Just that really. Something reliable and robust. Open minded about budget.
Thanks.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Computers, GPS, 'Smart' 'Phones
helmet camera recommendations?
(36 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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I have a Contour Roam 1600 which has proved very reliable, robust and waterproof for two years now. Picture quality in daylight is great, there are better cameras for night-time use.
I have it on the handlebars, as I'm doubtful of the wisdom of attaching something hard to my head, in case I fall on it.
Microphone isn't hugely sensitive and is usually dominated by noise transmitted through the frame.
Cost about £100.
Sample footage
Posted 9 years ago # -
That looks ideal and very reasonable. Will google it. Shocking footage - particularly the near miss!!
Thanks
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have a Contour Roam2 'model1800k' that I bought secondhand on eBay. i use it with both handlebar and helmet mounts. Agree with Greenroofer's take - its basically good for what I want/need most of the time.
Have had an odd thing recently though - suddenly the memory card doesn't seem to hold as much as it used to. could I have switched something without knowing it? set it to a higher resolution/file size? any other ideas?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Sara, not sure about the contour but the GoPro stores low resolution copies of videos on the memory card that you need to periodically delete to free up space.
If there is an option in the camera to format the card, that might be the easiest way to delete everything on it and free up spacePosted 9 years ago # -
In answer to the original question, I have a GoPro 3+ black, which gives good results, but expensive, and a bit bulky.
I have also found that footage when it is mounted on my head is a lot crisper than when mounted elsewhere (handlebar/chest) as the human body/neck is excellent at absorbing the bumps & potholes of our excellently maintained roads.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have the Garmin Virb (Not elite). Paid £89 for it on IWOOT.com.
Love it and great edit software where you can sync your GPS info onto it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I think a Virb might be on my shopping list next when the Contour goes to the great camera graveyard in the sky.
richardlmpearson's video does highlight the problem with noise transmitted through the frame that I mentioned with the Contour. There's definitely a market for a handlebar mount that absorbs some of that noise.
I forgot to mention with the Contour that on bumpy roads it's sometimes hard to read registration plates if you get a bump at the wrong moment. I don't know if something with a higher frame rate (60fps?) would avoid that.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I got a Virb Elite a couple of weeks ago.
It's mounted on the handlebars so forget about the sound as it just picks up vibration and clicks from the frame. I'll probably get a different mount for Legoland in the summer and I'll not need to worry about other cameras or phones getting wet.
You can set it to show various things on the screen as it goes along. I've got it set for speed but heading or G might be interesting too.
Prices for the Virb and Virb Elite dropped precipitously around Christmas. I assumed there was a new model on the way but it hasn't happened yet.
It's fun to watch the line I take on bends and how much it leans on cornering.
Yesterday I caught a taxi which used to take number 4 son to school but had ditched the contract because they couldn't afford it and were putting the car off the road except I saw it beside the Fountain in Coatbridge, where the bike counter is.
Virb Edit uses the GPS info. You can also import video into iMovie but you lose the GPS and if you have the SD card reader for an iPad it works with that version of iMovie too.
The Elite can be controlled by your phone. That's not too useful when you're moving but it's an easy way to change settings and you can fire the shutter or start it recording remotely.
Mr Orange Brompton reviewed it here:
http://www.myorangebrompton.com/2013/11/garmin-virb-elite-part-1-first.html
and here:
http://www.myorangebrompton.com/2014/01/garmin-virb-elite-part-2.html
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've got a contour roam, still going strong after a few years. Not sure what I would get now, as the GoPros are relatively bulky (I prefer the "bullet" style if I'm going to stick it on my head).
Posted 9 years ago # -
Last (I promise) observation from me on this. I have a 16Gb card in my Contour Roam, which I'm mentioning because I find that this card fills up at the same rate as the battery empties. This means that, starting from a full charge and an empty card, by the time the battery is empty the card is full and it's time to take the camera off the bike. Clearly, this would also be the case with a larger card, but with a smaller one you'll be having to empty the card when you don't need to charge the camera.
I record about 20 minutes of footage a day, and I charge the camera once a week.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Mine is 16 too. Used to last several days. Now filling after only 2 rides (1 day ).
