Intro:

V.I.O have been creating helmet camera technologies since early 2001. They have continually improved their helmet cams to match what the users are looking for. 2007 saw the launch of the hugely successful POV.1 which has since been upgraded to the POV.15 and the motorsport focused POV1.5M.

The Good:

The POV1.5 camera head is the smallest of all helmet cameras, it is the size of a traditional bullet camera. This lets you position the camera just about wherever you please.

The digital video recorder (DVR) part of the POV1.5 system has a built in 1.5" colour screen which is a great advantage. The obvious use of this is to playback your videos while out and about. What we really like about having a screen on the unit is that it allows you to frame your shot before shooting so that you know exactly what you'll be filming. The other benefit of the screen on this unit is that it helps to simplify the menu settings which are easily customised to the way you want.
           
The wireless remote which comes with the POV1.5 camera system works via radio frequency rather then infra-red. Bascailly this means that you don't need line-of-sight for the remote and DVR to talk to one another. The remote will work up to 3meters away from the DVR. It does have a red light to let you know when you have pressed the buttons, plus the DVR beeps to confirm this, but there is no constant light on the remote itself to confirm whether the camera is recording or not. If you are unsure then simply press the record button again.
Pressing the record button again does actually serve another feature, a very clever feature. This is the ability to TAG videos which is placing a bookmark on the timescale of the video. If you were to be filming a long video clip and something exciting happens 42mins and 18secs into the clip then simply hit the tag button. When viewing the clip back you won't need to fast forward through the whole clip to find that moment, just jump ahead to the tag.

In the customisable menu mentioned above you have the option to choose whether you would like to film in clip mode of loop mode. In clip mode starting and stopping your video clips works as you are used to, but filming in loop mode open up a world of opportunities. This is best explained by an example; imagine riding your tourer through the alps enjoying the scenery, you don't want to be filming the entire journey as this would fill up your SD card so you set it to a 1min loop. If a deer where to suddenly sprint across your path you can hit the record button which will capture the minute prior to you having pressed the button, it will also carry on filming forward as usual. Clever.
A huge plus for motorsports enthusiast is the fact that the POV1.5 has a built in AV-in port which means that you can plug in an external microphone or connect the camera to an intercom system to overlay the audio over the video. In term of body worn cameras, this is the only (reasonably priced) camera which has this feature.

The POV1.5M is a combination of the POV1.5 and the POV 12V Power Pack. The power pack is for powering the POV1.5 directly from a 12V power supply. You can either hard-wire it onto a battery or use the supplied cigarette adapter to power it directly from the 12V in-car power supply. This capability removes any concerns of battery life and make the system perfectly suited for motorsports enthusiasts.

The Not So Good:

With high definition being the hub word at the moment, it may be seen that the POV1.5 which films in standard def 720 x 480 has been left behind in the technological dust. With this said, the video which the POV1.5 delivers is still impressive for such a small camera head.

The camera and the DVR need to be permanently connected via the one and a half meter cable. Because of this you do need to carry the DVR around with you all the time when using the camera. It does just weigh 330grams but the size is about the same as the first mobile phones which came out.

The Action Cameras Bottom Line:

If you are looking for a bullet camera system, particularly for motorsports use, then this is the best full integrated option on the market. Although the price is high for a standard def camera, the features of the system and the mounting options are fantastic. All in all, the POV1.5 has marketed itself as the best bullet cam system and after two years of using it, we would have to agree.


To view the POV1.5 product page, click here.

To have your review or comments added to this post, please send them through to reviews@actioncameras.co.uk. Here is a fantastic YouTube video unboxing and review video for you to enjoy...