The good: Compact design allows hands- and wire-free digital recordings, shock-resistant and waterproof to 10 feet, inexpensive compared to other video cams

The bad: Internal memory provides only 1 to 2 minutes of video recording time, video can be choppy depending on what you’re doing, poor sound quality, interface buttons hard to push, small LCD menu screen

The Action Cameras bottom line: For an entry level camera for capturing decent “foot”age without costing an arm and a leg, the ATC2K is leaps ahead.

Whether you are surfing, skiing, mountain biking or rock climbing, Oregon Scientific’s ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam records it all. This compact and wireless unit mounts easily to your helmet, swim mask, leg, arm, bike or other equipment for hands-free digital recording. The ATC2K lets you record still images or full-color digital video at three resolutions, including 640×480 VGA at a smooth 30 frames per second. Because it’s shock-resistant and waterproof up to 10 feet deep, this gadget can handle whatever abuse you can dish out (within reason).

The ATC2K packs 32MB of onboard memory, and it has an SD memory card slot that accepts cards up to 2GB (not included). The internal memory only gives you 1 to 2 minutes of video recording time, so we recommend you buy the largest card possible, and a 2GB card expands your capacity to about 1 hour of footage at the highest resolution. The ATC2K won’t produce the same quality as a more expensive video cam, but because it’s compact, durable and waterproof, it can go where bulky systems can’t. Plus, there is no tether or cabling to get in the way.

Of course, considering the size and utility of the ATC2K, the design requires some sacrifices. Aiming the ATC2K takes some practice, as there is no viewscreen to show what you are filming. The menu-driven LCD display is small, so navigating the miniature icons can be difficult. The sound quality is also a bit lacking. The control buttons are hard to push, especially when wearing gloves. On the other hand, you can easily play back your footage on your television or PC, as the ATC2K comes with a TV cable for instant replay as well as a USB connector for quick computer uploads for editing.

The ATC2K package includes a variety of mounting hardware and fasteners for hands-free recording. The unit runs on two AA batteries (not included), and lithium batteries are recommend for optimal performance in colder conditions.

Despite a few shortcomings, the Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam is an inexpensive all-terrain video cam that can produce some thrilling images and videos.

Here’s what a user had to say about the ATC2K…

I read a lot of reviews about this camera on the internet before buying this and was a little skeptical. However i can only say that i was really impressed when i got it out. Took it snowboarding in Tignes, and it coped very well with heavy snowfall, -10 conditions, a huge wipe out and the attachments fitted my helmet perfectly. For the price of a budget digital camera this portable waterproof camcorder with mic is def worth every penny – Great Product!