25 replies to this topic

[Yammymammy]

Well after a 'near off' yesterday thanks to a car 🙄. I'm thinking of investing in a helmet camera ?. Now I know GoPro are supposed to be the best,but this time of year I don't have GoPro money 😥. Now eBay is awash with Chinese ones,which I don't mind,but anyone on here have a recommendation for a decent helmet camera with decent video & sound ?. Any recommendations gratefully received 👍
Amanda-Jane X

[celticbiker]

This one is still on offer at Vodafone

http://shop.vodafone...sories/sku89044

Saving 150gbp

[muddy]

Well after a 'near off' yesterday thanks to a car 🙄. I'm thinking of investing in a helmet camera ?. Now I know GoPro are supposed to be the best,but this time of year I don't have GoPro money 😥. Now eBay is awash with Chinese ones,which I don't mind,but anyone on here have a recommendation for a decent helmet camera with decent video & sound ?. Any recommendations gratefully received 👍
Amanda-Jane X

I did look into this long and hard about 2 years ago and bought a Sony AS30. I think the GoPro just looks daft mounted on a helmet. The Sony has been excellent, but there's too much faffing about with helmet mounted cameras for everyday use, so I got a GoPro clone for £30 and mounted it on the handlebar and set it to turn on and off with the ignition. For a cheap camera it's been fantastic and I rarely use the Sony now.

This one is still on offer at Vodafone

http://shop.vodafone...sories/sku89044
That's a decent looking Sony. I like the smaller profile.

Saving 150gbp

[James]

There's a 4K action cam (Go Pro clone) at Aldi at the moment, just under £50. Waterproof housing and mounting hardware included. I've no idea how good/bad that particular one is but my Father-in-Law bought a similar one (non 4K) about a year ago from Aldi and that seems okay

[Apache]

Stealth 2 from stealthinnovation direct website. If you're lucky typing the blackfriday code in might still get you one for £70 otherwise £99. Works very well but no good for me as a helmet cam as 3 hrs battery life. Hardwired and mounted mine via a USB. Switch it to car dvr auto mode and it will automatically start and stop through ignition and loop record. Excellent video quality in daylight. Yet to try it in the dark.

[drewpy]

I have a Mobius which is tiny

https://www.joovuu.c...on-camera.html?

 

can't watch straightaway but techmoan review gave it a good review

[dandywarhol]

SJ CAM 4000/5000 is the best clone I'm told. I have a 4000 and it's pretty good. Watch out for SJ CAM copies, cheap and nasty.

The WIfi could be handy - i saw a guy with one at last year's Ulster GP and had it mounted on a fence at the Deer's Leap, controlled remotely - impressive footage!

 

http://sjcamhd.com/

Edited by dandywarhol, 05 December 2016 - 10:24 pm.

[fixitsan]

Nextbase  Ride. Most ebay sellers have reduced prices of it to about £120.

 

It has built in gps logging so it is considered reliable evidence gathering for court purposes, as opposed to non gps models. I already have aDrift Ghost which I'm very happy with (4 hour battery and waterproof without needing an extra case) , otherwise i would get the Nextbase Ride.

 

 

EDIT...it seems the courts accept regular dashcam footage without gps these days, as long as an expert can show it hasn't been tampered with

 

If I was getting a second camerat on a budge it would be a Drift Stealth 2 ...If I could afford more I would go for something with image stabilisation, because I've found when I put a camera on my helmet there is a whole lotta shakin going on. Some websites like Youtube allow you to stabilise the footage in post production, or you can get a program for your PC to do it for you.

 

 

This ebayer seems to be offloading refurbished Drift cameras. (mine was a refurbished product too) ...they will probably give some warranty, but may be missing a charger or USB lead

http://www.ebay.co.u...=p2047675.l2562

 

 

 

 

AT the end of the day, even the cheap and cheerful units can do you a great service. I'm onto my second lot of solicitors, after dismissing the insurance company provided solicitors on an accident claim for an accident in April last year. Had I of had a few seconds of even low quality footage the case would have been settled the next day.....so for that reason if you intend upgrading later this might do for now  https://www.amazon.c...SCLU|B01KSUSDBO

Edited by fixitsan, 06 December 2016 - 08:52 am.

