ive played about in the past with straping a video camera on the bike, most of the time there seems to be too much vibration that upsets the tape mechanism which causes the picture to "wave".. and you can pick up interference from the HT electrics too. Anyone had any luck in getting a reasonable quality picture from a camcorder?
You can buy "solid state" digital video cameras for around £100 now that dont have any moving parts and ive been thinking about getting one of them, but your limited to a 320x240 picture size and about 30 mins recording time which is ok for your computer i guess..
Full Version: on bike camera's
I've only known of one person who actually did it. I think it was Conger from RS (Another ex-bikenetter).
If I remember correctly, he built a platform to sit on top of the tank. He must have used some sort of padding to stop the vibs. The quality must have been okay because I sure that one of his recordings was used for one of the bike mag vids.
If I remember correctly, he built a platform to sit on top of the tank. He must have used some sort of padding to stop the vibs. The quality must have been okay because I sure that one of his recordings was used for one of the bike mag vids.
Oh, oh, me, me! 
It all depends on
a) how much you are willing to spend.
b) what king of riding you are doing.
I've used a few different methods, all using a digital camcorder.
None of them have been for track use, but for touring footage.
1)
Put a proper tripod mount on camera base, and sit on top of tank filler cap (with a bit of padding).
Use loadsa industrial strength gaffer tape to fix to tank.
If your camera has a decent stabiliser, turn it on.
Turn on any wind filter, or fit external mike out of wind.
Screen will shield camera from midges, etc.
Clean your screen, and try not to have many scratches.
2)
Buy one of those small tripods with suction feet to fix camera to tank.
This is sometimes allowed on the track (witness Big Nige's footage)
With these, you can adjust the height and angle of the camera
I didn't feel confident with just three suction cups holding things on.
NOTE: With the above mountings, the camera can get in the way of your chest, so it really is best just for off-track use.
3)
Put your camera on it's full-size tripod, but with the legs still folded.
Tilt the tripod head 90 degrees
Strap the tripod _firmly_ across the pilion seat, so the camera now points forward.
All mounts must be _tight_, and the footage will be shakier than above.
4) Hand held on left hand, with back of hand to camera body.
very shaky, and probably illegal.
5)I've not tried this personally, but hope to this year.
Buy a pencil camera kit to fix to any part of the bike you want, putting the camera itself under the seat, but preferably in a backpack to isolate vibrations.
Best to have a remote control in this case, although the wired LANC type are notoriously expensive, and usually have short cables (they are meant for tripod pan handles)
The camera send it's output to the analogue input of the camcorder.
For example footage, have a looksee at...
Scottydog's website
Most footage is stable, except the hand held stuff crossing the Skye Bridge.
It all depends on
a) how much you are willing to spend.
b) what king of riding you are doing.
I've used a few different methods, all using a digital camcorder.
None of them have been for track use, but for touring footage.
1)
Put a proper tripod mount on camera base, and sit on top of tank filler cap (with a bit of padding).
Use loadsa industrial strength gaffer tape to fix to tank.
If your camera has a decent stabiliser, turn it on.
Turn on any wind filter, or fit external mike out of wind.
Screen will shield camera from midges, etc.
Clean your screen, and try not to have many scratches.
2)
Buy one of those small tripods with suction feet to fix camera to tank.
This is sometimes allowed on the track (witness Big Nige's footage)
With these, you can adjust the height and angle of the camera
I didn't feel confident with just three suction cups holding things on.
NOTE: With the above mountings, the camera can get in the way of your chest, so it really is best just for off-track use.
3)
Put your camera on it's full-size tripod, but with the legs still folded.
Tilt the tripod head 90 degrees
Strap the tripod _firmly_ across the pilion seat, so the camera now points forward.
All mounts must be _tight_, and the footage will be shakier than above.
4) Hand held on left hand, with back of hand to camera body.
very shaky, and probably illegal.
5)I've not tried this personally, but hope to this year.
Buy a pencil camera kit to fix to any part of the bike you want, putting the camera itself under the seat, but preferably in a backpack to isolate vibrations.
Best to have a remote control in this case, although the wired LANC type are notoriously expensive, and usually have short cables (they are meant for tripod pan handles)
The camera send it's output to the analogue input of the camcorder.
For example footage, have a looksee at...
Scottydog's website
Most footage is stable, except the hand held stuff crossing the Skye Bridge.
We'll see how my footage comes out when my new camera turns up. Its fag packet sized, solid state, about 25 frames a second and Im hoping to gaffer it to the side of my lid. Is this legal? If not then im going to make a mount using an old tripod base and tube that will slot into the headbolt thingy.
if it works out Ill try and make public my wrong doings.
Good stuff by the way scottydog - cracking scenery and nicely put together videos.
if it works out Ill try and make public my wrong doings.
