Like tales of colour e-book readers and fish that got away, snowboarding and biking adventures usually sound more impressive the less you see of them. Unluckily, perhaps, modern technology is on hand to turn avalanches back into flurries and mountains back into molehills. In recent years, hands-free helmet cameras have become a common sight on slopes and trails but few can match the designer simplicity – or raw resolution – of VholdR’s Contour HD, now available with full HD (1080p) capture.
Fashioned from a tube of anodised aluminium and weighing a mere 123 grams, the waterproof, shockproof and stealth-black Contour HD has the aura of military-issue gear about it. Rails on either side allow it to slide and lock into the adhesive-backed goggle mount supplied – although we’d recommend checking out other mounts available for handlebars, helmets and windscreens (from £20). Having a rock-solid mount will make a huge difference to the final quality of your video.
There are just two controls: a rubberised power button at the rear and a large sliding record switch on top. Hit the power button and lasers mounted on either side of the fixed focus, fixed focal length lens burst into life. Align these horizontally by rotating the front element of the lens and your movies should be framed (roughly) straight. This can all be managed with thick gloves on.
A weatherproof seal gives access to a mini USB port for charging and downloading, the microSD card slot, the battery pack and a small Hi/Lo switch. Set to Hi, the Contour HD shoots 1080p footage at 30fps, delivering a deliriously overwhelming rush of colour and detail akin to the vortex scene in 2001. Exposure responds quickly in changing light but there is some smearing and distortion, especially towards the edges of the frame.
To be honest, I prefer the Contour HD set to Lo (720p video at 60fps). Not only does this smooth out jitters and mask some mushy colours, it also opens out the field of view into a true fish-eye wideangle. At either resolution, though, audio is little more than a raucous howl of wind noise – you’d have to be whooping like an American to hear even a whisper on the soundtrack.
Sadly, with no screen and no video output, there’s no way to replay movies until you’re back at your computer. Here, a basic editing app lets you import clips, then top-and-tail them before uploading to VholdR’s supportive (if heavy on the ‘awesome!!!’) online community. Be warned: local files are pretty hefty at about a megabyte a second and 1080p clips tend to snarl up older machines. Forgot about reviewing downhill runs on the chalet’s netbook...
Logistics (and audio) aside, the Contour HD 1080p more than lives up to its semi-pro appearance. It’s easy to fit, joyously simple to use, tougher than any other action camera we’ve tested and delivers where it counts in attractive, involving high-definition video. Basically, this macho movie-maker is what the Pure Digital Flip wants to be when it grows up and discovers testosterone.
Bulletproof build quality, one-touch simplicity, great video, generous wideangle lens.
Terrible wind noise, no TV connection, multi-sport mounting kits cost extra.
When it comes to shooting interesting video, how you get the shot is half the fun. Plus having the right equipment doesn’t hurt either. And with The VholdR ContourHD getting that shot is just as easy as pointing and shooting.
The ContourHD is a sleek mountable action camcorder that is the smallest and lightest HD wearable camcorder around. It has a water-resistant aluminum body and is shock and impact proof. It records to a MicroSD card (2GB supplied, maximum 16GB) and has a removable 3 hour lithium battery. It also records audio via an internal microphone.
When it comes to shooting interesting video, how you get the shot is half the fun. Plus having the right equipment doesn’t hurt either. And with The VholdR ContourHD getting that shot is just as easy as pointing and shooting.
The ContourHD is a sleek mountable action camcorder that is the smallest and lightest HD wearable camcorder around. It has a water-resistant aluminum body and is shock and impact proof. It records to a MicroSD card (2GB supplied, maximum 16GB) and has a removable 3 hour lithium battery. It also records audio via an internal microphone.
Enough of the technical stuff and on to why this is a great choice for a wearable camcorder.
One of the great things about this camcorder is the dual laser lights that emits from the front lens barrel to show if the lens is aligned properly. Very helpful. I just beamed the lights against a flat surface I was facing to see if they were level. Simple as that. The ContourHD has the ability to rotate the lens 180 degrees so as to mount anywhere with its supplied flat surface mount or goggle mount. Other mounts are available such as windshield mounts, handlebar mounts, roll bar mounts and more at www.vholdr.com.