[Robodene]

I have a ghost s. Pleased with video but not sure about sound. Have not yet fixed the wind effect and jarring causes some crackle.

[fixitsan]

I have a ghost s. Pleased with video but not sure about sound. Have not yet fixed the wind effect and jarring causes some crackle.

 

 

The external microphone is the way to go. I used one from an old pc headset, the type which pushes into 1 ear and a bar hangs down towards your mouth. I just wrapped it in kitchen roll and put it under the seat to test with my Ghost HD, thinking it wouldn't work.....it sounded great. Any cheap microphone with a 3.5mm plug will do the job.

[filo]

Ride magazine have done a product test on action cameras in their January edition.

They tested nine .
The camera that came out best from their tests was a Olfi one.five."great quality lots included and for the price a no brainer" £149.99

[muddy]

I of had a few seconds of even low quality footage the case would have been settled the next day.....so for that reason if you intend upgrading later this might do for now  https://www.amazon.c...SCLU|B01KSUSDBO

That's why I use one. I had to settle for 50/50 because of that on my last accident.

This DB Power is the camera I've got and at £15 it's a steal. It's a brilliant little camera. In fact anybody who's already got a camera would benefit from buying one at that price as either a secondary or back up. Picture quality is good even in the dark

Edited by muddy, 06 December 2016 - 11:02 am.

[drewpy]

That's why I use one. I had to settle for 50/50 because of that on my last accident.

This DB Power is the camera I've got and at £15 it's a steal. It's a brilliant little camera. In fact anybody who's already got a camera would benefit from buying one at that price as either a secondary or back up. Picture quality is good even in the dark

I just got the wifi version for the same price, 1 for each bike now

 

happy days

[fixitsan]

That's why I use one. I had to settle for 50/50 because of that on my last accident.

 

 

That's where I am now with the mentioned  insurance claim. Having to settle for 50/50 and no injury or leathers claim. New solicitor is promising to do better "Motorcycle Law Scotland'... They're all bikers, as is the consultant I had a medical with last week.

 

I bought a camera the same time as I bought the next bike....although i could post shaming video on Youtube I just don't see the point.....It's just for evidence collection in accidents for me.

[James]

 AT the end of the day, even the cheap and cheerful units can do you a great service. I'm onto my second lot of solicitors, after dismissing the insurance company provided solicitors on an accident claim for an accident in April last year. Had I of had a few seconds of even low quality footage the case would have been settled the next day.....so for that reason if you intend upgrading later this might do for now  https://www.amazon.c...SCLU|B01KSUSDBO

Thanks for the link @fixitsan. I just ordered one of these at just over £20 including postage. At that price you can't go wrong!

Now the real job is to find something more interesting to do with it than just more helmet cam footage

Edited by Jim, 06 December 2016 - 06:07 pm.

[Robodene]

The external microphone is the way to go. I used one from an old pc headset, the type which pushes into 1 ear and a bar hangs down towards your mouth. I just wrapped it in kitchen roll and put it under the seat to test with my Ghost HD, thinking it wouldn't work.....it sounded great. Any cheap microphone with a 3.5mm plug will do the job.

Thanks for that fixitsan. I fitted a cable and covered the mike with bluetack. Still not as it should be and I will try your suggestion.

[daveRapide]

Now, I may be a grumpy old git (OK, I am a grumpy old git), but I don't really understand why anybody can be arsed with gadgets like this. I accept that, in the event of an SMIDSY-type accident caused by someone else, it would indeed be great to have video evidence. But is the likelihood of this really great enough to justify aIl the faff every time you go for a ride on the off-chance that such an accident might just possibly happen one day? Personally, I prefer to assume that everyone else is an inattentive short-sighted eejit and ride accordingly when other people are around. One of the things that I like about riding motorbikes is the simplicity of it: just me, my thoughts.the bike and the road - no gadgets to complicate the experience.

