Contour ContourHD 1080p Wearable Camcorder - 2009 BCS

I've used the Contour HD 1080p for about six months and held off on writing a review of it as I wanted to be sure I was giving it a good testing. Now that I have, I'm sold on it! It is so small and portable that it goes beyond a helmet camera and is more of a wearable cam - you can hand hold it, mounting it just about anywhere, clip it to a helmet, handle bars, a hat, chest harness or just about anything.

I have been using it mostly for skiing and in that regard it is great. The on/off switch is big and has a positive feel to it so you know if the camera is running. It also has a very audible tone for on and for off, so you don't end up filming the inside of your pack while you thing the thing is off.

The quality of the image is impressive. Actually, it is so impressive that I had to get a new computer just to process the video. If you shoot hi-def, it takes a fast computer and a huge hard drive to store and edit it. This has nothing to do with the Contour HD, but beware.

I was very happy to see that the memory cards for this camera were cheap - like $10 for a 4GB, or maybe even less.

My biggest concern with this camera, which I have heard others say as well, is that you have to set it with a computer and once it is set and out in the field, you can't change it. This is a problem if you set it for a sunny day and then ski into the trees as the trees to completely black. So, you have to be careful about your settings and learn what works and what doesn't work with the camera.

Pros:
- Super durable
- Easy to use in the field
- Can be attached to just about anything
- Can be rotated to any angle
- Can be handheld
- Pretty good audio, or at least good enough for me.
- Many accessories like clips, holders, extra batteries, etc.

Cons:
- have to set camera up with a computer. Can't adjust in the field.

Overall, a modern miracle! Highly recommended.

Sweet helmet cam. Best if used w goggle mount over helmet not just w a hat. the goggle mount is pretty sweet. i like that you can attach or remove it super easily. so you can keep it warm and safe in your pocket until your ready to film something, then take it out and clip it to the mount in seconds. no wires no fuss.

This is a great video camera. It is small, light and simple to use. I have used it mountain biking with the handlebar mount, whitewater rafting with the waterproof case and with my mountain bike helmet. I find it works best mounted on top of the head vs. side mounted. When sidemounted it tends to pull the light mountain bike helmet to the side. I have also used it with my mountaineering helmet during a climb on the Grand Teton where my partner fell and broke her leg. She made a sweet video. Check it out here: http://stephenkoch.com/2010/09/shattered-story-of-a-mountain-rescue/

I normally use the waterproof case to protect the camera from dirt, moisture and lens scratches. One caveat, the audio sucks with the case.

It is easy to know if you are recording with both lights and audio beeps. The small leash is weak and should not be trusted to prevent loss of the camera in case of a serious fall.

Overall, I recommend this camera and look forward to using it this winter while getting face shots!

The Contour HD is very simple to use and shoots really well for such a small compact unit. The battery life is good even in cold conditions (skiing). It's a simple on and off so you can pass it around between friends when using the goggle strap mount. It's a little tricky with snow as it wants to overexpose mid day sun, but that can be adjusted in the settings or fixed after the fact if it's not too bad. The ultra wide angle lens makes it hard to miss the shot. This is a great little tool for capturing unique angles and adding that on-slope action.

I have only used this camera for skiing on the goggle mount. I really didn't like it. The weight of the camera is too heavy for the goggle strap and the camera bounces around. It is distracting and the footage doesn't turn out great.

Very disappointed. Did not work from the start. Very disappointed since we were hoping to use on our ski vacation.

Pros:
* self contained unit; no need for separate wires, record buttons.
* flat mount works well
* video is great but does have wide angle blurred edges
* flash recordings are reliable due to no moving recording parts
Cons:
* when pressing record button, the battery doors tends to open (minor, just need hand practice)
* safety tether is poorly made; you better used an augmented string or plan
* HD action 60fps speed is useless, too much in-camera process distortion
* included software is very basic, need editing software for advanced editing
* mic is basic meaning wind noise is always a problem, having a separate mic jack could eliminate this problem

Things I would change:
Longer battery life, at least 4 hours avg
Battery door changed
Better action processing
external mic jack

I have been using my friend's camera while he sits in the bar. This camera doesn't feel bulky even when using the helmet strap. I forget that it is there most of the time. The beeping makes it great when it comes to knowing if its on or not. If is recording, or the battery is getting low. The huge thing I like about the camera is the replaceable lenses. If you damage one, its really easy to replace. You can also get a lens kit, so if you wan to throw a polarized lens on..no problem! The downside so far has been the software. It's not exactly the best when it comes to functionality.

I was disappointed in this camera particularly because there is no way to review what has been shot without taking it home and hooking up to a computer. Too late to re-do then.
Also almost nothing for instructions in box.

Small and basic.Put it on your goggles and packs away.Now a staple
whenever I go ski mountaineering and you can document your trip.

