Opinions on other helmet cams besides Go-Pro?

jeffro503
Profile picture for user jeffro503
Posts
27442
Joined
7/22/2007
Location
St Helens, OR US
jeffro503
Edited Date/Time 4/30/2015 9:05pm
I'm looking at picking up a helmet cam here in the next few weeks , but wanted to stay away from the Go-Pro because I just don't want something like that ( the size ) on my helmet. Do some of guys use something else , like the Contour , Ion , Replay ?

I'm looking for something a little more stream lined and low profile but still works good. Any advice? And would I need a larger memory card? Just wondering how big of card would I need for like 2hrs worth recording at 1080p?
|
RY9MX
Profile picture for user RY9MX
Posts
92
Joined
10/24/2013
Location
Miami, FL US
RY9MX 4/29/2015 6:14pm
4/29/2015 6:14pm
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load it up with dashware and get laptimes,speed,layout, etc. I think I bought it new for around $150. The picture is almost as good as the go pro, but the sound is not. I never use the highest settings because the files just get too large. It has a mic port and maybe other settings, but I don't use it that often to really care. It came with a waterproof case and different mounts. The contour editing program is pretty good. Here is a sample off youtube I did. I only spent a couple minutes on it just to get something together with the dashware program.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8NSdJzxC20
tiddlermx23
Profile picture for user tiddlermx23
Posts
848
Joined
12/4/2007
Location
Morgantown, WV US
tiddlermx23 4/29/2015 6:23pm
4/29/2015 6:23pm Edited Date/Time 4/29/2015 6:25pm
I just picked up one of the liquid image ego cameras from work for a pretty sweet deal but have to wait until the weekend to try it out. I just upgraded from a original gopro hero so honestly, any hd camera is going to look alot better.. I do like the ease of use and the easy connectivity to my phone to set up my angles and such. They're on amazon for 100 bucks right now and you have the option of 720 or 1080p. Only downfall is they only come with one mount and a front only protective cover but gopro mounts work and you can buy a waterproof hard case for 20 bucks..
nascarnate326 4/29/2015 6:25pm
4/29/2015 6:25pm
I have been looking at the Ion cameras but havnt pulled the trigger just yet. Cant deny Go Pro's accessories that are available.
NotCore
Profile picture for user NotCore
Posts
600
Joined
8/9/2011
Location
Alpharetta, GA US
NotCore 4/29/2015 6:31pm
4/29/2015 6:31pm
I've had a contour 1080p for several years. I love it. The reason I bought it is for the goggle mount. I can clip it on, ride for a while, and then hand it to my buddy or son. That way we get several views of our activity.

But I think the are out of biz now. Gopro clearly has great video quality, and you can find accessories anywhere. Not particularly a fan of the go pro form factor, but it's probably the one to get right now.

The Shop

See All »
redrider_714
Profile picture for user redrider_714
Posts
335
Joined
10/1/2008
Location
Westville, IN US
Fantasy
2285th
redrider_714 4/29/2015 6:33pm
4/29/2015 6:33pm Edited Date/Time 4/29/2015 6:34pm
I use a RePlay XD and it works great. They also just released a new 1080 camera called the Prime X. It is compatible via Bluetooth to you phone so you can adjust the camera to get the best picture quality. They are also really compact so you don't have a big box sitting on top of your helmet,
jeffro503
Profile picture for user jeffro503
Posts
27442
Joined
7/22/2007
Location
St Helens, OR US
jeffro503 4/29/2015 6:50pm
4/29/2015 6:50pm
Oh man , I'm really digging that Replay Prime X. That may be the one I'm looking at getting. Really dig the Contours as well. That liquid Image camera looks pretty cool , but it sticks up like the go-pro. Kinda bulky in a way.
Briggs984
Profile picture for user Briggs984
Posts
17
Joined
3/30/2015
Location
Eagle Creek, OR US
Briggs984 4/29/2015 7:01pm
4/29/2015 7:01pm Edited Date/Time 4/29/2015 7:04pm
You can buy a frame mount for the go pro that makes it the size of just the camera. It exposes the body but it comes with a clear lens cover to protect it from roost. That's what I run and if you run the camera on invert mode it will fit under your visor for a sick first person view. Transworld did an article on it last year.
jeffro503
Profile picture for user jeffro503
Posts
27442
Joined
7/22/2007
Location
St Helens, OR US
jeffro503 4/29/2015 7:43pm
4/29/2015 7:43pm
Briggs984 wrote:
You can buy a frame mount for the go pro that makes it the size of just the camera. It exposes the body but it comes...
You can buy a frame mount for the go pro that makes it the size of just the camera. It exposes the body but it comes with a clear lens cover to protect it from roost. That's what I run and if you run the camera on invert mode it will fit under your visor for a sick first person view. Transworld did an article on it last year.
@ Briggs ...I haven't seen that article. With the body being removed , doesn't that make it pretty prone to damage during a crash?

