Fixing a torch onto a helmet camera

Jamey

Does anyone here fix a torch onto their helmet cam to help with night-time or low light filming?

If so, did you find a specific bracket that helps to allow easy attachment (and angling adjustment) of a torch, or did you have to lash something together yourself with duck tape / rubber bands / velcro tabs?

I'm thinking of using one of the Fenix torches on the side of my new ContourHD 1080p in order to provide a pool of light in the middle of the frame while filming, so I do actually want to attach it to the camera itself, but obviously I need to be able to remove it afterwards.

This is the torch I'd probably use:
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix_ld01.html

How does the brightness of that compare to the average front bike light, do you reckon? Most product pages I've found for bike lights don't list the lumens output, annoyingly. Although I know that lumens don't always give a great idea of the brightness.

wyadvd

Jamey,

Heres my setup:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/wyadvd/20 ... directlink


using a cateye single shot plus on my helmet which is probably a bit more powerful than your fenix but heavier (you get used to the weight quickly) just used wire ties to secure a standard cateye mount to the top of my helmet. An exposure diabolo would do the job better but pricey!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=42193

wyadvd

maybe the joystick would be better.

I go around with a flashing light on my head day or night so it doesn't bother me really

check this out

exposure include a cam -with- light mount in their kit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydy5V2psPzo

wyadvd

just not sure that the contour has a standard threaded tripod mount anywhere which would be required for the setup in the video.

I THINK!

wyadvd

this is available:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ContourHD-UNIVERSAL ... 3251851922

Jamey

Hmmm... Cheers... All a bit clunky though. I just want it to look as low-profile as possible really. Still thinking the Fenix + velcro or elastic bands might be the best bet. Light output doesn't need to be amazing as I specifically chose the Contour because it's already quite good in low light.

In fact, I'm more worried about dazzling people, to be honest, I don't want anything too bright as I'll just get shouted at all the time.

R_T_A

I used a Twofish lockblock for a light on my helmet:

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/lockblock.html

Kind of thing you're after?

wyadvd

this might help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB92VsSlhDQ

Jamey

Well I don't really want to mount the light to the helmet itself, I want it to be perfectly on the same axis as the camera so that the output from the torch is properly in the middle of the picture frame and stays locked there when the camera moves around. Having them both mounted separately on the helmet is bound to require nuisance fiddling and I doubt I'll get it exactly right.

I'd prefer to have an ugly, lashed-together solution with the light on the camera than a nice-looking solution that has them separate, I think.

Also, while we're on the subject, I need a new front light for the bike but it only needs to be a light "to be seen by" as I'm strictly commuting on lit roads. Also it must run on triple-A batteries as I've got loads of rechargeable ones spare at the moment.

Are either of these worth the money?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360044128/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Catey ... 360031617/

Second one is a bit more than I was hoping to spend but it says it's waterproof so might be worth the extra.

Wallace1492

I have the Cateye EL450 and have used as my main light since September. It is good when it works, very bright. However has a tendency to switch itself off, especially after battery changes, ansd when it takes a pounding, as it usually does on Maryhill Road, especially now with the potholes. Would I get again - possibly, but would explore other options.

wyadvd

the welsh guy's solution


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydy5V2psPzo


could be mounted differently (given the countour's spinning head!), so that the jpoystick/diabolo was on top and the contour hung down rather than up.Tant would ook much more compact. IMO it would be a robust solution with the light and camera connected with universal adjustment of angles in all planes. but youd need a tripod adaptor as per the ebay link. I have an exposure light for my bars and can confirm that the thread of the 4mm bolt fits a tripod mount nicely. If you already have the fenix torch then go with that I suppose, but I think you will need some serious lighting!

Jamey

Serious lighting is exactly what I don't want tbh

The Contour is good in the dark, I just want a small light that will illuminate the area for a few metres in front of the camera so I've still got a good chance of catching a number plate even on dark roads and with a car that's switched its lights off as it goes past me. That's all, it doesn't need to illuminate the whole scene.

Contour should arrive tomorrow so I'll play with it on its own first, then maybe get a Tesco Cree LED torch or something cheap to see what difference it makes and then decide from there, perhaps.

Ta all.

Clever Pun

As long as the torch has flashing option so you can send out eppy fits to the masses

Jamey

Update from the ContourHD forums:

With the lighting its an experimenting sort of thing. The only advice i can give is , avoid LED torches! "Why?" i hear you ask, well its quite simple, the sensor in the camera has the ability to pick up infra red light ( im still experimenting with that side of things.), but LEDs used in torches and other lighting do not emit IR light, so it can be really bright to you but the camera will only 'see' a small amount of it. The best type of light to use at the moment is a filament bulb type , halogen or xenon, as these emit IR light by the bucket load and the camera will happily see it. I hope that helps out a little.

gaz545

Jamey wrote:

Update from the ContourHD forums:

With the lighting its an experimenting sort of thing. The only advice i can give is , avoid LED torches! "Why?" i hear you ask, well its quite simple, the sensor in the camera has the ability to pick up infra red light ( im still experimenting with that side of things.), but LEDs used in torches and other lighting do not emit IR light, so it can be really bright to you but the camera will only 'see' a small amount of it. The best type of light to use at the moment is a filament bulb type , halogen or xenon, as these emit IR light by the bucket load and the camera will happily see it. I hope that helps out a little.

Yes i have a few videos of my Hope vision 1 on MAX and you can barely see it on the camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufBQSGjNlvU - There my hope vision 1 on MAX and you can barely see it!

If you are still looking at trying, don't forget you got the lasers which point to where the camera is looking, so you can use that to line your light up if you go ahead and try it.

Jamey

Hmmm... 240 lumens for the Vision 1 and yep, as you say, nowhere near as visible as you'd expect.

I popped into Tesco last night to see if they had any Cree LED torches for cheap testing purposes but couldn't find any so I might just use my mini maglite (2 x AAA model) instead, however I'm not holding out a lot of hope.

Just as well the Contour isn't too shabby in the dark tbh.