If you thought that the action cam market couldn't possibly get any more crowded, you would be wrong. Earlier this week, Swann Security threw their hat into the ring by introducing their new Bolt HD wearable camera, a competent looking offering with specs designed to compete with the big boys in this market.This camera is capable of shooting full HD 1080P video at 30 frames per second with high quality stereo sound. It is rugged, shockproof and waterproof down to 32 feet, the Bolt is capable of being mounted on a variety of surfaces. It records all the action on a microSD card (up to 32GB) and a built in HDMI port allows quick viewing on monitors and HDTV's. Swann promises hours of battery life from the cameras lithium-ion battery, but exactly how many hours remains to be seen. The camera even comes with a remote control, which allows users to operate the camera from a distance.
At this point, any entry into the action cam market has to have something unique to set it apart from the crowd. In the case of the Bolt, it is numerous mounts that are available for the device. Swann has built a curved surface mount, a flat surface mount and of course a helmet mount, amongst others. The hope is that those mounts, coupled with the fairly standard tech specs will help make this camera a popular one.
The other feature that sets it apart? The price! The Bolt runs just $199, which is fairly inexpensive for these types of cameras. Of course, most of the competition have baked in WiFi, smartphone interaction and other high end features that the Bolt lacks. At least for now.
If you're looking for what appears to be a solid action camera at an affordable price, then this looks like it will be a decent choice. The fact that it comes with a remote control and numerous options for mounts makes this an intriguing new entry to the market. Whether it can compete with GoPro remains to be seen.
