# Looking for a cheap helmet cam?



## Cycling Dan (10 Jun 2013)

*(Note: Missed out the ? in the title! Is it possible for a mod to put it there plz?)*
Been browsing around as I do and came across this Chinese made camera. Now we all know oh god Chinese hissssss!!!! However this seems to be a very good cheap camera. Something I have been considering for a handlebar camera since is very cheap 1080p and comes with all the stuff I need.
A very long indepth review here and covers all aspects of the camera. A good watch. For £60 it looks smashing apart from the limitations with cases and some mounts but not all. However not the spoil too much. Video is below.


Link to where you can buy it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-HD-10...ctronics_Video_Camcorders&hash=item1c338582a9

I know some people have been looking for a cheap good camera and then go with ACT garbage. Anyhow thought I would share this as it does look very good and for a cheap £60


----------



## swee'pea99 (10 Jun 2013)

Nothing wrong with Chinese gear. They've started late, with deep pockets, so they tend to build their factories with the latest and best kit installed. Which helps when you're making stuff like that. I have a Chinese phone - an Orange San Francisco, aka ZTE Blade - and very good it is too.


----------



## Cycling Dan (10 Jun 2013)

swee'pea99 said:


> Nothing wrong with Chinese gear. They've started late, with deep pockets, so they tend to build their factories with the latest and best kit installed. Which helps when you're making stuff like that. I have a Chinese phone - an Orange San Francisco, aka ZTE Blade - and very good it is too.


 
Indeed that's very much true but it does have a stereotype for poor quality which still stands in most industry that it goes into. The tech industry being one of them. Although most of the time the stuffs made in china regarding tech goods anyhow as they have a cap of the raw materials for such goods that they only have in a large supply, so cut out the middle Americans brands and go straight to china brands. However again quality assurance is somewhat void. Also Japan has discovered some of the raw matierals need (cant remember what its called) in their oceans so we could see that change.


----------



## Cyclist33 (10 Jun 2013)

dont do it! it will ruin your enjoyment of cycling!!


----------



## Cycling Dan (10 Jun 2013)

Cyclist33 said:


> dont do it! it will ruin your enjoyment of cycling!!


 
Says the person who has never had one. Hmm......... seems legit.
You buy a camera and you don't enjoy cycling anymore the problem is not with the camera. The camera records and does it job. The problem lies with the person.


----------



## Matthew_T (10 Jun 2013)

Okay camera but I wouldnt go for it. Maybe if a better brand came out with something similar for the same price then yeah. It also looks very chunky and only suitable for bar mounting.

I do love TechMoan's videos. I have watched loads of vids on action cameras and he is very good at reviewing them.


----------



## pauldavid (10 Jun 2013)

Don't do it, you'll turn into MatthewT!


----------



## puch (10 Jun 2013)

swee'pea99 said:


> Nothing wrong with Chinese gear.


 
Really? Much of the Chinese made stuff I've bought over the last 10 years has been consistently shoddy. From plumbing fittings to electronic goods to trainers to, would you believe, climbing carabiners. Then there's the accusation of 'prejudice' against Chinese goods and pandering to stereotypes whenever this opinion is aired. Some Chinese made goods are ok, many are not.


----------



## vernon (10 Jun 2013)

pauldavid said:


> Don't do it, you'll turn into MatthewT! a nobber


 

FTFY


----------



## Matthew_T (10 Jun 2013)

pauldavid said:


> Don't do it, you'll turn into MatthewT!


HEY!


----------



## swee'pea99 (10 Jun 2013)

puch said:


> Really? Much of the Chinese made stuff I've bought over the last 10 years has been consistently shoddy. From plumbing fittings to electronic goods to trainers to, would you believe, climbing carabiners. Then there's the accusation of 'prejudice' against Chinese goods and pandering to stereotypes whenever this opinion is aired. Some Chinese made goods are ok, many are not.


 
Of course. I overstated the case. Nothing (necessarily) wrong with Chinese goods. They do of course also make a lot of garbage.


----------



## BSRU (10 Jun 2013)

It's a punt, if you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket then go for it.
The main problem with ordering from China is when the device goes faulty or arrives faulty.


----------



## MontyVeda (10 Jun 2013)

for £60 it looks great... who cares of it's not 'branded'?


----------



## Rezillo (10 Jun 2013)

Seriously good video quality from the clips on the reviewer's blog. Better than my Sony AS10 and Contour+. Even the youtube footage looks good.


