Testing: The Epic Wide Video Camera 4

Andrew Short following Trey Canard through the whoops at the Honda track.

It used to be that video recording cameras that were small enough to be helmet-mounted were the sole domain of TV networks and the well-off, but these days there are plenty of options that allow you to capture the action on your own, without breaking the bank.

Last week one of the Epic Wide Angle Action Video Cams arrived at the Vital MX headquarters, and we figured we’d enlist the help of a couple of our pals (in this case, Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short and Geico Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard) to help us test it out.

To make it a real-life test, we did like most of you would do, and skipped straight to the quick start guide, rather than reading the detailed instructions. We quickly figured out how to load the batteries (which is easy and the contacts are well-marked) toss in the 2GB SD memory card (which unlike some cams, is included in the $209 suggested retail price for the kit.)

It's the silver bullet! The Epic Wide video camera is definitely a lot sleeker than some of the other small helmet-mounted cameras than we've used in the past.

Something that we liked immediately was that it was exceedingly easy to turn the cam on and off, and also to check that it’s running once you hit the start button. Rather than struggling to make sure that the recording light is flashing in bright sunlight, the Epic uses an LED counter on top of the cam to indicate that it’s running.

There are plenty of mounting options. Included in the kit were a waterproof shell, a strap mount, and an elbow mount. There were also a couple different adhesive mounts, and that’s what we used on Shorty’s helmet. Actually, his Fly helmet proved to be a bit of a challenge, since it had a raised ridge in the center, which meant that the flat adhesive patch didn’t want to sit flat on the top. We cured that by trimming a section out of the middle of the adhesive, and then adding a bit of tape on each side as an extra security measure. Making sure that it’s well-connected to the mount is just a bit challenging. Make sure you’ve got a positive click on the quick-release before heading out onto the track.

With the 168° field of view on the wide-angle lens, we placed it near the top of his helmet, which is why you see a fair chunk of visor. But with the curved mount, it also provided the best match for his line of sight. As you can see from the video, that worked out pretty well, and the wide-angle gives you plenty of view without feeling to constricted, or like you were suffering from a bad case of fisheye.

Another thing we like is the low-profile of the Epic Wide-Angle setup. It’s much less obtrusive than some other cameras that we’ve used in the past.

We haven't used the camera enough yet to see how it survives roost and transport. But we like the performance enough that it'll be traveling with us. We often carry small photo and video bits and pieces in old goggle bags, and that's where this one will live as well.

The video quality isn’t bad at all. Nope, it’s not full HD, but it’s surprisingly good for a 640 x 480 fully-auto-everything picture. You can also pick from low or high resolution modes. This was shot in high, but it has also been compressed a couple different times since then.

What don’t we like? Well, the audio was a bit iffy, as you can hear from Andrew talking in the beginning, and also the way it sounds when he’s hard on the gas. After our first test run, we were watching it on a laptop with Andrew and Trey, and the consensus was that it sounded more like an off-road truck than a Honda 450.

A pair of lithium batteries are also included in the kit, but if you’ve used cameras like this in the past, you know that it’ll eat them for lunch. Your best bet is to get a couple sets of AAA rechargables.

We think for a maiden voyage, the camera passed with flying colors. Be sure to check out the video (see the link above), and give it a comment of your own. For more info, or to purchase of of these directly, check out www.epicstealthcam.com