Your questions about our Cameras

[Sportscamera]

We have a damn fine range of cams at sportscamera. Everyone is struggling a bit to find a common name for these cams that you can mount on your helmet/bike/forks/mate/ramp. In the early days the were all called POV (Point of View) but a company came out with that name and people thought that any reference toa POV cam was to this particular model, which isn't the case, as in fact it was a VIO POV, which was abbreviated to POV. A few other names we've seen around for them are "auto-cams" "action cams" and "first person cams" and "FPV's" (First Person View cams).

In the industry we call them all POV's, but whatever suits you is good :shades:

So hit us up with your general questions in this thread - it can be about mounting them or anything and we'll give you the best answers we can :dance:

Brands and models we carry and can give you a hand with are:
GoPro HERO Wide HD
GoPro HERO Wide
Contour HD
2010 Tachyon XC
EPIC HD
V.I.O. POV 1.5
Mini DV MD80
Predator
Oregon Scientific

So hit us up here with any questions, raid our facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richmond-Australia/Sports-Camera/148857741559 , catch us on Twitter http://twitter.com/SportsCamera or give us a call anytime :teleph2: , even email if you want
Check our webby for the deets you need.
:burnout:

[FMXelliot]

How long does the battery last on the Contour HD 1080p?
What file format does it come out as in HD and what format in standard definition?

Oh and does the goggle strap mount pull your goggles down when you jerk your head or something?

[Rhodesy]

i have seen great reviews for the GoPro HERO Wide HD and seen a few vids on youtube. they look very clear and crisp whats the RRP for one of these

[Sportscamera]

When fully charged, the battery lasts up to three hours, however, this can be reduced by cold weather conditions.
In either format, HD or SD, the file format is the QuickTime .mov file format (Apple's flavor of H.264, MPEG-4).
Good question about pulling down your goggles, that purely depends on the impact on your helmet, I guess. The camera is pretty light, so it would take a fair impact to move it.

[Sportscamera]

Hey Rhodesy,
The GoPro HDs give you some super clear and crisp footage. The RRP for a Motorsports or Heomet HERO HD is $439.00. The Surf HERO HD costs $399.00 and the Naked HD $385.00. They are all exactly the same cameras, just different mounts. The Naked HD only comes with one adhesive mount. The Surf HERO HD comes with an adhesive surf mount as well as an FCS plug. The Helmet HERO comes with a couple of adhesive mounts, a vented helmet strap and a head strap. The Motorsports HERO comes with a suction cup mount and a couple of adhesive mounts. All prices include free Express Postage.

[fast pace]

with the non HD go pro camera why cant you use alkaline batteries in them?
and what happens if you do use them in it?

[Rhodesy]

Awsome very good product!!! be on my christmas wish list

[motox freak]

I got a gopro HD WIDE motorsport for my birthday this year, and i was wondering how long should the battery last on the full hd (127 degrees) setting?

[Sportscamera]

with the non HD go pro camera why cant you use alkaline batteries in them?
and what happens if you do use them in it?

The alkalines won't hurt the cam fast pace, but they'll just drain superfast - it would be like putting a 1/2 cup of fuel in a 450 and expecting to moto all day - it aint gonna happen. We have some pretty cheap lithium batts at sportscamera if that's any help.

Awsome very good product!!! be on my christmas wish list

Sick Rhodesy!! We're expecting a couple more HD models will be out before christmas, so in your letter to Santa, be sure to get him to ask the elves to check the latest updates on our site so they know just what to build for you aye ;)

I got a gopro HD WIDE motorsport for my birthday this year, and i was wondering how long should the battery last on the full hd (127 degrees) setting?

batteries are mysterious things Mr. Freak, however it wouldn't be too much to expect a couple of hours from a well charged battery. We sell spare batteries (for around 20 bucks from memory). what i do is always take a charged spare as a back-up, just in case. It's a Murphy's Law thing.

Mad to see all the questions, keep 'em coming, we're here to support all we can.

