Helmet Camera - Anyone have one?

[olyclimber]

Anyone have a helmet cam? Can you recommend one? I know there are some pretty nice ones out there. Colin is using one to record some if his climbs.

 

I'm looking for one for a friend. It would actually be for recording skate boarding, but i think these things work for anything (mountain biking, skating, climbing, etc). Needs to have a wide angle lense (fish eye) and be helmet mountable.

 

 

[olyclimber]

GoPro

 

Contour

 

Oregon Scientific

 

V.I.O. POV

 

 

[IsolationedSnow]

I heard all types of trash about GoPro but I have had good luck with them. Except it fell off my ski attachment while BC skiing the other day...thankfully I found all the pieces. Anyway they are the lower price point but they are made to be destroyed and abused which works for me anyway. Good luck.

[olyclimber]

ContourHD

 

* Full HD Recording (1080p) - 1920x1080 pixels - 30fps

* 5 Megapixel Sensor

* Internal Microphone

* Removable Lithium-Ion Battery; records up to 4 hours

* Aluminum and Fiberglass Water Resistant Body

* 135 degree capture

 

Video Resolutions Window Size Frame Rate Record

Full HD – 1080p 1920x1080 pixels 30fps 15min/GB

Tall HD – 960p 1280x960 pixels 30fps 15min/GB

Action HD – 720p 1280x720 pixels 60fps 15min/GB

Contour HD – 720p 1280x720 pixels 30fps 30min/GB

Fast SD – WVGA 848x480 pixels 60fps 30min/GB

 

Details

5 Megapixel Sensor

Codec: H.264 (AAC audio)

File Type: .mov

 

 

$278 on Amazon

[olyclimber]

GoPro HD Helmet Hero

 

 

 

* 1080p = 1920x1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate

* 960p = 1280x960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate

* 720p = 1280x720 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate

* 720p = 1280x720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate

* WVGA = 848x480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate

 

* Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m – ∞), glass

* Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations)

* Angle of View: 170º ultra wide angle in WVGA, 720p, or 960p mode

* Angle of View: 127º wide angle in 1080p mode

 

# Sensor Type: 1/2.5" HD CMOS, 2.2µm-sized pixels

# Light Sensitivity: Super low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec)

# Video Format: H.264 compression, saved as Windows- & Mac-compatible MPEG4 (.mp4) file

# Exposure Control: Auto with user selectable center weighted average and spot metering settings

# White Balance: Auto

 

5 Megapixel Sensor

 

The rechargeable 1100mAh lithium-ion battery (included) lasts for 2.5 hours of constant recording. It can be recharged to 80% capacity in just 2 hours when plugged into a computer’s USB port, or in 1 hour when plugged into a USB compatible wall or car charger. Camera can also be used while charging, and features an integrated battery heating system for keeping your battery warm in winter activities.

 

 

$299 on amazon

 

http://www.goprocamera.com/products/hd-helmet-hero-camera.php?gclid=COfn2IDp36UCFQIGbAodlBWF2A

 

[pcg]

Don't own one, but here's a new entry to market...

 

Drift HD 170

1080p

5 Mpixel

remote control

LCD viewer

$289 at Amazon

http://www.driftinnovation.com/hd170-action-camera

 

Edited December 9, 2010 by pcg

[olyclimber]

VIO product looks nice but lots of money and HD version ($599!) isn't out yet.

[IsolationedSnow]

If you have a costco membership you can get the hero cam for way cheaper than that. FYI>

[olyclimber]

If you have a costco membership you can get the hero cam for way cheaper than that. FYI>

 

looks like the HD version may have been going for $99 at Costco? They aren't selling it on their website anymore, though they did. Probably an in-store stock may vary type deal now.

[IsolationedSnow]

yep true. I paid 170 for a nice little package with mounts, ect. Which in the camera biz is a good deal.

[glassgowkiss]

I am using go-pro, the main reason you can check the settings without the computer. I looked at a lot of footage before i bought it. there are several advantages to this vs. contour:

can change settings without computer is one. second it has the widest FOV in 720/60p. btw that setting produces very smooth image, even for fast action. Side by side it reproduces colors much better then contour. yes, you can change that later in post, but why? it matches really well with my HM100. Since it's H.264 it the pain to edit in FCP, so the footage has to be transcoded to something i can edit with (like ProRes). It's waterproof, so no big deal for ice and snow in winter, also good for surf or kayak vids. also jello skew is much less noticeable with go-pro vs contour. also there are more mounting options, even tripod.

[Maine-iac]

I've got a GoPro Hero (HD versus the normal one) and love it. Best 300 bucks i've spent on a camera. I have not tried it with one of the fixed mounts yet (but have friends who have) so I can't vouch for their integrity, but they look solid. My only complaint is that it is so easy to take lots of footage you can fill up your computer in one day.

 

I bought it because it does a fairly wide range of timelapse stuff which I enjoy [video:youtube]

 

This is something like 400 miles of North Dakota. And yes, it is that boring.

[billcoe]

I shipped a Go Pro for my daughter who's working some environmental thing in Hawaii. They'd done a lot of research before they decided on that one. The deal was that REI won't ship Lithium Ion battery's via air. Yet USPS would take it, even clearly marked. So ?

[sobo]

This is something like 400 miles of North Dakota. And yes, it is that boring.

I saw a lot of contrails in that vid. Or were those chemtrails...?? Or missile launches??

[AlpineK]

I've got a Go Pro. Like others posting I like it. It's fairly simple to use. Video editing software and the editing process are where I experience the most problems. I use a microsoft program that I have on my computer, but there may be better ways of video file editing.

[t_rutl]

GoPro Hero HD.

 

OEM parts and accessories are cheap. Batt life is great. Footage quality is incredible. Tough as nails. Waterproofness kicks ass. Take mine climbing, hiking, snorkeling and even scuba diving.

 

Plus can be bought at REI/Backcountry and falls under their 100% satisfaction guarantee. Had it for a year with no probs.

[chirp]

If you have a costco membership you can get the hero cam for way cheaper than that. FYI>

 

looks like the HD version may have been going for $99 at Costco? They aren't selling it on their website anymore, though they did. Probably an in-store stock may vary type deal now.

 

I looked it up when I was there and it was not the HD version. FYI