by Jeff Casto

Created on: November 27, 2009

I received the Oregon Scientific ATC3K Action Camera for Christmas and have been experimenting with it ever since. At first I was disappointed with it, but as I've come to understand its capabilities and limitations I consider it a niche product that does what it was meant to do and nothing more. I asked for it for Christmas of 2008 to video my sailplane flights and that is what I've mainly been using it for. It can also be used as a helmet cam for cyclists, or as a waterproof action camera.

Description:

The Oregon Scientific ATC3K Action Camera comes in an interesting hexagonal clear plastic package (which is very hard to open) with various components showing through. Inside the package are the camera, various straps and mounts, a mini-CD, some waterproofing grease, an RCA cable, and a USB cable. The camera is cylindrical with a capture window at the front and a removable cover at the back end for access to the battery compartment and the SD card slot. There is no viewing screen.

On top of the ATC3K action cam are three buttons sealed by a rubber covering and an LCD status window. The button in the middle is round and fairly large. The two on either side of the middle button are roughly triangular in shape and smaller than the middle one. The status window displays information such as recording time and battery time left, as well as shooting mode, microphone options, and where the video will be recorded (in the 32K memory of the camera or on the inserted SD card). A plastic girth (the manual calls it a camera grip) encircles the camera. On the bottom of it is a connector for all of the mounting options.

Cost: I paid $139 online.

From the Oregon Scientific website:

Full-function, hands-free, digital recording
Waterproof up to 10 feet and shock-resistant for extreme conditions
Mounting grips and straps of different length are included. Mounts easily on helmets, handlebars, and other sports equipment
640 x 480 VGA resolution at 30 frames per second
Wider Field of View (FOV) - 48 degrees
USB and RCA cables included for easy playback on PC or TV (NTSC)
SD card expansion up to 4GB - onboard memory is 32MB
Compatible with operation system WIN2000/XP/Vista and Apple Mac X 10.3/10.4
Operates with 2 AA batteries, not included
Dimensions: 4.25L x 1.75D x 2.25H (in.)
Weighing at half a pound (with batteries), this self-contained, hands-free digital video cam delivers full colour digital video in 640 x 480 VGA at 30 frames per second - even underwater. Snow, rain,

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