Undercover meets underwater
When you’re engaged in espionage on the beach, clad in little more than a Speedo (or less, depending on local customs), it’s hard to conceal the average spy camera. The waterproof 8 GB HD-DVR Camera Watch is the answer.
Ostensibly a watch, this device records AVI video and JPG stills via a hidden pinhole camera housed in the number “12” of the watch face. It records audio, too. But it gets better: should your quarry dive into the water to rendezvous with a submarine offshore, you’re perfectly equipped to follow because the watch is waterproof to 30 metres. Once you’ve filmed your assignment on the sly, you can transfer your footage to your computer, ready for e-mailing to HQ.
To maintain “mission accomplished” status, the device’s lithium polymer battery charges via USB and there’s 8G of onboard storage. Price: about R1 000.
l Contact Mantality on 0861 626 825 or visit www.mantality.co.za
Show and share
Pocket entertainment devices have revolutionised our multimedia world. But let’s face it, their minuscule screens make sharing content with others a matter of getting extremely up close and personal. Cinemin’s Swivel Pocketsize Multimedia projector solves all that.
Using a simple AV-in jack, it can project content from iPods, iPhones, digital cameras, portable DVD players, netbooks (computer-specific cable required) and smartphones with video-out functionality.
In dark or dimly lit environments, this HVGA resolution pico projector is said to be able to project a crisp 1.5m image from over 2m away, or floor-to-ceiling in a typical room.
You can listen to the 0.5W monophonic speaker if you want, but for bigger sound we suggest you connect some portable speakers via the headphone jack.
Its unique 90-degree hinge makes it easy to project on any surface without having to prop it up or use a tripod. And its rechargeable battery is good for about two hours, allowing you to watch an entire movie. Price: about R4 400.
l Contact iGear on 021 794 8962 or visit www.igear.co.za
Binocular vision
Is it a buoy, a rock or just flotsam? With Pentax’s 7 x 50 Marine Hydro binoculars you’re sure to be able to work it out – and then not hit it. These glasses have the ideal magnification and objective lens diameter for water use (anything over 7 x 50 is nigh on impossible to hold steady in choppy seas).
The built-in, oil-filled precision compass boasts extremely fast damping; there’s almost no “swing”. Bearings are defined in easy-to-read, precise 1-degree increments so you can accurately plot your way.
A built-in LED compass illuminator allows use at night and in low light, and a range-finding scale helps calculate the distance from objects or object sizes from a distance. Phase-coated and super-reflective-coated BaK-4 roof prisms provide high-resolution, high-contrast images, and the fully multi-coated lenses maximise light transmission and colour quality. Plus, as these binoculars are rubberised and nitrogen-filled, they are protected against damage and are waterproof down to 1.5m. Price: about R3 300. l Visit www.pentax.co.za
Point, shoot and track
Cutting-edge mini-cams allow us to enjoy stunning visuals of extreme sport activities, captured on the fly. However, as really competitive adrenaline junkies will tell you, there’s no such thing as too much detail when it comes to analysing performance – that’s why they also track themselves using GPS.
Until recently, that has entailed separate units for video and sat-nav.
Now there’s a game-changer: an all-in-one unit that manufacturer Contour calls the world’s smallest and lightest GPS video camera.
The Contour GPS’s built-in receiver tracks the user multiple times per second, capturing location, speed and elevation while recording in hands-free.
Back in more relaxed surroundings, an interactive map and media player allows you to see and control the action.
Like the original Contour HD, the new model uses a low-profile design mated to a patented mount that clamps the camera to body, equipment or vehicle. Weighing just 145 grams, it is housed in a tough, water-resistant aluminium body. Ergonomic advantages include the single oversized switch (suitable for gloved hands) and two lasers to help line up the shot.
Other features include full HD resolution of 1 080p at 30 frames per second, 135-degree wide-angle rotating lens, built-in omni-directional microphone, mounts for goggles and flat surfaces, and a 2GB MicroSD card that can be expanded to 32GB. Price: about R4 200.
l Contact Action Cameras on 082 559 7786 or visit www.actioncameras.co.za
These gadgets were featured in the January edition of Popular Mechanics. For more, get the February edition. - Cape Times