Cheap Helmet cam? UPDATED WITH VID CLIPS!!

[vintagefisher]

Has anyone picked up one of these Ebay helmet cams?

ships from US!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD-720P-MOTOR-BIKE-MOTOR-CYCLE-ACTION-HELMET-SPORTS-CAMERA-CAM-/110901798010?pt=Camcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras&hash=item19d243247aHong Kong...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD-720P-30FPS-Waterproof-Outdoor-Sport-Bike-Helmet-Action-Camera-Cam-DVR-DV-/120934610923?pt=Camcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras&hash=item1c2843b7ebI just dont want to fork out all that money for a GoPro, Especially since i have heard that you get a crappy video riding rigid if the camera is attached to the bike at all. Plus if i hit a low hanging tree and decapitate the camera im out $50 instead of $300...

So if anyone has taken the risk on any anything like these post up your thoughts.

[blholtz]

With the go pro, it would be hard to destroy camera itself, the case it goes in is a pretty tough piece. That piece you are looking at doesn't have anything to protect the lens either.

For a first time camera or to try one out I would pull the trigger on it. I had one like that a while ago before digital and it worked good just no protection for camera body or lens.

[vintagefisher]

since there is no real brand name, i just searched a bunch of random phrases that are in the description...this is what i came up with



this quality would be awesome for $50-$60!


certainly not high quality, but id say worth $50 if thats what im actually in for.

i think i'll pick one up and see.

[ArcticRobot]

Please don't waste your money on this thing and get GoPro. I've used many different cameras from good brands, including Contour, Drift and GoPro. GoPro beats them all as a well thought package with well thought mounts and protection. Contour and Drift all had their issues, especially Contour. I can't imagine issues on this cheap Chinese camera.

[vintagefisher]

Please don't waste your money on this thing and get GoPro. I've used many different cameras from good brands, including Contour, Drift and GoPro. GoPro beats them all as a well thought package with well thought mounts and protection. Contour and Drift all had their issues, especially Contour. I can't imagine issues on this cheap Chinese camera.

im not looking for awesome quality, just something that will record and i will be able to view the video and know what spot of the trail it is, and for it to be viewable. im looking for something that has a halfway decent video and a halfway decent price. not top quality

[300hp]

just get something like the kodak playsport (really nice video quality) and a 1/4" bolt and a couple washers. rig the washers and bolt thru a vent in your helmet, screw the tripod mount of the camera onto it, and go film away. The waterproof, shock resistant playsport is like $100 from a variety of retaillers, and it has many uses outside of helmet cams. I've run this setup for some filming experiments with decent success. It is not, and will not be a go-pro, but if you have smoother trails and good light, it can produce excellent results.

The user interface on a knock off helmet cam is going to be piglatin. Seriously, it's hard enough to use a go-pro and navigate thru the menu when it is in the field, let alone a copy of it.

[vintagefisher]

just get something like the kodak playsport (really nice video quality) and a 1/4" bolt and a couple washers. rig the washers and bolt thru a vent in your helmet, screw the tripod mount of the camera onto it, and go film away. The waterproof, shock resistant playsport is like $100 from a variety of retaillers, and it has many uses outside of helmet cams. I've run this setup for some filming experiments with decent success. It is not, and will not be a go-pro, but if you have smoother trails and good light, it can produce excellent results.

The user interface on a knock off helmet cam is going to be piglatin. Seriously, it's hard enough to use a go-pro and navigate thru the menu when it is in the field, let alone a copy of it.

good call, found a few vids of home-made chest straps with these guys (since the tripod mount is on the bottom it would stick up way to high...i hit crap with my helmet all the time) I may try to make something for my phone first and see if that would be good enough by itself.

[300hp]

Well, since I already did some mock ups to do just that, go to sears and get a leather tape measure holster for a belt. They're like 4 or 5 bucks. The camera fits pretty darn well into one of those, and with a little creativity and some 1.5" nylon webbing from REI, for under 10 you could have yourself a pretty effective chest rig.

[vintagefisher]

Well, since I already did some mock ups to do just that, go to sears and get a leather tape measure holster for a belt. They're like 4 or 5 bucks. The camera fits pretty darn well into one of those, and with a little creativity and some 1.5" nylon webbing from REI, for under 10 you could have yourself a pretty effective chest rig.

and if the phone is a no-go, playsport zx3's are like $50 used...thank you!

[iamkickstand]

so the picture quality from the go-pro isn't good enough when mounted on a rigid bike, but the $50 camera's picture is good enough?....hmmm...ok got it. Makes perfect sense.

[vintagefisher]

so the picture quality from the go-pro isn't good enough when mounted on a rigid bike, but the $50 camera's picture is good enough?....hmmm...ok got it. Makes perfect sense.

no, im planning on going helmet or chest, i was saying i didnt want to fork out $250-$300 for a gopro and be limited to how i use it. i wouldnt be able to use it on all the cool angles. (so i've heard) i guess i should have made that part more of a question. ..

Does anyone have expierence recording bike mounted with a rigid fork?

[jfactor!]

If you want a cheap helmet cam and aren't worried about HD check out the Epic.
http://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Epic-Angl ... helmet+cam

We used one of these on our trip to Ray's CLE last fall. All of the POV shots in this were shot with it.

[rvd]

Send a PM to Allmountin' if he doesn't chime in here himself. He rides full rigid 26" and uses a very low profile (security-type?) and fairly cheap camera that works fine. He uses it mostly on-helmet, but he also has shot some decent material from his frame (see here from the downtube: http://vimeo.com/36372970).

[Edit: he uses a HD808 Key Fob Cam: http://mmba.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=103758&start=210#p748823... who needs a gopro ]

[vintagefisher]

Well, since I already did some mock ups to do just that, go to sears and get a leather tape measure holster for a belt. They're like 4 or 5 bucks. The camera fits pretty darn well into one of those, and with a little creativity and some 1.5" nylon webbing from REI, for under 10 you could have yourself a pretty effective chest rig.

and if the phone is a no-go, playsport zx3's are like $50 used...thank you!

Picked up a Kodak playsport zx5 for $71 new at meijer today!
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

[Chris]

Have you tried the Kodak out yet?