What is the hive's preferred cheap action cam?

ea_sport said:

Stefan said:

In reply to BoxheadTim :

I wrote the following in my post:

" The TrackAddict phone app can interface directly with GoPro, Garmin or 360fly cameras, if that is any consideration for you. "

Jus' Sayin'

I’m not really tech savvy so pardon the noob-ish question. How exactly does the interface work? I’m also in the market for a new aurocross camera since my old Groupon special died. I learned that I want camera with external mic, the ability to control it (turning on and off) remotely preferably from a phone app and ideally the ability to overlay some data logging or obd2 data. What’s the most cost efficient action cam with those asks in mind?

The camera has WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity built into it, your phone has the same.  The App accesses the proper solution and sends commands to the camera. 

In this case, the commands are specific to the camera models mentioned.

Other cheap action cams can have Wifi connectivity, but they use their own apps and it typically kills the battery life on them.

Anyone hear anything about the Yi 360 yet? 

I'd love a Rylo for their ability to track a target after recording, but the prices are still pretty steep. 

One thing I always hated about even the wide angle action cams was that it was always the stuff happening just off screen that was most amusing to watch later on. 

Any of the off brand action camera can interface with solo storm or am I limited to the GoPro and Garmin VIRB of the world to interface with solo storm?

Buy once cry once-
I bought one of those cheapo "Action Cameras" off Wish for $13. It does what it is supposed to do, but the video quality is old-school tube TV at best. The sound quality is garbage. If you told me it was 480p I wouldn't be surprised.

For Christmas, my wife got me a GoPro Hero (2018) and it is freaking amazing. Took it to an indoor waterpark and gave it a trial, underwater, down water slides, etc. and it took amazing quality video. 1440p video and crisp sound. Capable of 10mp pictures too. Voice controls, bluetooth, all the good stuff you expect from a GoPro without the huge price tag- I believe my wife said she got it for $130 on Black Friday. Looks like they are about $200 now. I couldn't be happier with it, and can't wait to strap it to the car this summer.

In reply to TheRX7Project :

Using an adapter can you use external mic with GoPro Hero 2018?

In reply to ea_sport :

GoPro says they do not support it, but apparently using an adapter, yes you can:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMfo9vy_uy4

Back to the top!

I'm in the the tire kicking phase of this whole action cam shopping thing. As much as I love a good deal, a $50 camera that works for only 3 months is not what I consider acceptable. I don't want to spend Gopro 7 Black money if there's some earlier model Gopros that do decent quality stuff. The 4k thing isn't really that big of a deal to me. I just want something that's reliable and you can pretty much see what's going on. All of the reviews on low or high products seem to have the same issues with overheating or short battery life.

I read the title and somehow thought this was going to be about cheap action camshafts.

Anyone make a camera that can go in the engine and watch the camshaft action?

In reply to slowbird :

Me too. I thought the obvious answer was 3/4 race cam.

Since this thread was current, I gave up on the GoPro entirely and bought the cheapest level of Sony handycam. 

I've gotten some decent video, although the image stabilization isn't that great. I needed something immediately since I had autocross school the next day, then found one in clearance at the Best buy while on my lunch break.

I am never going to buy another GoPro. As I posted in another thread tonight, when it comes to bad service or poor quality products, I hold a grudge.

Long term plan is a quality camera that will interface with a data program. Likely will be a Garmin. 

captainawesome said:

Back to the top!

I'm in the the tire kicking phase of this whole action cam shopping thing. As much as I love a good deal, a $50 camera that works for only 3 months is not what I consider acceptable. I don't want to spend Gopro 7 Black money if there's some earlier model Gopros that do decent quality stuff. The 4k thing isn't really that big of a deal to me. I just want something that's reliable and you can pretty much see what's going on. All of the reviews on low or high products seem to have the same issues with overheating or short battery life.

Sounds like a used early generation gopro (HD hero/hero2/3) could be up your alley. I've had mine (original hd hero, also bought used) for like 6 years and it refuses to die. No remote control or ability to add an external mic and it's a little bigger than the modern ones are the only downsides. At 720p I've never been disappointed in the image quality, and a 32gb card will easily hold a full season worth of autocross videos. Looks like the hero/hero2s are readily available on ebay for $50 or less and I'd trust that over one of the cheap knockoff cameras. That all said, whenever mine finally dies it'll most likely be replaced by something other than a gopro.

In reply to dps214 :

Do the earlier ones have a way for you to tell if your shot is in frame?

I'm still using Gen1/2 Heros. Only the earliest Gen1s couldn't have remote control IIRC, any that have the many-pinned vertical connector at the back can use them, and at least the Gen2s (maybe also later Gen1s?) also have an external mic connector.

Trouble is that many of the remote systems have dead batteries now, the remote receiver is essentially always in standby mode once assembled so they can burn down their batteries in the box. I had to replace one of those...a pretty tough soldering job by amateur DIYer standards.

If I had to buy new right now I'd still go with a high-end SJCAM, but I'm starting to think about 360deg cameras.

Edit: Also Gen 1/2 heros do not have any kind of viewfinder, other than using the wifi remote receiver to link to a phone app. The Gen1 interface is the VCR clock of the 21st century, the Gen2s are much better.

Edit2: Also thought I'd mention that a friend of mine who's very much into racing photography with cable cams and drones likes SJCAMs.

Also while I'm here, I thought about getting one of those cheap $30 Polaroid Cubes and just sticking it to the dash with 3M tape. Good idea, bad idea? I figure for $30 at least it's not going to be an expensive mistake if it is one.

Not a bad idea, reviews say the video quality is a bit subpar but it's fine otherwise.

I've also seen suggestions for the Yi 4k. A 1/3 or less the price of the Gopro Hero Black 7 but packs about 90 percent of the quality by the looks of it. Anyone here used a Yi?

I'm also interested as the Hero2 I've got has started acting up and I've completely missed getting any video from my last two track days. I'm looking for something with image stabilization and it seems that the high end GoPro and Yi 4k are the only real options for that (and even those are only electronic- it doesn't seem there's with OIS on the market). Any other ideas? My cell phone shoots great video and has pretty banging OIS but that's an expensive loss, I'm already using it for temps and lap times, and it doesn't have a very wide FOV.

slowbird said:

I read the title and somehow thought this was going to be about cheap action camshafts.

Anyone make a camera that can go in the engine and watch the camshaft action?

Isn't that what a Spintron is?