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Budget Action Cameras
I'm doing a corporate adventure race in 2 weeks and wanted to buy a cheap (around $100) action camera to be used while running, riding and kayaking.
Any advice/experience would be appreciated. Thanks
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I've been happy with my jaycar special. $150 with all the mounting hardware.
http://youtu.be/Y5O-clNPWbM
Mounting is tricky though, I'm still playing with things to remove vibrations, and I got a chest mount but it still bounces quite a lot. I'm sure this must effect ball cameras though.
You need to cinch them up tight.
Important tip: For cycling, you need to run them inverted so they hang from the mount, and then invert the picture capture via the setup options menu.
This enables you to tilt the camera out and forward so it is still aimed horizontal when you're leaned forward, and you don't have to fiddle with inverting the vid with software.
Plastic bike mounts eventually fatigue, break and drop your camera. The alloy K-Edge mounts are more bulletproof. Presently they have a 31.8mm handlebar mount and a saddle rail rear facing mount. Next on my shopping list.
Best place to look for objective and comprehensive camera reviews is Techmoan. He's UK based so may not capture local models like the Jaycar.
Just looked a bit more closely at the Jaycar listing. Looks like a later version of the Liquid Image Ego camera I reviewed awhile back but didn't publish.
Your one seems to deal with vibration a lot better, and gives much less of the "jello" effect when shaken.
The main reason I didn't publish was the capture of car licence plates was unusable - I think due to a slow sensor and longer exposure times. Most frames were blurred, and worse in low light. Even though it was nominally 1080p and the same as the Hero2, the Hero2 was markedly better. (Now of course we've moved through 2 updates to the Hero3+). The Hero colour rendition was better in my opinion as well.
These areas are where the difference between the budget end of the range and the premium end show up most.
But if it's good enough for the intended use, and you're happy with it, $150 is a lot better than ~$450
Have you thought about hiring one?
After some early enthusiasm my GoPro is the most unused bit of bike kit I own.
How much footage do you need of your local trails and how much lame riding do you care to watch yourself doing? That's my perspective anyhow you may be an amazing rider!
You might even find some 2nd hand ones.
I rarely use mine riding off-road these days.
For one, the battery doesn't last for the rides I do. Secondly, I only use it on new trails I haven't ridden before. If you're only going to use it off road and you can hire, I'd do that.
They get the most use on my bikes as bogan repellent when commuting, at which they're reasonably effective when combined with the magic words "Don't be stupid mate, you're being filmed."
For that, they've been money well spent.
@Hugor... yes, excellent point.
I like taking pictures. Still pictures. You can share them more easily and people can scroll through them in seconds (well - when they are loaded up on the same page). Everyone is in a rush and 'time poor' it seems so the quicker your stuff can be looked through the better.
After a day of shooting riders it still takes a lot of time to sift through still pictures and tweak them to get the best out of them.
Back in the 90s I had a go at taking video but found it just too tedious to deal with. And then those you want to share it with have to sit through it.
Don't get me wrong, video has it's place, but think you'd really have to be some kind of genius in the edit suite to make it worthwhile. Then again... how is anyone ever going to learn if they don't try? Hmmmm...
Video is quite a lot easier today compared to the 90's Rob. Plug your camera into YouTube, upload it and edit online. My toddler could do it. Doesn't make the content any better but then the cameras have tons of other uses. I've been using mine to film my suspension on my bikes and motorbikes and film the lad underwater in the pool.
Anyway you can't argue against the success of GoPro. People like the idea of recording their rides, even if the reality isn't quite as red bull as they think, although the vids coming out of Oxford falls certainly are!
I couldn't justify half a grand for one but the jaycar camera is at the right price point. A decent stills camera costs more than that.
I know its not budget, but now the hero 3+ is out the normal hero 3's are cheaper, and they have the best range of mounts, well worth the 200 bucks more.
I bought my Hero 3 Silver edition in the US around christmas, and ive never regretted it, well worth the extra price (mainstream brands are popular for a reason!)
Jaycar have one on special for $49, QC-8018
On the subject of cameras, does anyone have recommendations for budget editing software for HD clips?
According to @LadyToast (see above) YouTube's online editor is allegedly a lot better than you (erm... I) might think. You can't beat the price (free!)
Have to admit that having seen some really jerky stuff stabilised by that it is pretty impressive.
I've tried most of the proper software (Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas Studio etc) and like Rob found them too tedious.
I found Windows Live Movie maker worked well enough for me.
Its also pretty cheap (free).