Case Turns iPhone into Rugged P.O.V. camera

Could your iPhone soon replace your helmet cam? A new product, the Hitcase Pro, is touted to do just that with a waterproof build and a wide-angle lens.

The glass lens doubles the iPhone’s effective field of view. This lets you capture a scene with the characteristic wider “fisheye” look seen on many P.O.V. (nee “helmet”) cameras.

Made of polycarbonate, the hard-side case snaps onto an iPhone. It’s made for the iPhone 4/4s and is available now. An iPhone 5 version is coming in December.

It seals watertight for protection up to 30 feet underwater. Foam inside the case protects it from shock in a fall.

At $130, the case is pricey. But if the P.O.V. capabilities are as good as the company claims, that price is less of a hit to the pocketbook than most dedicated cameras. Plus, many people already have an iPhone.

As expected, the case adds some bulk to the phone. But unlike more minimal cases, the Hitcase Pro was designed for heavy-duty action, namely mountain bike crashes and rough landings on skis.

The back story on this case? The company says the Hitcase Pro came about as a result of a collaboration between the brand’s CEO, Brooks Bergreen, and freeride mountain biker Andrew Taylor.

Prior to partnering in 2011, both of these men had been working independently to create a case that would allow for better iPhone capture functionality outdoors and in the unforgiving world of action sports. After more than a year of design and testing, the pair believe they’ve done just that.

We’re looking forward to finding out what this case is capable of doing. Stay tuned for a full review.

The Hitcase Pro is on sale now at www.hitcase.com, and later this year REI and Apple stores, the company notes, will stock the uber-case for consumers.

—Patrick Murphy is an assistant editor.