# Contour Camera Goes Out of Business



## AWP (Aug 14, 2013)

That sucks. I really like their profile compared to the GoPro.

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/brier...le-camera-maker-contour-shuttered-apparently/


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## RustyShackleford (Aug 14, 2013)

Interesting . I've seen as many Contours out there as GoPros.  I actually have a GoPro (courtesy of an operation that we participated in) but cost and profile make the Contour a good alternative.


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## Blizzard (Aug 14, 2013)

This really does suck.  I really liked their products but didn't hear any glowing comments about their customer service.  I see the "action cam" space getting a lot more competitive though, with "real" camera manufacturers.  I'm a little surprised that someone larger didn't buy them up.  Makes you wonder if there were "other" management issues, evidently one of the co-founders/CEO left earlier this year.


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## Arrow 4 (Aug 14, 2013)

I used my Contour to capture the bow shot on my archery bull Elk hunt last year...pretty bitchin camera. I also trained with a SWAT team last week that was wanting to buy them.


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## DA SWO (Aug 14, 2013)

Bummer, hopefully someone else buys the company.
That was actually on my list of items to buy.


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## Mac_NZ (Aug 14, 2013)

Sony actioncam is a decent alternative.  I had a contour but it copped a sim round and that was all she wrote.


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## DA SWO (Aug 14, 2013)

Soo, should I use the credit card to buy a contour and helmet mount?


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## Hillclimb (Aug 14, 2013)

SOWT said:


> Soo, should I use the credit card to buy a contour and helmet mount?



Do you think there would be a price drop/sale with them going out of business? Thats what I'm kind of hoping for before I buy one.

I'm a cheap bastard


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## DA SWO (Aug 14, 2013)

Hillclimb said:


> Do you think there would be a price drop/sale with them going out of business? Thats what I'm kind of hoping for before I buy one.
> 
> I'm a cheap bastard


Don't know; if they are good then the price may stay up as people snatch the remaining cameras up (200, plus 23 for a mount)


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## Hillclimb (Aug 14, 2013)

SOWT said:


> Don't know; if they are good then the price may stay up as people snatch the remaining cameras up (200, plus 23 for a mount)



I'm just trying to avoid episode 24: Hillclimb buys a new toy, then it goes on sale 2 days later.


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## Coyote (Aug 20, 2013)

Fuck, I was going to buy a Contour after  going through this process of returning a THIRD in a row faulty POS GoPro. Looks like I gotta do more browsing.


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## DA SWO (Aug 20, 2013)

Coyote said:


> Fuck, I was going to buy a Contour after  going through this process of returning a THIRD in a row faulty POS GoPro. Looks like I gotta do more browsing.


I got a Contour off Amazon, and it should arrive tomorrow, has to be better then the GoPro my son loaned me.


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## Coyote (Aug 20, 2013)

SOWT said:


> I got a Contour off Amazon, and it should arrive tomorrow, has to be better then the GoPro my son loaned me.



Did your son's GoPro have any issues when you were using it?


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## DA SWO (Aug 20, 2013)

Not really, just bulky and not (to me) user friendly.  I will probably run them side by side for a couple of month and send him the one I don't like.


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## AWP (Aug 26, 2013)

One that recently appeared on the market, though I don't know much about it, is the Garmin VIRB.


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## DA SWO (Aug 26, 2013)

Pulled my contour out of the box.
1st bitch; no instructions.  You have to go on-line to get them.  Hate to be some Joe at a COB with no access.  Cheap move IMHO.


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## 21C (Aug 29, 2013)

Shit. Just as I was looking to upgrade my 1st gen contour. I really don't want to go down the GoPro route either...


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## pardus (Aug 29, 2013)

SOWT said:


> Pulled my contour out of the box.
> 1st bitch; no instructions.  You have to go on-line to get them.  Hate to be some Joe at a COB with no access.  Cheap move IMHO.



Mine is still sitting in it's box after 18mths or so. I tried to get it going once and gave up. Do you have the link for the instructions?


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## DA SWO (Aug 29, 2013)

pardus said:


> Mine is still sitting in it's box after 18mths or so. I tried to get it going once and gave up. Do you have the link for the instructions?


contour.com/startROAM2 for my camera.

freaking six page users man.


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## pardus (Aug 29, 2013)

SOWT said:


> contour.com/startROAM2 for my camera.
> 
> freaking six page users man.



Thanks mate.


