Motorbike Helmet Camera. Where to buy in Chiang Mai?

[Beetlejuice]

After having a near miss on my motorbike a few days ago when a pick up truck conducted a u turn at speed missing me by inches, I decided it would be a wise move to purchase a motorbike helmet camera.

Does anyone know where in Chiang Mai these can be purchased? Or if already owning one, could you give reviews please and how these actually work?

My appreciation in advance.

BJ

[Rancid]

Not trying to be smart but perhaps full body armor would be a better investment.

[Beetlejuice]

Not trying to be smart but perhaps full body armor would be a better investment.

So what`s your point in coming on to the this thread and trolling the topic?

If this is how the thread is going to progress, creeps with the sole aim of turning this into a farce and off the subject that usually sets off all the other idiots jumping on the bandwagon, than please could the mods close this down if the thread continues on along this path.

[kalbo123]

Pantip plaza Go Pro, ground floor.

[FolkGuitar]

I'll second the GoPro. It provides professional quality video at several different resolutions and frame-rates, well protected from the elements, and you can mount it to a helmet very easily, front, back, or sides, and there is a setting for looping the memory card, but... there are several drawbacks...

1. It's very expensive. Photographically it's worth the money, but for what you want, I think you'll find 13,000 -18,000 baht for different models a bit dear.

2. Although it does have wide-angle settings, it still only covers 170° in one direction. You would need two of them to really give you any coverage.

3. Most importantly, the small battery only gives you at most 90 minutes of use. There is a way to connect it via micro-USB to one of those larger battery packs sold for mobile phones, but then you can NOT use the waterproof protective case. You would be exposing the camera and lens to road dirt and rain.

There are cheaper copies of this sort of camera available at Panthip, for 2,500+, video quality isn't as good, and you still run into the same drawbacks.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

SJ4000 (wifi) and similar 2000-3000bht in Central Festival, same as GoPro but cheaper.

Most of the camera shops on the right have them.

The SJ include mounts for handlebars and helmets.

They all have 170deg lens, they all take microSD, they can all loop recordings.

Edited February 16, 2015 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Beetlejuice]

very much appreciate all your information. I intend to go out and spend a day to check these cameras and thanks to you all, at least I know where to start and armed with what to look for.

I think that these devices are a must, especially claiming for road accident regarding insurances purposes and if ever accused of being the driver at fault by another party or the police.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Beetlejuice

[LivinLOS]

I use a gopro for ride vids..

If you intend to use these like a car dashcam I suspect you will be sorely disappointed..

I get about 1.5 hours out of a gopro battery tops.. Memory cards fill up (I know of no option on a gopro to use revolving storage.. You need to manually turn it on and off each stop and start.. I am constantly swapping batteries, swapping memory cards, stopping and starting the damn thing and thats in a single days dirt or track ride. Its such a hassle I barely bother with it now.

Its simply not designed for that purpose. Its designed as an action cam for recording bits of fun time, not sitting always recording routine stuff for the one accident in a 100 hours..

[Tokay]

Go Pro is the best, but also the most expensive. There are knock off brands at Pantip that will do the job. I wouldn't bother with a Go Pro unless you are wanting to share the footage online or do something extreme. Just for a helmet and normal use, any of the knock offs should work OK.

[Tokay]

I use a gopro for ride vids..

If you intend to use these like a car dashcam I suspect you will be sorely disappointed..

I get about 1.5 hours out of a gopro battery tops.. Memory cards fill up (I know of no option on a gopro to use revolving storage.. You need to manually turn it on and off each stop and start.. I am constantly swapping batteries, swapping memory cards, stopping and starting the damn thing and thats in a single days dirt or track ride. Its such a hassle I barely bother with it now.

Its simply not designed for that purpose. Its designed as an action cam for recording bits of fun time, not sitting always recording routine stuff for the one accident in a 100 hours..

You can get fairly large batteries for them now (3rd party) that will extend its use by hours. Not sure how much weight it would add to your helmet though. Just seem them advertised in an off road magazine. I want to say it can add 6 hours, or something like that.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Body Armor,

A growing number of people using m/cs are wearing body armor.

In my time in CM,

I've come off a m/c twice, 1 dog, 1 wet speed bump.

I've come off a bicycle once, m/c strike from the rear.

I've fallen off on mountain trails numerous times.

A camera wouldn't have helped me any of those times, but body armor would have saved my skin every time.

SkoyCo knee/leg and elbow/arm armor 900bht for a set, SoiBiker armored gloves 300bht from the helmet shop near Gekko Garden.

Body armor also available as well as armored boots. Not to forget a full face helmet, you only get one jaw and set of teeth.

If you're worried about accidents, protection is much better than assigning blame after.

You should seriously consider it.

