UKC

Evening all! I've tried doing videos of climbs with a handheld camera, but with little success, so thought a helmet camera might be better. There seems to be a faily diverse choice, but I quite like the look of and the cost of the Contour Roam. However it has a wide angle lense (170 degrees). Will this mean that subjects will tend to disappear too far into the distance once they get 10m or so away from a belay?
Any comments or advice gratefully received.
Jerry

In reply to Jerry67:

Yes, they are not so good if your subject is in the distance... On the plus side it makes things look steeper and more dramatic...

In reply to Jerry67:
not climbing but here are some vids ive shot on the contour roam and a
drift hd both 170 degree lenses
http://www.youtube.com/user/iamkoolkat?feature=mhee

In reply to koolkat: Great videos! By the look of them, I think subjects will disappear a bit too much. Any recommendations for something more suitable?
Thanks,
Jerry

In reply to Jerry67:

Am wondering if this a technique thing as I've seen some stunning stuff done with an SLR. Can't think or anything similar with a helmet cam. If anything watching them just makes me feel seasick!

In reply to Indy: The problem I found with a handheld video was that I wasn't paying much attention to belaying! Equally when climbing I want to move, not video myself! Thus the helmet camera.
J

In reply to Jerry67:

A couple of video using my Contour headcam. The first winter one, I think was just using the head camera while the second one I use both my normal camera as well as the headcam.

You have to try and make an effort not the keep looking around and keep your head steady. It's easier to use the headcam in winter climbing or when skiing as you are not constantly looking around for the climbing holds which induces nausea!!!
The other problem with the headcam is that it takes ages to edit the video as you can only use a small selection of the footage or it can very boring!!!

youtube.com/watch?v=MSMbc6LH8KQ&

youtube.com/watch?v=n0ui6bH3Dnw&

Finally the last video I was mainly using my normal camera with few shots from the headcam.

See youtube.com/watch?v=FYafss_JXJ8&

There's quite a few other headcam videos on my YouTube page.

Hope these help...

Cheers Ron

In reply to Jerry67: I have a GoPro HD hero (full 1080 hd) for sale if you are interested - see my premier post.

In reply to Ron Walker: I enjoyed those Ron, particularly the Frendo Spur! Were they all shot on the Roam?
Thanks,
Jerry

In reply to Rory Shaw: Thanks Rory, but a bit over budget!
J

In reply to Jerry67: you can always make me an offer

In reply to Jerry67:

No most of the recent ones including the Frendo were shot with a weatherproof Panasonic Lumix DMC TL2/TS2.

The Contour HD 1080 video clips mostly have a orange helmet or tuft of hair on one side of them and are very wide angle!!
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsfFaNl7M8w&feature=relmfu

Incidentally I'm selling the Lumix TL2/TS2 camera.

Cheers Ron