On top of The ContourHD it features a large slider button for easy on and off recording just by sliding the button forward to record and back to stop recording. Nothing could be easier.
When I applied for and got accepted to take part in Enduro Africa 2009, a 1,000 mile motocross endurance ride across the Wild Coast of Africa, being a professional photographer, the first thing I thought of was how best to capture the whole event?
Once I had sorted my standard, everyday camera and video out, I started sourcing helmet cameras, and after days of research checking out the quality of camera after camera...one item kept cropping up with quality and features so high, nothing else could match it...the VholdR Contour HD.
This is a small, robust little camera that seemed to tick all the boxes and even shot video at 720p high definition...great, so I got hold of a copy a couple of weeks before I left for Africa.
After seeing all of the sample footage that was available, I was concerned as to whether the camera could handle other aspects of the trip such as rocks, water, dust and anything I could throw at it but before we go into all that, here are the specs.
Note: Before I continue, this is probably a good place to mention that since I got my copy of the 720p version, VholdR have now released a full 1080p version so bear that in mind as you read on (link at the end).
So, I had the Contour HD and was ready to go but before I did, I made sure I had enough accessories. The battery life on any helmet camera is pretty low so I ordered a spare battery which would give me around 4 hours recording time each day.
(The battery is charged quickly and easily by plugging the camera into any laptop or PC using the supplied USB cable whilst you offload your footage.)
I also tested the 2GB memory card that came with the Contour HD and decided to order two more 8GB Class 6 cards which could handle HD video much better and would give me longer recording times...turned out to be a good move.
I also ordered a few spare sticky pads for attaching the whole ensemble to my crash helmet. Trouble is, the helmet wasn't flat anywhere so I ended up using the camera on my goggle strap using the supplied adaptor.
The first thing I noticed when I held the Contour HD was its robustness, this thing felt solid! Secondly, was the complete ease of use, I would need to be able to switch this on and off quickly and easily whilst wearing gloves and I was not disappointed.
The Contour HD has a simple but large slider on the top which you simply slide forward to start filming and backwards to stop. If the camera is switched on, you will hear a single audible beep as you start recording and two beeps when you stop...very handy.
If the camera is switched off when you start recording, you start and stop in silent mode which is a little unnerving if you are shooting important, once-in-a-lifetime footage.
Aligning the camera for perfect footage is a piece of cake. Mounted to the front of the lens are two lasers which rotate with the lens 180°. You simply attach the camera where you need it, for me that was on the goggle strap on the side of my crash helmet, look at a wall in front of you in the position you will be riding in and twist the lens until the lasers are aligned to a perfect horizon.
Consumer camcorders have been going HD for some time now, to the extent that you can even buy one for under £100. But the world of action cameras has been relatively immune to the spread of the format – the VholdR ContourHD is the only one we've come across.
It records 720p video at 30fps in H.264 MOV format and saves this footage to a microSD card installed under a rubber cap at the rear of the camera. A 2GB card is supplied with the camera, and this is good for storing around an hour of HD footage. This is certainly an impressive feat, but HD is by no means the ContourHD's strongest suit – it's packed with clever touches and thoughtful details that make it a far superior action camera to any other we've yet tested.
First off, although it's rugged and water resistant, it manages to stay very light indeed, weighing in at a feathery 116g. We attached it to a cycling helmet via the sticky surface mount supplied with the camera and hardly noticed its presence.
And it's also easy as pie to line up. With other cameras, it can be tricky to tell if you've got the camera level and pointing where you want it to. Not so the ContourHD: a pair of red lasers either side of the lens let you see precisely what the camera's directed at and whether or not it's askew.
