About the farthest $50 can be stretched
Just a few short years ago the concept of owning a helmet mounted digital video camera wasn’t too far off from having a jet pack for the morning commute or a hover board for the skate park. Slowly the reality of this technology materialized in the form of bulky, heavy cameras with price tags that only ESPN could afford. Even still the footage was often choppy/ broken and unusable.
Fast forward to the present and you find that Digital Blue (with an endorsement from none other than skateboarding legend Tony Hawk) has brought the hands-free helmet camera concept to the masses. And what’s more for the unreal retail price of only $70. Smart shoppers like us picked one up at Best Buy for $49.99!
What Is It?
The Tony Hawk Helmet Cam (THHC) is a lightweight digital video camera kit that includes everything a rider will need to capture a helmet’s eye view of what it feels like to bomb the trails.
What Does the Kit Include?
Aside from two AAA batteries to power the camera, everything a rider will require to start making films is included in the package: The Town Hawk digital camera, a rubber helmet strap with cushioned/ swivel mount, a 32 megabyte SD card, editing software CD, and USB transfer cable.
How Does It Work?
The included rubber strap is first secured to any helmet then the camera itself mounts to the strap. Setting up the camera initially is as simple as dropping two AAA batteries (not included) into the back of the unit and sliding the included 32 meg SD card into the slot. The cam then locks into place on the right side of the helmet strap and that’s it- you’re ready to begin shooting video.
While we expected to feel some sort of indication that the camera is in fact mounted, the truth of the matter is that once in position there is virtually no indications of the camera’s presence. It is very easy to forget the THHC is with you until the urge to snag some footage arises. The process of filming is just as easy as the initial setup. Reach up and push the orange button on the top of the camera and it audibly goes into ready mode; complete with a pulsating laser which allows the rider to fine tune his aim. Pressing the button again and the camera begins shooting footage which is indicated not only by a different activation tone but a sudden disappearance of the laser beam. Once finished filming simply pressing the button again to return the unit to ready mode (complete with the targeting laser’s reappearance). After 15 minutes of continuous filming, the camera automatically returns to ready-mode.
A digital display on the camera indicates not only how much space remains on the card, but also the number of recorded segments currently stored. Dumping the video into your computer is simply a matter of installing the included software and connecting the camera to your tower via the included USB cable.
How Does It Perform?
Better than expected, especially when considering the unit’s bargain pricing. While the frame rate can dip down into some chopped out moments, the camera makes capturing footage an absolute snap (even with gloves on while navigating the terrain). Most impressive is the camera’s ability to withstand shock. We launched our bikes off concrete steps, over logs, across rocks, and fast flowing streams and the THHC did not offer a hint of complaint. Not only did the shock resistant camera body hold up to our thrashing, the footage was surprisingly level and consistent as well. Anyone who’s used a camcorder can attest to the sensory dizzying that typically accompanies bumpy footage- Fortunately the THHC makes the rough stuff disappear on screen.
Any Complaints?
Well two, really. The first is that without a view finder, it can be difficult to get a sense of exactly where the camera’s pointed. Granted there is a targeting laser to remedy this complaint and it does work well to a degree, there were times that we were aiming a bit too low or high regardless. It takes a little practice to estimate exactly what the camera is going to pick up so expect to spend a few afternoons taking footage, dumping it into the computer then going out to take more footage before attempting to put together a video masterpiece.
The second complaint is due to the relatively restricted memory capacity of the included 32 meg digital card. We averaged between seven to ten minutes of 15 frames per second/ 320 x 240 resolution footage before filling the card up. The camera also includes an internal microphone, which works particularly well at picking up the crunching of twigs, the whistling of the passing air, and the songs of the birds in the trees. However, once the frame rate becomes a little choppy, the soundtrack can fall out of sync with the onscreen action. Fortunately SD cards are becoming ever more affordable and come in increments up to 2 gigs.
So What Do We Think?
We have to be completely honest here; riding with a helmet cam is quite a hoot. Whether the goal is integrating shots into a semi-professional production or just fooling around with the (simple yet effective) editing software, the THHC is a very entertaining device. We took our test unit out every day for several weeks, snagging various situations that had been previously unconfirmed brags. Massive gap clears, technical singletrack, and slippery rock garden conquering were all documented and saved as AVI files to be relived whenever the urge happens to strike. As an added bonus, we have found dozens of other practicalities for the unit as its tiny physical form and light weight characteristics make it function as a dash-mounted car cam, a dog collar cam, a handlebar camera, we even mounted it to the fork of our rigid single speed and captured an excellent low view of the passing terrain. Half the fun is in discovering uses and wild angles with the THHC.
We have to recommend picking this affordable little gizmo up for the rider in your life whether it’s BMX, mountain biking, skateboarding, skiing, hiking, or just about any other outdoor activity that’s fun to share with others.
For more info stop by Digital Blue: http://digitalbluecorp.com/
The Bottom Line: They say it’s impossible to put a price on fun yet Digital Blue manages to pull it off and for an unbelievably cheap price at that.
