It is becoming ever more popular for extreme sports

Both the Drift HD170 and ContourHD 1080p have been designed for many extreme sports; from biking to motorsports, winter sports to sky diving - but there are a few crucial differences that should help you decide which of these cameras is best for your favourite pastime. The Drift HD170 The Drift HD170 is the newer, high definition relation of the extremely popular Drift X170 and both share some common features. The HD170 1.5' LCD screen gives you the chance to align your camera before capturing your footage, plus it allows you to play your videos back and flick through your photos instantly. The wireless remote control is a valuable feature of the Drift Innovation camera as it makes pausing whilst recording far easier, so that you don't waste any memory between takes. The vast variety of mounts that are included in the Drift HD170 box means that you can shoot from several different perspectives; including from your handlebar, goggles or helmet. The main features that make the HD170 stand apart from its predecessor is that it shoots in delightful 1080p high definition video and has a night mode, which enables you to improve the quality of shots when it starts getting dark. In a response to customers, Drift Innovation has made it possible to plug in an external microphone so you can use your intercom bike system or regular external mic. The ContourHD 1080p In terms of the ContourHD 1080p, this upgrade from the original ContourHD clearly looks the part; an extremely stylish, solid device that is smaller and lighter than it's Drift rival. Without a screen the ContourHD laser-alignment technology helps in aligning your shot, although it sometimes produces mixed results. The ContourHD does not have a remote control, but is extremely easy to operate with one switch that simply starts and stops recording. There are plenty of additional mounts available for the 1080p, but with only the flat surface and goggle mount you will have to shop around for additional mounts to get shots from other perspectives. A crucial component of the ContourHD 1080p is that you can select the standard high definition video specification (720p) that offers 60 frames per second (fps). Compared to its Drift counterpart that only offers up to 30 fps, having the ability to film more frames per second can lead to a far smoother video recording. However, one area where the ContourHD falls down to the HD170 is that it only has the capacity to hold a 16Gb SD card, so you have less memory to record your adventures. With both action cameras, it is important to note that they are limited in terms of waterproof rating. The Drift HD170 is slightly more resistant to wet conditions, but be wary of the rain or mud. Each camera is a fantastic piece of kit and are capable of producing great action pictures, but it depends on what you want from an action camera to which you end up favouring. The ContourHD 1080 is more compact and it's recommended retail price is slightly cheaper than the Drift HD action camera. However, features of the Drift HD170; like the remote control, video playback screen and wide selection of mounts available should not be ignored when making your final decision. When comparing the two cameras, also consider online reviews so you can check the colour and clarity that each camera produces before you part with your valuable cash.