Review of Vivitar DVR785HD a low cost alternative to the Gopro Hero 3

My wife got me the Vivitar DVR785HD for Christmas.The DVR785HD is an alternative to the Gopro Hero 3 at a fraction of the cost. I believe the Vivitar got Lukewarm reviews on Amazon due to the fact that people were comparing it to the much more costly Gopro Hero 3. In my opinion, the Vivitar DVR785HD is a great action camcorder for the price!

The DVR785DR does not have all of options and resolution settings as the Gopro Hero 3, but it does have 5 Megapixel image elements which is the same as the Gopro. Here are the specifications of the Vivitar DVR785HD:

• 5MP 2592 x 1944 resolution
• 2" touch preview screen
• Built-in Lithium-Ion battery

The following accessories are included:

• USB cable
• AC Charger
• Waterproof Casing
• Video Editing Software
• Bicycle handlebar mount
• Strap for helmet mount
• Protective cover with mount, used when waterproof casing is not required

Please note, a Micro SD card is not included and is required before any video or pictures can be taken. A typical 32MB Micro SD card will set you back another $20 dollars. I was amazed at the size of the camera once removed from the waterproof casing, it is tiny and only weighs a couple ounces. The camera has three modes Video Capture, Picture Capture, Vehicle Mounted Video Capture. Video and Picture Capture are self explanatory. The manual specifies to use Vehicle Mounted Capture mode when in motion and using the helmet or bicycle mount. I assume it has some sort of mechanism that reduces jitters in Vehicle Mounted Capture mode. Some people purchase this camera and use it as a low cost dash camera for their automobile. The camera comes with a bicycle handlebar camera mount but it should also fit most motorcycle handle bars. You may need to get a little more creative in mounting the camera to a sport bike with clip-on handlebars. In Vehicle Mounted Capture mode, it captures video in 5 minute segments, saved in AVI file format. It looks like the video capture software included, called Vivitar Experience Software, will allow you to download the segments to your computer then splice them together. The included video capture software also allows you to easily upload your video to media sites such as YouTube.

I set my DVR785HD in Vehicle Capture Mode and let it run for an hour, after the hour it still had plenty of charge left in the internal Lithium battery and ample room on the Micro SD Card.

The only down side to this camera is that you have to remove it from the waterproof case to change capture modes.

Given the Vivitar DVR785HD's features and low cost, I think this action camcorder would be a great gift for the active outdoor sports enthusiast in your life. Maybe a great gift for yourself!