I'm considering dropping some cash on one of the above. The GoPro seems more rugged but is less flexible for mounting as it doesn't have the rotatable lense. Anyone got any experience with either (or the non-HD versions)?

Been looking at these for a while now
The Contour HR has just been updated over the one which CRC is selling
and be over here soon and matches the new HD GoPro for video quality.

The New Contour HR is going to be £ 350.00p approx

Regarding the new GoPro is going to sell for £ 300.00p with all mounts
and for what I read on here when people came off the camera was fine.

Myself im going for the new GoPro.

I wouldnt go for the basic GoPro myself being the bad quality of video
on say you tube on full screen
Also they have sorted out the sound noise on the new GoPro.

One of these can't be beat for the money.

Muvi helmet cam: test number two

Got a contourHD last week. Only one outing so far but very impressed with the quality of the camera and video captured. More discrete than the Gopro and the built in lasers are great for getting the alignment right. Once I get more footage could post something if you'd like?

I've got the standard Go Pro, the video quality's OK- grantway mentioned full screen on youtube but it's not too bad for that, the main issue with youtube vids is generally compression rather than the source video. Certainly not as good as the Contour but acceptable IMO. But definately not great- also, higher quality video tends to compress better so you lose out twice there.

The mounting options are where the Gopro really win, it's a tiny little thing, well protected and comes with a wide range of mounts, with more available aftermarket. The format- shaped like a traditional camera- isn't ideal but the small size does make up for that, and the chest mount is a really nice option. The Contour may be the better camera but it's bulkier and the mounting hardware isn't as good. Also, if you break the outer case or outer lens for a gopro you can get replacements for either easily, not so with the Contour. This all still applies for the new one.

Only downer for the HD I can see is cost and that it has a proprietary battery rather than AAAs- 2.5 hours isn't very generous and as standard it doesn't come with a charger either, USB only. Spare batteries and a standalone charger will be available though, but it adds to the price. But on the plus side all the old accessories will work.

Have to say I'm not impressed with Vholdr as a company, they launched their first camera way before it was ready, and didn't offer any sort of replacement for the buggy 1st gen ones, so the early innovators got to be beta testers, then got a special limited edition shaft for their troubles. Very poor. But maybe they've upped their game.

Reckon I'll be getting a Gopro HD, anyway, but not yet.

Take a look on this ste for reviews helmetcameracentral.com
unfortunatly you cant buy from these guys
But they have all video testing and best info on these products

I've got family visiting from the States at the end of the month who will buy it there and bring it over for me. Oddly the price seems to be the same for either so I can't even use that as a differentiator.

Atlas there are Two HD versions of the Contour HR
One which is 720P HD and the newer version is 1080P HD

Hmm. In that case, there's a 30 quid difference.

I know this addition comes way after this thread was last used but I've had some experiences that might helpsomeone out.

Northwind – I have to agree with what you said RE VholdR's first cameras being 'testers'. We bought one of those and it did indeed appear to be a work in progress. So much so that very soon after buying it, we opened the back panel only to find the power button had fallen off. This and the rediculous microphone had us returning the camera to the shop feeling like the guinnea pigs we were. To VhodR's defence they did send us out a new model very quickly and we could see several changes in build including a bulkier power button BUT that model, it soon became apparent still had the super (over) sensative microphone AND one of the 2 lazers wasn't working. So we used it for a while and returned it, again, before the guarantee ran out. Just last month, a week after returning number 2 we were sent a brand new contour HD 1080, we've been bumped to the top of the pile for our troubles.
I've got to say this one appears to be a much better unit. The microphone no longer produces ear bursting wind noise as soon as the biker moves. I think the whole thing is much lighter than previous models and it also takes up to 16gig SD, 8 times more than when we started on this journey.

So, yeah, the first camera was a bit of a swizz and the cameras appear to evolve monthly so what you get when you buy might be slightly different to someone else BUT if you do have any problems I can't praise VholdR enough. Very quick turn around, they don't repair they replace and now the quality of the 1080 is fantastic. We're very happy(as long as it lasts!?!)

My youtube page has examples of the old camera and one new video of the 1080.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCeJeVDklk

So if anyone has problems with a camera from vholdr, get it returned and see if you can get upgraded too.

they were reviewed on the gadget show last night. the gopro one came out on top but the contour one scored highly too

they were reviewed on the gadget show last night. the gopro one came out on top but the contour one scored highly too

Yeah, the gopro one looked amazing! For £20 extra it looked like a no-brainer to me

I recently made this decision and went for the Go Pro HD. Bought it from Pinkbike.com – saved about 100 quid on UK prices and they mark it up nicely to avoid Mr Customs 🙂

The main reasons for my decision:

Price
More mounting options (particularly the chest option)

So far I'm very impressed. Easy to use and quality is excellent. You can see some of my early test footage here: http://www.mountainbikerides.co.uk/blog/

I'm thinking about getting a GoProHD so am reading this with interest. How do you set it up / align it? Is there any sort of screen on it or a view finder or anything?

MAd Pierre, nice footage. Looks like a chilled day out. It was a well chosen tune too.

Contour for the win 8)

Guy I rode with on Sunday did some videos on his GoProHD. Waiting to see his results but the cash went into a Macbook fund 😉

I'm thinking about getting a GoProHD so am reading this with interest. How do you set it up / align it? Is there any sort of screen on it or a view finder or anything?

