A good helmet camera?

[daSmirnov]

D'oh :-(

http://www.youtube.com/aldershotcyclist few of the vids here.

It's been out two or three times in the rain now. The video of my commute yesterday was the worst as it was pretty heavy, but it's only out in it for about 10 minutes. If it was out for longer or in worse conditions I'd probably consider pocketing it just to be on the safe side, or getting the water proof case. Took a few hours to dry out, don't think any water got in the back however. Helmet was still damp when I left work. >.>

 

[BSRU]

D'oh :-(

http://www.youtube.c...ldershotcyclist few of the vids here.

It's been out two or three times in the rain now. The video of my commute yesterday was the worst as it was pretty heavy, but it's only out in it for about 10 minutes. If it was out for longer or in worse conditions I'd probably consider pocketing it just to be on the safe side, or getting the water proof case. Took a few hours to dry out, don't think any water got in the back however. Helmet was still damp when I left work. >.>

I never worry about rain and my Contour, it seems to handle everything fine.

 

[Jezston]

Hmm.

Got my helmet mount at the weekend.

Did some test recording at work, all seemed fine albeit with a slightly dim image, and an odd vertical strobing effect on the video which I might attribute to the florescent lights.

Switched it on to record the journey to the train station. Switched it back on to record for the journey from the train station. Got home, plugged it in ... no video.

Hmm.

EDIT Switch at the BACK as well as the switch on top to start recording *facepalm* *facepalm* *facepalm*.

I need a holiday.

 

[BSRU]

Hmm.

Got my helmet mount at the weekend.

Did some test recording at work, all seemed fine albeit with a slightly dim image, and an odd vertical strobing effect on the video which I might attribute to the florescent lights.

Switched it on to record the journey to the train station. Switched it back on to record for the journey from the train station. Got home, plugged it in ... no video.

Hmm.

EDIT Switch at the BACK as well as the switch on top to start recording *facepalm* *facepalm* *facepalm*.

I need a holiday.

I have turned it on and started to record only to realise when I got home I had forgotten to remove the lens cap, so had a nice video of nothing.

 

[mummra]

I got to work the other day and went to turn mine off and realised that I hadn't slid the switch on the top forward
Good job I've got a boring commute usually.

 

[BentMikey]

It's remarkable how you have to pay attention to detail to get day after day of reliable footage. Habit is what works for me, most of the time.

 

[mummra]

The problem I've got is using the GPS version you need to power on for about 30 seconds before starting to record so if I'm rushing I sometime forget.

 

[BSRU]

The problem I've got is using the GPS version you need to power on for about 30 seconds before starting to record so if I'm rushing I sometime forget.

Contour are looking into an idea of mine, that is to have an audible signal to let you know when GPS lock has been achieved.

 

[Jezston]

Managed to get it to work and record my first commute today!

However it appears I'm going to need a bigger memory card. Despite recording only at 720p, it beeped at me about halfway through the second part of my commute. Just before I got rather horribly cut up by a lorry who clearly hadn't anticipated how long it would take to overtake me.

I'll get there eventually

 

[Jezston]

So, memory cards. 16GB seems to be the sweet spot in terms of bang per buck.

Anything I should be aware of? Is 'class' particularly relevant? Should I be ok as long as I get a decent branded job like Sandisk or Kingston?

Just remembered I have an old corrupted 16gb microsd card lying around somewhere that I never sent back for replacement. Over 2 years old now ... might give it another try for a spare!

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Anything I should be aware of? Is 'class' particularly relevant? Should I be ok as long as I get a decent branded job like Sandisk or Kingston?

I think class is very important - it determines the data rate that the card can be read and written at. I was having a lot of trouble on my cheap camera with corrupt files and camera failures using a couple of class 4 cards. I was about to send the camera back, but I replaced the cards with a good quality class 6 card, and it's been very reliable since. Mine is only 640x480, so your camera will have to write a higher data rate than mine. I'd go for class 8 at least.

 

[abo]

Class is *very* important if you're going to be capturing high resolution. Class relates to the write speed of the card; Class 2 = 2MB/s, Class 4 = 4MB/s etc.

So basically, the higher the resolution you're filming at, the faster the card you need otherwise as MHC says above, you'll start to get corrupted files. I suspect the camera will have a buffer; if it fills the buffer faster than it can write to the card then it'll start losing data, falling over itself or whatever.

Here is something to beware of!!! Counterfit memory cards. Be very careful buying on eBay, the market etc. There are a lot of counterfit memory cards out there which are marked up as e.g. 8GB Class 6 Kingstons but will really be a class 2 generic cheapo thing under the fake branding.

As with anything else I guess, buy the best you can afford and be careful of deals that look too cheap, they're probably cheap for a reason.

 

[mummra]

My tuppence worth is as above.
When I was having issues I did some tests on the 3 cards I have.
1 - 2GB Card (Unknown class) supplied by Contour with camera
2 - 8GB generic (Unknown class) card from an old Nokia N95
3 - 16GB Sandisk class 4 from a HTC Desire HD

The Contour card was far and away the fastest, then the 8GB then the 16GB just after.
Even though Contour say a Class 4 card is fine I wouldn't go for anything less than a class 6 after my tests

 

[Rezillo]

My experience with the Contour range is that provided you have a genuine known name brand card that is properly formatted (Contour recommend a Panasonic utility for this, or use the pinhole format button in the GPS version), you shouldn't go far wrong. Contour say that class 2 is ok but I would still go for class 4 if you can, or a class 2 that is known to operate at class 4 speeds.

Where I have had problems is with no-name brands. I bought a Play.com 32gb class 4 which had occasional lockups with the GPS version and refused to work at all with the 1080p. A Sandisk 32gb class 4 card, that tests at very similar speeds to the Play.com one, works fine in both units and now in a Contour+ without any glitches.

Similarly, I've got two 16gb cards - one tests 50% faster than the other but it is the latter, a PNY class 2 which barely scrapes the class 4 standard in testing, that works fine with all the cameras on the highest bitrate/quality settings. The other locks up or cuts files short.

Both the 'incompatible' cards work in a card reader in a PC and speed test ok - it seems the Contour cameras are just sensitive about something to do with the card type. Avoid Ebay - apart from fake sizes, you could get a real size with a fake brand label and a card that won't work in the camera. Contour forums have got a lot of posts about compatible cards and card problems where 'auction site' purchases seem to feature quite highly. I'd go for an Amazon-supplied one (direct, not from reseller).

Best performing one I have is an 8gb Sandisk mobile ultra - works fine and copy speeds from the camera are excellent.

John

 

[Jezston]

Do I really need Class 6? Just that they are twice the price of class 4 cards!

Apparently vholdr used to have a forum where people discussed what cards they had and how they got on, but vholdr got rid of the forum

EDIT they appear to have a sort of yahoo-answers esque forum.

Here are two answers from similar questions, both answers coming from users marked as 'employee's.

The ContourGPS will benefit from a higher class rating up to class 6. The camera can use higher class cards; you just won't get any benefit from it. I'd recommend class 6.

Basically any card that is a minimum of a class 2 will be fine.