Cheap alternative to GoPro camera. HobbyKing HD Wingcam $88.00

**nzvlogger** · 25th February 2012, 12:52

So i wanted a helmet/bike cam for the ride this Sunday but i couldnt afford to pay $300 for a GoPro (although they are awesome)

I went on trademe and found the "HobbyKing HD Wingcam" for $88.00 bought some Velcro (proper stuff, dont get the cheap stuff) and a Micro SD card out of my cell phone.

All you need is a MicroSD card with a minimum Class 6 transfer speed, if you dont have one you can get an 8G card (Class 10) from Telecom for $39.99

Quality is really, really good plus it has a wide angle lens and its so tiny, only 1 3rd the size of a credit card so you could mount it almost inside your helmet. I did mount it on a slight angle by mistake but never mind, you get the idea.

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Heres a YouTube video just testing it down the road and back, would be better mounted behind a screen so the wind noise wouldnt be so bad.

NOTE: Watch it in 720p

**slofox** · 25th February 2012, 13:22

Can't find them on TM meself...got a linky?

**iYRe** · 25th February 2012, 13:24

Hey dude.. nice to meet you yesterday btw :P

**sleemanj** · 25th February 2012, 13:48

Good quality for a cheapie. If it has an external mic jack, then I'd suggest running a mic into your helmet as a simple way to cut out the wind noise.

One of these days I'm going to get me two cameras like this and set them up stereoscopically.

**nzvlogger** · 25th February 2012, 13:53

Originally Posted by slofox

Can't find them on TM meself...got a linky?

Sure heres one mate

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=451605563

Originally Posted by iYRe

Hey dude.. nice to meet you yesterday btw :P

You to bro, deff see you guys in the morning at the BP

Originally Posted by sleemanj

Good quality for a cheapie. If it has an external mic jack, then I'd suggest running a mic into your helmet as a simple way to cut out the wind noise.

One of these days I'm going to get me two cameras like this and set them up stereoscopically.

Yea it doesn't unfortunately unless it can use the AV jack but im not sure, i could probably get my sparky at work to modify it, but that would be awesome to have the mic in the helmet.

**nzvlogger** · 25th February 2012, 14:06

That got me thinking and just had a quick look, found the mic, would be very easy to hook up an external microphone.

See it here with the 2 wires coming off, and its just sitting there not fixed, just need to open the rubber sleeve a little and soldier a new one on with a longer wire

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**Scuba_Steve** · 25th February 2012, 14:14

lov the DIY heat-shrink tube casing, but hey if it's gonna save a couple hundred on equivalent models I'm all for it

**Tigadee** · 25th February 2012, 14:15

Originally Posted by sleemanj

One of these days I'm going to get me two cameras like this and set them up stereoscopically.

Put a red filter on one lens and a green on the other, then use some kind of software to produce 3D videos to be played on your 3D TV in your living room! It'd be as if you were actually riding your bike for real!

Oh wait, you were...

**sil3nt** · 25th February 2012, 15:29

Good for alternate angles instead of buying a million gopros.

**TrentNz** · 25th February 2012, 15:49

Meh i think ill buy a Gopro anyway. they dont exactly cost an arm and a leg..

**nzvlogger** · 25th February 2012, 16:02

Originally Posted by TrentNz

Meh i think ill buy a Gopro anyway. they dont exactly cost an arm and a leg..

Alot more than $88, Anyway i made the external mic. well just extended the old one anyway. works a charm, i havent mounted the wires properly cause itl be coming off anyway but you get the idea. Mind you ill probably buy a GoPro at some stage also but the cheapest at the mo is $220 on TradeMe.

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**Zedder** · 25th February 2012, 16:04

Not too bad at all, good old Kiwi ingenuity.

**Tigadee** · 25th February 2012, 16:12

Originally Posted by CdTDroiD

Anyway i made the external mic. well just extended the old one anyway.

How did you do that again?

**slofox** · 25th February 2012, 16:14

Originally Posted by CdTDroiD

Alot more than $88, Anyway i made the external mic. well just extended the old one anyway. works a charm, i havent mounted the wires properly cause itl be coming off anyway but you get the idea. Mind you ill probably buy a GoPro at some stage also but the cheapest at the mo is $220 on TradeMe.

Looks like you have run the mike into your helmet. Great idea! That way you can give a running commentary on the loons in the cars who are trying to kill you...

EDIT: Seems like you got the only one on TM...

**nzvlogger** · 25th February 2012, 16:22

Originally Posted by slofox

Looks like you have run the mike into your helmet. Great idea! That way you can give a running commentary on the loons in the cars who are trying to kill you...

EDIT: Seems like you got the only one on TM...

You can get them here:

Hobbyking NZ
+64 9 4409898
4 Cherry Lane, Wairau Valley 0627
Auckland, New Zealand.

Its a wicked shop lol, toys galore. looks like someone just hit buy now on the last one lol but he will have more there if you ring him

Originally Posted by Tigadee

How did you do that again?

I just cut open the clear plastic shrink wrap and then cut the tape holding the battery in, after that the mic can be pulled off to the side and theres about 5 cm of wire, then i cut it, extended it, soldered back together and put some shrink shield around the wires.