We recently had an opportunity to test a pre-sales model of the Drift Innovation HD170. We had seen some example footage, and while we were impressed with the video quality, we didn’t have high expectations. We only had the camera for a few days but we tried to run it through a variety of tests so that we could give an informative review. If you don’t already know, camarush only sells and rents the highest quality action sport cameras and at the end of the review you will see if the Drift HD170 made the cut.

The first thing we noticed about the Drift HD170 before even opening the box is the amount of accessories pictured on the box that come standard with the camera. In addition to having a standard tripod mount (1/4″- 20) built right into the bottom of the camera, the camera also comes with a helmet mount (full shell helmets or vented helmets), handlebar mount, head strap and goggle mount. The standard tripod mount allows you to use whatever type of mount you see fit for your situation (if one of the included ones isn’t appropriate).  The camera also comes with a remote control, USB cord, and HD video cable.

The Drift HD170 is noticeably larger than the GoPro HD HERO and the Contour 1080p but the weight is actually lighter than the GoPro. The larger size likely accommodates the number one benefit of the Drift HD170; the full color LCD screen. The LCD screen allows you to configure the camera settings easily at anytime (without need of a manual or software). This is especially useful when out on a shoot and utilizing some of the other features that are unique to this camera like the adjustable exposure, microphone sensitivity and night mode (really what should be called dusk mode). However, most people will find the LCD screen most useful for reviewing footage (video and sound) on the spot and for setting up the proper angle (live preview) before clicking record.  No need to lug around a computer to see if you got the right shot and no need to wait until you get home to relive the ride, this came in very handy!

Drift HD170 Unboxing and Overview from camarush on Vimeo.

Real World Testing
When it was time for real world testing we were pleasantly surprised by a few things and perplexed by a few things. One unexpected bonus is the mechanism which connects to the bottom or the camera. The quick connect mount (once attached to the camera) easily transitions from goggle mount to handlebar mount to helmet mount with little effort.

The quick connect mount was even easy to use while wearing mountain biking gloves. The mounts all seem easy to use and feel sturdy. The goggle mount is great for easy set up and swapping between riders, but for the best footage, we recommend creating a more solid connection between the camera and the helmet with the velcro adhesive pads.  Attaching the camera with these pads gave a great connection with the least amount of shaky footage among mounts.

The lens on the camera rotates to accommodate different mounting scenarios, but users need to be careful not to force the rotation past 345 degrees, as the mechanism behind the lens may break.

Because of the way we did our testing, we didn’t find a need for the remote control, but agree that it will be very useful for most people.  While the camera may be mounted to your helmet, or even a tripod up to 15 feet away, you can hit record or stop right from the remote attached to your wrist.  Another bonus (and we didn’t have an opportunity to test this) is that you can actually synchronize one remote for multiple cameras which could come in handy for multiple camera edits.  That means having multiple cameras start recording at the same point, making it easier to align multiple video tracks together when editing.

One of the features that we tested repeatedly was the Night Mode and Exposure settings. After our tests, we found that it really should be called “Dusk Mode”.  Where other cameras tended to look orange/yellow and grainy in low light situations, the Drift HD170 renders a more accurate view during low light situations (not orange/yellow or grainy) but shouldn’t be mistaken for Night Vision. See the video for examples of “Night Mode” and exposure options.  We really found that the Night Mode and Exposure worked much better in photo mode, rather than video mode.

Comparison: Drift HD170 – ContourHD1080p – GoPro HD HERO from camarush on Vimeo.

Water “Proof”

The Drift HD170 is enclosed in a rubberized housing.  This does not make it fully waterproof, although the folks at Drift Innovation say that you can submerge the unit underwater up to 15 inches.  Technically, the Drift is water resistant, rather than “proof”.  While the Drift will easily stay safe in the rain and with a quick splash, we suggest you avoid dunking the camera in water for any period of time.

The manufacturer also maintains not to rotate the lens while underwater.  We can only assume that the rotating lens has a waterproof o-ring keeping the internals safe, and turning the o-ring while underwater would introduce air-gaps for water to seep in.

Drift is working on releasing an aftermarket underwater housing accessory that should be out in late 2010.

Microphone
We were able to test the Drift microphone on a few occasions and can say that it performs on par with the GoPro and the Contour.  Saying that, none of these cameras have exceptional audio, but that is not typically what we use them for anyway; most of us tend to add music to our videos.

One feature of the Drift is that you can adjust microphone sensitivity (to turn it lower if you are on a motorcycle per se).  According to the Drift HD170 manual, there will be an aftermarket microphone add-on in the future.  We are not sure what this means, or where you would even plug in a mic, but if true, this would be a valuable accessory for those craving natural audio from the recording enthusiast.

60FPS
Unfortunately, the Drift does not have 60FPS (60 Frames Per Second as opposed to the standard 30 FPS) in it’s 720 mode.  While some people may frown upon this, Drift came up with a great reason for this: Of those surveyed before developing the camera, only 2% of respondents actually knew how to take advantage of 60 FPS.

This brought up a great point and had us dedicate an entire blog post about 60 FPS here.  You should probably read it before even recording your next video in 60FPS!

The Final Verdict
The Drift HD170 delivers on almost all that it promises. The video quality is great, the accessories are great, the LCD is incredibly useful, and we think that the overall value is really high.

All of these factors have influenced us to start carrying the Drift HD170 for resell and rent.

There are only a few things that would prevent us from recommending the Drift HD170 over the Contour HD 1080p and the GoPro HERO HD:

1. The Drift is a little bulkier than the Contour and GoPro (but weighed less than the GoPro).
2. Lack of a fully waterproof enclosure (coming soon).
3. Replaceable lens covers.
4. Lack of 60 FPS in 720 mode

The Great (things that we think set this camera apart from the rest)
- Built in Color LCD / Speaker
- Remote Control
- Built in 1/4 20 Tripod Mount
- Included Quick Connect Camera Mounts
- Visual and simple on-camera configuration

The Good (things that met our expectations but would not compel us to purchase this camera)
- Rotating Lens
- Still Photo and Timelapse
- Night Mode / Exposure
- Time/Date Stamp
- Value
- Zoom (digital)

The Bad (things that makes us nervous)
-Microphone quality
-Lens replacement kits availability (Drift comment – “There is no lens replacement option at this time. We have had almost no issues with respect to this in the last 6 months, but know that we will work with customers in a fair way to address this issue if it is a problem for them.” Apparently a lens shield will also be sold.)

The results of this test is that we decided to carry the Drift HD170!  You can buy one here! Want to try it out first? Rent one from us here!