torihada 2 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 I'm interested in anyone else using a headcam (snowboarders only as this problem doesn't apply to skiers); My headcam video suffers from 'tilt' due to the nature of boarding. My MTB video is fine (unless I'm crashing) as I'm always pointing fwd. At present my bullet cam is attached to the right side of my helmet at eye level. If you use a headcam do you take into account the tilt by overcompensating when you position the cam? Do you have it on the side of the helmet/head or on top? Or is my riding the problem? Any tips appreciated, cheers. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I'm sorry I can't give you tips, but enjoyed watching that. Interested in getting one myself actually. Perhaps a bump might get some other help. Link to post Share on other sites
modern_messiah 0 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I don't have a head cam or anything but I am a keen (but amateur) videographer and I would say there's no real tips other than what you've stated yourself! I'd say your riding style and how you hold your head has a great deal to do with the way you need to position your camera. You can't really change that either because depending on how long you've been boarding for it may be more difficult than you think. When it comes to mountain biking I can see why its a different story - your looking where your going and your head can remain relatively straight while your at it. The problem with snowboarding is that you ride sideways. Now even though your head is twisted to help you look forward, your head will not actually go the full 90 degrees and point to where your going - your eyes will compensate for the last 20 odd degrees. So mounting your camera straight on wont work, but in theory finding what angle you head rests at while riding, and compensating for that with the positioning of your camera, would produce the best results... Really hit and miss but if you go for what I've suggested (which is really just a re-has of what you said lol) you should get most of your video looking really good. Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Great vid, was very enjoyable to watch! Sorry can't comment about the head cam though. Link to post Share on other sites
Squirell 0 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Check out this helmet with built in wireless MP4 camera; I believe it has anti vibration technology too. http://new.snowboardfusion.com/product/145665/Boeri+Tactic+Camera+Helmet+-+Mens++2009 or http://www.boeriusa.com or http://www.larryadler.com/Ski_Store/Equipment/Helmets/Boeri_Helmet_Tactic_Camera.cfm I do know that you need you own MP4 bluetooth device or buy it from them too. Link to post Share on other sites
neversummer 0 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I like the vid too. Much smoother than a hand held cam like I have experimanted with in the past. Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dog 0 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 i had a camera in my knee once. Link to post Share on other sites
torihada 2 Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 The boeri helmet would have the same issues as a bullet cam for snowboarders; what with sliding sidewise. I imagine also the video spec is p**s poor as they give no spec as to camera (how many lines, is it cmos?). I imagine it would be poor phone video quality. I've managed to slim my kit down to a nice vio sport bullet cam (520 lines) with waterproof leads/connectors into a slimline solid state DV recorder (records 640 x 480 to a SD card, small enough to fit into a cigarette pkt) with a Lanc controler (wired remote). So now it fits under my jkt & I switch it on/off when I want. Previously I had to carry a mini DV camcorder in a pelican case in a rucksac. What a pain. New system is bombproof; tested by some major high speed offs while mtb'ing over the last 12 mnths; this one here; ouch resulted in a grade III shoulder seperation. This is quite compressed video footage, my end results are probably SVHS quality. Right I'll get off my geek soapbox now. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 well I'm going for this. Compact, cheap and nasty. Oregon Scientific. Strap it to your helmet. 2GB. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Wow, really not much snow for January in that linked video! We used a head cam a bit. It's convenient but doesn't give you any perspective really on what it's actually like to ride imo Link to post Share on other sites
the snowboarding vicar 1 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 You got that thursday? I was just looking at them, not really expensive at all. Might get one myself... Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I was looking at it last night. Seems a fair price. But hey! my trip is in Feb, so I'll wait for the sales before I get one. USD160 at the mo. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Just recently I got the ATC3K - which is like the one above but 'just a bit better'. I'm looking forward to trying it out this winter. When winter acually decides to arrive of course. Link to post Share on other sites
torihada 2 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Also check out the ATC-5000 Wireless helmet camera. That's also got a small LCD screen at the rear of the camera to preview what you're filming which is not a bad idea. I have filmed entire runs with the camera p*ssed and its very frustrating. It also has a wireless remote so you could start/stop recording without having to faff around taking your helmet off. UK price GB£145 with 4 gb card which given the strength of the Yen might be the way to buy (about ni mai Yen or about US$210). The next stage up for integral units is the VholdR wireless helmet camcorder but is a bit pricier. By this price stage you're getting close to bullet cams and solid state recorders which are much better quality but you've got cables trailing off your helmet. Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Problem with that Oregon one is difficulty in setting it up and positioning - no screen to help. Not expensive though and you can get some pretty decent coverage from it. Link to post Share on other sites
modern_messiah 0 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I do a lot of image stabilization using Adobe After Effects....absolutely brilliant results though it depends heavily what's in your shot. Helmet cam videos of your run won't really work, but if you do what I do and film some one else you can simply use them as the reference for the stabilization. Kinda expensive software though and you need to know what your doing. Scratch that. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 Out of interest, how does image stabilization work in software? Dread to look at the price of that one. Perhaps I wont. Was looking at the new Adobe suite in the shop the other day. 200,000 yen and more! Link to post Share on other sites
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