review.

The time-lapses captured ranged from 30 minutes to several hours depending on the interval frequency. It was, however, impossible to test capture over extended periods, so long-term scheduling functionality was set up and started to test ease of use and reliability.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve shot many time-lapses using mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, so shooting with a dedicated time-lapse camera was much easier and provided straight out-of-camera videos without the need to process photos and convert them into a time-lapse.

First reviewed June 2023

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow is a luxurious pillow with down fill. It doesn’t contain feathers – which can be a good thing if you’ve ever been poked by feathers. One advantage to buying a Brooklinen Down Pillow is that you can select from three levels of firmness. I’m reviewing the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow, since my preference is plushness – and I tend to be a combination sleeper alternating between my stomach and side and this pillow is designed for stomach sleepers. However, the Brooklinen Mid-Plush Down Pillow is ideal for most sleepers, while the Brooklinen Firm Down Pillow is designed for side sleepers. 

I tested the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow for over two weeks to see how it matches up to the rest of the best pillows on the market.  And if you’re looking for ways to really boost your sleep comfort further, take a look at our guide to this year's best mattresses for all budgets.

Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow review in brief

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow provides a luxurious experience, and I consider it one of the best down pillows on the market. While Brooklinen’s firmer options are filled with down clusters and feathers, the plush option consists solely of down clusters, and they contribute to the light and fluffy feel of the pillow.  It’s not quite as thick and fluffy as some competitors, like Parachute’s Soft Down Pillow, but it is indeed a supremely soft pillow.

The pillow also provides the level of support that I would expect in a lighter and squishier pillow.  The down clusters are encased in a 100% cotton sateen shell that’s smooth to the touch. For the more than two weeks that I tested it, the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow was a pleasure to sleep on. I didn’t toss or turn, and woke up refreshed each morning, with no aches or pains. 

However, if you sleep hot, the pillow does not provide any cooling properties. Although I fall in the category of hot sleepers, I didn’t experience any night sweats during the two weeks of testing. So, I’m classifying the pillow as temperature-neutral, since it didn’t have any type of cooling effect, but it didn’t raise my body’s temperature, either.

I’d recommend the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow for stomach sleepers, and Brooklinen’s other down pillows for those who want a firmer pillow. 

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow review: price and deals

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow may be expensive as pillows go, but it’s rather moderately priced for a down pillow. Most down pillows are well over $100, and some can cost $300 or more. 

Brooklinen also makes two other options. The Brooklinen Mid-Plush Down Pillow ($139/Sale $125.10) and the Brooklinen Firm Down Pillow $149/Sale $134.10). 

Regarding prices, if you purchase 2 pillows, the price is reduced by 10%. A pack of four pillows reduces the price by 15%.

In addition to down pillows, Brooklinen also makes a down alternative pillow with a microfiber fill, and a memory foam pillow. However, neither comes in a choice of firmness like the down pillows. 

A comparable alternative is the Casper Down Pillow ($139), which includes a combination of ethically-sourced duck down and feathers. It actually has 5 different chambers and is a pillow within a pillow. The Casper Down Pillow is incredibly soft, cool to the touch, and comes in standard and king sizes. It also has the advantage of being machine washable. However, the Casper Down Pillow does not come in a choice of firmness levels.

Another option is the Parachute Down Pillow, which is also machine washable and comes in a choice of soft, medium, and firm density- as well as a boxy-shaped down sleeper pillow. It’s available in standard and firm sizes. All of the pillows are made from 85% down clusters, and 15% down and feather fibers. Prices are a little steeper, and for the standard size, range from $129 for a soft pillow to $149 for a medium density to $169 for a firm.

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow review: design and materials

• 100% down cluster fill is soft and plush  
• Cloud-like comfort for stomach sleepers
• Ultra-fresh antimicrobials keep pillows fresh

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow is made of 100% down clusters, instead of the 30% clusters in the Brooklinen Mid-Plush Down Pillow, and the 14% clusters in the Brooklinen Firm Down Pillow. The pillows are certified as the finest Canadian White Duck Down.

The down clusters are what make the pillow so soft, compared to the firmer versions with feathers.  For stomach sleepers, the plush down pillow provides the sensation of sleeping on a cloud.

The pillow has been treated with Ultra-Fresh antimicrobials, which is designed to limit the growth of bacteria, odors, and stains. This is important since the pillow is not machine washable, like many down pillows.

