Dual purpose camera: SJCAM M10 or Mobius?

Module 79L

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Dash Cam
AT11DA, SG9665XS, G1W-H
The ones of you who know me since I'm registered here (or the ones who pay attention to the member's info below the avatar, like I do ;)) know that I've been through a G1W, a G1W-H and that now I'm using an AT11DA.
This last one was given to me by a friend who didn't knew the first thing about cameras but wanted one to put on his bicycle's handlebars, so he went online and bought something. Literally! Of course it wasn't what he expected: he didn't understand why the battery only lasted a couple of minutes and why the camera didn't record anything when he pressed the record button (no card in it...), or how to mount it on the handlebars with the included suction cup mount... You get the point.
After I gave him a brief explanation about the dashcam world he was so frustrated to find out how ignorant he was about it that he just gave me the camera! Oh, well... :rolleyes:
It had a crappy mic like the G1W-H (just how "lucky" am I? Even a camera that I didn't buy had to have a defective mic!), so I replaced it, this time with one from an old wireless landline phone.
The camera works fine and it has some interesting features not present on the firmware of the other two Novatek-based cameras, plus a wider FOV than the G1W's.

It's not that I'm not happy with what I got (hell, I have more working cameras that I can use!) but throughout my time here on DCT I've been reading a lot about different cameras because my goal from the very beginning was to have a camera that I could use as a dashcam and a helmet camera. That time has arrived, so now it's my turn to ask what camera shall I buy.

The requirements were:
- Small
- With a screen
- With a battery that lasts at least 1h@FHD
- With all the necessary accessories
- Easy to move back and forth (I already have a suction cup mount with a tripod screw)
- With enough time on the market to prove its reliability and longevity
- Max 150€ price

After much searching, reading and watching videos, I've narrowed it down to these two:

- SJCAM M10
- Meets all the requirements. I can buy a new one here in Portugal (the WiFi model), with all the accessories, for 120€. No waiting and no customs hassle.

-
Mobius
- It doesn't meet all the requirements but I know how good it is. I'd have to buy it abroad, preferably within the EU (most likely from Joovuu), but still have to see which pack fits my needs.

I have to be honest with you, I'm closer to go for the M10 than the Mobius, unless you can produce suficiently strong arguments to convince me otherwise. ;)
I have some doubts about the Mobius that I didn't easily find answers to, like:
1- How easy is to point the Mobius correctly, both in the car and on the helmet, since it doesn't have a screen?
2- Is there a dedicated helmet mount for the Mobius (motorcycle full helmet)?
3- Does the Mobius have the possibility of flipping the image 90º so it can be positioned at that angle on the side of the helmet?
4- How long does the Mobius battery lasts? (sorry to ask this but there are too many threads and posts where to look for the answer).
5- Which is the better lens for both uses?

I think I didn't forget anything. If so, I'll update the post.

So, let me have it! :D
 
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- Mobius
- It doesn't meet all the requirements but I know how good it is. I'd have to buy it abroad, preferably within the EU (most likely from Joovuu), but still have to see which pack fits my needs.

I have to be honest with you, I'm closer to go for the M10 than the Mobius, unless you can produce suficiently strong arguments to convince me otherwise. ;)
I have some doubts about the Mobius that I didn't easily find answers to, like:
1- How easy is to point the Mobius correctly, both in the car and on the helmet, since it doesn't have a screen?
2- Is there a dedicated helmet mount for the Mobius (motorcycle full helmet)?
3- Does the Mobius have the possibility of flipping the image 90º so it can be positioned at that angle on the side of the helmet?
4- How long does the Mobius battery lasts? (sorry to ask this but there are too many threads and posts where to look for the answer).
5- Which is the better lens for both uses?

1. How do GoPro fans manage without screens? They just do. In the car, you can aim it while connected to an Android device or Windows Tablet or PC. Or just aim by eye, check the video on your phone, then tweak the aim if necessary.

