Helmet Camera's

R

Ride_Guy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Seen the SJ400W? uses go pro mounts films at 30fps at 1080 and 60fps at 720, only costs a bit over $100.
 
N

Nerdbox

Likes Dirt
Ezkaton said:
Despite the grammar error in the title which continues to stare into my soul, I feel compelled to post here rather than start a new thread.
Increasingly I've found myself wanting to record my rides, and have been checking out the various 'action cameras' that are available.

I can't seem to feel happy settling for the GoPro white, when there's that fancy black one to be had, which is just stupidly expensive.
So I ended up looking at GoPro alternatives today on my lunch break, and discovered the Contour Roam 2.

I've discovered one for $200 with free helmet mounts thrown in, and I'm pretty happy with the price, and the quality of the video I've seen on YouTube.

I am wondering if many of you 'RotorBros' are using one, and what your thoughts on it are.
There's one response above, and the only thing that irks me is 30fps for 1080p... but in the end that doesn't really matter because YouTube doesn't do 60fps anyway (yet).

Most helmet, and all bar mounted videos make me supremely angry, so I'm curious to hear experiences with the various mounts available.
I've always been a fan of the GoPro chesty view, but the shape of the Contour tells me it wouldn't work so well from that position.
Click to expand...
I've got one, got it from Wiggle about 18 months ago for about $150.

Great for the price.

Easier to use and better battery than a Gopro - but not as good in low light and significantly heavier.
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Ride_Guy said:
Seen the SJ400W? uses go pro mounts films at 30fps at 1080 and 60fps at 720, only costs a bit over $100.
Click to expand...
More info? I Googled SJ400W and came up dry.

Nerdbox said:
I've got one, got it from Wiggle about 18 months ago for about $150.

Great for the price.

Easier to use and better battery than a Gopro - but not as good in low light and significantly heavier.
Click to expand...
Shame Wiggle don't have them anymore, for $150 I'd snap it up without a second thought!
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Ride_Guy said:
Sorry missed a 0.. eBay SJ4000w
Click to expand...
Ah yes, thanks! I noticed they've been renamed to SJCAM SJ4000 now - as lots of fakes have popped up.
They actually sound pretty good, comparable to the Contour Roam 2 in recording functions, but the GoPro mount compatibility is what sells it I guess.
Swappable batteries, cheap replaceable batteries, though a review I read mentioned 2 batteries for 97 mins of footage.

Granted, I'd only record from the top of a run to the bottom... it still irks me a little.
But for the price I suppose it's hard to complain about.

The official store seems to be a little 'hidden' on Ebay... only way I could find them was from a link.
Searches don't work and trying to see their other items doesn't work.

Very odd.

I reckon I'll go for one of them over the Contour though, may as well save myself $100.
 
R

Ride_Guy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
There are a few models of the Sj4000, the W is the wifi one, just a search on ebay of sj4000 brings up the other one. comes with loads of mounts too.
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Yeah I don't care about WiFi connectivity.

I ended up getting this one in blue:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121398981946?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I was going to buy from the FoxOffer website, but the one on Ebay came with an extra battery for $5 less total cost.

Grabbed a 32gb Samsung Evo class 10 micro SD card for it as well, only $24.

I think the quality looks pretty great for its price!
Camera with 2 batteries and a 32gb class 10 micro SD for $120!

[video=youtube;eeYOc4dqYtM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeYOc4dqYtM[/video]
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
My SJ4000 arrived today.
I did some video tests, running around my workplace, going for walks in and out of buildings to see how it handles light transitions, etc.

I might do a write up/review on it after I get some more recording time, and of course, time on the bike with it - if anyone is interested.

So far though, for $96 I am very happy with it!

 
S

Shadow Puppet

Likes Dirt
Ezkaton said:
My SJ4000 arrived today.
I did some video tests, running around my workplace, going for walks in and out of buildings to see how it handles light transitions, etc.

I might do a write up/review on it after I get some more recording time, and of course, time on the bike with it - if anyone is interested.

So far though, for $96 I am very happy with it!

Click to expand...
Go mountain biking with it!

The best test for any of these cameras is mountain biking in the bush/forest. Fast moving foliage is the true test for how these cameras handle compression and wether the data rate is enough.
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Yeah that's the plan.
I'll rig up the mounts for both my helmets (standard and FF) tonight and do some tests to get the angles right.

Tomorrow I'll do some quick ride tests on a short strip of dirt track along a local creek, testing various settings.

Sunday I'm going to Lysterfield with a couple friends, so I'm hoping to get some decent footage there, too. :)
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Mounted the cam to my full face for a test.
Unfortunately the angle sucks, but I reversed the mount 180 degrees since, so the cam 'hangs' off the bottom of the mount, rather than 'sits' on the top.
This way the camera is lower, and looks more 'forward' while still somewhat capturing the handlebars.

I looked into mounting on my standard helmet, but the shape and ventilation prevents an adhesive mount from being stuck on.
I do have a chest mount on its way, so I'll just use that when it's too hot for the FF.

YouTube encoding made the video a little 'blocky', even in 1080p... but the source video is perfect.

[video=youtube;185ZcveqpeM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=185ZcveqpeM[/video]

 
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T

takai

Eats Squid
So now that you have had a chance to use it. Does it have a loop-recording function? I can't find any reviews that mention it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have it.
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
I'm not sure what you mean exactly?

EDIT: Had a Google at work, just typed in 'SJ4000 loop recording' and apparently it does have it.
After looking up what loop recording is, I do recall seeing it in the settings. :)
 
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Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Looks like the slightly older model.

No SJCAM branding under the lens... just make sure you update the firmware when it arrives.
They added the SJCAM branding later because another company started knocking off the SJCAM GoPro knockoff.

Oh China!
That is some Inception shit.

Knocking off the knock off.
WE NEED TO GO DEEPER.

After seeing my friend's GoPro WiFi to his phone to check angles on the weekend I'm considering getting a WiFi model... then maybe I could attach one cam to the bike and the WiFi cam to myself and do like a PiP style vid. Get creative and all that.

Also, I'm running a 32gb card and recording the opening shots, CommGames, and a run of Aneurysm and Upper Buckle, only about 2.6gb was used at 1080p/30fps.

Not too bad.
 
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