You get what you paid for. This camera is cheap at 137 and this camera is cheap in quality. the camera does not work well at night. the image was very fisheyed and tunneled. the resolution was not very good for "HD" the mounting system is a joke with no support to hold the camera from shaking, making your shots useless. it is light wt. and compact but thats the only thing going for it.
with two modes of shooting hi and low i didn't see a large difference, not enough to write home about.

My camera was returned because it was not recording after only two days of use. i used it to test it out around the house and the second time i did a helmet run and when i got home all my shots were not saved on my card. nothing would show up when just the day before my videos were on the 2Gb Card that it comes with.

i would not buy this camera again.
i say spend the money if you're going for action shot camera and get a go pro camera better mounting system, better resolution, and play back feature on camera.

Was debating between the Contour and the GoPro. Between the better mounts and price I chose the Contour and couldn't be happier. Haven't had a chance to use it in the snow but used it on a backpacking trip and took some great video. Get a bigger memory card and you are set!

After reviewing the feedback, I could not help but wonder the majority of the positive feedback was from people with (0) next to their name. The ratio for first time posts for one product is uncommon which makes me think they are fake. Can BC confirm any of the names associated with the product actually bought the product?

This camera shoots very good quality video. For my uses, I decided that I needed a camera that also shoots still images so that I do not have to always carry 2 cameras. I was able to capture still images from the video I took that were good enough for screen or web display, but this was a hassle. I also found the record slider to be a little cumbersome and I would get a lot of camera movement while turning on and off. I also had trouble working the slider with gloves on.

This camera is for you if you want a simple, light weight camera.
This camera is not for you if you want to be able to capture still images and video from the same device.

the image quality is pretty impressive for such a light weight camera. I used to have the Oregon Scientific one, and so far I like this way better. Gotta love the rechargeable battery, the mounts are nice and stable, and you can actually manually adjust some of the settings. (though that has to be done ahead of time on your computer.) The giant record button and laser sights make it really easy to use even though you can't see it. A great little toy over all!

Two issues that I have notice before any actual on-mountain usage: some fish-eye effects in every mode but complete 1080p. Goggle mount is a bit wobbly, but that's to be expected.Anyway, the camera itself is pretty sweet. The video quality is excellent, colors are rich and vivid, quite clear and crisp. Looks great on variety of websites including Facebook, VholdR.com, and Youtube.The basic software that comes with the camera allows you to modify certain audio/video settings to get the best video given the lighting conditions (sunny day, etc).I don't have any high-end post-processing software, Adobe Premiere or Vegas Studio. But the VholdR.com website forums have some good recommendations.All in all, fairly satisfied. The stability of the goggle mounts could be vastly improved). But the video's awesome! Can't wait to use it more and put together some nice videos.Here is a sample (filmed in "Tall HD"):http://vholdr.com/video/loveland-pass-professor

I have a friend who is the test pilot for items I'm interested in. I say "this looks cool" he normally has bought it by the following week. So goes the Vholdr.. at my suggestion he bought it to capture some of our snowboarding. Our snowboarding is not that great, but the footage is still awesome because of the camera I'd say. I was very surprised that picture quality was so great with that little camera and little memory card.

I advise upgrading to a higher capacity card than the included 2GB, and you can also buy an adapter that lets you put in the MicroSD card into a normal card slot.

Sound is okay, but coming down the slopes it is like jet noise.. either we are too fast, or this is just to be expected when quick wind meets microphones?

So I bought mine now, so we can film two angles and give us crazy editing options. Using this for snowboarding, paintball, and whatever action comes up (hmmm...)

This is easily one of the easiest to use and highest quality helmet cams. There is a simple button to turn it on and a slider to switch between recording and standby, very easy. Takes great quality video as well. Very durable, mine has taken a few stakes and tree knocks and still looks brand new.

The controls on the contour make it easy to use even with gloves on. The plethora of available mounts make the options endless. You can attach it to whatever you want! The software makes downloading the video easy, but I recommend using different software to edit. The VHoldR software is very limited.

This camera is awesome. HD shots from this tiny package. The image is good, provided you have the settings set correctly. You can only set the settings from a computer, so if you have the brightness set for a cloudy day, and it becomes sunny, you may have a washed out image. It does adapt to changing conditions well though, so its not a huge deal. The mounts are awesome, it can be controlled with gloves or mittens on, has good battery life, and the best customer support I have ever dealt with.

I bought one of the first versions, and they had a few issues with lenses distorting or blurring the image. I emailed customer support at 8pm on a SUNDAY and received a reply within an hour. Within another 30 min, they had evaluated my image and sent me a new camera. I was leaving on a snowboard trip that week, so they even sent me the replacement camera before I sent in my old camera to make sure I received the fixed camera before my trip.

