Choosing the perfect bike camera...

[kitchenman]

Good shout! Off to trawl the cam corder forums .. I've got a HD cam corder sitting doing nothing until the next holiday ... sounds like the perfect application! ... If anyone has done this please let me know. If not, I'll report back and provide the gen.

No luck with my camcorder! Here is a reply I got from avforums:

A bullet cam will normally connect via composite video but you don't have this input on your cam. Even if you find a firewire/iLink/DV bullet cam I would doubt the camcorder would have the software built in to control it, and there is no way to add it so I don't think it would work.

 

[kitchenman]

I've found two mic's which are suitable..

Thanks. the PSP has got a special connector so I bought this headset:

Its in two parts PSP in to a remote hub and then to headset. The remote hub has a standard stereo jack so I'll be able to try different mics if the headset mic is not up to the job.

 

[morphix]

Yes, the camera shakes a killer. The quality looks ok though. Depends what you want the images for I suppose ... I was looking for a cycle helmet that has a chin guard thinking that a chin guard would be some wind protection for an external mic - could be the answer for your VADO?

That's a good idea, the chin guard for external mic and wind shielding. I don't wear a cycling helmet though, not sure I could start either.. I think I'm going to start looking at frame fixing options and try and build something.. I've a feeling the solution lies with springs ;-)

 

[vhfman]

I have just managed to upload a Youtube video I took last year on my modded Dahon Espresso. Shot with a Traveler HD camcorder in 720P, the camera fixed on a homebrew handlebar mount. Upload in 720P, but I had to recompile the vid from MP4 to AVI. I uploaded it last night as a native MP4 file but it was choppy and sound was not in sync. The original plays fine on my system but Youtube compiler did not like it.

I hope that a couple of test vids I shot today on the Panny TA1, and one of the Chinese HD keychain cameras will up load OK, if they do I will post some links later. Unfortunately I am not riding due to a bad back, not out with the bike but walking so they will not truly represent the result on the bike.

YouTube - Ebike ride camera test

 

[dmcgoldrick]

I have just managed to upload a Youtube video I took last year on my modded Dahon Espresso. Shot with a Traveler HD camcorder in 720P, the camera fixed on a homebrew handlebar mount. Upload in 720P, but I had to recompile the vid from MP4 to AVI. I uploaded it last night as a native MP4 file but it was choppy and sound was not in sync. The original plays fine on my system but Youtube compiler did not like it.

I hope that a couple of test vids I shot today on the Panny TA1, and one of the Chinese HD keychain cameras will up load OK, if they do I will post some links later. Unfortunately I am not riding due to a bad back, not out with the bike but walking so they will not truly represent the result on the bike.

YouTube - Ebike ride camera test

hi, looks quite good , nice wide view.....obviously shakes with every uneven surface...but quality is ok.....now...how/where to mount it to overcome the bumps ?

 

[allen-uk]

Don't know about the mount, vhfman, but that road surface! I think you need a bleeding medal for riding on some of it. Reminds me of North London (which is a bit like Baghdad after the yanks had been through).

Anyway, mounts. The least shakey version I used was on my helmet, and I think my body acted as a shock absorber - by the time the bumps etc. had got up to my head, they'd been lessened by the bones and fat.

The biggest problem with the helmet-mounted version wasn't the shakes, but me looking left and right, and DOWN into my bar-end mirror. So you get a reasonable picture for a minute or so, then rapid left-right-left-right-left-right movements as I get to a junction, or up-down-up-down as I'm passing parked cars and want to make sure I'm not going to get mown down.

Just struck me that a chest-or shoulder-mounted version would cut out those problems. I shall try and invent one and report back...


Allen.

 

[morphix]

I have just managed to upload a Youtube video I took last year on my modded Dahon Espresso. Shot with a Traveler HD camcorder in 720P, the camera fixed on a homebrew handlebar mount. Upload in 720P, but I had to recompile the vid from MP4 to AVI. I uploaded it last night as a native MP4 file but it was choppy and sound was not in sync. The original plays fine on my system but Youtube compiler did not like it.

