This is a good camera for the price I paid, I got it on sale and so far I am pleased with the camera's performance. I would have given a five star rating if the camera came with better instructions. The printed material that came with the camera is sparse at best although the camera is easy to operate I had to learn some things the hard way. For example, I purchased a helmet mount bracket for mountain biking. The camera slides into the bracket via the grooves along either side of the camera (so the camera is lying on its side.)Going for my first ride the camera worked very well however the film was sideways and I was unable to rotate the movie and ended up deleting it. The camera has a lens that rotates but there were no instructions regarding this feature and how to use it. On my next ride I rotated the lens and my film came out very nice.
Another example of poor instruction is the use of the waterproof case. Although the case works very well I had a difficult time mounting the camera and case to my helmet mount. After much consternation I finally located the small black plastic lock tabs that were preventing mounting. Had there been adequate instruction I would have been much happier.
In the minimal instructions provided there is information about downloading Storyteller" a program for uploading video etc. Storyteller takes a lot of time to upload your video. Additionally, in Storyteller is where you can make adjustments to your camera such as 720, 960 or 1080 filming and sound sensitivity. There was no information provided with the camera that explained this feature in Storyteller, I found it by looking around within the download. Camera does not come with any SD card, you need a micro SD card, shop around I found a micro SDHC (High Capacity) chip at a big box store that was 32GB for $24.99.
Otherwise I am delighted at the performance of the camera the waterproof case was put to the test in recent heavy rain and rough trail uses. The only drawback for the waterproof case is that it dampens the sound pick-up. The camera comes set with a 720 HD default and the pictures are very good. The 720 setting provides the longest film time and least battery depletion. The 720 is so good I do not have a need for anything higher for the way I use the camera. The only other issue I have found is that there is considerable sound distortion in high winds or at high speeds (high wind). I realize this is an issue with all cameras I have encountered especially in outdoor sporting activities.
My first trail ride was 46 minutes and the camera battery was fine for the entire time. I charged the battery after that ride and it took only about a half an hour. The camera charges via a USB plug. I recommend the camera if you can catch it on sale, the instruction provided is lacking but the camera appears sturdy, well-built and delivers very good video. The helmet mount is an extra that costs about 15 dollars.
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I mountain bike with people who either own GoPro or Contour. I have seem videos from both and they are as good as each other. I however like the design and simplicity of Contour over GoPro thus the purchase. I was somewhat disappointed to find the "watersport kit" came only with the watersport mount but not the basic mounts. Fortunately I purchased a generic bicycle handle bar mount. I looked for other mounts from Contour and found them outrageously priced.Read Best Reviews of ContourROAM Waterproof HD 1080P Hands-free HD Camcorder Watersport Kit Here
Just a quick review of the Roam. I also have a contour GPS, I bought it to use on fishing tournaments as my friends and I enter the Mako Mania tourney in NJ every year. I used the gps last year with the underwater case to take fantastic video of the sharks circling the boat placing the case on a painters telescopic pole and dunking it in the water attached to the handlebar mount.Well last year as I was battling a mako shark, no one was on the camera and we missed a fantastic jump out of the water. The sony camcorder was on the console off, and the gps was still in the case on the pole and I realized I will need a third camera since the action gets too frantic for the rest of the crew to operate one if I am on a big fish.
I chose the roam because it was a bit cheaper then the Contour+. I did not use it underwater, I used it with a headband. The GPS can be a pain to operate due to difficulty in turning it on and off (the power button is a bit flaky and requires more force and extra time to 'boot'. This is where the roam is king. It's very easy to slide the bar at the top as opposed to hoping the power button boots in time and sliding the bar on the gps. It's the instant on that makes it invaluable to catch the action and give you a chance to catch a great shot.
Criticisms: the mic seemed to work just fine out on the ocean, even with the wind constantly blowing. I tested it in my car with the music blaring though, and it appeared to 'overload' and break up a tad. I didn't further experiment with this though. It's very acceptable IMO however thus far.
The other criticisms I have is it does tend to "fisheye" a bit, but it's not a game breaker. I knew the quality was going to be a step down from the GPS. Also, since I am combining footage from both cameras side by side, the Roam's 30 frames per second limit compared to the GPS 60 frames is noticeable. But in my case I'd rather have a slightly less 'smooth' footage then missing a possible spectacular shark breech again.
If Contour reads this review, here is what I would like to see down the road for your next model. Using the camera man as a sort robotic operator is genius, especially when you have your hands full, I would like to see a combo of great battery life, great lense, great camera and the instant on feature on the roam. One more thing would 'take the cake'. Some kind of wireless wrist band display add on that can be viewd in bright sunlight with a possible 'zoom' feature would be simply awesome. However, for what it is, I give the Roam 4 stars, knocking off for the fisheye and 30 fps. The rest of it is rugged and good quality and I highly recommend the Roam for quick instant on so you don't miss your memories fumbling with buttons and praying the device is activated (the camera beeps loudly letting you know when it's on or off)
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I just got this camera this afternoon and have had about an hour and a half to play with it. I will update this review after I have a chance to get it on the road.I purchased this camera to mount to my motorcycle helmet to record my trips and have evidence of the crazies out there. A few tests around the house and in the yard show the quality of the recordings to be excellent and the microphone is acceptable for it's size and need. I purchased a 32GB MicroSD card with the camera and the instructions say that should be about 15 minutes per GB (~465 minutes total, reserving 1GB for system use) at the default 720p/30fps. The instructions are simplistic at best and give you a rough overview of the camera and it's operation. You should plan on at least half an hour of poking and prodding to get the hang of it.
My biggest complaint and this one is all Amazon's fault is the product description at the time I ordered and as of writing this review state that one of the mounts that comes with this camera is a profile mount. This is not true. The ONLY mount that came with the camera was the dash/surf mount stalk with waterproof case (the mount works with or without this case). As my intention is to use this as a helmetcam, that is very annoying.
Overall, if you are considering this camera you are safe to go for it it is a good buy. For mounting to a helmet or to handle bars, you WILL need to purchase a separate mounting system to go with it.
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