Another help in getting the right action in frame is the super wide-angle lens. Instead of the rather narrow angle you get with most handheld camcorders, which only give you a 50° to 25° field of view, the ContourHD's lens has a 135° field of view – just like the fisheye lenses you can buy for digital SL
The results all of this provides are nothing short of stunning. We tested the ContourHD on our cycle commute in and out of London and found footage to be clear and smooth, picking up good detail, even under streetlights at night. The wide-angle lens, as well as picking up plenty of ancillary detail, also lends a wonderful sense of speed to your action shots, with scenery streaming by in an impressive blur. There's even a 60fps 848 x 480 mode for when the action gets hectic.
Our one gripe is that we'd have liked more than just the two mounts – at this price we'd expect more choice than that – but otherwise there's very little to complain about. If you want to record your sporting exploits for posterity, and you're willing to part with 300 notes, the ContourHD is an absolute stunner.
The good: The ContourHD records high-definition video at 720p. Laser sights and a rotating lens help to aim the camera while mounted without the need for a viewfinder. Simple, one-handed operation and included 2GB MicroSD card and rechargeable battery make this one of the most user friendly helmet cams we've tested.
The bad: The unit is not waterproof or submersible. Low-light performance is poor.
The bottom line: While not as rugged as its competition, the ContourHD features video quality and user-friendliness that is far better than any other helmet cam that we've tested.
Price range: $279.99 - $295.77
In sum
While the ContourHD is much better-looking than its competitors, it's also more fragile. The camera is splash resistant, but not submersible like the GoPro Hero or the ATC5K Action camera. The GoPro Hero is encased in a clear, plastic shell. So if, for example, the GoPro falls off of your car at the track, you just replace the $40 shell. Drop the ContourHD and you may be buying a new camera.
Additionally, the ContourHD is more expensive than the competition. With an MSRP of $299, it's about $100 more expensive than the GoPro Hero Motorsports Wide kit, which includes the PanaVise suction-cup mount (a $40 accessory for the ContourHD) and a variety of mounting brackets.
However, we believe that you get what you pay for. The ContourHD stands head and shoulders above the competition. Overall, we were thoroughly satisfied with the ContourHD's performance, high-quality design, and ease of use. Even with its flaws, we still believe the ContourHD deserves our Editors' Choice.
You know what they say: VOIDH (video or it didn’t happen). According to that logic most of us have never actually ridden a mountain bike but that can change with the VholdR ContourHD helmet camera. If you’ve been thinking about getting a helmet camera for mountain biking, this is the one to get.
First off, let’s talk video quality. The VholdR shoots in two modes: high def (720p HD) at 30 frames per second or standard definition (SD) at a scorching 60 frames per second. In HD mode you’ll get a wider shot and better detail while SD mode saves memory and is better at capturing fast motion shots. I found the color and lighting to be comparable between HD and SD modes and for most online video applications either one looks crisp and clear on screen. The camera automatically compensates for changing lighting conditions (moving from shade to sun, for example) and quickly adjusts the shot accordingly (though not instantly)….
…As you can probably tell I love this camera and it’s earned a permanent spot in my Camelbak whenever I go out for a ride. With incredible video quality, endless mounting possibilities, and dead simple controls, the VholdR ContourHD is the best helmet camera I’ve seen for mountain biking. For less than $300 you can pick one up at REI and start sharing your rides (and your sick moves!) with the world.
Helmet cameras are literally popping up everywhere. Sites like YouTube and Facebook make it easy for anyone to upload and share videos. Twenty20 Cameras just came out with the ContourHD and LPmotocross was lucky enough to get its hands on one. Is the ContourHD the answer? Read on to find out!
What We Like
- HD of course! The video quality is flat out amazing. The vibrant colors, clarity, and contrast set this apart from the GoPro Helmet Camera.
- The 135° Wide Angle Lens is wide enough to film all the action, without distorting the shot. The 135 degree field of view is better than the fish eye look that you get with the GoPro Helmet Camera. This camera is even equipped with “fricken lasers” to help you sight in what you’re actually filming.