[Sportscamera]

[QUOTE=fast pace;1835780664]The camera will now be using the new firmware version, which will have the following benefits:

improved auto exposure processing to help in extreme bright lighting conditions (like snow covered slopes),
and you can now record up to 4GB in one file
use SDHC cards up to 8GB


We've only used it for 4Gb and it went sweet. One of my mates shoved an *Gb in and said his went fine. Be sure you put fresh batteries in before doing the upgrade, if it dies or unplugs before the whole firmware update is done, it will stuff the cam's whole programming = uh ohhhhh

[motox freak]

ill have to check your site out then :P
damn my site blocker blocks your site. lol :moon2:

[Sportscamera]

^^ yeah for come on by Freak! that's weird your site blocker blocks our site - nuffin rude on there or whatever (and definitely nothing as 'rude' as your 'moon' emoticon there, hehe). U need a site blocker unblocker :Z11: (did you ever see the wahlberg movie "The Big hit" where they have all the anti-anti phone trace systems, it can get wayyy outta control, haha).

let us know what you think of the site when you do see it and if you have any probs getting in, hit us up and we'll have a geek look at it from our end, cheers for the heads-up.

[AdamGardner]

Got my GoPro Hero Wide camera today and I already can't wait to use it! I would just like to say thanks for the guys at SportsCamera.com.au for their awesome, quick, easy service and delivery! If anyone is looking at getting a helmet camer, I would highly recommend doing it through SportsCamera.com.au.

Just a quick question about SD cards... What's the deal with the 2GB maximum? What are the consequences of using a bigger card in the camera? Just because 56 minutes isn't a very long recording time if i'm away for the weekend riding, and i was wondering if there was another way to extend this time without having to buy numerous SD cards.

Cheers guys.
Adam

[Sportscamera]

Cheers for the props Adam, it's certainly what we aim for :dance:

For your 2GB question, there is a firmware upgrade so you can record 4GB files and use up to an 8GB card... BUT... you have to make a 'pinky promise' that you will read and follow the instructions verrrry carefully or it will wipeout the programming in your nice new cam instead of making it work better.
Here is the link to help you mate:
http://www.goprocamera.com/fwupgrade.php

Stoked you're happy with us man :)

[AdamGardner]

Cheers bud!

I'll have to get on to buying an 8 GB card now :) haha

[FMXelliot]

Do FMXAustralia users get a discount? I'm interested in buying fairly soon :shades:

[Sportscamera]

We can offer you a 40% discount on SD cards purchased with any camera. Ie a 16GB Micro SD card for $99.00 would be $59.00.

[fast pace]

hey mate

are their replacment lenses for the go pros cause i dunno how but theres a massive scratch on the lense haha

[Sportscamera]

Hey Fast Pace,
We do have GoPro replacement lens kits! Lots of scratched lenses around!
If you are interested, have a look at http://www.sportscamera.com.au/gopro-replacement-lens-kit-p-299.html

[fast pace]

Cheers for that
But the scratch is on the actual camera lense not just the housing, there wouldnt be any lenses for that would there?
Cheers

[Sportscamera]

FP,
no mate, you'll need to get a replacement cam :( . they're manufactured as one piece more or less, one of the things the keeps their price down I suppose.
y'all need to be verrry careful with them when they're out of the clear case.

[fast pace]

ohh shit that sucks
how much do the new cameras go for

[Sportscamera]

Assuming it's the HD GoPro you want, go to this thread and the various packages are there (you will probs just need the cheapest option, the HD Hero Naked http://www.sportscamera.com.au/gopro-hero-wide-hd-c-109.html

[azzfox]

Im so up for a cam! I was having a browse during a work break tonight, I was so close to buying the GoPro HD. Had card numbers and all down before I realised it was just some site google found me and not sportscamera. :p

I wanted the Helmet package, but then looking on sportscamera there was a few others to choose from. The Contour HD appeals to me aswell. But how durable are the two? The GoPro does have the waterproof case but apparently you get alot of wind noise? How is it against the elements without the case? I mostly ride in the bush because its pretty much right at my doorstep lol. So water, dirt, mud, sticks, branches.etc oh and hitting stuff when I come off. :p

Then again you dont go overly fast through the bush so wind with the case might not be a huge issue. How would the Contour stack up against the GoPro for durability? I also noticed the GoPro Wide compresses to .avi, the HD to .mp4 and the Contour to .mov. Apparently avi can have sound sync issues but I dont think Ive ever had any major dramas. mp4 Im not too familiar with. mov... not really familiar with either lol. Help?

