Cameras have evolved so much over time to adapt to consumers needs and changing lifestyles. More and more people want to be able to document what they are doing and don't want to be limited by the capability of the camera. This resulted in action and sports cams being developed to allow people to capture footage even in the most extreme conditions. A number of different cameras are now available on the market at different price points. This Sports Cam from Didobuy is an budget entry at £13.99* which seems a very good price for this type of camera.
The camera is lightweight and compact to make it less obstructive when recording your activities. It does feel quite a cheap plastic but for the price I wouldn't expect it to be anything different. It has a 2-inch LCD screen on the back to allow you to frame your shots and the clear plastic case makes it waterproof to 30 metres. It takes a micro SDHC card, however this isn't included. I think this camera could work even better if they bundled in a memory card for around £20 as it would still be great value. To charge, you just need to plug the micro USB cable into a USB wall plug or a laptop/computer and once fully charged it should last for around 1.5 hours. I find the battery life will vary depending on how you are using the camera.
I was impressed with the number of mounts and accessories that came with the camera. There is a good range that should be more than enough to get your started. Many of these mounts will be compatible with third party accessories such as head and chest mounts should you want to use your sports cam for body mounted footage. As I already mentioned there is a waterproof casing which feels fairly solid, with a full range of external push buttons to control the camera. The only comment I would make is that it's a little fiddly to open this case, however this should mean it wouldn't pop open too easily. A less obtrusive mount allows for a lower profile mounting, however these should only be used in clean and dry situations. Other attachments include mounts for a handle bar/pole, tripod and helmets, with a few additional accessories to be able to make mounting easier. You can see everything from the box below.
You can record in either 1080p Full HD at 15fps or 720p HD at 30fps depending on the type of thing you will be filming. Using a lower resolution with a higher frame rate will allow for smoother footage if you want to slow it down when editing for the 'slow-mo' look. The output quality is pretty good, and impressive when you think about how well-priced the camera is. If you were looking to capture what you get up to but don't fancy creating a cinematic masterpiece then this should be fine. It also has photo options including single shot, self-timer and continuous shooting.
Overall I was impressive with what the Sports Cam had to offer. It comes with a good variety of accessories to allow you to mount it in a number of different ways. All you need to get going is the memory card and then you can head out and get filming. I think this camera would be perfect for someone who is just starting out and doesn't want to spend hundreds on a GoPro or something similar. To be honest, at £13.99 for a sports cam, you can't really go wrong.
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