- The buttons on this device are very easy to use, even with a pair of motocross gloves on. To turn the camera on, simply press the large button on the back, and you’ll hear a beep. To start recording, simply slide the oversized record button forward until you hear it beep. To stop recording, slide the button back and you’ll hear two beeps. That’s it.
- This device is all-inclusive, which means that you don’t have to worry about running wires to another piece of hardware. The camera is very sturdy, and it’s survived a couple of crashes.
- you won’t have to worry about battery life and storage capacity either. Expect to get about 3-4 hours battery life. The ContourHD accepts up to 16 GB of microSD storage (2-gig card is included) which is about 8 hours of footage.
- The mounts included in the box are the goggle mount and flat surface mount. There are many other mounting options available, including windshield and handlebar mounts.
- Don’t have a video editor? No problem. The ContourHD includes Easy Edit software, which is a free HD compatible application for both Mac and Windows to make it seamless to import, clip, and share your videos to VholdR.com. This application is designed to help you manage your ContourHD videos.
What We Didn’t Like
The only minor issue we had was sound. If you’re going fast, you might pick up some wind noise that overwhelms the audio track.
Bottom Line
The ContourHD is the best HD (and SD) helmet camera on the market. This bad boy is light weight, easy to use, durable, and sexy. If you want to buy a helmet camera, forget the GoPro and get this device. You won’t regret it!
LPmotocross.com gives it 5 out 5!
The Verdict: This helmet cam is great for shooting mountain bike or skateboarding shenanigans, especially if you can steady the camera a bit – a snug helmet mount will work better than the handlebars. Although some sort of steadying device would help a lot, since heads tend to shake more than most areas of the body, this camera tends to shake as much as most others that also lack a fish eye type lens (Don't get me wrong, it has a 135 degree field of view, which is wider than almost all cams on the market. And 135 degrees seems to be a good angle for chasing and filming friends with. ) Colors and detail come out really well, except on snow, which tended to be washed out and over exposed. But it shoots in HD: 1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second, which is output as a 16:9 720p picture. Or 60 frames per second in SD. And that's a rare thing in helmet cameras these days.
The ContourHD's record/stop functioning is matter of sliding a giant tab up or down and is easy to operate, even with ski gloves on. Aiming the device is pretty simple, too, because the field of vision is determined by dual laser pointers, which remind you where your cam is pointing. It is not waterproof, but it held up fine to getting pummeled by wet snow for a run when I duct-taped it to the nose of my snowboard (probably not a recommended mounting option). Speaking of mounting, the camera comes with a goggle-strap mount and a 3M sticky-backed flat surface mount. Optional mounts are coming, including a suction mount for attaching to cars and smooth surfaces of outdoor gear.
The camera itself isn't in a housing, which is great for the form factor, but the aluminum and plastic case will run into some issues: If you fall on this camera, there's no layer of protection for it, and it will get hurt on big enough falls. Wind noise could also be a potential problem, as you can see in some of the videos on VHoldR's site. And there's no way to fully submerge this camera, so its not good for water sports.
You'll also probably want a MicroSD card bigger than the 2GB that comes with the camera, good for an hour of HD footage. The device does charge by USB, though, and having a rechargeable lithium battery, swappable no less, in such a device kicks ass. The battery claim is 3 hours while recording SD, so less with HD.
The two significant shortcomings I saw in the pre-production demo unit they sent have apparently been addressed in the final production run. Those "bugs" they've addressed: the Record on/off switch now has sufficient magnetic strength to stay on when vibrating hard, and the battery will no longer shake loose under serious vibration.
The Twenty20 ContourHD has is the world’s first 720p helmet cam for the consumer market, and if you’re like the OneWheelDrive.Net team then you want to revel in hours of motorcycle footage after the ride. Yes, truly we don’t get out much in the evenings.
Beyond recording 30fps 720p (or 854x480 60fps SD) as easily viewable and editable QuickTime .mov files there are a score of well thought out features to ensure the ContourHD’s rugged usability for the “active” videographer.
