ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Use biking, skiing, snowboarding. The number of diffent mounts makes the possiblities endless.

Have no current gripes.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Contour's site doesn't feature this model anymore but I prefer it to the new waterproof version. New version has a built in battery. Once that's used up you need to stop down and recharge the camera. This device takes rechargeable batteries. Just get a few extra and you can shoot all day. :-) Since it seems like this model is being discontinued the price right now is terrific. Get them while you can.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Like the other competitor brands of like cameras there is an inherent flaw in design. You must use proprietary mounting hardware unless you buy an adapter. The cost of these adapters are negligible, but they refuse to adapt the 1/4-20 standard.

The Contour has a pivoting lens to allow 90 degrees of adjustment. You can lay the camera on its side and still have horizontal alignment. However, I discovered the lens on mine seemed to be loose. Checking the support forums on their site it seems it is very common. It should not affect the cameras use. I testing this by shaking the camera vigorously and it did not move. The rep from Contour said they would exchange a user's camera for one with better fitment if they wished.

The instructions supplied with the camera are brief at best. It is a very easy to use camera and there is not much to it, but being detail oriented I found the info lacking. For example, my experience has only been with the use of delicate, highly sensitive cameras. The instructions failed to state that to move the camera mount from one piece of hardware to another it takes a bit of effort. I had to again refer to the support forum on their site.

I had found by mistake the text files used to tweak the settings of the camera. Very important and it is not included in the supplied directions. More info can be found on the site's forums. Yet it still lacks a full description of what each parameter does.

The great thing about the Contour camera system is- as you can guess- the support forum is very adequate. There are plenty of users and moderators who are helpful and knowledgeable. Chances are any question you may have has already been addressed. Do a search and you will find an answer.

As stated, the construction is stout. The specifications say it is durable and it is, but it even FEELS sturdy. It has a great feel to it. The camera and the mounting hardware seem to be able to withstand a lot of abuse.

The quality of the footage is par with all the other similar cameras. The viewing angle is wide, with little distortion. This is also one of the few cameras in this price range that offer numerous resolution choices.

Before you use the camera for a practical production do a lot of testing and tweaking. You must shoot a bit, look at the footage, tweak the settings accordingly and repeat. It seems like a lot, but it is well worth the results.

In sum, the perks far outweigh the drawbacks.
The camera's tweak-ability is more than you'd expect from such an inexpensive camera.
The footage is on par with other like cameras.
The documentation lacks a lot, but their website makes up for it.
Customer Support is impeccable.
You will need to by adapters to work with other standard equipment, but you'd have to do the same with other cameras of its kind.
Video quality is on par with the other cameras too. (Even some of the higher priced ones!)

If you need a camera like this. Get this one! You will be happy with your choice like me!

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Contour is shooter friendly with a functioning record switch. From a professional shooters perspective I recomend contour over go pro. Go pros are for fat little skier kids, aka gapers.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Video is ok, problem is many of them quit connecting via USB with the computer, so no way to change settings. Mine stop connecting after 2 short videos next day I got it! after reading Contour's forum I find out it is a very very common problem. Too sad...
I mailed it back to Contour last week and still waiting for any update..e-mail..phone call..or any news on what's next, just hoping one day I will get it back!

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I'm using the Contour HD to record my Mountain bike rides. I'm still playing around with some of the settings, but so far every format is working GREAT. I've got the sound configured just right. It's a super easy device to use, very light and small. I have mine connected to the side of my helmet and the videos are AWESOME. You could easly pay twice the retail price and still have a great deal...

