mrjimyjohn

okay so im looking into getting a helmet/ whatever else cam. as far as i know theres 2 main companies out there that make wearable cams; countor and gopro. im wondering if anyone has one or both of these cameras and if they could tell me some positives/negatives of each. theyre both hd, about the same price, everything seems the same to me so any help would be great

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alecdude88

only difference is the contour looks cooler

sorry for the un helpful answer but they both have good quality i'll do some research and see what one i'd pick

alecdude88

Now for my more helpful post
I'll list some pluses and negatives

Go Pro
Wider lense capture
can NOT shoot 1080p
can take pictures
can hold up to 32gb with a card

Contour
60fps at 720
CAN shoot 1080p
doesn't say it can take pictures from what i see
holds 2gb
(a full HD movie is around 8gb)

herzogone

Actually, the GoPro HD does 1080p @30fps and 720p @60fps, same as the ContourHD. The most obvious difference is, as you mentioned, the wider field of view on the GoPro (170 degrees vs 135 degrees at 720p, and 127 degrees vs 110 degrees at 1080p). Both also support up to 32GB cards, but the Contour comes with a 2GB card where to GoPro doesn't include a card at all. Also, a minor difference, but the Contour takes micro SD cards and the GoPro takes full size SD. The Contour has lasers to align the shot which the GoPro does not, but the GoPro comes in a case that is waterproof to 60 meters, where the Contour is just water resistant and requires a separately purchased waterproof case to be submersible to 30 meters. Also, as mentioned, the GoPro does stills where the Contour does not. The Contour does have a nicer helmet form factor, but I think the GoPro has a few more accessories available. Most seem to agree the GoPro has better color saturation, but this is software correctable for either.

I really don't think you can go wrong with either, it is just a matter of which features you value more. That said, I only have the GoPro, but my deciding factor was the ability to use the GoPro for SCUBA diving also right out of the box. At the time I looked, I found the GoPro HD for about $50 less than the ContourHD also ($230 vs $280).

alecdude88

^thanks for clearing up what i had wrong.

mrjimyjohn

thanks guys sounds like the gopro is better for me... i didnt realize the gopro had such a wide angle that was one of the things i was worried about because i film skateboarding in the summer which looks so much more steez with a wide angle or fisheye so thats good to hear

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alecdude88

yeah i was going to say the go pro is like a built in fish eye ahah

Rufus

I have the Contour GPS and it also does still photos. The GPS feature is pretty cool also, it displays speed and elevation on a map when you playback videos through the Contour software. The are also coming out with an iPhone app that let's you use you phone as a viewfinder to frame and align your setup.

--bigtime--

Been doing some research on this exact topic myself as I will be buying one in the very near future.
Check this vid from youtube for a rediculous side by side of the two:

YouTube - GoPro HD Hero vs Contour 1080p HD Split-Screen - Hockey Version

Leaning toward the Contour due to ease of mounting to goggles and will just grab the waterproof case for $30 to play it safe on powder days and for surf trips to Costa Rica.

baconzoo

do forget to check out the Drift Innovation HD170 with LCD and remote.

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Drift Helmet Cameras