Helmet / dash camera

My new helmet / dash cam has arrived! Tried it out in the small car (the Pink Stealth) today and I'm impressed.
It's a Drift HD 1080p - ran it on 720p to keep the file size small. Will try it on 1080p for quality later.
Anybody else use a camera?

I use a GoPro Hero 2 for not only riding my SW but also when flying my FPV Quad copter. It takes great video and I have used it extensively for RC recording. I was going to do a video last week with my SWing but the mount broke into a million pieces when I tried to put it on my helmet. I had to order a new mount which I just got last night so maybe this weekend I'll do a video.

Gary

Successfully captured some boring commutes in the car - tomorrow I'll see what filtering on the Wing looks like.

Helmet clip in position and rarin' to go.

Be interesting to see RC helo shots, Gary

Which type helmet clip did you use Nowun?

A friend of mine has the Drift too but hasn't fitted it to his helmet, instead he got a clamp type which he has fixed to the mirror stem.

What I really like about the Drift is the way you can twist the lens so that its correct no matter what what angle its mounted.

You can see some of my Youtube videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/gmoney37211/featured

Just click on the link and enjoy.

Gary

The Quad is a really stable platform for the video camera. Is there any way of mounting it underneath the quad so that the rotor blades aren't in shot?

Here are some of videos shot by my cameras

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tarmacburner2&oq=tarmacburner2&gs_l=youtube.3...2986.8698.0.9226.13.13.0.0.0.0.76.816.13.13.0...0.0...1ac.1.aAXF7kxslVQ

Sat24_03, Catfiddle2-1 and May02_01ava_clip5 were all taken on a cheap £10 camera bought off ebay. Leaving_Chippy_clip7 taken by GoPro Hero HD (mounted on the windscreen of my VW Golf)

Minor point, on the Catfiddle video at about 6:35 you will notice my mate (with the camera) overtakes me. No hand signals or anything but I had pulled into the side of the road and slowed down so he could safely overtake me and take the lead, the beauty about having bike2bike comms.
What a great road.

I now have a mounting for the GoPro on top of my helmet, just need to try it out,

Cheers,

RArch - I am using an adhesive curved surface socket with the clip attached to the camera - will get its first airing tomorrow. The camera will be canted slightly so the adjustable lens will be a bonus

In the car I have a large sucker and adjustable arm that was included in the kit. Drift do have a picture of the sucker mount being used on a m/cycle fairing - states it can take cameras up to 3lbs in weight

Great landings Gary!

Interesting shots TMB. I'll Check out the difference between helmet mounting and scooter - whether too much head movement distracts from the video.

Tarmac I can change the field to remove the props however when you flying first person video using goggles it helps to see the props.

Gary

Nowum,

Have yet to try the helmet mounted camera. What I was thinking is that I will be recording what I'm actually looking at so some variety of shot will be preferable to minutes of just going down a road displaying the quality of the tarmac.

Gary,
I now understand what you are doing - using the camera as your eyes so you get a pilot's eye view. I'm experimenting with having a very small camera fixed under a helicopter but first I have to learn how to fly the damn helicopter. At least the camera is only a cheap one (same can be said for the helicopter as well).

Cheers,

I've got a cheapo Emerson EVC355 that I got at Big Lots for $40. It looks a lot like the Hero, but nowhere near the quality. For quick trip photos and videos, the quality seems to be acceptable. I mounted it on my mirror stalk, and there was so much vibration that the videos were not watchable. It came with a helmet mount, but that was designed for a bicycle helmet, with a strap that would loop through the air vents on the helmet. So, I have put some velcro on the bottom of the mount, and on the top of my helmet. I haven't tried it out yet.

TMB - The camera on the helmet works well - you can see the mirror checks and the direction I'm looking, makes for an interesting view point. On the outbound ride the angle was too low, a coupel of clicks higher on the return trip. I'm gonna do some editing and see if I can figure out YouTube.

Looking forward to your in-flight movie ...

Chindog - don't forget to post and tell us how you get on

First editing efforts were no good. But I filmed my ride out of Winchester on 3rd April for something a bit more interesting.

I've put some captions on, too. This is still at 720p and I have removed the audio.

