Smartphone as an Action Camera: ZTE Blade t2

[dashactioncam]

I like to record video of my motorcycle rides. I have an Eken H9R Action Camera that I currently use. While that is a good bang for buck camera, it still is not that great, and I am looking to use a smartphone in it's place.

Problems with Eken h9R: 1. Can't handle direct heat (it was mounted on top my helmet on 100 degree day, changing the location to a chin helmet mount may help). 2. Battery drains too fast (you get about 1.5 hours on a charge at 1080p). 3. Unable to charge while in use.

I looked at dash cams, but In only ride a few times a year, so having an action cam, or using a cell phone makes more sense for me than a hard wired dash cam. I can use these cams (or cell phone) while I ride bicycle, etc. You can't normally do that with most dash cams.

So I started thinking; why not just get a cheap, low end android phone and use that as an action camera/dash camera?

Enter the ZTE Blade T2 Smartphone. $20/shipped. 16GB storage, and can handle up to 256 GB MicroSD.

I have tested the video recording at home (indoors, 73 degrees F). Based on my initial test, this should get about 8 hours recording time on one charge! It's a little bit low on the quality, at 720 but not bad for a basic cheap action camera.

I may end up going with a different device in the long run, just because the low resolution video recording. BUt I am gonna try this out for a bit and see how she does.

Admittedly, heat will be an issue with any smartphone, and with low end action cameras. I mean 100 degrees farenheit and having it in direct sun will challenge most any smartphone and cheap action camera. So I will use a chin helmet mount, which places the device in the shade a bit (if the sun is behind me).

So that's all I have to say for now; I will report back actual results when I have some. This is just my preliminary.

 

[dashactioncam]

I just got home from running some errands; the phone was down to 1% it was still recording, I stopped it and plugged it in the charger. It lasted about 8 hours!

Recording start time 2:10 PM (approx.) end time 9:49 PM low battery (1%). That's way better than the Eken action camera (although that camera does come with lots of mounts and accessories).

So a $19 cell phone might be a good option for a dash, action or helmet camera.

I plugged it in now I am keeping track of how long it takes to charge. I'll then record another video of my fish tank here at home to test again (new battery might work better the 2nd time around).

After that test, I can try it outdoors in the sun and see how it does.

This phone sells for $29.99 at most places, but I got it for $19.99. That's nice because if it breaks, no big deal compared to using a nice phone.

Here is a link to the auction where I got this phone for $19.99 and with free shipping:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283381394594
Embark on a new adventure with the ZTE Blade 2T Lite. We’ve set the bar high with this phone’s large 5” display so you can navigate through life effortlessly. With 16 GB of internal memory and support for a microSDXC card up to 256 GB, you won’t hit any sort of roadblocks with this sleek and fashionable phone. Forget the days of limited battery life -- the 2,200 mAh battery will keep you cruising all day! Take selfes with friends using the 2 MP front-facing camera, or snap some action shots of your journeys with the 5 MP autofocus camera on the back. Share those memories online via email or on your favorite social media platform by utilizing the high-speed 4G LTE™ network and Android™ 8.1 Oreo™. With countless apps and games to choose from in the Google Play Store, this phone will be your new favorite travel buddy. Take the ZTE Blade 2T Lite for a spin –we guarantee you won’t want to put it down!


Specification

• 4G LTE
• Android 8.1, Oreo™
• 5" Touchscreen
• Battery Talk Time up to 12 hours
• Standby Time up to 12 days
• Wi-Fi® Capable
• Internal Memory 16 GB (device only)
• Get apps, games, music and more on Google Play™
• Supports microSD™ Memory Card up to 256 GB (not included)
• 5 MP Camera/2 MP Front Facing Camera
• A-GPS/GPS Capabilities
• 1.1 GHz Quad-Core Processor
• MP3 Player
• Bluetooth® 4.2 Wireless Technology
• Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) Rating: M4/T3

 

[dashactioncam]

One problem I had was my 64GB memory card was getting full at 16GB. I needed to format it, but this phone has no format utility! I had to put the memory card in a Note 3 and format the memory card, then put it back into the ZTE T2 phone.

Pretty impressive so far though; about 8 hours of video on a battery charge. No heat from continuously recording at room temp, it was cool as a cucumber.

 

[Nigel]

Is having a smartphone mounted on top of your crash helmet good for aerodynamics?
I can imagine your head getting forced backwards at high speed!

Also, can you post a selfie showing what this new fashion accessory for motorcyclists looks like when helmet mounted...

 

[Nigel]

Ohh, I had assumed you used it with vertical video syndrome, but apparently you can mount it horizontal ... but maybe that is not cool?

 

[jokiin]

Ohh, I had assumed you used it with vertical video syndrome, but apparently you can mount it horizontal ... but maybe that is not cool?

teletubbie mode

 

[dashactioncam]

I have not mounted the cell phone on my helmet yet. I did with my action camera, it didn't really cause my helmet to move from the wind though; I couldn't even notice it. I don't have a selfie of me wearing it; but I wasn't wearing it to be fashionable anyway.

