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VholdR boosts ContourHD resolution to 1080p

It figures that the day after we decide to give the VholdR ContourHD wearable camcorder our coveted Editors' Choice award, that VholdR would go and announce something better.

Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
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Antuan Goodwin
2 min read

ContourHD 1080p looks exactly like the ContourHD 720p, but with more pixels.
According to VholdR, a waterproof case should be available for the ContourHD before the holidays. VholdR

It figures that the day after we decide to give the VholdR ContourHD wearable camcorder our coveted Editors' Choice award, that VholdR would go and announce something better. This, dear readers, is what we like to call a "good problem."

The cleverly named ContourHD1080p takes the standard ContourHD's 720p HD resolution and bumps it up to--you guessed it--1080p. All of the features that we loved in the original will still be there in the new unit, including the rotating wide-angle lens assembly, the rechargeable lithium ion battery, and the dual frickin' laser beams.

What's new is a plethora of additional recording modes. In addition to the original 720p/30 frames per second HD and 480p/60fps SD modes, the ContourHD1080p adds:

  • Full HD - 1080p (1,920x1,080 pixels) at 30fps
  • Tall HD - 960p (1,280x960 pixels) at 30fps
  • Action HD - 720p (1,280x720 pixels) at 60fps

Additionally, with the use of the included Easy Edit software, you can set the contrast (high, medium, or low), metering (center, average, or spot), and exposure (-4 to +4). Its microphone sensitivity can be adjusted as well, which should help to reduce some of the wind noise that we found when testing the standard ContourHD.

So, should you wait for this new model instead of picking up the current ContourHD?

Well, that depends. According to VholdR, the ContourHD1080p is aimed professional videographers, while the standard HD is for enthusiasts. Yet, the ContourHD1080p weighs in at an MSRP of $329.99, only $40 more than the 720p model. However, introducing more options for exposure and metering could confuse casual users and take away from the simple point and shoot nature that so endeared us to the standard ContourHD. We'll wait and see how the controls pan out before making final judgment.

In the meantime, check out a video of the ContourHD1080p in action after the jump.