The Viosport helmet-mounted camera

When we heard about the Viosport helmet-mounted camera, our first impression was that it was going to look like one of those bulky lights coal miners wear, or like some bizarre kludge (the iSight/Powerbook combo comes to mind). But Viosport's Adventure 3 camera is actually a sleek, four-ounce unit that can easily fit on a bicycle, motorcycle or snowmobile helmet. Viosport's cameras, designed to capture a first-person POV under any conditions, have been used by Richard Branson, the EXPN X Games, and MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge. Now we get it. And we wouldn't mind using it either. Except that, given our skills at any of the sports the cam's designed for, most footage would be of us eating dirt, and that's something we can do without preserving for posterity.

[iceberg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Don't worry, the p0rn industry will find many practical applications for the vibrosport.

[Oliver Ochs @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

they already have a waterproof adventure-cam for that other industry, with the quote "ever wonder what it looks like when you fart it the bathtub?" I, for one, never considered this question until asked.

I have used their adventurecam 2 for skiing, and it actually works great. Only downside is that although the adventure cam plugs into virtually any handycam (and has a available lanc controller to eliminate the need to ever touch the handy cam itself) it can't draw power from the handycam, requiring its own rechargable battery pack. By the time you package the handycam, battery pack, and wiring connections into a pelican box (for safe keeping) into a shovel pack, there's not much room in there for things like a shovel or snacks.

Oh the price we pay for making first person films....
O

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

How is this newsworthy? Lipstick cams have been out for ages. I've had the one from http://www.helmetcamera.com/ for a couple years now. Their website isn't as nice, but works just the same and has very similar specs. And its cheaper!
Some vids
http://www.pocketlogger.com/video/spins.wmv
http://www.pocketlogger.com/video/race3.wmv

[dave o @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Come on Mike- It's newsworthy because it's new and improved over other consumer priced lipstick designs: swappable lenses, neutral density filters and a high quality Sony chip providing 520 TV Lines. Not to mention superior cable management and customer service.

[source @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

haaaaaaaaa, i was asking myself how that muscled guy from national geographic was holdin an isight on his helmet... wondered he had an apple laptop in he boxer...lol

now i know, thanks!

[Camera Hacker @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

When are they gonna come out with a camera that fits over the eye like a contact lens?

[Ted @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Coiled cables look great in the catalog, but are VERY heavy and a pain flapping on the back of your head. Viosport doesn't offer a good helmet mount and the battery pack is a monster. If that wasn't enough, check out where the mic is placed. You get horrible audio when the mic is buried in the pack.

Why no articles on Xtreme Recall? X-games seems to be switching over to them. Looks top dog to me too.

[Ted @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Coiled cables look great in the catalog, but are VERY heavy and a pain flapping on the back of your head. Viosport doesn't offer a good helmet mount and the battery pack is a monster. If that wasn't enough, check out where the mic is placed. You get horrible audio when the mic is buried in the pack.

Why no articles on Xtreme Recall? X-games seems to be switching over to them. Looks top dog to me too.

[brandon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I have tried another helmet camera package that works great for me. Try Twenty20camera.com for a good reliable camera. They dont have one of those big battery packs you are talking about, it takes a single 9 volt battery, better yet it has a 1 year warrenty. I have been greatly satified!!

[Tim Smith @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Unfortunately I dont think the Viosport specs are up to snuff and they may be twisting the facts. Other than snazzy new wiring and a case According to Sony http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/pro/image_senser/color_video.html
There is no single chip 1/3 inch EX-View CCD in color. (It is in Black and white however). The imaging chip is what it is all about and what gives you the best POV video quality. Id recommend www.JonesCAM.tv . Very reliable, great customer service, and some pretty major clients like the US Army...

[Hobbes @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I agree with Brandon. I just got this months transworld MX and they did a review on the Twenty20 helmet camera and gave it an 8 out of 10. The only bad things they had to say were about the camcorder and mudd getting on the lens, which can happen to any camera.

www.twenty20camera.com

[greg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I would like to know what camera would work best for me on some ATV trips with my quad. I would like to have the camera on some of the time taking pictures of the mountains about 500 meters away in the background but also displaying a clear picture. I need something that will handle some vibration on the helmet on the rough terrain.

[Tim Smith @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Greg I use the JonesCAM 480EX with the Canon Elura 50. The camcorder does not have that great of reviews, but I think it works awesome, if you have the money the Sony PC109 is good too. I ride Mountain bikes, dirtbikes and snowmobiles and I use it for everything. I have yet to run into any trouble, I just throw efverything in my camel bak and throw the hemet cam on and go. I get some awsome video of my adventures.

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Shopped them all for a long time and bought an Xtreme Recall setup. 20/20 is low res cmos, viosport weighs way toooooo much (why doesn't anyone every talk about size/weight?) and jonescam is still using ancient technology.
Cheers. Pretty no-brainer to me.

[little kid @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Uhm.......
first off im only 13 and ive tried many helmet cams for dirtbiking but they were all shitty.
i really like the adventure cam 3 for dirtbiking like if you fall or anything it always stays on and doesnt look loose.


just giving some advice.