Before we get into the judging, here is the footage of the outdoor test. I shot over an hour of me pedaling around but this shows everything you need to see to understand what my decision will be.
So there it is. The results were exactly as I thought they would be. The DriftHD does MUCH better in the outdoor lighting than the indoor lighting. Yes, you can tweak some settings for indoor etc but this was an out of the box test so even a novice like me could get these results.
The Verdict
Both of these cameras do very well in outdoor lighting. Though you can't tell it from the compressed video here, the detail and captured resolution of the GoPro is better than the Drift. The color accuracy however goes to the Drift. The GoPro always looks just a little too overexposed. So how do I choose?
If you want a camera that is ready to go out of the box with lots of accessories, you'll be shooting in the middle of the day and outside, the Drift is the better buy. If you want to record your fishing trips and start early or end late, don't care about remotes or LCD screens (or don't mind adding them later), want a waterproof camera straight out of the box, the GoPro is your choice. Of all the cool features on the Drift, the need for a microSD card is annoying. I have man hands, not tiny little flute player hands. Loading something that small into a camera is for toddlers and toymakers. The corona effect shows up more often on the Drift which I don't like. I love the LCD screen, the zoom option and the remote on the Drift but frankly, once I set the camera to record, I go until my batteries are out. I'm not toying with a shot. I'm not Steven Spielberg and I'm not shooting a TV show. Most of us aren't.
So which one?
For options already included, daytime outdoor use and for great color get the DriftHD.
For rugged, outdoor ready, multi-light situations, get the GoPro2.
If I buy another camera, it will be another GoPro.
So there it is. The results were exactly as I thought they would be. The DriftHD does MUCH better in the outdoor lighting than the indoor lighting. Yes, you can tweak some settings for indoor etc but this was an out of the box test so even a novice like me could get these results.
The Verdict
Both of these cameras do very well in outdoor lighting. Though you can't tell it from the compressed video here, the detail and captured resolution of the GoPro is better than the Drift. The color accuracy however goes to the Drift. The GoPro always looks just a little too overexposed. So how do I choose?
If you want a camera that is ready to go out of the box with lots of accessories, you'll be shooting in the middle of the day and outside, the Drift is the better buy. If you want to record your fishing trips and start early or end late, don't care about remotes or LCD screens (or don't mind adding them later), want a waterproof camera straight out of the box, the GoPro is your choice. Of all the cool features on the Drift, the need for a microSD card is annoying. I have man hands, not tiny little flute player hands. Loading something that small into a camera is for toddlers and toymakers. The corona effect shows up more often on the Drift which I don't like. I love the LCD screen, the zoom option and the remote on the Drift but frankly, once I set the camera to record, I go until my batteries are out. I'm not toying with a shot. I'm not Steven Spielberg and I'm not shooting a TV show. Most of us aren't.
So which one?
For options already included, daytime outdoor use and for great color get the DriftHD.
For rugged, outdoor ready, multi-light situations, get the GoPro2.
If I buy another camera, it will be another GoPro.