Right off there’s the size, a puny 123 gram water-resistant anodized aluminum body that resist drops and vibration. The TRail™ Mount slides and locks onto mounts for your goggles, helmet, handlebars. And there’s easy operation, thanks to the glove-friendly oversized sliding record switch on the top of the unit.
While there is no viewer for playback, laser-sighting lets you go all Borg and assimilate the world’s views though the 135-degree wide angle lens. And you can assimilate a lot, though packaged with a 2GB MicroSD card, the ContourHD supports 16GB cards which at a rate of 30min/GB can film 8 hours of HD – won’t your friends be overjoyed at sitting through that?
So the package is near perfect for your motorcycle tour or adventure, save for a couple of issues. As you’d expect the microphone develops a lot of wind noise at speeds over 40kph. Then there’s the quality of the footage.
In the sun ContourHD produces admirable footage, but (as you can tell from our review video) the ContourHD wrestles with the low-light and contrast of cloudy days. Also the plastic lens on our unit was easily scratched, developing whirls even after a careful first cleaning with a micro-fiber lens cloth, that’s a big issue for the intended use. According to their user forums, Twenty20 is addressing the lens issue. Way better than expected is the image stabilization, especially given the grave road game we put the ContourHD through.
Mind you, at a diminutive $299.99 Twenty20’s ContourHD is way more high definition trick than the standard-definition trash that populates the market in this price bracket. It won’t turn you into Top Gear, but the ContourHD is a step in the right direction.
I called my wife on the way to our regular Tuesday night ride with one simple request…”bring the box that is on the front doorstep to the ride…please.” In the box from the big brown truck was the new ContourHD helmet camera from VholdR and I was not going to wait to try it out. This point of view (POV) helmet camera from VholdR claims better video quality than the competition by providing 720 lines of HD resolution.
The small freeride section of our local trail system is a tough shooting site. You are in and out of trees in a dark are while the sun continues to set. This makes difficult lighting for small cameras that normally have a hard time adjusting to changing light conditions. The VholdR ContourHD helmet camera has outperformed the GoPro Hero and the V.I.O. POV.1.5 by far. If you don’t believe me…check out my first video shoot below. In the near future, I am going to run a test doing the same run…at the same time…with all three cameras to get a side by side comparison.
What did I learn from my grab the box and ride routine?
-I need to aim the cam up just a little bit more to catch more of the action.
-The goggle mount is in the perfect spot to capture the action that I see while I ride, but it is not stable through the rock gardens. Next time out, I am going to try out the surface mount to see if I can get rid of some of the circular twitching.
We've been toying with a VholdR ContourHD helmet cam for a few weeks now, seeing how well it blends in with our adrenaline-fueled lifestyle. We've mounted it on various helmets, tried it with some moderately extreme endeavors, and, now that we've had a chance to refill our asthma inhalers, we thought we'd share a few of those adventures and give our impressions of this helmet-mounted HD shooter.
First the important numbers: the $299 cam shoots 720p video at 30fps through a 135 degree wide-angle lens, or can be set to capture 858 x 480 video at 60fps if things are going to get really fast-paced. It features a microSD card slot and ships with a 2GB card to start, upon which it will dump H.264-encoded video, and also includes not one but two batteries, meaning a full day at the races should be no problem.
The body itself is durable, made of aluminum, is water-resistant, and interestingly the entire internals of the camera rotate through 192 degrees, meaning regardless of how you mount this thing you can get video that's right-side-up -- or at some crazy angle if you're so inclined. The only problem we had with construction was with a flimsy internal latch which occasionally didn't hold the battery tight enough to make solid contact. A removal and re-insertion fixed that in most cases, but we're wondering how that clip will hold up in the long run.
…We like the cam but would have liked it better with some more flexible mounting options (a number of which are due to be released soon) and a slightly more comprehensive software package. The wind noise was a bit disappointing at higher speeds, but the cam seems most intended for human-powered pursuits, whether they be on a gravel trail or a few feet of powder. Its simple, subtle design certainly looks a lot nicer clipped to your lid than much of the competition, and it's something we'd certainly rock on the slopes with pride.
