John E Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 I've just started looking into a helmet (Point Of View) camera to use snowboarding. I was thinking it might work well to photo others both in video and still. I'm not a camera/video expert. Prices seem to range from about $200 for a GoPro self-contained camera to $1500+ for a high-def video system with separate camera and recorder. It looks like one downside with the GoPro is a lack of remote control (on/off). This seems that it would really limit the usability. A friend has an older high-end system & we've used it with less than great results. I seem to recall that Shawndoggy used the GoPro and liked it pretty well. Do others have experience with this? Is it worth the bother unless one is willing to spend a lot on a system? Has the technology advanced a lot in recent years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey John Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 I used the GoPro last season and while it wasn't the best quality, the footage was acceptable and it mounted pretty well to the snowboard using the adhesive clip. (The suction-cup mount did not hold as well in rough terrain). I just bought the Vholdr HD for this season but haven't used it yet. The problem with both of the above is that you are shooting blind and can't check it until you view it on the computer at the end of the day. With the POV type, you can view it on the small monitor while you are filming, but they are more expensive and you have the separate box and cable to deal with. Personally, I don't like to invest a whole lot into this equipment, because the items get cheaper and better every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 I've got the cheapy which you should be able to get for under $140. For that price it's probably the best video cam for snowboarding. The HD version also just came out. It's $300 and shoots in HD! HD also has its own issues with editing (you need a computer with horsepower), whereas the cheapy edits like a champ in windows movie maker. Of course I DO want the HD version, especially after I've invested in the mounts. If you want to mount to your board, definitely throw down for the surf board mount because the camera wont fly off. Here I'm wearing the stretchy helmet mount like a bra strap, and I love the results: <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxjtUFq_FHE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxjtUFq_FHE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> This vid is WAY too long, but I like the perspective it gives... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL8j_JpXOp0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL8j_JpXOp0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> I think it actually kinda sucks for snowboarding from the helmet POV... too high: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c84V6ayLQ0A&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c84V6ayLQ0A&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> And for my attention whore grand finale: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7__lhQ41rg8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7__lhQ41rg8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordy Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 Yea I have friend rocking the Go pro Kiting and love it. I have a HD cam and can't edit a single thing... Now i need a new computer...Dad Bought the misses n i the Camera when we had our son. Lots of vid none of it edited..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamby Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 Enjoyed watching Shawndoggy's vids. Last year Shawndoggy and others were posting POV videos and I liked following that discussion and seeing people's work. I'd enjoy getting a helmet cam, but am also wondering if better, less expensive technology is close at hand. Still would enjoy having the ability to get some of the perspectives a POV setup allows. Last year I tried to see if I could jury rig my little flip video cam onto my helmet with a mini tripod and duct tape. I built a pretty flimsy rig up before abandoning the idea - could just see that little camera winging across the slope after the first turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 p/u'd the GoPro HD from REI just today - still in the box. It was nice to leapfrog technology a bit. I thought about it last year, not knowing an HD version was imminent and then my wife was kind enough to order it for my birthday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 This is filmed 720p with Panasonic pocket camera mounted on helmet, not by me anyway. Looks nice, perhaps for filming your self angle is too small. But camera is water tight and light so it is easy to tinker to helmet or ... http://vimeo.com/nordickayaking#5845973 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufty Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 There is cheaper gear out there, look for a cheapo digicam that does video. You probably won't get HD out of it, but the quality can be pretty good. Hre's my (somewhat boring) commute to work on skis, shot with a Sony DSC-600 camera, acquired from ebay as "busted" for €15 - cheap enough that I really don't care if it breaks. Mounting for this vid was electrical tape to the chest strap of my rucksack. I hadn't locked the focussing mech, so it floats a bit to start with, but the results are pretty good. The optics are certainly better than the majority of low-cost dedicated video cams, too. http://www.vimeo.com/3382483 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 p/u'd the GoPro HD from REI just today - still in the box. It was nice to leapfrog technology a bit. I thought about it last year, not knowing an HD version was imminent and then my wife was kind enough to order it for my birthday. jealous! get the surfboard mount and show us what you can do. Don't try to stick it to your board with the . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Shawndoggy please feel free tooffer any advice that comes to mind I am waiting until after thanksgiving before I even look at the thing Probably Christmas before I can post anything online I am a total novice with this but excited It goes with to CO in a few weeks I will try to keep the ? To a minimum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 I used the GoPro last season and while it wasn't the best quality, the footage was acceptable and it mounted pretty well to the snowboard using the adhesive clip. (The suction-cup mount did not hold as well in rough terrain). I just bought the Vholdr HD for this season but haven't used it yet. The problem with both of the above is that you are shooting blind and can't check it until you view it on the computer at the end of the day. With the POV type, you can view it on the small monitor while you are filming, but they are more expensive and you have the separate box and cable to deal with. Personally, I don't like to invest a whole lot into this equipment, because the items get cheaper and better every year. That's exactly what I was going to say. Except the parts about the stick-on mount (which I haven't tried) and the Vholdr (which I haven't bought). