# In car camera - suggestions wanted



## BobC (Jun 17, 2003)

I'm starting my shopping for a video camera that I can use to record autocross and driving school events. I'd be using this camera in the car. I'm looking for any suggestions on features, brands, ect to look for or look out for. I've never owned a video camera and don't know much about them so any tips would be appreciated.


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

If it's primarly for recording your driving, the following features are probably most important:

- MiniDV format
- Widest field of view possible
- Battery life (buying an additional, larger battery wouldn't be a bad idea)
- auxillary A/V input so you can hook up an external cone/chasecam/bulletcam at some point in the future
- when used with an external input it's also important to pre think how to hook it all up. Will there be enough room in the unit's mounting location and position to accomodate the external inputs? Will the controls be easy enough to use during autocrossing that you can quickly and easily start and stop the tape before and after runs. It makes life a lot simpler when reviewing your runs if there are minimal gaps between runs.

If it meets those specs, the only other one that matters is price.


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## bluetree211 (Apr 19, 2004)

I bought a canon optura 40, and use it to record footage from my bullet camera. I put the dv camera in the glovebox and the bullet cam mounts just about anywhere with my homemade suction mount. I've put it on the hood, on the roof, on the trunk, and inside the windshield pointing both forward and back at me. It has an awesome wide angle, which is the hardest thing to get with a standalone camera, especially for AX where turns are fairly tight. The bullet camera is not a cheap add on, but it buys additional mounting options, since the minidv camera is pretty much restricted to a rollbar mount or similar. I can try to post some stills from the video later today, I have so much video but so little time to edit & compile it.


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## ///ACS330Ci (Dec 5, 2003)

For straight forward in car video I use a Panasonic PV-DC252D MiniDV Palmcorder mounted on a Renntechnik Racing Speedmount. The Speedmount connects to the headrest and provides a stable base for the PV-DC252D. The PV-DC252D provides a wide enough view to obtain really good results.

For not so straight forward recording I use a Canon Optura 100 MC and a JonesCAM 480EX (Sony ExView 1/3" CCD) with LANC. I've been very happy with the results I've obtained with this setup so far and I think there's more to come. You can download a video I made with this setup here - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67299 Bear in mind the original format of the video is much, much better than the compressed online version


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## bluetree211 (Apr 19, 2004)

///ACS330Ci said:


> For straight forward in car video I use a Panasonic PV-DC252D MiniDV Palmcorder mounted on a Renntechnik Racing Speedmount.
> 
> For not so straight forward recording I use a Canon Optura 100 MC and a JonesCAM 480EX (Sony ExView 1/3" CCD) with LANC. I've been very happy with the results I've obtained with this setup so far and I think there's more to come. You can download a video I made with this setup here - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67299 Bear in mind the original format of the video is much, much better than the compressed online version


where did you get the speedmount? I've been looking for a good headrest camera mount as well. And I use the same bullet camera as you :thumbup: jonescam 480, with the 120 degree lens (distorts the view a bit, but its great for seeing around corners you haven't taken yet)


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## ///ACS330Ci (Dec 5, 2003)

bluetree211 said:


> where did you get the speedmount?


I bought mine directly from Renntechnik.


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

bluetree211 said:


> where did you get the speedmount? I've been looking for a good headrest camera mount as well. And I use the same bullet camera as you :thumbup: jonescam 480, with the 120 degree lens (distorts the view a bit, but its great for seeing around corners you haven't taken yet)


 You can build your own speedmount type bar for less than $10 with parts from Home Depot. I bought a square 1" aluminum tube (I think it was 1"), a little bag of rubber grommets and a couple of plastic end caps. Cut the bar to length and insert endcaps at the ends of the bar. Pull off the headrest. Measure the distance between legs and drill holes through the bar to match. Insert the grommets in the holes. Place the headrest legs through the holes and back into the seat.

The expense comes from the clamp/mount you'll need to buy to fix the camrea to the bar. They range from dirt cheap to outrageously expensive.


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## ///ACS330Ci (Dec 5, 2003)

·clyde· said:


> You can build your own speedmount type bar for less than $10 with parts from Home Depot. I bought a square 1" aluminum tube (I think it was 1"), a little bag of rubber grommets and a couple of plastic end caps. Cut the bar to length and insert endcaps at the ends of the bar. Pull off the headrest. Measure the distance between legs and drill holes through the bar to match. Insert the grommets in the holes. Place the headrest legs through the holes and back into the seat.
> 
> The expense comes from the clamp/mount you'll need to buy to fix the camrea to the bar. They range from dirt cheap to outrageously expensive.


Yep, you can but I doubt it will as well. One of the main reasons the Speedmount works so well is it's weight dampens out most of the vibrations. Aluminium just isn't going to perform as well.


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

///ACS330Ci said:


> Yep, you can but I doubt it will as well. One of the main reasons the Speedmount works so well is it's weight dampens out most of the vibrations. Aluminium just isn't going to perform as well.


 True, but vibration isn't an issue when nearly every new MiniDV cam has image stabilization. Build quality probably won't be all that great either. But it's cheap. And it works just as well.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Check out ChaseCam.

ChaseCam

They have headrest mounts as well as other mount options. Also small cameras (that need recording devices to use) but are nice and compact for purposes like this...

I'm waiting for my headrest mount to arrive as well as my Sony DCR-HC40 to arrive with goodies so I can take footage too.


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

doeboy said:


> Check out ChaseCam.
> 
> ChaseCam
> 
> ...


 I've been borrowing Nick's setup(s) from them for a few months now. Really great stuff. :thumbup:

In the budget for next year.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

·clyde· said:


> I've been borrowing Nick's setup(s) from them for a few months now. Really great stuff. :thumbup:
> 
> In the budget for next year.


I think something like the Bullet Cam is really cool.... you can even tape it to your helmet so you can capture whatever you're looking at. A lot of Karting folk use them too.


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## bluetree211 (Apr 19, 2004)

some stills from video taken by a bullet camera using a minidv cam line input


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## bluetree211 (Apr 19, 2004)

two more


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## cruztopless (Sep 23, 2002)

That bullet cam is awesome!

In addition to the IS of most camcorders attaching the mount to the driver's seat really helps. My passenger seat is usually unoccupied so it vibrates quite a bit in comparison.

I bought the Bogen 482 Micro Ball Head mount from B&H - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=272986&is=REG

I used the following site to build my mount - http://hybrid2.honda-perf.org/contrib/cameramount/buildit.html


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## ///ACS330Ci (Dec 5, 2003)

Here's a frame grab from my above mentioned video ...










This is the standard 92° lens BTW


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

autocross run using chasecam.com's bulletcam

Right-click and "Save As"
35MB, needs Apple's Quicktime


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## Elwood (Dec 20, 2002)

·clyde· said:


> True, but vibration isn't an issue when nearly every new MiniDV cam has image stabilization. Build quality probably won't be all that great either. But it's cheap. And it works just as well.


 Vibration transmited through the bar itself is negligable compared to the amout of flex from the headrest. (even the camera body can have considerable flex) I use a 0.75" AL bar and compared to the camera and headrest, it's solid as a rock.


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## Patrick (Dec 23, 2001)

·clyde· said:


> Right-click and "Save As" 35MB, needs Apple's Quicktime


Nice.

Did you edit the clip with iMovie?

-


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

Patrick 520iAT said:


> Nice.
> 
> Did you edit the clip with iMovie?
> 
> -


 FCP


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