3 point-of-view cameras for recording your rides

What’s the right point-of-view camera for you? The answer is easy: it depends. Like choosing a bike, you first need to decide what you want to do with the product and what specs are important. Below are three cameras that have a range of features. Each one will let you document your ride so you can show your friends, or the whole Internet, just how rad it was.

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Of the three cameras, the Contour Roam 3 is the easiest to use. It has two prominent switches: a slider on the top to start/stop recording video or taking pictures and a button on the back to check the status. Software you download to your computer will let you configure the resolution at which the camera will record. The Roam 3 is also ready to go almost right out of the box (after a battery charge). Unlike the other two, its base package comes with a micro SD card, which is essential for storing videos and pictures. The camera is waterproof to 10 m without any extra case. After you mount the Roam 3, you can rotate the lens within its 270-degree range and use the laser to get the horizon just right.
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The Shimano CM-1000 Sport Camera saw some action in 2014 in the pro peloton, strapped to bikes of riders on Giant-Shimano. The footage, especailly in the final kilometre before a sprint finish, is intense. At the cyclocross World Cup race in muddy Milton Keynes, U.K., this past November, the CM-1000 was strapped to Sven Nys’ bike, and spare bike, putting the waterproofing to the test. Of the three cameras here, the Shimano sits in the middle in terms of features. It has the simplicity of the Contour with respect to controls. Like the GoPro, the Shimano has Wi-Fi and can be controlled via a smartphone. The CM-1000’s Wi-Fi connectivity isn’t as refined as the GoPro’s. The Shimano camera, however, does use ANT+ protocol to connect to the company’s Di2 SM-EWW 01 unit or D-Fly. The D-Fly and a software upgrade announced in December allow you to control external devices from Dura-Ace Di2 shift levers. Maybe soon you’ll be controlling the camera from your brake/shift levers, too?
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The GoPro Hero 4 Silver is the heavy hitter of the trio. It has the widest range of video resolutions. It can also take an external mic. While the camera offers you a lot of options, they are not overwhelming. The touch screen on the back allows you to navigate the settings easily. To get even deeper into the features and settings, the smartphone app is the way to go. Via the Hero 4’s Wi-Fi, your phone can show you what the camera is recording in real time. (The Shimano only displays the picture for preview, not while recording.) Once you have your awesome footage, you can edit it (because, let’s face it, not every moment is awesome) on your computer with GoPro’s Studio software.
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