Teamprovicycle

Micro cam

So ive seen these cameras popping up here and there , could they be a worth while money saving option for getting some added security cams , if one does lots of road rides .



EAIaIQobChMI4vq729rV3wIVEVqGCh1LOwoGEAQYASABEgLjn_D_BwEhttps://www.walmart.com/ip/Mini-Camera-SQ11-HD-1080P-Camcorder-Night-Vision-IR-Sports-DV-Battery-Inside-Mini-Camera-Aerial-Sports-Mini-DV-Voice-Video-Recorder-Office-Car-Home-B/628835973?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=18570&adid=22222222228242681670&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=289 715148689&wl4=pla-490689177270&wl5=9002242&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=125194530&wl11=online&wl12=628835973&wl13=&veh= sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4vq729rV3wIVEVqGCh1LOwoGEAQYASABEgLjn_D_BwE

rseeker

I've thought of something like this that I could set on a high windowsill or in a tree for when I lock up my bike, just so I can see who took it if it gets gone. Of course, anybody watching can see you place the camera, so you'd be risking losing the cam and the bike. I need a drone version like in Bladerunner 2049, were you wave your hand and tell it to orbit.

MikeyMK

Some drones can follow you automatically, filming you from above. I forsee these replacing the mobile phone. A personal assistant, everyone walking around with these things above them like an umbrella or elevated parrot, mind activated. Yeah, well, maybe not.

Teamprovicycle

Oh i mostly meant on the bike so as you ride you have a video if someone hits you or says you hit them.

CliffordK

I saw some of those a while ago and thought about them instead of a GoPro.

I'd probably snag one, but for a paucity of pictures & specs, attachment points, battery type. battery life, memory card, looping, frame rate, weather proof, etc.

I found a used 1st gen GoPro Hero, 1080p, 30 fps that I'm planning on trying out as soon as I get the mount figured out.

I did try out a used Fly6, early gen, until the dang thing stopped charging/communicating. Then I'm a bit stuck with it. The one thing that I don't like about the Fly6 (1st gen) is that it does very poorly at night. One thing it absolutely should be doing, but doesn't seem to do is synchronizing the camera and light.

The IR on those security cams might be a nice touch.

MikeyMK

I should probably look at dash cams for the daily e-bike, as it has a 12v out (it powers the tail light, phone charger snd car horn). But I doubt they're much use on a relatively shakey bike.

rseeker

I knew that. Sorry for the thread derail.

Lemond1985

The great thing about using a parrot, is that if it's a talking parrot, he can testify in court as to what happened. Seriously though, I would not mess with the cameras linked in the OP, you'd have a heck of a time trying to figure out a way to mount them on a bike, and even if you were able to figure out a way, without some sort of image stabilization, the video would be pretty much useless and unwatchable. I don't care for the rainbow decals much either.

OP, I would suggest looking into some sort of low-priced body cam. I see quite a few advertised for under $100. I think once the technology on these is perfected, they will replace bike-mounted cameras, which have a great many drawbacks.

bruce19

My son is using two cameras from some place called "WYZCAM." They were $50 ea and seem to work well. They download pics in real time to your phone. I'm about to install two of them today.

jamesdak 

Just do your research before you utilize these "smart" cameras. A lot of them of sending the images out of country without you knowing it. If it has a wireless function I would be very, very careful.

Teamprovicycle

I used to have a cycling security parrot , but i was made obsolete by cycling kitty . cycling kitty just didnt work out .

I am only interested in these super cheap cameras as a easy way to get basic on board cams , i have other body cams and such , but none of them have the security loop feature . i dont realy want or expect them to be connecting to a phone .

avole

If you have a Leica with Panasonic electrics, you can send remotely to the device you choose. Save your bike, too - the thief will probably take the Camera.

rumrunn6

I tried a different one but it didn't have a wide angle view & the controls were crummy & it wasn't water proof so I prefer my legit sportcam

jgwilliams

I have a friend who uses a Mobius action cam and has good reports of it.

bobwysiwyg

I occasionally use one, works well and quite diminutive. Can't attest to weather proofing, I don't ride in the rain.. or snow for that matter.

PaulRivers

A hidden camera is only useful after the fact while riding. If you want to prove that you were following the rules when someone else broke the law and hit you, it can be useful for that, but it won't prevent you from getting hit in the first place.

A high visible camera provides some additional security in avoiding getting hit in the first place. It won't help vs the people who simply aren't paying attention, but in my experience it causes a noteable change in attitude among the kind of d*****bag's who are deliberately screwing around in their car next to you, when they see a camera and their brain registers that they're being recorded.

If I was going to go through the hassle or charging and carrying a camera, I would go with something this is as visible and eye catching as possible figuring some of the real screwballs will act more appropriately if they know they're on video.