Good stuff by the way scottydog - cracking scenery and nicely put together videos.
Cheers Zombie.
Pity me and those others with dial-up connections though.
I'd be interested to see what results you get.
The site I was going to buy a "bullet" camera from is
RF Concepts, specifically the sony Hi-res model.
Other sites are:
HelmetCamera
http://www.pashnit.com/more/cameramount.htm
The suction tripod I have is the GPTech, bought not from the USA, but from Performance Composites in the UK.
It looks like it was made in a first year metal work class.
Pity me and those others with dial-up connections though.
I'd be interested to see what results you get.
The site I was going to buy a "bullet" camera from is
RF Concepts, specifically the sony Hi-res model.
Other sites are:
HelmetCamera
http://www.pashnit.com/more/cameramount.htm
The suction tripod I have is the GPTech, bought not from the USA, but from Performance Composites in the UK.
It looks like it was made in a first year metal work class.
Scotty, the site is looking good. Nice production work on the movies. :bowdown:
Oh god ...
You've got him started now you know ... Scotty Spielburg ... doesnt just stop at filming ... oh noooo ... next he'll be shoving a spotlight up yer erse and calling you luvvie
You've got him started now you know ... Scotty Spielburg ... doesnt just stop at filming ... oh noooo ... next he'll be shoving a spotlight up yer erse and calling you luvvie
Get your people to talk to my people and we'll do lunch.
Ciao.
Buon giorno, come sta?
Quando ci incontreremo?
Arrivederci
Wow Linz, thats some vocabulary!
And do those phrases cover every situation you encounter in Ducatiland?
And do those phrases cover every situation you encounter in Ducatiland?
Heheheheh nahhh I'm still learning unfortunately, am getting there tho ... cept they speak it really fast! Makes me look more gormelous than usual!
It means;
Good morning, how are you?
When shall we meet?
I'll be seeing you.
I was going to be ultra cheeky, and ask him A che ora si alza? Which means what time do you get up :
:
I'm still learning, and am glad I live on my own, cos no-one will see/hear me wandering round the house speaking to the lingaphone cd!
My japanese is even worse - I actually gave up on it cos my accent made it difficult to learn :rolleyes:
It means;
Good morning, how are you?
When shall we meet?
I'll be seeing you.
I was going to be ultra cheeky, and ask him A che ora si alza? Which means what time do you get up :
: I'm still learning, and am glad I live on my own, cos no-one will see/hear me wandering round the house speaking to the lingaphone cd!
My japanese is even worse - I actually gave up on it cos my accent made it difficult to learn :rolleyes:
Anyway, back to topic, I did a lot of onboard filming just over a year ago - borrowed a mates old camera, and made a polystyrene holder for it - worked a treat and absorbed a lot of the distortion.
I seem to remember from a thread on RS, you can get special tripods (I think) that mount on yer bike ... you'd prolly have to do a search for it ... most likely quite expensive tho.
I seem to remember from a thread on RS, you can get special tripods (I think) that mount on yer bike ... you'd prolly have to do a search for it ... most likely quite expensive tho.
I've always fancied filming Dukes pass for my old website. Maybe I'll give it a go during the summer. From the comments posted here, it seems easy enough.
Although, I may get slagged for taking all the corners upright. :blush:
Although, I may get slagged for taking all the corners upright. :blush:
Just tilt/move the camera a bitty whilst yer going round heheheh ::
Then again, that's purty damn impossible ...
Just edit the frames in adobe premier or something ... no-one will notice!
: Then again, that's purty damn impossible ...
Just edit the frames in adobe premier or something ... no-one will notice!
Linz, I mentioned the tripods in my earlier post.
(an I don't mean the crap TV series)
(an I don't mean the crap TV series)
.. wasnt that the triffids? :p
I use a sony DV camera with a proffessional clamp which I attache to my master cylinder. on my helmet I've got a bullet camera from maplins connected to a 12volt vhs recorder which I got from a caravan place.
I mount the vhs machine in my top box. I get exellent results. If you want to go fast use a bullet camera on a secure mount, if any one wants to see a list of very good quality you can find them on the web.
I've misplaced the companies name I got mine from but if you type in
Camera Mounts in the google search engine look for the company based in Nottingham, they did mine on overnight delivery, the have a web site has a comprehensive list if mounts available and they are not too expensive.
I mount the vhs machine in my top box. I get exellent results. If you want to go fast use a bullet camera on a secure mount, if any one wants to see a list of very good quality you can find them on the web.
I've misplaced the companies name I got mine from but if you type in
Camera Mounts in the google search engine look for the company based in Nottingham, they did mine on overnight delivery, the have a web site has a comprehensive list if mounts available and they are not too expensive.
Found the page address for camera mounts its
www.b-hague.co.uk
:D :D
www.b-hague.co.uk
:D :D
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.