A good helmet camera can cost as much as £500. Despite this relatively high price, sales of helmet cams have soared over the last few years. While cyclists previously bought helmet cams to record their ride for fun reasons, today’s sales are spurred by more sombre reasons – the rising number of road accidents that leave cyclists seriously injured.
Unfortunately, in the case of any accident, a blame game often ensues. Even if they were at fault, drivers of larger vehicles will rarely admit to it for fear of getting their licensed revoked or having to pay compensation. It is up to the cyclist to prove that it was the motorist’s fault if they want to claim compensation for their injuries. This is where a helmet camera can come in very useful.
A helmet camera can record the accident as it happens, giving the cyclist a solid witness to the entire incident. Unlike human witnesses who may forget details and provide inaccurate details, it is hard to argue with what’s recorded on a video camera. And with helmet-camera footage now being accepted in court, more and more cyclists are buying these gadgets as a kind of insurance policy.
If you are looking for a helmet camera for the above reasons, you will find that there is a wide range to choose from. While it is great to have so many options, selecting one from among these can be overwhelming. Is it worth paying more for a higher-quality image and sound recording? Should you buy a sturdier but heavier camera or will a lighter device be more convenient even if it is less robust?
The fact is there is no one helmet camera that is best for all cyclists. The device you choose will depend to a large extent on your riding habits, your riding route and of course your budget. This guide to choosing a helmet camera will help you narrow down your options and find a device that’s right for you.
Recording Quality
The quality of the recording is one of the most important factors that you need to consider, especially if you plan to use this in case of an accident. There’s no point in capturing footage that’s so poor, you cannot make out those crucial details.
Also, because poor quality recordings could leave a lot of room for doubt, they are not acceptable in court. When processing compensation claims, the court only accepts good quality videos that clearly show whose fault it is. Even if the court accepts a recording that is not the highest quality, the other party’s lawyers will definitely file to dismiss it.
When it comes to quality, nothing can beat HD. That comes at a high price however. A good helmet camera with an HD chip can cost more than £100. If you can afford it, that should be your number one choice.
If that is way above your budget, that’s okay. HD is good but it isn’t everything. You can still get good pictures with a non-HD camera provided you choose one that uses a good quality sensor.
Loop Recording
While checking the quality of the recording, you should also check if the camera offers loop recording. With loop recording, the system keeps recording until its memory is full. When that happens, it returns to the beginning and records over the old footage in a continuous loop pattern so you do not ever have to worry about running out of recording space. This means you will always have footage of any accident, which is exactly what you want.
Loop recording only becomes an issue if there is an older recording that you want to save. The only way to prevent important footage from being erased is to recover it before it gets overwritten.
Lens Angle
The lens angle or lens field of view will have a huge impact on what is captured by your camera. A wider angle lens is capable of recording more footage across a wider area but it has a few drawbacks that make it unreliable for judging distances.
Wide angle lenses tend to create what is known as a fisheye effect where the elements towards the edge of the film get distorted and seem further away than they actually are. This could make a pass that was really close appear to be far away, which might not support your case in court.
When considering the lens angle, it is best to pick a camera that has a wider lens but not so wide that is has a pronounced fisheye effect. A resolution of 1280 x 720 is the minimum you should consider.
Size and Weight
Size and weight are closely connected. When helmet cameras were first introduced, the devices that offered the most features were large and heavy. Even though attaching a large, heavy camera to their helmet was unwieldy, cyclists preferred these to the smaller, lighter devices which were too basic to be useful.
Today, helmet camera manufacturers are incorporating newer technology to manufacture high-end, fully functional devices that are as small and as light as possible. These little helmet cams have all the features of their larger-sized predecessors without being cumbersome or obstructing the rider in any way.
Improvements in image storage options have also helped bring down the weight across all models and types of cameras.
Waterproof Properties
When you are riding around in the UK, getting caught in rain is inevitable. Unless you want to take off the camera and keep it in your bag when it rains, you will need to look for a camera that is totally waterproof.