I hope that a couple of test vids I shot today on the Panny TA1, and one of the Chinese HD keychain cameras will up load OK, if they do I will post some links later. Unfortunately I am not riding due to a bad back, not out with the bike but walking so they will not truly represent the result on the bike.

YouTube - Ebike ride camera test

That's not bad at all! The video quality is good too. I'd be interested to know what camera model it is and seeing a pic of your mount. Sorry to hear about your back problem, I'm suffering with my knee at moment. Look forward to seeing keyring and Panny cam footage, Youtube permitting..

I'm going to have another go with my Toshiba Camileo tomorrow, I just discovered that the flip LCD actually can fold down flat to the body as opposed to sticking out at 90 degrees, which makes mounting a whole lot easier! I'm wondering if mounting it securely to the handlebar might reduce shake a bit.. I also should be receiving a replacement MD80 mini HD cam next week so I can give that a try, being such a small camera it might fair better.. I did notice a head torch earlier for a fiver on some site, just a strappy thing goes around and over the head..but the front attachment looks like it might be ideal for mounting the M80..I'd feel a right plank wearing that though ;-)

 

[allen-uk]

I've been playing with bits of bungee-cord, elastic, and so on, for the 'shoulder mounted' version, but given up. It has got to be SO tight under your arm that it might be medically unwise! I think the chest-mounted one might prove better, either that, or give up looking left and right.

A.

 

[morphix]

I've been playing with bits of bungee-cord, elastic, and so on, for the 'shoulder mounted' version, but given up. It has got to be SO tight under your arm that it might be medically unwise! I think the chest-mounted one might prove better, either that, or give up looking left and right.

A.

I been thinking along the same lines as yourself, thinking chest mount might be the way to go.. Some of that stretchy black elastic (the type used on the "body toner" pads thingies with the gelert buckles on might be ideal as it's not too tight. Under arm/side of chest might work better if you have a cam with the lens on the thin side like my Toshiba Camileo S10. I've seen some chest harnesses ready made but they cost around £40! You can get the elastic, webbing, velcro and gelert buckles quite cheap on eBay. Not sure how to go about making the actual camera holder though, perhaps could source a cheap nylon cover somewhere.

I've taken apart an old tripod earlier and found a new handlebar tidier I forgot I had, so I'm going to try and put something together tomorrow for a rigid handlebar mounting using the tripod thread. Since vhfman had good results with a rigid handlebar setup I think might be worth a try. I've been doing a bit of research on Wikipedia page for Image stabilization, some interesting stuff and ideas there.. I might like to have a go making some bike mounting holder that uses springs below and either side of the camera to see whether it can help absorb movement and bumps.

P.S. Maybe we should start a new dedicated thread soon ;-)

 

[allen-uk]

Well, going laterally, cars tend to use fluid or big lumps of rubber, sometimes springs too (thinking of the big coils around shock absorbers). I'm going to try thin strips of silicone/rubber in layers first. I'll report back!

And yes, a dedicated thread would be useful, wouldn't it.


A.

 

[DBCohen]

You are going to struggle to eliminate the shakes on the camera, no matter how much padding and elasticity you put into the mount on your body. The only way to fix that is a steadicam mount - if you are handy you might take a look here
Updated Bicycle mounted steadicam

What you need to do without a steadicam is post-process the video to electronically remove the shake. You'll lose some resolution and the edges of the picture, but you'll end up with a much something that shows the motion (you want that for authenticity) but in a pleasing and non-jerky manner.

Adobe Premiere Elements (PC) and iMovie (Mac) can both do that for you.

 

[morphix]

Well, going laterally, cars tend to use fluid or big lumps of rubber, sometimes springs too (thinking of the big coils around shock absorbers). I'm going to try thin strips of silicone/rubber in layers first. I'll report back!

And yes, a dedicated thread would be useful, wouldn't it.


A.

Good one Allen. Even if this type of approach doesn't eliminate camera shake it might do a good job at minimising it and the rest could be sorted in software perhaps..

