The action sports POV camera market is expanding rapidly, with new brands and cameras popping up frequently. Monza Imports recently took on the distribution of Drift Innovation cameras and we were given a chance to discover what the HD Ghost has to offer.

MotoOnline.com.au got action sports videographer Bret Trigg – the man responsible for all of our MX Nationals films – to take it through its paces and test the boundaries of the product.

Technical information
The HD Ghost is packed full of cutting-edge camera technology. Boasting the ability to shoot 11 megapixel images, record HD video in resolutions of 1080p, 960p, 720p and WVGA alongside other features unique to Drift such as the 300 degree rotating lens.

Straight out of the box the HD Ghost features an impressive two-inch LCD screen covered in Gorilla Glass for added durability and can be taken three metres under water without requiring one of Drift’s waterproof housings.

Weighing in at 167 grams and easily fitting into the palm of your hand, the HD Ghost is setting a very high standard in the POV camera market. Click here for additional tech details.

Positives
The first thing I noticed when using the HD Ghost was the overall size and weight of the camera. In the past riders have been reluctant to wear a helmet camera for me because it would have a noticeable effect on the feel of their helmets. As the HD Ghost is mounted very closely to the helmet shell it doesn’t catch as much air passing through, which limits the amount of drag on the riders helmet.

Durability is an important factor to think about when buying cameras. You want a camera that is strong and can withstand the harsh environments riding can take you. After being dropped, covered in dirt and possibly accidentally ran over a few times, the HD Ghost just needed a quick dust off and it was ready to go again. The LCD screen is covered in Gorilla Glass and proved it was very durable.

It’s very important to always have a nice level shot. The HD Ghost will make this possible every time with it’s 300 degree rotating lens. Once mounted on the side of a helmet or a radiator shroud, simply rotate the lens and set up your shot with ease.

Playback and shot set up is crucial when out on the track shooting photos or videos. The HD Ghost comes out of the box with an in built two-inch LCD screen. Add that to the wi-fi enabled iPhone and Android app and you’ve got the keys to setting up amazing shots.

But be careful, when navigating through the app you will notice it doesn’t include all the frame rate options that you get when operating straight through the cameras settings. Overall, it’s a very impressive piece of equipment that is straightforward to operate.

Negatives
There’s always a few things you don’t like or would like changed when getting new products, here is a few of the main things that I thought the Drift HD Ghost was lacking.

Pivot points. When mounted to a helmet or bike with the sticky mounts I found myself needing to angle the camera upwards or downwards, which left the camera pointing downwards too much or vice versa, upwards too much.

I think a pivot mount would be a great addition when using the adhesive mounts. However the roll bar mount and handlebar mount does feature a pivot point to adjust the angle of your camera.

Capturing quality sound is so crucial within videos. When running on board footage in a video you always want to have bike noise. Even when setting the microphone sensitivity to the lowest level possible to try and eliminate the wind noise it was still very evident in the footage.

This being on a very still day so I could only imagine it would be much worse on a windy day.

Verdict
Coming to a conclusion, the Drift HD Ghost is a camera for everyone. Boasting features to keep the professionals happy, but to also keep the consumers with a user friendly camera.

The camera is lightweight and durable, proving itself in the dust and even taking a few quality hits and coming out strong. The HD Ghost is perfect for anyone, putting the HD Ghost in the forefront of the action camera game.

Just be wary if you’re computer isn’t able to process HD video don’t shoot in 1080p. Opt for one of the 720p options, so you can play back the footage on your computer.

Plus, make sure you check out the many available accessories available from Drift, because each and every one of them adds to the experience.

Visit www.driftinnovation.com for further information on the product and brand.