Who's using action cameras on their xbows?

[NonTypicalCPA]

I'm looking to pick up an action camera (think Go Pro) to use on my Excalibur and when I'm snowmobiling in the winter. I'd like to hear peoples opinions on what they have used and how they liked it, recommendations. Go Pro gets all the advertising, but with the little research I've done there are a lot of other options. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just good video.

[paulaboutform]

My cousin has a go pro and brought it to the range recently and was recording some crossbow shots. It was very hard to see, even with a Luminok out to sixty yards. The big drawback for me was that everything looked much further than it actually was.
I just ordered a Tactacam for myself. I can't comment on it yet as I haven't got it but from what I've read and the footage I've watched, 20yards looks like 20yards not sixty. It has about two hours continuous run time and 0× zoom when in 1080 or 2× zoom when in 720. Again, this is just what I've read not a report. I can say that from the YouTube videos I've watched this little camera surpassed any of the self filmed shooting I've seen which is why I ordered it. I'm also unsure how I'll like having to connect to the computer or plug the ultra micro sd card into the tv to watch what I've filmed. I spoke to them and they encouraged me to use the heck out of the camera for thirty days and if I'm unhappy for any reason to return it. I will write a report on my findings.

[NonTypicalCPA]

My cousin has a go pro and brought it to the range recently and was recording some crossbow shots. It was very hard to see, even with a Luminok out to sixty yards. The big drawback for me was that everything looked much further than it actually was.
I just ordered a Tactacam for myself. I can't comment on it yet as I haven't got it but from what I've read and the footage I've watched, 20yards looks like 20yards not sixty. It has about two hours continuous run time and 0× zoom when in 1080 or 2× zoom when in 720. Again, this is just what I've read not a report. I can say that from the YouTube videos I've watched this little camera surpassed any of the self filmed shooting I've seen which is why I ordered it. I'm also unsure how I'll like having to connect to the computer or plug the ultra micro sd card into the tv to watch what I've filmed. I spoke to them and they encouraged me to use the heck out of the camera for thirty days and if I'm unhappy for any reason to return it. I will write a report on my findings.

Thanks for the input. Keep us posted on how you like it. I have also heard good things about Contour Roam cameras. I see the have a mount for picatinny rails which would work on our Excals.

[one shot scott]

Go pro is preset for a very wide angle, ive changed the setting on mine and targets don't appear as far away. I've been told that zoom can be changed on the PC, but I have not tried.

I don't know if I would buy another one. I would really research all the available ones out there. Read all the reviews on the bass pro/cabella's websights

[torana9x]

I tried a Contour Roam2 mounted on my scope, shot a rabbit at 30m. I will get it uploaded to youtube so you can have a look.

[torana9x]

http://youtu.be/CJp5l0-u6Nk

[amythntr]

....nice shot...really couldn't make our what you were shooting....not meant to be critical....just couldn't make it out...good clarity I must say!

Anthony

[coolhl]

http://youtu.be/CJp5l0-u6Nk

Nice!

[miller1buc]

I have the Contour ROAM2 and it makes everything seem further away. I was filming a spike this year that was about 12 yards away and I thought would be good footage. When I watched it, he looked like he was 30 yards away.

Crossbow recoil gives it quite a bit of vibration. I have mine mounted to my scope. When I shoot a Lumenok, it looks like a lightening streak during the first part of the shot due to the vibration.

You have to watch if you hunt in a dark blind as well. I only open one small window on mine. If it is sunny outside, it will just record a bright shiny spot that you cant really make out much of. Not having a zoom sucks too.

I have been looking for an alternative short of a tree arm/tripod with a record video camera but I havent found one yet. That Tactacam does looks interesting though if it will make things looks like their real distance.

[Razor cut]

Check you tube go videos with people using the new spy point excel hd2 mounted to they bows,with good results.

[ottawacats]

I have a spy point Xcel camera that we use for snowmobiling. I haven't mounted it on my bow yet to try out. I will say the videos are nice clear and seem to give a true distance to what you are looking at. The are priced lower then Go Pro and seem to give all the same specs.

[torana9x]

....nice shot...really couldn't make our what you were shooting....not meant to be critical....just couldn't make it out...good clarity I must say!

Anthony

With the naked eye it was quiet easy to see, after seeing the footage on the PC i was like where the fark is it!? lol

It is a mates camera and i was just testing to see if it would work well on my bow. I don't think i will use it too much, not the best for hunting that's for sure.

The Shot Trak HD that a member mentioned in another thread looks tempting..

[torana9x]

I have a spy point Xcel camera that we use for snowmobiling. I haven't mounted it on my bow yet to try out. I will say the videos are nice clear and seem to give a true distance to what you are looking at. The are priced lower then Go Pro and seem to give all the same specs.

How do you use the zoom function? If it has no lcd screen how do you tell how far you want to zoom in?

[NonTypicalCPA]

Thanks torana! That confirms my concern with the wide angle lens. I will look into some others as mentioned above.

[Pydpiper]

Gopro for me. We use it on many applications. Snowmobile, biking, bows, rifles, hanging off a kite..
Can't beat a GoPro. There is no zoom.
And footage of video always hits an editing software, regardless of the camera.
That is where the GoPro excels.
Two ways to get a camera to zoom, one is optical (moving parts) the other is digital. Digital zoom is the simple process of cropping a video, and the GoPro takes such high resolution videos that the "zoom" will let you get up close without the moving parts by enhancing the Viejo during the editing stage.
I have video at 50 yards of a luminock in flight, when edited you can read the writing on an arrow shift at 30 yards.
The days of moving lenses is over, digital is superior if the camera supports a high resolution to start with.
I have seen that camera drop from a kite at a couple hundred feet, fall off the canoe and tumble the river bottom for many yards, fall off the outside of a vehicle at 80+ kph.
Can still use it as though it was new.