2. Yes.

3. There's a specific Mobius model available with it's CMOS imager rotated 90°, so the camera can be mounted on it's side yet still record video in the correct orientation. Ideal for helmet mounting, & avoids the 'Tele Tubby' look you get with other cameras.

4. 2 hours with the 820mAh battery.

5. Both A & C2 are good lenses. If you choose the wide angle C2, you can select the narrow mode FOV, if the normal wide mode is too wide for your taste. Narrow mode with the A lens is probably too narrow for your needs.
 
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I really like my sj4000 (same internals as m10). the SJcam fits your needs. I love that it can use the now ubiquitous GoPro clip mount so it's so much easier to move from place to place. and though it has a screen, I like connecting it to the app so I can have an even bigger screen to look at when pointing it. the only couple knocks I can give it is the crappy mic (even when not in the underwater housing) and that it gets exposure wrong in extreme lighting conditions like driving towards the sun low in the horizon.
 
1. How do GoPro fans manage without screens? They just do. In the car, you can aim it while connected to an Android device or Windows Tablet or PC. Or just aim by eye, check the video on your phone, then tweak the aim if necessary.

2. Yes.

3. There's a specific Mobius model available with it's CMOS imager rotated 90°, so the camera can be mounted on it's side yet still record video in the correct orientation. Ideal for helmet mounting, & avoids the 'Tele Tubby' look you get with other cameras.

4. 2 hours with the 820mAh battery.

5. Both A & C2 are good lenses. If you choose the wide angle C2, you can select the narrow mode FOV, if the normal wide mode is too wide for your taste. Narrow mode with the A lens is probably too narrow for your needs.
Thanks for the reply.

1- Don't have any Android device or tablet of any sort, thus I can't aim it by eye and then check the video on my... phone, so I'm left with the laptop. Does the camera connect via WiFi?
2- I'll have to check if it's included in any of Joovuu's packs.
3- But then I couldn't mount it horizontally in the car, right?
4- The M10's battery can do 90 minutes..
5- Ok.
 
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I really like my sj4000 (same internals as m10). the SJcam fits your needs. I love that it can use the now ubiquitous GoPro clip mount so it's so much easier to move from place to place. and though it has a screen, I like connecting it to the app so I can have an even bigger screen to look at when pointing it. the only couple knocks I can give it is the crappy mic (even when not in the underwater housing) and that it gets exposure wrong in extreme lighting conditions like driving towards the sun low in the horizon.
The SJ4000 was on the top of my list at first but I quickly ditched it because of how it looks on the helmet. That and any action camera with the same shape. It was one of the main reasons why I chose the M10.
 
I had a g1wh, sj4000 and a gt680w ...

now i have a koonlung, a street guardian (both A7 ), 2 x gt680w , b40 s, an sj400 wifi , 3x 0803 , 6x 0805 , over 10x 0806 and 16x Mobius all working and a K1s that only the front camera works on !


I tested all different models in the same light after dark by hand not in the car and i ran all footage through VLC tweeking to gain as much detail as i could on all...



The gt680w is great , but it has "camera" form factor unless a 24pin lens extention is used and is on par with the Mobius.

Yes the 0806 are great on par with the koonlung, K1S and street guardian.

The Mobius matched all the above and was better than some (A7 dogs danglies) that didn't respond that well to VLC as the picture grayed out trying to get the detail of the Mobius. Its form factor is great, it has time lapse, variable frame rates (for cctv) etc... all features that more than give it the edge... and its reliable and easy to swap out lens and battery...

ya pays your money you makes your choice !
 
(...) and 16x Mobius
If by any chance I choose the Mobius, would you be willing to sell me one of yours? After all, who needs 16 Mobius? :D
 
wait and see what others say before you make your choice ... ;)
 
Talking about batteries, I just remembered I forgot to ask something: Summers here are very hot and the trend is to get even worse, so how would its battery cope with high temperatures? The same as any battery dashcam or is the Mobius battery different?
 
