The
original VholdR was already one of the more attractive propositions when it comes to helmet cams -- let's face it, when it comes to strapping a video camera to your head, style is likely your first priority -- and now the even sexier followup is here: VholdR ContourHD. The camera shoots 720p at 30fps and WVGA (858 x 480) at 60fps, making it what is apparently the world's first HD "wearable camcorder." A goggle mount and flat surface mount are included, and the lens swivels 192 degrees for easy alignment, with dual lasers to help with setup and a 135 degree wide angle lens to catch your faceplants in a comprehensive manner. There's a 2GB microSD card included, and we must say the H.264 default codec is an extra nice perk. ContourHD is on sale now for $280, and starts shipping on May 15th.
[Via
Helmet Camera Central]
posted Apr 27th 2009 2:05PM
lame... i dont want to look like the dude from Speed Racer
It wouldn't be lame if it was also a HID
okay, well a little, but it still wouldn't look so terrible
It's like they designed a product for the severely mentally handicapped to protect their heads and to record "just how things went wrong"
Tip: make the camera invisible - or nearly so - as in flush-mounted with the helmet, perhaps at the front of it. Makes it look much cooler. Also, make this for motorcyclists, add a USB interface (or Bluetooth 3.0/wifi ad hoc), and you're golden.
Oh, and I almost forgot... BOOOOOOO
Lord! That dude needs a serious shave. Who says you can't be a daredevil with a clean-shaven face? This dude looks serious enough to jump off the edge of the Grand Canyon with just an umbrella.
This is exactly what I have been looking for. I want a camera I can use to mountain bike and ride motorcycle around. I am move soon and would love to use something like this to give youtube tours of my new city to my family members.
@Brent Ill second that, I'm very willing to say goodbye to the less-than-camera-phone quality video of beautiful places I've ridden, decent price as well.
iphonerules
you got a problem with men who do not shave?
i never shave.....
Strange.
why hasn't anyone said FPS yet? if i get one of these i'm TOTALLY making an awesome FPS film.
Young Skywalker, is that you?
Test
no not lame... i WANT to look like i'm from SPEED RACER
i also want to barrel down a ski slope with that on
That is some awesome facial hair.
WHAT????!!!!
all these years i thought my brain was already HD and IT ISN'T???!!!!!!!
Yes, now I can make my own "Smack My Bitch Up" up video in HD.
HD POV porn coming soon...
There is such a thing as too much resolution...
BTW, why are there AARP ads on your site? I didn't think the 55+ age group was your target demographic?
FYI,
Firefox and Adblock Plus = No ads
Well, these guys need to make some money...
As long at they don't suck too many cycles, and there isn't any sound, they don't really bother me...
Question answered, only not-too-tech-savvy older people don't have adblock, making them the target of ads.
@Wwhat
"...only not-too-tech-savvy older people don't have adblock, making them the target of ads."
Sure, this site deserves to die so that you don't have to see ads on the side.
We humans are in a constant battle with advertiser, they seek to destroy everything with inappropriate (over-)use of ads and model their ads on being as annoying as possible almost exclusively now (which actually isn't the only possible model).
I'm fighting on my side, I'd rather have no content than what the ads manage to do with it, hell have you any idea how many people completely stopped watching TV because the content could no longer excuse the pain of the ads?
And since engadget is articles about products and new gadgets, that people have to buy, I'm saying reading engadget itself is already supporting ads, without the extra annoying ads.
Let the product makers do anonymous sponsoring, if you make decent product you know it'll get a good review/mention, and if it's electronic/gadget/phone engadget will create the buzz for you. Plus engadget also annoy people all on themselves, with that carousel thing for instance, so if you want to spread ads because you are a sadist that's covered too :P
Not that I mind if some self-hating types prefer to sacrifice themselves to the god of advertising, but I'm not going to thanks.
I still doubt that the number of 55+ readers exceeds 1%, but hey, whatever.
That's pretty badass - I think we should make all NFL QB's and MLB batters wear these once they push that 720p mode up to 60 fps.
One word...XFL
The XFL could have placed cameras up the cheerleaders' skirts and it still would have tanked.
How did they get Tom Brady to put that helmet on and let them take a picture?
Great for skydivers/basejumpers.
sweet - perfect for POV dirtbike, mountainbike comps, and boating quals
great for other POV videos too.....