No viewfinder – that was my main worry when I first got it but it hasn't been an issue. I've used the "ask a mate if it looks like its pointing in about the right direction" technique and it seems to have worked every time! It being such a wide angle lense helps.

MAd Pierre, nice footage. Looks like a chilled day out. It was a well chosen tune too.

Cheers. Don't forget to scroll down there are (currently) three vids on there all containing Go Pro HD footage…..

the Contour has lazers so you know where its looking 8)

Mad Pierre, nice vid's, that's pretty much what I want it for… some head/chest footage and some static filming. Cool.
The lasers sound cool but I could just tape a cheap laser pen onto a go pro couldn't I 🙂

The lazers on the contour are more useful, in my experience, for rotating the lense so that the footage is level rather than checking if the camera is pointing hi/low enough.
If you try to aim the camera down a trail and use the lazers to see if its aimed ok, you'll have a job spotting the tiny red dots amongst the trees.
A simple ask of a friend has always sorted us out ok and once it's straight it stays there, no matter how many times you take the camera on and off the mount. The helemt mount is ratcheted so it's simply a case of one or two clicks up or down to get it facing down the trail. The new lenses are also 50% wider than previous models so it's pretty easy to get what you want from the view.
(I swear I don't work for VholdR, just know how useful these forums can be when making £300 plus choices.)

just know how useful these forums can be when making £300 plus choices.)

I got mine for £200 …. ain't google great 8)

Goog, you got the 1080 too? Got any footage we can have a look at?

Mad Pierre, nice vid's, that's pretty much what I want it for… some head/chest footage and some static filming. Cool.

Cheers. Note: while some of the static footage is from the Go Pro I've got a HD Sony Handycam that I use for most of those shots so that I can pan and zoom etc. With that combined with the Go Pro it's pretty easy to make the vids you've seen.

Oh and be aware whichever of the two you buy you will need a beefy PC to edit the footage…

I wish I had a HD Sony Handycam to make make my camera look as good as a Contour 😉

I wish I had a HD Sony Handycam to make make my camera look as good as a Contour

I wish we had some of your footage for comparison? 😉

Trouble is we'd need to record the same run on two cams and then encode in exactly the same way for a direct comparison.

Maybe you and I can do this when next we meet?

Mad Pierre, what handycam is it that you've got, or any recommendations?

Mines a Sony HDRCX105E

Small, simple and good quality. Cost me 300 quid ish

Cool, cheers!

Another video added today – some XC with Go Pro chest and helmet mounted footage in very poor light conditions – foggy, cloudy and damp: http://www.mountainbikerides.co.uk/blog/?p=406

what happened to Jamie ?

did he spot a £1 coin on the road or summink 😉

what happened to Jamie ?

did he spot a £1 coin on the road or summink

Think he realised he was in danger of getting to the bar first? 😉

I bought the Contour HD 1080 a couple of weeks ago. I bought it mostly for skiing but it's been on the bike a few times so far. Some observations:
The lens on the 1080 does give a pronounced fish eye effect. Can't say I'm a fan particularly – I'd prefer it with a narrower angle.
On a bar mount there's lots of vibration in the footage. I've yet to try the helmet mount or rig up a nount for the frame using the goggle mount.
Battery life is about 3 hours or so – and it's not a propriatory battery as someone suggested above – it's a pretty common cell.

I'm still sussing out the encoding options but the footage is pretty impressive (the riding less so). I've currently got it on 60 FPS 720p mode and yet to try full 1080.

The lasers do help level the lens – but there are two notches anyway that do a pretty good job of alignment

Crell, I had the original VHoldR model 1&2, they both had a narrower angled lense than the 1080 by 50%. I've got to say I much preffer the new wider angle. It allows a bit more of the track/bike into shot as well as giving and added feeling of speed as the tress or whatever zipped out of shot toward the edge of the frame. MY you tube page has footage from both cameras on it so you can take a look to compare.
http://www.youtube.com/user/dbtoyrobot
The vid which shows as you enter is the HD one, the rest are on the original

+ if you ever mount the camera on an uneven surface like the side of the helmet this is where the lazers come in. If you simply click the lens into one of the notches then, you will get footage which is also uneven. All you have to do is stand infront of a wall/tree/friend and slightly twist the lens till the 2 dots are level and you're guaranteed nice & level footage.

Oh, and I can also recomend the "dusk" setting on the lighting options for when you are in low light such as over cast days in the woods (most days). The old models didn't have this option and really struggled in those conditions.

I've bought a few helmet cameras over the years and find ragecams on ebay to eb a very reliable supplier. They specialise in all kinds of stuff including CCTV police and surveillance cameras and offer very good packages and are very competative. I got a Contour HD with full mounts, spare battery and external charger and sd card upgrade delivered to the uk for about £180 (Auction not buy it now)

these were tested on the gadget show on a bob sleigh run – go pro looked best

you can watch the episode on the five.tv webshite

I'd get one if I didn't have to spend £1500+ on a PC to edit the footage with 🙁

Do you really though FuzzyWuzzy? I thought that any halfway descent PC with 4GB RAM, 500MB Graphics and a couple of GB processor was enough? That's what I was told. You can pick up a laptop like that for £500-1000 can't you.

If that's not the case then please educate me because I'm about to buy a computer like that specifically for HD editing…