Baffled.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Try formatting it? Then you can rule out something dodgy with the card rather than a setting on the camera.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks for all your advice - I ordered the Contour Roam 2, although I did swither with the Virb elite.
Great price and ticks all the boxes for me. Can't wait to try it out.
Thanks again :)
Posted 9 years ago # -
For the benefit of future readers (being too late for lorlane), I had a DogCam Bullet HD, however its non-removable battery deteriorated to the point that it wasn't enough for one way of my regular commute. Until then it was grand, discrete, adequate quality for reading number plates (in daytime), etc.
Somewhat put me off fixed batteries, so went hunting for something new, and decided the "standard" of the GoPro meant continued parts/battery/mounts availability for longer than other makes. That said, their cheapest model doesn't have a replaceable battery, so I stepped up one to ensure that a dead battery doesn't result in a dead camera.
The GoPro was more expensive, but does better in low light - yet the physical format is much less attractive than a bullet or cylindrical format.
Robert
Posted 9 years ago # -
I find the Contour Roam 2 isn't great in the dark, but is ok for my uses most of the year.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I got one of these from eBay for £35. I've sent it back as it was awful, didn't work well at all.
http://imgur.com/3BDP1Th
Just got a kitvision HD3000 from argos for £70.
http://imgur.com/IHQQGEz
Gets good reviews and seems like a nice bit of kit.
I'll let you know how it goes after a couple of spins.Posted 9 years ago # -
Are those images not showing?
I uploaded them to imgur and pasted the url into the image thingy.
goddammit!Posted 9 years ago # -
"Are those images not showing?"
Sorted
The URL is for the page, not actual images so don't need [img] tags.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Testing, testing 1. 2. 3.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I can never figure out which one to use; link, direct link, BB code, markdown code, linked bb or html code.
Anyway, thanks chdot.Posted 9 years ago # -
About £45 will get you either a small HD Mobius camera, mountable discreetly on a helmet with a bit of invention, or an HD SJ4000 with the form factor of a GoPro. Either will do, but the battery life of the Mobius is better (80 min v about 60, iirc). Peace of mind for any incidents.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I almost bought a mobius until I realised it wouldn't be water resistant.
Are the waterproof cases any good?Posted 9 years ago # -
Like lorlane I was switchering between the Contour Roam2 and the Garmin Virb.
I went with the Virb in the end as I like the other Garmin gear I've got (Forerunner and Edge).
Posted 9 years ago # -
Mobius http://www.naden.de/blog/bbvideo-bbpress-video-plugin -->
The Mobius itself is pretty water resistant, I've had plenty of rain on it without a problem. The case is really only necessary if you drop/immerse it in water, IMO.[+] Embed the video | waterproof case review
" target="_blank">Video DownloadGet the Video Player Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm finally getting round to fixing the camera to my helmet...
Firstly - do you camera wearers trust the adhesive mount? Or have you bought an additional accessory?
Secondly - the "how to" videos on the website show the mounts being fixed to the side of the helmet? Opinions on this? I've only ever seen folk wearing them atop helmet!
PS It's a Contour Roam2
Posted 9 years ago # -
I got the additional 'vented helmet mount' for my Roam 1 (1600), which is basically a pair of straps either side of a slightly-tiltable plastic plate with a slide-on fitting, which could only be made really firm when in such a position as to have the camera slightly to one side of centre. I haven't tried an adhesive mount yet (in two years of having the camera) due to not having any large enough flattish surfaces to try one on. I mostly use the tripod screw fitting, bodged to a Minoura handlebar bottle-cage mount, though Minoura also do a handlebar-fitting tripod-screw mount.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks @wingpig - I think my helmet will be the same as it's vented too.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I use the vented helmet mount and the handlebar mount - but mainly just because that's what came with my camera - the joys of buying it secondhand.
If you want to try one of those I'd be happy to lend you one or the other.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've got the minoura handlebar tripod mount that wingpig mentioned, for my contour roam 2. Pretty solid though if I don't tighten it enough it will flip round and hang upside down. Maybe I should just listen to the forces at work and mount it beneath the handlebars?
Posted 9 years ago #
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