# Which is the "best" action camera



## neni

If the prize is secondary, which action cam would you get and why? 

My brother wants to get an action cam which I could borrow. I'll use it for snowboarding (make a run, whatch the vid on the chairlift to check what I could improve, do the next run a.s.o.), kite surfing (must be waterproof), xc horseriding (so it shouldn't be too delicate i.e. a bit resistent to falls) and brother for motorcycling.

Searching for info I found this table http://www.snowboardingforum.com/photography-video-other-media/76890-gopro-hero-3-black-vs-sony.html but I'm a noob so most of the technical numbers don't help me.

Brother is into high-end stuff, always wants to get the newest, most fancy and expensive models. He wants to have the one that makes the best quality vids. Do less well known brands exist, not listed in the table we should check? I'd like to have one that can be handled by noobs without a degree in photo technology. From his (photo)cameras I know that the more high end, the more complicated the handling... is this also true for action cameras?

Are the cams waterproofe/light sensitive enough to use them also to take pics while scuba diving? (not a must but nice to have)

From scattered comments on this forum I got the impression that the battery is one of the cons of the GoPro black. But this can be handled by having several batteries? If it makes the best vids, we'd accept the short battery time.


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## Donutz

Most of us will have only owned one or two cameras from the list, so the list is going to be a better starting point than anyone's opinion. OTOH I'm not sure if that list was created by a particular brand, and would therefore be biased.

I did a comparison of a Contour Roam and Drift 1080p here. Having said all that, I'm going to be getting a Drift Ghost this year in time for next season. Things *I* consider most important:


Waterproof
Easy to tell if it's recording
Easy to control
Can review vids on the mountain
Tough
Streamlined. I accept that I'm going to look somewhat like tinky-winky, but less is better.

That's in more-or-less order of importance. Notice that "video quality" isn't on there. AFAIK none of the major brands has quality so sucky that you'd toss it at a tree. So whether any particular model has 12 modes or 15 is kind of irrelevant.

The Drift Ghost has one feature that I consider unbeatable. Don't know if any of the others have it as well. You can turn on a "tape loop" where it records continuously, saving the last 5 minutes. At any point you can hit a button and the current "last 5 minutes" gets saved to a separate video file. Good for catching unexpected events.

If anyone has impressions of other cameras on the list, would be good to hear from them.


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## midnightcaper

I will be getting the ion air pro2 when it comes out. It was a toss up between the drift ghost and the ion but I do a lot of jet skiing in the summer. So the need of not having to get a waterproof case is the deal breaker.


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## blunted_nose

Contour HD (original 1080p camera) or Hero 2.


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## Argo

Hands down, drift ghost wins. 

I have the hero 3 black edition. The drift hd and the ghost. I have also used a contour and ion. 

The features, size, image quality and user friendliness all combine to make it my go to camera. I have learned to hate gopro because something is always fucked up with it. 

I would like to try the jvc and Sony action cams since both make great electronics.


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## midnightcaper

Bad part with the Sony is its limited audio options and it has to be mounted vertically.


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## Argo

Another Good thing with the ghost is it has a built in LCD screen to watch your clips without either buying some backpack bullshit or killing your phones battery using wifi or bluetooth to review your filming. It's also waterproof out of the box without the plastic cases some of the other cameras require.


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## midnightcaper

Ya the ghost is sweet but the screen worries me a bit I haven't had good luck with gorilla glass not breaking and 9 feet isn't going to cut the mustard in water proofing. If the ion doesn't get to market soon I will be sporting a ghost though. Gopro just isn't a option.


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## blunted_nose

Also with drift cams you can angle the lense? Like twist it? is that right?


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## midnightcaper

Yes I believe so


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## Donutz

yes you can.


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## Argo

The lens rotates on them which is a great addition...


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## neni

Do they (Drift Ghost, Hero3) have kind of pic stabilizer? The table says No but all the Gopro vids I've seen on youtube are so smoothe, no shaking


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## Ocho

neni said:


> If the prize is secondary, which action cam would you get and why?
> 
> My brother wants to get an action cam which I could borrow. I'll use it for snowboarding (make a run, whatch the vid on the chairlift to check what I could improve, do the next run a.s.o.), kite surfing (must be waterproof), *xc horseriding* (so it shouldn't be too delicate i.e. a bit resistent to falls) and brother for motorcycling.


Hey neni

I have the OG GoPro (they call it the Digital Hero 5) and I've mounted it on my riding helmet (eventing helmet; skullcap with nylon brimmed cover). First time using it, galloping through the woods, the adhesive _pulled_ the grip-casing away from the actual helmet. Thankfully I felt and heard it wobbling and was able to one hand the reins and put one hand on the camera until I could pull up to sort it all out. The adhesive didn't fail, the helmet material did! Anyway, something to keep in mind. Also the placement of it on your helmet potentially could tweak your helmet/head/neck if you were to land on it and it didn't give way. That would be bad. If falls are a concern, you might want something low profile (not like the GoPro).

The same camera has been used on an exbf's quad (ATV) on challenging terrain, in the rain, mud, etc, and has been solid. No vibration or shaking. He didn't take it out on his sportbike (motorcycle), however. The main reason being not wanting photographic evidence of his triple digit riding/law breaking

Oh and of course I've taken it out snowboarding. Super there, too, apart from having to be closer than you think if filming others. Have only used it mounted to a frankenpole.

More eventing talk:
If you haven't seen them, Peter Atkins and Henny's run at Red Hills (famously known as, Run Henny Run) and Doug Payne and Running Order's run at last year's Rolex are worth the watch. I do not know what cameras they use, however. (Doug's narrative is far less interesting than Peter's!)

Also, in the event you're not aware of the new rule change, please see the bold font below. Of course if you're interested in filming only for schooling, it shouldn't be a problem.

http://www.fei.org/sites/default/fi...ary 2009 updates effective 1 January 2013.pdf 
Article 140 - Protection of Athletes
1. Beginning 1 January 2013, while riding on the show grounds the use of a 
properly fastened Protective Headgear will be mandatory. In the Competition arena venue and adjacent warm-up areas, as well as riding from one to the other and from the stables for the purposes of competing, the Protective Headgear requirements are governed by the applicable Sport Rules. Failure to wear such Protective Headgear where and when required after being notified to do so by an Official, shall result in a Yellow Warning Card, being issued to the Athlete unless exceptional circumstances apply. *The use of cameras on Athletes or equipment (such as on Protective Headgear, head covering or carriage) shall not be permitted, unless otherwise specifically agreed by the FEI. An Athlete’s decision to wear a camera while competing shall always be voluntary and at the Athlete’s own risk.*


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## TheNorminator

Donutz said:


> The Drift Ghost has one feature that I consider unbeatable. Don't know if any of the others have it as well. You can turn on a "tape loop" where it records continuously, saving the last 5 minutes. At any point you can hit a button and the current "last 5 minutes" gets saved to a separate video file. Good for catching unexpected events.





neni said:


> Do they (Drift Ghost, Hero3) have kind of pic stabilizer? The table says No but all the Gopro vids I've seen on youtube are so smoothe, no shaking


Not to sound like a Gopro fanboy, but all the Hero3's have looping video. I have a silver edition and it is able to record the last 5,10,30,60, and 120 minutes of video in a loop. The battery life is definitely not too good, and it's supposed to be worse on the Black Edition. Now batteries aren't too expensive, fortunately. You can get 2 extra batteries off Amazon for $20.

Neni, I believe none of the cameras have an image stabilizer except for the Sony Action Cam, but using the stabilizer reduces the field of view. I don't recommend the action cam because the mounting options are lacking and there are problems with wifi connectivity and underwater use (blurry, out of focus) 

Though I have a Gopro, I would recommend Drift HD Ghost. Reviews say it has a battery life of 3.5 hours, which is amazing compared to pretty much any other camera out there, including camcorders. It's pretty low-profile too. And it has a screen. One problem is that it is only waterproof down to something like 9 feet which is pathetic if you're going scuba diving. For that, it would be the Gopro all the way. It has a flat lens for reduced distortion underwater and is waterproof (with a case) down to 60 meters.


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## midnightcaper

I did read somewhere that they will be offering a water proof case for the drift shortly.


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## TheNorminator

midnightcaper said:


> I did read somewhere that they will be offering a water proof case for the drift shortly.


Not to be a douche but how long is "shortly?" Gopro promised to release a wifi app and that took them what, 2 years? Unfortunately, we don't know whether Drift is releasing the case in the near future or next summer.


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## tj_ras

I have a gopro hero2 and am going with the drift ghost for offseason/next season.

I like everything about gopros my only beef(and this is my opinion) is with the shape of the camera. I wish the gopro was shaped more like a contour or drift. 

My selling point on the ghost is the rotating lens and built in lcd. 

Im not making disney or lucas level films here so if i lose a bit of picture/sound quality with the ghost vs. the hero3 then what ever ill be fine.( i personaly think the ghosts quality is jut about on par with hero3 but both have there weak points.

Take what i said for what ever its worth to you, not trying to sell you on anything just throwing out some thoughts. They are all for the most part solid cameras with strong points and weak points.


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## midnightcaper

Site just says coming soon. 3m (9 ft)waterproof without any housing The Drift HD Ghost features an improved design allowing the camera to be 3m (9 ft) waterproof out of the box. So whether surfing in Indonesia or kiteboarding on the Hood River, Drift has you covered. For deep water enthusiasts Drift offers a uniquely designed waterproof housing which allows you to capture underwater adventures up to 60m (180ft) depth (coming soon).


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## neni

*JVC Adixxion GC-XA1*

Brother raised the question, if anybody knows the JVC Adixxion (cause of the image stabilizer)? Liked it?


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## tokyo_dom

The reviews seem to say its a great camera (JVC have a long history with camcorders), but shitty battery life. Its a removeable battery though so you could always buy a couple spare.

Its right at the top of my list at the moment actually - quite cheap these days ($160 here in Japan), builtin wifi, LCD, waterproof without a case, and the right formfactor for snowboarding (attaching to helmet/goggle strap)


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## BigmountainVMD

For what you want, I would say drift ghost FTW. It has the screen, the others don't. I have a gopro hero 3 black, and while I LOVE the 120 fps 720p shots, I don't get to use it enough for it to be worth it. You can do plenty of good slow mo shots with 60 fps. 

For what you want, I would say 1. Drift Ghost, 2. Ion Air Pro 2 w/ wifi backpac, and 3. Gopro Hero 3

The drift does look heavy, but if it is light it definitely wins.

I haven't had any real issues with my gopro other than battery life in extreme cold (0F), but a few extra batts (2 + wall charger for 30 bucks on amazon) solved that issue.


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## david_z

weighing in on the Sony Action Cam I've got one, it's a really nice cam, shoots great video, user-friendly controls, built-in WiFi which I don't think any others have at the sub-$300 price point, battery life is pretty good thanks to auto on/off when it's not "in use" but the mounting options suck. It's best used, in my opinion, as a handheld or pole mounted cam.


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## neni

If anyone has found parallel pic quality comparison of drift and jvc, I'd very interested. In direct comparison between drift and gopro3, the drift wins


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## midnightcaper

Look on YouTube. Jvc is no comparison to the drift. I for one am tired of waiting on ion emailed them 3 weeks ago they said end of the week it would be here still nothing looks like I'm getting a contour+2. I would get a drift ghost but I do to many waters ports and 9 feet isn't deep enough.


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## neni

Thanks for all the comments. Pulled the trigger on the Drift Ghost. Not very easy to get here. None of 10 shops I've contacted had any other helmet cam than GoPro or was even able to give me information on other brands. They've got kind of a monopoly... makes me a bit suspicious... either they are overwhelmingly better than the others OR it's a hipe/marketing thing like with the Apple stuff. Anyway, found a Drift in an online shop. 
In two weeks I'll know if its waterproof enough for watersports without an additional case if it survived a week kite surfing


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## midnightcaper

Sweet lets us know how it works for you.


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## Casual

I'm gonna throw another one into the mix. I've bought other items from these guys and for the price its all been awesome stuff. Pen tablet for photo editing for example, the Intous version was $500, I bought mine for $45 and its just as good. Anyways, I'm buying one of these sometime soon from monoprice... if you guys don't know this shop you need to.

For only $89.61 each when QTY 50+ purchased - Monoprice MHD Action Camera

$98

Read the reviews, pretty good.


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## Argo

No matter what the camera is, make a leash for it. Anything to connect the camera body to something solid in case the mount fails.....


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## midnightcaper

I looked at the monoprice it just doesn't have the features I want but maybe in a couple of years they will be upgraded.


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## Epic

I think the ghost is a better value for most people unless you NEED the 120fps. I'm sure there'll be a few occasions where I would love to have the 120fps but the battery life and LCD screen are more important to me.


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