Drift Ghost X - A helmet camera review
While I started off on youtube reviewing action and dash cameras - I've hardly reviewed any this year. So belatedly here's one I shot a few weeks ago. It will be interesting to see how well this one works out. In the past these types of videos got lower viewing numbers, and therefore performed badly as far as advert revenue went - but made it up with affiliated sales. This equation of course only worked out when people liked and bought the camera being shown.
I feel that revenue model might have sailed quite some time ago...but I'll let you know in a future update how this video got on.
Comments (42)
Thanks for the recommendation! I got one and am happy with it on my cycle helmet. :-)
I'm glad you like it too.
"PTW" stands for Powered Two Wheelers. Did they have Aperture Science invent these words? Here in Malta those boxes are simply labelled MC.
Hi Mat. I've had to drop down to the $1 level again as I've been made redundant. I'll go back the fiver tier as and when it's within my financial grasp. Keep up your amazing videos sir.
Sorry to hear about the redundancy - unfortunately there seems to be a lot of it going around. Good luck in the job hunt.
I actually bought a dashcam a couple months ago based on one of your reviews. I'm quite satisfied with it so thank you!
Mat: I spotted some strange antenna arrays on buildings in your town: Four or six vertical poles with small crossbars. They do not look at all familiar to this Yank. What are they for?
The antennas around 12:15 is a mobile phone mast (cellphone tower).
Only just got round to seeing this. Great review. Good to see Standish (used to live there) and the edge of Buckshaw Village (live there now). Will keep an eye out for you when I’m out on the bike :)
I wouldn’t look too hard, I think I’ve done about fifty miles total on the bike this year. Maybe next year I’ll find more time to get out on it.
Thanks Mat.
So Instant Record and DVR mode are the two things you'd want if you're planning to record all the time with as little hassle as possible, but you can't have them simultaneously? I was seriously considering getting one of these up until that point!
I should add that it's really good you include details like this in your reviews. Thanks!
Nitpick: at 6:53 you said that the reset button is located at the top left but it's actually bottom left (it has tiny letter R next to it).
Also, on 17:12 there is a typo (missing letter) in the word "together" in the baked-in subtitles.
I don't ride. I don't want nor need a bike dashcam. Yet, I watch and relish every second of all of your dashcam videos. Thanks, Mat!
Is it just me or does the battery for this dashcam use the Apple 30-pin connector?
My wife and I honeymooned in Europe in 2003 and we leased a new Renault in Paris then drove across Northern Europe for 30 days. 10 days in the UK and Ireland. Even with a left hand driven car, I had less problems than I expected. On occasion I did try to make a left turn into the wrong lane though.
What are those arrows that go in and out of there centre line mean? I’m in Australia and haven’t seen those before...
OK, what the heck do the curved arrows mean that seem to randomly appear in the center of the road? I didn't notice turn lanes or anything, just randomly appearing long curved arrows.
It's telling the driver if they are overtaking to get back on their own side sharpish.
Great video Matt. I am curious about how much HDR mode improves the visibility of things like car registration plates at night. In the sample footage, they’re too washed out to be of use after an accident. Perhaps you could comment on how effective HDR on that camera is at bringing out those details.
Unfortunately I only noticed the setting later on while editing. I don't ride my bike in the dark so it's unlikely I'll be able to test the now. However based on my previous experience - it probably won't have any effect on registration numbers - if anything they may be even blurrier as HDR could combine multiple frames.
It always freaks me out watching dashcam footage taken in the UK, because having always lived in USA, it's like something in my brain saying, "you better get back on the right side of the road before someone runs you over!" - lol
Heh when you say there's no problem with joining clips, on the word "point" there's an audio dropout. Is that where the clips joined?
Yes I think that's probably where it was from memory.
Brilliant! I was looking at Drift cameras for bicycle commuting a couple of years ago, but the battery life wasn't good enough and the batteries were not replaceable. This one fixes both. 5 hours is good enough for me even if I decide to do the full 50 mile loop, and 8 hours is a great option to have in case I'm doing a long tour day trip.
I looked for ages for a bicycle cam ended up getting a Polaroid Cube+ mounted on the handlebars, a daily recharge but the image stabilization really pays off, i think the lack of shock absorbers on bicycles will be really noticeable on most cycle cameras without stabilization.
EDIT: I added my last name to my profile, so it should be visible now.
I always enjoy footage of you driving. It's fun to see another country and spot cars, grocery stores, etc. :) Also, I have a question about me supporting you here: I pledged the 5 dollars (or pounds?) per month to get my name in the credits, and it finally happened! It just seems I don't have my last name here, so the credits only say "Matti". Would it be too much of a hassle to add my last name too if I tell it to you? Thanks for everything and take it easy.
Sorry about that - I'll get it fixed. It may be the video after next though as I've just completed next week's video this afternoon.
Very nice helmet! Not a cheap one ;)
Yes, unfortunately they stopped making this one a few years ago. If I carry on riding at some point I'll need a new one and I don't know what I'd replace it with.
Good one, Matt. :)
I’m sure I found your channel when looking for videos on dashcams after my car got damaged whilst parked. So I guess what I’m trying to say is, came for the dashcams stayed for the all the other good stuff
Same here, found it while trying to find a good dashcam, found all the other goodies. Stayed.
PTW is Powered Two Wheelers. Motorbikes and scooters etc.
Wow that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of this. I’ve learnt something new today. Thanks.
Most of the time, you are driving on the wrong side of the road. No wonder, you have a accident... (Never heard that joke before, i guess). I would think, the mic is more for recording the discussion with the other driver after surviving a accident. So you can prove, who said what to the judge.
It will make millions and billions
Maybe try inventing, and then reviewing a retro dash cam; it would write to some kind of micro cassette. If you harvested fat views, you could then market to beardy hipster types. They might then tangle it into their face hair as they transported their growler of dandelion ale home on their fixed gear bike
While being powered by a dynamo on the front wheel.