@TMS....thanks for the info on the Drift , I hadn't seen that one before.

I think I've made up my mind though. That Reply Prime X is about exactly what I'm looking for. I like the style of it and all it's features too. After doing some reading on that thing , it seems pretty incredible.
Flip109
Profile picture for user Flip109
Posts
3460
Joined
6/15/2007
Location
TX US
Flip109 4/29/2015 7:46pm
4/29/2015 7:46pm
There is a YouTube video of a really good side by side comparison of a Sony and a go pro. It's not even close. I'll try and find the link. You can google it prolly tho.
david225
Profile picture for user david225
Posts
163
Joined
1/10/2014
Location
PA US
david225 4/29/2015 7:52pm
4/29/2015 7:52pm
RY9MX wrote:
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load...
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load it up with dashware and get laptimes,speed,layout, etc. I think I bought it new for around $150. The picture is almost as good as the go pro, but the sound is not. I never use the highest settings because the files just get too large. It has a mic port and maybe other settings, but I don't use it that often to really care. It came with a waterproof case and different mounts. The contour editing program is pretty good. Here is a sample off youtube I did. I only spent a couple minutes on it just to get something together with the dashware program.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8NSdJzxC20
Just curious did you add that display in the lower lefthand corner or is that one of the features of the camera?
Briggs984
Profile picture for user Briggs984
Posts
17
Joined
3/30/2015
Location
Eagle Creek, OR US
Briggs984 4/29/2015 8:20pm
4/29/2015 8:20pm
@jeffro yeah out of the case makes it more prone to damage but with it tucked under the visor it keeps it tucked away pretty good. It's been blasted with roost and the lens protector dose it's job never had any problems.
WhipMeister
Profile picture for user WhipMeister
Posts
5092
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Big D, TX US
Fantasy
4434th
WhipMeister 4/29/2015 8:22pm
4/29/2015 8:22pm
I use the Foscam AC1080. But it's pretty much an identical GoPro clone. Works good.
Briggs984
Profile picture for user Briggs984
Posts
17
Joined
3/30/2015
Location
Eagle Creek, OR US
Briggs984 4/29/2015 8:58pm
4/29/2015 8:58pm
@jeffro yeah out of the case makes it more prone to damage but with it tucked under the visor it keeps it tucked away pretty good. It's been blasted with roost and the lens protector dose it's job never had any problems.
Wasatch Rider 4/29/2015 9:09pm
4/29/2015 9:09pm
TMS3100 wrote:
Check out the DriftHD.
Ran a few. No probs at all.
I know a few with the replay also. Good stuff from what I hear too.

RacerX8
Profile picture for user RacerX8
Posts
337
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
CA
RacerX8 4/29/2015 10:17pm
4/29/2015 10:17pm
TMS3100 wrote:
Check out the DriftHD.
Wasatch Rider wrote:
Ran a few. No probs at all.
I know a few with the replay also. Good stuff from what I hear too.

Unfortunately I had no luck with the DriftHD, I went through 3 of these things, 2 on warranty. My brother had 2 and my son had 1, so 6 cameras total. We made sure all the firmware updates were current and everything else was dialed properly as we played with different settings in an attempt to exercise all options. The main problem we found was with files being mysteriously deleted and horrible battery life, no matter which settings we tried. It's too bad because I liked the camera itself as far as general use as well as navigating through settings, the mic worked very well and picture quality was great, (I haven't had a GoPro yet though).