GuessWhoCycling

I agree, a camera in plain sight is more effective when it comes to preventing incidents.

Though I don't use my camera as a witness in case of an accident, I do carry it to create ride videos. But there have been a few times climbing mountain roads that I hear fast cars and motorcycles rev their engines as they approach. Never had a problem with them rather than them trying to rattle your nerves. But I do place a go pro on a small tripod and as they pass, I hold it up to my right side looking back over my shoulders. That seems to calm them and I hear their engines wind down. Not so without the recorder. So I use this as a deterrent if I ever think someone is up to no good!

But, I do hold it in my right hand knowing that if I hold it in my left, some wiseguy might try to snatch it from my hand. And it can take a little extra energy while climbing a mountain road but it's worth it imo.

CliffordK

I've had a few pickups rev their engines as they pass. I usually don't think much about it, but I did have one blow a cloud of smog in my face. We don't have local smog testing, but I believe there is a limit to visible smoke, so if I had a camera (and could have seen the license through the smoke), it would have gone to the police for excessive smoke.

In about 45 years of riding... a year or two ago, I had a bag of garbage fly out of a car just in front of me. Pretty sure it was meant to rattle me, but again, if a video had been available, it would have gone to the police for littering.

It is odd... many people will slow down and give cyclists room. Some will ignore them (which can be dangerous), and some are specifically malicious towards them.

As mentioned, I've snagged a used GoPro without a mount, and I'm trying to decide what to do with it. Perhaps an obvious helmet mount would be a good thing.

Bigbus

I have a fancy LED head lamp in a yellow case with a bright yellow elastic strapped to the front of my helmet. I can set the light to solid white, blinking white, or a small red blinking light off to the side that makes the clear lens on the front look like a camera. It's amazing how many people wave and shout so I look at them and they can be on camera. If they only knew. I've ridden with the red light off and with it on. I definitely get more respect from cars at intersections when they see the blinking light and think they're on camera. I did research helmet cams not that long ago, but determined I get the results I need just with the red blinking light. FW:IW

GuessWhoCycling

I am now all 100% for a good aluminum mount. I used the plastic mounts from Go Pro and one snapped on a 40 mile descent, bounced about 50 yards. Luckily the road was straight so I was able to retrieve the camera in it's case. But the mount prongs sheared. I dislike the plastic Go Pro mount prongs as one must crank down on the screws to keep the camera steady.

I invested in alum mounts ( K edge) but it was well worth it.

Not sure of they have alum camera mounts.

But I also use a tether now to avoid it from actually falling and hitting the ground. I use old camera wrist straps, I thread the small section that usually threads into the camera fixture, into the hinged are of the go pro case. Then I wrap around my bars etc lasso style before mounting. That way if it falls, it dangles from the bike instead of hitting the road.

CliffordK

Hmmm, time for some research. The camera case has 2 plastic swivels at the bottom with no knurling. No tether straps, although mine has a funky lens cover that might support a tether.

I was going to look at helmet mounts, but one rule that I have is no screws into the helment. , and it should actually be mobile enough that it would be pushed out of the way. Actually, I might favor bar mounts just for safety.

However, the problem with bar mounts is that I do a lot of commuting/utility cycling, and could imagine the GoPro would be a prime target, even if it is 10 years old. I also ride several bikes.

My case also has a funky charging/USB port without a cover. Oddly everything else appears to be waterproof except that port.

Rollfast

I'm still not sure what cameras are good for except documenting what happened and that's not stopping it.

When you are hit or the bike is stolen all that can do is possibly ID and apprehend the perpetrator.

So security isn't really what a camera is for unless there is an alarm system to use it with and monitoring.

Teamprovicycle

Well if something happens and you need evidence the cam will show the truth not just word vs word.

I dont know if go pros have a security mode that records in a loop , thats really what im after.

But these cams ar 11 bucks or so so its hard to beat if it does work .

CliffordK

Obviously the cameras don't prevent accidents (probably).

And, they probably won't prevent death (and hopefully won't cause death, pounding the camera into the brain).

But, only a small minority of accidents are fatal. Perhaps 5% of reportable injury accidents???

So, there may be benefits of documenting hit & run accidents, as well as exactly what happened. Even a ride among friends could benefit from documentation of what caused a pileup.

I've also wanted to snag wildlife images from my camera, although the best views seem to be after dark, when the camera didn't do well.

Anyway, I've ridden a LOT without being injured or killed by a car. But, it is like boating without a life jacket. Too late to run home and get it when one actually needs it.

Milton Keynes

They only have 1.6 stars out of 5, so I'm guessing they're not that good, even if there are only 5 reviews.