There is a higher potential for accidents when it is raining – the roads are more slippery, the rain drops can be a dangerous distraction, visibility is low and motorists are less likely to see you at the side of the road. This is a time when you definitely need to be using your helmet camera and it is worth paying a little more for a model that is more than just water resistant. It should be water proof and capable of withstanding even heavy downpours without packing up.
Water resistance in cameras is measured by Ingress Protection rating or IP rating. You will want ideally to look for cameras with IP rating of 65 or above. The higher the number, the better the protection it offers.
Mounting
Different cameras have different mounting options. The way the camera is mounted makes a difference from the safety point of view. Most mounts are designed with some amount of give, so if you are involved in a collision, the camera will come away from the helmet instead of compounding your head injuries by causing the helmet to crush more than it should.
Cameras that have a ¼” screw thread have endless possibilities for mounting, which is something you should consider when comparing two models that are equal in other respects.
Memory Cards
Almost all helmet cameras use some form of memory card. The capacity of the memory card will differ from one model to another. The memory card size that you need will depend on your riding habits and the upload schedule that is convenient for you.
If you usually go on extra-long rides or you do not have the time to keep uploading the recording onto your computer every day, you may need to buy a memory card with larger storage. The extra price is worth the convenience it offers for cyclists who are strapped for time or those who often head out on long-distance rides.
Type of Batteries And Battery Life
Some helmet cameras have rechargeable batteries and others use the non-rechargeable variety. Both have their unique pros and cons. Which one you choose depends on the type of riding you do.
A camera with rechargeable batteries works out cheaper in the long run. You will have to consider how long your camera is capable of recording before it needs to be recharged. Keeping track of your camera usage and remembering to charge it when it is low is key to making sure it keeps recording your rides all the time. If the battery runs out of charge, it could fail you when you need it most.
non-rechargeable batteries are a little more expensive but you can carry spares with you so you can go on extra-long rides without worrying about looking for a wall plug. When the battery runs down, you can simply swap out the old batteries for a new set. With these cameras too you might want to find out how much footage a set of batteries is capable of recording before it dies and remember to replace them on time so you do not lose any coverage of your trip.
Time And Date Stamp
Cameras that have a time and date feature continually stamp the time and date on the footage as they keep recording. Having this feature could mean paying more for the camera but the higher price may be well worth it. The time and date stamp can provide useful information to strengthen your case when using the video as evidence in case of an accident.
Budget
You’ve seen the features you need to take into consideration when looking for a helmet camera but ultimately your budget will be the biggest factor in determining whether you buy a model that is basic or one that has all the bells and whistles. As a general rule, the more expensive the camera, the better quality features you get, from higher quality recording and longer-life batteries to sturdier parts and better mounting among other features. Our advice – buy the best helmet camera that you can afford to.
Should You Consider Buying A Rear-Facing Safety Camera?
The votes are divided with regards to rear-facing safety cameras. These are not strictly helmet cameras as they are usually mounted to the bike frame or seat post. They could also be attached to the rack. Most cyclists are not inclined to use these as they do not record the ride unfolding in front of them. Instead these cameras record everything that approaches from behind.
Those in favour of these back facing cameras prefer these models because cyclists are more likely to be hit from behind than from the front or side. Depending on the areas and the roads you ride on, you might want to consider a safety camera that faces backwards.
If the roads you are riding on are particularly busy or dangerous, you could use two cameras to capture both front as well as rear footage. Should anything happen, you’ve got the best chance of capturing useful footage.
Before You Buy, Take A Look At User Reviews To Compare Between Different Models
After you’ve shortlisted a few helmet cameras that meet your requirements and your budget, take some time to check out reviews of these models and see what other users are saying about them.
Cyclists who have used a particular model will offer their first-hand experience with that model, revealing a few pros and cons that non-users may not be aware of. Reading through a few reviews of each model will give you a pretty good idea of whether you should go ahead with your decision or whether that particular model has a flaw that is likely to affect you.
Happy buying!