Oh, and the GoPro has a few more mounts, I think. I would would use it for car stuff too.

[Sportscamera]

Hey Azzfox, thanks for your enquiry and thanks for banging off the other page and coming to Sportscamera :)
Man the 2 cameras are quite on par for durability. if you have a look at Steve and Schui's vids, they don't use GoPro, just Contour mostly (and some other cams like the Tachyon Micro). You can check the look out here:
http://sportscamera.tumblr.com/post/854855349/sportscameras-fmx-team-riders-sommy-and-schuie

http://sportscamera.tumblr.com/post/779969514/two-of-the-fmx-riders-were-very-proud-to-sponsor

btw never use the Gopro without its case, the lens is too susceptible to scratching. also i edit music and stuff over the raw sound, so the wind noise isnt a big issue, unless you want the actual sound playing right through.

We have adaptations for the contour so it fits the go pro mounting systems, we try and do that with all our major cams so people have maximum options. we love to look after our moto crew.

The file systems work fine, just make sure your computer is up to processing HD footage < tip!

Let us know if you have any more questions, hope that helps a heap - or contact us directly.
Cheers!!!!

[azzfox]

Thanks for your reply! I had a look at those vids and noticed that the Contour isnt really smooth when it comes to self-adjusting the exposure (correct term?). Also has a blue tinge to it compared to the other cameras. The other camera in the second vid (Epic HD?) had more color to it and was smoother. Leaning back towards the GoPro at the moment. The GoPro also has the fisheye style lens that can look cool at times and I read can help reduce the vibration in the vid. If I was rich I would buy them all and try them for myself :p

Sound is important! I dont mind music over the top but has to be like 50/50 unless your going doing a trick in slo-mo or whatever, my opinion anyway lol. Im not really fussed about the file type after doing some research. Both mp4 and mov use H.264 and AAC codecs. Both can actually be changed to either format without re-encoding but only in an apple enviroment? Either way.

Pretty sure my PC should be up to it. Built it a few years ago but if all fails stuff can be upgraded. Oh the other thing I wanted to ask. Does the GoPro have a preview window or something? How do you know where its pointing? Trial and error Im assuming.

Thanks!

[Sportscamera]

Hey Azz,
the good thing is that either way you're going to get a great cam, so really it's win-win. Preferences decide which one in the end.
The only cam with a preview pane at the moment (apart from the much more expensive VIO POV with separate screen system) is the ATC 9K which is a simillar price to the GoPro. Otherwise yes, it is point'n'guess and find out for sure once you've downloaded the footage. We're waiting for Sommy to give us some action footage from the 9K HD. Our first tests are here:
http://sportscamera.tumblr.com/post/878308023/last-weekend-sportscamera-com-au-went-to-the-apex

http://sportscamera.tumblr.com/post/822054244/finally-the-oregon-atc-9k-hd-has-arrived-here-is

http://sportscamera.tumblr.com/post/891490484/the-weather-was-perfect-so-at-the-last-minute-we

hope that brings you some ideas Azz. Cheers!

Ps - yes a wide 170 degree fisheye takes some 'shake' out of a vid.

[azzfox]

The ATC 9K looks impressive. Good video plus the small screen on the back. lol @ measuring forces plus the GPS addon. And the remote ideas pretty good. But...

I was watching some review vids on both the GoPro and Contour. The Contour does look the part, but the GoPro wins in my book for quality and functionality. Pretty much set on the GoPro. The vids mentioned that the GoPro will be getting some add-ons like wireless mic, wristband remote thingy with screen, expansion battery and what not. Sounds good to me but wonder when/if that will happen lol. Now the next dilemma... helmet or motorsport pack :p. Leaning towards motorsport because it has a few more bits and pieces and also the suction cap mount. Dont think I would use the head strap and the helmet strap wouldnt be as sturdy a solid mount. Can buy the straps later if I want them.

Now whats the go with editing software? I think the Contour came with its own, no idea about the GoPro. 3rd party?

Cheers.