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow review: performance

• Luxuriously soft
• Not too thick to be uncomfortable
• Lack of feathers eliminates shedding and poking

For over two weeks, I slept on a pair of Brooklinen Plush Down Pillows to see how they fared in performance, testing for setup, comfort, support, and temperature regulation. I also slept in side, back, and stomach positions to see if the performance was the same. Here’s how I got on… 

Setup 

5 out of 5 stars

The pair of Brooklinen Plush Down Pillows arrived in branded boxes. If you’ve read my reviews in the past, you know that I dislike branded boxes because they advertise what’s inside. However, this box only included the company’s name.  

Both pillows arrived in one large, sturdy box, and upon opening it, I was pleased to see that each pillow was individually enclosed in a thin plastic bag with a carrying handle. Since I take bedding hygiene quite seriously, this was a pleasant surprise. 

There were also a few small documents enclosed, like the DOWNMARK certification that guarantees that the product is made by a Canadian manufacturer using down or feathers - which eliminates the uncertainty of purchasing a fake or substandard item. There’s also another authenticity certification from the Feather Industries of Canada. In addition, there’s an Ultra-Fresh protection tag, guaranteeing the pillow had antimicrobial protection. 

Since the down pillows weren’t vacuum-sealed and didn’t have off-gassing smells like some pillows I’ve tested, I didn’t experience an unpleasant odor and didn’t have to wait for the pillows to regain their shape.

Temperature regulation 

4.5 out of 5 stars

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillows don’t claim to have cooling features - but I didn’t find them to be hot either. In other words, the material didn’t hold heat. This is due, in part, to the fact that down pillows tend to be naturally breathable and temperature regulating. 

I actually found them to be temperature-neutral, and I was able to sleep comfortably each night.

 Firmness and support 

4.5 out of 5 stars

The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillows were very plush and comfortable. This is the softest model that the company makes, and I enjoyed the sensation of sleeping on a cloud. If you tend to prefer soft pillows, you’ll enjoy these – especially if you’re a stomach sleeper. I’m a combination sleeper, which means sometimes I sleep on my stomach, and sometimes on my side. 

I found the pair of pillows to be both soft and supportive in either position. When sleeping on my back, I was still comfortable, but not quite as comfortable as when I was in the other two positions.

However, I need to explain that your preferences make a world of difference in deciding whether this type of pillow is right for you. I don’t really like firm pillows, so it’s no surprise that I would be happy with the softest pillow that Brooklinen makes – in fact, I requested the plush pillow over the mid -plush or firm models.

For me, the pillow provides the right combination of softness and support to ensure that I slept comfortably and never woke up with aches and pains. However, I acknowledge that even some stomach sleepers may find that the pillow doesn’t provide enough support, and they may prefer the mid-plush or firm option.

As with many (if not all down pillows) I did have to refluff the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillows the next morning, but I didn’t consider that a major issue.

Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow review: user reviews

On the Brooklinen website, the down pillows have 3,531 reviews (73% gave the pillows 5 out of 5 stars, and 12% the pillows 4 out of 5 stars).  The reviews don’t specify if the pillow was plush, mid-plush, or firm. However, positive comments ranged from buyers saying they loved the pillow to those calling it perfect for side sleepers. Negative comments referred to the pillow being flat.   

Should you buy the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow?

If you want a down pillow that’s full of down fill instead of goose or duck feathers, I highly recommend the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow. It’s super soft, but also provides a degree of support. And although it’s not marketed as a cooling pillow, the materials ensure that it doesn’t get hot, either.

However, keep in mind that unlike most down pillows, you can’t launder it in the washing machine. 

And while it’s ideal for stomach sleepers, those who prefer to sleep on their back or side may prefer Brooklinen’s mid-plush or firm pillow instead.

A comparable down pillow is the Casper Down Pillow ($139), which includes a combination of ethically-sourced duck down and feathers. It actually has 5 different chambers and is a pillow within a pillow. It is incredibly soft, cool to the touch, and comes in standard and king sizes. It also has the advantage of being machine washable. However, the Casper Down Pillow does not come in a choice of firmness levels.

Another option is the Parachute Down Pillow, which is also machine washable and comes in a choice of soft, medium, and firm density- as well as a boxy-shaped down side sleeper pillow. It also comes in standard and firm sizes. All of the pillows are made from 85% down clusters and 15% down and feather fibers. Prices are a little steeper, and for the standard size, range from $129 for a soft pillow to $149 for a medium density to $169 for a firm pillow.