Video camera recommendations

[rcannon100]

I have a Contour Roam. I think both the gopro and the contour are good cameras. It is going to be a matter of taste. For me, is was the form factor that was the ultimate decider. The Contour form fits well on my handlebars and is discreet. The gopro would stick out, look weird, and it seems to me vibrate a lot.

The Contour is USB charged. Easy to bring it in to the office and just plug it in. It uses microcard memory so you can have LOTS of memory. It takes pretty decent video – here is a still capture from one of my recent trips.

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The lens rotates – so whatever way you mount the camera – you can rotate the lens so the picture is properly framed.

The camera is very solid; has taken a beating. At one point the camera flew off my handlebar into a main road, hit a car in the bumper, and bounced back to the curb. Still works.

But that brings up my only complaint: I think the mount sucks. It is a rubber strap thing that goes around the handlebar with this top plastic thing that the camera mounts on. At home, my bike is parked in the basement, held up by a bungy cord around the handlebar. That bungy cord must have pushed against the mount – and ultimately these little rivets in the plastic thing gave way. Not overly impressed but solvable. Was impressed that the camera still works fine.

Oh the other complaint which you will see is the audio. I think it must have some automatic audio balancing feature. That’s my guess – and it hears the vibrations of the bike on the trail – what that means is on the video the only audio you are get is really loud sounds.

Personally I would not mount anything on a helmet. A helmet is a helmet; its not a rack. When you need your helmet to do what it is built for, you dont want anything up there that might become a projectile. I also find that the weight on the helmet is uncomfortable – makes the helmet always want to slide off.

[bobco85]

I have a Contour ROAM and have similar sentiments to it as rcannon100 said. To preface my thoughts, I was on a budget of $200. If you really want the higher end cameras, I might not be very helpful.

The way I came to the decision of Contour vs. GoPro (they are the two main ones, and I wouldn’t really bother with any other brand) was by asking myself these 2 questions: 1) Do I want to use this camera mainly for commuting purposes (Contour), or do I want to use it for hiking/rock-climbing/water skiing/scuba-diving along with my bike (GoPro)? and 2) Do I want to fiddle around with the videos on my computer (Contour) or have the camera do most of the dirty work (GoPro)?

My Contour ROAM is mounted to my helmet (I bought the vented helmet mount for it), and I personally prefer it there over my handlebars. You do have to make sure your helmet is properly adjusted because you will feel the added weight of the camera (it’s not terribly much). There is a laser to help with rotating the lens to the correct position.

For a helmet mounted camera, you’re most likely going to be taking 960p (1280 x 960, also called Tall HD) because it offers a wider POV (you do get a fisheye effect, though). For examples of videos I’ve taken with the Contour ROAM, I’ve previously posted these on the forum:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MX4d6JS7rw and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8CkkZanXbw

Also, don’t get the newest versions (ContourROAM 2 or GoPro Hero3) because they don’t really do much more than their previous versions. For example, the ContourROAM 2 only improves on the ContourROAM with the framerate of the 1080p movies going from 30 to 60 fps (and camera color selection, oh boy!). Of course, you probably won’t use this because you’ll be on the 960p video setting and both versions still take 30 fps.

The ContourROAM has one annoyance that you should know about: the only way to adjust camera settings is through connecting it to your computer and using the Contour Storyteller camera app. Once you set it, that’s the only type of movie/images you will get for your ride.

I got my camera about 2-3 weeks ago (Amazon Prime, so free 2-day shipping), and I ended up paying $140 for the camera + $20 for the microSDHC memory card + $20 for the vented helmet mount = $180 total.

All in all, I am happy with my decision because I get a lower priced waterproof HD camera that fits nicely on my helmet and doesn’t give me any problems other than having to connect it to a computer in order to change any settings.

P.S. – If you’re like me, you’ll spend way too much time zooming through everything in your first couple of videos by using the fast-forward on your video player because it looks so cool

[vvill]

I have an older model Contour HD. I agree with the general sentiment about Contours.

yay

• good “value”
• good form factor, seems tough
• lots of storage thanks to microSD

nay

• adjusting camera settings via computer-only sucks
• mounts suck, are expensive
• microphone is too wind sensitive (there are workarounds posted online)

I got mine for $100 (not waterproof) and it’s mounted to a helmet using a re-purposed reflective velcro strap (sorry, not paying 30% of the original cost for a different mount… actually the helmet cost less than a mount would).

I don’t use it as much as I thought I might which I guess means it wasn’t good value in the end. Part of the reason though is I don’t have a computer that can process the videos easily.

[creadinger]

Thanks for recommendations. Given that this thread is 2.5 years old, I may get the ROAM2, (even though the ROAM3 is out now), for commuting and city rides.

I’m thinking a bar mount for now. It seems more inconspicuous than a helmet mount, but given an intentional right hook experience yesterday by some stupid motherfucker in SE DC, I don’t think the bar mount would have captured the necessary information (license plate, car make, model, etc..) because the car cut across in front of me at a perpendicular angle.

Anyway, it seems like a prudent thing to do these days.

[americancyclo]

@creadinger 113676 wrote:

Thanks for recommendations. Given that this thread is 2.5 years old, I may get the ROAM2, (even though the ROAM3 is out now), for commuting and city rides.

I’m thinking a bar mount for now. It seems more inconspicuous than a helmet mount, but given an intentional right hook experience yesterday by some stupid motherfucker in SE DC, I don’t think the bar mount would have captured the necessary information (license plate, car make, model, etc..) because the car cut across in front of me at a perpendicular angle.

Anyway, it seems like a prudent thing to do these days.

kinda wish I bought a Garmin VIRB now.

[Supermau]

I use a GoPro. I’ve found the chest mount to be a favorite, though I have frame and helmet mounts too. I only use the helmet mount if I’m making a video for fun and need the shots, otherwise it’s clunky and looks ridiculous. Stem, seatpost, chest all work well.

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