GoPro a no no? Suggestions on biking video cameras? Post your vids!!
Hello! recently I have been researching around for video cameras that I would primarily use mountain biking, but also skiing as well. I have heard mixed reviews on many different cameras, and am wondering if any of you have personal preference? Possibly have a video of you biking with the certain camera you have, and suggest? Thanks!
Lots of good ones on the market from Contour and GoPro. I don't think you can go wrong with either of them. There are some up and comers on the market that appear to be making good products like Drift. I'd be more uneasy about the cheaper lesser known brands than these.
I think what matters as much as anything is to decide what mount views you like. GoPro mounts in front of and on top of things well, but not well on the sides of things. Contour mounts on the sides of things well but not in front of them.
Originally Posted by shawnt2012
...the other two morons are bellowing like wookies in a bush waiting for a response back
Can't go wrong with either a gopro or a contour, though the gopro's have the market cornered in terms of accessory support and mounting options. Sony just released a new POV cam worth checking out. These three are at the forefront of POV cams right now.
I just have a cheap Tony Hawk 25 dollar helmet cam, works alright but I would like something with a wide angle lens, course I suck so probably better off with what I got, my Idea of a drop is when I take my bike down off the Hanger in the Garage.
Vid of doing the cowboy trail in Vegas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKyl...OeCl1w&index=1
I have a GoPro HD Hero 960 and HD Hero2, ContourHD, and two ContourGPS cameras. I prefer the GoPros above all. They have better image quality, less wind noise, and better mounting options.
I used to use my ContourHD on my helmet, but after viewing a riding partner's raw footage of our singlespeed road ride from his helmet-mounted GoPro HD Hero, I decided to mount my HD Hero 960 on the helmet for all future rides. You can hear both sides of our conversation clearly, unlike on my ContourHD footage which is full of wind noise.
He's using the 960p "tall" resolution, which works well for helmet mounting as it shows more of what you're looking at.
My YouTube GoPro footage looks a little better. I don't put music over my videos, so you will hear all the normal sounds associated with a bike ride, including my suffering on climbs.
I have a GoPro HD Hero 960 and HD Hero2, ContourHD, and two ContourGPS cameras. I prefer the GoPros above all. They have better image quality, less wind noise, and better mounting options.
I used to use my ContourHD on my helmet, but after viewing a riding partner's raw footage of our singlespeed road ride from his helmet-mounted GoPro HD Hero, I decided to mount my HD Hero 960 on the helmet for all future rides. You can hear both sides of our conversation clearly, unlike on my ContourHD footage which is full of wind noise.
He's using the 960p "tall" resolution, which works well for helmet mounting as it shows more of what you're looking at.
My YouTube GoPro footage looks a little better. I don't put music over my videos, so you will hear all the normal sounds associated with a bike ride, including my suffering on climbs.
GoPro, no argument there. Top of the game and SO MANY accessories, I seen a few posts saying that you can't side mount them.... Dog nuts, I have mine mounted to the side of my frame right now ( add a pivot arm.. ) No issues. The contour is alright for a cheap "starter" cam, but overall quality of video and item are not comparable to GoPro. I am a GoPro fanboy, but for good reason!
I had bought several different helmet cams, or just taping a digital camera to my bike... GoPro has came out on top every time.
JVC has come out with something that is being called the "gopro killer".
Are there other brands other than GoPro? They grossed $700 million this year. Threads like this one are kind of funny because if you do any kind of research it's obvious that GoPro dominates the market by a massive margin.
Why the need to second quess what the market has established as the best choice for now.
Great videos on an informative post. Makes me feel guilty deriving pleasure listening to you suffering on climbs amidst all that bounciness.
Thanks. No need to feel guilty . I enjoy watching videos like this posted by other cyclists too. Since I love to suffer, I also want to see and hear suffering in a video.
I have a book of Tour de France pictures from the 1980s. It is mentioned somewhere in that book that the photographers make an effort to capture the pain and suffering on the riders' faces. People like to see that. For me, it is inspiring to see/hear it. It makes me want to go and hammer up a hill!
Back to cameras. One of my YouTube subscribers had that JVC ADIXXION camera for a short time. Like the so-called Sony GoPro killer, it falls short.
The only thing I don't like about GoPro is their flawed firmware updates and unwillingness to help resolve the issues they create. A perfect example of that is the ProTune update for the HD Hero2. I had to revert to the previous firmware version after trying it and experiencing terrible audio.
Most of the posters in that thread remove all their original audio and lay music over their videos, so they thought I was nuts for even caring about the audio. I know I'm not the only one who uses my cameras to record sound as well as video, so that's why I started that thread.
