$30.00 Bike Cam

[Castaway]

Impressive image quality, as others have said. I wonder how much of he audio noise is due to your carabiner security set-up? It's interesting that the magnet holding it on doesn't affected the electronics/memory card.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Is the card's class listed on the packaging on the back?

[RangerG]

It's interesting that the magnet holding it on doesn't affected the electronics/memory card.

I found some info that says that only magnetic memories, such as hard drives are affected by magnets.  SD cards are silicone based......so it said.  I checked and saw that my SD card is class 6.  Leaving on a tour on Thursday so hopefully will have some video when I get home, 8 days later.  

Thanks for some of the suggestions re: mounting.  I think I'll throw in a bunch of rubber bands for a security tether.  I really don't think the camera would ever fall off.  The magnets are quite strong, especially when stuck to each other.

[theWolfTamer]

Is the card's class listed on the packaging on the back?

On the packaging and is most cases on the card itself.

[jeepinbanditrider]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abIDN3hwuPA

Suggest switching it to HD mode.  Just a series from a 20 minute ride home.  I need to move the camera back just a hair more.  One of the things that is a con about this camera is no immediate feedback.  You don't know for sure where it's pointing till you watch the video on a laptop.

[theWolfTamer]

Too many transitions to actually see anything.    Also, don't forget to use deliberate head movements when wearing the cam, the quick (normal) ones are dizzying on playback.  

That's the advice I got and the reason I no longer mount my cam to the helmet.  

[GTS_Rider]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abIDN3hwuPA

Suggest switching it to HD mode.  Just a series from a 20 minute ride home.  I need to move the camera back just a hair more.  One of the things that is a con about this camera is no immediate feedback.  You don't know for sure where it's pointing till you watch the video on a laptop.

Nice!, the footage is sharp. But, yeah you're right about the no feedback problem, it's gonna take a few tries to get it aimed just right. I kept tilting my head back while watching your vid to see a little further down the road...it didn't help  

[jeepinbanditrider]

Sorry about all the transitions I cut out what I wanted from a 30 min video then set movie maker to "auto" and that's what I got.  

[cmilaprz]

That was quite an innovative thinking to set up the camera in that manner to get your video recording. I do think that this is indeed one of the best ones that would be of a very good use while on a tour or on a vacation. The quality is also quite acceptable. I would love to give it a try and see if it works well for me.  

[RangerG]

You-tube link to a video I shot on my recent trip.  Quality isn't great but what do you expect for $30?  I did find that the little indicator light on the camera was very hard to see so I had a real problem seeing if the camera was on or not.  I had to stop in the shade to see the light.  I taped up a section of drinking straw to see if I can hold that over the light to see if it's on.  Will let you know how that works out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x0x0pCUsEg

[jeepinbanditrider]

You-tube link to a video I shot on my recent trip.  Quality isn't great but what do you expect for $30?  I did find that the little indicator light on the camera was very hard to see so I had a real problem seeing if the camera was on or not.  I had to stop in the shade to see the light.  I taped up a section of drinking straw to see if I can hold that over the light to see if it's on.  Will let you know how that works out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x0x0pCUsEg

The light shuts off when you are in recording mode.  The only time it is on is when you turn it from standby to "on".  Once you hold the button for 3 seconds the light flashes 3 times and shuts off.

[RangerG]

The light shuts off when you are in recording mode.  The only time it is on is when you turn it from standby to "on".  Once you hold the button for 3 seconds the light flashes 3 times and shuts off.

The problem I found was that in the sunlight, I could not see the light at all.  I couldn't tell if it was on, off or blinking three times.  at one point I thought I had footage of a doe and fawn crossing the road, but I obviously didn't have the camera on.

[theWolfTamer]

After my last ride vid, I was compelled to get the more expensive wide angle lens.  I ordered two, the 0.68x like the jelly lens and the .28x 180 degree lens.  I had the cheap jelly lens before but it flew off of the camera and I really couldn't tell much difference between the vids.  The 0.68x came today.

