What bike/helmet cam?

[ChrisH]

Please forgive me as I'm sure it's been asked before but seeing as technology moves on at the pace it does I'd like to know what cam kit and where to get a good deal please? I am very much into photography but have never owned a video cam etc. Going to Black forest and possibly on to some Alpine passes time permitting week after next and fancy getting a cam kit for the bike. If I can afford it possibly HD with lots of memory. Is it best to buy some kind of hard drive for memory or just SD cards?
Please can you advise me on what is best value and I obviously need everything.
Plus any advice for a newbie such as is it best on bike or helmet and I guess a switch on the bars would be good.
Would appreciate all the help/advice you can offer plus any good links to web sites.

Cheers guys...

Chris.

 

[dakarDude]

I just picked up a VHoldr Contour HD 1080p helmet camera. Its light, unobtrusive and you can buy a waterproof housing for it and it comes with goggle and helmet mounts. I looked at the GoPro cameras but they are a bit intrusive and stick out too far once mounted on a lid. Just my honest opinion.

I've only just started using my Contour, but have found the following:

- Seems to produce excellent sharp video, even on the "low" setting

- Get yourself at least one (or two) of the 16GB Kingston SDHC (micro) cards; the standard 2GB card that comes with it won't get you far

- Your PC needs to be pretty top spec. to be able to play the HD video back and its very demanding on the graphics subsystem to be honest

- They are going on ukgsers here for 275.00, which is pretty much, at the time of writing, to be as good as it gets for NEW:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227018

At "High" setting, 1080p, it will take up 1GB for every 15 minutes of video shot, so that should give you some idea.

As for mounting, I have only used it so far attached to my goggles (not using the velcro), seemed ok - but - on a rideout at the weekend, when we got some speed up and hit some dips, I did feel the goggle mount "bounce" a bit. My mate uses the same camera for snowboarding and he has complained about the goggle mount being a bit loose with a bit of give in it.

I've yet to try the velcro mount, but that concerns me a bit, will it hold?

As for a button for on and off - I would say the VHoldr doesnt really need it as it has a "slider" on top for on and off and I found that easy to work with.

A RAM mount option may be really good - but that may be limiting as you then can't look around and "point" at what you want to take footage of.

HTH.

 

[ChrisH]

Thanks DakarDude for the reply, One thing is I do not use goggles. Also is there any way of charging them while on the bike or rather running them on the bikes power?
Thanks again bud...

Chris.

 

[ChrisH]

Is this set up anywhere near the same quality?
http://www.sport-cam.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=SCHD720

Thanks

Chris.

 

[SamD]

I use a Vio POV 1.5, awesome quality and has a nice little remote that you can velcro anywhere within reach There are some videos on My YouTube Channel made with it

 

[ChrisH]

Thanks Sam, I've just been looking at that here...
http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/Helmet_Cameras_And_Head_Cams_Best_Selling
I see he also does the same camera as the guy on here, the camers is a little more but some other parts appear to be cheaper on the actioncameras site such as the water proof case for example.

Is there much difference inbetween say a Contour 1080 HD and a Pov 1.5 besides the best part of £200?

Chris.

 

[SamD]

Thanks Sam, I've just been looking at that here...
http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/Helmet_Cameras_And_Head_Cams_Best_Selling
I see he also does the same camera as the guy on here, the camers is a little more but some other parts appear to be cheaper on the actioncameras site such as the water proof case for example.

Is there much difference inbetween say a Contour 1080 HD and a Pov 1.5 besides the best part of £200?

Chris.

I think the POV is far better in marginal lighting conditions (dim and very bright) than anything else I've tried - and I've pretty much tried them all. It also has an external Mic socket which can be useful for keeping it out of the wind etc. I bought mine from Action Cameras, great guys to deal with

 

[advancedbiker]

You could always go the old way - Bullet Camera and Camcorder

I have been tempted by all this hard drive and card based cameras, buthave still go the older equiptment fitted to my GS.

Here is the set up : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM51XbXk2uQ

Regards

Nigel

aka advancedbiker - Youtube

 

[wheeledwidewebb]

IMHO it is all about ease of use, the last thing I want is to be faffing with something rather than concentrating on riding.

My Dogcam setup starts recording when I start the bike and then stops when the bike stops.

Simples.

Sorry thats overused and old hat.

Perfik.

No thats even worse.