Pit Row

See All »
ocscottie
Profile picture for user ocscottie
Posts
69108
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Redding, CA US
ocscottie 4/29/2015 10:58pm
4/29/2015 10:58pm
RY9MX wrote:
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load...
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load it up with dashware and get laptimes,speed,layout, etc. I think I bought it new for around $150. The picture is almost as good as the go pro, but the sound is not. I never use the highest settings because the files just get too large. It has a mic port and maybe other settings, but I don't use it that often to really care. It came with a waterproof case and different mounts. The contour editing program is pretty good. Here is a sample off youtube I did. I only spent a couple minutes on it just to get something together with the dashware program.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8NSdJzxC20
david225 wrote:
Just curious did you add that display in the lower lefthand corner or is that one of the features of the camera?
Whatever it was, i thought it was really damn cool! Cool
msp138
Profile picture for user msp138
Posts
461
Joined
7/21/2010
Location
Macomb, MI US
msp138 4/30/2015 5:25am
4/30/2015 5:25am
Check out the Garmin vurb elite it is what I have and it's really good. It doesn't shoot in 4k but that is only good if you have a 4k monitor. The cool thing about the Garmin is it can show speed and gps location of where you are on the track.
RY9MX
Profile picture for user RY9MX
Posts
92
Joined
10/24/2013
Location
Miami, FL US
RY9MX 4/30/2015 6:33am
4/30/2015 6:33am
david225 wrote:
Just curious did you add that display in the lower lefthand corner or is that one of the features of the camera?
That's the dashware editing program. It's around $50 but I really like it. Gives you a ton of options for info like that. Takes all of the gps info automatically from the contour or most other gps things like gps heart rate monitors garmin edge bike computers, etc. I think it gives a really cool addition of moto vids. Www.dashware.net
DemoDick
Profile picture for user DemoDick
Posts
486
Joined
3/23/2014
Location
Cumming, GA US
DemoDick 4/30/2015 6:59am
4/30/2015 6:59am
Have a contour 1080 loved it. Like the side mount rather than the toaster teletubbie look.
jeffro503
Profile picture for user jeffro503
Posts
27442
Joined
7/22/2007
Location
St Helens, OR US
jeffro503 4/30/2015 7:40am
4/30/2015 7:40am
RY9MX wrote:
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load...
I bought a contour cam off ebay last year. I have a go pro, but wanted the contour because it has gps and I could load it up with dashware and get laptimes,speed,layout, etc. I think I bought it new for around $150. The picture is almost as good as the go pro, but the sound is not. I never use the highest settings because the files just get too large. It has a mic port and maybe other settings, but I don't use it that often to really care. It came with a waterproof case and different mounts. The contour editing program is pretty good. Here is a sample off youtube I did. I only spent a couple minutes on it just to get something together with the dashware program.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8NSdJzxC20
Just curios on something here. On the lap times counter , how does it know when and where to start the lap? I'm figuring it must be in the software and the GPS ? The picture was extremely clear even on 720. Very impressive. I think it'll be a toss up between the contour and Replay for me. Can't believe I've waited this long to get a helmet cam.
Scrambler_Man
Profile picture for user Scrambler_Man
Posts
81
Joined
1/10/2015
Location
Port Orchard, WA US
Scrambler_Man 4/30/2015 7:53am
4/30/2015 7:53am
Take a look at the Garmin, it has some really cool features like speed data that can be imbedded in the video.
Hman144
Profile picture for user Hman144
Posts
2101
Joined
12/4/2007
Location
York, PA US
Fantasy
713th
Hman144 4/30/2015 8:42am
4/30/2015 8:42am
7eleven-

A fellow Rexer!

RY9MX
Profile picture for user RY9MX
Posts
92
Joined
10/24/2013
Location
Miami, FL US
RY9MX 4/30/2015 3:33pm
4/30/2015 3:33pm
jeffro503 wrote:
Just curios on something here. On the lap times counter , how does it know when and where to start the lap? I'm figuring it must...
Just curios on something here. On the lap times counter , how does it know when and where to start the lap? I'm figuring it must be in the software and the GPS ? The picture was extremely clear even on 720. Very impressive. I think it'll be a toss up between the contour and Replay for me. Can't believe I've waited this long to get a helmet cam.
On the dash ware software, you choose where the start/finish is. The first lap gets screwed up, but the rest are pretty accurate. The contour app is good as well. Bluetooth to your phone for settings and preview vid.
Skuzzy29
Profile picture for user Skuzzy29
Posts
821
Joined
7/28/2014
Location
Central CA, CA US
Skuzzy29 4/30/2015 4:14pm
4/30/2015 4:14pm
DemoDick wrote:
Have a contour 1080 loved it. Like the side mount rather than the toaster teletubbie look.
Ditto here! Use it mostly for MTB and Snowboarding. For Snowboarding I just hold it in my back hand so I can record all over the place.

Post a reply to: Opinions on other helmet cams besides Go-Pro?