Wednesday, November 14, 2012

A Sports Cam With Eyes On the Back of Its Head Captures Twice the Action

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5960519/a-sports-cam-with-eyes-on-the-back-of-its-head-captures-twice-the-action

A Sports Cam With Eyes On the Back of Its Head Captures Twice the ActionNow here's a unique take on the seemingly unending supply of action sports cams hitting the market. Oregon Scientific's ATC Chameleon packs a pair of adjustable lenses on the front and back of the camera with 110-degree fields of view. So athletes can share what's happening behind the camera, as well as what's in front.

And instead of creating two separate videos of the action, the ATC Chameleon combines both of the 1280x720 feeds into a single hi-def clip—either split vertically or horizontally. But unfortunately there's seemingly no option to capture just one or the other, which frustratingly limits its functionality.

It comes across as a little gimmicky for a $200 video camera, but for athletes who want to relive their daredevil escapades it does provide a unique angle on the action.

On a full charge it can reportedly run for a couple of hours, and you'll need to get yourself a waterproof case if there's a chance it will get wet. But if footage from a GoPro doesn't excite you anymore, finally seeing what you've always been missing behind you might be enough to get you back to risking life and limb again. [Oregon Scientific via Gizmag]