Unless you’ve done a masterful job of insulating yourself from some of the new trends in how angler’s share and document their time spent on the water it is highly likely that you’ve come across an angler or two with a small camera strapped to their noggin.
These small cameras, referred to as Point of View cameras, or POV cams for short, have a very simply purpose. Be small. Be inconspicuous. Capture video from a first person point of view. They can be worn on the body using a head mount or they can be positioned creatively throughout the boat or on the ice to capture the action.
Now I’ll be the first to point out that what is “perfect” for one angler might be off the mark for another. That said, of all the POV cameras I’ve used to date after trying cameras from all the major brands, the POV camera that works the best for the In-Depth Outdoors production is the V.I.O POV HD.
V.I.O has been a significant part of our on video shoots for the last year and a half and here’s my short list of the features that I think set it apart from the rest.
1 – Video quality. The low-light performance, color reproduction, auto-exposure settings and video codec used results is some pretty impressive video. Our editors find it very easy to use V.I.O POV HD footage alongside video from our Panasonic AF100 main cameras without leaving viewers startled at the transition from one video source to another.
2 – Durability. The entire unit is IP67 rated meaning that even the record head is water-proof to 1 meter. The actual video head has proven to be nearly indestructible and transitions beautifully from above water shots to below water shots without needing to change housings like on some other cameras.
3 – A V.I.O POV HD comes is a complete kit meaning you don’t have to buy add-on battery packs, monitors, a housing for above water use and yet another for underwater recording. When you buy a V.I.O you get everything. Done. I like that.
4 – Loop and Forward Mode. This is a biggie for me and if you’re a fisherman that likes to capture those awesome moments without having to wade through hours of footage, this is one that should get your attention. Loop and Forward Mode in the POV HD acts like “pre-record” on prosumer or professional grade video cameras.
What “Loop and Forward Mode” allows you to do is choose a “loop” time from a few seconds out to several minutes. This “loop” of video functions as a way to record video and NEVER miss a killer shot without storing endless hours of unwanted video.
If you set the “loop” time for one minute the POV HD will buffer one minute of video, continuously. When something epic happens and you want to record the action all you need do is press the record button on the record head or included wireless remote and you’ll have video from the moment you pressed record AND the preceding one minute of “loop” video you told the VIO HD to record as well.
As far as I know V.I.O. POV HD is the only POV camera with this functionality and it is the single most important feature anglers should be looking for out of a POV camera because it all but guarantees you’ll never miss that important shot which is the whole reason anglers have started using them on the ice or in the boat in the first place.
Here’s a quick video In-Depth Outdoors through together on the POV HD.
Here’s the link to the HD version on Youtube >>> http://youtu.be/QD6vRLdZ5g0?hd=1