If you read the comments on the YouTube page for the how-to video I found and posted in that thread for reverting to the previous firmware version, you can see that users had other, more serious problems with the ProTune update. Issues such as freezing and the camera recording for only a few seconds at a time are the two that come to mind.
Here's another video I made comparing the audio with the ProTune update to the audio after reverting to the previous version.
Are there other brands other than GoPro? They grossed $700 million this year. Threads like this one are kind of funny because if you do any kind of research it's obvious that GoPro dominates the market by a massive margin.
Why the need to second quess what the market has established as the best choice for now.
I simply want opinions, and dont want to jump into the bandwagon of GoPro. But at the looks of it GoPro is the better choice.
But a second question, suggested place to mount the camera, and GoPro hero 1, 2, or 3??
I use a GoPro 960, usually chest mount. Really like the camera, but can't speak to the other brands cuz haven't tried them. REALLY like the ability to relive a cool ride!!! GoPro vids are also great for doing research on an area that you're planning to ride - bearing in mind that they make everything look easier/smaller than it really is.
If I were buying a camera now, I'd probably pick up that new GoPro3. Looks pretty slick & smaller than the older models.
Crank it up & Heart of Darkness @ Whistler Bike Park (probably my favorite videoed run!):
I don't have the Hero3, but other users have reported that it is smaller and lighter. From the videos I've seen on YouTube, it also has better audio than the HD Hero, HD Hero 960, or HD Hero2, which have some aliasing in the audio due to too much compression.
Thanks. No need to feel guilty . I enjoy watching videos like this posted by other cyclists too. Since I love to suffer, I also want to see and hear suffering in a video.
I have a book of Tour de France pictures from the 1980s. It is mentioned somewhere in that book that the photographers make an effort to capture the pain and suffering on the riders' faces. People like to see that. For me, it is inspiring to see/hear it. It makes me want to go and hammer up a hill!
Back to cameras. One of my YouTube subscribers had that JVC ADIXXION camera for a short time. Like the so-called Sony GoPro killer, it falls short.
The only thing I don't like about GoPro is their flawed firmware updates and unwillingness to help resolve the issues they create. A perfect example of that is the ProTune update for the HD Hero2. I had to revert to the previous firmware version after trying it and experiencing terrible audio.
Most of the posters in that thread remove all their original audio and lay music over their videos, so they thought I was nuts for even caring about the audio. I know I'm not the only one who uses my cameras to record sound as well as video, so that's why I started that thread.
If you read the comments on the YouTube page for the how-to video I found and posted in that thread for reverting to the previous firmware version, you can see that users had other, more serious problems with the ProTune update. Issues such as freezing and the camera recording for only a few seconds at a time are the two that come to mind.
Here's another video I made comparing the audio with the ProTune update to the audio after reverting to the previous version.
Agreed, I doubt the JVC will come close to GoPro ( just watched some vids also )
As for the audio. Thanks for that information! Very helpful!. My brother does a lot of recording ( Instrumental; Guitar ) and had got the GoPro for other reasons but decided to try it out for music recording. He went out and bought a RODE mic but is having issues with it, also bought a neat little POV cam with a very large built in mic at the top of it ( can't remember who makes it )
All the other POV cam makers seemed to have been aiming at beating the Hero 2 with their own offerings. Unfortunately for them GoPro put out the Hero 3 right afterwards, and again put themselves way ahead of the others. Since the 3 came out, you might be able to score some clearance deals on the old ones, like the HD and the Hero 2. But once they sell out, that will be the end of that.
As for mounting options, your imagination is the limit with GoPros. Think about what you think would look like a cool camera angle. Then get (or make) the mounts to do so.
Also, here’s a 3 part rundown on the mounts you can buy. But the coolest ones are the ones you make for your own purpose.
All the other POV cam makers seemed to have been aiming at beating the Hero 2 with their own offerings. Unfortunately for them GoPro put out the Hero 3 right afterwards, and again put themselves way ahead of the others. Since the 3 came out, you might be able to score some clearance deals on the old ones, like the HD and the Hero 2. But once they sell out, that will be the end of that.
As for mounting options, your imagination is the limit with GoPros. Think about what you think would look like a cool camera angle. Then get (or make) the mounts to do so.
Also, here’s a 3 part rundown on the mounts you can buy. But the coolest ones are the ones you make for your own purpose.
I agree about snatching up some of the older versions, while they are available. Thing is I think I may wait longer for the Hero 3 to come down in price, reason being you can somewhat control it with your iphone. Very cool. But expensive!!
I agree about snatching up some of the older versions, while they are available. Thing is I think I may wait longer for the Hero 3 to come down in price, reason being you can somewhat control it with your iphone. Very cool. But expensive!!
