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Best Helmet Camera???????

T
Jan 20, 2012
31
11
8
Ellensburg
I am looking to get a helmet camera. The go pro's seem heavy and bulky, also they stick out pretty far, but seem to have great picture, easy software and editing...

The "Countour" cameras are sleek with a great design, but have mixed reviews about not working well in low light conditions, complicated software and poor editing and sharing capabilities, and some of them just not working after a few uses.

Sony also has a camera, but i heard you can't record sound with it in it's waterproof housing.

I'm really leaning towards a contour. They have a few models from $179 to $349. The newest model allows you to use blue tooth from your phone to view footage and change settings...but is kind of costly.

Any thoughts from camera owners? Good or bad experiences with you helmet cameras?
 

snowman80

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 18, 2011
425
210
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ND
Gopro heavy and bulky? Mine is pretty light and compact far as I'm concerned. Love my hero 2 by the way. I would recommend it every day of the week.
 

Ryan-41

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Nov 26, 2007
1,662
523
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Cheyenne, Wyoming
www.myspace.com
I have a drift cam and if I was to do it again, I would for sure buy a Go Pro, they have a ton of awesome technology with their newest cam!
Get a Go Pro, you won't be disappointed!

Ryan
 
B

BigTree

Member
Sep 27, 2011
73
13
8
36
I've used the drift and gopro. Im using the drift at the current. The video quality is the same on the big 3. Id buy whatever you get the best deal on personally.
 

lucasMX358

Active member
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Feb 28, 2009
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Dickinson, ND
i have a go pro hero 2 but this year i went a different route. Check out the SPORTS-VUE 360...i love the cam, i posted a few videos awhile back with it...i love it over my GP2 super easy to use, remote contorled, viewing screen built into camera with playack options
 

CROSSFIREMAN

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 8, 2007
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iowa
drift for me, lower profile, branches still grab it though, remote start&stop that is nice, video quality is good enough for me
 
T
Jan 20, 2012
31
11
8
Ellensburg
So I did a lot more research since my original post and found a few more cameras to choose from other than contour, gopro, and sony. Other brands include Midland, JCV, liquid image, muvi, ion air pro, and drift innovations.

After all my research I ended up forking over $400 and went with Drift Innovations Ghost Camera. It is fairly sleek, has a 2" built in LCD to use as a viewfinder, use for watching video, or going through the menu.
It's waterproof without a case, and you can change settings at any time while filming. It also has 4X digital zoom, and a 300 degree rotating replaceable lens so it can be mounted in any position.
It has Wifi and you can use your phone as a viewfinder or to stream or send videos out...
It also has a remote that can turn recording on off, switch to different picture modes, and take pictures. The remote has lights that flash or light up to let you know what mode the camera is in.
It also has a loop recording mode that records 5 minutes then begins erasing the last minute...so you can leave it on without using up all your memory card, but if Bigfoot runs across the road you can save the last 5 minutes of recording and become famous.

From all my research the Gopro Hero 3 had the best picture, followed by the new Sony Action Camera, and the Drift Ghost and Contour Plus2 came in third with about the same quality.

The Go pro however has to be mounted up and down rather than being able to rotate the lens and easily move it from helmet to hood... It also looks more obtrusive and would catch more wind and possible tree branches.

The contour is nice, but it is without a built in screen to see where your camera is pointing and watch replays, and see if you got the right shot.
It is also limited on changing camera settings without using a computer, and has no zoom or remote.

So I guess I will sacrifice having the best video picture for having a convenient unobtrusive, easy to use camera, that has it all (other than the best picture).

Thanks for the advice everyone. The camera should be here this week and I will update my post and include a video after getting some use out of it.
 
T
Jan 20, 2012
31
11
8
Ellensburg
Drift Ghost Update - Trial

I got the Drift Ghost last weekend.

After looking it over and trying it out around the house, everything on it seems to be really nice, other than the clip in mount it comes with. the clip screws onto the camera and allows users to easliy take it off a mount and clip into another mount. The clip barely makes a sound when locking into place and seems a little flimsy.

My biggest complaint comes from it's use in the field. I went for a ride, and after having it on for about an hour and a half (only 20 minutes of actual recording) the camera said the battery was too low and powered off. The battery indicator said it had plenty of life still. About an hour later, I turned it on and was able to record for about 10 minutes before it would't turn on anymore without charging.

If not recording, it would power off by itself after a few seconds of turning it on, still showing plenty of battery life (3 bars), but at the same time telling me it is too low. and must power down.

After looking at the more extensive online manual, I found that the battery does not do very well in cold temperatures, which explains how it worked fine until we reached the top of the mountain wher it was about 20 degress combined with wind chill from riding at 40mph.

Otherwise the video and pictures look great.

But the reality is, this camera is supposed to be made for skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling... Even their website has a picture of a guy skiing on the screen of the Ghost. How hard is it to make a cold weather battery? My buddy has a Contour Roam without any battery problems.

So now I am forced to get another battery that I will have to keep warm, maybe inside my jacket, and switch them when one gets too cold, or try an external case, which they do not make for this model yet.
Hopefully it does better in the spring, while riding in warmer conditions.

Frustrating to find something that seems almost perfect, but with a pretty big flaw if your a snowmobiler.
 

CROSSFIREMAN

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 8, 2007
2,524
206
63
iowa
agree totally as my ghost eats up battery, so i carry a spare in pocket and switch them out, other than that it is the most user friendly of all, passed on the new go pro, read all the negative feedback on amazon, sounds like it was released a little too soon, too many glitches
 
B
Nov 6, 2021
51
9
8
United kingdom
I am looking to get a helmet camera. The go pro's seem heavy and bulky, also they stick out pretty far, but seem to have great picture, easy software and editing...

The "Countour" cameras are sleek with a great design, but have mixed reviews about not working well in low light conditions, complicated software and poor editing and sharing capabilities, and some of them just not working after a few uses.

Sony also has a camera, but i heard you can't record sound with it in it's waterproof housing.

I'm really leaning towards a contour. They have a few models from $179 to $349. The newest model allows you to use blue tooth from your phone to view footage and change settings...but is kind of costly.

Any thoughts from camera owners? Good or bad experiences with you helmet with built in camera?
When it comes to helmet cameras, there are several popular brands and models to consider. Here are a few options you mentioned:

  1. GoPro: While GoPro cameras are known for their excellent picture quality, user-friendly software, and editing capabilities, they can be bulkier and stick out more from the helmet. However, they offer a wide range of accessories and have a strong community with plenty of support.
  2. Contour: Contour cameras are known for their sleek design and ease of use. However, some users have reported issues with low-light performance and complicated software. It's important to consider these potential limitations before making a purchase.
  3. Sony: Sony also offers helmet cameras, but it's worth noting that some models may not capture sound when used with their waterproof housing. If audio recording is a priority for you, make sure to check the specifications and reviews of the specific Sony camera you're considering.
It's always a good idea to read user reviews, watch sample footage, and compare specifications and features of different camera models before making a decision. Consider your specific needs, such as video quality, low-light performance, ease of use, software capabilities, and any additional features that may be important to you.

Additionally, you may want to check if there are any newer models or alternatives on the market that address the specific concerns you have, as technology is constantly evolving.

Ultimately, the best camera for you will depend on your personal preferences and priorities. It might be helpful to visit camera forums or online communities where users discuss their experiences and provide recommendations based on their usage scenarios.
 
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