Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

GoPro vs Contour

62K views 127 replies 46 participants last post by  basso4735 
#1 ·
Which is better

GoPro or Contour camera. In the market to buy one and want to know which is the better action camera.
 
#5 ·
I am a solid GoPro fan. I have owned and used both their SD and HD models. They just came out with thir 2nd generation HD model. Most versitile POV on the market!!! Do the research and you will see. Actually, just watch TV. You will see them used all over action sports TV shows.
 
#6 ·
I just bought a contour, mostly because the price was unbeatable. However, I've never really been tempted to buy a Gopro. I know that dollar for dollar they have better features (I've done the comparisons) but I just can't get past that thing jutting up out of your helmet.
 
#8 ·
Contour 1080p GPS. Bluetooth to your phone as a viewfinder and settings changer. You KNOW you are shooting what you want to shoot, and you can change setting if you're alone without taking off your kit. Easier record on/off as well. Giant slide button. The GPS also tracks your location and elevation too I believe, allows for a map of your day if I remember right.
 
#11 ·
GoPro is a better camera, Contour is a little bit nicer looking and convenient, but lacks any in-field adjustability in framerate/resolution, etc. Contour performs marginally better in low-light conditions, but neither are very good. GoPro has wider field of view but that also creates more fisheye/distortion as distance increases, some people prefer the narrower (but still wide-angle) FOV on the Contour. GoPro mounting is kind of a pain in the ass, but mounting options on Contour are more limited. Better accessories to the GoPro.

I did a full comparion of the two:

GoPro HD Hero vs. Contour HD

But the new Hero2 looks amazing. If I didn't already have the Hero and the Contour HD, I'd definitely buy it. Same price as the old Hero but so many more features, framerates, viewing angles, ease of use.
 
#18 ·
The HD Hero2 quality is fantastic, but I've decided to go with the Contour Roam. I don't wear a helmet, so my mounting options with the GoPro include the headstrap (which looks ridiculous) and the chest strap, which is definitely more skier-orientated.

I'm going to grab the goggle mount for the Roam and use that. I don't think I'll have much stability issues, and if I do, I plan to tether it to the outriggers on my Oakley Splices to give it a bit more stability.

If only the GoPro had a better form-factor and I'd be all over it.
 
#19 ·
The Hero2 has hands down the best video quality out of all pov cameras I've seen. It even put's some professional cameras at shame.
Two people here at work helped one of the basejumper with the promo video and looking at the raw video from the Hero2 was insane, crystal clear video and amazing color. All in all an awesome camera.
 
#23 · (Edited)
No offense to this poster, but take anyone who claims that any POV cam puts professional cameras to shame to be someone who probably has no idea what they are talking about.

POV cameras all cut corners to maintain their size and FOVs options on fixed lens optics. (Physics are physics, unless they are using some kind of alien technology they stole from a Stargate).

Before you get a POV camera you should ask yourself whether most of the video you're going to be taking is of yourself or other people. When I ride with cameras, I bring a (helmet mounted) CountourHD and a Canon 7D with an 85mm f/1.8 lens (DSLR that does video).

A friend of mine has a GoPro, so I have played with it a teeny bit.

I have a couple of gripes with POV cams, but gripe #1 is the barrel distortion from the short-focal-length/wide-FOV that they are manufactured for. Grip #2 is the fact that any objects not fairly close to the center of the image are horribly blurred because of the cheap optics (bad edge sharpness).

If you're right there in the action recording then you can get satisfactory results (assuming you figure out which white balance and exposure settings work best for you), but if you want more versatility then I would suggest a hand-held video camera, or even a digital point-and-shoot camera that can do video. They will be easier to adjust, and they will require less tweaking if you do any post-editing. They are also ~$0–$100 cheaper (depending on what you get). $300 will buy you a much nicer point and shoot camera with video than a contour/gopro/drift/whatever-POV cam

Now, I have not used the Contour+, ContourROAM, or GoPro HD2, so I cannot say for sure whether this holds for the latest models, but I would be extremely skeptical of any huge improvements in optical clarity without any major changes to the cameras' form factors.

I do not (quite) regret purchasing my ContourHD, but if I had to do it again, then I would spend the money on a better video camera or buy an older/cheaper model.

Straight out of the box, the ContourHD has a superior mounting system for a snowboarder (goggle mount). It gets in the way less and falls off less than the stock GoPro helmet mount (unless they have changed it in the last year).

Borrow one first if you can and decide whether its for you.
 
#21 ·
I own 2 GoPros and love them both. You can use for more than just snowboarding. You can take em swimming, diving, etc. without buying anything extra. The fisheye lense is what makes them better then everything else since. Also, now that their price dropped down to $240 you can't not get it.... I really want a Hero2 right about now...
 
#42 ·
I agree with Rufus. I have the Contour 1080p and love it. It too a little to get it dialed in on the angle for my helmet. Skiing would be way easier as you face totally forward. Anyway, I do think the GoPro shoots better video, but I am just analyzing my ride not trying publish video so I am happy with the Contour. The picture is pretty good and the size is awesome.
 
#50 ·
I just ordered my Contour ROAM today for $175 shipped. Waterproof to 1M (3') right out of the box...no special housing! I liked the Contour ROAM waterproof feature (since we snowboard and wakeboard) and the design/ergonomics. We'll see how it goes.

BTW...the Contour 1080p HD WAS on evo.com outlet for $111 with free shipping, but it just went back up to $139 (%11 off that today only, using "TRIPLE" promo code). They'll pop up on WhiskeyMilitia, SteepandCheap, and some bike deal-of-the-day sites for ~$111.
 
#73 ·
Careful using that on a wakeboard. The "waterproof to 1 m" is a pressure rating in calm water... You take a dunk on a wake board going 20 mph, even if the cam goes 6in under water it will probably get leakage... I learned that lesson taking a waterproof cam in a river... it was waterproof to 2.5 meters, but when I got dunked in some rapids, the pressure of the water was too high... ruined the camera. :(
 
#51 ·
The contour wins hands down. Why? Because I don't have to take my glove off to know that it's on and recording. I'm tired of videos that start with "is the red light on?"


I'm also looking at the xdreplay, it uses vibrations to let you know when you turn it on
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top