Snap
to it.
Action
cams capture the action right at the very forefront, while helmet
cams protect motorcyclists and cyclists whilst on the road. What if
you combined the two into a small and neat product that everyone
could wear, all of the time; regardless of it they are skiing down
Mount Everest or cycling along a dodgy road. That is the idea behind
the iON SnapCam LE, so we popped one on and took a wander.
By
far smallest and lightest HD camera we've ever tested, the SnapCam LE
is iON's latest and most feature-packed action/non-action cam.
Designed to be worn on your person by way of the included clip (a
tripod clip is also included, letting you set it up on a clamp or
grip) you can discreetly record your day as you go about your
business – all in HD.
The
SnapCam LE features no screen and just two top-side buttons. Apart
from that the only only physical features are the Micro USB charging
port on the side, along with the rubber seal to insert a MicroSD card
of up to 32GB in capacity. The highest recording resolution is 1080p
at 30 framers per second, so we went for a walk.
In
this test footage we clipped on the SnapCam LE and strolled along the
street for a bit, and then – as we like to do – we strapped it to
a drone and took for a fly. Which you can do. Because it's so damn
light. Hit play and be sure to crank it up to full HD:
We
were very impressed with it, and although we cut them out of the
footage for privacy reasons, all the people we passed had no idea
that we were wearing a video camera; so small and discreet that it
is. The drone section of the clip shows that even when the SnapCam is
spun around and tossed through the air on a (badly piloted)
quadcopter, it still recorded very well, handling the low late-winter
sun very well.
Video
mode can also be lowered to 720p but with a higher rate of 60 frames
per second, making it useful for slowing down action shots, should
you wish to capture something cool. There is also a time-lapse mode
in which the number of shots per minute can be adjusted, either via
the PC and Mac suit, or via WiFi to your mobile device. And finally
there is also photo mode, which uses the 8MP sensor to capture some
very lovely images, such as this:
Live-streaming
is available via WiFi and Bluetooth to your phone or tablet, making
the Snap Cam LE even more versatile. From lining up the shot (which
we did to make sure the rotors of the chopper weren't in the way of
the lens) to using it like a short-range spy cam, there's lots you
can do with a HD camera that is this small.
We
really love this thing and think it is a big step forward in both the
action cam fields, and also in the realm of personal protection.
Sure, everyone constantly wearing their own video camera is a bit Big
Brother-y, but if it helps to keep vulnerable people safe, we're
right behind it.
£179.99