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

Hello Nowum,

Camera really works well on the helmet. The clip must be very secure as there is no vibration or shaking even when you were motoring on. I assume the camera does HD (1080) so should be even more impressive.
Like the view you get from having the camera on the helmet. I found that having the camera mounted on the scooter (about dipped beam height) the surface on the road was too distracting. As yet I have to try ythe helmet mounted position but I can see how much better that will be. Especially when 'rubber necking' at things to the side of you (and the threatening clouds approaching).
Looked at your car video as well. I can mount my Hero using a sucker on the windscreen. If I can find a short video I'll link it in a post.
On a totally different thing - have you noticed your screen on the video - even at relatively slow speed?

Can someone open this and let me know if it copies down to your computer or if it plays directly from the dropbox? Ta.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89523430/TarnGorge.MP4 (doesn't work )

Cheers,

It said (Erro 404) . My wife want's me to get a helmet cam .She want to see a moose smack down . I don't want to re live an in counter.It would be painful to watch a second time around.

Nowun wrote:

First editing efforts were no good. But I filmed my ride out of Winchester on 3rd April for something a bit more interesting.

I've put some captions on, too. This is still at 720p and I have removed the audio.

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

Holy crap. Be careful driving on the wrong side of the road like that!!

@TMB - Yep, pleased with the pics. Cam is fixed with an adhesive pad - 3M stuff - sticks like sh.. to a blanket. Only vibration is through my head. I think the view is more interesting than the fixed cam, too. It has 1080 and will be trying that next.

... I got Error 404 on your link, too

Yes I noticed the flexing - doesn't notice when riding cos my focus is beyond it - guess it's the bamboo in the storm effect - bend or break. Interesting. The wind was particularly strong that day - gusting around 30mph from the NE, which would have been roughly from my 10 o'clock on the exposed sections.

@Tinman - agreed, it must be painful for the mooses!

@Hotwings - we like to do that so we can use our swords against the cads and bounders going the other way

I'll do some editing and create a small file. I think the file I put on was 3.6Gb (a tad large).

I've just reinstalled my video software so now have to re-learn how to use it!

Cheers,

Nowun wrote:

First editing efforts were no good. But I filmed my ride out of Winchester on 3rd April for something a bit more interesting.

I've put some captions on, too. This is still at 720p and I have removed the audio.

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

Great video! Quietest Silver Wing ever too!

Thanks Glen - who ever said the stock screen was noisy!

Nice riding Nowun

The camera works great at that resolution. How big a file is 60 mins of video at 720p?

Do you feel any drag from the camera mounted on one side?

The original file for that clip was 40.52 mins and the file 1.96GB
The camera does drag a little, particularly with the crosswinds across the top of the Downs, but it is not a problem.
I think it would drag where ever it was on the helmet as it is quite a chunky shape.

That stretch of road is great in the dry, but there is so much chalk and gravel washed out from the side, that it can be quite unnerving in the wet - and icy!

Just watched Valentino Rossi get 2nd at Qatar - from a very long way back - super racing. He hasn't lost the knack!

Well, a dash mount camera? Tried all sorts of options and went for fairing mount.















The lanyard is fastened by dog collar latch hooking onto a half-loop fixing attached to the coaming. The lanyard is a strong elastic. For more info contact me but I hope this looks self explanatory

Great idea ! Thanks.

Jay.

Nice video Nowun. That's right. You guys drive on the wrong side of the road over there.
Sorry, I couldn't help it... I'd probably get into an accident after the first intersection.

BTW cotetoi, beware that the playback does show vibration during the pullaway from a standing start and in slow traffic but I think it's a small price to pay. Whilst normal riding the playback is fine, certainly sufficient for enjoyable watching or an insurance claim!

Incidently, where does cotetoi come from? I reminds me of an REM song called Cuyahoga....

Loosebearing, Thanks for the warning about the vibration.

I don't know the song, but "cotetoi'" is Creole. I am originally from Mauritius. Cote toi ? means where are you? Cote toi! means at your place, house, etc. So it is a question that has the answer all in one !
Further, I lived in the UK for about 8 years 73-81 in the last century ! Northampton, and North London.

Jay.