GO PRO VS. CONTOUR HD

Did a quick search doesnt seem to be a repeat. I see alot of people have used the GoPro and it seems like an amazing camera but the Contour offers a neat feature, GPS. It tracks and plots where youve gone and how fast you were going against the video.

Have heard issues with the mounting systems on the Contour like it can be shaky if not on flat terrain on a mountain bike. I assume everyone here would agree we arent in the market for that.

Im leaning towards the GO PRO just because of quality and price but the Contour has the GPS which is neat but not neccessary.

Your guys input would be appreciated. Post your Pros and Cons of both and tell us why you chose what you did.

 

ive used them both for skydiving. i like the contour just because its alot easier to mount on a helmet. my .02 cents

 

I love my gopro, I got it mainly for spearfishing. I made me a custom mask mount for the camera and the footage is awesome.

 

Gopro

 

Go Pro Fo Sho!
I use it for snowboarding and....
Great quality
Easy to Use
Super Durable

I think they're both similar, if you would use the GPS feature of the other, go with that, if its something that you really don't need... go with a gopro because they are just solid cameras for any application.

 

I've been looking at the GoPro as well. I've held off here for about 4 months now. I'm not sure how much longer I can handle myself.

 

Can you post a link to the video you took? Sounds like it would be entertaining.

BTW i love my gopro. These are some of the videos ive made with mine. (Im always looking for excuses to show these off).

http://vimeo.com/11637614

http://vimeo.com/12142960

http://vimeo.com/12512764

http://vimeo.com/12642824

http://vimeo.com/17750613

 

Dude...that's exactly what I'm going to do with mine!

 

GpPro we use it snowmobiling, mtn biking, skiing & motorcycling.
I also set it up and watch Simon when I was at work.
I did the firmware upgrade to it and love it even more, one button off, upside down mode, external monitor capability.
I like the mount options.
eye of mine has some good custom mounts as well

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m8E3IBNiIw&feature=channel

 

Clearly I am the minority, but I use a ContourHD for dirtbiking and have no complaints. I like the lower profile mounting. The mounting doesnt have as much adjustability which is both good and bad. Bad because you have to get it right, but good because every branch that touches it doesnt make it point wrong. I got mine right before the GPS feature and I am bummed about that.

Likes: loud beep to signal on/off, single button slide that is very clear whether it is on/off, stable mounting

Dislikes: LED alignment is very disappointing in even the dimmest settings, file format is apple (.mov I think it is), need small screwdriver to clean inside of protective lens.

I'll post some videos if you want to see them.

 

I have a countour HD (the model before the GPS came out, but its still 1080p).
I like it, but I was dissapointed at how much shaking it had when I was wearing it on my goggles snowboarding with out a helmet. Might be alot more solid with a helmet, but havent tried it yet.
I had a hard time deciding between contour and go pro, I would like to get the go pro in addition to the contour so I can test them both myself and use them together

 

I bought the GoPro but haven't had a chance to try it out yet. I bought it mostly for dirt biking but it will be a couple more months of really cold and lots of snow before I can try out the new camera and new bike.
I've seen quite a few lately being used in TV shows so they must be pretty decent.

 

I am a news photographer, and I have not used either (I have an Archos media player with a lipstick cam that I have used on my road cycling, but it is pathetically outdated now.) I have seen the go pro up close, and I know that both it and the contour HD have similar quality HD. If aerodynamics are an issue, or if dork factor were an issue, I would go with the contour hd, since a lipstick cam is more aero, and least likely to get clipped like a rearview mirror on your car.

One drawback with lipstick cams is that getting it square takes some time, since its cylindrical. It involves setting it up, previewing, making adjustments, etc. once its mounted, however, its least likely to reorient. The go pro would be easier to square on the fly, but more susceptible to hits.

As a professional, if it were primarily mounted on me or my subject, off the cuff I would go with the contour. If I were mounting it as a remote, I would go with the go pro. If you were looking to buy two, I would get one of each, and use the most appropriate one for that application.

 

I say Go Pro all the way! but im bias

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8I5Vwu0wPQ

 

There is a balance between mounting it too tight, and too loose. You have to find the sweet spot. On a road bike (bicycle), mounting on the helmet made my lipstick cam usually point too high or too low and it became a bitch to dial in (your back is pretty horizontal in a road cycling position). In addition, when you looked to the side, the horizon went to 45 degrees, and it was annoying to look at on video (your brain corrects that and levels it out, but a monitor has no brain). On the top of the bars it showed way too much vibration, with tire pressure at 120 psi. Taped on the fork worked best for me, as apparently a vertical support showed much less vibration than a horizontal one (I suspect that the tape played a roll, as it allowed a little give. So placement and mounting materials both play a roll and you have to experiment a bit to find a sweet spot that is acceptable. At speed, I don't like things that protrude, like a go pro does, I like things tucked.

 

Pretty similar riding here in NM! Top notch video

 

Was that a dick move by the guy on the yellow bike at 4:20, or is that how you all roll...? I don't know your sport...

 

In his defense he was just a noob. Im guessing he didnt know i was back there and was trying to give the other guy the inside lane. When you are riding with people of your own skill level, yes dick moves like that happen all the time. Rubbin is Racin.

 

In road cycling, you don't want a noob in your group. You are all wearing lycra, riding on pavement, and your fragile carbon bikes are $2000 to $5000. One guy can take down eight or more, and with no protection from the asphalt, broken bones and road rash usually ensue, and sometimes a cracked frame. But I don't know your sport and that's why I was asking. I would have been saying "thanks, dude..." as I passed him.