Helmet Camera *Click any image to enlarge I got the inspiration of the helmet camera from the legendary Lucas Brunelle, except I wanted to make it on a budget, and easy to do with low computing resources that I have! I started off with my standard digital camera, a samsung digimax 101. It's 1.3megapixels and quite a few years old - I've had it from new. It is my first digital camera, and does video in a resolution of 320x240, without sound. It is however quite robust, simple and fairly easy to use which makes it ideally suited to being used. The memory is expandable to allow me to stick a large memory card (I run a 256MB SD card) in it to allow greater lengths of filming...although I found it couldn't record more than 2mins 54secs of movie at once. It can be found very cheaply now as it is a very low spec camera, which is great if you want to do a project like this cheaply. Version 1 My first attempts of making a helmet camera was basically using sticky tape onto my helmet (it's my spare one!). I then modified it and used string, see picture below (Click to enlarge). Version 2 This is what I am using now essentially, and involved a tiny bit more preparation for a far better result. First I used some scrap 1mm aluminium sheet from the school worksop. I then used the press-brake-roll machine to bend the 90degree angle. From here, I then drilled holes to allow for string to attach the plate to my helmet, and a hole to allow a standard m5 bolt to attach to the tripod hole in the bottom of the camera. Next step was to add foam padding to the bottom and top of the plate. This enables it to absorb any impacts when my head vibrates, and allow for supporting the flat plate across a curved helmet. I used some normal foam found in packaging, and then some double sided insulating tape (or maybe normal insulating type rolled over) to stick the foam onto the aluminium. Finally I had to mount the plate to the helmet, and the camera to the plate. The camera is simply attached to the plate using a standard m5 bolt which screws into the tripod hole on the bottom of the camera. This means when or if I upgrade the camera I can simply bolt it straight in without any modifcations. The plate is held to the camera with string. Initially I used just twine, but then I found some elasticated chord. The elasticated chord is far better as when done up it pulls everything tight, and also allows for mor vibration damping. The twine was just plain awful and never used! The very final step I made after trying out the helmet camera. I found that it was very light sensitive and made sometimes the whole video very dark at times. Obviously I am using a normal digital camera and not a camcorder. Therefore I made this little modification below using some blue tack, some alu tubing and a lathe to make it the right size! I hope you found this useful, or interesting or something, this is how I made my cheapskate helmet cam. Videos are here, although more shall appear as I can get more camera work done, and a fast enough computer to movie edit. Obviously a higher spec camera would be nice, but this does ok, as it cost me nothing as I already had the spare helmet (it's been crashed so I have a newer one!) and the camera which I already owned. I might upgrade the camera in future. The fiddly bit operating the camera is pressing all the buttons whilst the camera is on your head, and knowing whether what you pressed is right, or knowing if the camera is still loading. Still, have fun!