Despite its square, bulky build, GoPro does very well in the action cam market. So it's not all too surprising to see another competitor cloning the GoPro's form factor in its own HD action camera. The CamOne Infinity is more than just a GoPro knockoff, though - it offers some serious features rolled up into a compact package, including an interchangeable lens system.
Looking at CamOneTec's ad materials, the Infinity looks barely larger than your eyeball. However, at 1.9 x 1.7 x 1.3 inches (4.9 x 4.2 x 3.4 cm) and 3.1 oz (88 g), the CamOne Infinity is only slightly smaller than the GoPro HD Hero at 1.6 x 2.4 x 1.2 inches (4.1 x 6.1 x 3 cm) and 3.3 oz (94 g) (GoPro doesn't list size information for its latest HD Hero 2). Like the GoPro - and most every action cam on the market, the Infinity shoots in 1080p at 30 fps and 720p at 60 fps.
The biggest feature that sets the Infinity apart from its brother from another mother (and other prominent action cams) is its interchangeable lens system. The camera bridges the gap from amateur backyard adventure junkie to professional action sports filmmaker by providing an easy interface for swapping lenses. While it only has the standard lens available now, a company rep told us that they will soon be adding 142- and 96-degree lens options.
Another feature that the Infinity boasts over some competitors is an integrated LCD screen for camera control and live view. The LCD screen is something that you'd have to pay extra for on the GoPro, but comes with the flip of the camera on the Infinity. A Wi-Fi unit capable of syncing with a mobile device will launch later this year, allowing the Infinity to catch up to the GoPro WiFi BacPac and Contour +.
The CamOne Infinity gives you 170-degree, wide-angle filming in WVGA, 720p and 960p; and 127-degree filming in 1080p. It has a 5-megapixel sensor for shooting still photos and several multi-burst photo settings. You get two microSD slots supporting up to 32 GB of storage space each. Its electronics are packed up safely in an alloy housing. CamOne says that you can get crystal clear underwater filming with a 90-degree twist of the lens, while an LED flashlight improves filming in low light conditions.
CamOneTec is a division of German company ACME with a rep telling us that the company is still busy setting up a distribution network for North America. CamOne's website quotes an approximate price of "250" but doesn't specify whether that's euros or dollars.
While we wait for the official release and pricing details, the video below provides a closer look at some of the Infinity's features and accessories. For our readers that speak German, a more in-depth German language video is available here.
Source: CamOneTec