Bicycle cameras

[quote=“StiffUpperLip”]Just to check,

I’ve seen some real bargains action camera-wise on Ebay that come from Hong Kong and Shenzen, China. I’ve been told by friends to be very wary of buying electronics from mainland China, but I also found Ebay guides saying there’s no problem at all, and the seller I was looking at had a 99.2% positive rating with over fifty thousand customers. Am I safe buying from the mainland? Or is it all just cheap clones and dodgy knockoffs, like I’ve been told?[/quote]

I got mine from HK (or possibly somewhere else in China). No problems at all.

HOWEVER, I got mine before there started to be issues with posting items here containing Lithium-Ion batteries. You might find that none of those guys are willing to post to Taiwan now.

Now I’m rooting for the sj4000. Is kind of a gopro clone great reviews on youtube, nevertheless I’m not sure about the battery, is better than the mobius and the lcd if very useful.

Is on ruten for around 2200 to 3000 nt and I think includes most stuff to mount it anywhere.

search.ruten.com.tw/search/s000. … sj4000&t=0

Edit: I think this is the address on a seller 新北市新店區,小碧潭捷運站2號出口
goods.ruten.com.tw/item/show?21403283808492

[quote=“irishstu”][quote=“StiffUpperLip”]Just to check,

I’ve seen some real bargains action camera-wise on Ebay that come from Hong Kong and Shenzen, China. I’ve been told by friends to be very wary of buying electronics from mainland China, but I also found Ebay guides saying there’s no problem at all, and the seller I was looking at had a 99.2% positive rating with over fifty thousand customers. Am I safe buying from the mainland? Or is it all just cheap clones and dodgy knockoffs, like I’ve been told?[/quote]

I got mine from HK (or possibly somewhere else in China). No problems at all.

HOWEVER, I got mine before there started to be issues with posting items here containing Lithium-Ion batteries. You might find that none of those guys are willing to post to Taiwan now.[/quote]

Okay, this is one I was thinking about after I noticed a recommendation earlier in this thread called the ACT20, since its battery life is supposedly for at least a couple of hours. I couldn’t find a link online regarding the battery question you mention. Is it likely to be in Mandarin rather than English?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371109161175?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

OP check out the BenQ SP1. It’s almost like a GoPro except it comes with a bunch of accessories. And it costs NTD 6000.

[quote=“Gryphon”]OP check out the BenQ SP1. It’s almost like a GoPro except it comes with a bunch of accessories. And it costs NTD 6000.


[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I’m really looking for something much cheaper, and the one I linked to is very, very cheap, although I’m sure other people will want to check out that camera you mentioned.

Okay, so I’ve gone ahead and ordered that ACT20 camera, partly because it’s ridiculously cheap, partly because it gets a generally decent review on techmoan.com, but mainly because its battery reportedly lasts up to three hours, which is exactly what I want. When it arrives and I get a chance to test it (I’ll have to buy a memory card), maybe I’ll write about it here. In fact it’s so cheap, I wouldn’t rule out buying a second one to keep handy if I ever go on any really long trips of between three and six hours.

That’s the one I’ve got. You may get away with it being posted here, even with the built-in Li-Ion battery. Some things seem to get through while others don’t.

Another thing I like about it is that its mounting is basically the same as a bike light mount. I’ve now got mine set up where I’ve got the camera and beside that I’ve got one of those fairly small phone power banks (which also fits into a bike light mount). After a couple of hours I plug the power bank into the camera, and I’d say I have 5-6 hours of use no problem.

BTW, I believe that camera (unless things have changed) records 10 minutes per GB. If you get a 32GB memory card that will give you 320 minutes (a little over five hours). Get a class 10 card if you can. It records video better.

[quote=“irishstu”]

That’s the one I’ve got. You may get away with it being posted here, even with the built-in Li-Ion battery. Some things seem to get through while others don’t.

Another thing I like about it is that its mounting is basically the same as a bike light mount. I’ve now got mine set up where I’ve got the camera and beside that I’ve got one of those fairly small phone power banks (which also fits into a bike light mount). After a couple of hours I plug the power bank into the camera, and I’d say I have 5-6 hours of use no problem.

BTW, I believe that camera (unless things have changed) records 10 minutes per GB. If you get a 32GB memory card that will give you 320 minutes (a little over five hours). Get a class 10 card if you can. It records video better.[/quote]

Thanks for that info. Any advice on where I can get a cheap memory card, or are they pretty much the same price everywhere? I’ve never had occasion to buy one, although I’ve seen them all over the place.