[LivinLOS]

I use a gopro for ride vids..

If you intend to use these like a car dashcam I suspect you will be sorely disappointed..

I get about 1.5 hours out of a gopro battery tops.. Memory cards fill up (I know of no option on a gopro to use revolving storage.. You need to manually turn it on and off each stop and start.. I am constantly swapping batteries, swapping memory cards, stopping and starting the damn thing and thats in a single days dirt or track ride. Its such a hassle I barely bother with it now.

Its simply not designed for that purpose. Its designed as an action cam for recording bits of fun time, not sitting always recording routine stuff for the one accident in a 100 hours..

You can get fairly large batteries for them now (3rd party) that will extend its use by hours. Not sure how much weight it would add to your helmet though. Just seem them advertised in an off road magazine. I want to say it can add 6 hours, or something like that.

I used the extended battery back and got a bit over 2 hours.. Then again I am recording in HD 60 fps which does make a difference, the OP is probably ok with VGA 30 fps.

The point remains tho.. These are not automated in the same way car cams are.. Its a pain in the arse and even as someone who already has one, rides, and has just been taken out and would benefit from a video of it.. Would never be going through this much, on / off, is there card space, is there battery level, what needs to be swapped, is it charged today, where my spare battery.. Hassle..

When something becomes this fiddly, you just start forgetting it.. and then of course is when you have the accident.

[umbanda]

Lazada....

[Beetlejuice]

Body Armor,

A growing number of people using m/cs are wearing body armor.

In my time in CM,

I've come off a m/c twice, 1 dog, 1 wet speed bump.

I've come off a bicycle once, m/c strike from the rear.

I've fallen off on mountain trails numerous times.

A camera wouldn't have helped me any of those times, but body armor would have saved my skin every time.

SkoyCo knee/leg and elbow/arm armor 900bht for a set, SoiBiker armored gloves 300bht from the helmet shop near Gekko Garden.

Body armor also available as well as armored boots. Not to forget a full face helmet, you only get one jaw and set of teeth.

If you're worried about accidents, protection is much better than assigning blame after.

You should seriously consider it.

I agree that video would not be much use for physical protection if in the event of being involved in a motorbike accident, but I still believe that video could save a lot of legal stress later on in an accident situation.

My wife`s nephew once ordered some motorbike body protection clothing from the States and remember it was very expensive. The main problem he found was that he became uncomfortably hot during longish journeys and during the hottest periods in April he said it felt like being trapped in a personal body sauna and after a few trips out wearing this stuff he gave it up.

[FolkGuitar]

I use a gopro for ride vids..

If you intend to use these like a car dashcam I suspect you will be sorely disappointed..

I get about 1.5 hours out of a gopro battery tops.. Memory cards fill up (I know of no option on a gopro to use revolving storage.. You need to manually turn it on and off each stop and start.. I am constantly swapping batteries, swapping memory cards, stopping and starting the damn thing and thats in a single days dirt or track ride. Its such a hassle I barely bother with it now.

Its simply not designed for that purpose. Its designed as an action cam for recording bits of fun time, not sitting always recording routine stuff for the one accident in a 100 hours..

This depends on the GoPro model. The GoPro 3+ Black can loop if you wish.

But I'm in full agreement that the battery just isn't suitable, nor is the on/off function for use as a constantly on insurance protection.

[apetley]

The gopro copies(sj4000) on Lazada have loop recording and are a bargain for 2k bht.

[terminatorchiangmai]

Buy a car cam and have it installed on your motorbike.

This way you don't have to worry about batteries

They are easy to take of after you park your bike so don't forget to do that yourself or someone else will do that for you.

Good luck.

[LivinLOS]

Buy a car cam and have it installed on your motorbike.

This way you don't have to worry about batteries

They are easy to take of after you park your bike so don't forget to do that yourself or someone else will do that for you.

Good luck.

Have you ever seen a weather / water proof one ??

[apetley]

Buy a car cam and have it installed on your motorbike.

This way you don't have to worry about batteries

They are easy to take of after you park your bike so don't forget to do that yourself or someone else will do that for you.

Good luck.

Have you ever seen a weather / water proof one ??

I use my go pro copy as a car cam and it comes with a waterproof cover included.

[Beetlejuice]

Buy a car cam and have it installed on your motorbike.

This way you don't have to worry about batteries

They are easy to take of after you park your bike so don't forget to do that yourself or someone else will do that for you.

Good luck.

Have you ever seen a weather / water proof one ??

I use my go pro copy as a car cam and it comes with a waterproof cover included.

Interesting. Thanks.

[LivinLOS]

Buy a car cam and have it installed on your motorbike.

This way you don't have to worry about batteries

They are easy to take of after you park your bike so don't forget to do that yourself or someone else will do that for you.

