If you are seen today as a fashion-savvy, modern freerider without an additional feature on your ski helmet, you can almost pack your bags. Thanks to new innovations in camera technology, helmet cameras are enjoying enormous popularity. But there are a few things to bear in mind if you want to take off into Web 2.0 with the resulting powder delicacies. PowderGuide has put these hot toys through their paces for you.
Many outdoor sports enthusiasts want to capture their own powder experiences and descents in sound and video - and from their own perspective, of course. Until a few years ago, the ancestors of today's helmet cameras were still real bricks and mortar. You had to have a certain amount of masochism to hang these several kilo heavy hulks on your head.
Nowadays, there is a whole range of providers who try to win the favor of recreational athletes as buyers with various systems. The many systems are more or less suitable for the widely differing requirements of the various areas of use. Only a few manufacturers specifically address the target group of outdoor and extreme athletes: GoPro, Twenty20, V.I.O and DRIFC are, in our opinion, the most sensible manufacturers of helmet cameras for ambitious freeriders.
The test | practice instead of pixel comparison
There is an almost infinite number of technical details in the various systems that could be compared with each other. However, the PowderGuide team set out to compare the practical suitability of the different systems for the tough demands on the mountain. It may be exciting to own a camera that outperforms another system by 1 micrometer in a pixel sensor comparison - but that doesn't mean you've shot good videos. Practical handling on the mountain in the rugged outdoors is the main criterion in this test.
The candidates
Through our merciless pre-selection test, four candidates made it into the practical test. The Go Pro HD from GoPro USA, the Countour HD 720 and HD 1080 from Twenty20, the X170 action camera from DRIFC and the POV 1.5 from V.I.O.. The cameras (if not available) were provided to us for testing by the helmet cam store www.helmkamera-systeme.de.
Test conditions
On several days, the helmet cams were operated partly in parallel during tours and lift-assisted freeride descents. The conditions fluctuated between sunshine and snowstorms, between a pleasant 0° and a bitter minus 20° C with a wind chill factor (perceived temperature) of around minus 50°. The entire program between early winter and the first signs of the onset of late winter.
Test criteria
Handling - on the mountain with and without winter gloves
Processing of output data - ease of processing and quality of data
Processing - robustness, tightness, battery life
Image quality - output images, incl. Additional features - mounts, quality of mounts, other optional accessories
Price/performance - subjective opinion on the performance offered for freeriding with the necessary financial investment.
The detailed results
One thing is certain, no camera really failed. Nevertheless, the individual specifications crystallize as more or less successful for tough winter freeride use. All cameras have also survived heavy snowfall, as well as one or two (of course always intended and planned) snow cover tests without damage.
The XC170 action camera attracts customers with a low entry-level price of 199 euros. With its robust design, it not only scores highly in terms of purchase costs, but also with its endurance: no dropouts whatsoever. Another positive feature is the simple operation of the camera and the remote control supplied, even when wearing thick gloves. Operation with two commercially available AA batteries has the advantage that it is usually possible to quickly and cheaply procure additional batteries. The operating time with disposable batteries turns out to be sufficient for one to two days of skiing (depending on the temperature). Rechargeable batteries sometimes greatly reduce this operating time.
On the other hand, the camera's heavy weight and bulky dimensions are a negative. The mounts supplied are unsuitable for freeriders. The intended helmet mount fails due to the often non-existent ventilation slots in the helmet and the goggle strap mount fails due to the wobbling caused by the weight of the body. You also need another person to make sure that the camera is recording or not. The image quality is appropriate for the price, but is nowhere near its competitors, which are only 100 euros more expensive.
The V.I.O. POV 1.5 with an RRP of 599 euros seems a little outdated at first glance. After all, a recording unit and a fingercam connected by a cable have to be stowed away properly. The system is very robust and can withstand tough use. The image quality has been improved compared to the predecessor model 1.0, but still lags behind the more modern competitors Contour and GoPro. In particular, the sensor obviously does not like the white balance and changing conditions in bluebird conditions. Setting the Fingercam horizontally is made much easier by a quick glance at the display integrated in the recording device. The camera can be conveniently operated by remote control, even when wearing thick gloves. The low weight and small dimensions mean that there are almost no limits to the mounting options. This leaves the comparatively high purchase price in conjunction with the less than outstanding image quality.
At first glance, the Go Pro HD does not give the impression of a successful helmet camera. With the dimensions of a pack of cigarettes, it sits squarely on a pedestal on the ski helmet with the supplied mount and causes puzzled looks in many a gondola. But that's it in terms of negative points. The image quality, the automatic white balance and the ability to change the shooting settings on the mountain are the outstanding features of this camera. The price of 349 euros, including helmet and other mounting options, is more than justified. For cameramen who like to experiment, additional mounting sets are available as an option, which, like the brackets supplied, complement the various options for image dimensions and image quality perfectly.
The workmanship and robustness are excellent. Care should only be taken when placing the camera in the housing at outside temperatures, as otherwise fogging may occur between the camera and housing. The camera is absolutely leak-proof and offers two back covers for different requirements, which also enable comparatively good sound. To prevent the camera from being lost due to carelessness when mounted on a helmet, e.g. on chairlift hangers, we recommend attaching an additional safety leash. The battery life is sufficient for one day of action even at low temperatures. With the soon to be available remote control and the additional battery pack, this is an all-round carefree package.
