A good helmet camera?

[BSRU]

Yes, although the US page has the included case listed under the Features tab but not so the UK page, the case is listed as included in the UK Specifications tab, so I was wrong.

Looking at some of the early customer reviews on the US site for both the wifi and non-wifi versions, and having downloaded the manual, one annoying drawback seems to be that the fixed mount options all involve using the waterproof case, which seals the camera in, of course, and muffles the audio. However, one review claims the case muffles the audio, another says it makes little difference, so perhaps more reports needed before jumping to conclusions.

The helmet strap BLT-HB1 seems to use a different clamp arrangement that doesn't need the case (another headband mount VCT-GM1 does use the waterproof case, btw). It may be that a bar mount with decent audio would require some surgery on the helmet mount to clamp it to a bar fixing but I'll wait for some more user reviews to see what happens.

John

The contour in it's waterproof case has the same sound problem but I have found that I never needed the waterproof case even in the heaviest downpours, a little waterproof tape around the join where the lens rotates is enough. The GoPro also has the same sound problem but unfortunately it often needs to be in it's waterproof case as it is very open to water ingress.

The Sony mounting does look disappointing especially if you want to top helmet mount it, looks as bad as the current GoPro.
I have ordered the Sony instead of the C+2 mainly because I think the changes from the C+ to the C+2 are trivial, apart from the higher bit rate.

 

[Rezillo]

I have ordered the Sony instead of the C+2 mainly because I think the changes from the C+ to the C+2 are trivial, apart from the higher bit rate.

I agree and glad you're taking the plunge from a purely selfish point of view - hopefully some first hand experience and comparisons will be here before I make a buying decision.

John

 

[BSRU]

I agree and glad you're taking the plunge from a purely selfish point of view - hopefully some first hand experience and comparisons will be here before I make a buying decision.

John

Once it arrives, hopefully by the end of the month, and once I have figured out how too mount it with my C+ I will make a few comparison videos.

 

[BSRU]

For those using the GoPro HD Hero 2, there is a new firmware release which has something called "ProTune" which ups massively the output rate to 35Mps and appears to have improved the quality of video's recorded( from watching comparison videos on YouTube, not owning two HD2's myself).
It is also worth noting that the HD3 is out in the not to distant future and it will not be the classic brick shape, it is supposedly similar shape to the Contour/Sony.

 

[benb]

For those using the GoPro HD Hero 2, there is a new firmware release which has something called "ProTune" which ups massively the output rate to 35Mps and appears to have improved the quality of video's recorded( from watching comparison videos on YouTube, not owning two HD2's myself).
It is also worth noting that the HD3 is out in the not to distant future and it will not be the classic brick shape, it is supposedly similar shape to the Contour/Sony.

Cheers. I was thinking of upgrading to the Contour +2, but will wait and see what the HD3 is like.

 

[BSRU]

Cheers. I was thinking of upgrading to the Contour +2, but will wait and see what the HD3 is like.

No idea when the HD3 will be out, it could be next year.
The information I have read is from a GoPro forum which has a couple of people "in the know" but even they do not know when it will be released.
The general feeling is the new, long delayed, firmware for the HD2 has pushed the release date out.
I have the Contour+ and it is pants in low light conditions compared to the GoPro. Apparently the new Sony is even better than the GoPro in low light conditions.

 

[Matthew_T]

The Sony has become quite popular dont you think? There is even a YouTube user in America who has been tesing it out.
The quality looks competitive with GoPro and Contour. It could work out quite well for the manufacturer.

 

[gaz]

The Sony has become quite popular dont you think? There is even a YouTube user in America who has been tesing it out.
The quality looks competitive with GoPro and Contour. It could work out quite well for the manufacturer.

nah.. only one person is putting out a few videos, apart from that i've not seen anyone else using them or even talking about them.

 

[BSRU]

nah.. only one person is putting out a few videos, apart from that i've not seen anyone else using them or even talking about them.

Apart from me.
Not released in UK/EU yet, not until the end of the month.
I watched a GoPro/Sony comparison video last night with the Sony using it's image stabilisation. Looks like it works a treat and the image quality was much better on the Sony.
Not sure if the same can be said after the ProTune release for the HD2, it basically turns off the camera processing of the video image produced by the sensor.

 

[Rezillo]

Interesting thread here:
http://fpvlab.com/forums/showthread...S10-and-HDR-AS15-Thread-Discussion-and-Videos
Like handlebar mounts, model planes suffer a lot of vibration and there are some clear rolling shutter (jello) effects in some of the vids shown for the Sony.

Interestingly, this is worse with image stabilisation on but that is probably because the fov in this mode goes from 170 to 120 degs, making the effect worse (vibration amplitude of foreground movement increases with narrower fov, making rolling shutter more evident). The JVC claims to have both image stabilisation and additional processing to minimise rolling shutter but whether the latter works ok, I don't know.

60fps recording will minimise this in 720p mode but for some reason the Sony recordings, according to users, play back 60fps at 30fps, to give a slo-mo effect (and no sound).

John

 

[Matthew_T]

nah.. only one person is putting out a few videos, apart from that i've not seen anyone else using them or even talking about them.

This is the person I am subbed to:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udxd5p4k0Qc

 

[BSRU]

Interesting thread here:
http://fpvlab.com/forums/showthread...S10-and-HDR-AS15-Thread-Discussion-and-Videos
Like handlebar mounts, model planes suffer a lot of vibration and there are some clear rolling shutter (jello) effects in some of the vids shown for the Sony.

Interestingly, this is worse with image stabilisation on but that is probably because the fov in this mode goes from 170 to 120 degs, making the effect worse (vibration amplitude of foreground movement increases with narrower fov, making rolling shutter more evident). The JVC claims to have both image stabilisation and additional processing to minimise rolling shutter but whether the latter works ok, I don't know.

60fps recording will minimise this in 720p mode but for some reason the Sony recordings, according to users, play back 60fps at 30fps, to give a slo-mo effect (and no sound).

John

Interesting discussion about the new Sony, fogging and mounting also seem to be a problem, shame there is no comparison to the ProTune GoPro HD2.

 

[gaz]

This is the person I am subbed to:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udxd5p4k0Qc

So one person :P hardly making it popular.

Look at TV shows using action cameras for various shots and it will mostly be a gopro, a few will use contours. Now those are popular cameras.

 

[Rezillo]

So one person :P hardly making it popular.
Look at TV shows using action cameras for various shots and it will mostly be a gopro, a few will use contours. Now those are popular cameras.

It's brand new - not even officially released in Europe yet and only just out in the US.

Both Contour and Gopro have market share but in comparison to the likes of JVC and Sony they are tiddlers. With the big boys stepping in, then they have cause to be worried. Contour and Gopro have gone through several models and a few years of development to get to where they are now. The early signs are that Sony has managed to produce a unit of roughly comparable quality at its very first attempt. It probably won't shift the market for a while yet and it may lose out on some features to the Gopro just now but Sony's developmental resources dwarf their rivals here.

John

 

[gaz]

It's brand new - not even officially released in Europe yet and only just out in the US.

Both Contour and Gopro have market share but in comparison to the likes of JVC and Sony they are tiddlers. With the big boys stepping in, then they have cause to be worried. Contour and Gopro have gone through several models and a few years of development to get to where they are now. The early signs are that Sony has managed to produce a unit of roughly comparable quality at its very first attempt. It probably won't shift the market for a while yet and it may lose out on some features to the Gopro just now but Sony's developmental resources dwarf their rivals here.

John

So... it's not popular yet.