Good luck.

Have you ever seen a weather / water proof one ??

I use my go pro copy as a car cam and it comes with a waterproof cover included.

Of course an action cam / go pro whatever 'can' be used as a car cam (with many many disadvantages) but the advise given above was to get a commercial dash cam, one thats always powered, that turns itself on based on the ignition, that records in a loop, and that when you press the rec button saves the last few mins recording to the card... To wire one of these to a bike.

As these are designed to operate inside a car, these are not weather proof to put on a bike. Maybe someone now makes one, but I havent seen it even online let alone here in CNX / Thailand.

[apetley]

Buy a car cam and have it installed on your motorbike.

This way you don't have to worry about batteries

They are easy to take of after you park your bike so don't forget to do that yourself or someone else will do that for you.

Good luck.

Have you ever seen a weather / water proof one ??

I use my go pro copy as a car cam and it comes with a waterproof cover included.

Of course an action cam / go pro whatever 'can' be used as a car cam (with many many disadvantages) but the advise given above was to get a commercial dash cam, one thats always powered, that turns itself on based on the ignition, that records in a loop, and that when you press the rec button saves the last few mins recording to the card... To wire one of these to a bike.

As these are designed to operate inside a car, these are not weather proof to put on a bike. Maybe someone now makes one, but I havent seen it even online let alone here in CNX / Thailand.

The sj4000 go pro copy plugs into the assessory socket so switches on and off with the ignition, records in a loop and has single button record and save.

[LivinLOS]

Well thats at least covering the usual downfalls..

A very quick scan of it online would suggest that it cant have the cable connected and be in the waterproof case though.. Which makes for a major issue on a bike where we have a wet season.

It is a little surprising no one seems to have made a more bike friendly one.. So likely there is one somewhere on the market, only the average action cam is not it.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Well thats at least covering the usual downfalls..

A very quick scan of it online would suggest that it cant have the cable connected and be in the waterproof case though.. Which makes for a major issue on a bike where we have a wet season.

It is a little surprising no one seems to have made a more bike friendly one.. So likely there is one somewhere on the market, only the average action cam is not it.

Plastic bag over the top in wet season + rubber band.

I mean really, this isn't hard.

[LivinLOS]

Well thats at least covering the usual downfalls..

A very quick scan of it online would suggest that it cant have the cable connected and be in the waterproof case though.. Which makes for a major issue on a bike where we have a wet season.

It is a little surprising no one seems to have made a more bike friendly one.. So likely there is one somewhere on the market, only the average action cam is not it.

Plastic bag over the top in wet season + rubber band.

I mean really, this isn't hard.

Yes because that will I am sure have crystal clear image resolution.. Through a wet plastic bag..

[phetphet]

Not sure of availability in CM, but there are several manufacturers of these action cams including GoPro, Contour, Sony, JVC.

Power Buy normally stock the GoPro and another make (I can't remember which one). Also King Power at S'bhumi if you are ever passing thro'.

Sony Action Cam and Contour models have a thinner heads on profile than GoPro, which some prefer when attaching to a helmet.

I have attached my GoPro to my PCX front screen several times using their suction attachment. Obviously has to be taken off when leaving bike to prevent theft.

[apetley]

Well thats at least covering the usual downfalls..

A very quick scan of it online would suggest that it cant have the cable connected and be in the waterproof case though.. Which makes for a major issue on a bike where we have a wet season.

It is a little surprising no one seems to have made a more bike friendly one.. So likely there is one somewhere on the market, only the average action cam is not it.

That is a drawback, the power lead can't be connected when it's in the waterproof box.

What I am going to do is try and buy a spare box and cut a small hole in it with a multi-tool as a solution.

Edited February 19, 2015 by apetley

[demonietto]

Pantip plaza Go Pro, ground floor.

I got in there a bit late and some shops were closed, but many others had assorted knockoff GoPro stuff. Is there a GoPro dedicated shop that I may have missed, or were you referring to all of them?

[ricklev]

http://www.aliexpress.com/af/motorcycle-camera.html?ltype=wholesale&SearchText=motorcycle+camera&d=y&origin=n&initiative_id=SB_20150729055425&isViewCP=y&catId=0

[FolkGuitar]

Pantip plaza Go Pro, ground floor.

I got in there a bit late and some shops were closed, but many others had assorted knockoff GoPro stuff. Is there a GoPro dedicated shop that I may have missed, or were you referring to all of them?

There is a shop selling genuine GoPro at the north end of the first floor of Panthip Plaza. It's a camera shop that is on the right side of the front corridor as you walk north inside. GoPro is also sold by PhotoBug stores; on the west side of Chiang Puak Rd, 100m up from the intersection with the moat, or in Airport Plaza.