Many readers will perhaps know Liquid Image for its HD Scuba Series dive masks, that feature a built-in video camera for recording hands-free underwater footage. The California-based company also makes ski and ATV goggles, which likewise capture the action from the shooter's point of view. Recently, however, the designers at LI decided that they should also offer a camera that can be mounted on things like handlebars, roll bars, surfboards, or even a good ol' tripod - so that "extreme videographers" can get shots of themselves, to add to their adrenaline-pumping masterpieces. The result is a tiny HD video camcorder appropriately enough named the EGO, and it was unveiled this week in Las Vegas at CES.
The EGO actually has a pretty impressive list of specs.
It records in four modes: 1080p video at 30 fps, 720p video at 60 fps (for capturing fast action with less blurring), 12-megapixel still photo, and continuous photo. It has a 136-degree wide angle lens, a threaded tripod-mount hole on the bottom, a quick-release multi-directional mounting system, and is water resistant - although a company rep told us that a waterproof polycarbonate housing is in the works. Unlike some small actioncams, it also features an LCD viewfinder/playback screen, which is a definite bonus.
The EGO comes with a 4 GB Micro SDHC card, although it can handle cards up to 32 GB. It is able to record an estimated 1.5 to 2 hours of footage on one charge of its built-in battery.
Like the Contour GPS, it is also WiFi-enabled. This means that its output can be viewed in real time on a smartphone, tablet or computer. Users who download the appropriate app can also control the camera using their smartphone, which could come in handy when the EGO is mounted in hard-to-reach places. Traditional hands-on control is also possible, using two buttons on the camera.
As with similar products, a series of mounts will be available for mounting it in a variety of locations. Presumably a helmet and/or goggle mount will be among those, so that it can be used to record footage from a first-person perspective, too.
The EGO should be available for purchase as of June via the Liquid Image website, at a price of US$149.
