14 DAY TRIAL // Panasonic has a whole bunch of cameras on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2013), but not all of them follow the usual type of blueprint. The HX-A100, in particular, is quite unusual.
The first reason the HX-A100 qualifies as unusual is the fact that it is a piece of headwear, not something carried in a pouch, pocket or on a string around the neck.
That is only half-true, of course. The image finder is worn over an ear, but the rest of the camera, the body so to speak, is strapped to the forearm with a special band.
The second reason it qualifies as unusual is that the above features and design elements don't come at the cost of functionality or endurance.
Indeed, Panasonic managed to make the HX-A100 more resistant to harm than most other cameras.
It even has IPX-8 compliance, which means it can be submerged underwater at a depth of up to 5 feet (1.52 meters).
Most buyers probably won't have a reason to dive underwater in any case, unless they are visiting a swimming pool.
Still, it helps to know that the camera won't be in danger even in the most violent of rain downpours.
Moving on, the folks at Engadget have been able to test the camera a bit and have learned something important: Panasonic's invention isn't uncomfortable.
They have even confirmed that the camera can be attached to cars and other vehicles, although it won't be very easy to set things up.
The memory card and the battery are both in the main control unit, which means that the recording piece needs to be connected to it through the cable, and that doesn't allow for much room to maneuver.
Panasonic may or may not make a wireless version of this camera. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are evolved enough to keep up with the data streams involved in 1080p (60 Hz) and 720p (120 Hz) recording, as well as 640 x 360 recording in 240 fps. No pricing and availability details exist yet.