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## amlove21 (Aug 30, 2013)

We recently found this out at work, when we called to order like, 12 of them. :wall:


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## DA SWO (Aug 31, 2013)

amlove21 said:


> We recently found this out at work, when we called to order like, 12 of them. :wall:


Amazon and ebay are your friend.

I just started playing with mine, it seems easier then the GoPro.  Will test them side by side in a couple of weeks.


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## Mike K. (Sep 26, 2013)

Gents,

If I may step in here with a comment.  Keep your eyes on Contour, like the Phoenix, you should see some activity soon.

They were due to come out with two new cameras this fall, along with a specialized case. The Garmin VIRB will be a nice unit but there really is no need for an on-camera screen in many applications.

Cheers !

Mike K.


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## Polar Bear (Sep 26, 2013)

Mike K. said:


> Gents,
> 
> If I may step in here with a comment.  Keep your eyes on Contour, like the Phoenix, you should see some activity soon.
> 
> ...


Please post an Intro, which is required. To be blunt this is the 1st and only warning, as per site rules.


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## Grey (Sep 30, 2013)

I don't know I love my GoPro. Although I agree the Contours profile is better compared to the GoPros square shape. The Contour is almost too simple to me, I like the options the GoPro gives. But if Contours start going cheap I'll be all over that.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Feb 17, 2014)

I just got my GoPro in for my Birthday......


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## Mike K. (Feb 18, 2014)

SpongeBob, that's great!

Just an update for those who are curious.  As you may know, Contour closed it's doors in Sept.  The employees were all called into a conference room at noon on a Friday, a board member called in on a speaker phone, thanked them for their efforts, said the company was closing that afternoon, there is no severance pay, grab your gear, the locks are being changed.  That's how it went down.  About 65 folks out of work.

The assets were sold to a VC investor and moved to Salt Lake City.  His intentions were to sell off what they had and then resume production, selling to Costco and Walmart.  I really think he'll have a tough time.  All the brain trust and talent was in Seattle.  I'm not sure how the warranties will be handled.  You may be SOL.

GoPro sold just over a million cameras last year.  They are the Apple or MicroSoft of the POV camera industry.  It's an interesting market. 

Hopefully, one of the others on the market will work well for your various applications.

Prost !

Mike K.


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## AWP (Feb 18, 2014)

The rig in Spongebob's post was THE hot ticket for skydiving and probably skiing or similar applications "back in the day." Lew Sanborn, Carl Boenish, and Bob Buquor were skydiving camera pioneers and that looks like a setup they used.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Feb 18, 2014)

My guess is a circa 1970 Warren Miller rig from the back country of Sun Valley......


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## DA SWO (Feb 18, 2014)

Freefalling said:


> The rig in Spongebob's post was THE hot ticket for skydiving and probably skiing or similar applications "back in the day." Lew Sanborn, Carl Boenish, and Bob Buquor were skydiving camera pioneers and that looks like a setup they used.





SpongeBob*24 said:


> My guess is a circa 1970 Warren Miller rig from the back country of Sun Valley......



You two actually remember the 70's?

HA!  I don't believe it.


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## AWP (Feb 18, 2014)

SOWT said:


> You two actually remember the 70's?
> 
> HA!  I don't believe it.


 
I do and I also read a book. Once.


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## DA SWO (Feb 18, 2014)

Freefalling said:


> I do and I also read a book. Once.


Dr Seuss doesn't count.


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## AWP (Feb 18, 2014)

SOWT said:


> Dr Seuss doesn't count.


 
One fish,
two fish,
red fish,
back to the nursing home, you.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Feb 18, 2014)

SOWT said:


> You two actually remember the 70's?
> 
> HA!  I don't believe it.



Yeah, I was running around just like now, no pants and no hair............:blkeye::wall:


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## Mike K. (Feb 18, 2014)

I can't imagine what that felt like when the chute opened.
Re: Warren Miller, I remember when he personally narrated his films.
Re: The Garmin VIRB.  Great company. Large body.  Not easily adaptable to mounts as the Contour was.  Not sure how well it will be accepted.

Mike K.


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## AWP (Apr 8, 2014)

They may be back in business.

http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/contour-returns-promises-new-pov-action-cams-soon/

http://www.photographybay.com/2014/01/09/contour-is-back-in-the-action-cam-business/


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## DA SWO (Apr 8, 2014)

Freefalling said:


> They may be back in business.
> 
> http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/contour-returns-promises-new-pov-action-cams-soon/
> 
> http://www.photographybay.com/2014/01/09/contour-is-back-in-the-action-cam-business/


Saw that on Soldier Systems.net; hope so as I have a Roam2.