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I bought this for my son for his birthday. He liked the ease of taking the videos and especially downloading them. That was the main reason I went with Contour over the GoPro. I read a number of reviews on this product before buying it. He uses it on his helmet when he longboards.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

The ContourHD 1080 is very good value compared to the other wearable/outdoor action cams on the market. I chose this over GoPro (the closest competitor) due to 2 reasons:

- much slimmer profile (ideal for mounting on a bike tube or helmet without worrying about awkward looks or increased drag)

- extremely easy operation (simple button slide to record, also has audible feedback => I can keep my hands on the handlebar where they belong)

Additionally, the current price on B&H also makes it the best bang for buck among all Contour models (even at the same price I'd take this over the new "Roam" because the HD 1080 has a replacable battery)

My only complaint is that the various mounts are a bit expensive. But that's the case for all cams out there.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I've had the ContourHD 720p for about 2 yrs and loved it so I decided to sell it and upgrade to this cam for what they are intended (ie action sports like snowboarding, mt biking, cliff jumping, etc) and it has has held up just fine. I prefer it to the GoPro cams because they are more streamline with my helmet/mounts and cost alot less. I ordered the ContourROAM as well. Another satisfied customer! :)

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I use this camera for skydiving , with the low profile mount it only sits an inch past my audible altimeter
Still learning the camera so I cant give the best answers ,
Pro
Size , weight, image quality, seems really durable for its size

Cons
Lens cover is pretty much useless
Story teller software
No ability to playback immediately, unlike the go pro

In general it seems to be a great little camera, it does exactly what want it for.
Just to document my skydives. If I had one thing that would,really help as an accessory would be to have an external record light that can be added to the helmet.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I bought this camera for a combination of shooting and sky diving.

In both areas it has held up well.

Initially I was concerned about how secure the included mount would be on a smooth surface, such as a helmet. But after multiple jumps without losing the camera from thirteen thousand feet, I'm convinced. ( Though it does wobble on it's proprietary rail mount. )

The quality of the footage is good, and the fish-eye effect is marginal, not nearly as bad as my GoPro HD.

I also bought the picatinny rail mount to attach the camera to the RIS of my M4 carbine. The footage is only so-so, but the camera is still going strong after being subjected to a few thousand rounds worth of recoil.

The camera itself is not supposed to be waterproof, but after using it in a steady rain and flying through some clouds it doesn't seem any worse for wear. Just the same, I'm probably going to order the waterproof case, if only for the extra protection.

My only complaint is the battery life and size of the files. The included 2gb memory card is woefully small, and fills up very quickly. I bought a few 32gb cards to supplement it.

A helpful tip- the battery is interchangeable with the motorola BL-5C battery. These can be found on a popular auction site for under five bucks- I bought a few and all have performed admirably. They're o par with the contour brand batteries which sell for five times as much.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I've used the camera for cycling and the mount was easy to attach to the top of my helmet.
Great field of view and good quality picture. Sound quality as you'd expect - lots of wind noise!

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I love it...am here in Afghanistan w/Marines and am getting some incredible video of Marines on patrol.

The camera's easy to learn; easy to install program on my laptop.

However be sure to mount your camera with superglue; otherwise the mount won't last beyond the first fall or jostle.

Highly reccomended!

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Bought this camera to pair with my older Contour HD camera (still working) to take on vacations. Their small size make them ideal for putting almost any where. The 1080p version is a noticeable clearer picture than the older version. I had looked at GoPro, but couldn't get past the bulky size, higher price, and Contour's great customer service. Keep up the good work!

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

use it while riding dirtbikes and snowmobiles
easy to use and fool proof on and off
i havent found a bad thing about this product yet

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

We bought one of the Contour HD GPS units for a work project. I borrowed it a couple times & found it worked great. I liked it so much I bought my own.
Pros: Small, lightweight, un-obtrusive. Makes great videos. You can edit & upload through the Contour website. Plug n play USB cord included. Laser sighting was nice. Rotating lens meant any angle could be explored. I'm having fun finding places to mount this camera. The battery seems to charge up pretty quickly & lasts a LONG time. There are 2 settings for output. I used the lower setting & the videos come out just fine!
Cons: the editing software (downloaded at Contour website) is minimal. You can grab a part of the video, designate it as 'awesome' & save it out as a file that can be uploaded to the Contour website 'community'. The Contour viewer allows 'full screen' & 'slo-mo' options. The video files are 'quicktime' file format which can be edited with other video programs such as Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Elements, etc.
Sound is a bit weak. No viewfinder makes checking the footage tough out in the field but if you have a laptop, notepad etc you're good to go! The buttons are very small & dont take much abuse. The picture is dark in certain low light situations. The GPS version we have at work had some problems & had to be replaced under warranty. I believe it had more to do with the added features so I got the Contour HD without GPS.
I have a friend who bought a GoPro & the picture is more 'fish-eye' lens where my Contour HD is more normal looking picture.
Future purchases: more camera mounts, home battery charger, another Contour HD (they are cheap enough to have a couple.
Current uses: BMX, Motocross, Zip-line, Skateboard, ???