Here it is, action sport stars, some real POV footage taken with the VholdR ContourHD instead of the garbage office tour I took earlier in the week. Turn down the volume on your speakers! I’ve included the video that’s currently live on VholdR’s site and YouTube for the full HD video.
If you’ve seen or played with the original VholdR then you’ve basically touched the ContourHD. The shell appears to be the same except for a few tweaks under the hood, like the new wide-angle lens, support for microSDHC (up to 16GB) and HD (720p) video recording capability.
Overall, the video quality is pretty good. I mounted the camera to the nose of my board using the adhesive pad that came in the packaging and to my astonishment it worked just fine. I was worried that it might fall off during my road test, but it’s stuck on there like a champ. Audio quality is par for the course. It doesn’t really pick up a lot of ambient noises, which is good, but if you’re trying to pick up audio from a buddy or something it might not register as well. Check around the 3:10 minute mark because the traffic should be a lot louder than it is in the video. Devin thinks there’s a lot of skew, but I’m pretty sure it’s because the cam is mounted to the bottom of a wobbly skateboard. Other videos taken with the ContourHD can be seen here.
Controls are simple, again. Press the on/off switch until the device beeps and the lights flicker on. Lens orientation can be adjusted based on how you mount the ContourHD by simply turning the lens dial. When you’re ready to record just slide the switch and an audible beep will sound off and lights will go red. And away you go!
VholdR promises eight hours of HD footage off the rechargeable battery, but for me to record eight hours of HD footage on a skateboard in NYC would take a long time. I’ll get back to you on that.
The ContourHD retails for $300, but it can be had for $280 with a $50 gift card from Amazon right now. It looks like they only have 3 of these left at $280, so you might want to act quick.
I recently got the very sweet VHoldR ContourHD for a long term test, and after its first couple of uses, I am amazed of the exceptional clarity of HD. I have extensively tested the GoPro HERO Wide and the VIO POV 1.5 video cameras, and both have some special attributes they bring to the table, but that can't even hold a candle to the HD medium. This camera truly blows the doors off the other cameras!
Not only does the HD look good on the normal small screen format, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and others, but when it is seen in a full widescreen mode it still retains it clarity. The HERO is very grainy in a full screen mode, while the POV 1.5 is a bit better, it still doesn't have the crystal clear clarity of HD.
I recently got the very sweet VHoldR ContourHD for a long term test, and after its first couple of uses, I am amazed of the exceptional clarity of HD. I have extensively tested the GoPro HERO Wide and the VIO POV 1.5 video cameras, and both have some special attributes they bring to the table, but that can't even hold a candle to the HD medium. This camera truly blows the doors off the other cameras!
Not only does the HD look good on the normal small screen format, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and others, but when it is seen in a full widescreen mode it still retains it clarity. The HERO is very grainy in a full screen mode, while the POV 1.5 is a bit better, it still doesn't have the crystal clear clarity of HD.
Bottom LineThis is plain and simple one of the best sports specific HD (and non SD) video cameras on the market, and it makes the competitors look like wet noodles in comparison. The camera is light weight, durable and is intuitive to use. Its price is competitive and the HD benefits are simply amazing. It has a hint of motion artifacts like most CMOS Rolling Shutter cameras, and is a bit blurry with very distant background objects.
Record HD video on your head and share it online in seconds with VholdR’s new ContourHD™, the world’s first HD wearable camcorder. At just $279, the Contour HD was designed with the needs of outdoor enthusiasts in mind. This durable camera provides amazing video clarity (choose between high definition or high action), ease of use, and a host of mounting options and accessories.
This was the obvious next step in helmet cam technology and boy does it look nice. The 720p video at a smooth 30 frames per second will please even the most demanding videophiles, as will the amazing color rendition, excellent exposure, and great contrast.
An improved image sensor and video processor ensure that colors are as rich and vibrant on video as they are in real life. In addition to powerful video settings and enhanced color saturation, the ContourHD is also equipped with a 135-degree fisheye lens to record the entire scene without over-distorting the video. The color quality in the Contour HD has improved significantly.
