Panasonic claims its new wearable HD camcorder will be perfect for adrenaline junkies and recreation-seekers alike — but can it compete in a market that’s already dominated by GoPro?
The HX-A100’s waterproof and dustproof case houses hardware capable of filming 1920×1080 video at 60fps, 1280×720 video at 120fps, or 640×360 video at 240fps. It comes packing Wi-Fi, so it can be used to broadcast live streams on Ustream, while its battery — tucked away in the remote processing unit — will let it film for up to 140 minutes on a single charge. The small lens unit weighs 28g and is connected to the 113g main unit by a 60cm cable.
Interestingly it comes with what Panasonic refer to as an “earhook”: essentially a means of attaching the camera to your head so you don’t have to be wearing a helmet to use the camera. That certainly makes sense if Panasonic hopes to sell it to the family market — and not just snowboarders and downhill mountain bikers.
The camera will be available from March, although there’s currently no word on pricing. In truth, it doesn’t seem quite rugged enough to completely steal GoPro’s crown — and the fact that the controls are attached to the lens means you’ll have limited range of motion — but for families keen to shoot first-person video now and then, it could be just the thing. [Panasonic]