Sena has always been a rider favorite, especially mine, when it comes to rider communication systems. As an early adopter of the technology, it was a pleasant surprise when the Sena SMH series came to the country.
Now Sena introduces the Sena Prism. The new kid on the block in the emerging action camera market, the Sena Prism offers a sleek package of high quality video via it’s 1080p 30fps, 720p 30/60fps, and 480p 120fps video range and high quality audio, which is achieved by the seamless integration with the already popular Sena communication system.
For long time Sena users, the Prism is easy to use. Pairing is incredibly easy and straightforward. Once paired you can control the Prism via your communication system with audio feedback. If you don’t want to pair it to your system you can opt to use it as just a camera using the on board controls consisting of two buttons (M for Menu and S for Select) which is located on top of the camera. Controls are intuitive and an audible beep lets you know you’ve moved to a different mode.
Video quality is very good. Though lacking the 1080p 60fps setting found in most High Definition action cameras, I found the remaining settings adequate for my needs. As with all other cameras the Prism is best used under optimal lighting conditions though I found its low light captures were slightly better than its counterparts, but not by much though.
The real key feature of the Prism is the ability to sync your audio with the video wirelessly. Audio quality, when solo, is fantastic. The audio is recorded in stereo and is clear and crisp. Group audio records at a lower quality, seeming a bit muffled sometimes, but with several voices being recorded at the same time I guess some compromises have to be made.
This makes recording your Vlog, or just random thought of your ride as well as making training videos much easier and feel more “in the moment” rather than having to dub the audio over during editing. The Prism just makes all of these possible with so little fuss. Word of caution though, using Bluetooth audio decreases your communicator’s battery life severely. In my experience, my SMH-10 died after about 2 hours of continuous use.
The Prism’s battery life, while better than the competition, is still short for those really long epic rides. The battery usually lasts anywhere from 2 to 2.5 hours. But you can use it while charging which makes a world of a difference, especially if you have a 12V power source on your bike. Just make sure to check the unit every so often as it does get quite hot when charging.
(Video chat sample – Idle chatter)
The Sena Prism comes with many mounting options, out of the box, as any of the other brands out there. Several helmet mounts, suction mounts, handlebar mounts and many other things. This makes up for the Prisms’ rather steep price by giving you everything you could possibly need, and more, without the need to buy anything else.
In conclusion, Sena has created a high quality product which integrates easily with their Bluetooth communication line. With nearly endless mounting options available out of the box, as well as a waterproof case, should you need it, the Prisms’ value is unbeatable. As a camera specifically built for motorcycling, the Prism is the best in the market.
The Sena Prism is available at all Motomarket and Motoworld stores.