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Video Camera.

3K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  p38arover 
#1 ·
Could anyone please tell me what recording devices (if any) that menbers of this forum are using on their Glees. Obviously I am not to demanding I just want, top quality, cheap price, waterproof and secure simple mounting system. Have had a couple of occaisions recently (in the car) where video evidence would have been invaluable had things turned out slightly differently. I was going to try one device swapping between car and bike but as i can get a very reasonable car unit for £60 I will probably go for a dedicated bike unit.

Thanks.

Geoff.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
GoPro Hero3 - either helmet mounted or on a RAM mount on the left side just off the mirror. Helmet works a bit better.
 
#10 ·
I would go Contour, much easier to switch on and off than GoPro, and negligible difference in image quality. Much easier to mount, too..
 
#13 · (Edited)
I've been pretty pleased with my GoPro3 White version. The 3+ models have a great smartphone app that lets you use the phone as a remote monitor/viewfinder and remote control for all of the features.

Helmet mount has been much smoother video over bike mount, too many vibes coming from that little V-twin, the picture does weird things from the RPM's.

A little sample...you can see the difference in the bike mounted video vs. the helmet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvAPDhRLGa8

Got my eye on the Hero4 for Xmas...but the silver one...
 
#14 ·
I've got 2 x Drift Ghosts, a Drift HD, and a GoPro Hero 2.
The earlier Drifts and GoPro's were susceptible to artifacts (small purple pixel appearing in brightly lit scenes).
I decided to stick with the Drift for a couple of reasons:
- No case necessary for any weather. They're weatherproof out of the box (cases are available for complete submersion).
- Much more streamlined on your lid. I just don't like the look of the GoPro "brick" hanging off the helmet.
- They were first to come out with non-cryptic menus. It's intuitive. I understand the later GoPros have English menus.
- I like the ability to plug in a mic cable or power into an auxiliary waterproof plug receptacle on the back of the Drift. Had to drill a hole in my GoPro case to do the same.

I think video quality-wise, they're very similar. Of course the Ghost is newer tech than the older Hero 2, so it doesn't artifact, and it's better in low-light and bright-light tempering. The Ghost breaks files into 4Gb chunks. Not sure what the newer Heros do. I have no use for 4k resolution (waaaaaay too big files). The Ghost also has multiple field of views (127° and 190°) at different res, so you can set it so your helmet isn't blocking half the shot, when mounted on the side.

This was shot at Deal's Gap in May on the Drift Ghost:
The Dragon - VStrom rally - YouTube

This was shot on a dam near me, in Atlanta, with the Drift HD mounted on my lid, and the Hero mounted on the handlebar for comparison. To be fair, the windshield is a slight smoke on that bike.
Buford Dam - Georgia - YouTube

Make sure to set the res to the highest when you watch for a fair comparison (small gear symbol lower right corner of the YouTube screen).
 
#15 · (Edited)
This was shot on a dam near me, in Atlanta, with the Drift HD mounted on my lid, and the Hero mounted on the handlebar for comparison. To be fair, the windshield is a slight smoke on that bike.
Buford Dam - Georgia - YouTube
I tried the GoPro behind my light smoke MRA Vario screen and it was way too much light filter. I thought it would capture the engine sounds more and less of the wind noise, but didn't work well at all.

The GoPros like bright light for sure....I too am not real thrilled with "brick" profile.

The new Hero4's have the 4k res in the black edition only, which you can only see on one of those new TV's that can show 4k resolution, so of not much real use to me or most people yet. The silver edition does everything but the 4k res for $100 less (but still $400!) I'd really like the 30 frames per second on the photo burst, currently only have 3 per second, and you do miss a lot in between.

I've actually had more fun filming other things and playing with the editing, slow mo of hummingbirds, rocket launches, dog cam, R/C truck cam, surf cam, turtle cam, it never ends...
 
#16 ·
I've just invested in a Drift Ghost-S after a few months of looking at Hero, Contour and Drift cameras.

I decided on the Drift because of a few things:
1. No waterproofing needed in case it rains.
2. Slim when mounted on the helmet (I have side and top mounts).
3. Remote Control (though it's not waterproof) that I have mounted on the handlebars for easy operation.
4. Useful quick picture acquisition in video mode with a simple button press.
5. Price, I got a pretty good deal which included the camera, handlebar mount, spare sticky mounts, extra battery, HDMI cable and storage case.

I've found the video quality to be good but the audio really needs the external mic which I will be getting later on.
 
#17 ·
Has anyone tried spy sunglasses with the in-built camera? This sort of thing

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o4qMmB0gesw

With our our local police fining people for modifying their helmets by fitting a camera, an alternative would be useful. I'm not sure how one would activate/control it when under a helmet and wearing gloves.
 
#18 ·
Well, *that's* disturbing... (the fines for having a helmet cam). Is that becoming universal in Oz? Do they do the same thing for fitting a Sena or Cardo? What's their standing for saying the cam degrades the helmet's protection?
That's something I'd expect them to <try> doing here first (in the US) the way things have been going...
 
#20 · (Edited)
"French grand prix commentator Jean-Louis Moncet told a European radio station it was not the accident, but the camera attached, that left Schumacher in a coma."

Well, that goes beyond an irresponsible statement.
Is Moncet a design engineer, and has he run his own clinical tests on objects attached to various grade helmets, not to mention specifically a GoPro? Does he have a medical background which qualifies him to comment on what causes and caused this particular trauma?

Typical modern journalist... forwarding opinion as fact, with grave consequences...

I hope GoPro (which apparently suffered a large stock price loss as a result of his comments) sues his ass off...

By the way... thanks for posting the articles. Apparently, the cop that wrote the ticket isn't going to be backed up by any of the police districts, and rightly so. The guy also has a battalion of lawyers ready to file against the cop pro bono... (I'm sure they ride).
 
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