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Personally I don't care for that particular POV. I saw a video that was phenom where the rider was using a home fashioned monopod attached to his leading arm that showed the rider in full veiw. Not sure exactly how he constructed it but I can make an educated guess that he had designed a wrist attachment with a handle and an extension with the camera pointed back at him. It may take a bit more skill because you have to be able to execute while keeping your lead arm steady, but the result is spectacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crack676 Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Hey guys! Is it possible to use one surfboard mount on different boards? It's quite expensive to buy several mounts for every board... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 I've got the GoPro HD and will be trying it out during the ECES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 I picked up the GoPro based on Shawn's input last summer. Not High quality but things I like about it Fits fairly nice into an upper chest pocket convenient for capturing the expereince as long at you have a good angle, mount too high(top of helmet) and it doesnt offer good perspective lower $ PLenty of mounts avaible for different angles, wrist, helmet chest, handlebars(but that is more $$ depending on what you get) Underwater shots on family vacations at the pool or in the water Battery life is fairly decent, but follow their rule of removing batteries at end of each day, lithiums arent cheap Mount adhesiveness if fairly good, but Shawn indicates they wont stick to boards to well Thing that I could improve If mounted on helmet, no method to really determine if camera is on and recording. it makes slight beep, but very hard to hear Gotta learn the language of the camera for settings Batteries drain if left in Mounts not 100% on adhesion, so I came up witha leash for mine, especially DH mountain biking Oiverall, good capturing camera and fairly convenient. You can even go so far to tinker with putting mounts on items to capture other angles, camera unipod like photo dad mentioned I'm glad I got it and enjoy capturing footage but it get boring too. Thus explains the volution of SHawn doggies sweet angle on the board My$.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xogiox Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Just bought a Gopro HD helmet and I haven't been out on the hill yet but it seems to have a pretty wide and sharp image. Would be nice to see what you are recording but because of the super wide angles if you are in the general direction you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 My mates at Powder Mountain use the Go Pro, which come with helmet and also chest mounts. As far as I can tell those work well. The people I'm with at the moment gave me a VholdR/ ContourHD camera which I took out on piste for a couple of days. These look sexier than the Go Pro, and come with laser signts (!) so you can set them up plus a neat goggle-strap mount. They work fine, just experimenting with what works before posting anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crack676 Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 This is a possibility to mount the GoPro in front and rear the bindings. I used a piece of the bike-mounting-set and some chrome steel. Very simple solution but it works quite fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeS Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 How about the drift camera? I talked to a boarder using one, he liked it but not HD. Anyone here using one? It has a 1.5" screen and a remote, plus several mounts http://shop.helmetcameracentral.com/HC-DRIFT-X170.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted February 5, 2010 Report Share Posted February 5, 2010 Just shot this with my VHoldR HD at 720 Dpi/60 Fps with no filtering in low light. Footage was much better than with the VIO POV. Sorry for the unedited footage, but thought it best to show how it actually looks before any editing for comparison purposes. cheers, sandy <embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://vholdr.com/videoPlayer/embedPlayer.swf' allowfullscreen='true' allowscriptaccess='always' flashvars='height=281&width=500&plugins=yourlytics-1&yourlytics.callback=http://vholdr.com/callback.php&repeat=list&file=http://vholdr.com/xspf/node/66338/emb' height='281' width='500'></embed> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckcarver Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 this was just the thread i was looking for! QUESTION: how much processor will i need to edit in HD and what program are you guys running? im looking at a goproHD. my computer is only a P4... should i be concidering some sort of beowulf set up??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 you will need the latest and the greatest. files are huge and tons of compression. I was in Denmark over the summer with it and my super savvy teenage in-law was struggling to chop up footage - to date I've been either just running it through my big tv unedited to amuse myself or when I need editing, paying a guy in the neighborhood to do it at his workplace. The gopro hd instruction manual indicates that a Mac recognizes the camera as if it is a hardrive - I've not seen it in action myself though. All this having been said, the thing is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donek Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 this was just the thread i was looking for!QUESTION: how much processor will i need to edit in HD and what program are you guys running? im looking at a goproHD. my computer is only a P4... should i be concidering some sort of beowulf set up??? If you try to edit full HD (1080p) you may be in for some difficulties. The video card is as important (or more) as you processor. I spent $1500 on a desktop this summer. I can edit with premier in real time at 720p but have issues with 1080. If you are shooting for the web 720p is really the highest resolution that is usable. The software that came with my new Sanyo Xacti edits 1080p fine, but doesn't have all the nice features of Premier. Your editing needs will dictate your computing needs to a certain extent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terekhov Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 I've decided to go with seems like ultimate winter cam: http://www.vio-pov.com/products/pov_15.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 Just side note, now with new firmware upgrade for GoProHD you can also connect viewing monitor to it if needed. This will help in some cases to point camera better. Plus for us on PAL-world updated support is another great benefit due now you can more easily mix material shot with normal digicam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.