MXA TEAM TESTED: ISAW A3 EXTREME HD ACTION CAMERA

WHAT IS IT? The A3 Extreme is Isaw’s most advanced action camcorder to date. Isaw is out to compete with the brand leader, GoPro, and they have the power to do so.

WHAT’S IT COST? $379.99.

CONTACT? www.isawusa.com or your local dealer.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Isaw A3 Extreme camera.

(1) Potential. Isaw cameras are new to the point-of-view market. With two products, the Isaw Advance ($279.99) and the Extreme ($379.99), they came to play with the big boys. The Advance targets the weekend-warrior crowd. It does not have the Wi-Fi feature, and the quality of the components is a bit downgraded from the Extreme. The Extreme uses the latest technology and satisfies the needs of professionals.

(2) Features. The Extreme captures video in a variety of resolutions—from 480p to 1080p, with still photos from 5MP to 12MP. The interface only uses three buttons to control the numerous features. What stands out with the Isaw Extreme is the 2-inch LCD screen. The big screen allows you to playback video and check out the pictures you just shot. We also played around with the Wi-Fi features using both the Isaw Wi-Fi remote controller ($99.99) and the Isaw smartphone app (free).

(3) Accessories. When we opened the box, we were excited by the array of goodies that were included. There was a curved helmet mount, tripod mount, surf mount and two flat mounts. A waterproof housing, open frame and four different connectors were also included. Isaw offers accessories that are sold separately, such as the chest mount ($32.99), car charger kit ($19.99) or a head-strap mount ($15.99).

(4) Performance. We compared the Isaw Extreme to the GoPro Black Edition, and we have to say we were impressed with the Isaw’s performance. The user-friendly interface and integrated 2-inch display made setting up the camera a breeze. The battery life of the Isaw, at 111 minutes, was 21 minutes longer than the GoPro Black’s. The video and image quality were more vibrant, even though the GoPro Black had a higher max pixel rating of 1440p compared to the Extreme’s 1080p. For our use, 1080p was more than enough. The Isaw is slightly bigger due to the included LCD screen.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? Our only wish is that we did not have to fork out the extra cheddar for a Micro SD card. They can be expensive.