Polaroid XS100 Extreme Motorcycle Helmet Camera Review HD 16MP Waterproof Action Camera W/ Mounting Kit

Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition HD 1080p 16MP Waterproof Sports Action Video Camera With Full Mounting Kit Included

Polaroid XS100 Motorcycle Helmet Camera Review

I really fell in love with the Polaroid XS100 in so many ways, especially in terms of both image quality and usability. 

Let me start this review by also stating I own several other motorcycle helmet cameras or action cameras. I own the GoPro Hero 3. Sure the video quality of the Polaroid isn't quite as good as the gopro nor is the shot as wide but it's really good when you take the price point into consideration.

Unless you actually compare these two cameras in a side by side spec comparison I think you'd almost be hard pressed to find the difference. The colors are a bit off but not enough to prevent me from highly recommending this camera. The sharpness also isn't quite as good but in some scenarios I actually feel the Polaroid gives a better picture. The Polaroid actually seems better in low light performance riding at dusk or early in the morning on the way to work. The Polaroid also has an image stabalization feature which the GoPro surprisingly lacks. 

Here Are Just A Few Specs

1200 mAh built in battery. 

2 Hours Recording Time

Resolution Choices: 1080p, 960p, 720p, 30fps/60fps

Still Image Res: 16MB, 5MB, 3MB, VGA

Still Image: 10x burst mode or single shot

Time Lapse 1 Frame Each 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds.

I attempted using the time lapse mode though this is generally not a feature I would use but just to set. You must set the mode up using the software interface when you're connected to your computer.

There's a few simple changes you can make on the device such as swapping between FHD and HD modes, but if you want to make other changes all changes must be made via a software program when your camera is connected to your PC. This is different from the GoPro in that the GoPro lets you make these changes from the camera directly on the small LCD screen

The software is somewhat disapointing. PC software which is polaroid.exe installs itself directly using the camera, however Mac users must visit the Polaroid site and download an application onto their memory card. The software is essentially the same for PC and Mac. 

One thing Polaroid did which is nice is include some mounts for attaching the camera to both your helmet and handlebars. It's somewhat flimsy but it will work in a pinch and considering these accessories can get quite expensive its a nice freebie. 

Another cool feature about this camera is that it creates duplicate files of recordings. One file is a low resolution thum file and its nice to be able to send clips via email. You also get a HD file for uploading to youtube or sharing with friends in person.

The Polaroid does come ahead of the GoPro in one area and that is that it has a G Sensor. This automatically rotates the image so if you happen to need to mount it upside down the image is automatically flipped upright. You don't need to change this after the fact. Though I'm not sure why you would want to shoot upside down or sideways you can turn off the auto rotate

One of the best features of this camera, especially for the price is the anti-vibrate feature which is fantastic. It's one of the most effective out there. GoPro even lacks this feature. This really helps the quality of my videos, it evens out the video on those bumpy roads which otherwise may not even be viewable without giving the watchers a headache. 

This camera is self sealed which is also a step above the GoPro which needs the plastic housing to make it waterproof. The Polaroid is waterproof up to 30 feet and needs no housing. 

Build quality is pretty good. I would compare the shape and setup to a Ion Air but not nearly as good a quality build. It doesn't strike me as being 100% bullet proof however it should hold up pretty well. 

As far as memory you can put up to a 32GB memory card in the camera, it will not support anything higher like a 65GB.

Lastly we'll touch on some pros and cons of this camera...

Pro:

1. Great quality HD video, especially for the price.

2. Awesome anti-vibration feature.

3. Good audio.

4. Recording time of 2 hours plus on a single charge. 

5. Good features which even GoPro Hero lacks.

Cons:

1. Can't swap batteries and once battery is dead its dead since its a built in.

2. Dome covering camera can cause halos and white outs in specific lighting conditions.

3. Plastic threads on mount which could strip more easily than metal.

4. Mounting hardware isn't great but it's free.

5. Cannot change camera settings from device.

My final impression is the XS100 is easy to use, comes in at a fantastic price point, shoots good video as well as still shots and actually has some features above and beyond GoPro and other cameras way above the price range.