Ion Air Pro WiFi

A nascent-but-growing category, helmet-mountable video cameras like the GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition?($299.99, 4 stars) capture your adventures while keeping your hands free for, well, adventuring. The Ion Air Pro WiFi ($349.99) is the latest contender, offering a lightweight and waterproof construction reminiscent of the feature-rich, but overpriced Contour+?($499.99, 3 stars). These camcorders offer full 1080p HD video, fixed wide-angle lenses, and the ability to shoot at 60 frames per second for smooth action at full speed or fun slow-motion shots. The Ion Air Pro WiFi splits the difference between the Hero2 and the Contour+, delivering solid HD video, a waterproof body that doesn't require a separate housing, mounting accessories galore, and wireless connectivity.?

Pricing, Design, and Features
There are a couple of package options for the Ion Air Pro. The camera and mini tripod only costs $229.99. The Ion Air Pro Plus (the camera and mounting kit) will run you $289.99. The subject of this review, the WiFi model, includes the Ion Air Pro camera, the complete mounting kit (including bike handle bar mount), and the Wi-Fi pod. While it's more expensive than the Hero2, it offers a lot more bang for your buck than the similarly equipped Contour+, though that camera includes GPS. The mounting accessory choices are similar between the Hero2 Outdoor Edition and the Ion Air Pro Plus, but the latter includes a handlebar mount while GoPro requires a separate mount for $19.99.

With an aerodynamic tube-like design, the Ion Air Pro WiFi looks a lot sleeker than the boxy Hero2. At 4.21 inches long, 1.46 inches in diameter, and 4.5 ounces, it's slightly larger than the similarly shaped Contour+, but lighter. The two-tone brushed aluminum frame has a solid, substantial feel, with a lens bubble protruding at one end and a removable cap at the other. The whole package is waterproof to 30 feet right out of the box, giving the Ion Air Pro an advantage over the Hero2 and Contour+, which both require separate housings to withstand the elements?though the Hero2's housing lets it go down as far as 197 feet. The controls couldn?t be simpler, with a single Power/Shutter button and recording slider on top. Untwist the back cap to reveal the Video Mode switch, a microSD card slot (that accepts cards up to 32GB), a microUSB port, mini HDMI out, AV out, and an expansion bay for Ion's PODZ system of accessories.

Instead of a blinking red light to indicate recording status, like on the Hero2, the Ion Air Pro uses vibration feedback to let you know when it's recording. Move the slider to the REC position and you'll feel two quick vibrations. Press the Shutter button and you'll feel a single vibration that indicates a still image has been captured. There is also a single LED on top that glows either green (standby) or red (recording). The controls are easy to find and the vibrations are better suited for a camera strapped to your head, where you likely won't be able to see the blinking red light.

Shooting mode is the only thing you can control on the camera itself. The switch toggles between FHD (Full HD) or HD modes, which can be customized when connected to a computer. The default is 1080p30 or 720p60, and the other options are 960p30 Tall HD or 720p30. The still image shutter can be adjusted via computer, for single, burst, or time lapse (at 5, 10, 30, and 60-second intervals) modes. Video uses H.264 compression and is saved as MP4 files. A lower-resolution WQVGA file is saved simultaneously for faster online uploading. Unlike the Hero2, all settings must be tweaked while the Ion Air Pro is connected to a computer. However, changing settings on the fly isn't exactly a user friendly affair on the Hero2, as cycling through somewhat confusing menus with two buttons can be very cumbersome?especially while you're moving.

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