Rennie Scaysbrook | October 2, 2024
Sena’s Bluetooth intercom and camera setup was recently enhanced with the arrival of the 50C in 2023. The 50C replaces the 10C but comes with a 4K camera and the ability to use either mesh or Bluetooth, depending on the riding situation.
The Multi-Channel Open Mesh Intercom introduces the first channel system on the market, allowing users to switch between nine channels like you would with a regular CB radio. Open Mesh supports an unlimited number of users within a range of up to five miles, as long as there are at least six riders spaced one mile apart.
There’s the added feature where private chats can operate with the Group Mesh intercom mode. There can be up to 24 invited riders and offers the same range as Open Mesh.
The 50C also has a traditional four-way Bluetooth Intercom, connecting to other Sena Bluetooth devices within a one-mile range. In one-on-one connections, it delivers HD intercom quality. Additionally, it allows pairing with a Bluetooth user and integrating them into a Mesh 2.0 conversation.
The 50C also comes with the usual voice command system so you can pair your phone and say “hey, Siri,” and you’ll be able to use the voice feature on your phone as normal.
Talk time on the Bluetooth intercom is 22 hours with the mesh intercom lasting 12 hours.
As for the audio, Sena has partnered with Harman Kardon in a similar fashion to how Cardo partnered with JBL a few years ago, offering far superior sound to Sena’s earlier iterations.
The camera offers 120 degrees field of view with 30 degrees of lens rotation, with an aperture of F/2.4. The unit is an Ultra HD: 4K 30 fps unit, able to record video in 2160p: 30 fps (Ultra HD), 1440p: 30 fps (Quad HD), 1080p: 60 fps (Full HD), 1080p: 30 fps (Full HD), 1080p: 60 fps (Full HD) + EIS (EIS is image stabilization), and 1080p: 30 fps (Full HD) + EIS.
It can also take 12MP still shots with a burst of eight shots per second, and it’s all recorded on a microSD card. The video record time is 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Sena also has a reworked app that allows you to modify the audio, video and music settings.
LOWDOWN | Sena 50C Intercom/Camera
Standout Feature: Easiest way to capture HD video with intercom
List Price: $549
Easy to use
Great video resolution
Booming sound from the Harman Kardon speakers
Recorded audio is still a ways off in terms of quality.
Rider Analysis | Sena 50C Intercom/Camera
Having an all-in-one Bluetooth and camera setup is a tough ask, but Sena is the only major player willing to take on the challenge.
Sena’s big advancement for the 50C is the Group Mesh, which I must confess I’ve only used twice and only with two extra riders, as I just don’t ride in massive groups. Personally, having an unlimited number of riders talking in my headset sounds like a nightmare, but you do you.
Yes, chatting while riding is not my idea of fun, so I keep it to a minimum. However, when I and the two other riders went out of range, the mesh system immediately synced back in, and we were good to go. At that point, I stopped talking. So, it does what it says it would do.
I was more interested in the 50C’s video and audio capabilities. The camera has similar specs to what I’ve tried before, but I was hoping the audio recorded would allow for more ambient noise to come in. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
The audio recorded does a great job, too great, in fact, of recording your voice and nothing else. Wind noise is zero, but so too is engine noise, and that makes for strange-sounding audio. Like you’re talking into a paper cup.
However, the video quality is excellent, and it is close to what I would record using my Insta360 cameras, which seem permanently attached to my face.
I have always been a fan of Sena’s ease of use. They have the user experience nailed down so getting paired up, using voice control, etc, is usually easier than some of the other players in the game.
However, for my line of work, I need a better audio setup, but that might not be what you’re after. As an all-in-one piece, the 50C does a great job. It’s not too heavy, comes with superb sound from Harman Kardon, and is much cheaper than if you bought a Bluetooth comms unit and then grafted an action camera and mic to your helmet.
To learn more, visit https://store-us.sena.com/products/50c-motorcycle-communication-4k-camera-system