Camera to record near misses

[jokskot]

Once every couple of weeks or so someone overtakes me with a gap well under a metre. Ideally a camera would record both front and rear and would enable me to submit proof to my local plod. Can anyone recommend a suitable camera - ideally at a reasonable ie <£50 price?

 

[Nealh]

Some of the gopro clones can be quite good for daylight footage, cyling uk forum someone recommended the goodmans one about £20 from B&M store.
My gripe with any of them is the realy poor battery life of barely an hour or 1h 20mins .

 

[matthewslack]

You must capture the registration number, and ideally colour, make, model. If your memory can cope in the stress of the moment, then a means of writing a note will do. This allows a cheap camera to do the job. Otherwise a better camera, which perhaps can be justified by doing other things well, too.

 

[StuartsProjects]

You must capture the registration number

To me this seems to be key.

Whilst you might be able to record a vehicle reg number on paper, after an incfident, do them that can persecute drivers, accept the handwritten note and a video where you cannot read the reg plate as 'evidence' ?

 

[Nealh]

I have a couple of different £20 type camera's, one a gopro clone and the other an all plastic bullet type both capture the car plates well for reading. The easiest camera is the bullet model a simple same button touch of on or off.
I did have two of the bullet models mounted front and rear, I lost one one day as the sticky base didn't stick so well to the abs box on my trailer, I stupidly relied on the 3m sticky patch instead of self tapping the shoe base to the box lid.

With the Ute I have affixed the shoe base to the long flat rack base just behind the saddle on the drive side, so a bit like matthew it covers any vehicle from behind the trailer as it approaches the center to just behind me on the saddle to gauge how close they are. The front one is belt and braces and detects any mortons who intimidate by swerving in or other wreckless actions.

 

[matthewslack]

To me this seems to be key.

Whilst you might be able to record a vehicle reg number on paper, after an incfident, do them that can persecute drivers, accept the handwritten note and a video where you cannot read the reg plate as 'evidence' ?

Your formal statement is evidence, and the closer to the time of the incident your notes are written, the more weight they are likely to carry in the absence of a picture. The best evidence is an image of the reg, but your notes and statement should be enough.

You also need to record as accurately as possible where and when.

 

[Bikes4two]

As further evidence, consider whipping out your smartphone and recording a quick voice memo - an audio recording has the added avantage of capturing emotion too.

 

[StuartsProjects]

Dont have a smartphone. Never understood the facination.

A lot of the spying on motorists cameras do record sound as well. It might contain a fair bit of wind noise when moving, but stationary the recording seems to be OK.

 

[Nealh]

Dont have a smartphone. Never understood the facination.

Agree.
I do have one but only use it for phone calls via whatsup as they are free to another whatsup user.

 

[flecc]

Dont have a smartphone. Never understood the facination.

Agree.
I do have one but only use it for phone calls via whatsup as they are free to another whatsup user.

Ditto no smartphone. It's easier for me since I have no mobile phone signal at home anyway.

I also can't understand the fascination and obsession with them, which in many cases I view as a mental illness.
.

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

Once every couple of weeks or so someone overtakes me with a gap well under a metre. Ideally a camera would record both front and rear and would enable me to submit proof to my local plod. Can anyone recommend a suitable camera - ideally at a reasonable ie <£50 price?

My headlight is too bright for the camera, a cheap Crosstour 4k. Even at night, it manages to capture number plates, as long as my 1800lm headlight isn't on, or is flashing in horrifyingly fast and bright mode. It also helps if cars aren't speeding past.

Here's a number plate while it's in flashing mode, and the light is off. This wasn't a close pass -



Here's a snap while the light is coming back on, and the number plate is not illuminated by the brightest part of the beam:



On full beam, the number plate is not legible, nor is there any way to make it any clearer using software:



The flashing mode is too nauseating to look at, and I worry it may cause drivers distress. I can't use that all the time, or for more than a couple of seconds. Full beam gives me safety and makes me very visible, even during the day. It also lights up the road surface very well. I'll keep fiddling about with camera settings, but my efforts are hampered by the lack of shutter speed control. I may simply set the light flashing momentarily, to capture close passing vehicle number plates after they've passed. It only takes two quick flicks of the switch to activate nauseating flashing mode.

During the day, it captures number plates very clearly.

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

Some of the gopro clones can be quite good for daylight footage, cyling uk forum someone recommended the goodmans one about £20 from B&M store.
My gripe with any of them is the realy poor battery life of barely an hour or 1h 20mins .

I got these compatible replacements, which last a lot longer than the 900mah batteries supplied with the camera. They might even last two hours, but I can't say for sure yet, because I've only recently got them and they don't get to full capacity until they've been fully charged and discharged a few times. The first charge only lasted 20 mins. I don't know if they'd be compatible with your camera.

Action Camera Battery Pack, 1350mAh Rechargeable Battery(3-pack) with USB Dual Charger for Sports Camera, Compatible with AKASO EK7000/CAMPARK/Crosstour/APEMAN/sj4000 and more: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Action Camera Battery Pack, 1350mAh Rechargeable Battery(3-pack) with USB Dual Charger for Sports Camera, Compatible with AKASO EK7000/CAMPARK/Crosstour/APEMAN/sj4000 and more: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[matthewslack]

My headlight is too bright for the camera, a cheap Crosstour 4k. Even at night, it manages to capture number plates, as long as my 1800lm headlight isn't on, or is flashing in horrifyingly fast and bright mode. It also helps if cars aren't speeding past.

