looking for a camcorder

[bmxfreakrider]

ok, im in the market for a camcorder, and I have just one thing that it needs:

its like a webcam that plugs into the camera so you can throw the camera in my backpack, and put the webcam thing onto the front of my helmet and record a video of me riding some trails on my bike. what are those things called? and also i need a camera that will work with it.

can you guys dig something up? my budget is >$300 US

 

[bmxfreakrider]

ok I found what the thing is called, its called a HelmetCam...who would have known???? lol

well, after finding that, and what it requires, i ran into a dilemma: i cant find a camera with a video input. checked newegg, google, nothing for less than 300, they start at like 1000....drop a zero and it might work. but yea, needs video input, recording media doesnt matter, nor does the interface to pc, if any, but it would be cool for it to record to dvd and interface to pc with firewire or usb. anybody know of a good cheap one?

 

[Brinson]

Video Input?

I doubt you'll find that in a camcorder...mainly because its mostly useless...

Why do you want to input video to the camcorder?

My advice is get any MiniDV camcorder with firewire/dv out. I've seen several around for ~$200

 

[bmxfreakrider]

Helmet Cam, Helmet Camera, and Helmet+Cameras by Twenty20

I have no problem in getting that as long as i have a camcorder that has a video input. seems impossible to find for cheap, i know their out there, just hiding from me.

 

[Brinson]

Why do you want video input?

You are better off getting one with firewire and getting an editting program for your inputting of things.

 

[bmxfreakrider]

dude...the link, did you look?

What it is, pretty much is an external camera that clips to my helmet and then connects to the camera, so the camera can record the video that is being sent from the small camera attached to the helmet.

I would just get a cheap camera and put that on my helmet, but its too big.

I would just get a cheap DVR thing that can connect to it, but a all in one is good

so that leaves the last option: a camera that can record by itself, and has an av input to accept video from an external source (eg the helmetcam).

so that thing in the picture above, connects to the camera and overides the lens on the camera, so I can put the camera safely inside my backpack, or in a pocket or something, and have the remote lens mounted in or on my full face helmet to record what I see while still having both hands on the bars.

it has nothing to do with editing, just how the camera captures the video. Heck, I would just use my lappy with a video dongle, but I would not trust that thing in my backpack recording video.

 

[j12]

get a small mini dv camera and mount that to your head or helmet. Whatever you guys do...

 

[Brinson]

I assume you've seen this page Helmet Camera Recorder and Motorcycle Camera Recorder by Twenty20 ?

 

[gooogleme]

get a small mini dv camera and mount that to your head or helmet. Whatever you guys do...

That's probably the best option. A lot of lower end DV cameras (espeically in the 100-300 dollar range) don't even have inputs for an external MICROPHONE. They definitely won't have a video-in. You can check to see if any offer analog-to-digital passthrough; that's a process whereby you connect, say, a VCR to a digital camera and capture VHS to miniDV. You might be able to use a system like that but it doesn't look like that "helmetcam" has RCA outs, which means you'll have to bike on over to Radioshack and pick up a slew of adapters (unless the cheap camcorder supports a 3.5mm video prong, which it might). Hope this helps.