Oregon Scientific ATC5K Waterproof Action Camera – Can Also Be Used As A Computer Webcam
Sum and Substance:
Thumbs Up:
Water proof, shock proof, can be used as a webcam, the unit has a color LCD
Thumbs Down:
Bad performance in low light conditions.
Inside the Trunk:
Included accessories are o-ring, strap, webcam stand. silicone grease, tripod adapter, helmet mounting kit, handle bar mount. Included cables – A/V cable and USB cord.
The Whiz Kid Speaks:
The shock resistant, water resistant (up to 10 feet)camcorder records in AVI format for videos and for audio, the format is JPEG. It comes with a bundled infrared remote to control the device from a distance.
For video capture the resolutions are AVI – 320 x 240, AVI – 640 x 480. The device has 32 MB of internal memory which can be further expanded to 4 GB through memory cards. The camcorder is capable of taking 640X480 resolution pictures and they are stored in JPEG format.
The device has a 1.5 inch TFT LCD display. Connectors on the unit are USB, composite video/audio output and there is an expansion slot which can take SD memory card. The device runs on 2 AA sized batteries.
Razzle Dazzle:
This tiny device is a tube style tapering camera. It is 4.5 inches long and 3 inches thick at the end which is thickest. The exterior of the camera has rubber bumpers which is the reason behind its shock proof tag.
Inside Dope:
Oregon Scientific ATC5K Waterproof Action Camera is made for people who want rugged video recording devices. This camera while shine even if you accidentally drop it on to the floor. It can live in water up to ten feet. These 2 features are the main selling points on the other wise low quality video recording camera.
We were glad to find that the camera is water proof and still has a LCD built on it that can last under water. The LCD is shock proof too. The lens of the camcorder is recessed and it has lots of rubber and plastic around it to keep the water from going inside. There are light indicators, red lights up when the camcorder is writing and green lights up when the camcorder is recording.
There are 2 rubber buttons, one for photography and video each. The buttons will register press only when you keep it pressed for more than 2 seconds but we were told that this was done to prevent accidental presses.
There is a 1.5 inch LCD screen that is used as a viewfinder and for playing the files that you have saved on to the device. Beneath the screen there is a compartment which houses 2 AA batteries, SD card slot, miniUSB port and video out port. The unit has enough padding and equipment around it to take shocks and water up to 10 feet.
You get a base grip and a mounting ring which lets you hook it to the mounting options. The ATC5K supplies webcam stand, helmet grip and handlebar grip which you can use with the silicon rubber head strap or 2 Velcro straps that the unit comes bundled with.
Other accessories include infrared remote control, driver disc for Windows; carry bag, USB cable, pair of AA batteries and AV cable. The remote control is as big as coin battery and just has photo and video buttons.
The camcorder can record at resolutions for 640X480 at 30 fps. You can use the remote control or the video recording button on the device to start recording. Both the remote and the button on the device need a two second press to start recording. There are two choices of QVGA (320×240 pixels) or VGA (640×480 pixels) resolutions for video recording.
The device can record photos of resolutions of 640X480 pixels but you cannot click pictures when you are recording a video. For storing your pictures and videos there is a 32 MB internal memory which can hold 1.5 minutes of 640X480 resolution video, 47 seconds of 320X240 resolution video or it can house 175 VGA photos on the card. The device supports up to 4 GB of memory cards and a 4 gig card can store 120 minutes of VGA video.
The menu will let you view files that you have captured, adjust the resolution, disable/enable the beeping confirmation, delete unwanted files, set time and date for videos/pictures, and to increase or decrease the audio level. You can connect the camera to a computer through USB cord for viewing and storing files on the computer or to use the camcorder as a webcam. The latter will not work on 64 bit Windows OS (only 32 bit versions are supported) and Mac. Other than that the unit comes with cables to connect the camcorder to a TV.
We tried to hook up the unit on a cycle handle bar and it was quite easy. But it was difficult to put it somewhere else and still minimize the shaking. We were impressed by the construction that is woven around the camcorder to keep it shock proof. Video captured on bright and sunny conditions was good but then in low light conditions it was horrible. We also used the camera as a webcam and the results were satisfactory. We were shocked to see that a one gig file took about 30 minutes to transfer from the unit to a computer. We advise you to get a card reader if you want faster speeds.
Nitty Gritty:
We liked the ruggedness and the easy to use interface of the camera. However when it comes to competition, this camcorder cannot offer what other can at this price range. If you are looking for options, we recommend you to have a look at GoPro Hero.