 

[Big Derek]

Please forgive me as I'm sure it's been asked before but seeing as technology moves on at the pace it does I'd like to know what cam kit and where to get a good deal please? I am very much into photography but have never owned a video cam etc. Going to Black forest and possibly on to some Alpine passes time permitting week after next and fancy getting a cam kit for the bike. If I can afford it possibly HD with lots of memory. Is it best to buy some kind of hard drive for memory or just SD cards?
Please can you advise me on what is best value and I obviously need everything.
Plus any advice for a newbie such as is it best on bike or helmet and I guess a switch on the bars would be good.
Would appreciate all the help/advice you can offer plus any good links to web sites.

Cheers guys...

Chris.

i have a contour hd1080p and lots of extra's it was a xmas presi but i dont use it so it will all be up for sale soon...............as i get it sorted ? its as new

Big D

 

[ChrisH]

I think the POV is far better in marginal lighting conditions (dim and very bright) than anything else I've tried - and I've pretty much tried them all. It also has an external Mic socket which can be useful for keeping it out of the wind etc. I bought mine from Action Cameras, great guys to deal with

Cheers Sam. I wish you had not showed me this kit, pricey but looks very cool and tempting. Trouble is seeing as I have never used one I'm a little worried in case I spend my hard earned on something which ultimately ends up gathering dust. Then again my wife always says, "Buy cheap... buy twice." She knows I will always end up buying what I really want and seeing this - I really want.

Sound - I have looked at various clips on u-tube and noticed a lot of people do pick up rather a lot of wind noise. When using a remote mic, where do you place it?

Thanks again Sam,

Chris.

 

[ChrisH]

You sure know your stuff Nigel, that is a very smart set-up indeed.
Thank you for your input, starting to pick up on little bits n pieces already.

Thank you.

Chris

 

[ChrisH]

IMHO it is all about ease of use, the last thing I want is to be faffing with something rather than concentrating on riding.

My Dogcam setup starts recording when I start the bike and then stops when the bike stops.

Simples.

Sorry thats overused and old hat.

Perfik.

No thats even worse.

Had do do a google on Dogcam and turns out it's nothing like I thought

 

[ChrisH]

i have a contour hd1080p and lots of extra's it was a xmas presi but i dont use it so it will all be up for sale soon...............as i get it sorted ? its as new

Big D

Come on Big D... How much mister??? Oh and what other bits do you have?

Thank you for the reply.

Chris

 

[ChrisH]

Sorry guys for all the posts, half asleep and excited at the same time

Sam, I think I have already read somewhere that placing the cam behind the screen can pick up glare and distortions etc. So if I placed it on my crash bars for example and baring in mind the huge amount of dead wildlife one collects at this time of year - would you advise on a lens cover and will a proper lens cover cause any problems at all with glare etc? Do you use a lens cover your self?

Thanks again,

Chris.

 

[dakarDude]

Thanks DakarDude for the reply, One thing is I do not use goggles. Also is there any way of charging them while on the bike or rather running them on the bikes power?
Thanks again bud...

Chris.

No probs - the VHoldr comes with velcro attachments that will let you attach it without the need for goggles - so it would work. A RAM mount method would also work (do a Google on that).

As for power, early days for me as yet, sorry no details - I just charge it up then go but I'm not using it in anger yet.

 

[casperghst42]

Is this set up anywhere near the same quality?
http://www.sport-cam.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=SCHD720

I got the equivilent from Dog Cam, and no it is not, but it's cheap

<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10928142&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10928142&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>

And I'm having some issues with mine, it sometimes hang, and the only way to resolve it is to remove the battery.

Casper

 

[Big Derek]

I got the equivilent from Dog Cam, and no it is not, but it's cheap

<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10928142&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10928142&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>

And I'm having some issues with mine, it sometimes hang, and the only way to resolve it is to remove the battery.

Casper

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[SamD]

Sorry guys for all the posts, half asleep and excited at the same time

Sam, I think I have already read somewhere that placing the cam behind the screen can pick up glare and distortions etc. So if I placed it on my crash bars for example and baring in mind the huge amount of dead wildlife one collects at this time of year - would you advise on a lens cover and will a proper lens cover cause any problems at all with glare etc? Do you use a lens cover your self?

Thanks again,

Chris.

I tend to have the cam mounted either on the helmet or on the rear luggage plate. I haven't particularly experienced insect interference so far

 

[AbsoluteLupo]

I have a thing called a 'muvi'
it's small, cheap - the sound quality is awful but for 60 odd pounds its great quality footage you can stick it pretty much anywhere (i have it on the bridge of my glasses when riding)

Max