The standard definition mode on the ContourHD is really cool! It is actually just cropped from the full frame size so the field of view is 90 degrees, the same as the original VholdR. The video is still wide screen, with a resolution of 848×480, which surpasses most other helmet cams in the market. The best part about SD mode is the fact that it records at 60 FPS, which makes for an incredibly smooth video. It looks very different and it’s really quite hard to describe what the sensation...
The VholdR Contour HD is nothing short of extraordinary. As the world’s first wearable all-in-one HD camcorder, the ContourHD is lightweight, yet rugged enough to withstand the elements while capturing exceptional quality video, regardless of the angle. The included Easy Edit software makes editing and sharing videos easier than ever. The ContourHD is recommended for outdoor enthusiasts interested in capturing adventures in HD and sharing them with the world.
When word of the ContourHD hit the internet early this year the action sports forums and blogs were buzzing with excitement. VholdR has definitely created quite a stir with this release. Not only is this the first helmet camera to boast HD 1280x720 resolution, it’s also delivered in a sleek, sexy black package that will appeal to the most particular buyer.
Upon first receiving the package, you first notice the clever presentation of the clear plastic and glossy black cardboard which is formed in a way to look like the camera is actually attached to goggles of the skier or snowboarder on the package.
On first inspection, you start to wonder how they managed to incorporate such a feature rich product into a tiny package. The brushed black aluminum base is light and smooth, easy to hold and has a very Mission Impossible look. Just like the newer laptops, smooth and metallic is prevailing in the helmet camera field…
There’s been another volley in the compact point-of-view camera wars—this latest round coming from VholdR (formerly known as Twenty20), which is staking claim as the first company to offer HD capability in a helmet camera.
The new design uses the same basics chassis as Vholdr’s previous design but adds high-definition capability and a wide-angle lens option—a very usable 135-degree field of view. The $300 unit uses a rechargeable cell-phone-style lithium ion battery and records to an up-to 16GB Micro SD card. The entire unit is self contained, and setup is aided by two positioning lasers mounted to a rotating bezel on the front of the camera.
Simply affix the camera to your helmet or handlebar, square up the two reference lasers level with the horizon, and flip a big easy-to-use magnetic switch and listen for the one-beep or two-beep audio cue that indicates whether recording is starting, or stopping, respectively.
In HD mode, the camera records to a 16:9 aspect ratio at 30 frames a second, spitting out 1280x720 pixel footage. In an optional “High Action” mode, the camera records at a blisteringly fast 60 frames a second, but not in HD.
The camera comes standard with a sticky-mount and a goggle strap mount, but most riders will want to look into purchasing the vented helmet mount and the handlebar/seatpost mount (pictured below), both of which are aftermarket accessories available through the company’s web site, and not included in the $300 base price.
One of the very first Contour HD cameras found its way onto Lars Sternberg's helmet, as he followed GT rider Bryn Atikinson down the DH course at Sea Otter this month. You know the camera is good when it makes a practice run at Laguna Seca look good.
The runner up in our B-roll brawl came in a seriously close second - for less than half the price. The ContourHD’s 720p video trounced all corners with its smooth, beautiful images. The whole kit weighs less than 5 ounces and looks more like an ornament than an eyesore.
Stunning image quality. Record/Stop slider switch is easy to operate, even with gloves on. Accepts up to a 16GB of MicroSD storage, and a 2-gig card is included. Laser-assissted aiming. Hell, yeah.
With no LCD, you can’t review what you’ve shot until you jack into a computer - a problem for long trips. video quality suffers noticeably in low light. At speeds above 30 mph, the microphone listens only to the wind.
By: Skyler Kincaid
“I bought this camera to help make videos of my dad's Camero and Ducati for his father's day present, mostly just to get another angle. The price was great on Amazon! With all the discounts I got it for $230 which is seventy dollars cheaper than anywhere else. The shipping was great, I ordered it on a Thursday and I arrived on a Monday day."