The Countour HD 720 and HD 1080 look great. The small devices look really chic, especially when mounted on a goggle strap, and produce many an envious look. The handling on the mountain is also impressive. At the touch of a button or by sliding the controller forwards/backwards, the camera can be operated safely even when wearing mittens. Various sophisticated mounting options are offered by the manufacturer as an option, but the supplied side goggle strap and helmet mount produce shaky shots in tough conditions. Self-mounting, e.g. with duct tape, reaches its limits due to the top-mounted controller.
Problems with the mounting options occur particularly in tough conditions. Here, the Contour models are not mounted optimally from the side. Spectacle strap mounts generally behave in a similarly shaky manner.
Skiing some lines in Switzerland from Roger Zimmermann on Vimeo.
The two models differ greatly in terms of image quality. The cheaper version HD 720 with a price of 259 euros differs from its bigger brother not only in the number of maximum image lines, but also in particular due to a poorer sensor. Fast light-shadow changes in particular are not the strength of this sensor. The newer HD 1080 version is much better here, but does not quite reach the level of the Go Pro Hd. Another disadvantage is the automatic white balance, which does not run smoothly - here you have to make the image settings on the PC beforehand (example with incorrectly set white balance). If you had the right premonition, the results (apart from minimal details) are on par with the Go Pro HD. On the other hand, the included editing and setting software stands out positively, the best practice system when it comes to user-friendliness. The battery life of one to two days is sufficient even in frosty conditions - however, complete failure can occur at very low temperatures. The limit value here seems to be around -20° Celsius with additional wind/driving wind.
The direct comparison
All tested systems survived their use well. The handling was at least satisfactory for all models, but could be improved across the board. The POV 1.5 and the Go Pro HD performed best here. The Contour models follow at the bottom of the rankings due to the need for presetting on the PC. The output files are fine on all systems. We strongly recommend that you think about the processing of the files before buying. An outdated processor with 2.0 gigahertz is not nearly enough to process the large amounts of files satisfactorily. The choice of camera should also be seen in conjunction with the possible further processing of the data. The Contour models offer a simple system out of the box.
All models impressed us with the robustness of the housing materials, as well as their impermeability to moisture. The battery performance could be a little better across the board - but this is naturally due to the properties of the rechargeable batteries or batteries. For all models (except the XC170), we found the option of charging exclusively via a USB port to be less than ideal. This can be remedied with optional charging stations.
When it comes to image quality, the various innovations in sensor technology are very noticeable: the latest Go Pro HD and Contour HD 1080 models are far ahead of the older Contour HD 720, POV 1.5 or the affordable XC170 models. The Go Pro HD is just ahead of the Contour HD 1080 with its excellent and fast automatic white balance and various options, followed by the POV 1.5, the Contour HD 720 and the XC170.
Additional features are plentiful, especially in the Contour models and the Go Pro - but the manufacturers are willing to pay for them. In terms of price/performance, all models convince us, with the exception of the POV 1.5 system. However, as it is only a matter of a few weeks before the manufacturer makes improvements, you can keep your red pencil in your pocket here too. The two models Contour HD 1080 and Go Pro HD for around 350 euros offer significantly better results with good handling than the comparatively cheaper models Contour HD 720 and XC170. But even these two models will not disappoint price-conscious buyers.
On-snow review of GoPro HD, ContourHD, and ContourHD 1080 from Lee Lau on Vimeo.
Conclusion
Competition stimulates business. This old retailer adage also applies to the helmet camera market. No matter which system you choose, good results depend heavily on the user themselves. The right camera settings, surprising, varied and unusual perspectives, but also the skillful processing of the output data have a much greater influence on a successful point of view (POV) video than the selection of one of these cameras. Nevertheless, more or less successful favorites can emerge that bring the dream of the perfect home video within reach. Although the POV 1.5 is in last place due to its comparatively high price, it still impresses with its easy handling, robustness and good image quality. In fourth place comes the XC170 Sportscam. The low entry-level price, good image quality and handling are only marred by the clunky look and the unsuccessful mounting kits. Bronze goes to the older version of the Contour series, the HD 720. It is characterized by very good handling, low price, simple processing and good image quality. The two models Contour HD 1080 and Go Pro HD would almost share the top spot in the sun - if it weren't for the Contour models' dropouts at very(!) low temperatures. Nevertheless, it scores points with its cool look, easy handling and data processing - the extremely large fan base is growing rapidly for good reason. The test winner is therefore the Go Pro HD, although it is anything but a success in terms of design, its disadvantages have already been exhausted. It is currently the most sophisticated system for powder hunters - and with the announced remote control for the wrist, even more so.
Disclaimer
This test was subjectively evaluated according to the specified criteria. The results are therefore only valid for the specified test framework and do not meet any scientific quality criteria. The testers acted to the best of their knowledge and belief. The products were provided by www.hekasys.de.
