ContourGPS Review

Summary

The ContourGPS  is currently the world’s lightest and smallest GPS camera. It shoots full HD video using a 135 degree wide angle lens—capturing action footage with hardly any fish eye or distortion.

If you run, hike, ski, or bike you’ll like the GPS tracking capability of this HD video camera. Its GPS receiver can auto-map location, speed and elevation. GPS data comes at 4 times per second, so you get a continuous track of coordinates. Post-shooting, your footage can be synchronized with Google Maps giving you a second-by-second replay of your run, hike or climb.

 

Product Snapshot

Amazon Price: $299.00

Amazon Ranking:

Sample Customer Reviews

Some quotes from 148 reviews of the ContourGPS on Amazon:

“I take this thing into caves where it sees some real abuse banging and scraping on the sharp rock ceiling and being literally drug through the dirt.”

“…the Contour GPS delivers good HD video for outdoors scenes. Also, recording is easy to turn on/off using the large recording button on top.”

“Great picture quality. Significantly better than the GoPro HD.”

 

Features

This POV camera can capture HD video hands-free—mounted on your car, bike, head or helmet. Wide angle rotating lens is at 135-degrees. Image formats can also be set to the following:

  • Full HD 1080p 1920 x 1080 resolution 30 fps frame rate
  • Tall HD 960p 1280 x 960 resolution 30 fps frame rate
  • Action HD 720p 1280 x 720 resolution 60 fps frame rate
  • Original HD 720p 1280 x 720 resolution 30 fps frame rate
  • 5-Megapixel Still 1 photo per 3, 5, 10, 30, 60 seconds

White balance, sharpness and exposure can be configured to your preferences. Recorded video is in .mov file type.

The camera has a built in GPS receiver so recorded video also tracks distance, location, speed and elevation. Faster Time to First Lock using AssistNow.

The ContourGPS HD camera comes with:

  • 2GB MicroSD Card
  • 2 rotating surface mounts
  • goggle mount
  • Rechargeable Battery
  • USB Cable

The camera body is made of water resistant aluminum shell. It measures 58mm in height, 95mm in length and weights 5.3 ounces. A separately sold waterproof case will let you use this camera in depths down to 60 meters.

 

Pricing

ContourGPS Amazon Best: $299.00

 

Assessment

Pros

This camera does give high quality HD video that you can shoot practically anywhere, doing practically anything. The wide-angle lens is not 175 degrees like the Contour+, but I find 135 degrees sufficient.

It’s compact but rugged. Holds up to a lot of rough handling. And like all the other Contour Cams, the ContourGPS has no complicated controls menus. Just hold the power button down to turn it on, slide to record and shoot video hands free. Even with gloves on, this camera is easy to operate.

The GPS function works very well. The data is automatically integrated in the .mov file footage, so no need to track separate metafiles if you archive your videos. When you edit your video, the map even adjusts to compensate. If you edit in Final Cut or iMovie, the video coding can log your cuts and adjust the map when you import the movie back onto Contour’s website. Very impressive.

I also really like the laser sights and rotating lens that aim the camera without having to use a viewfinder.

As the model posed (and priced) between the high-end Contour+ and the basic ContourHD, I think this model hits a happy middle for good price and features.

Cons

Video data files will come out in .mov, which is good for Mac users. If you’re on a PC you’ll have to do extra transcoding.

Sound recording quality could use some improvement. It picks up a lot of wind noise. Admittedly though, I’m still working on audio settings and maybe I can improve the quality when I get my settings right.

I had to shell out an extra $30 to buy a Connect View card so I could use my iPhone as a live-viewer. If you get the Contour+ [Link to Contour+ Review], the Connect View card comes with the package.

 

Alternatives

Another leading manufacturer of POV action cameras is GoPro. They produce two HD models comparable to Contour’s HD Cameras.

One is the GoPro HD HERO Helmet Camera, which retails on Amazon for $259.99.

Another one is the GoPro HD HERO Motorsports Camera, sold at $235.81 Amazon Best Price.

While GoPro video quality is also good, I find them more tedious to operate. The internal menus are confusing. You’ll have to buy the separately sold GoPro LCD BacPac for about $80 to make it much simpler to operate. So price-wise, there goes your savings.

 

Conclusion

The ContourGPS is the sweet spot among Contour’s line of hands-free HD cameras—the right price for just the right amount of features. It doesn’t have live streaming like the Contour+ and a few other features, but it has enough bells and whistles to satisfy most outdoor sports enthusiasts.

It’s small, light, easy to mount and operate. You can take video practically anywhere you want. You will get a lot of quality action video no typical handheld camcorder can give you. HD video quality is good. GPS function and sharing capabilities are a great bonus.