Best HD Helmet/Lipstick Cam recommendations

[Ben Garvey]

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

[Neil Larson]

Maybe something like this?
http://www.lat34.org/quick_hits/wp-c...helmet_cam.jpg

Haha, just kidding. That's a good question that I don't know the answer to.

[Dave Blackham]

Panasonic AG-HCK10 POVCAM

[David Wyatt]

I haven't used this myself (in fact I'm not sure if it's actually out yet) but I saw it the other day & thought it looked pretty cool:

http://www.goprocamera.com/hdheropreview/

[Dave Blackham]

$299 !

[Vico Martin]

Wow!, the HD hero!!!, what a toy!

with this you get 2K: http://www.iconixvideo.com/

[Anson Fogel]

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....

[Anson Fogel]

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.

[Ben Garvey]

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.

[Curtis Stanton]

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.

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.