Camera for cycling, preferably body cam

[GogglyEyes]

Hello, I cycle in traffic everyday and I am looking for a camera to record offences against me, as I get into dangerous situations quite often had an minor accident 3 times in the last year.

I have thought long and hard about mounting it to the bike, but decided against it.

- It will shake on cobble stones and other rough terrain.
- It is a bother to take multiple things off the bike every time you park and leave it.

So I want a body cam I can attach to my messenger bag strap I ride with.

Also, I would like to use it in off the bike situation when I deal with aggressive people, so that I have evidence of what was happening.

Any advice or tips will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nigel]

I can't help with the bodycam, doesn't seem to be a good choice at a reasonable price so I would be interested to know what you decide.

A bike mounted camera can be OK on cobbles, see my video: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofo-mt1-dual-motorcycle-dashcam-on-a-bicycle.42315/

Not really feasible to remove that one if you are leaving the bike though.

 

[Leonauto]

There are types of cameras that were not reflected in this forum (because they are not car dashcams), but this is close to what you want - a body camera or another name like a police camera.
These cameras have a powerful battery for recording about 6-8 hours, which may be convenient. As an example, you can look at some Boblov brand models. They were once recommended to me by the manufacturer Blueskysea.

 

[GogglyEyes]

I can't help with the bodycam, doesn't seem to be a good choice at a reasonable price so I would be interested to know what you decide.

A bike mounted camera can be OK on cobbles, see my video: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofo-mt1-dual-motorcycle-dashcam-on-a-bicycle.42315/

Not really feasible to remove that one if you are leaving the bike though.

Not bad I see! I am going to ride in the city of Prague (Europe), some of the worst cobblestones you have seen. But the main point of mounting and dismounting stays. There are not enough fancy bikes around to help my bike blend in. With two cameras, my bike would be an easy target.

 

[GogglyEyes]

There are types of cameras that were not reflected in this forum (because they are not car dashcams), but this is close to what you want - a body camera or another name like a police camera.
These cameras have a powerful battery for recording about 6-8 hours, which may be convenient. As an example, you can look at some Boblov brand models. They were once recommended to me by the manufacturer Blueskysea.

Yeah, I am deciding between police cams and a GoPro at the moment. Friend discourages me from getting a GoPro because of its closed software ecosystem (I run on Linux). I also guess a battery life is a big thing. I will look into that today.

 

[Harsh]

I remember seeing one here from Sjcam.

 

[Nigel]

Yeah, I am deciding between police cams and a GoPro at the moment. Friend discourages me from getting a GoPro because of its closed software ecosystem (I run on Linux). I also guess a battery life is a big thing. I will look into that today.

For me, the problem with the GoPro is battery life and the shape. The police cameras have much longer battery life, and also they are flat, so easy to mount on the body, they will always point forward, but a GoPro always wants to tip forward and look at the ground.

 

[estore009]

I also guess a battery life is a big thing. I will look into that today.

What is your expecting battery life for a mini DVR?

 

[GogglyEyes]

What is your expecting battery life for a mini DVR?

I need it to last my daily commutes. Charging it once a day is ok. GoPros have recording time of 90 mins, that is not enough.

 

[kamkar]

Yes SJcam made the A10 body camera.

 

[estore009]

BodyCam recording time can up to 4 hours with a 1100mah battery, and the whole wight only about 50g!

 

[Nigel]

BodyCam recording time can up to 4 hours with a 1100mah battery, and the whole wight only about 50g!

For me, that is the specification where body cams start to get useful, 6 hours would be better, 50g is OK, but it needs to be a nice flat shape, so it can easily fit on a shirt pocket like a credit card and not fall forward, not GoPro shape. If it needs to be only 1080 then that is OK. Some of the police ones look good, but they are also too expensive.

 

[estore009]

For me, that is the specification where body cams start to get useful, 6 hours would be better

It can last about 6 hours if video resolution @480p, but I do not think the user will like it!

