HD head & handle bar video cameras, any suggestions?

ollietrex

Any recommendation for a HD video camera that you can handle bar and head mount that does good quality video footage?

I was looking at GoPro HD Helmet Hero From €354.57

Cheers for any advice.

Lumen

On my wishlist is this:

ContourHD 1080p

I reckon you could handlebar mount it with some sort of lockblock.

Beasty

Lumen wrote: »

I reckon you could handlebar mount it with some sort of lockblock.

Or you could just use the handlebar mount

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

Or you could just use the handlebar mount

Looks far too clunky. Wouldn't want that on my bars in a race. Confusingly, there are some pics which make it seem like the cam can mount almost flush, and other which suggests (as the picture of the clamp itself does) that the cam will stick up loads.

I think the safest/most discreet approach is to mount it under the handlebars.

The big issue is whether the footage will be ruined by vibration. Obviously a head cam would be better for that, but again it looks a bit clunky, and not sure people would be too happy with someone racing with that strapped to their head.

Beasty

Agree if you want to use it in a race (I personally would not want to video all those skinny so and so's leaving me behind on a hill) - not sure about mounting it under the handlebars either (I think you would need a particularly complicated set up to keep it secure unless you want to stand on your head when you watch the footage)

Didn't el tonto post a video recently taken from his handlebars? Don't think it was particularly shaky

Of course, we now have our resident expert, magnatom, who we can consult on such matters

ollietrex

Looking at reviews and everything it looks like a ContourHD 1080p might be the best on the market.

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

I think you would need a particularly complicated set up to keep it secure unless you want to stand on your head when you watch the footage

The ContourHD claims to rotate 190 degrees. Not sure exactly what that means in practice.

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

Didn't el tonto post a video recently taken from his handlebars? Don't think it was particularly shaky

It was broken the last time I saw it.

There are also the direct-from-China specials, but for a commercial venture I'd probably go with something better developed.

Beasty

Lumen wrote: »

The ContourHD claims to rotate 190 degrees. Not sure exactly what that means in practice.

here

Easy to Align.

Have you ever seen a camera with lasers? ContourHD uses two of them and a 192° rotating lens head to ensure you line up that shot every time. Turn on the lasers and rotate the front lens until the two points are horizontally aligned. Well done, you just lined up your video!

petethedrummer

I looked into this fairly extensively myself. I would go for the Go Pro Hero Wide HD over the contour HD.

The contour looks better and is sleeker but from what I have seen the GO pro has better picture quality.

There are some links in this thread: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055709056

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

here

Yes, but 192 degrees from where? If it's 96 degrees in either direction then you can't mount it upside down.

Beasty

Lumen wrote: »

Yes, but 192 degrees from where? If it's 96 degrees in either direction then you can't mount it upside down.

Good point - the arrows on the picture indicate both ways, which makes sense, given you could mount it on either side of your head, and would need to be able to adjust either way, which would mean it could not be mounted upside down

Lumen

Just ordered one of those ebay specials.

€13.15 shipped, how bad can it be?

Beasty

Lumen wrote: »

Just ordered one of those ebay specials.

€13.15 shipped, how bad can it be?

... I'm sure you'll let us know in due course.

decrrrrrr

I bought the VHoldr camera a while back. I love the video quality that it produces..!

The 'niggly' downsides for me though are:

(1) Video Playback - you have to attach the camera to a computer in order to see the resultant output. When I was skiing in January, the camera was positioned too low for a lot of the video (it was attached to my googles). I didn't find this out until I got home. I'm currently looking the see if I there is software for my Windows Mobile that will allow me to play the .mov files produced.

(2) Camera postioning - you have two lasers to help you line up the camera. Not the most accurate means though as you can see from above. Maybe that's just me though...

(3) I bought the mount that allows me to put the camera on my vented helmet. I feel like the 'Google Maps' car now though Going to try the handle bar mount next

Doctor Bob

decrrrrrr wrote: »

When I was skiing in January, the camera was positioned too low for a lot of the video (it was attached to my googles).

:eek: Dude, this is a family show!

Oh, hang on- you mean goggles?

hynesie

Lumen wrote: »

Just ordered one of those ebay specials.

€13.15 shipped, how bad can it be?

I ordered one in early April, it took a month to arrive thanks to the ash and the small problem of China being quite far away.
I've been playing around with it for a little under a week now and I have to say for the price it's a great bit of kit.
There are some good clips on youtube which show the video quality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxZsckWZOAQ&feature=fvw

ED E

Little closer to home:) Same cam. €14.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUofENOgaXI

blorg

@Lethal- what do you use (if anything) to edit videos? I am finding that tricky with the .mov files produced by my camera.

Gavin

Holy cow, that's a ludicrous price. They must be nicked ? I just put in an order for 2. I dunno why.

ED E

blorg wrote: »

@Lethal- what do you use (if anything) to edit videos? I am finding that tricky with the .mov files produced by my camera.

I use Pinnacle Studio, but thats overkill.

Mine produces .AVIs. Larger but compatible. Get free/cheap converter and swap it over to AVI or MPG4. ImToo Video Converter 3 is worth a look.

ollietrex

If you have a mac iMovie comes for free and is very good.

If not final cut express or final cut pro are amazing programs but cost a fair bit.

SerialComplaint

hynesie wrote: »

I ordered one in early April, it took a month to arrive thanks to the ash and the small problem of China being quite far away.
I've been playing around with it for a little under a week now and I have to say for the price it's a great bit of kit.
There are some good clips on youtube which show the video quality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxZsckWZOAQ&feature=fvw

How did you mount it?

hynesie

SerialComplaint wrote: »

How did you mount it?

It comes with a selection of mounts, one of which I was able to cable-tie to the vents of my helmet. It doesn't look very elegant but it does the job.