Video cameras for riding

[Taz]

I just ordered a 720P HD keychain video camera off eBay and a bike handle bar mount for it, along with a class 10 micro sd card. Around $50 all up. Wonder if I can get a helmet mount too?

Anyone else with cameras you use whilst riding can you post details here of what you use and the type of mount. Then I looking fwd to seeing highlights of your commutes or rides, especially rides in the company of other bikes.

[you you]

Got any pictures. I use the insides of a keychain camera. I coat it in epoxy, apart from the buttons obv, and then duct tape it to wherever is needed

Works fine for the price and I'd not be too bothered if I lost it

[maddiedog]

I use a gopro when I'm dirt biking, with the helmet mount. Works great, and it's been whacked on hundreds of branches, fallen on, been in mud, etc.


Here's a video of my lowsiding.

The slide is at 4:28 -- I hit a patch of mud as I ripped out of a corner, lost traction in the rear and slid.

[Taz]

QED
Mine hasnt arrived yet, just ordered it. Can you take a pic of yours with the epoxy coating. Sounds interesting. Have you been able to tape it to your helmet? I want to do that with mine.

[you you]

QED
Mine hasnt arrived yet, just ordered it. Can you take a pic of yours with the epoxy coating. Sounds interesting. Have you been able to tape it to your helmet? I want to do that with mine.

Bit late now so I'll dig it out and take a picture

I just duct tape it anywhere including helmets

[Taz]

Here is my 808 #18 keychain cam I just attached to the bike, around $30 on eBay. I tried it on the handlebar first but all you could see was my big ermax screen. So now its on the port mirror!


IMG_0473 by TazPCX, on Flickr


IMG_0476 by TazPCX, on Flickr

Oh yeh its summer here, about 30 (86F) degrees today but yesterday was 42 (108) which was too hot! This is the local beach about 20 seconds PCX ride from my house.

[Black Bandit]

Nice rearview mirror you got there Taz! Hows the vibration on that camera mount?

[ms_sparky]

Looks good! How did you attach it?

[Taz]

Nice rearview mirror you got there Taz! Hows the vibration on that camera mount?

Only seems to vibrate when am idling at lights but I have the idle stop so motor cuts out after a couple of seconds.

Looks good! How did you attach it?

Attached with bike handlebar mounting kit, again a few bucks on eBay. Went on handlebar as is but to go on mirror I needed to wrap tape around my mirror mount to thicken it up.

Will upload sample video shortly.

[Taz]

Here are a couple of videos using the keychain camera, no vibes except at idle till idle stop kicks in. Quality is brilliant on the raw 600mb MOV file but by the time I get it to vimeo its become a crappy 15mb WMV as I only have windows movie maker on an XP to edit.

https://vimeo.com/56799143 (2 1/2 min summary of commute, cut out the boring bits)

https://vimeo.com/56799434 (30 second test shot)

Next time will angle the camera up a bit more. This is my first effort with bike cam! Hopefully on a scooter rally next week so will do vids then. If you are bored you can prob find some sailing vids I took on other cams also on vimeo!

The camera is so small that some folk are mounting them inside their full face helmets so I may try that sometime!

[you you]

Sorry. I forgot to post a picture of my camera. I'll try to find it and sort it out. I've bought a little muvi camera too

[SmellyTofu]

I've seen great quality videos come out of those 808 keychain cameras. Only issue I have with them is the batteries don't last long enough and a minor point that they aren't weather proof.

Then again, using a gopro, you have to constantly change between the full casing and the vented ones depending on the weather/humidity levels. Very rugged, but a pain because condensation can form inside the lens as the weather comes in and out. Certainly not a set and forget thing.