 

[Nigel]

It can last about 6 hours if video resolution @480p, but I do not think the user will like it!

A body camera normally does not need to read number plates, so maybe 720 is OK. 480 is definitely low, but it will still show what happened, so if you are using it for security reasons, it is still useful. For use on the bicycle/walking/horse we do want to read number plates, so 1080 is needed.

If you want to sell a lot of body cams then I think 1080 and 6 hours is the specification required. The current ones have not been popular mainly because of short battery life and shape/size.

 

[GogglyEyes]

Yes SJcam made the A10 body camera.

Is it reasonable, when compared to what is available at the moment? I googled it, but didn't find much.

 

[kamkar]

I have no idea, Sj cam stopped sending cameras to the likes of me, so anything SJcam after the SJ7 star action camera have been off limits to me.

 

[Leonauto]

So I want a body cam I can attach to my messenger bag strap I ride with.

SJcam made the A10 body camera.

Maybe you need to look for something else? Looking at the ratings (the indicator is extremely unreliable and subjective, but nevertheless sometimes you can look at several ratings at once to understand the general trend and level of the offered product), this name - SJcam A10 did not even come across, although the beginning of the release of the camera about 2 years ago.

Spoiler

For example, rating body cameras from different sources:

Best body cameras in 2024: wearable cameras for protection, security, and fun

Keep yourself safe, collect video evidence and more, with the best body cameras for work, leisure and content creation

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Best body cameras | body cameras for security

Explore the best body camera reviews in our comprehensive guide featuring the top 10 models known for their durable design and long battery life.

www.workingthedoors.co.uk

9 Best Body Cameras of 2021 | MSN Guide: Top Brands, Reviews & Prices

The Best Body Camera Of 2021 [Top 7+]

A comprehensive guide to the best body camera of this year including top brands and a buyers guide to help you choose the best body cam out there.

www.gadgetsspy.com

 

[GogglyEyes]

I have no idea, Sj cam stopped sending cameras to the likes of me, so anything SJcam after the SJ7 star action camera have been off limits to me.

Why is that?

 

[GogglyEyes]

OK Everyone, I considered brand strength and ecosystem (app for phone, extra accessories), ease of use (big buttons, Wifi, GPS) and quality accessories (such as metal clips that wont break). What was left was Boblov M852 and Boblov F1.

went for Boblov F1, because it is smaller.

https://www.boblov.com/boblov-2k-14...with-wifi-gps-32g-with-wifi-gps-p00093p1.html

I will let you all know how it is. Thank you for your help.

 

[GTA Driver]

This thread came in a timely fashion as I am considering a body cam but for a different reason - walking. I have seen a fair bit of recklessness and in one case road rage directed at 10 year on a bike while walking the dogs with my wife. Back in the day when my employer had its offices open to employees and clients, I used to do a 15 minute walk between the two offices and there too have experienced some close calls. I practise defensive walking but given the rash of hit and runs, I want to be able record my trips on foot outside of my SUV and home. Given that my dog walks last no longer than one and half hours, I don't need long battery life. The only case where I can see myself needing more than three hours if I were to go on a vacation and be out of my hotel room around the clock like when I went to Ottawa or Britain last year.

I have tried my mobius for walking but the position of the lens on the body makes it impractical. I don't want any thing fancy and would settle for specs of my old mobius if I could get a suitable form factor. I can live without Wifi or GPS. If I were using a bike - I think Mobius has a helmet mount or a mount for a bicycle handle bar.

I would like something discreet and don't want something that looks like a police body cam. Given that my requirements are lower than @googlyEyes, I can opt for something less expensive though I am going to look at Boblovs stuff. What I am kind of leaning to "SHONIN Pen 1080P Full HD" which isn't that expensive at amazon.ca.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/B0826YNVT3
For $40 CDN more, I see Boblov has a camera a similar in form factor but slightly better battery
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/B07Y44W886