Who uses a "lipstick" camera for track days (or for fun)?

I have one in the P-car. Helmet cam or something like that; do a search on the web. They offer 2 versions, one is slightly higher resolution. Comes in a package with a protective shell (i didn't use that, because i got a proper camera mount for the roll bar that it bolts to) and feeds the analog input on my DV camera. Pretty straight forward; pics ok; have not run them on my big vid system to check resolution, but perhaps i should.


( Oh, Matt, as an ex-"burgher" I can ask you about "chopped chipped ham," the "trolley" "Primantis" and how dahntahn is these days. See yoinz later).

 

The only thing I don't miss about the Burgh is the leaves changing color (don't live in the north anymore). You can keep the rest of it, the chipped ham, the incline...even the "O"...although they do make good fries...

 

I knew there was something i liked about you, Richard. Yeah, the "O" was pretty scary at any hour. But, you could always tell when somebody had just eaten there. You could smell them a couple feet away, that intense grease/fried hot dog smell (I actually did like their dogs). D'ja grow up there?

 

One thing to keep in mind...based on my experience anyway. If you shoot using a camera that is not absolutely fixed to the car itself, then you lose perspective on playback of how much motion the car is going through. The "shock absorbing" effect of holding a camera in your hands or mounted on your helmet is quite substantial...unless you use a HAN device.

Tom Snyder mounted a tripod directly to the floor of his Challenge car ands the resulting tapes were very effective at showing actual motion and rate of motion of the car.

 

This looks pretty cool.
http://www.helmetcamera.com/

 

Yep. North Hills...Pine Township. I visit every so often for holidays to see family and friends who still reside there

 

http://www.themotocam.com/thercam/products.html

thats the one i bought, email me @ [email protected] if you want a sample video clip from the running of the bulls this year. This camera has seen well over 150 mph and is not in danger of blowing away. i like it

 

I use a helmet camera from http://helmetcamera.com/products.htm and a digital hard rive recorder from Archos

The camera can be velcroed to almost any space although the combined video and power cable length limits somehow the places on a car you can put it on – it should be possible to extend the cable but I have not tried it

I am not super impressed with the natural look of the colors but that might be the combination of camera and recorder I use – connected to DV camcorder it might improve

 

What angle lenses do you guys use? Any recommendations?

 

How is this mounted on the car? I went to the website but it does not describe the mounting system.

 

It has a sticky surface to the bottom of the mount. I had a scratch from following my buddy on road race tires too close so i just covered it with that. but you can remove teh adhesive part and switch it to velcro if you like. I am going to do that now because i want to mount it in different locations

 

Rob, do you still still have the video where you honk your horn at another car during a race in the rx-7 ? if so please post it again, it's hilarious.


I would love to see more in/on car footage from your cars

 

Matt

We use the package 3 cameras from
http://www.rfconcepts.co.uk/helmet_cameras.htm

Youll need to make sure your Camcorder supports AV-In, when ordering buy some spare glass covers and depending on what you want to do the std lens give you something like
http://www.collinsclan.co.uk/typer.mov

the 8mm lens is better for shots of cars in front
http://www.collinsclan.co.uk/Pages/Trackdays/videos/ABRadical.mov

 

John, I've got two of his DVDs if you want to borrow them.

Also, did you know that FCA-SE has a in-car headrest cam mount available for loan to our members? You can take your OWN in-car video!

 

Chasecam.com has various mounting options, including suction cup mounts and headrest mounts. I ordered a coupled of mounts today.

 

Just picked this up last week. Extremely well made and versatile. Can be mounted outside or inside. I haven't tried mounting on the outside pass. or driver side windows yet. They say you can mount on sheetmetal but me thinks you could get body damage due to suction. I think you need a remote mic, or otherwise there could be quite a bit of wind noise. No vibration at all, and camera very steady at speed.
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I've got their headrest post mount. It works great.

 

filmtools also makes some of the most versitile camera mounts in the business. I am looking to get a set to try some outboard still shots.

 

Almost related:

I have always been looking for glasses that would display the camera image in front of my eyes.

That way a rear mounted (lipstick) camera could be watched while looking forward. There was once a commercial for some internet trading company with a guy sitting in Venice, but I don't know whether that was just smoke'n'mirror or real.

Anybody?

PS: I use a monopod mounted in between the gearbox and the roof in my 308 to carry my DV camcorder.