Normal:


With 0.68x wide:


I got the lens from eBay for 50% off their normal price (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360184066178&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT), about $13 delivered.  It came with a 2.0x Tele:


The 180 degree should improve the field of view even more.  The commercial helmet cams have about 170 degree lens standard.

[lolife]

I bought the same key chain camera from Ebay.  When I received the camera it wouldn't work.  After talking with the seller, he sent me another camera.  I received it yesterday & it doesn't work.

When I plug the camera into the pc to charge the battery, the yellow light on the camera comes on & stays on forever.  I've charged it over night & all day & the light stays on.   The thing has to be fully charged.

When I disconnect it from the pc, it does nothing.  It doesn't matter which button I press it doesn't do anything.  I bought a 4gb class 4 micro sd card & my pc will recognize the card in the camera but the camera doesn't work.

I hate to ask, but can someone with one of these post how to use the camera b/c imho the directions suck major ass.  There are instructions on how to use the camera on youtube but when I disconnect either of these 2 from the pc, it does nothing.  No light comes on.

I'm afraid I have another defective camera & I don't know if its worth sending 2 back to China just to receive a 3rd that doesn't work.

thanks in advance

[GTS_Rider]

I bought the same key chain camera from Ebay.  When I received the camera it wouldn't work.  After talking with the seller, he sent me another camera.  I received it yesterday & it doesn't work.

When I plug the camera into the pc to charge the battery, the yellow light on the camera comes on & stays on forever.  I've charged it over night & all day & the light stays on.   The thing has to be fully charged.

When I disconnect it from the pc, it does nothing.  It doesn't matter which button I press it doesn't do anything.  I bought a 4gb class 4 micro sd card & my pc will recognize the card in the camera but the camera doesn't work.

I hate to ask, but can someone with one of these post how to use the camera b/c imho the directions suck major ass.  There are instructions on how to use the camera on youtube but when I disconnect either of these 2 from the pc, it does nothing.  No light comes on.

I'm afraid I have another defective camera & I don't know if its worth sending 2 back to China just to receive a 3rd that doesn't work.

thanks in advance

This will probably be too long and overly complicated since I've been drinking, but see if you can make any sense of this and report back with questions:

I have just brought on of my cams to life that I previously thought was doa. Not sure exactly what I did, but it goes back to problems I had with one of the other cams that was working out of the box. After recording a few vids, one time when I uplugged from the pc the light went out and wouldn't go back on by pressing the power button. I discovered if I plug back into the usb connected to my computer and pull out prematurely the power light on the cam would stay on. Then in that state, if I held down the power button on the cam (I think for three seconds or so) the power light would go of, and then pressing down the powerbutton for about one second it will come back on.

It may also have to do with what data is on the memory card if any, since I've been swapping cards across multiple cams. You say your computer recognizes it when plugged in. Have you formatted the card? Do you need help with that? If not, try copying some stuff to the card just for grins.

Though, I think the main thing is you want the powerlight to remain on when you disconnect from the computer. If you're doing any of the 'safely remove usb device' stuff, just skip that shit. Try plugging and quickly unplugging to see if you can get to where the powerlight on the cam remains on when unplugged. Then, press and hold the powerbutton (which is the right side button nearest you if you're holding it buttons up with lens facing away) for about three seconds. If you get that far, pressing and holding the powerbutton again for about 1 second or less should bring the power light back on.

If you get that far, 'clicking' the 'front' right-side button will snap a picture. The light will briefly go off, then back on. Holding down the front right button till it starts to flash will put it in video mode. The light will remain off during video mode for stealth value. When you 'click' the front right button again, the video will stop and the light will come back on.

 

[lolife]

The only way I know how to thank you is to add to your reputation.  Unplugging the camera quickly makes the light stay on.  I then can turn off the camera & it works perfectly.  I tried it on the way home today & the video quality was better than expected.  I had it turned wrong & video'd the trees to the side.  

I'm going to give it another go & post a sample vid.

thanks again GTS_Rider