OK time for a helmet cam methinks...

[Manc33]

After getting knocked off my bike the other night by a guy that just totally ignored that I was bearing down on him with right of way (luckily a 5 MPH side swipe resulting in only minor injuries) I am after a helmet mounted camera - but nothing seems to exist that does what I need it to do...

- Battery life of at least 3 hours, preferably 5+ hours (because some rides are that long).

- Waterproof (of course, this is England)

- Image stabilization (doesn't have to be GoPro level but it would be good to have it).

I thought the almighty GoPro were the obvious choice, until I saw the battery life, one hour! Seriously ONE hour? That's no use, I don't care how nice the video looks, I just need it to be good enough to pick up a number plate if this sort of thing happens again and (unlike the other night) they zoom off without stopping.

As far as I know, no camera out there does all three of the above in one camera. The closest I have seen is the Drift Ghost X (1080p) with a huge battery life, but it doesn't have image stabilization and I have seen people questioning just how waterproof it is, maybe water resistant?

What a gap in the market, come on China we need these things!

I'd love a GoPro 8 Hero and it's probably going to end up being what I get but then I'm going to have to cart around 3 or 4 extra batteries with me, taking my helmet off, gloves off, messing about swapping batteries. Nearly every ride I do would be longer than the battery life.

[Pebble]

I have a bar mounted SJ4000 tethered to external battery giving 22 hours run time (only need to remember to charge it once a week) Use it all year round in all weathers, never let me down in three years (and this is Scotland) , footage is good enough. in heavy rain I disconect the tethered battery and let it run off the internal (about 75 minutes)

[Manc33]

Cheers Pebble, I'd be clueless linking it up to some other battery lol.

This review reckons the Ghost X does have image stabilization, with a waterproof case available separately along with a bigger battery lasting 8 hours (one that's standard is 5 hours)...

https://actiongadgetsreviews.com/drift-ghost-x-review

EDIT: I think they must be talking about the flagship version "Drift Ghost 4K" that does have image stabilization, battery life 3 hours, but not waterproof.

Then the Ghost XL is supposedly waterproof, but doesn't have stabilization.

So all they have to do now is make a "Ghost XL 4K" and... it will maybe be on a par with a GoPro, except it would have a far longer battery life. Once you have all those features, the Ghost is going to cost probably £300 (because the 4K one with image stabilization is £250 as it is).

[Pebble]

you just plug a usb cable into it, very similar to the image in the link you give for drift. And as the camera has a 'dashcam' mode, simply plugging the tether into the battery starts the recording, unplugging stops it.

I have been so impressed with the reliability and quauity of this £50 camera I now also have two in the van and one in the car. LOL

[Manc33]

What about it's waterproofness with a cable coming out?

I think I solved it: The Ghost 4K (that has the good battery life and has the image stabilization) then buy a waterproof case for it, that's the same case that fits all those Ghost cameras (£25). Then it does everything, unless I'm missing something. Jog on GoPro!

[peetee]

you just plug a usb cable into it, very similar to the image in the link you give for drift. And as the camera has a 'dashcam' mode, simply plugging the tether into the battery starts the recording, unplugging stops it.

I have been so impressed with the reliability and quauity of this £50 camera I now also have two in the van and one in the car. LOL

Could you post a link to the battery unit you use please?

[Darkman]

you just plug a usb cable into it, very similar to the image in the link you give for drift. And as the camera has a 'dashcam' mode, simply plugging the tether into the battery starts the recording, unplugging stops it.

I have been so impressed with the reliability and quauity of this £50 camera I now also have two in the van and one in the car. LOL

Could you post a link to the battery unit you use please?

Just a power bank, I'd imagine, which you can use to charge anything including phones and GPS head units.

They sell them in Argos, and pretty much anywhere that sells electronics stuff. Just make sure to buy one that's powerful enough for your needs.

