Helmet camera
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Lipstick camera. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2010. |
A helmet camera, otherwise known as a micro video camera, bullet camera, or lipstick camera, is a camera attached to a helmet allowing someone to make a visual record from their point of view (POV), while keeping their hands and vision free.
History
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San Diego Director of Photography, Mark Schulze of New & Unique Videos, invented the helmet cam during the 1987 production of "The Great Mountain Biking Video," the first how-to mountain-bike video. He mounted the first available chip camera made by RCA, to a motorcycle helmet. The camera fed signal via cable to a VCR stuffed into a padded backpack. This unwieldy rig was worn by various mountain bikers and Trials riders to capture POV footage of mountain bike trails and Trials, including Trials Champions Ot Pi Isern and Kevin Norton, and mountain bike racers, Jeff Detweiler and Mark Schulze. Upon removing the rig after a particular ride, the wearer would inevitably exclaim, "This thing's HEAVY!" This pioneering hardware eventually gave way to button and lipstick cameras.
Schulze used a helmet cam again, during the production of additional mountain-bike videos including "Ultimate Mountain Biking: Advanced Techniques and Winning Strategies," and "Battle At Durango: First-Ever World Mountain Bike Championships" which recently received the honor of a "Classic Telly." This new helmet-cam utilized a Toshiba one-inch C-MOS chip camera on one side of an Etto helmet, counter-balanced by a 12-volt battery on the opposite side, and this time hooked up to a 3/4" 12-pound Sony VO6800 deck in a backpack. Schulze also created additional POV mounts for the bike including under the seat post looking forward and under the bottom bracket to see the wheel and trail. It was during the production of "Battle" when Schulze revealed his invention to producers from the fledgling ESPN, who were there to broadcast the races. The helmet cam soon became a standard piece of equipment, worn by BMX riders, surfers, skiers, skydivers etc.
The last time when Schulze's helmet cam saw action was during the production of New & Unique Videos' final mountain-bike video called "Full Cycle: A World Odyssey" (1993 and 1994). This around-the-world mountain-bike travel adventure follows an intrepid young couple (Mark Schulze and his wife, Patty Mooney) to nine different countries including USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Wales, Greece, Switzerland, Tahiti, Australia and India.
With the advent of digital cameras, and smaller camera production, came advancement in the helmet camera field. Helmet cameras shrank in size to that of a marker and began recording to digital recorders with video displays.
In the 1990s, helmet cameras were briefly used to provide live player's-eye-view footage in professional American football. However, their use was discontinued after players complained of the extra weight, and TV networks became concerned about the aggressive behavior the cameras captured.
The newest generation of helmet cameras offer features like on screen menus, and wireless transmitting to an offsite recording device.
Camera types
Helmet cameras generally fall into two main categories; CMOS and CCD type. Although helmet cameras take on a variety of forms the majority are small cylindrical cameras resembling a tube of lipstick or a bullet, coining the name lipstick and bullet cameras. Helmet cameras may be connected to a video recording device with video input capability, such as a handheld camcorder, or purpose built digital video recorder. [1]
CCD helmet cameras are based upon the charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor. They typically operate on 12VDC power and output an analog type signal. These cameras draw more power than CMOS cameras but offer superior picture quality and better color replication.
CMOS helmet cameras are based upon the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. They typically operate on 5VDC and draw very little power. CMOS cameras are also generally smaller than the CCD type. CMOS cameras do not offer the same clarity as CCD type and generally do not work well in low light environments.
Applications
Many sports enthusiasts now use helmet cameras to capture the essence of the sports they love. For example, many paraglider pilots like to carry a bullet camera to record their flights. This can be mounted on the helmet, foot or elsewhere to capture unique camera angles. There are many samples of helmet camera videos available on the net.
Wearing helmet cameras is also proving popular with cyclists as a safety aid as it allows cyclists to record their journeys and to record any incidents from their point of view. This recording can be used in a court as evidence. [2]
In 2006, a British cyclist was convicted of abusing traffic wardens, using evidence from a helmet camera. [3]