Remember that itsy bitsy GoPro competitor we spotted at Sony’s CE Week booth earlier this summer? Well, it’s gearing up for an official release late next month. Dubbed Action Cam — a fitting name given that it’ll live mounted anywhere from sky diving helmets to downhill skis — it’ll ship in late September or early October for $199. In a surprising twist, the incredibly small HD shooter will also be getting WiFi — that version will be available for $270. Both cameras are identical save for wireless functionality, but considering that WiFi enables remote configuration and viewfinder capability for framing your shots (there’s no video-capable LCD on the device itself), you’re gonna want to shell out the extra 70 bucks. Regardless of which flavor you choose, you’ll net a very capable camcorder with a 16-megapixel Exmor R sensor (great for low-light shooting) and fixed-zoom Carl Zeiss lens, complete with SteadyShot image stabilization, a 1080/30p capture mode and a 720p option at 120 frames-per-second, enabling some pretty slick slow-motion effects.
The Action Cam is a modular system, so you can count on a bevy of accessories — there will even be a “Handycam Adaptor,” which comes complete with a 2-7inch display and a familiar camcorder interface. More standard options include an adhesive mount pack ($20, though two ship with the cam), a bar/bike mount ($30), angle mount ($30), a replacement housing that’s waterproof to 60 meters and offers a standard tripod socket ($40 — you’ll get one in the box), two head straps ($25-30) and a suction cup ($30). It also uses removable storage (microSD), a swappable battery, and includes HDMI, USB and audio input jacks.
We weren’t able to take the camera out on any wild adventure shoots, though plenty of professionals have, from the looks of the demo reel on display at Sony’s event (and included at the end of our hands-on video after the break). We did get to play with the remote viewfinder feature, however, paired with the Android PlayMemories app (also available for iOS). This tool worked quite well over WiFi, with decent response and a usable framerate (for framing you shot, at least). The Action Cam itself feels quite solid, despite its size, especially when paired with the thick plastic housing (it’s designed for use both underwater, and on land). What we’re not quite clear on is battery life, which will surely factor into any purchase decision — that detail will likely come to light as we near launch. You can take a closer look at the camera and accessories in our gallery below, and the hands-on video (complete with remote viewfinder demo) after the break.
Continue reading Sony’s tiny ruggedized Action Cam gets official with 16MP Exmor R, WiFi, $199+ price tag (hands-on)
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Sony’s tiny ruggedized Action Cam gets official with 16MP Exmor R, WiFi, $199+ price tag (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GoPro announced a new action camera today, and Contour, another player in the market, matched it by announcing the new ContourRoam2 camera. Contour currently produces the Countour+2, which is a full-featured high-end camera, but at $400 it was out of reach for most skate rats. The ContourRoam2 starts at $200, and it can record 1080p at 30 frames per second, and also 720p at 60 frames per second. It features a time-lapse photo capture, which can take a photo at seven different intervals ranging from one second to once every minute. But the feature that many action sports enthusiasts will appreciate is the lack of buttons: there’s only one switch that both turns the camera on and starts recording. And to make sure your shots are lined up correctly, there’s a laser level. As for storage, it comes with a 4GB microSD card, but of course dedicated shooters will pop that out and plug in a bigger card as soon as they can.