Say for example, your camera has a 1000mAh battery, and runs for an hour. A 5000mAh power bank would therefore give you an additional five hours of runtime.

[Pebble]

you just plug a usb cable into it, very similar to the image in the link you give for drift. And as the camera has a 'dashcam' mode, simply plugging the tether into the battery starts the recording, unplugging stops it.

I have been so impressed with the reliability and quauity of this £50 camera I now also have two in the van and one in the car. LOL

Could you post a link to the battery unit you use please?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OKZU-10000mAh- ... 07CZCL4CW/

been using it about 3 years (20,000 mile) still gives about 20 hours run time. Seems quite durable, been wet quite a few times, even spent a wet night lying on the road after it came detached - was able to find it from where the video ended!

[Stevek76]

Why do you need IS? It's software on these cams so can't make the image any clearer, all it does is narrow the FOV and use a moving crop frame to attempt to keep the resulting image more stable. Useful for some sports etc. I run a dji action as a handlebar cam and have the EIS switched off for that, wider FOV means easier to keep the front wheel in shot and no IS means it stays in the same place in the frame which I think is of benefit for close pass evidence.

[DaveReading]

I think I solved it: The Ghost 4K (that has the good battery life and has the image stabilization) then buy a waterproof case for it, that's the same case that fits all those Ghost cameras (£25).

How much weight is that going to be on your head?

[[XAP]Bob]

Cheers Pebble, I'd be clueless linking it up to some other battery lol.

That kind of comment makes me so cross... it's a standard cable in a standard port, and completely solves one of your biggest issues.

Why do some people delight in ignorance? I'm sure it's a relatively recent thing.

[mjr]

I think I solved it: The Ghost 4K (that has the good battery life and has the image stabilization) then buy a waterproof case for it, that's the same case that fits all those Ghost cameras (£25).

How much weight is that going to be on your head?

I think it would be significant, but my neck was injured by the weight of ye olde helmet.

And it's a very good idea to use a breakaway mount approved by your helmet maker, else your camera may be the last thing to go through your mind...

I put my camera on the handlebars.

[richardfm]

A rear facing camera would be useful as well as a forward facing one. I wouldn't want one, let alone two cameras on a helmet. I use Cyliq combined lights/cameras. They have a good battery life and record good images.

[wirral_cyclist]

I've just bought one of these:- https://www.chilli-tech.com/action-came ... or-Cycling

List is ~£70 but only £43 here +P+P :- https://checkout.chilli-tech.com/produc ... oton-deal/

It might have IS but probably not, but in any case you can read a number plate when bike mounted, so if helmet mounted (velcro) it would be probably be clearer still. Bike mounting was a quick check for first run [1].
Records in 3-6 minute file chunks and will (or won't if you prefer) overwrite oldest file after card fills up, runs 32gb cards out of the card box and only needs a 64 or 128 card re-formatting to fat32 (from exfat).
My ride was 60 recordings long @3mins so 3hrs and still running, battery good for 4.5hrs ish I believe (spare battery is £6)
Sadly I'd just reviewed and deleted my first recordings just minutes before reading your post, sorry can't post a sample [2]

[1] I think helmet mounting proves if rider is with (or without) a clue, camera fixed on a bike can't show if a rider checks a give way is clear before setting off etc
[2] well I have 2 mov files when camera was mounted at 90 degrees... 3mins is ~ 500,000KB bit big to post.

[peetee]

Cheers Pebble, I'd be clueless linking it up to some other battery lol.

That kind of comment makes me so cross... it's a standard cable in a standard port, and completely solves one of your biggest issues.

Why do some people delight in ignorance? I'm sure it's a relatively recent thing.

A bit harsh, I think. While it frustrates me sometimes that many people do not understand mechanical issues on their bikes I don’t voice such an opinion in their direction, rather I accept that some people’s brains are not wired that way. I too struggle with electrical matters and would rather seek confirmation from the wise than spend the wrong money.