These head cams are all tough enough
to capture your daring ascent, but which provide footage you’ll want to watch
back at basecamp?
GoPro HD Hero2
Best for semi-pros
Price: $ 419.9
Footage
afloat, The housing’s ‘back door’ is swappable, giving you better sound
recording capabilities, an LCD screen – or even a buoyant flotation pack
What’s the deal?
The last time we tested it the GoPro beat
its competition hands down, and it’s remained our favorite action cam ever
since. “It’s hard-as-nails, with a handy waterproof housing, and punt out crisp
1080p video and 11MP stills at a rate of up to 10 per second. And extensive
range of mounts is joined by inventive first – and third-party accessories,
such as Wi-Fi packs for streaming.
Action-packed?
Rivals, step down: the GoPro offers extra
detail, more accurate colors and better exposure than others, while its
super-wide 1700 field-of-view makes getting those cinematic wide
shots a snip. In other words: awesome.
Stuff says 5/5
Flexible, solid and capable, the GoPro
stays on top.
Tech
1080p@30fps ▪ 11MP ▪ Waterproof to 60m ▪
SDHC ▪ 60 x 42 x 30mm ▪ 167g (w/housing)
Oregon ATC Mini
Best for small budgets
Price: $187
What’s the deal?
The cheapest cam on test still has all the
qualities an action recorder should. It’s waterproof without needing a housing
(unlike the GoPro and Swann), shockproof and helmet-mountable. Unlike its
rivals, though, its video maxes out at 720p and it lacks extra features and
fittings (plus its clunky bike helmet mount makes the camera stick up too far).
Still, the Oregon’s up for a spot of rough and tumble.
Action-packed?
The ATC’s video is better than the price
suggests, with fairly accurate colors but a lack of overall detail – and the
1.3MP stills just aren’t worth bothering with. With a relatively narrow 1100
field of view, footage feels a little distant.
Stuff says 3/5
Cheap and simple to use, but spend more and
you’ll get more.
Tech
720p@30fps ▪ 1.3MP ▪ Waterproof to 20m ▪
microSDHC ▪ 85 x 40 x 40mm ▪ 120g
Ion Air Pro Plus
Best for no-fuss films
Price: $389
Longer
life, Buy the Wi-Fi ‘Podz’ as part of the ‘Connect’ kit and you also get an
1800mAh Battery Booster pod for an extra five hours of juice
What’s the deal?
The looker of the bunch, this bullet cam
also has a neat trick up its sleeve in the form of the optional Wi-Fi ‘Podz’,
which together with an iOS app allows you to quickly frame shots, review
footage and share video on the fly. The bundled ‘Plus’ kit includes extra
mounts and attachments and operation is simple – you just flick the slider to
record – but technical settings have to be changed on PC or Mac.
Action-packed?
Everything about the Ion Air Pro’s use is
quick and sure, and while we had some issues with streaming, the Wi-Fi
generally very handy. Video is among the best here, with great contrast and
clarity – though it can’t match the GoPro for detail.
Stuff says 4/5
Innovative and sharp looker, the Air Pro is
a brilliant newcomer.
Tech
1080p@30fps ▪ 5MP ▪ Waterproof to 10m ▪
microSDHC ▪ 107 x 37 x 37mm ▪ 130g
Swann Freestyle HD
Best for GoPro sceptics
Price: $358
Shooting
down, A top-mounted readout gives the lowdown on battery and card use.
Individual video and photo buttons make it all easy to operate.
What’s the deal?
This Swann follows the GoPro’s
camera-in-a-waterproof-box lead – some mounting parts are even interchangeable
between the two. Surprisingly, it comes with lots of generally expensive extras
such as a removable LCD screen and remote control, but sadly there are fewer,
less versatile mounts in the box. The tripod screw mounting makes fine
adjustments simple, though it’s easily knocked.
Action-packed?
Video is good, but colors can be overblown
with a harsh, jagged quality. Oddly, that waterproof housing interferes with
the camera – the laser Targeter stops working and the LCD display (needed to
change settings) doesn’t fit either.
Stuff says 4/5
A hardy cam with lots of extra, but falls
foul of odd design flaws.
Tech
1080@30fps ▪ 8MP ▪ Waterproof to 20m ▪ microSDHC
▪ 60 x 51 x 42mm ▪ 185g (w/housing)
