5/19/2010

The ContourHD Is Perfect For Home And Trails

By Mike Balkovic

The ContourHD is for anyone that loves extreme sports or outside activities. Now you have the opportunity to record your adventures and easily share them with your family, friends, and the world, for all to marvel at.

These lightweight, armored aluminum-framed camcorders are made to sustain impacts, overcome vibrations, and operate flawlessly in extreme conditions. They can withstand temperatures from -15C to +40C ( 5F to 104F). With the new down-loadable firmware upgrade, they can even operate at lower temperatures than the 5 degrees. Since the protective frame is so well built, you will be able to record in the most hostile environments, whether it is dust, mud, snow or even on the water.

They are water resistant, not rated as 'waterproof', so submerging the equipment is not recommended. To see evidence regarding the versatility and durability of these camcorders, you can go to any number of video sites and see some of the crashes these cameras have survived. If you are a little squeamish, you might just stick with some of the environments these have been used to record in. You will have access to the company website to upload your videos for posterity with your purchase.

The ease of use is impressive. On the back of the unit you will find the power button. There are two lights that indicate the recording time and battery life. To make it a sure thing to get the proper prospective, since there is no room for a display, there are two laser lights. When they are aligned horizontally, you are good to go.

The slider recording bar on top is easily accessible, even if wearing gloves. When activated, you will hear a single beep and a double beep when turned off. This option can be silenced.

The single-focus lens records in 135 degrees in wide-screen HD at 1280 x 720 pixels at 30 fps (frames per second). In the SD (standard definition) option, it records in a 90 degree viewing angle at 60 fps. This would be preferred for fast action activities.

The camera comes with a 2 GB memory card and can be upgraded to 16 GB. In SD recording, you will get about sixty minutes per GB, and half of that in HD. The internal microphone can be adjusted to minimize wind noise. However, at speeds of over 30 mph, wind noise may become overwhelming. The rechargeable battery is rated to last about four hours.

These are the lightest camcorders at only 4 ounces. They are four inches long, sit two inches high and are one and one-half inches wide. This makes them highly adaptable to several mounting options with their patent-pending "Trail Mounts 'slide and lock' system." Since it is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it will not impair your activity in the least bit.

The ContourHD has built-in rails on either side the camera body. This makes it possible to connect it to the mount that fits over the strap on your goggles, or onto a disk with an adhesive pad stuck to a helmet. Each of these has a tether strap to ensure you will not lose your camera. Other mounting options include a windshield, handlebar, and a universal tripod which can be purchased in a package or individually.

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