Im toying with the idea of a bike camera. Looked at VholdR and Vio Pov and a few others.
THe problem seems to be finding a semi permanent mounting position for any of them and hiding the dvr under the seat.
Im really after something that is hidden (or as good as it can be) with out paying $800 a unit.
Looked at a few cheaper chinese products.........
Any thoughts or experience with any products would be appreciated.
funny you should mention it
i just got in the mail a mounting bracket which my main purpose was to mount a gps
$38.50 landed http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380255692111&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380255692111&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT)
it gave me further incentive to pull out the cam system i bought about 4 years from a guy but never used
i have a jvc camcorder which has external inputs and then a small cam that can be mounted anywhere with the rest under the seat depending on your room , this was used previously on a track day and was in an icecream bucket in the hump
there is some cheap little keychain cams on ebay sub $50 that give acceptable results , but like anything if you want quality you have to pay
here is a couple of other threads on the cheap versions
http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18385 (http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18385)
http://www.ksrc-au.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=30936&p=471744&hilit=camera#p471744 (http://www.ksrc-au.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=30936&p=471744&hilit=camera#p471744)
http://www.ksrc-au.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=30832&hilit=camera (http://www.ksrc-au.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=30832&hilit=camera)
Hi cakeman,
I have tried a few of the helmet cams & the best one that I have used by far is the POV1.5. The camera head is small & the build quality is great. You get everything you need in the box unlike most of the cheaper ones, & the LCD makes it easy to set up your shot & know you have it setup correctly. I spent loads buying cheaper ones when it would have been cheaper just to buy the POV1.5 in the 1st place. You really do get what you pay for.
I have a friend who imports the POV 1.5 into Hong Kong I am sure he will give you a much better price than here in OZ. His site is www.chay-international.com.hk (http://www.chay-international.com.hk) maybe if a few guys want them he can do even better. He is definitely worth emailing & some good demo vids on his site too. Let him know you are from OZ Monsters, I will email him & let him know you may contact him.
Hope this helps.
The Pov 1.5 has quite a large DVR recorder. where do you keep/mounte the recorder?
cakeman,
I put the POV in the pouch that you can buy for it & just clip it to the frame work of my S4RS. I would attach a pic but I have no idea how to do it sorry.
edit:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4884114219_ebf2c94a65.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4885114674_cf9e0b6501.jpg)
The green is just some string for security on the mount used for the camera head, just in case it let go at speed :) but you can see the DVR in the pouch on the side of the bike it could be mounted just about anywhere, handlebars etc I usually mount the remote on the mirror so it is very easy to reach to start & stop recording.
Hayze must be really keen on his camera/recorder, to go to the effort of signing up simply to recommend it.
Hands down the GoPro HD Hero. It's tiny, sports 2.5 hours of battery and as much recording time as you feel like paying for SD cards.
Shoots 1080P that is friggin stunning and is tiny to be mounted anywhere. www.goprocamera.com (//http://)
Only runs $300 for the HD model with a ton of mounting options. We used it last week in the Smoky Mountains and the raw footage off the thing is amazing.
Hi Suzyj,
I have been on the original DMF for a long time but I haven't been very active for a while. I have used a number of helmet cams & this is the one that I liked best. It has a remote, long battery life (about 6 hours) no need to worry about turning it on & off & waterproof along with all the other stuff. If my experience can help someone make an informed decision that's great no matter what they choose in the end.
cakeman,
I never thought of putting it under the seat but it fits easily even with the tool kit along side it on the S4RS (original seat). Although a small hole to allow the cable through may be necessary to fully close the compartment.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4887214316_a4bcebf3d4.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4886610865_9ebf6a7913.jpg)
I went for a quick run up the old road on friday and found my $120 camera that i used to use for snowboarding. Strapped it on and away i went. Not the best quality but did a great job. The mic was the only issue even though i tapped it up with gaffa it still had a nasty hiss.. Just did a quick edit an put a song behind it to cover it up (and be cool :) )
Ducati Monster S4R Pacific Highway (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7RXkUPEJQo#normal)
nice work cakeman! [thumbsup]
I am looking forward to when the sun starts shining a bit better here - will take the covers of my S2R, major service, and away I go.
You have got me thinking about a decent cam for the ride to the Island (in October for a little known racing event) - wouldn't mind capturing the twisty part of the ride! [moto]
cakeman,
Good job. Looks like a very nice ride indeed!
Quote from: Artful on August 12, 2010, 12:07:59 PM
Hands down the GoPro HD Hero. It's tiny, sports 2.5 hours of battery and as much recording time as you feel like paying for SD cards.
Shoots 1080P that is friggin stunning and is tiny to be mounted anywhere. www.goprocamera.com (//http://) (//http://) (//http://)
Only runs $300 for the HD model with a ton of mounting options. We used it last week in the Smoky Mountains and the raw footage off the thing is amazing.
