Nowadays, it’s becoming more and more common to see bikers wearing helmet-mounted cameras while on the road, and with good reason. They’re a great way of capturing scenic tours through beautiful locations or creating a record of your best lap time. They also offer peace of mind should you find yourself unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident.
In this article, we’ll run you through the different options available, while also explaining which riders will benefit from which features. Whether you're after a budget helmet cam for safety reasons or an action camera or GoPro for motorcycle touring, you'll hopefully have a good idea of which helmet-mounted camera is right for you. We've rounded up the best options available online on Amazon, eBay, and Argos for you to have a look through.
Quick List - Top Motorcycle Helmet Cameras
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You can try your best to avoid the rain, but you can’t always guarantee that you won’t get caught in a shower so you'll want something that is waterproof or water-resistant. The industry standard for a camera's water resistance is known as an ‘IP’ rating.
A water-resistant camera will be able to withstand showers and a small amount of water but it's worth looking out for IP67 or IP68 rated cameras. An IP67 camera is protected in water with a depth of up to one metre for up to 30 minutes, while IP68 cameras are suitable for depths of over a metre.
Make sure your feet stay dry too with our top pick of motorcycle boots!
Whether you want to capture the entirety of your tour across a picturesque location, or you want to ensure that proof of your new best track time is caught on camera, it’s a good idea to pick a camera with a battery life that’ll last as long as you need it to.
Most helmet cameras will possess a battery life of somewhere between 2 and 5 hours, with this duration fluctuating depending on how you use your camera. Generally speaking, filming at higher resolutions will drain your battery faster, and this is why full HD cameras tend to be the ones with battery lives of only 2 or 3 hours.
If you so wish, there are plenty of resources out there that’ll let you dive deep into what makes one piece of video footage look better than another, but, for now, we’ll just let you know that a video’s resolution refers to how many pixels it contains – 720p, for example, contains 720 vertical pixels.
The more pixels, the higher the quality of the video, which is why 4K, and the newly emergent 8K, offer the most clarity. Most motorcycle helmet cameras range somewhere between 720p and 4K, so if clarity is paramount to you, always opt for a camera whose resolution sits at the higher end of the scale.
While we're on the subject of video quality, take a look through our dash cams for cars article.
The other specification that contributes towards film quality is FPS, or ‘frames per second’, commonly referred to as ‘frame rate’. It’s easy to forget that, much like a flipbook, video is simply a series of still images put together to create the illusion of movement. The more frames that a film contains, the smoother it will appear.
This is particularly important when it comes to filming motorcycle rides, which contain consistent high-speed movement. A frame rate that is too low will result in footage that is jittery, while higher frame rates will be smoother.
Most motorcycle helmets film at 30 or 60 fps, depending on what resolution they are shooting at. If you want film that looks smoother and captures every moment, you’ll want to go for a camera with 60fps capabilities.
Just like regular cameras, motorcycle helmet cameras differ in their ‘field of view’. Measured in degrees, a camera’s field of view describes how wide an image a camera can capture. Cameras with a wider angle lens will capture the road in front of you as well as much of the surrounding landscape.
The majority of helmet cameras range somewhere between 125 and 170 degrees. If you want to capture as much as you can per image, you’ll definitely want a camera with a higher field of view so you're able to document your journeys through beautiful locations.
No matter how smooth your ride, it’s natural to find that your camera picks up some vibration, particularly while fastened to the top of your helmet. The result is video that can appear shaky as your camera bounces up and down with the movement of the road.
Fortunately, most manufacturers are aware of this issue and have come up with technology to counteract its effects. Camera features such as electronic image stabilisation and video stabilisation all work to minimise the effects of these vibrations and give you smoother, clearer images, even while riding the rockiest of roads.
Another problem unique to bikers is their reduced ability to use their hands while riding, especially with a camera that is mounted to their helmet, and this can make things awkward when you need to keep pulling over to start and stop filming.
Luckily, this is another problem that manufacturers have taken into account, and many helmet cameras feature voice or remote control capabilities that’ll allow you to start and stop filming while riding at slower speeds.
Some even feature voice feedback features that’ll periodically update you on what a camera is doing. Finding a camera that you can operate without your hands will save you time stopping and starting your bike, and instead, allow you to get on with filming your journey.
For bikers who want to capture more than just their journey, a camera with an in-built GPS tracker is essential. If you stumble across a particularly scenic or quick route, you'll have an automatic record of exactly where you went.
You’ll get a record of your speed and distance, as well as the location where a video was taken – statistics that are essential if you’re looking to beat your best time or make a great keepsake of every journey that you make.
Choosing a camera with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities has the potential to open you up to a whole host of cool features, each of which differ from camera to camera. Some, for example, will allow you to share your film through social media immediately after you finish your journey, while others will allow you to live stream as you ride.
