Engadget Show segments take place in any variety of ways. Sometimes it is a no brainer, with some awesome new gadget just aching for some air time. Other times it is a matter of our desirous to do something cool, like, say, flying a plane. The GoPro / Contour segment from the last Engadget Show was a bit of of both. The ultra-rugged camcorders were a really perfect fit for our want to tackle some extreme activities inside the Nevada desert.
We began by taking Polaris RZR for a spin on some sand dunes round the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And while we didn't really anticipate that it'd be windy enough that day to ground planes at nearby McCarren Airport, the 50MPH sandstorms certainly did their part in testing the mettle of the devices -- and our camera crew, for that matter. We strapped both to the roll bar of the all-terrain vehicle and took off into the desert.
Things were thankfully somewhat calmer once we took to the sky the next day with help from the oldsters at Sky Combat Ace. The camcorders joined us in our respective cockpits, proving that they might take the punishment of a several G ride -- however we didn't delay so well. So, which of the 2 camcorders fared better- Tim and Brian hash it out after the break.
We began by taking Polaris RZR for a spin on some sand dunes round the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And while we didn't really anticipate that it'd be windy enough that day to ground planes at nearby McCarren Airport, the 50MPH sandstorms certainly did their part in testing the mettle of the devices -- and our camera crew, for that matter. We strapped both to the roll bar of the all-terrain vehicle and took off into the desert.
Things were thankfully somewhat calmer once we took to the sky the next day with help from the oldsters at Sky Combat Ace. The camcorders joined us in our respective cockpits, proving that they might take the punishment of a several G ride -- however we didn't delay so well. So, which of the 2 camcorders fared better- Tim and Brian hash it out after the break.
Brian: Let's start with the nice. We put either one of those cameras through hell, and both survived.
Tim: Yes, and more importantly the 2 people survived, though i feel I'm even less dust-proof than the Contour+ proved to be. We could describe our candidates- I spent most of my time wearing the Contour+, that is the most recent camera from the corporate. It is a 1080p model that follows an analogous design because the Contour GPS and ContourHD before it, with a rotating barrel that makes it easy to mount in precisely about any position and a streamlined shape.
Brian: I had the large, square HD Hero2 -- i guess these were meant to be extensions of our personalities. Mine also does 1080p (hence the name), but when you should keep it out of harm's (ie sand's) way, you will need to stick it that little plastic aquarium of a case.
Tim: Yeah, in reality you have to always have that polycarbonate case at the thing that allows you to use any of the mounts the camera offers, which adds lots of bulk. It's pretty fragile and flimsy by itself, but inside that case it's almost bulletproof. i do know of 1 that was run over by a tank and survived.
Brian: And it didn't finally end up as crunchy as yours. We're still having some trouble flipping the turn on the Contour.
Tim: Yes, it's less durable out of the box needless to say, but you may get a water-resistant case for it for those times while you really want to dive right into a mud pit head-first.
Brian: A crucial point for all the amateur wrestlers accessible. i suspect the major thing here, apart from sheer aesthetics, though, is the truth that the rectangular Contour is barely less conspicuous when wearing it in your person. The Contour may be a lot more aerodynamic.
Tim: I've actually used either one of them on my helmet when riding my motorcycle. At high-speeds you'll absolutely feel the adaptation between the 2. Plus, with a GoPro stuck up on top of my helmet I always feel about 10 times more conspicuous. Here's also true when snowboarding. The google strap mount from Contour is incredibly discrete. And it is usually rather a lot easier to take advantage of with gloves on, way to the massive slider on top.
Brian: It isn't all about looks though. For something, the HD Hero2 is an excellent bit cheaper. The bundle (there are three different basic configurations) will run you $299, including the camera, various mounting options and the aforementioned transparent case.
Tim: It's significantly cheaper, and we found image quality to be slightly higher. The real resolution is identical, however the color balance was much more accurate within the GoPro than at the Contour+.
Brian: The colour balance issue really came into play inside the desert. The GoPro's default balance was just much more natural. The Contour gave the sand a man-made blue hue. I expected a sand worm to jump out at any moment.
Tim: To be fair, you may manually tweak the colour balance at the Contour+, but that requires somewhat fiddling. That's made easy, though, due to using Bluetooth connectivity to a smartphone. Using either Android or iOS apps you could tether the camera for your phone and use it as a live viewfinder. This manner you could always ensure the camera is pointed in just the proper direction and likewise made on-the-fly tweaks to exposure settings. Plus, it has a GPS module, so it'll track exactly where you were and how fast you were going when you had that epic yard sale at the bunny slope.
Brian: A point for the GoPro: you can do a full screen at 1080p.
Tim: Yes, the GoPro maintains its 170 degree good looks even at full resolution. The Contour+ does 170 degrees as well, but sadly only at 720p or lower. If you step up to the full monty 1080p you drop to 125 degrees. That gives you a lot less perspective, but a lot less distortion too, to be honest.
Brian: Well, if you're curious about what you're going to get with the GoPro, you can always opt for the LCD BacPac. $80 more will get you an attachable screen for previewing what you're shooting. And yes, it'll fit in that ever important plastic casing.
Tim: Well, only because it comes with a bigger plastic case that's compatible. It does make it a handy way to review your footage in the field, though, if you don't want to swap out SD cards all the time.
Brian: Especially in a 60MPH sandstorm. Speaking of add-ons, the Wi-Fi BacPac lets you control the thing wirelessly, in case you want to, you know, attach it to the wing of a plane.
Tim: Which we did! That I think was my favorite shot from the entire segment, the wing cam. And I suppose we should mention that we filmed a lot of the footage in that segment at the original GoPro HD Heroes, which doesn't necessarily speak to their greater quality, but at least speaks to which is more popular on the film production scene.
Brian: It certainly speaks to the power of those suction cup mounts. We didn't drop any cameras on anyone's heads.
Tim: For those wondering we used Panavise suction mounts, the single-cup units no less. You can pick 'em up for about $25 and stick 'em on just about anything. Anything that's smooth and roughly flat, anyway.
Brian: Even your dog- That's the next great adventure for the GoPro, right-
Tim: Hmm... I'm thinking the helmet strap mount affixed to a doggie backpack would probably be more effective there. I'll do some research and report back.
Brian: I don't know about you, but I don't think there's a clear winner here today -- just two ultra rugged cameras that do their jobs fairly well.
Tim: Well the winner is the consumer who partakes in antics that are extreme enough for them to want to share but not so extreme that they wouldn't want them captured on film. The quality and performance of both really blew me away. But, for sure, the Contour+ is the preferred model for a helmet mount. It's just far more discrete and flexible.
Brian: And the GoPro will save you some cash and will arguably stand as much as a bit more than the better looking Contour.
Tim: This is true, but if cost is a concern there is the ContourROAM. It's waterproof, still 1080p, loses the Bluetooth and GPS but only costs about $200.
Brian: I guess we're going to have to go out and test that one next month, huh-
Tim: Bungee jumping- Paragliding-
Brian: A leisurely nap inside the park- Lots of options on the table.
Tim: I can't wait... but i believe I'll up my life insurance first. Just in case.
From WhatNewsToday.net
0 comments:
Post a Comment