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In Car Camera Set-Ups

38K views 38 replies 20 participants last post by  CO200tq 
#1 ·
As requested, here's the new thread. I've done this a bunch of times on a mountain bike board (I also do helmet cam setups) so I'm going to set-up this thread like I do there...a little different then you've seen before.

Post number one is the "Table of Contents" of everything I will cover for you. I'll do each section in a post, and then later add in the table of contents what page to find it on (if we go more then one page).

It also gives me time to do things like write the first section while here at work, and complete later stuff as I get home. After a few days all the sections will be up.

So! We will cover the following areas (I really should turn this into a magazine article :p):

Cameras and Recording Devices
- Two styles: Cameras, and Recording Drives
- Media Types: MiniDV, HD-DV, DVD, Flash/Hard-drive
- How to choose
- Brands/models

Auxillary Cameras (what we call "lipstick" or "bullet" cameras)
- What are they, how they work, equipment needed
- Brands and Models

Camera Mounts
- Suction Mounts
- Clamp Mounts
- Home Made Mounts
- Safety Straps, camera boxes, camera bags

'Toys' - Things I'm playing with that are just bloody cool, but not really necessary but worth reading about.
- ND filters
- LANC remotes
- Picture-in-Picture
- Multi Camera units

Editing
- This will be the shortest section...Dave don't edit :p

How I would go about buying equipment if I was starting out

-Dave
 
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#27 ·
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/show ... php?t=7504 has a good explanation and some embedded video/links to the results.

The videos look a lot nicer before the video capture card has its way with them. No artifacts/green flashes at all.

The recording device is a $25 craigslisted VCR, in its original box and packaging, strapped to the passenger seat with a couple cargo ties. Access holes are cut in the front for tape loading/VCR controlling, and in the back for cable access. Both are powered by a $30 Autozone inverter that I needed for ECU tuning anyway. (The $60 craigslisted laptop has a bad battery, but runs fine on 120vac)

I am nothing if not frugal :)

Next time, I would go for a better quality camera. I've seen some that will do in-scene lighting adjustment, so you can have a visible dash AND useful outside view, instead of dark dash or whited out windshield.

The key thing, though, is to get a camera that is just a lens with some wires hanging out, so the weight is minimal. This way it will not shake. Then, it's essential to use a wide angle lens to provide the sensation of speed. I used a 90deg and next time I'd do a 150deg.

Mounting the camera as close to the roof as possible is also important - we want to see the hoodline and the road in front of the car, not the horizon! The horizon is slow moving and boring to look at.
 
#29 ·
This thread needs updating

I bought a race optics set up and its OK, it does what it says. I can't run off car power or I get noise in the image. and the thing I didn't like is the same for all digital recorders (until recently) they all run at 30 frames per second. I know some people don't have a problem but it always looks choppy to me especially when viewing fast corners.

The Gopro Hero HD now had an option for 60 frames per second (same as TV) at 720p not only should this improve or eliminate the choppiness but is at a higher resolution than the current bullet camera systems.

brickhouse has a cool system that incorporates GPS and it can overlay your data on google maps. But it's still 30fps.

Stuff is getting cheaper and better, go get some videos.
 
#30 ·
25fps is the euro standard up until recently. 30fps has been the US standard until HD came along. Just an FYI. I just took some in-car on my way to work using our 4mp Minolta point-n-shoot. The mic sucks to the audio cuts in/out. I'll have to try the SDR or Fuji S700 mid-body, both of which take much better video and have better (stereo) mics.
 
#33 ·
Go to the store, and ask to put a tape in the shelf display so you can record and playback to see how well it works. When recording, shake it around, toss it in the air, smack it on the counter a few times, drop it on the ground and kick it around for a while.

If it is still capable of playing back, and the playback is still clear, you've got a winner!

My method anyway...
 
#35 ·
cuatrokoop said:
25fps is the euro standard up until recently. 30fps has been the US standard until HD came along. Just an FYI. I just took some in-car on my way to work using our 4mp Minolta point-n-shoot. The mic sucks to the audio cuts in/out. I'll have to try the SDR or Fuji S700 mid-body, both of which take much better video and have better (stereo) mics.
Well the video my brother took with his hi-8 camera is smooth and easy to watch, all the digital stuff ive recorded seems very choppy when viewing fast action.
A Friend bought one of those flip video cameras and its pretty good but can get a litttle choppy with fast action but not nearly as bad as with the race optics setup.
 
#36 ·
Hi8 and D8 camcorders work(ed) very well, I still have my D8, honestly (9 years old in a couple weeks)! If the battery wouldn't have crapped out and they became expensive and harder to get I wouldn't have gotten the Panasonic (okay, maybe I would have, since the Pana is so small and easy to take with you, plus it's virtually kid-proof).
 
#37 ·
Definitely not a pro set up, but I use a Sony handicam jam fit it in to the 4KQ headrest, I use a piece of foam to make it fit tighter. I also strap the seat tight so it does not bounce/vibrate. Simple set up and works OK, you can adjust the angle with the headrest. I tried this as a temporary thing, then kept using it like this since it worked OK.

 
#38 ·
ANCIENT THREAD but I need to comment:

Rocco16V said:
Well the video my brother took with his hi-8 camera is smooth and easy to watch, all the digital stuff ive recorded seems very choppy when viewing fast action.
Don't record in HD. Because of the way HD does its compression, fast action type stuff where you still have stationary things in-shot will always end up choppy.
 
#39 ·
In the Camaro on the team I occasionally race for (more of hobby racing and "inexpensive" racing nothing super competitive) we 3d printed a GoPro mount that was much slimmer then keeping the GoPro in its case, then just used the stock hardware to go to the rollcage. I was trying with live streaming it back to the pit from the video out line, but a crappy transmitter/reciever unit was the fault. The recorded footage worked out great though. Assuming the car of choice doesnt have a rollcage, with a little tinkering you could rig up a mount almost anywhere.
 
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