What Camera Would You Recommend?

[GolfVenture]

I'm looking for a camera to capture my rides. What do you recommend and why? Also would you recommend mounting to the bike, or the helmet or the riders chest?

[Eugene]

http://www.lightinthebox.com/Spy-Glasses-With-Hidden-Spy-Camera_p165078.html

[chabicheka]

http://www.whybike.com/motorcycle76.htm

[bongobobny]

Video or still?? I bought this really neat suction cup camera mount from Best Lie a few years ago and it works out pretty good. I had to find a super light video camera thoug, and found a good deal on a Panasonic digital that uses SD cards. It does have a bit of a shake issue though...

[Monty]

My son just bought us a GoPro Hero HD cam for our anniversary. It's supposed to be one of the best, but I haven't gotten to try it out yet. Just unwrapped it today.

 

www.gopro.com

[Kirby]

Just ride with George(Sleeperhawk) and Bobbie(Mechanic). You'll get all the pics you could ever dream of!!!

[CaptainJoe]

One of the biggest problems yuou will face is focus...

 

When I went out west a lot of very beautiful pics were out of focus

 

Most cameras when you push shutter button down half way they focus... problem is you cant take that much time away from what your doing..DRIVInG... that plus they normally display a light green box or the like to indicate subject is in focus " which of course you cant see with any type of glare on the lcd screen"

[jointventure]

I use a GoPro Hero with the suction cup mount. Waterproof housing and tons of different mounting options.

[a1bummer]

Stay away from the Nikon P90. I bought one a couple years ago. It takes great pics in the daylight, but in low light it takes absolutely horrible pics. It wants to auto adjust for everything then. The shutter stays open longer to gather more light automatically. Which is nice when you want it to work that way. But 95% of the time I don't. I don't want to spend 5-10 minutes making subtle adjustments manually every time I want to take a picture.

 

But for a bike ride it might be handy when it can take pictures every split second as long as you hold the button down.

 

But then it may be a bit bulky. I just might have to give it a try this summer.

 

Bill

[MLCRIDER]

I use a GoPro Hero with the suction cup mount. Waterproof housing and tons of different mounting options.

 

Wife an I watched the gopr video attached to Montys that sure looks cool is you picture quality focusing in as good as that I know Monty said he hasn't had a chance to use it but that thing looks awsome

[twigg]

There are a bunch of ways to get photos and video while riding, each with their pros and cons.

 

Bike mounting of anything is problematic. This is not to say that it can't be done sucessfully, but camera shake and vibration are major issues. At first sight it seems the obvious solution, and RAM certainly have some good mounts to choose from, but the results can range from "Brilliant, why did I wait so long" to " what junk, why did I waste the money".

 

If you take lots of video or stills, you will get some great shots, and some junk.

 

Mounting a video camera on a helmet is a well tried route. It does away with the vibration, but does mean that the picture you get depends upon where you are pointing your head Rather than a smooth, flowing video, you get a good picture that wanders around a lot.

 

Still, it's a popular option, and with practise the negatives can be minimised (By keeping your head still, and making slower movements).

 

A small compact camera on a lanyard around your neck can work very well. While this does mean you need a hand to operate the camera, with practise this is not so much of a problem. It's tricky in heavy gloves, but in summer, not so much.

 

Deal with the focus issue by manually setting the camera to "infinity", if possible. That takes care of everything except the immediate surroundings, which are not what you are normally photographing.

 

You can use a video camera the same way if you get a small one.

 

The best camera mount and operator is a passenger. My wife works out quite well

 

For special shots you can even get them to sit facing backwards while you record the antics of your mates coming up from behind and passing, much the way the pros film bicycle races.

 

Whatever method you choose, practise will produce some memorable shots.

 

Here is one I did while riding my SaddleSore 1000 at night:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYLkVnrbs-0]YouTube - MVI 0412[/ame]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYLkVnrbs-0

[FutureVentures]

GoPro makes by far the best cameras for recording POV videos. I've seen em used on windsurfers, surfing, snowboarding and biking. They are very functional and have HD now too.

 

Dang, now you got me wanting to get one too!

[Panjandrum]

This video was taken with a Go Pro. It was the user's first time with it. Loads of different ways to mount it. Helmet, engine guards, handlebars, etc. Next was to be facing back, but he ran out of battery (after 4 hours).

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEx41fteLg4]YouTube - "Ride on the First Day of Spring!"[/ame]

 

(I am leading the group on my grey 2008 Venture).

[KeithR]

I have been looking at the Drift X170 camera.......not priced too bad and seems to have more features then the Go Pro.

 

http://pointofviewcameras.ca/drift-x170.html?gclid=CMHY9caFhKgCFcPd4Aod03xjsQ

 

 

 

Keith

[Hulk]

I got the Drift HD (little pricey) and been using it for a while, haven’t had any issues with it and very happy, like the sturdy design, little screen play-back and even better on a big screen, attached is a "still" from a video I did in the fall of 2010 (cant play the video online…trademark issues apparently with the music:confused24:).

[GolfVenture]

One Last Question for those who own a High Definition Action Camera?

Being that a regular HD Video camera does not work well in action situtations,

how well do these HD Action cameras work as a normal HD video camera?

 

Could some one post a sample a HD Action Camera being used as a normal HD Video Camera?

[friesman]

I use a Sharp Xacti Camera mounted on the handlebars with a normal flexible mini tripod wrapped on with Velcro. Its simple it works well for me and I can take still and video pics. In about 10 seconds I can have it off the bike and be taking pics hand held.

I leave the video screen open and just select whether I want video or a pic by pressing the correct button. This isnt waterproof but in the rain who wants a pic anyway?

