Things got a little tighter in the already-crowded actioncam market this week, as Conrad Electronic announced its Socam UltiMate Action Camera. Among its features are a rotating lens, a streamlined form factor, and an included splash-proof case. I was provided with a pre-release review unit, which I've been trying out over the past couple of weeks. Read on, to find out how I liked it.
First of all, here's a quick rundown of some of the Socam's specs.
It shoots at a maximum resolution of 1080p/30fps, and offers a choice of other modes including WVGA 120fps (slow motion), time lapse, photo burst at 16MP/10fps, and video looping. In that last mode, it continuously "rewrites" a loop of video, but will save the previous few minutes of footage when instructed to do so – it's a feature shared by various other actioncams, and is a way of ensuring that you never miss a shot, yet without ending up with too much unwanted raw footage.
The camera is also Wi-Fi-enabled, allowing it to be controlled via an app on the user's mobile device. That app also lets them preview and play back footage, along with sharing their videos and stills via social media.
One feature that I particularly liked is its 330-degree rotating lens – much like those on the cameras made by Drift Innovation. This allows the camera to be mounted in whatever orientation is most practical (such as on its side, or at an angle), with its shot subsequently being straightened out simply by twisting the lens.
I also liked the fact that its low-profile design allows it to sit quite flush against whatever it's mounted on. The GoPro Hero, by contrast, tends to jut out from things, like the un-aerodynamic box that it is.
The Socam can be operated using either its own physical buttons, or the app. Using the buttons is fairly simple – one main button powers the thing up and lets you switch between modes, while pressing one of the three mode buttons (when they're selected) starts the recording or snaps the shot.
The app is also quite easy to use, although the display of the camera's output freezes up as soon as you start recording. According to Conrad, this is "because the camera is focusing on recording the high-quality video." Whatever the reason, it means that you can't monitor the shot as it's being recorded – something that various other actioncams' apps or LCD screensdo allow you to do.
If the Socam UltiMate were less expensive, I could perhaps recommend it as an economical alternative to more established models. With a suggested retail price of US$269, however, that isn't the case. For $69 less, you can get a GoPro Hero3 White Edition that offers most of the same features, minus the rotating lens but including a submersible housing. That camera also records cleaner audio, its angle can be adjusted while it's mounted, and its app lets you see a moving picture as the camera is recording.
If you really do like the rotating lens, though, the Socam is $130 less than either of the Drift cameras. It should be hitting store shelves in April, to be followed by a variety of accessories including a detachable LCD screen, a watertight housing, more mounts, and a battery extension pack.
Source: Socam UltiMate
