This year I incorporated point-of-view video technology into my daily on-the-water filming sessions. In order to make this happen, I partnered with local Chicagoland distributor, Brian Falatovich, of Midwest Digital Corporation. With enough big bass footage gathered, I have compiled my preliminary review.
About Midwest Digital Corp:
Midwest Digital Corp. is located in Chicago Ridge, IL, and specializes in professional audio and video equipment sales and services. They are distributors of state-of-the-art equipment, and represent manufacturers for new equipment and have an inventory of quality pre-owned equipment.
The company began 25 years ago as an authorized repair center for Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and many other broadcast companies. While I was a video production student at Loyola University Chicago during 2009-2010, they were our official equipment repair center. With changes in modern technology, and yearly releases of new gizmos and gadgets Midwest Digital Corp. has become a sales center for new and used equipment, which today includes Pivothead POV Sunglasses.
About Pivothead POV Sunglasses:
Pivothead is based on innovation and adventure, and has revolutionized human interaction with imaging technologies. Released in 2012, their product line of Pivothead Video Recording Eyewear is their first step in redefining point of view video recording and photography. Their truly hands-free video platform liberates video creation by providing new realms for people to capture new and unique video perspectives.
Impressions:
From May 2013 till now, I’ve been using Pivotheads as a specific tool along with my other cameras for on-the-water filming sessions. The pair I received from Midwest Digital Corp. is the Durango smoke series. It features a high quality polarized lens which is an absolute must for the visual aspects of freshwater fishing. At $299 per pair, this is one of the most expensive and useful pairs of sunglasses I’ve ever tested. While the price isn’t cheap, and video quality isn’t as comparable to a thousand dollar broadcasting camera, Pivothead offers one of the best solutions for point of view recording, and filming of subjects that are right in front of you. They’re easier to use than a GoPro, which has also revolutionized POV and everyday recording which I’ve reviewed before.
Pros
- Records 1080 or 720p footage.
- Great perspective and video frame size.
- Tremendous picture and audio quality.
- Minimal buttons, easy to use.
- Available in variety of polarized lens and prescription styles.
- Lightweight frames.
Cons
- Expensive given the level of recording quality, and comparable price of today’s affordable HD handycams.
- 2hrs battery life / 8GB internal memory.
- NOT waterproof. A requirement for fishing and the outdoors.
- Does not allow extra battery or external memory card for full day video recording.
- Requires software and a computer connection to adjust video settings and charge battery.
Design and Ergonomics
Pivothead glasses are available in four different frame styles: Aurora, Durango, Moab, and Recon. Each comes with multiple lens options. The pair I have is with a smoke polarized lens. This became useful for shallow water fishing and seeing my targets below.
The Durangos look like an ordinary pair of sports sunglasses; they’re not flashy but lightweight and don’t stand out. The lens quality is comparable to the types used by high quality sunglass manufacturers. The plastic frames are thick, bulkier than I would prefer, and a bit cheap in quality. I believe the plastic material needed to be used in order to reduce excess weight, and so the lightest camera could be used within a sunglass package.
Each Pivothead comes with a protective hard case, and USB cable for charging the internal battery and transfer of files to PC. It features 8GB internal storage and allows up to 90 minutes of high definition video recording. For those who fish up to 16 hours per day, I often missed out on recording the hottest bites and feeding sprees of fish. I often ran out of battery or memory, or combination of both. Keep this in consideration if you spend many hours on the water.
My only complaint about the design is these glasses are not waterproof and will not withstand rainfall or moisture, or getting accidentally dropped into the lake as you can do with a regular pair of sunglasses or other waterproof camera. On foul weather days, I had to keep the sunglasses in my boat’s dry storage compartment. Unlike an ordinary pair of polarized sunglasses that I could wear any time, my use of Durangos was 100% dictated by weather. Because they aren’t waterproof, Pivothead fails to take advantage of their superb and powerful lens quality which is better than the lenses of most other sunglass brands.
Ease of Use
Pivotheads are easy to use, much easier than a GoPro or other comparable POV recording device. The lens isn’t overly huge, which is a plus, and contains minimal buttons allowing the most technologically inept to understand – power on/off; record, still photo. The only first-time confusion experienced was trying to memorize the LED light indicator. It indicates whether the glasses are on, recording, charging, or connected to a computer. For each of these activities, the LED lights blink differently and change different color.
Although easy to use, adjusting the settings isn’t as difficult like the GoPro is with its confusing built-in user interface. Pivothead allows its customers to download software through its website, and requires the use of a computer or smart phone to adjust record settings. By plugging the glasses into a computer through the USB cable, you can select video resolution type, adjust the frame rate, focus settings, and more. Where this becomes an inconvenience is while on the water fishing, or if there isn’t immediate access to a computer. I ran into this problem many times throughout the year; the same also for recharging the battery.
Performance and Picture Quality
Thanks to the camera’s location in between each lens, Pivothead offers a near perfect first-person video perspective. It records the subjects exactly in the range and way you’re facing them. The design is definitely an improvement over bulky side-mounted helmet cameras like the Contour, GoPro, and V.I.O. POV HD cameras – all of which require the user to make sure that the camera is pointing in the correct direction.
When wearing the Pivothead, you record everything as you see it. Because the camera lens is small, video quality for outdoor and indoor use is comparable to an HD smart phone’s picture and nowhere near the quality of a broadcast camera. However, it does have the upper-hand on the popular GoPro that indoor and outdoor image quality isn’t pixilated or discolored. It’s quite sharp, and sound quality is pretty good too.
The glasses performed admirably in outdoor conditions where light was present, and offer an impressive 75 degree field perspective. As an action camera, it is useful for filming sports activities in a first person perspective. In the sport of freshwater fishing, it’s a great alternative recording tool to have in conjunction with other types of cameras you use.
Conclusion
Pivothead’s Video Recording Eyewear surpassed my expectations in picture quality and comfort. Due to lens location, it offers the best first-person point of view video perspective that’s available on the market. Although they aren’t waterproof (at least yet), and have memory and battery life limitations, they’re a great option for easy hands-free video recording for the average consumer and sports enthusiast.
Pivotheads are exclusively available through Midwest Digital Corporation. Visit them online at www.midwestdigitalcorp.com or www.videosunglasses.net
