daveo Posted January 12, 2019 Report Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) So I've got a trip coming up. Got a Sony FDR X3000 side-mount on my helmet that I have filmed with a bit in the past. Always read a few things here n there regarding the safety of these cameras on helmets and how if you fall on them it can be a bad thing for your brains. Plus Ayrton Senna comes to mind when I think of falling on an action cam attached to my helmet. Michael Schumacher, too. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Edited January 12, 2019 by daveo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 12, 2019 Report Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) I don't know that there is enough evidence to blame the camera for MS's traumatic brain injury. The rocks under the snow and the rapidity of deceleration probably had a great deal more effect on his brain. (Before I concentrated on anaesthesia about 20 years ago, I spent 11 years mixing critical care medicine and anaesthesia. I've seen way too much TBI up close.) https://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/resources/safetynews/whatsnew/helmet-cams The link takes you to a report of research commissioned by the BBC that debunks the original controversial (read clickbait, please read my article) assertion by a French journalist that the camera is what did the crucial damage. Edited January 12, 2019 by SunSurfer Add link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted January 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, SunSurfer said: I don't know that there is enough evidence to blame the camera for MS's traumatic brain injury. But is there enough evidence to conclude that helmet cameras are not unsafe? Edited January 12, 2019 by daveo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishsurfer Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 30 minutes ago, daveo said: But is there enough evidence to conclude that helmet cameras are not unsafe? Sounds like that is something which would be pretty hard to prove to be honest My only worry with helmet cameras is it possibly catching and introducing rotational forces to the head as a result affecting the neck. Here i speak from experience to an extent having been clothes lined off my bike during DH race practice when i had to duck under the course tape to avoid a crashed rider. I forgot i was wearing a camera and the camera caught the tape whipping my head back hard enough my helmet clanged off Leatt style neck brace i was wearing. This was at roughly 20mph neither the tape nor the camera mount broke If it hadnt been for the brace really bad things could have happened to my neck..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) @daveo read the link page, and if you want scroll to the bottom of that page for the link to the actual research. Then make up your own mind about risk / benefit for you personally. Me, I often ride with a GoPro, sometimes on a chest mount, sometimes with a chin mount on a full face helmet, sometimes on a helmet top. Makes nice memories, and sometimes a useful record of events on the mountain. Edited January 13, 2019 by SunSurfer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted January 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 Thanks y'all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carvin' Marvin Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 I’ll be honest, footage from a helmet cam sucks anyway so why bother. A handheld gimbal is the way to go if you actually want a decent non-nausea enducing shot IMO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted January 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) The lens in the fdr x3000 essentially has a built in gimbal. It's surprisingly smooth, nothing like a GoAmateur. Edited January 13, 2019 by daveo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 Check Osmo Pocket. With acessory it goes to GP inserts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted January 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) Looks good! I spectacularly crash at least once per day, worried I'll smash that to bits. Would be great as a follow cam, in my case. I am looking at the Feiyu G5GS which is specifically made for that Sony. Edited January 13, 2019 by daveo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 2 hours ago, Carvin' Marvin said: I’ll be honest, footage from a helmet cam sucks anyway so why bother. A handheld gimbal is the way to go if you actually want a decent non-nausea enducing shot IMO. The first bit is entirely correct. I'm not sure why people want that perspective. Gimbals... so 2018. These days a 360 degree camera gives simple and better stabilisation. Plus there's no pole and you can frame the shot in post-production I have not finished editing a proper video, but here's a single render from some Rylo 360 degree footage from the other week. ----- On the original question... there's an argument which goes something like "doing X cannot have zero risk, so therefore not doing X is always safer than doing X". I don't subscribe to that argument, which ignores the fact that some risks are much more significant than others. I've never used a helmet mounted camera, simply because I don't like the perspective or the sickening effect. However anyone who's seen a GoPro mount would find it incredible to believe that such a flimsy thing would be remotely protective (sic) in an accident - it'd just get blown away with the noise. Helmets really aren't going to help much at more than about, what is it, 12km/h, so this is really a none issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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