VholdR ContourHD helmet cam upgrades your brain to HD

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]

[xsys Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:06PM]

Does the HD snow video have a 'fish eye' effect, or am I imagining things?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:30PM]

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

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:25PM]

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

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:32PM]

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.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:45PM]

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.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:54PM]

MEDIC !!! I need a MEDIC !!! -- but i am so buying one

[IcEWoLF Posted Apr 27th 2009 7:21PM]

Imagine this thing while having sex?
LOL