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Helmet Mounted Camera

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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,248 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    CramCycle wrote: »
    I got some shake with the handlebar mount but not terrible. The Helmet mount was always much smoother though.

    Smooth road also helps.. here's two cameras.(GoPro hero2 and session). one on handlebars, the other is under the saddle

    https://youtu.be/BrP5W9pAHAE


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,938 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    you mentioned having a contour roam? i definitely got more shake with the handlebar mount on that vs the helmet mount.
    +1 I made a steadier camera mount than their own that helped with the handlebar mount but the roads here are often too rough regardless.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭Unknown Soldier


    A helmet cam is generally better than a rigid mounted one depending on the road/surface.

    That does not mean to say that the video of a rigid mounted camera will be crap!


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,248 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    The road surface coming down off mount Leinster is not great. There are a few cattle grids too....

    https://youtu.be/JbqU2Apd5_s


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭Annie get your Run


    07Lapierre wrote: »
    The road surface coming down off mount Leinster is not great. There are a few cattle grids too....

    https://youtu.be/JbqU2Apd5_s

    Couple of close passes there at high speed :pac: That decent takes skill I don't think I"ll ever have, I'd undoubtedly come off the bike if I tried that...


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,248 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    Couple of close passes there at high speed :pac: That decent takes skill I don't think I"ll ever have, I'd undoubtedly come off the bike if I tried that...

    Skill? Nah....don't tell anyone,but I only went that fast because I was so scared, I couldn't let go of the bars to pull the brakes! ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,942 ✭✭✭Danbo!


    Some info I put on the near miss thread a while back below

    In short, contour roam is great, I had a poor experience with the drift stealth but plenty of reviews say otherwise, so it was likely a dud, and I love the gopro session if you can get over the price..

    Basically if someone makes a camera with the form factor/weight of the stealth, the big switch/battery of the roam, and the quality/stabilisation of the gopro, they'll be minted :D
    +1 for the Roam - price/quality/size/shape are all great as a helmet cam.

    Used the roam for 2.5 years and it was great. A little heavy on the helmet, but battery life was 3+ hours and it's easy on/off switch was amazing. No faffing about taking it off mount or taking helmet off to double check it.

    I recently "upgraded" to the Drift Stealth 2. It's smaller and lighter than the roam, but I found it awful. Very unreliable, extremely noisy image quality in even slightly dull light. Shame, as it's a nice form factor.

    Ended up returning the Stealth and biting the bullet, bought a go pro hero 5 session. It's pricey, but the quality and stabilisation is insanely good. When it's mounted on the bars, it doesnt move an inch, but when I review the footage you can see the handlebar hoods moving all around and in and out of the image, all thanks to the stabilisation. Battery life is poor though, just over an hour, but it's enough to get me in and out of town, then charge overnight.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,942 ✭✭✭Danbo!


    SteM wrote: »
    I have a fly 6 and fly 12.

    I'm considering a fly6, how you finding it?
    SteM wrote: »
    The thing about having a mounted helmet camera is, if you're looking over your right shoulder to check for traffic and a car pulls out from a drive or side road on the left you'll probably miss the collision.

    I flip between bars and helmet, theres pros and cons to both - generally I think recording where you are looking is a bit better, but the situation above is where you may miss out.


  • Registered Users Posts: 684 ✭✭✭brianomc


    The GoPro Fusion may well be a game changer, no need to worry about missing something by turning your head. 360 all the way, I can't see it being cheap though.

    https://youtu.be/PygsKZXpYrI

    Another vote here for the Fly6 as a rear camera/light, I have the original one but the newer version is even smaller with a better battery life.

    I had the virb mounted on my handlebars but a poor battery life and having to manually delete files instead of the device just recording over the oldest video meant I kept finding that it wasnt recording and I just couldnt be bothered with it anymore.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭tvercetti


    Any trusted sellers have the Drift Stealth 2 at the moment or any idea when it might be available again? Seems to be sold out everywhere!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    I have a Mobius, but it has its own mind; sometimes it feels like recording and sometimes it doesn't.