First person parkour. Mirror's Edge IRL. I know there's a YouTube of it already, but with this helmet can, it could be so much better.
That one on YouTube is pretty funny though. I like the part where he slides under the thing.
perfect for snowboarding.......this thing is awesome!!!!
I'm thinking the same, and if Tom Cruise is wearing it, then I want it too
To judge this you should see test footage, to see if it has that wobbly effect when you pan the camera for instance.
But even so you can mention that some of those flip-type mini cameras already do 720p @60 FPS, which for actionshots would be better than 30 I imagine.
Finally! In41
Facial hair sold separately.
But, my brain works in HD already...
I would seriously consider getting this if the camera could just mouunt to any glasses. I would just constantly record my daily events and upload highlights to a new blog of sorts.
I sure hope not ALL your daily events.. Don't want to see that camera get shaky moments-at-a-time...
But is it Waterproof? I do alot of white water rafting/kayaking & am trying to find a HD Helmet cam that I can use to record the rapids I am going through! I need something waterproof! Is this it? Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
TGC
waterproof enclosure?
GoPro Hero is what your after. Pretty nice and inexpensive. Lots of mounts.
Just put a pair of HD glasses in front of your cameras.
Being a skier (and this pic certainly implies that it woul dbe used for skiing) I know from experience that video shot from closer to ground level, not head level is more stable, smoother. Better sensation of movement. Hopefully the flat mount would support mounting to a ski without too much drilling.
Well thank God you're a skier. I don't think anyone else could possibly have reasoned that video shot from a 2" base mount would be more stable than video shot from a 6' vibrating mass of muscles, bones, and tendons.
That doesn't make any sense.
Yes it does.
Is it just me or is there something really weird going on with his eyebrows etc. in there behind the visor?
Mutants only?
The lense appears to have changed the color and contrast behind the mask (notice the difference in skin tone and contrast).
That dude is seriously hot though - wow. Who cares about the 'dang camera.
I want a waterproof version that I can take down when scuba diving. That would be much more convenient than wrangling an underwater housing while not bumping into things.
Is this DOT3 approved?
Does the HD snow video have a 'fish eye' effect, or am I imagining things?
yeah..the website says it's a 135 degree field of view which is pretty wide (usually fisheyes are 180 degrees).
compared to a more regular view - most point and shoot cameras have "35mm equivalent" wide lenses, some have 28mm...which give you 63 degrees and 75 degrees respectively
wow.. judging by the comments few people clicked through to read before posting questions. This isn't a helmet with a built in camera - it's just a mountable camera (that is installed on a helmet in that photo). They've had a standard definition version of this out for several years and it's pretty cool... there are a bunch of mounting accessories to mount it to whatever helmet or googles you wear for the sport you're doing. the site says it's 'water resistant' but i don't know if it's waterproof to any depth. on a sidenote, oregon scientific makes a couple models of self contained digital helmet cameras... they arent bad for the price (I got one for around $100) but you get what you pay for... but i've been looking at upgrading to one of the VholdR cams.
http://www.vholdr.com/contourhd/features
I've been looking at some of these types of cameras lately, and after watching the sample videos (mountain biking and skiing), I'm not impressed. Although the GoPro Wide cam's specs aren't as good on paper as the specs on this cam, the GoPro video samples look MUCH better and the GoPro can be mounted not just on a helmet, but in various places in and outside a car, on your chest, handlebars, etc.
I like the idea of a larger video window and 720p, but there must be absolutely no shock resistance or proofing on this ContourHD cam. The sample vid they have on their website of the bikers is so incredibly bumpy, and the skiiing video is even worse - not only is it bumpy, the video isn't even fluid, it's jerky... like it's skipping frames. No thanks. It takes more than just 720p to impress and get people to buy.
Oh, and yes, I realize that in sports, there's going to be a degree of bumpy movement when shooting video, but there seems to be a pretty considerable difference between shock effects when comparing the two cameras - the GoPro just fairs better (plus it's waterproof). And for anyone wondering, no, I don't work for GoPro. Just my observation.
Now if Go could just increase the res and a few other specs on their camera, they'd be golden.
MEDIC !!! I need a MEDIC !!! -- but i am so buying one
Imagine this thing while having sex?
LOL
I can't believe no one has had the most brilliant idea... (well if you could make it work)
get 2 of these, one for each side of the head for some sweet as 3D action!