I don't know what Andrew Mclean there is thinking (no offense man), it is NOT the HD wearable camera of choice (but that's just my opinion I guess), that title goes to GoPro (more user friendly, more rugged, better video quality), but for under 150 bucks!?!? Hell yeah! I have a lot of experience with both (contour/ GoPro) in many different arenas, but primarily skiing and snowboarding. The contour is manageable once you figure it out, it's rugged enough for most uses (don't ski in the rain with it folks. You know what, just don't ski in the rain period, it blows), and the video quality is pretty darn good (audio sucks). You can't even get this for 150 bucks at an R.E.I used gear sale, much less $137.99. Get it if you don't have one so you can document your gnarlyness and impress the ladies (or dudes) with your epic adventures. Hell, buy two!!

My problem is due to a number of factors.
1. Camera I purchased was not working properly.
USB connection to several computers not possible, I could not get to settings in camera that required it.
2. Expensive RMA process due to paperwork charges, I live in Canada.
I should have bought it where I lived, even it it cost $100.00 more.
Thanks

Love this camera. Super easy to use, images are awesome. Use iMovie 09, best way to do easy editing. The only small issue is that the back sometimes pops open when disengaging the record mechanism. Overall though, phenomenal camera for the price.

What really matters is the video quality. The camera does a great job in recording video. All the modes are useful and work as stated. The record button is pretty fantastic. It just slides forward which is very nice but you have to be careful not to pop the back cover off when pushing the switch. It works great while skiing/snowboarding with gloves on. I built up a little duct tape nub on the rec button to make the operation easier with gloves on.

Vibration issues are very, very bad with the goggle mount on a typical snowboard/ski helmet. I went ahead and duct taped the mount and my strap to my helmet and it resolves the issue (but you can't take off your goggles).

Battery life is pretty good and extra batteries are cheap. Unfortunately you only can recharge them one at a time which is a pain when both are used up and need to be ready for the next day. I find that while on the slopes I get about 3 hours of record time with the camera being on the whole time and recording on the runs down, stop recording while riding the lift. With 2 batteries you can make it through a typical day on the slopes.

The Easy Edit software is a joke and is horrible. You have to have it installed to make any changes to the settings on the camera and to update the firmware. Changing the settings is pretty easy but very, very, very inconvenient. If you have a laptop it is possible to have that with you in your car but it really doesn't help with on the fly changes. If you are out and it goes from sunny to cloudy to twilight there is no way to changes the settings for all the conditions and that can result in some poor quality video. As far as editing actual video it is best to pic up Adobe Premiere Elements or Ulead or Sony Vegas.

It is a very useful camera and it makes for some great POV footage or follow cam footage. Some things could be better but it is good for the price.

Easy to use, takes very good video and affordable. I've used it in bad weather (70 mph winds and snow), with no problems and it has been hit a few times by various items most notably rocks, poles and tree branches... Very good build quality. I'm stoked on it.

Is there a specific memory card that works with the camera i.e. a brand or model? I bought a memory card PNY Micro that didnt work with the contour HD.I didnt see how to make the adjustments light, sound, ext on the software. To free up space on the disk does just import and erase when the camera is plugged in?

Just uploaded my first video that I took with this while snowboarding and they are great. Great quality (I got the 1080p version), a little shaky at times but that I think had more to do with what I was doing and how tight I had my goggles that it was connected to. Uploading video is easy and they can be played with quicktime. The easy edit software that you can download will only work with the lower quality videos so you would have to find another video editor. Very light, hardly noticed I was wearing it. Battery life isn't great and the 2GB memory card that comes with it doesn't hold much video so you'll probably want to buy an extra battery and bigger memory card. You'll also need a pretty good computer if you go with the full 1080p model as the video files are pretty big. Definitely worth the money though, can't wait to use it again.

Great camera. compact and super easy to use. great quality picture and sound. captures awesome moments when your boarding down a hard black piste in Switzerland or through the backwoods in western NY. My laptop is a bit older the the video plays choppy but a newer machine with HD capabilities makes for a sweet show.

Video picture is GREAT. It shoots a very smooth HD video but be warned that it doesn't play smooth on many computers. Burning to a DVD solves said problem (or having a more powerful computer!). It got a great low profile build and mounts great. but like others have said, it is shaky n a helmet. Battery lasts a whileCons: The built in speaker sucks. It doesn't record audio well at all. While some might not see it as a big deal 1/2 the fun of watching a video is hearing what they say or what goes on. Not a deal breaker by any means but more of an inconvenienceYou have to charge the battery while its in the camerathe software it comes with sucks. Luckily we already have some great corel video editing software so its no big deal.Overall opinion so far: Great helmet camera and worth every penny. I'll link some videos soon...