And if you happen to know the make of that power bank (another thing I’ve never had occasion to buy), that would also be great.

Are you in Taipei, SUL?

Yep.

Yep.[/quote]

You’ll find power banks, microSD cards and even bike light holders at the computer market near Zhongxiao-Xinsheng MRT station. Oh yeah, you’ll need a fairly short USB cable too.

Just let me know if you want me to take you around. I go there quite regularly.

Yep.[/quote]

You’ll find power banks, microSD cards and even bike light holders at the computer market near Zhongxiao-Xinsheng MRT station. Oh yeah, you’ll need a fairly short USB cable too.

Just let me know if you want me to take you around. I go there quite regularly.[/quote]

Nice one. That’s the Guang Hua Plaza, right? I was there just a week or two ago. I’ll head up that way once the camera arrives.

Yep.[/quote]

You’ll find power banks, microSD cards and even bike light holders at the computer market near Zhongxiao-Xinsheng MRT station. Oh yeah, you’ll need a fairly short USB cable too.

Just let me know if you want me to take you around. I go there quite regularly.[/quote]

Nice one. That’s the Guang Hua Plaza, right? I was there just a week or two ago. I’ll head up that way once the camera arrives.[/quote]

Correct.

Yep.[/quote]

You’ll find power banks, microSD cards and even bike light holders at the computer market near Zhongxiao-Xinsheng MRT station. Oh yeah, you’ll need a fairly short USB cable too.

Just let me know if you want me to take you around. I go there quite regularly.[/quote]

Finding a short USB cord is not hard.

Finding a short USB cord that won’t come loose and good quality, not an easy find.

Word of advice, do not go too cheap on the USB cord. The ones wrapped up in coils and thrown into a huge bin with a bajillion other coils, I’d avoid those. Go for the ones that are hung on the walls and/or have a case/wrapping.

I made the mistake of buying the coil in the bins before. Bought a 5mm cord for (I think) 20NT, cord constantly came loose while I was charging my phone. Aside from the quality, it was also too short, so I went back to Guang Hua and bought a 8mm cable for 100NT, works like a charm.

So I just ventured into the world of sport cameras and was wondering what everyone uses for mounts?

I just bought an SJ4000 and waiting on the store to call me to tell me the handlebar mount is in stock.

I’ve done my research and found that Fouriers, PRO, Giant and I think the last one that’s got ridiculous prices in which I can’t remember the name.

I used an aftermarket handlebar mount bought on pchome. It worked fine for a year and a half, but cracked a month ago and scuffed up the camera case. No matter what mount you get, rig a short safety harness just in case.
I sometimes use a chest mount that I DIY-ed, but it shows too much of my forearms and handlebars and uncomfortable during the hotter months.
Helmet mounts aren’t good for your safety, nor for aerodynamics–if you care about that.

[quote=“Wookiee”]I used an aftermarket handlebar mount bought on pchome. It worked fine for a year and a half, but cracked a month ago and scuffed up the camera case. No matter what mount you get, rig a short safety harness just in case.
I sometimes use a chest mount that I DIY-ed, but it shows too much of my forearms and handlebars and uncomfortable during the hotter months.
Helmet mounts aren’t good for your safety, nor for aerodynamics–if you care about that.[/quote]

I did not plan on using a helmet mount due to them not being aerodynamic and you just look downright goofy, but how can they be not safe? Aside from the possibility of crashing and having the parts break and result in lacerations.

Not safe as in possibly causing the head to turn in a position where it might result in damage to the neck, vertebrae, etc., in the event of a crash.
You shouldn’t alter your helmet.

[quote=“Wookiee”]Not safe as in possibly causing the head to turn in a position where it might result in damage to the neck, vertebrae, etc., in the event of a crash.
You shouldn’t alter your helmet.[/quote]

There is talk this is what happened to Michael Schumacher…gopro on the helmet caused it to fail.

Going to bump this thread and talk a little bit about the new Garmin action camera, Virb Ultra 30, just released last week.

I think this trumps any GoPro or SJCAM knowing it has GPS and is ANT+ compatible, live streaming capabilities and the touch screen is still usable with the waterproof lid over it.

If I had a couple hundred USD to spare, the deal breaker would be the VOICE ACTIVATION RECORDING.

The future, we are in, now.

What are everyone’s thought on this? Best action camera to date?