----------



## gaz (10 Jun 2013)

Looks like a pile of junk, notice how his clips were mostly standing still and only one was really moving in a situation we might see (on his motorbike) and that was poor, you could hear it rattling.

For a camera to be any good you NEED to have a good solid mounting system and I don't think that camera is going to off you that. Save a bit of extra money and buy a cheap contour.


----------



## Rezillo (10 Jun 2013)

On the evidence of the raw video clips from his blog, I think it is worth a punt. The 60mb 1080p clip of motorbike footage is very impressive - no green smearing at speed of trees and vegetation, pin-sharp across the screen. Bit of a lesson there for Sony in how to get good 1080p image quality at 16mbps without major compression artefacts.

I'm fairly confident I can modify the case mount to be more stable, also to hopefully get rid of the circular cropping imposed by the lens screen.


----------



## MontyVeda (10 Jun 2013)

BSRU said:


> ...
> The main problem with ordering from China is when the device goes faulty or arrives faulty.


 
the link in the OP is from Wales.


----------



## Cycling Dan (10 Jun 2013)

gaz said:


> Looks like a pile of junk, notice how his clips were mostly standing still and only one was really moving in a situation we might see (on his motorbike) and that was poor, you could hear it rattling.
> 
> For a camera to be any good you NEED to have a good solid mounting system and I don't think that camera is going to off you that. Save a bit of extra money and buy a cheap contour.


 
The rattle is due to the case rather than a issue with the camera. Indeed the mounting system could be better however its not a deal killer as they still work just not great. Also talking camera to camera image this is on par with the gopro silver and Sony AS10 I would say. In addition picture quality is no where as good on the contour so it depends what you're looking for.


----------



## MontyVeda (10 Jun 2013)

Cycling Dan said:


> The rattle is due to the case rather than a issue with the camera. Indeed the mounting system could be better however its not a deal killer as they still work just not great. Also talking camera to camera image this is on par with the gopro silver and Sony AS10 I would say.


 
the camera rattling inside the case could easily be remedied with a couple of slithers of foam.


----------



## Cycling Dan (10 Jun 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> the camera rattling inside the case could easily be remedied with a couple of slithers of foam.


 
Indeed. I would say more was put into the camera than the mounting systems but that depends what you want. However I think I would sacrifice the LCD for a thinner camera. The LCD is a nice feature.


----------



## BSRU (10 Jun 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> the link in the OP is from Wales.


Look further down the EBay page and look at the contact details.


----------



## MontyVeda (10 Jun 2013)

still gotta be coming from Wales though... if the delivery estimate of around 4-8 days is accurate.


----------



## MontyVeda (10 Jun 2013)

Cycling Dan said:


> Indeed. I would say more was put into the camera than the mounting systems but that depends what you want. However I think I would sacrifice the LCD for a thinner camera. The LCD is a nice feature.


 
The LCD is a nice feature... and if it turned off i'm sure the battery would last a lot longer too.


----------



## gaz (10 Jun 2013)

Cycling Dan said:


> The rattle is due to the case rather than a issue with the camera. Indeed the mounting system could be better however its not a deal killer as they still work just not great. Also talking camera to camera image this is on par with the gopro silver and Sony AS10 I would say. In addition picture quality is no where as good on the contour so it depends what you're looking for.


I'm skepticle about how good the quality will be, we need to see it used on a bicycle. You buy one and then we can see :P


----------



## BSRU (11 Jun 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> still gotta be coming from Wales though... if the delivery estimate of around 4-8 days is accurate.


I got caught by that one, dispatched from the UK via Royal Mail but returns have to go to China at the senders own expense.
It would be a question I would want answered before buying.


----------



## MontyVeda (11 Jun 2013)

BSRU said:


> I got caught by that one, dispatched from the UK via Royal Mail but returns have to go to China at the senders own expense.
> *It would be a question I would want answered before buying*.


agreed... i tried to find the return address for faulty items but couldn't find one... and their T&Cs are vague and by purchasing, you agree to them.

Saying that, I've bought several things from china with no problems so far... unlike my dad and his cheap chinese tablet.. that was rubbish!

if I've got £67 quid left over by payday, I might buy one... it's not a huge amount after all.


----------



## Andy clarke (8 Jul 2014)

So what happened? Are they any good


----------