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## Mike K. (Apr 10, 2014)

Freefall,

Thanks for the heads up.  I had a couple of folks send me the news.  I think it's great that Contour is coming back around.  I and a number of others, prefer the design and features of the Contour.    The size and shape work well for a number of applications and customers (SO, LE and others).  
In conversation with the Contour marketing manager the week after they closed, we talked about the physical differences between the two.  I was very pro Contour.  He reminded me that I viewed the product as someone from a different (older ?) generation.  He educated me that the younger generation (majority of purchasers) viewed the cameras as just a vehicle to get their end product (YouTube videos, selfies, etc).  They really don't care about the style because the end result is what they're interested in.

Early last year (March?), Foxcomm purchased a 9% stake in GoPro for $200m.  With that influx of money, advertising of the GoPro exploded.  And of course, that younger generation wanted/needed to identify with all those younger sports heroes/adventurers.   Hence, record sales for the year.  And only increasing.

Sorry to be a little long winded, but it's interesting to watch/been somewhat involved in, a small company that has a great product, almost disappears, then comes back to life.

I hope that Contour continues to develop/support, product and customers.

Cheers !!

Mike K.


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## Blizzard (Apr 10, 2014)

I hope they make it back.  I liked their product and would've been a buyer but in light of the earlier news I picked up a GoPro Hero3 Black several months ago instead.


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## DA SWO (Apr 11, 2014)

Mike K. said:


> Freefall,
> 
> Thanks for the heads up.  I had a couple of folks send me the news.  I think it's great that Contour is coming back around.  I and a number of others, prefer the design and features of the Contour.    The size and shape work well for a number of applications and customers (SO, LE and others).
> In conversation with the Contour marketing manager the week after they closed, we talked about the physical differences between the two.  I was very pro Contour.  He reminded me that I viewed the product as someone from a different (older ?) generation.  He educated me that the younger generation (majority of purchasers) viewed the cameras as just a vehicle to get their end product (YouTube videos, selfies, etc).  They really don't care about the style because the end result is what they're interested in.
> ...



If I was Contour I'd be concentrating on Military/LE/Fire Communities.

I have a Go-Pro and Contour, the Contour is my hands-down favorite.


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## Ranger Psych (Apr 14, 2014)

Contour's won't stand up to fire service use.  They melt like nobody's business. Gopros won't either


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## digrar (Jan 8, 2018)

GoPro shares slump as it sacks 255 workers, slashes CEO's pay to $US1

Looks like GoPro is on it's last legs too.


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## Florida173 (Jan 9, 2018)

digrar said:


> GoPro shares slump as it sacks 255 workers, slashes CEO's pay to $US1
> 
> Looks like GoPro is on it's last legs too.


I thought it was related to their drone industry, not cameras


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## Topkick (Jan 9, 2018)

Ranger Psych said:


> Contour's won't stand up to fire service use.  They melt like nobody's business. Gopros won't either



I use a GoPro when diving. Have had no problems with it. Is there something better out there that's reasonably priced?


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## Ranger Psych (Jan 9, 2018)

Topkick said:


> I use a GoPro when diving. Have had no problems with it. Is there something better out there that's reasonably priced?



My go-to helmet cam when I was using one was off Heat Resistant Fire Cam Fire Helmet Cameras Cyber Monday


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## Gunz (Jan 9, 2018)

digrar said:


> GoPro shares slump as it sacks 255 workers, slashes CEO's pay to $US1
> 
> Looks like GoPro is on it's last legs too.




Their product was too expensive.


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## Topkick (Jan 9, 2018)

My teenage son tells me that most people his age still prefer the original 100.00 GoPro over the advanced models. This explains a lot, the first model is often sold out while the more expensive models sit on the shelves.


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## DA SWO (Jan 9, 2018)

My contour still runs, and has survived a few jumps.


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## policemedic (Jan 9, 2018)

DA SWO said:


> My contour still runs, and has survived a few jumps.



Ditto. It’s been knocked around a lot but still runs fine.


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## ShadowSpear (Jan 9, 2018)

My GoPro hero 2 battery died from the temps on Rainier, but my hero5 (which is a huge improvement) has survived several higher peaks and retained its charge in 30 degree water. I love that thing.


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