    I want what Citizen Wolf has for his joyful films of his journeys to work (I hope his work is as much fun)



  • Registered Users Posts: 9,454 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    SteM wrote: »
    I have a fly 6 and fly 12.
    How are they as lights - good enough for rural nighttime use, particularly the fly 12? Is it good enough for a "see" or is just a "be seen" light?

    A big step up of too close for comfort (not quite near miss territory) on the saturday spin, and the battery life of the fly lights really makes them an option for the longer spins!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,113 ✭✭✭mr spuckler


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    How are they as lights - good enough for rural nighttime use, particularly the fly 12? Is it good enough for a "see" or is just a "be seen" light?

    A big step up of too close for comfort (not quite near miss territory) on the saturday spin, and the battery life of the fly lights really makes them an option for the longer spins!

    i only have the rear light but find it excellent all round. much better battery life than my drift stealth on the front and works really well as a light too. you can change the mode on the light to extend battery life but tbh even as a standalone light i'd recommend it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭SteM


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    How are they as lights - good enough for rural nighttime use, particularly the fly 12? Is it good enough for a "see" or is just a "be seen" light?

    A big step up of too close for comfort (not quite near miss territory) on the saturday spin, and the battery life of the fly lights really makes them an option for the longer spins!

    The Fly 12 is a great light. 3 brightness settings on solid, the same on flashing, I think there's a pulse setting too. Also, you can record with the light off in the summer to conserve battery if you want. The highest solid setting would easily light up a road in darkness, medium setting probably would too to be honest.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,942 ✭✭✭Danbo!


    tvercetti wrote: »
    Any trusted sellers have the Drift Stealth 2 at the moment or any idea when it might be available again? Seems to be sold out everywhere!

    They brought out a new 4k cam a while back, maybe discontinuing the stealth 2?


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,938 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Danbo! wrote: »
    They brought out a new 4k cam a while back, maybe discontinuing the stealth 2?

    It comes and goes out of their online shop quite a bit. It was in stock two weeks ago. It is a pity they don't have a stock notification system on the site. It would be foolish to discontinue the sleath 2 because of the 4k one as they are completely different price markets.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭tvercetti


    Danbo! wrote: »
    They brought out a new 4k cam a while back, maybe discontinuing the stealth 2?
    CramCycle wrote: »
    It comes and goes out of their online shop quite a bit. It was in stock two weeks ago. It is a pity they don't have a stock notification system on the site. It would be foolish to discontinue the sleath 2 because of the 4k one as they are completely different price markets.

    I dropped them an email and they said the Stealth 2 "has been discontinued to make way for our newest camera the Ghost 4K". Ones 3 times the price of the other!

    Any more recommended alternatives? Preferably water resistant. Mobius 2 seems to be out of stock most places too. Is a Mobius 1 the best option in that price range.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,938 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    tvercetti wrote: »
    I dropped them an email and they said the Stealth 2 "has been discontinued to make way for our newest camera the Ghost 4K". Ones 3 times the price of the other!

    Well, I'll be damned. Must start looking elsewhere so.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    If you're going to mount on the bars a Xiaomi Yi action camera is a good option. Very good (2k) footage and since it mounts like a GoPro there's tonnes of accessories available. Added bonus is that it is quite cheap now too.

    Just a note on this one. I bought the Xiaomi Yi 2k from Amazon in February, and I've just had to send it back for a refund now. The camera had been recording nothing but a blank/black screen for some time and then failed to turn on at all. No amount of different SD cards of batteries fixed it. Thankfully Amazon have great customer service, but I don't know what to replace it with.

    If only there was a good modern Contour Roam... it's the best action camera I've used.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,942 ✭✭✭Danbo!


    Just a note on this one. I bought the Xiaomi Yi 2k from Amazon in February, and I've just had to send it back for a refund now. The camera had been recording nothing but a blank/black screen for some time and then failed to turn on at all. No amount of different SD cards of batteries fixed it. Thankfully Amazon have great customer service, but I don't know what to replace it with.

    If only there was a good modern Contour Roam... it's the best action camera I've used.