The mount I have for cell phone is a chin mount, not on top of the helmet. The mount for my Eken goes on top of the helmet. Mainly wind noise is a problem in the recordings, not wind resistance on my head.

Just like the yellow high visible jacket I wear is for safety not to look "cool". If fashion and looking cool are important to you, start another thread about how to look cool while recording videos lol.

There's plenty of pics of people wearing cameras on helmets you can look it up yourself.

 

[dashactioncam]

So far I am just testing the cell phone camera at home outdoors not mounted to anything; I set it outside to record in direct sun at 90 degrees F. There was a slight problem;; 20 minutes into it the images started getting over exposed. It recorded like that for a while then went back to normal. The battery drained to 50% in about 2 hours.

 

[Nigel]

Just like the yellow high visible jacket I wear is for safety not to look "cool".

I passed one of them today, didn't notice it at the time because from the front it is all black and from the rear the bright yellow is completely hidden by a big black plastic box!



I guess it is just to satisfy the police while not actually making him visible. Even has the white camouflage strip on his helmet because all black helmets do tend to be visible against a bright sky.

 

[kamkar]

Motorola just made a action "camera" phone.

Motorola One Action - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

 

[Nigel]

Motorola just made a action "camera" phone.

Motorola One Action - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

"not just any ultra wide angle camera like them other non-action phones - instead, this one's installed at a 90-degree angle, so it captures landscape videos when you're holding the phone in portrait. "

(So if you mount it in the horizontal action phone chin mount, then you get vertical videos!)

 

[Nigel]

I passed one of them today, didn't notice it at the time because from the front it is all black and from the rear the bright yellow is completely hidden by a big black plastic box!

View attachment 48212

I guess it is just to satisfy the police while not actually making him visible. Even has the white camouflage strip on his helmet because all black helmets do tend to be visible against a bright sky.

Actually, from my mirror cam the yellow high vis at the rear is hidden by more than just a black box:



Presumably an airbag, but why would you wear a safety device which makes you more invisible and thus more likely to have an accident?

 

[SawMaster]

Phone cams have certainly come a long way in the past few years As an old rider I can certainly understand wanting a cam regardless of the appearance, but I'm also aware of cams like Mobius and the F1 which offer action cam functionality while avoiding the "teletubby" look, so that's what I'd be using if I still rode Plus we've got lots of insects here so there would be less 'bug splat' to deal with given the smaller target of those cams.

Chin or chest-mounted cams seem to do what is wanted well with bikes and riders whose position doesn't change much. Just be sure you've got a good view with them as some I've seen were mostly of the instrument cluster or through poorly maintained windscreens- hardly useful Just common-sense stuff really, and I'm sure the riders who appear here on DCT are smart enough to check such as this.

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what the newer phones do when used like this- the older ones have several shortcomings which makes them poor choices for use as a dashcam although I see lots of that going on. More of this than dashcams where I live

Phil

 

[Nigel]

Plus we've got lots of insects here so there would be less 'bug splat' to deal with given the smaller target of those cams.

It wouldn't take much of an insect to completely block a tiny phone lens!

The much bigger lenses of a motorcycle dashcam should be less likely to get blocked, and if an insect only partly covers them then they still work since the insect will be completely out of focus, just makes them a little blurry. Of course they can still be completely blocked by a moth but the aerodynamics of a well designed lens helps to ensure they don't get hit, the aerodynamics of a phone are not exactly great!

 

[SawMaster]

I can only imagine the damage of impacting a large insect at high speed. I had a 'June Bug' hit me in the chest at 90MPH (ahem...yeah it was an extra-legal speed ) which actually knocked me backwards a bit and left one he!! of a bruise on my chest for over a week. It would probably knock a 'teletubby' cam off the helmet or break a cellphone, and even the mighty Mobius directly mounted with 3M's best might not survive that Not a likely event, but neither was the bee flying into the narrow gap between my open-face helmet and my head a couple years later. I've never stopped faster from freeway speed but he got the stinger in before I could get my helmet off So yeah, I think a small frontal footprint can be important.

Phil

 

[jokiin]

I can only imagine the damage of impacting a large insect at high speed. I had a 'June Bug' hit me in the chest at 90MPH (ahem...yeah it was an extra-legal speed ) which actually knocked me backwards a bit and left one he!! of a bruise on my chest for over a week. It would probably knock a 'teletubby' cam off the helmet or break a cellphone, and even the mighty Mobius directly mounted with 3M's best might not survive that Not a likely event, but neither was the bee flying into the narrow gap between my open-face helmet and my head a couple years later. I've never stopped faster from freeway speed but he got the stinger in before I could get my helmet off So yeah, I think a small frontal footprint can be important.

Phil

getting hit by a bird is no fun either, the bigger ones can knock you off the bike

 

[Nigel]

getting hit by a bird is no fun either, the bigger ones can knock you off the bike

 

[jokiin]

Didn't mean that big but yeah, wouldn't want to hit one of those

 

[Nigel]

Didn't mean that big but yeah, wouldn't want to hit one of those

We don't have them here, but we do have some insects that can fly as fast as that ostrich was running and are more likely to bite: