Gadgetory

hey guys mike broman here for technobuffalo and this is my review of the gopro HD hero 2 and the contour plus let's start your engine this review is for all my fellow motocross enthusiasts bikers skiers skateboarders snowboarders and extreme walkers in this video I'm going to be comparing the contour plus and the gopro HD hero2 now we'll start with the contour plus this is listed at five hundred dollars its contours top of the line camera the contour plus features GPS for tracking and it also has bluetooth connectivity the contour plus shoots 1080p 30 frames per second and even shoot 720p 60 frames per second like the contour plus the gopro HD hero2 has 1080p 30 frames per second video recording but it also offers standard definition video recording there's also 720p 60 frames per second so the high definition shooting modes are basically the same on the contour and the HD hero2 now contour offers the rome and the gps the gps is priced at three hundred dollars while the rome is 199 that's important to note that all three versions of the contour have the same imaging sensor and record at the same format now the main difference between these models comes down to design the gopro HD hero2 retains that fun lovable little brick design while the contour plus has brushed aluminum accents and looks much sleeker kind of like something you'd find in a James Bond film one of the advantages the GoPro too has over the contour plus is that you could actually control the width of your lens right out of the box of the gopro HD hero2 offers you a couple different housings including a waterproof housing the downside to the contour is that you actually have to buy an accessory you have to buy a fifty-dollar waterproof housing for this camera now while I admire the fact that the contour plus a mic jack I will let you know that it's proprietary and that the gopro HD hero2 has a full size 3.5 millimeter audio jack so that is definitely something to consider now it's time to lace up the skates and head towards the pond for the durability test one of the benefits of the contour plus the design is its low center of gravity I took both cameras strap them to a hockey puck and took a slap shot both cameras emerged unscathed if I was going to do any kind of specialty shots I definitely used the contour to mouse on the puck because mounting the GoPro to the hockey puck was like watching a pelican on still to run the 100-meter dash another thing you'll notice about the contour is that its mounts are more versatile while the GoPro only allows the camera to lock into place and shoot straight forward the contours can be shifted all the way a full 360 degrees now on the contrary the contour lacks the ability to tilt forwards or backwards and that's a key element to the success of the gopro HD hero2 one thing I do like about the contour system is that it's super easy to mount and unmount the camera all you do is slide it into grooves snap it in place and you're ready to go with the GoPro you have to fiddle about with a screw system the unfortunate thing about the system is that these dome nuts are free-floating and they could fall out easily and be lost as far as interface the gopro HD hero2 is a lot easier to understand and operate the new refreshed LCD screen on the front is a lot more intuitive they put a secondary record light on top of the unit while the contour plus lacks an LCD of any sort and requires you to make button combinations in order to make certain adjustments the one thing I did like about the contour plus was the fact that the record button was so easy to operate and access all I had to do was flip the switch and we were rolling and ready to go with the GoPro you have to press these little buttons and sometimes they could be a pain in the keister another thing worth mentioning about the mounting system is the fact that while I was shooting this video I accidentally tipped my helmet over the contour landed on the ground and this mounting bracket broke right off so that's something to put under your hat now even though both cameras don't offer any sort of LCD monitor so you can see what you're filming right out of the box the gopro HD hero2 has the backpack LCD which is bought as an additional accessory and just plugs right into the back of the camera there the camera actually gives you a menu system you can see what you're filming exactly and the backpack comes with a larger housing to accommodate it on the contrary the contour plus has a pretty nifty system if you download the contour application you can hook up the contour via bluetooth and you could use your smartphone to view what your camera is viewing now that is pretty dang cool and now it's the moment you've all been waiting for image quality HD hero2 or contour plus i'll give it to you right now HD hero2 the sharpness and detail was superior and the auto white balance performance Trump's the contour plus i found the contour plus warmer and softer overall I had a better experience with the HD hero2 when it came to image quality and that's the bottom line so now it's time for my final answer while the contour plus has a lot of nifty features I have to go with the HD hero2 number one for its image quality number two for its mounting system I also love the fact that the HD hero2 is pretty much ready to go right out of the box while the contour plus if you're going to do any water sports you're going to need to buy the additional waterproof housing I think the HD hero2 is the winner in this department for the full review including all the samples and fun action you can handle go to technobuffalo calm in the meantime I've still got a little dirt biking to do you