Whether you want to get started with motovlogging or just capture a trip for posterity, the new SENA Prism Bluetooth Action Camera could be well worth checking out.
The big selling point is that it’s apparently the first action cam to include Bluetooth connectivity. So you can easily record your voice via a built-in Ultra HD Voice Recording microphone, or connecting almost any Bluetooth helmet headset you may already own. That means you can avoid having to either buy extra kit, or accidentally wrenching your head and microphone with a tangle of wires attaching you to your camera or bike.
And although SENA might not be as widely known outside of motorcycling as brands like GoPro, they’ve built Bluetooth motorcycle communication systems and action cams for years. So you’d expect the audio to be pretty decent – and there’s a good chance that you may already have some suitable kit to work with the camera.
It also means you can save time editing your video and audio. Recording both separately is possible, but means you then have to sync everything back up again, which generally requires fiddling about with timelines in editing software. That’s fine if you’re producing a pro quality video with multiple cameras etc, but a bit of a faff when you just want to upload something.
Instead, the SENA Prism Bluetooth Action Camera will mix the audio feed in real-time, creating a multi-track audio which can go straight online. And you can start and stop the recording either via SENA’s Bluetooth remote control, or any SENA Bluetooth headset with a built-in Jog Dial.
The actual video quality is full 1080p FHD recording with a 5 megapixel still shot image capture to get the all important Youtube thumbnails and Facebook images sorted. And you can switch between 30 frames per second (fps) at 1080p, or choose from the various other modes ( 720p: 30 or 60fps, 480p: up to 120fps) and shot, time-lapse or burst photo options. In addition to a sleep mode to save on battery and memory space, the Prism also allows you to use it while the camera is charging, which is a neat touch.
The SENA Prism Bluetooth Action Camera is water resistant as standard, and also has a waterproof housing which should keep it safe up to 40 metres deep. Although if you’re on a motorcycle 40m underwater, something has probably gone a bit wrong – even in British weather.
The camera should stay securely fastened though. You get the SENA Prism Bluetooth Action Camera Quick Release Mount System, which comes with clamps for helmets, handlebars, screens, and a motorcycle-specific fog lamp base. So you should be able to play around and experiment to find the best view from your bike (and ideally to keep your speedo off camera in case of accidental over exuberance….)
Overall, the SENA Prism Bluetooth Action Camera looks pretty interesting. And if it means less time spent faffing around to get something worth sharing, it’s definitely under consideration when the £229.00 cost is pretty competitive.
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