[dandywarhol]

Now, I may be a grumpy old git (OK, I am a grumpy old git), but I don't really understand why anybody can be arsed with gadgets like this. I accept that, in the event of an SMIDSY-type accident caused by someone else, it would indeed be great to have video evidence. But is the likelihood of this really great enough to justify aIl the faff every time you go for a ride on the off-chance that such an accident might just possibly happen one day? Personally, I prefer to assume that everyone else is an inattentive short-sighted eejit and ride accordingly when other people are around. One of the things that I like about riding motorbikes is the simplicity of it: just me, my thoughts.the bike and the road - no gadgets to complicate the experience.

 

I completely understand that but with the "trend" within insurance companies to go for "knock for knock" even when it is obvious that one person is in the wrong, to save them doing a proper job, anything to save your no claims discount and increased premiums must be worth trying IMO

[fixitsan]

Now, I may be a grumpy old git (OK, I am a grumpy old git), but I don't really understand why anybody can be arsed with gadgets like this. I accept that, in the event of an SMIDSY-type accident caused by someone else, it would indeed be great to have video evidence. But is the likelihood of this really great enough to justify aIl the faff every time you go for a ride on the off-chance that such an accident might just possibly happen one day? Personally, I prefer to assume that everyone else is an inattentive short-sighted eejit and ride accordingly when other people are around. One of the things that I like about riding motorbikes is the simplicity of it: just me, my thoughts.the bike and the road - no gadgets to complicate the experience.

 

 

It is still a very valid point, and i see it like that most of the time. But I was knocked off twice in 6 months, both times by doctors ironically enough.

The first went all the way around a roundabout, no indicating and I wasn't the only person on the inside lane of the roundabout  who thought they weren't going to go all the way around the outside....(driving instructor in front of me also assumed the same and just missed an accident with them himself.)  In that case the accident was at 1PM on a Sunday, and by 3PM I had just arrived home and put the kettle on, the third party's insurers (Elephant.com) phoned me to say they had heard about the accident, it was all their fault and what could they do to help me right away ? It was all settled within 4 days,  and they gave me an injury payment 3 months later too.

 

So after that I felt 'fair doo's '  accidents happen, no need for a webcam....

 

Then 6 months later, overtaking a camper van doing 40 on a 60 limit road, and without indicating and clearly unaware I was alongside drove me onto the right hand verge. He claimed he HAD indicated, that  I started my manouvre after he had swung to the right and that I was trying to sneak through a tiny gap. No other witnesses, insurance said 'lets settle for 50/50 because there were no other witnesses.

 

Hmmmm....I looked into a cheap camera and later upgraded to a more expensive one.....Even a £20 camera would have given me proof.

 

Similarly, I have heard of people who were wrongly accused by police of crossing a centre white line in the carriageway. "Oh really officer, allow me a moment to review my video please...."   In one case of a similar incident the biker didn't declare that they had contradicting video at the time, and ended up with a letter of apology from the chief constable when his lawyer mentioned it in a meeting.....

 

 

I admit I don't always use the camera too, but it is also a useful learning tool to replay an incident which (I admit I'm not perfect) might have been a result of an error on my part.

Thanks for that fixitsan. I fitted a cable and covered the mike with bluetack. Still not as it should be and I will try your suggestion.

 

 

It's common to put them under the seat, or behind the fairing, any place where there isn't a constant wind blast over it...here's how it sounds...

 

[fixitsan]

Thanks for the link @fixitsan. I just ordered one of these at just over £20 including postage. At that price you can't go wrong!

Now the real job is to find something more interesting to do with it than just more helmet cam footage

 

 

After a minute's thought I bought one too !