Can we have a sencible thread about video cams?

pbassred
pbassred Posts: 208
edited January 2017 in Road general
Observation .... you might think that there would be a sub forum about Tech - computers, power-meters and the like but I cant find one so anyway........
I'm thinking about a cheap cam to bar mount forwards (or seat mount backwards if I start feeling litigious), but I'm not really interested in the blame game. I just would like to capture anything vaguely interesting. I am wary about throwing more junk on it though. I already have Garmin and lights to think about at the shops, so either impossible-to-remove or quick-release is the way forward. BTW I already have a gopro but what a heavy un-aero brick that is!

So, what's good?

Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    The gopro session? Compact and light enough.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    I've got the cycliq fly 6 cam, very pleased with it. The main reason for purchase in my case was the battery life and light feature, it runs as a light and cam for 6 hours and also gives you a record of anyone hitting you from behind. I had the usual incidents of plonkers and dangerous passes which made me start to want some form of evidence. I've not bothered front facing.
  • Apeman HD from Amazon. £46. Or, with wifi £59
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
    https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
    Facebook? No. Just say no.
  • Garmin VIRB ULtra 30 is a GoPRo 5 beater...?
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Problem with the GoPro 3 that I have is that any bar mount results in a lot of shaky noise. Plus the battery doesn't last long (about 1hr) - you also can't dismount it very quickly and you're fixed with a single point of view - so it's all a bit of a pitb to run for anything other than the odd ride. Quality is good though - more than enough to read number plates in daylight - not tried at night - I don't tend to bother with it on commutes these days.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Sencible?
  • Imposter wrote:
    Sencible?
    If we're going to correct every spelling mistake in this forum we're going to be very bizzy!!
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    Contour Roam 3 is a good option, that's what I use, although I do get sick and tired of recharging the battery every two days.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Just read the OP again.

    The drift HD cams are quite slim in profile
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....

  • Ah, the joys of cycling in London....! takes me back.....
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942

    Ah, the joys of cycling in London....! takes me back.....
    must admit never ridden in London, but can quiet understand the vitriol towards cyclists if that is commonplace
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    As said, it was an example footage. Where exactly did I mention I was proud of the footage? And you just said you have never ridden in London. Please review the footage again and try and tell me where did I jump a red light (as opposed to every single pedestrian you see in the footage)?
  • dyrlac
    dyrlac Posts: 751
    I have a cycliq fly12: combo cam/front light. About £220 as I recall. Spendier than other options but reasonably compact and out of the way slung underneath a K-edge XL out front combo Garmin/Go Pro mount. Like the OP, didn't want more and more stuff on the bars, so liked the combined nature of this thing. Footage is ... acceptable. Read the DC rainmaker review, but note that their android software still needs a lot of work. Why do I have it? Partly because I got knocked off over the summer, and while the insurers are playing ball, the police were uninterested in the absence of video footage; also because I have some interesting rides (to me, if not to anyone else) coming up, and I'd like some action footage.
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    vpnikolov wrote:
    As said, it was an example footage. Where exactly did I mention I was proud of the footage? And you just said you have never ridden in London. Please review the footage again and try and tell me where did I jump a red light (as opposed to every single pedestrian you see in the footage)?
    As I said, have never ridden in London, have looked at the videos twice, it looks very confrontational and aggressive riding. Maybe that's what it takes to ride in London 'take no prisoners' you don't make any attempt to slow down or wait it seems if the lights are on your side you'll barrel through. Thought you must have been proud as you posted it, a video of general riding would have sufficed?
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    That's what it takes to ride in the City of London. Almost anywhere outside of it, it's not needed.

    Once a girl jumped right in front of me at Bank junction (the place in the first video), crossing between cars. It resulted in me crashing into her as I did not have any time to react. Now this is extremely rare. Probably you will blame me for this one as well as I do not possess psychic powers to tell who is crossing where.

    Yes, most times I would slow down and let them pass, but if someone is crossing a red light, surely he/she should be more vigilant, not talking on the phone and leisurely crossing while there is moving traffic? (referring to the girl I almost crashed into end of second video).

    For what it's worth, next time they will be more wary of their surroundings.

    Now, a daily sight here are the fixie/SS messengers who go guns blazing through red lights while peds are crossing on green. I am sure most forum members would like to share a word or two about those.
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    vpnikolov wrote:
    That's what it takes to ride in the City of London. Almost anywhere outside of it, it's not needed.

    Once a girl jumped right in front of me at Bank junction (the place in the first video), crossing between cars. It resulted in me crashing into her as I did not have any time to react. Now this is extremely rare. Probably you will blame me for this one as well as I do not possess psychic powers to tell who is crossing where.

    Yes, most times I would slow down and let them pass, but if someone is crossing a red light, surely he/she should be more vigilant, not talking on the phone and leisurely crossing while there is moving traffic? (referring to the girl I almost crashed into end of second video).

    For what it's worth, next time they will be more wary of their surroundings.

    Now, a daily sight here are the fixie/SS messengers who go guns blazing through red lights while peds are crossing on green. I am sure most forum members would like to share a word or two about those.
    Hey I'm used to a world where I take no other road users for granted so my safety is paramount, cars, lorries, horses, suicidal deer and rabbits and pedestrians. Guess if you're riding in that environment day in day out you change your habits/perceptions.. stay safe out there
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    Looking back at it, I probably wouldn't have reacted the same way now.
  • pbassred
    pbassred Posts: 208
    Imposter wrote:
    Sencible?
    If we're going to correct every spelling mistake in this forum we're going to be very bizzy!!
    Nope! hes rite. mi gutts are rownd my sord rite naw.
    That's what it takes to ride in the City of London.
    Isn't that Blackfriers bridge? The one with £millions worth of cycle lanes? I'm not sure that I ever needed to ride like a sh!tb4g. Its true, the average city ped is a fairly linear self-absorbed sheep. The only bike that they notice is the one that tries to intimidate them. It makes the public think that we're all like that. Next time I catch abuse I'll remember you. Had it been me, I would have deleted the footage and gone off to reassess my life.

    The actual clarity and stability is good though. Any more ideas? How do these cams perform in low light?
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    As I mentioned in my previous comment, I probably wouldn't act the same way in the same scenario now.

    Anyway... I have some low light footage as well that I can show?
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ldN2s ... e=youtu.be

    Fresh night footage. It is quite okay.

    The biggest drawback of this camera is that the battery is non-replaceable. So when it dies, you either need to buy a new camera, or find a way to replace the battery. From what I've read it can last at least a couple of years before it dies.
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568