I'd agree the Go Pro is absolutley amazing, especially in HD
Quote from: Nickati on August 18, 2010, 02:17:18 AM
I'd agree the Go Pro is absolutley amazing, especially in HD
The Go Pro looks great. Only downside is internal mic which is not going to be good for win noise.
Quote from: cakeman on August 18, 2010, 05:19:39 PM
The Go Pro looks great. Only downside is internal mic which is not going to be good for win noise.
Not so actually, it does a great job of isolating wind noise as long as the back of the housing is facing away from the wind. It picks up almost exclusively engine noise. Sweet... sweet... engine noise.
looking for some free vid editing software
any suggestions ?
Quote from: J5 on August 18, 2010, 05:46:47 PM
looking for some free vid editing software
any suggestions ?
I just use windows movie maker. the older version. 3.2 i think it is
oh wow look at that its already here in the pc, will have a play with that
thanks
make sure its the earlier one version 3.2 or something. the window 7 version sucks!
Quote from: Artful on August 18, 2010, 05:27:17 PM
Not so actually, it does a great job of isolating wind noise as long as the back of the housing is facing away from the wind. It picks up almost exclusively engine noise. Sweet... sweet... engine noise.
There is also two covers:
One for under 100 mph
One for Over 100 mph.
Use the correct one and bingo !
I have been previously using a video camera for footage but reckon this is heaps better & cheaper.
We have them at work for $450, the last camera I purchased was $990, a 32 gig card lasts around 9 hours depending on the setting you choose
I like the bullet cameras simply because they dont look that obvious.
The go pro looks a little chunky (from the online photos), also as it looks like a digital camera, what are the mouting options like? Idealy i think around the oil cooler would be great for forward shooting. The bracket to attach also look quite cumbersome and bulky
Quote from: cakeman on August 19, 2010, 03:03:15 AM
I like the bullet cameras simply because they dont look that obvious.
The go pro looks a little chunky (from the online photos), also as it looks like a digital camera, what are the mouting options like? Idealy i think around the oil cooler would be great for forward shooting. The bracket to attach also look quite cumbersome and bulky
It isn't the sleekest thing, but it's tiny. There are about a thousand mounting options, I mounted it with one of the small pucks on the plate over the lower triple clamp that holds the front brakes lines in place. They also have tube and rollcage mounts that could be used on the frame or forks.
I find that the "bullet" cams are easier to mount, no need for special covers no matter how fast you go & less wind resistance if mounted on a helmet.
You can use the included mounts if you have one of the VIO POV's or if you have something a little tricky you can use cable ties or electrical tape, its quick & easy. If you don't like the idea of that like the go pro you can also buy a mount kit for the VIO POV that has a dozen different mounts in it, if you don't already have what you need/want in the original kit. The LCD also guarantees you are set up correctly, just making life that much easier when filming.
At the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference. For me it was the VIO POV. After using a number of other cams this was great quality, easy to use & I love the remote. You can record just the stuff you want or you can chose to record it all.
If you use the remote, how do you know if it is recording or not?
Cakeman,
There is a LED on the recording unit (DVR) that flashes red when it is recording. Unfortunately there in no indicator on the remote itself to let you know that it is recording. There is an LED on the remote but it only lights up when you press the remote buttons.
I always do a quick 20second test start/record/stop before a ride or any other activity that I use my POV for & when I press the remote buttons I hold it for about 2 seconds then release. To date I have not had any problems with the remote not starting/stopping the recording unit.
What I liked about the GoPro most was the audio quality. The bulletcams I've used all sound like a cement mixer full of cotton balls at anything over 15mph.
Only gripe with it is the inability to rotate the camera, but a little creativity goes a long way in fixing that, and you can do a 180° flip in post.
Well... and it looks like you have a toaster strapped to your head, but when the other option is looking like you have a dildo with a lens on the side of your face, I'll take the toaster.
Artful,
I agree most bullet cams do have poor audio to say the least! But...
The POV 1.5 has fully adjustable mic sensitivity from 0-10, perfect audio at any speed. In fact most people will put music to their videos anyway, I put music to mine. But if I want to have the audio from the "event" I can & it is always very clear so long as you set it for the conditions you are filming in.
I like being able to adjust mic sensitivity, exposure & any other settings I want when I am out filming with it, without the need for a computer. Unlike most other cams that require a usb connection to change any of the settings or review the footage. The POV 1.5 is more expensive but you get a lot more for you money & it is very user friendly in my opinion.
If you are looking for audio quality look into this brand new tiny camera.
http://www.driftinnovation.com/en/hd170-action-camera (http://www.driftinnovation.com/en/hd170-action-camera)
Internal mic like all the others BUT it has a jack for plugging in an external mic.
So basically you could mount the camera and get a cheap tiny external mic with a wind cover and get GREAT audio quality.
Still trying to find out what type of plug the mic is.