if a skier leaps over a tree
in the forest and
nobody witnesses it, has this feat actually
happened? It’s a philosophical question
that’s pretty much a moot point these days,
given the burgeoning number of camera
lenses found glinting around the mountains.
There’s a growing number of thrill-seeking narcissists
who can be seen toting tiny, helmet-mounted
video widgets enabling them to bring home
footage of themselves hurtling over moguls. In
a spot of good news for them, GoPro, the brand
leader in this market, has just updated its two
top models. These are now a tad smaller than
their predecessors, have enhanced battery life
and are, undoubtedly, class-leading kit. The
mind boggles at the ability to capture 4K-calibre footage
(ie, way better than plain-old HD) from something similar
in size to a deck of cards.
This is merely one option amid
a blizzard of gizmos with
which to capture your own
winter pyrotechnics. For
instance, the new Xsories
“Coming along for the ride?”
A growing number of thrill-seeking skiers and boarders now film their antics
but, asks
Alex Pell
, who really wants to watch?
V I E W P O I N T S
T E C H
T A L K
vital
statistics
gopro hero
3
+
black edition
£359
gopro.com
Weye Feye
(£199, weye-feye.com)
promises you control
of a Canon or Nikon SLR camera from up to 180m away
via an app so you don’t have to risk being clattered on by
the person you’re aiming to get that killer shot of. Some
resorts have even installed strategically positioned
cameras that are automatically triggered by a chip skiers
carry around on their pass. A good example can be found
at the snow park in Val Thorens.
The question is, have we lost sight of the
real reason for hitting the slopes in the first
place? Don’t get me wrong: I love action
photography and apps that enable me to track
performance and then share it. However, I
wonder if the process of logging every detail
means we’ve lost something precious en
route: that
joie de vivre
experienced during a fleeting
adrenaline high, when home really does seem a million
miles away. Surely that doesn’t need a witness.
Then again, we all love watching
a smug loved one taking a fall
while showing off. And if you can
watch this on repeat and in high-
definition, then all the better….
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