With the Go-Pro wifi Bac Pac, you can control the HD 2 with your phone. I'm pretty sure the app is available for both Droid and Apple. It increases the size of the camera, but I am able to preview the shot and use my Droid based phone as a remote with the Bac Pac on. It is a pretty slick set up.
With the Go-Pro wifi Bac Pac, you can control the HD 2 with your phone. I'm pretty sure the app is available for both Droid and Apple. It increases the size of the camera, but I am able to preview the shot and use my Droid based phone as a remote with the Bac Pac on. It is a pretty slick set up.
Yeah, I think I would rather throw out another couple bucks to get a Hero 3, seeing as it is much thinner, with the wifi built in!
I have one of the GoPro Hero HDs and I love the damn thing. As for mounting, it is my experience that the lower you can mount the camera, the more realistic the feel of the video produced. What I mean is, if you mount the cam on your head, it seems to flatten out the landscape in front of you and diminishes the sensation of speed, the steepness of a descent, etc. With chest mount, or mounted to your downtube, steerer tube, etc., it seems to enhance the sensation of speed, downward trajectory and such. Just seem to make for a more realistic ride experience. By the way, my buddy has one and will occasionally mount his facing backward on his seat tube or something like that, picking up riders behind him. It makes for an interesting change!
Also, although I am not absolutely certain of this, I think the newer GoPros offer different interchangeable lenses for differing effects, whereas mine is simply a wide angle. Don't take my word on this, but I want to say I read it somewhere.
Without heroes, we are all plain people, and don't know how far we can go. Bernard Malamud
I have a Replay XD 1080p. I haven't used it with my bike yet but I have played with it hiking and also got a friend to machine a mount so I could wear it on my fire helmet to video training simulations. I find the video quality to be excellent, even in low light conditions.
The reason I chose a Replay was the size factor, I can mount it on my fire helmet and it is inconspicuous and tucked up nicely under the brim. I couldn't do that with a Go-Pro.
I have the gopro hero 2 and its been a great camera. Used in for mountain biking, snorkelling and motorcycle and its been great. I plan on upgrading to the black edition once the price comes down a bit
Not sure if you guys have heard of this. But, I've been using a product from Eyeofmine. They are glasses with a built in HD camera. It takes surprisingly good videos. 720hd 30fps. Cool thing about it. Nobody knows there being filmed... Eye-View720HD Video Sunglasses
I have only owned a GoPro, but I'd definitely recommend it over the competitors - like others have said, GoPro dominates and is overall just superior to the competition. Part of that is due to their excellent marketing, though its mostly due to the quality of their products.
I bought a GoPro Hero HD 2 off craigslist about a month ago. I was tempted to get the Hero 3, but didn't want to pay the extra cash (and if you're going to do it right, you should get the Black edition as the others are really just the older cameras with a couple extra features). Unless you think you're definitely going to be shooting a lot and NEED the newest thing, get a used Hero 2 and play around with it for a while. If you like it then you can use it for a while until you get the upgrade fever and probably sell it for close to what you paid for it. If you end up not using it as much, then you didn't shell out $300-400 to let it sit.
The mounts are key for getting good shots - the Chesty mount is popular, though I don't have that one. Another one that has gotten great reviews is this: Pedco Ultra Clamp. I got it for Christmas and haven't had a chance to use it yet, but it looks great for MTN biking and everything else, since its a super strong, stable clamp that allows you to mount multiple areas. You'd need to get this tripod mount to use it too: GoPro Tripod Mount. There's a GoPro handlebar mount that most people say is pretty poor, and a company K-Edge makes one that has good reviews though it is pricey: K-EDGE GoPro Mount.
Another thing to consider is your computer and editing software. HD files (especially in 1080p) are huge and they are highly compressed in the file format that GoPro uses. You'll have to unpack them to edit them most of the time, and if you have a lot of footage this can take a while - so a newer computer (Intel Core i5 or i7) with a lot of RAM (8+ GB) can help a lot. Overall video quality is going to depend a lot on the settings you use while editing, how you encode it when you upload, and then the playback option on the site - but at 720p or 1080p playback on YouTube, the quality on a GoPro video (Hero 2 or 3 - and probably the first HD Hero) is going to look awesome as long as the lighting was OK and nothing got downsized/compressed while editing.
Hope that helps a bit - let me know if you have any specific questions! I have a couple vids in my signature with the GoPro but nothing that great yet, hopefully more to come. But editing and putting together a well-done clip can take a while!
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GoPro a no no? Suggestions on biking video cameras? Post your vids!!
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Originally Posted by shawnt2012
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Originally Posted by freighttrainuphill
. I enjoy watching videos like this posted by other cyclists too. Since I love to suffer, I also want to see and hear suffering in a video.
!!
