While GoPro may be the name that people most associate with actioncams, Contour would have to be a close second. Today, the company announced the release of its latest camera, the Contour +2. The press release describes it as combining the best features of its predecessors, the Contour+ and the Contour ROAM.
Like those models, the +2 is capable of shooting in a variety of formats including 1080p Full HD, plus it has a 170-degree lens (135 degrees if shooting in 1080p) that can be swiveled independently of the rest of the camera – this allows users to straighten out the shot, if the camera is mounted at an angle. It comes with a 4GB microSD card, but as with the other Contours, it can take cards up to 32GB.
Like the Contour+, it also features Bluetooth connectivity. This is an important feature, as it allows users to utilize their Android or iOS smartphone as a remote viewfinder and/or playback screen – the camera lacks a screen of its own. Both cameras also have an external mic jack, GPS-tagged video, and a battery run time of about 2 to 2.5 hours.
One of the features that it shares with the Contour ROAM is a locking Instant On record switch. This greatly simplifies its operation, as that single switch simultaneously powers the camera up and sets it recording, or shuts it down and stops recording. It also shares that camera’s laser alignment system, which allows users to see where the lens is pointing without having to fire up their smartphone.
Although the bare +2 doesn’t offer the ROAM’s limited amount of waterproofing, it does feature something even better – an included watertight housing, which allows it to be submerged to a depth of 60 meters (197 feet). That housing has previously only been available as an optional extra.
One of the camera’s unique features is its ability to shoot 120fps slow motion footage – albeit at a resolution of 480p. It is also capable of live streaming.
The Contour +2 is available now, for US$399.99 – $100 less than the Contour+.