    Agree on both. Amazon were amazing in taking back the dud stealth I got.

    Even with the insane quality and tiny size of the GoPro session, I still miss the contour. It was almost perfect.


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,938 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Danbo! wrote: »
    Agree on both. Amazon were amazing in taking back the dud stealth I got.

    Even with the insane quality and tiny size of the GoPro session, I still miss the contour. It was almost perfect.
    I regret selling mine as well, looking at the roam 3 as a replacement. I was about to pull the trigger on a sleath2 but I guess that decision is made for me.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    CramCycle wrote: »
    I regret selling mine as well, looking at the roam 3 as a replacement. I was about to pull the trigger on a sleath2 but I guess that decision is made for me.

    My Contour Roam2 is still in daily use, I've had the thing for years now, 4 or 5 I'd say. It still shoots over 2 hours of great 1080p footage. The only trouble with the Roam3 is that I don't think it really improves on the 2 in terms of footage. Looking on Amazon, the Roam3 is 139stg and the Roam2 is 109stg... I think I paid similar for the Roam2 back 4 years ago...


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    Sample footage from my Fly6 this morning - it was very wet!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgOBoaf6f1U


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,938 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Have you blurred the license plates intentionally? Or is it a weird youtube thing, some of the plates look like they have been blurred, others are really clear.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    I purchased a mobius 2 for £75 on Amazon and have been using it for the past 2 months. It is great, I have it set to 60fps 1080p but just beware at this setting the battery seems to last less than an hour so I charge it at work for use on the way home. For water proofing I covered it in cling film using sticky tape and left the mini-usb port, lense and velcro pad uncovered. I then purchased a mini-usb dust cover from Farnell (50c each) who have free shipping at the moment for all orders placed online. Its a rubbery type material and covers the usb port plus a little space around it so it keeps the cling film in place - i'd be confident in taking it out in heavy rain.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    CramCycle wrote: »
    Have you blurred the license plates intentionally? Or is it a weird youtube thing, some of the plates look like they have been blurred, others are really clear.

    Could be Youtube or could be just the rain on the lens? i've done no editing. i'll check the original footage later to see if there's a difference.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,270 ✭✭✭Chiparus


    jon1981 wrote: »
    Could be Youtube or could be just the rain on the lens? i've done no editing. i'll check the original footage later to see if there's a difference.

    I find the fly 6 is poor at reading the Irish registrations especially when the vehicles pass at speed.

    Fly 12 is much better, possibly higher resolution


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Chiparus wrote: »
    I find the fly 6 is poor at reading the Irish registrations especially when the vehicles pass at speed.

    Fly 12 is much better, possibly higher resolution

    The Fly6 is frankly; pants. It only shoots 720p 30fps. Action cameras from 2010 shot 1080p 30fps, so there's no excuse for 720p these days. And coupled with that the footage just isn't terribly good, although I would guess that youtube makes the footage a lot worse than straight off the camera. I don't know, I just think they are a lot of money for poor footage.

    I guess they are niche. They have long battery life and doubles as a light, but imo its a waste of time if the resolution isn't enough to see registration plates.


  • Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    I guess they are niche. They have long battery life and doubles as a light, but imo its a waste of time if the resolution isn't enough to see registration plates.

    This.

    I've a cheapo china cam thats 1080p30 but a low bitrate. Very mushy outside of ideal conditions. Upgraded to a Session 4(1080p60) but much higher bitrate, most plates are legible. Its the difference between worthless and priceless.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,270 ✭✭✭Chiparus


    The Fly6 is frankly; pants. It only shoots 720p 30fps. Action cameras from 2010 shot 1080p 30fps, so there's no excuse for 720p these days. And coupled with that the footage just isn't terribly good, although I would guess that youtube makes the footage a lot worse than straight off the camera. I don't know, I just think they are a lot of money for poor footage.

    I guess they are niche. They have long battery life and doubles as a light, but imo its a waste of time if the resolution isn't enough to see registration plates.

    They are €140 , I think you easily spend 50 euro on a decent rear light and 100+ on a camera with a 5-6 hour battery life.


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