 

[morphix]

You are going to struggle to eliminate the shakes on the camera, no matter how much padding and elasticity you put into the mount on your body. The only way to fix that is a steadicam mount - if you are handy you might take a look here
Updated Bicycle mounted steadicam

What you need to do without a steadicam is post-process the video to electronically remove the shake. You'll lose some resolution and the edges of the picture, but you'll end up with a much something that shows the motion (you want that for authenticity) but in a pleasing and non-jerky manner.

Adobe Premiere Elements (PC) and iMovie (Mac) can both do that for you.

Thanks for the link and suggestion.. I was reading on the wikipedia page I mentioned earlier about software stablisation and they have a sample before and after video which looks quite impressive, but it doesn't say what software was used. Certainly worth trying those apps you suggested Windows or Mac users, but I'm a Linux user myself.

 

[morphix]

Ok here's a new dedicated thread: solutions to video camera shake for our experiments and ideas exchanging ;-)

 

[morphix]

Vado HD is growing on me...

Back to original topic and camera discussion..... ;-)

The more I use the Vado HD I got last week, the more I like it. This is one neat little camera in so far as the video quality goes..it keeps on surprising me. Today when filming at high speed it was still able to pick up all the details of the road and leaves, grass etc with extraordinary detail, it kind of went into slower motion.. it also adjusted well to overcast sky and provided very good white balance. Sound quality is good too. The only thing I don't like about the camera are the non intuitive touch sensitive controls which really suck...but it might just be a case of getting used to them...oh and the files in HD+ are MASSIVE.. I shot just under 15 mins of video this morning and the file is a whopping 834MB!

 

[kitchenman]

the files in HD+ are MASSIVE.. I shot just under 15 mins of video this morning and the file is a whopping 834MB!

I've just transferred 52 mins of footage from my ride to work this morning. 10 gig! ... I will try to pick out some interesting bits. One thing I did notice though was the sound quality is excellent with very little wind noise. now .. back to my editting!

 

[morphix]

I've just transferred 52 mins of footage from my ride to work this morning. 10 gig! ... I will try to pick out some interesting bits. One thing I did notice though was the sound quality is excellent with very little wind noise. now .. back to my editting!

10gb good god. You have your work cut out there kitchenman! It seems our internet speeds haven't caught up with the camera technology yet have they? ;-)

I have found .FLV is a good format for YouTube offering the best compression to quality ratio, but it takes a loooong time for the computer to encode it..

 

[Cyclezee]

I know this is an old thread, but I am considering getting an inexpensive action camera and wonder what the latest thinking is on the subject.

I know very little about video cameras, but wonder if any of these Oregon Scientific products is any good Affordable Action & Outdoor Goods | Oregon Scientific, or would I be better off with a one of the pocket type mentioned earlier in this thread.

My budget is around £100 or so. I am traveling to China next month so maybe I should hold off and see if I can pick up a bargain whilst there.

 

[kitchenman]

I know this is an old thread, but I am considering getting an inexpensive action camera and wonder what the latest thinking is on the subject.

Hi. Assuming you dont want to see what your filming then the CARDVR torch style camera in my experience has proved a very reliable and robust device. NOT water resistant though. I have killed both of mine now ... Also they seem to be a bit harder to get hold of now. Don't think 7dayshop have had them for sometime. If you can get them in China then I'd get a bag full!

The ATC3K Water Proof looks pretty good for the price. Its waterproof. AA batteries should be good as you can make sure you have lots and film all day!. It doesn't say how long they last though ... The CARDVR inbuilt battery used to last about 2 hours before needing a charge ..

With a budget of £100 I think I would get as many CARDVRs and 8gb SD cards as possible.

 

[Cyclezee]

Thank you for that advice Allan.
I will have alook for the CARDVR, but I can't see me getting through UK customs with a suitcase full
I'm liking the sound of the ATC3K if I can find it at the right price?
I seem to recall Aldi selling them at one time?