Here's a number plate while it's in flashing mode, and the light is off. This wasn't a close pass -

View attachment 48510

Here's a snap while the light is coming back on, and the number plate is not illuminated by the brightest part of the beam:

View attachment 48511

On full beam, the number plate is not legible, nor is there any way to make it any clearer using software:

View attachment 48512

The flashing mode is too nauseating to look at, and I worry it may cause drivers distress. I can't use that all the time, or for more than a couple of seconds. Full beam gives me safety and makes me very visible, even during the day. It also lights up the road surface very well. I'll keep fiddling about with camera settings, but my efforts are hampered by the lack of shutter speed control. I may simply set the light flashing momentarily, to capture close passing vehicle number plates after they've passed. It only takes two quick flicks of the switch to activate nauseating flashing mode.

During the day, it captures number plates very clearly.

What light sources are lighting up the plate in those pics when your big light is off?

 

[Bonzo Banana]

Here is a camera that is a decent option at £25. It has a Sony 8MP sensor, Novatek chipset with gyroscopic stabilization. The design is quite old and stabilization is basic but the camera provides very good results for its price point compared to many action cameras at similar prices. The 4k mode is 4:3 aspect scaled to 16:9 and only 24p so not worth using. It comes with 2 batteries and has a wide range of options and decent viewing angle. The video below shows how the camera functions . It's the same camera sold by a different Chinese trade houses with a different case colour and brand but there are loads of these cameras that get rebranded. It's probably an HDking model which is the world's largest action camera manufacturer but they don't sell under their own brand so much internationally. The voice prompts are quite useful to tell you what the camera is up to. I would definitely charge and check both batteries if you buy one. This is likely old stock but in my opinion better to buy a camera designed to cost much more and heavily discounted than a camera that is designed to sell at this price currently. Action camera value has reduced significantly as manufacturing has become more expensive.

20MP Waterproof Camcorder 4K Action Camera with Wi-Fi / Free App for iOS | eBay

20MP Image Resolution Take stunning pictures up to 20MP resolution, 16M 4608 3456, 12M 4032 3024, 10M 3648 2736,8M 3264 2448, 5M 2592 1944, 3M 2048 1536, VGA 640 480 selectable. Make sure you get a Class 10 or above Micro SD card with the storage at least 8G and at most 64G 2.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

What light sources are lighting up the plate in those pics when your big light is off?

That particular car has small lights illuminating it's number plate, but most other plates which aren't lit can be quite clear at night, when only illuminated by the brighter streetlights. It's also being lit by the car behind.

I haven't tried the lowest exposure (-3 of 6 settings, +3 being the highest) setting on totally dark roads yet. Exposure -3 isn't low enough for my bright headlight.

I'll try lowering the ISO from 6400 next, to see if that improves matters. Hopefully, the shutter speed won't change, and I'll be able to brighten frames to reveal plate alphanumerals using software afterwards. It's a pity shutter speed isn't a user definable setting on this camera, but might be on the GoPro 10 Hero?

 

[flecc]

That particular car has small lights illuminating it's number plate

All motor vehicles used at nights have to have rear number plate illumination by law.
.

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

All motor vehicles used at nights have to have rear number plate illumination by law.
.

Maybe they are all illuminated, and I can't tell because of my stonking bright headlight? Must admit, I only noticed the plate illumination, when I exported the still.

 

[flecc]

Maybe they are all illuminated,

They are, but of course being edge lit the illumination isn't all that it could be.
.

 

[guerney]

Here is a camera that is a decent option at £25. It has a Sony 8MP sensor, Novatek chipset with gyroscopic stabilization. The design is quite old and stabilization is basic but the camera provides very good results for its price point compared to many action cameras at similar prices. The 4k mode is 4:3 aspect scaled to 16:9 and only 24p so not worth using. It comes with 2 batteries and has a wide range of options and decent viewing angle. The video below shows how the camera functions . It's the same camera sold by a different Chinese trade houses with a different case colour and brand but there are loads of these cameras that get rebranded. It's probably an HDking model which is the world's largest action camera manufacturer but they don't sell under their own brand so much internationally. The voice prompts are quite useful to tell you what the camera is up to. I would definitely charge and check both batteries if you buy one. This is likely old stock but in my opinion better to buy a camera designed to cost much more and heavily discounted than a camera that is designed to sell at this price currently. Action camera value has reduced significantly as manufacturing has become more expensive.

20MP Waterproof Camcorder 4K Action Camera with Wi-Fi / Free App for iOS | eBay

20MP Image Resolution Take stunning pictures up to 20MP resolution, 16M 4608 3456, 12M 4032 3024, 10M 3648 2736,8M 3264 2448, 5M 2592 1944, 3M 2048 1536, VGA 640 480 selectable. Make sure you get a Class 10 or above Micro SD card with the storage at least 8G and at most 64G 2.

www.ebay.co.uk

Your knowledge of which products are made where by whom is impressive, but if this camera contains a Sony sensor, surely it's a selling point and would be mentioned?

 

[guerney]

That particular car has small lights illuminating it's number plate, but most other plates which aren't lit can be quite clear at night, when only illuminated by the brighter streetlights. It's also being lit by the car behind.

I haven't tried the lowest exposure (-3 of 6 settings, +3 being the highest) setting on totally dark roads yet. Exposure -3 isn't low enough for my bright headlight.

I'll try lowering the ISO from 6400 next, to see if that improves matters. Hopefully, the shutter speed won't change, and I'll be able to brighten frames to reveal plate alphanumerals using software afterwards. It's a pity shutter speed isn't a user definable setting on this camera, but might be on the GoPro 10 Hero?

I believe GoPros have manaul shutter speed control through Protune, for some models. I may try a Gopro Hero 7 Black.