Mt. Fuji Climb with the Subaru Cycling Team (Test)

Ahh finally, a real chance to test out the as100v in a situation where I really needed it.

Last weekend I went on a cycling trip with the Subaru Cycling Team where we climbed to the 5th station of Mt. Fuji.  This was an all day trip with roughly 5,000 feet of climbing over a 25 kilometer course.  During this trip I cycled one of the most beautiful routes I have ever seen, made some great friends, and had the time of my life.  So how well did the Sony as100v capture these memories?

Both on and off the bike, this little camera was always a few seconds away from "off" to recording silky smooth 1080p 60fps wide angle video.  As I had experienced during my previous rides with this camera, the lightweight and aerodynamic design of the camera made it hard for me to even tell that the camera was mounted on my head.  It was a pleasure to ride with and I had the camera mounted on my head for the majority of the ride.  (I only took it off to use it with my monopod)  The aerodynamic design also came in handy when I was descending at 40mph.  

When I used a Gopro White Edition, using the camera was a pain and detracted from my overall riding experience.  It caught the headwinds and dragged my head back (which just felt miserable) and was heavy to the point where my helmet could not ventilate and I got drenched in sweat.  This as100v is a VAST improvement in every regard.

Its official, I love this camera.  You can be sure that it will be with me on every notable ride and trip I take from here on out.

Side Notes:  Another cyclist in the group also had an as100v and like me preferred to use it without the waterproof housing.  BUT he warned me that I should buy the front lens cover to protect the precious Carl Zeiss lens on the camera.   In hindsight I have to admit I am taking a huge risk riding without any protection on this lens.  (The cover is 20$ and depicted in the video)  Damage the lens, and your camera is heavily compromised.

Also, when you record with GPS with the intent to put GPS overlay on your video, you need to import it via Sony Playmemories Home.  I imported my descent videos in IMovie and deleted the video data, but it did not keep the GPS data.  

Sushi with the As100v

I suppose this will be the "shooting with the as100v in everyday life" video at a sushi restaurant in Shibuya.

The small size and lightweight design of the as100v allows it to fit easily into any pocket, making it a camera that I can have with me at all times.  Its fun and easy to shoot with and can be used in many creative ways.  This camera is just as much fun to use in everyday life as it is to shoot with on my bike.

Video note:  1080p, 30fps

(The 1080p 30 frames per second is noticeably less fluid and sharp than the 60fps video mode, so Id recommend sticking to 60fps for the best video quality if you are not using the XAVC mode.)

Sony as100v Hacks

Having a tripod mount on the As100v's waterproof case and on the body of the camera itself is absolutely awesome.  Because of this, the camera can be used with a wide variety of camera and video equipment.  Here are some cool accessories that you can buy that will make your shooting experience with the As100v even cooler.

A Joby Gorilla Pod.  Mount your As100v in anyway you can imagine anywhere.  

Its cheaper than the mounts that Sony offers and is much more flexible in its application.  I use this to mount my As100v on my bike handlebars, on my seat post, on the frame of my bike, and just to set it up on the street for some interesting ride by shots.  I also use this to hold the camera when I film walking around. 

Gopro Mount Adapter.  Switching from a Gopro like me? Prefer the Gopro mounts over the ones Sony offers?

Get this little adapter that exploits the tripod mounts on the As100v.  Problem solved.  

10$ on Amazon Japan.  

Not the As100v, but same concept.  On another note, Im so glad that Sony slimmed down the waterproof case from this behemoth.