By: J.Z. Clark
"I finally received the camera from VholdR. So far it's lived up to my expectations. The video that I saw coming from it was super clear and the color looks amazing. It came with its own software that also made everything easier. "
By: Ali Paige
Pros: easy to use, clear, robust
Cons: cant think of one
"I really liked the my old VholdR, but after I got the new one there is no comparison! The picture quality is incredible...I mounted it on the side of my skateboard and I couldn't believe how good the footage looked.""
By: Condo Guy
"For an outdoor or extreme sports participant, this camera can not be currently matched. 720p video, great color, light weight, and mountable anywhere are its hallmarks."
By: Zachary Wagner
"Positives? Where do I begin? This thing is all-inclusive (did I mention NO external wires at ALL?), very lightweight (I hardly notice its presence on my bike helmet), super easy to use, and records unbelievably smooth..."
By: Lumpie "crabby1"
"Meets expectations nicely and produces a decent quality HD video with a minimum of effort. Mounts easily to helmet and is easily and dependably operated by one hand with audio feedback for confirmation of operation."
By: Richard Rodic
"I was looking for a helmet cam solution for road racing in the sub 300 dollar range.. with good quality.. I thought this might be too much to ask for but I discovered the ContourHD and it fits the bill."
By: Patrick Lee
Pros: easy to use, clear, robust
Cons: cant think of one
I take it mountain biking with me and it works just perfectly.“
By: Matt
"I have this as well as the VIO POV1. The video quality and especially the colors are much better on the ContourHD - at 1/2 the price. "
By: Hammer Down
"This is a great camera for the price, and I give it four stars. I'm only going to focus on the cons for this review. "
By: Greek User
"the picture quality is really great... far better than from some cameras i tried in the past"
By: Matthew R. Mcgill
"Purchased for bicycling and motorcycling. I would rate quality of construction 7 out of 10, ease of use 8 out of 10 and software 4 out of 10. "
By: T. Gagnon "TG"
"I own both the VIO POV.1 and the ContourHD. I must preface this by saying I use these cameras in a unique application, that being on a military helicopter. Both have their pro's and con's but since we are talking about the ContourHD..."
By: baisforba
"I'm glad to see that REI carries this camera. I use to own some other companies pov camera and it wasn't what I wanted. With the Contour HD most if not all of my hang ups were gone. "
By: bikerdirragon
"Just started using this thing for mountain biking, so I can't speak to the durability yet. The video, however, is fantastic. The two different settings are both useful in their own way. "
By: Crockpott the Gator Wrestler
"Held up great in downhill mountain bike crashes and wasn't affected by splashing during gator wrestling, but software included doesn't playback smooth video and still can't get it to play smoothly after following website support instructions."
By: Jamie C from Seattle
"I use the VholdR ContourHD camera for most of my bike/snowboard trips and I love the fact that we now have a great wearable HD camera."
By: Beemer Marc from Rancho Cucamonga, CA
"Great Helmet Camera, one of the very best out there on the market for the price. Love the HD format, the video quality is excellent for the size of the unit. "
By: craiglieberman
"I'm a car video guy...it's what I do. The other mini POV cameras on the market like the SUV, the POV.1 and the GoPro offer substandard images compared to this thing."
By: Jumpjunkee
"Great no frills helmet-cam for capturing Skydiving action. Sharp image. Nice wide angle for tight formations."
By: Rewind Digital Media from NSW
"I purchased this little beauty for the sole purpose of spearfishing and surfing....and I haven't been disappointed. "
By: Darkstar50
"I originally purchased the original vHoldR camera to possibly help diagnose problems with my kart driving. I thought that was a great camera ... the ContourHD is incredible! "
By: Tom from Rochester
"For the price, this product is hard to beat. It takes great HD (720p) video with good clarity and color. Operating the device couldn't be simpler, mount it (nearly anywhere you can think of), turn it on, and when you are ready to record the action slide the record button and go. "
By: alpha_male1
"Totally awesome camera. I've used it for numerous outdoor activities over the last two weeks and everything looks miraculous!"