Other cameras include Bluetooth connections that will allow you to connect with an associated smartphone app, as well as listen to your own music or use a sat nav. Features vary between cameras, so it’s always worth having a read through the product description to see what exciting things you'll be able to do.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sena Prism Tube|PT10-10 | ![]() | A Lightweight Camera Designed With Bikers in Mind | |
2 | GoPro HERO7 Silver|CHDHC-601 | ![]() | A Great Mid-Range GoPro Offering Every Extra Under the Sun | |
3 | DJI Osmo Action | ![]() | Fantastic Film Quality and Weather Resistance Make This Ideal Travellers or Vloggers | |
4 | Drift Ghost XL | ![]() | Compact and Lightweight With a Mighty 9-Hour Battery Life | |
5 | Dragon Touch 4K Action Camera|Vision 4 Lite | ![]() | For Those After Decent 4K Footage on a Tight Budget | |
6 | Sena 10C Pro Motorcycle Bluetooth Camera & Communication System|10C-PRO-01 | ![]() | One for Dedicated Bikers With a Built-In Communication System, Music and GPS | |
7 | Apexcam M90 Pro | ![]() | A Popular Budget Cam that Can Be Operated via Smartphone or Remote | |
8 | Surfola Action Camera | ![]() | A Highly Affordable Option for Wide Angle Filming | |
9 | Crosstour Action Camera|CT7000 | ![]() | A Highly Affordable Option for Wide Angle Filming |
The Sena PT10-10 is designed specifically for bikers, and this is apparent in its lightweight, streamlined design. It also offers flexibility when it comes to positioning – it can even be fixed to the side of your helmet to capture your point of view while riding.
Filming is made simple, too: you can preview your camera's view from a smartphone app, and there's even a voice feedback feature which keeps you updated on what the camera's doing. It also uses dual microphones to reduce wind noise. A great all-around camera for bikers.
The GoPro HERO7 Silver is a little pricey, but it comes bundled with enough to justify the high price tag. First and foremost, you get high-quality video at 4K resolution with advanced video stabilisation technology.
You also get tons of extra features, such as completely hands-free voice control, and even in-built GPS, which will allow you to track the speed and distance of your journey. For a whole host of impressive features at a fairly decent price, this particular HERO7 is a great choice.
The Osmo Action is a camera impressive enough to rival the famed GoPro. Its solid construction makes it impervious to dust, oil, and water up to a depth of 11 metres – and that's without a bulky external case.
Its film quality is also of a high standard: 4K resolution at 60fps with excellent image stabilisation technology means your footage will be a joy to watch. Its lack of GPS features means that it doesn't quite pip the GoPro to the post, but it comes pretty close.
The first thing you'll notice about this camera is its shape – it's streamlined, making it perfect for filming at high speeds, and its lightweight makes it comfortable to wear. Unfortunately, it's only water-resistant out of the box, but purchase a waterproof case separately and it can handle depths of up to 40 metres.
Its companion app also makes it easy to operate while out on the road, but be warned – it comes with no internal memory so you will need to buy an SD card. It makes up for this with a truly impressive battery life, however. With juice enough to last up to 5 hours, this camera is great for long journeys.
For an astonishingly low price, the Dragon Touch action camera grants you a bunch of accessories and a camera that is waterproof to depths of 30 metres and can be operated by wireless remote.
It also shoots in 1080p resolution at an impressive 60fps. It's capable of 4K, too, but only at 25fps, so you probably won't use it much. It's not the best camera on the market, but you get a fantastic camera for your money, and it's hard to complain about that.
Sena's 10c Pro is a little on the pricey side. As a camera, it's fairly standard: it films at a 2K resolution, but only at 30fps, and it's water-resistant rather than completely waterproof.
There is a reason you're asked to fork over more cash, however, and that's because of this camera's Bluetooth and GPS capabilities. You're able to listen to music, get GPS directions, and even connect and chat with fellow riders. If you're looking for a device that gives you all these features, while also offering video capabilities, the 10C is the camera for you.
The M90 Pro comes ready-made with a handful of useful features – full waterproofing up to 30 m, a helmet mount, the power to stop and start filming through a remote control that you wear on your wrist, and even the ability to control via a smartphone app.
It also offers 4K resolution filming, but because this only runs at 30fps, you'll probably benefit from shooting at 1080p where you'll get a superior 60fps. It's a slightly lower resolution, but your footage will look silky smooth thanks to the handy EIS anti-shake feature.
The Surfola comes with an impressive host of accessories, so you'll never have any issues mounting it, and its sturdy case makes it safe for use in showers. Its 170° field of view also makes it great for filming wide landscapes, and footage can be downloaded straight to your phone.
The mediocre 30fps means that footage will start to get grainy at higher speeds. For a budget option, this is to be expected, but the 4K resolution and anti-shake function really makes up for the average frame rate.
The Crosstour comes with an impressive 18 accessories, so you'll never have any issues mounting it, and its sturdy case makes it safe for use in showers. Its 170° field of view also makes it great for filming wide landscapes, and it can be controlled through a connected smartphone app.
It shoots at 1080p, but its mediocre 30fps means that footage will start to get grainy at higher speeds. The Crosstour's real selling point is its price, and at around £30, you're getting a pretty good deal.
Yes, it is legal to have a camera on your helmet in the UK and film footage while you are on the road. You do not need any permits or permission to film in public places.
Helmet cameras must be attached to your helmet via a bracket and should not be drilled into the helmet. These brackets usually stick onto the helmet using a strong adhesive. Remember to follow all included instructions and leave enough time to make sure it is firmly attached.
Written and Researched by Ben Willimett
No. 1: Sena|Prism Tube|PT10-10
No. 2: GoPro|HERO7 Silver|CHDHC-601
No. 3: DJI|Osmo Action
No. 4: Drift|Ghost XL
No. 5: Dragon Touch|4K Action Camera|Vision 4 Lite
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