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Best HD Helmet/Lipstick Cam recommendations

B

Ben Garvey

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Does anyone have any recommendations/experience using HD helmet cams, that they can recommend? I have been looking at teh VholdR, the Oregon Scientific ATC3K, and the Tachyon XC.

Are there any others I should consider? I want to use the HD Helmet cam attach it to a R/C helicopter, to get some flying shots over a vineyard. Are these cams light enough for that? I know it is a subjective question, but what is the best HD helmet cam that allows versatility in mounting, quality of video and price?

Thanks,
Ben
 
Weve tried em all

Weve tried em all

We have extensively hunted for a POV cam solution that produces images that can stand up next to red footage and/or be used for stock, broadcast etc - and basically, they are mostly very very disappointing.

The Panny AG-HCK10 advocated above is currently the highest quality purpose built solution for digital POV, at about 4.5 grand total at B&H for head and recorder, but its just barely shipping, we have not tested it, and will not overcrank at 1080 (720P at 60FPS).

The sony unit is disappointing, after a test with a rental unit.

The other units simply are dismal image quality wise across the board. we've tried every imaginable solution recently. They are bad. Like, bad bad.

A 7D or 5Dmk2 in a surf housing has been our solution at times, generally bettering the Sony even given the rolling shutter issues, which are not as bad as one might think. A 7D without a housing and with one of Canon's lighter plastic lenses is quite usable for POV. Practically, we find the 7D/5D bettering the highest end digital POV cams so far even when grading the hell out of both the purpose built POV and the Canon.

By far our best overall image quality for POV has been with a Photosonics 1VN 16MM unit. Yeah, its film and its a pain. But they are incredible little devices, and will shoot up to 200FPS.

If anyone has used the new Panny would love to hear about the images....
 
I lied

I lied

Thanks for the heads up on the Iconix Vico - looks spendy and complex given the SDI outboard needs, maybe impractical for some apps but a promising rented solution for some of us.

Anyone else have any Iconix experience? Love to hear about it.

GoPro's stuff has had really dismal images in the past, when HD Pro ships we'll be checking it out for sure at that price, but based on their market/price and history, I'd be surprised if it can stand up on a big screen.

I suppose people expect POV to look like crap, and be cut into pieces only here and there, but the possiblities go well beyond that if it can be of sufficient quality.
 
Are these "HD" POV cams even HD?

Are these "HD" POV cams even HD?

Has anyone had any experience with the VholdR?
http://www.vholdr.com/

It might be very good marketing on their end, but I can't tell if it even shoots HD? It seems like they are just using it as a buzz word from the marketing department. I think it is 620x and it just shoots it in widescreen to give the impression of HD?

It shoots on to SD Cards, so no extra wires, or recorders, a complete closed system, which is necessary for mounting on to a R/C helicopter. I'm definitely NOT expecting it be on same quality level as RED, or even my JVC HD110 (it shoots 720P), but just want something that is stable, not jittery, and no rolling shutter/smear. I think people generally accept that POV looks more rough then regular cam stuff, more RAW, which I think is a beneficial in a way as it actually adds to feel of the POV.

But anyway, just wondering if the POV cams that are out there in the $200 - $300 are at all acceptable.
 
Ben Garvey said:
Has anyone had any experience with the VholdR?
http://www.vholdr.com/

It might be very good marketing on their end, but I can't tell if it even shoots HD? It seems like they are just using it as a buzz word from the marketing department. I think it is 620x and it just shoots it in widescreen to give the impression of HD?

It shoots on to SD Cards, so no extra wires, or recorders, a complete closed system, which is necessary for mounting on to a R/C helicopter. I'm definitely NOT expecting it be on same quality level as RED, or even my JVC HD110 (it shoots 720P), but just want something that is stable, not jittery, and no rolling shutter/smear. I think people generally accept that POV looks more rough then regular cam stuff, more RAW, which I think is a beneficial in a way as it actually adds to feel of the POV.

But anyway, just wondering if the POV cams that are out there in the $200 - $300 are at all acceptable.
Click to expand...
the VholdR ContourHD 1080p, http://www.vholdr.com/contourhd/techspecs, like the HD Hero, isn't out yet, but it will be interesting to see comparisons when they both become available.
 
Scott- thanks for sharing that, might not be Red, but glad you posted.
To be a film critic- the music'll take me a little getting used to, but the shots were awesome.

Scott M said:
I used the VholdR ContourHD (current 1280X720 model) a couple months ago in Afghanistan, the reverse helo footage near the end of the video is an example: http://vimeo.com/6153183

I will try to get you a full res screen grab.
Click to expand...
 
Scott M said:
I used the VholdR ContourHD (current 1280X720 model) a couple months ago in Afghanistan, the reverse helo footage near the end of the video is an example: http://vimeo.com/6153183

I will try to get you a full res screen grab.
Click to expand...

Was the last shot on the helicopter the only shot from the VholdR? Great looking stuff BTW!

-B
 
Ben Garvey said:
Was the last shot on the helicopter the only shot from the VholdR? Great looking stuff BTW!
Click to expand...

Yes, unfortunately I had it attached to my helmet on the next mission and while leaning out on a landing it was blown off by the rotor wash, hit the ground and flew into pieces. I sent the body back to VHoldR and they replaced it for free (very cool support) but I didn't receive it in time. (actually, the shootout footage was also a ContourHD being worn by my pilot, but he accidentally set it to DVD resolution).

I find that the footage holds up pretty well on an HDTV, better than any helmet cam I've seen. It barrels/blurs pretty significantly at about a quarter in on each side, but for the price/size, it's a good deal.
 
More HD Hero and VHold experience

More HD Hero and VHold experience

Hey all. Since our last post, we have used the HD Hero and VH quite a bit more, along with other solutions.

Our HD hero results have not been great - we still get significantly better images with a 7D/5D - and even a T1i - than the HD Hero. I suppose you could say, well, of course you do! But we have not been able to get results from an HDH that looks as good as their demos. It seems like in ideal and consistent lighting conditions it can look decent, but never for us. We had high hopes, but are now back to trying to get 7D's and Photosonix in the right place.

We've been able to get clean cuts between RED and 7D POV footage with grading, but not HDH or VH. it might be 1080 in some spec, but its pretty darn poor 1080.

One other complaint (sorry guys) - the mounting system on the HD Hero is terrible - its very difficult to get it tight enough to keep it form moving in high wind, high vibration or water. We've had to rig a lot of gaff, pipe clamps, zip ties - but there is nothing really to "grab" onto. You also have not viewfinder of any sort, not even a simple plastic reticle, pretty tricky to setup without trial and error playback onsite.

I suppose for 300 bucks we are being picky. But the promise is 1080, and the demos are clean. Our mileage has been varying.

When it matters, scanned S16 from a modified Photosonix is still king for us, with 7D/T1/5D close behind when no overcrank is needed.

We would LOVE to hear about a better alternative short of the expensive Iconix option....
 
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