[Sportscamera]

yo Azz,
like we said before, the editing come down to the capacity of your Pc and the programs it can run in conjunction with the amount and quality of frames. For Mac's I-movie eats everything up beautifully. The PC end you'll need to invest in an editing suite. I'm not going to name names, as there are always new versions coming out. We also have an extra guide about to be put on our website which will help with getting the most out of slow-mo'ing the 60fps mode.
Do your research there and match what you get with your computer (if you are going to do a lot of HD, you are pretty up for a PC upgrade if you want the quality to come through and not be constantly frustrated - or go to Mac where you don't have to buy post market editing suite unless you want get super tech). just some thoughts mate

[azzfox]

Yeah cheers for that. I was just curious if the GoPro came with any editing software like the Contour but doesnt look so. I use PC with Windows 7. Plenty HDD space (SATA), CPU should be ok. 2GB RAM. Graphics card might need to be upgraded (256MB Radeon X850 Pro). As I said PC was built few years ago when 256MB cards were pretty much standard lol. I do like Mac but dont feel like going out and buying a new system just to edit some footage. Wouldnt actually mind a MacBook but Ill leave that for another day :p

I have purchased the GoPro HD, so see how things go :)

[FMXelliot]

Cheers for that
But the scratch is on the actual camera lense not just the housing, there wouldnt be any lenses for that would there?
Cheers

How deep is the actual scratch? You might be able to polish it out with a bench polisher (not sure of correct name), it works for acrylic so I don't see why it wouldn't on a camera lens.

[morgs]

How deep is the actual scratch? You might be able to polish it out with a bench polisher (not sure of correct name), it works for acrylic so I don't see why it wouldn't on a camera lens.

i dont know wat material the go pro has as a lens but i very much doubt it would be anything other than glass. And i very much doubt that putting it on a buffer is going to result in anything other than its traggic and premature destruction :)

[motox freak]

i have a HD gopro and im sure that the housing lense cover thing is acrilic, but the actual thing its glass. How did u get a scratch in it? its pretty hard but werent u using the housing?

[fast pace]

i have a HD gopro and im sure that the housing lense cover thing is acrilic, but the actual thing its glass. How did u get a scratch in it? its pretty hard but werent u using the housing?

i got no idea aye haha
sucks so bad though dont wanna have to spend $$$$$$$ on a new camera

[motox freak]

how big is the scratch?
i guess cuz the actual lense is so small even a small scratch would make a difference. i reckon cuz you have to throw away the cam you might as well give trying to fix the scratch a go. i dont think a buffer would work tho. on the look of mine it actual lense has a black outer, which seems 2 be plastic, you could try to get that out? just a thought

[motox freak]

ohh, yeah and unrelated to fast ace's problem, i am going to take my gopro waterskiing sometime, and was wondering if the HD inside its waterproof case floats by itself, or should i buy like a little float thing to put onto it? ill probably put a boyancy thingo onto it neway to b safe but i was just wondering.

[Sportscamera]

Yeah for sure attach a float (or it will sink). Something bright, like bright yellow is best. A short length of fishing line is usually best in the water. Boat and fishing shops carry these - often specifically for sets of keys etc.

[motox freak]

ohh, ok. what whould be the best place to attach this from?i was thinking of running some fishing line through the three prongs at the bottome of the case where the nut and bolt go throught for the mount part?

[Sportscamera]

Yeah Freak,
if it will fit through (fishing line varies in thickness) that's ideal, otherwise tight around the bolt itself on the nut side. haven't heard of any housings breaking away from where the bolt threads through, so even if the nut comes off it will likely feed onto the line.

[mezza_fmx]

i have the HD Hero gopro cam.. and i noticed that above you stated that it can only hold a 8gb card or somthign? what will happen if i run a 16gig card in it without doing the update and what not... i bought the sd card yesterday and tested it out and seems to work fine?.... this is the first tiem i have used the cam....

[motox freak]

i run my HD gopro with a 16gb card in it and its fine. I think you do have to have a specific card rating ( from memory mine is a 4 ( no pun intended))

and also, on the sportcamera website, it doesnt show prices or avaliability for an extra li-ion battery for a gopro HD wide? The U.S site said they are about 20$ but im not keen on shipping all the way to aus. Do you guys stock them by any chance?

