Using the video feature of my camera

[Steve-O]

I have a canon powershot. It has a hole in the bottom for mounting to a tribod. I was wondering if anyonen has "mounted" a camera to their bike/helmet and used the video feature with any success...while riding.

Was thinking about a cheap ATC2K video camera, but thought I might get just as good a results from my digital camera.

[ed29]

I have done this with my A570 and the RAM mount system. Vibration is pretty bad, to the point that my 'best' videos are still pretty bad. The worst of them get deleted due to way too much shaking.

Example of a 'good' one:

http://i222.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid222.photobucket.com/albums/dd52/edhegarty/2008%20rats/MoonValleyRd.flv

For street riding I have done some test videos where I just hold the camera in my left hand. Those come out great. If a system could be devised to mount the camera on the person then the vibration issue would be resolved.

[WoodButcher]

I tried it with my Canon IS870 and RAM mount. too much vibration, like Ed said. My RAM mount is on the bars though and they are rubber mounted bars. So I'm going to find a different place to put the extra RAM mount. I also had is on a long arm for the mount which may have contributed. I'll use my smaller arm next time.

Tricepilot uses the same camera on his GS and I think he has a mount on the crash bars and he had some nice video. I think rigid mounting is the key.

Oh yeah, remove the strap...I picked up noise from it slapping around and it swung into the picture once too.

[Steve-O]

Thanks. I"m on a cruiser, so the vibration may not be so bad. I'll look into a ram mount.

[XoZe]

Thanks. I"m on a cruiser, so the vibration may not be so bad. I'll look into a ram mount.

I'm on a cruiser as well and use a RAM mount on the bars. Like mentioned before, even on good roads I still get vibration. Maybe a shorter arm will do, I just haven't gotten around to buying one.

[Mer]

My husband used a long RAM mount to put a video on his bike. He put it low and near the back tire (he's on a Wing). Of course he gets little to no vibration on his bike but I do like the way the videos turn out when the camera is mounted lower. We did a Talimena Parkway run a few months back and the video was pretty awesome. He even flipped the camera so it was pointing backwards so he got some of me going through the twisties. It is a very cool perspective.

[sloan]

I occasionally use an Olympus Stylus 760 all-weather camera on my '06 VFR. It's mounted on a RAM ball on the clutch clamp and shoots through the windshield. It's not perfect, but considering we already had the camera, it's been worth the 20 bucks I spent on mounting hardware. I've been asked why I didn't put it on the centerline, but my GPS is already at home on a RAM ball mounted in the steering stem. My main vibration point is just before the v-tech kicks in at 6400 rpm.

I have a few examples on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/swfcpilot). Note that the actual videos are a little better quality that what youtube publishes. I may have an example online of raw footage of one of the videos if somebody wants to compare. If you look at my videos, the first 2 in the list of me riding up on the white VFR were taking with a Canon hi-def and not the digital camera.

[XoZe]

Those look pretty good, however on a cruiser you get much more vibration. At least I do. I have even thought about filling the bar with expanding foam to dampen the vibration a bit.

[sloan]

I just installed a ThrottleMeister on my VFR (a bar-end throttle friction lock) and the new pieces are almost twice the weight of my stock bar ends. I'm curious to see how that affects video but I haven't used the camera yet after installing them.

[Hookem42]

VholdR makes a video camera that attaches to helmets handlebars and other places that has awesome quality...I would suggest getting something like that if you want to get good footage...they actually just went on sale too...i think about $279...i got one a few months ago and love it

[shirazk]

i saw some board where a guy used one of those generic camera pouches (that have belt clips) and 'modified' it with duct tape to stick it to his helmet and poked a hole in the front for the lens.

Alternatively http://www.instructables.com/id/5-Motorcycle-Camera-Mount/