 

Here is a link to the camera [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-VPC-CG20-Definition-Camcorder-Camera/dp/B0036TH7J4/ref=dp_cp_ob_p_title_3]Amazon.com: Sanyo VPC-CG20 High Definition Camcorder & 10 MP Camera: Camera & Photo@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419JrZLOMAL.@@AMEPARAM@@419JrZLOMAL[/ame]

 

And here is a video from the Kruisn the kootenays taken with it. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4LmlSm0rr0]YouTube - Kruisn the Kootenays 3[/ame] I forgot to turn off the sound

 

Brian

[bostonlawman2003]

I have the first generation of the Contour HD camera. It has many mounting options, and can be set for HD or SD depending on your needs. I've only used the camera a couple times since getting it, but liked the results. Also has a weatherproof case available for the less than desirable rides. Check it out here: Contour HD

 

There are lots of samples of video on the manufactures website.

[GolfVenture]

Thank You all for sharing your experiences and comments. I ordered the Drift Stealth from RevZilla. They had a great introductory price (no longer available) plus received another $15. credit to my next purchased, so I order the extended battery, the external mic and the rear cover protector. My other video camera is about 15 years old. I could have gone less expensive, but I decided to spend a bit more for my daughter is getting marrried in June and I was in the market to up grade my video camera, plus I wanted an action video camera for motorcycling, snowboarding, and water sports.

 

For those who are also considering, I selected the Drift for the following:

 

1) Actually has an LCD Screen. I know it is small (1.5″ colour TFT).

2) It also has a Remote

3) Professional quality Slow Motion

4) Optional External Microphone for normal Mic Pickup.

5) Component Cable for HD playback on TV

6) Zoom: Digital x4 - Too bad it wasn't Optical zoom

7) Lens Rotation: 300°

8) Night mode for optimal performance in low light conditions

 

Of course it has all the other normal features. The Competitors wouldn't give me a time frame when their next generation camera would be released. So I jumped in.

 

Here is a description of the Drift Camera.

 

Drift Innovations continues to raise the bar in the fast-moving world of point of view action camera video. In November 2009, Drift introduced the X170, the first helmet camera with 170 degree field of view, integrated LCD screen and RF remote. In July of 2010, they introduced the new Drift HD170 which had all the features of the X170, plus night mode for low light conditions and 1080p high definition video quality.

Now Drift Innovations is announcing the release of its new Drift HD170 Stealth. In response to overwhelming requests from both consumers and law enforcement / military personnel, the new Stealth will be solid black. It also provides a new chip which allows action sports enthusiasts to create professional quality slow motion video. The new chip allows users to shoot 25 / 30 / 50 / 60fps in 720p or 25 / 30fps in 1080p.

Features

The new Drift HD170 Stealth is the only helmet camera on the market that has all the best point of view video features in one camera:

• 720p and 1080p high definition video quality
  
• Integrated LCD screen to view footage and make sure you got the shot
  
• RF remote to turn the camera on / off while it’s on your helmet or outside your vehicle
  
• 170 degree field of view so the camera captures peripheral view, giving a more realistic perspective of speed
  
• 4X zoom
  
• Night mode for optimal performance in low light conditions
  
• Solid black color
  
• Ability to shoot professional quality slow motion video
  
• Mounts for helmet and handlebars included in the box.
  

Tech Specs

• Sensor type: CMOS
  
• Water Resistant
  
• Video resolution: 1080p, 720p and WVGA
  
• Video format: H.264
  
• File format: .MOV
  
• Frames per second: 30 FPS
  
• Video format: 16:9
  
• Lens Rotation: 300°
  
• Recording Angles: 127° in 1080p, 170° in 720p and WVGA
  
• White balance: Auto
  
• Exposure: Auto / Manual (advanced users)
  
• Zoom: Digital x4 (in 720p and WVGA mode)
  
• Remote range: 10 ft. range
  
• Built-in Microphone
  
• Inputs: Optional External Microphone
  
• AV Output: HDTV out (cable included)
  
• Battery: 1110mAh rechargeable lithium-ion/ Optional 1700 mAh Li-ion rechargeable.
  
• Power-Save option saves batteries by powering down the screen
  
• Built-in memory: 32 MB
  
• SD memory capacity: Supports memory cards up to 32 GB
  
• Photo resolution: 5 Megapixel
  
• LCD screen: 1.5″ colour TFT
  
• Lens focal range: 0.5m to infinity
  
• Dimensions: Camera – 133 (L) x 50 (D) x 33 (W) mm / Remote Control 52 (L) x 40 (W) x 13 (D) mm
  
• Power: Camera – DC 3.7V / Remote control: DC 3C, 1x CR2032 battery (included)
  
• RF: Receiver (Camera): 433.92MHz ISM band / Transmitter (Remote): 433.92MHz ISM band
  
• Weight: Camera – 138g / Remote control – 19g
  
• Operating Systems: Compatible with Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS 10.2
  

Contents of Box

• HD170 Action Camera
  
• Remote Control
  
• Handlebar Grip
  
• Goggle Mount
  
• Head Strap
  
• Helmet Grip
  
• Universal Clip
  
• Velcro Strap
  
• Industrial strength velcro adhesive pad
  
• Component Cable for HD playback on TV
  
• USB Cable for downloading to a computer
  
• Lithium Battery
  
• Quick Guide to get started
  

[jointventure]

Can't wait to see some vids from it. I may have to upgrade from the GoPro, it doesn't have a viewing screen, so you just hope you got the shot.

[Squeeze]

GoPro recently started to offer a Display which seems to fit on teh back of the Camera. Not that cheap, i believe it's around 80 Bucks.