[tomtic]

Wow - I'm really impressed with the quality of the movie clips. Obviously the brilliant sunshine (something absent this year in Britain!) has helped with the quality, but it is at least as good as a Sony videocam I used a year or two ago.
Please post a pic of the camera, as I would like to ensure I get the right one when looking on the web.
Cheers.
Tom

[Taz]

Tom
The battery lasts 85 min in record mode on mine which is model 808 #18. You can power it by usb cable if you wanted extenal power and in my version you can replace the battery when it gets tired. I added in a class 10 micro sd card for storage, bought seperately along with the keychain cam bike handlebar kit also bought seperately.

From my research, the only verified eBay sellers of the #18 camera are:

power-gps beetleonline eletech086 http://stores.ebay.co.uk/eletech086/18- ... 34.c0.m322

hxelepro360 powerdigital898 internet-shop365 or
HETAI Digital Technology

Ive given the link for eletech086 as they are eBay UK though I got mine from powerdigital898 but took nearly 4 weeks to be delivered!

There is also a 808 #16 version which after I ordered mine I researched and realised was a bit better as has a wider angle lens and apparently the 18 is a copy of the 16 but with video out. You can get the 808 #16 from eletoponline365 digitalele889 or novotm eBay vendors.

Ive been told that there are plenty of fakes for these cameras and to get them from above listed eBayers only.

They are 720p HD at 16 x 9 aspect ratio which is what I wanted. Dont get full HD 1080p as the processor cant do it and you end with loads of missing frames. If you want 1080p get a bigger and more expensive GoPro hero Black!

If you want to make it waterproof people are putting them inside tic tac cases! But I only plan taking vids on nice days which is most of the time here!

Get a known brand micro sd card. Class 4 should work but I got the best. Again there are fakes out there that will cause missing frames.

[tomtic]

Thanks Taz. I've been reading around since posting above and discovered there were a few fakes out there. I've now ordered one from one of the sellers listed and will post some clips in a few weeks all being well.
Thanks again.
Tom.

[philvb]

Here is my 808 #18 keychain cam I just attached to the bike, around $30 on eBay. I tried it on the handlebar first but all you could see was my big ermax screen. So now its on the port mirror!

Where did you obtain that center mirror? Would love to get one!

[Taz]

Here is my 808 #18 keychain cam I just attached to the bike, around $30 on eBay. I tried it on the handlebar first but all you could see was my big ermax screen. So now its on the port mirror!

Where did you obtain that center mirror? Would love to get one!

Saw it on Trawlerman's bike photos here. Bought from http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/riderscan/m. ... ksid=p3686 and its a RiderScan Motorcycle Blind Spot Mirror.

I bought it mainly for when on scooter rallys so I can see mates scooters when riding in formation. Only just put it on. Obviously you cant see right behind your back but you can see blind spots. Its for sticking on a windscreen and not sure if stock windscreen is big enough for it, but will be fine on aftermarket screens.

[philvb]

Saw it on Trawlerman's bike photos here. Bought from http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/riderscan/m. ... ksid=p3686 and its a RiderScan Motorcycle Blind Spot Mirror.

I bought it mainly for when on scooter rallys so I can see mates scooters when riding in formation. Only just put it on. Obviously you cant see right behind your back but you can see blind spots. Its for sticking on a windscreen and not sure if stock windscreen is big enough for it, but will be fine on aftermarket screens.

Thanks for the info, gonna get one. I am just waiting on my ermax +25 to be shipped from same.same, which is supposed to happen on Monday.

[philvb]

Just checked for the mirror, they are pretty pricey! $69 US for the mirror, plus another $16 for the shipping. Thought I might be able to find a U.S. dealer, but no luck. What I did find was something that was pretty interesting, and a much cheaper alternative, albeit somewhat permanent solution.

http://www.triumphrat.net/maintenance-a ... s-mod.html

[Urbanian]

I have looked at auto supply stores for convex mirrors aka "eyeball" mirrors. Can't find any small enough to go on side mirrors on the PCX. They are perfect size for autos... The PCX mirrors are smaller and closer than car mirrors and the wide view mirror needs to be smaller too.

Anybody got a favorite motorcycle supply house that has really small convex mirrors?