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

I bought this camera specifically for downhill mountain biking, snowboarding, surfing, and anything else I can find to record.

I have to address some of the reviews I had read about the audio being poor and the low light ability. I am guessing many of these users simply turned the unit on and pressed record. I didn't. I setup it up first with the software, both the video and audio. I knew it was late in the day and wanted to get in a quick test on a short downhill track nearby. It worked amazingly! The audio picked up everything, for being on the side of a helmet flying down a mountain.

The only thing I saw was at two or three times during the recording I stopped to look around and pointed the camera at the sun which caused a red feedback line to briefly show (half a second), but as soon as I turned away it disappeared.

I have to admit I was rather surprised by the quality of everything, I had really set my expectations low. My friend thought it would be cool to get a Go pro since he rides with me, side by side tests show the video quality to be the same (thought my color was better), but my audio was clearer. We thought this was because the Contour's mic isn't hidden behind a waterproof enclosure, which the Go Pro has to have for mounting.

The other obvious thing we noted was the insanely large profile you have on your head when wearing the Go pro. If I go over the bars head first, their is a good chance the Contour won't even get touched, with the insanely tall/wide mounts of the Go pro, its more likely to come off or take damage.

I honestly bought the Contour HD based on the price and the other side by side youtube video I saw of the two cameras. I am more than happy with my purchase of the Contour HD, simple to use, has more packed in features that I eve imagined if you USE THE SOFTWARE, and come on lets be honest...It looks way cooler on the side of a helmet when standing next to a dude with a Go pro sticking out 6 inches! Heh heh

Other cool things:

1. Two lasers appear so you can properly align the camera (do this in shaded area ON bike first, aim a little high).

2. You can rotate the lens 90 degrees for different mounting options.

3. You can shoot in a variety of modes including both 30FPS and 60FPS, 720 and 1080 resolution, 135 and 110 Camera Angles, very cool.

4. You can mount this thing to just about anything and mounts are fairly priced. Plus it comes with two free mounts! I am using the flat mount it came with on my full face, and will use the Goggles mount for when I go snowboarding this season.

A few negatives:

1. The lens cap is ridiculously oversized and even though I was warned in a review to be careful with it, I lost it in 5 minutes. I now use a Watec cap that fits snuggly on there.

2. The little safety leash doesn't actually fit through the tiny hole. It is fishing string with a cloth outside, the plastic just ripped right through the cloth on both my leashes. Still works, just not as expected.

3. Not waterproof or resistant like the new (and what just replaced the Contour HD) Contour Roam, but I will be buying the surfboard mount and waterproof housing any way.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

The camera is mounted on my motorcycle helmet while riding my adventure bike throughout some of the most beautiful areas of South Africa.

While the picture quality is great, with multiple variations of quality and picture size, the downside is firstly poor audio quality and a very limited battery life. On HI, with the camera being used in 10-15min bursts, the battery lasts about 2 hours. Unfortunately, while mobile the battery cannot be recharged, so extra, charged batteries are required to see the days riding out.

With regard to the audio, wind noise is excessive, to such an extent that it drowns out the motorcycle engine noise.

Having said that, the unit is a piece of cake to operate, with just a quick flick of the slider to start filming.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

As an aviation photographer constantly being asked to provide video as well, the Countour HD is easy to use and mount just about anywhere on an aircraft or vehicle.

Comments about ContourHD 1080p Full HD Helmet Camera:

Great little cam for extreme shooting positions. I use it for it's purpose, mounted on a bike or car, but also for TV work for unusual cutaway shots. Sound is poor, but I don't care. Low light could be better, but for the price ([$] in August 2011) it's simply a no brainer.