Recommend me a helmet cam.

[Manc44]

I found at higher bitrates (like 16 MB/s on 1080p) H264 comes out more detailed than HEVC anyway. That sounds wrong when HEVC clearly wins at lower bitrates like 2 MB/s, but H264 starts to swap with it at the higher bitrates, with more detail. Since both are at 16 MB/s there's no file size increase using H264 in this case. The difference is only slight, but it's there.

I have been through the process of looking at cheaper alternatives and still ended up getting a GoPro.

Vids like this:

 

[Growmac]

No way are these things worth what they cost considering it's only a camera. Compare it to a smart phone, it's getting on for almost half the price of the latest iPhone and does 10% of what that smart phone does, if that.

That right there is the benefit of volume production. Make enough of them and they get cheap. GoPro and the like are a comparative tiny niche.

I can't find anything about it now and my recollection is a bit hazy, but I read years ago about the company that made the accelerometer they used in the Nintendo Wii controllers. The company that made them manufactured about 10 a month, and they cost ~$80,000 each. Nintendo came to them and asked how much if they guaranteed a minimum order of 1 million units a month. It came out to something less than $10 (I have $3 in my head but not sure). Scale makes things cheap!

 

[LeftItLancs]

I use a Dragon Touch Action Camera 4K HD 16MP via eBay, dirt cheap, the video is reasonable for the bargain price and the camera is as good as a smartphone. Also comes with numerous accessories including a remote which is really useful and with a cover that is waterproof. Obviously not as good quality as a GoPro or similar but more than good enough for what I use it for which is just recording my ride in general. It also comes with all the bells and whistles and sits comfortably on a helmet or handlebars.

• Superb Image Stabilization: Built-in Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) delivers spectacularly smooth and steady videos in up to 4K/30fps resolution, this action camera ensuring excellent experience in shooting fast-moving objects.
• 
  
• 4K Action Camera With Zoom: Professional 4K/30FPS, 2.7K/30FPS, 1080P/60FPS video and 20MP photo resolution with 4x zoom enables you to capture exciting moment.
• 
  
• 30 Metres Underwater Camera: Equipped with the waterproof case, you can deep dive below 30 meters. This underwater action camera is ideal for water sports such as swimming, surfing, diving, etc.
• 
  
• Wireless Wrist Remote Control: Featuring a 2.4G wireless wrist Remote Control, you can capture your world in an all-new way. Controlling the camera, framing shots or recording videos are now ultra-convenient with just a press of the button of Remote Control.
• 
  
• Versatile Features: This action camera features multiple functions including car mode, upside down, time lapse video, time lapse photo, loop recording, slow motion and burst photo.

 

[Dirtnvert]

have you read the Trust pilot reviews?!!!! Several saying the website is a scam and they never recieved their cameras!!

I hadnt read that. Thanks i was close to pulling the trigger on one

 

[Mikerb]

It's interesting that a number of action cams from brands you have never heard of look like clones of previous gopro models. The sensors and processor chips used by Gopro are widely available and the cases plus various fixings are the same. Not sure about lenses though since they do not come from China and software and app for Gopro is developed in house. That software is quite advanced now including features like auto fix if a sd card error occurs. Battery technology is also far better now with the latest Gopro batteries. I can leave my hero 7 unused for weeks and very little battery discharge occurs during that time.

 

[Yoak]

A GoPro 8 or the first DJI Action cam are great for the money. The DJI Action can be found quite cheap now after the new one came out. The new one is both expensive and unfortunately quite stupid.
If you don't buy the extension pack, the camera part only has internal battery and internal storage. And if you add an extension pack, the camera is no longer waterproof. I don't know what they were thinking......

 

[hogicid]

I have used Gopro for years...even before they released their first HD model. I have no doubt there are a few action cams that have been released over the last 3 or 4 years that compete pretty well with Gopro but I have never seen one that persuaded me to change. If they are good in terms of quality they are the same price or more than a Gopro!
If you want to record video of mtb video stabilisation is a must and a headcam is not the ideal POV/mount. I have tried many different mounts and decided that if I am wearing a full face helmet then chin mount is by far the best. If I am wearing open face then a chest mount is best.
Equally important if your ambition is to capture your mtb exploits, is to come to terms with the fact that you need to buy and learn to use a video editing suite. It is not difficult or necessarilly expensive and in time editing your own footage becomes as enjoyable as shooting it in the first place. You also need a pretty well specced PC to edit HD video.
I am currently using the Hero 7 Black and it spends most of its time in sea water ( Windsurfing) but occasionally for MTB if I am riding a new area etc. I saw no benefit in changing to later models when they were released.
Be aware there is a lot of hype as far as HD video is concerned. I video the vast majority of time at 2.7k and 50 frames persecond. You will see a lot of hype about 4k etc. Well first of all you need really good light for 4k and preferably with the camero on a tripod rather than a moving mount.........video files are huge......and a lot of PCs and video editing suites will struggle to deal with the codec used for 4k. MTB is often quite a difficult environment for video with rapidly changing light conditions and a lot of "scenery" that does not provide good focus. At the end of the day the highest definition viewer you are likely to use is a HD TV most of which are 1080p. Summary, dont be fooled by less than useful features!!
If you want to keep costs down I would suggest going second hand for any Gopro from Hero 6 upwards, get a chesty harness ( chinese import on ebay is the same as the Gopro one for a fraction of the price) and a chin strap if you use a full face...again dirt cheap on ebay.
I actually made my own chesty from a part of a Gopro dog harness!!

Hello. I am looking to get a helmet camera. The go pro's seem heavy and bulky, also they stick out pretty far, but seem to have great picture, easy software and editing...

The "Countour" cameras are sleek with a great design, but have mixed reviews about not working well in low light conditions, complicated software and poor editing and sharing capabilities, and some of them just not working after a few uses.

Sony also has a camera, but i heard you can't record sound with it in it's waterproof housing.

I'm really leaning towards a contour. They have a few models from $179 to $349. The newest model allows you to use blue tooth from your phone to view footage and change settings...but is kind of costly.

Any thoughts from camera owners? Good or bad experiences with you helmet cameras?

 

[Husky430]

Hmm. It's pretty lumpy around here. 2nd hand GP might be a way to
go.

Po!!

Anything after a gopro hero 7 is the go, get it 2nd hand and try to get a couple of batteries and a chest mount too as that is the best view, the stabilization is just fantastic and the sound is great too.

 

[Mikerb]

To add to my earlier post (and if was buying a new cam now it would be gopro 8)......for mtb the higher the mount you use, the worse the perspective becomes. Less impression of speed and changes in the level of the trail appear flatter. Chesty is by far the best option.....helmet mount the worst...apart from on the bars!