[Sportscamera]

i have the HD Hero gopro cam.. and i noticed that above you stated that it can only hold a 8gb card or somthign? what will happen if i run a 16gig card in it without doing the update and what not... i bought the sd card yesterday and tested it out and seems to work fine?.... this is the first tiem i have used the cam....

Mezza, the other comment is for the basic GoPro. From our site for the HD:
"Record up to 2.5 hours on a single charge and up to 9 hours total on a 32GB SD card (not included)."

Freak , we do stock the batteries normally, just if they're out of stock, it pulls them off the website. Drop us an email and we'll get one to you as soon as they're in.

Cheers :dance:

[azzfox]

I just saw on the GoPro site that the LCD BacPac is now available. Drool. I went to checkout and it wanted $80 shipping. Uhm, no? So I thought hey maybe sportscamera can help me out. Checked the site and it says expected mid march.

Are we there yet? :)

[Sportscamera]

I just saw on the GoPro site that the LCD BacPac is now available. Drool. I went to checkout and it wanted $80 shipping. Uhm, no? So I thought hey maybe sportscamera can help me out. Checked the site and it says expected mid march.

Are we there yet? :)

No, not there yet :bawling:
The Australian suppliers told us last Friday that they should be here in about two weeks. The price is $119.00 including free express post. We have a large number of people on our pre-order list and are hoping that for once GoPro will send enough stock of a new item to Australia!!! If anybody is interested, please let us know as soon as possible and I add you to the list.
Cheers,
Petra

[*doddsy*]

GoPro motorsports hero hands down the best Ive seen :-D , handles well in all areas including paintball A++

[azzfox]

Thanks Petra. Have pre-ordered. Cant wait!

Will we get the Battery BacPac over here too? But I'll save that for another day :)

Yes I bought the motorsports hero myself and I love it. But the motorsports, helmet, surf and naked are the exactly the same camera, just different mounts and bits you get between them.

[Sportscamera]

Thanks Petra. Have pre-ordered. Cant wait!

Will we get the Battery BacPac over here too? But I'll save that for another day :)

Yes I bought the motorsports hero myself and I love it. But the motorsports, helmet, surf and naked are the exactly the same camera, just different mounts and bits you get between them.

Exactly, only difference is the accessories!

We will get the Battery BacPac as soon as it arrives but no arrival date as yet! Will keep you posted!

[azzfox]

Alright cool no worries :)

[Sportscamera]

A small number of GoPro LCD BacPacs have arrived and a larger order to arrive tomorrow! If anyone is interested, they are ready to be ordered online.

http://www.sportscamera.com.au/gopro-lcd-bacpac-p-458.html

Cheers,

Petra

[azzfox]

Ordered mine yesterday, arrived today. Super fast! I must say that I am impressed with it. The display is super clear, it actually tells you what all the options mean (no more referring to the manual) and I can now see for myself that 1080p is the only mode that doesnt look fish-eyed (you dont notice it on a bike, actually fits more in the shot. On the dash of a car is a different story).

It does add some size and a little more weight to the camera but its worth it in my opinion. And its about time GoPro actually brought one out :p

[Sportscamera]

Ordered mine yesterday, arrived today. Super fast! I must say that I am impressed with it. The display is super clear, it actually tells you what all the options mean (no more referring to the manual) and I can now see for myself that 1080p is the only mode that doesnt look fish-eyed (you dont notice it on a bike, actually fits more in the shot. On the dash of a car is a different story).

It does add some size and a little more weight to the camera but its worth it in my opinion. And its about time GoPro actually brought one out :p

Glad you like it! At full 1080p the angle reduces to 127 degrees and like you said, reduces the fish eye look.

[Sportscamera]

The new Battery BacPac for the GoPro HD has arrived!!

http://www.sportscamera.com.au/gopro-battery-bacpac-p-478.html

[Shrimpy]

Hey mate, i have a go pro myself got it not long ago just seeing if there is anything i can do. i try to upload my video's i have taken on the weekend to facebook or youtube and it takes over 2 to 3 hours just seeing if there is anyway of making them quicker to upload ?