Backpacker Magazine – Fall Gear Guide 2009

Gear Review: V.I.O. POV 1.5 Helmetcam

This versatile helmetcam is great for action video, both fast and slow.

by: Kelly Bastone, Shannon Davis, Jonathan Dorn, Kristin Hostetter, Molly Loomis, Steve Roy

Tags:
• Gear
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• Cameras
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Action Video
So you covet a helmetcam, but don't want to sacrifice camcorder quality? Get the POV 1.5, which impressively captures high- and low-speed action alike. Testers shot mountain biking and whitewater paddling while competing at the Teva Mountain Games (see the footage at backpacker.com/teva), campfire scenes, and even filmed interviews with the lip-balm-size lens.

Its wide angle (about 110 degrees) delivered expansive shots without fish-eye distortion, and sound is full and clear, not thin and tinny like most helmet cams. The POV 1.5 doesn't shoot in true high definition; it maxes out at 720 x 480 resolution at 30fps, so still shots revealed some slight pixilation. Still, this indestructible unit is our choice for hard-duty helmeted escapades. $650; SD memory cards; four AAs; 1 lb. 6 oz.; vio-pov.com

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