... laptop. Does the camera connect via WiFi? ... I couldn't mount it horizontally in the car, right?

No Wi-Fi. You'd need to connect Mobius to laptop in webcam mode to aim it in situ.

My last car had a rectangular profile rear view mirror stem. The 90° rotated version of Mobius would've been ideal for 3M taping to the side of the stem, but it wasn't available when I bought my Mobius cams. Here's an example of one in use in the rear screen...

image.jpg
 
No Wi-Fi. You'd need to connect Mobius to laptop in webcam mode to aim it in situ.
Ok. Not very practical but not enough to give a point against it.

My last car had a rectangular profile rear view mirror stem. The 90° rotated version of Mobius would've been ideal for 3M taping to the side of the stem, but it wasn't available when I bought my Mobius cams. Here's an example of one in use in the rear screen...
So, if I understand it correctly, that special model can only be used in that position? In the car it wouldn't be an issue, although I'd rather have the buttons facing towards me, but on the helmet I can see some problems:
I want to position the mount on the left side of the helmet, so if the camera can only be used in the position shown in your picture, the tripod screw of the case would be on the outside making it impossible to use on that side. Even if I managed to somehow mount it there, it would probably look horrible and the buttons would be facing the helmet anyway, making it impossible to operate them.
Or can it be rotated 180º, with the buttons to the left and then the image flipped over right side up in the settings?
 
I took a look at Joovuu's site and the only helmet mount they have there is for bicycle helmets, not suitable for motorcycle helmets.
 
IIRC, the 90 degree Mobius still had 180 degree 'flip' because the 90 degree was achieved by turning the CMOS/Lens; the case differs but all the rest is standard. Mobius batteries are standard, same as others. You do have some advantage of moving air cooling the cam as you ride. Motorcycle helmets might be best with an adhesive mount like the VHB 3-M product. You could also have a passenger help aim it for you as you ride which should get it pretty close, and if the passenger is a pretty girl then the closer the better :D

Phil
 
No Wi-Fi. You'd need to connect Mobius to laptop in webcam mode to aim it in situ.

My last car had a rectangular profile rear view mirror stem. The 90° rotated version of Mobius would've been ideal for 3M taping to the side of the stem, but it wasn't available when I bought my Mobius cams. Here's an example of one in use in the rear screen...

View attachment 18306

I like this setup @russ331, I reckon this would be more discreet in a sense that it is not in the middle attracting more attention. Do you have a sample image taken by the cam with this angle?
 
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I took a look at Joovuu's site and the only helmet mount they have there is for bicycle helmets, not suitable for motorcycle helmets.

Unleash your creativity. Here's a photo I saved from somewhere on this site...

image.jpg
 
IIRC, the 90 degree Mobius still had 180 degree 'flip' because the 90 degree was achieved by turning the CMOS/Lens; the case differs but all the rest is standard.
Why do you say that in the past tense? Don't they make those versions anymore? And how different is the case? So different that it wouldn't be able to use the waterproof case?


Mobius batteries are standard, same as others. You do have some advantage of moving air cooling the cam as you ride.
That means they could have the same problems with the heat in the long run as the others, when used as a dashcam? If I decide to go with it my plan is to stick the waterproof case to the helmet, so I don't know if it'll cool that much inside it, even with the heat transfer bands that come with Joovuu's case.


Motorcycle helmets might be best with an adhesive mount like the VHB 3-M product. You could also have a passenger help aim it for you as you ride which should get it pretty close, and if the passenger is a pretty girl then the closer the better :D

Phil
My plan from the beginning was to use the sticky back mount. The M10 comes with two of these mounts.
It would be very difficult to have a passenger helping me to aim the camera because my bike is a single-seater. :D
 
Unleash your creativity. Here's a photo I saved from somewhere on this site...

View attachment 18311
That's the second picture I've seen with the camera mounted the same way. I'm starting to think that's the only way it can be mounted...
 
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