tjZ06

I'm thinking of buying a video camera (and rollbar mount) pretty soon and want some advice. I've been watching some in car video from friends and also just random stuff I found online (gotta make it through the winter somehow) and decided I'd really like to start taping my AutoX and Track Days.

The first thing I've noticed in almost all the videos is that the view is too narrow. I know that in my friends' videos they had the cam "zoomed" all the way back/out so there was no way for a wider shot. Are there any vid. cams out there w/ a special panoramic view or anything like that?

Secondly which cam has the best "steady shot" type of feature? Obviously there's a lot of vibration and bouncing around during a AX or RR lap and no camera is going to be perfect... but the smoother the better.

What are you all using? Likes? Dislikes? Have you seen some film from a particular camera you really liked? Etc?

Thanks.

-TJ

96LT1

Best thing to do is get all of the recommendations from here and then go to a Best Buy/Circuit City/ or upscale camera store and check out the different ones first hand.

There are wide angle adapters made for some of the video/DV cams. The biggest problem with them is that they don't replace the existing lens but mount over top of them. I haven't seen one used on a DV cam so I'm not sure how good they are.

davidfarmer

you'll need a wide-angle lense, available from most camera shops. It simply screws onto the camcorder. Get a camera with a short body (height, not length), and the lense mounted low. This helps with vibration on IOPort style mounts.

get this


not something like this

John Shiels

I have a 4 or 5 year old Sony with the Hi8 tape works great and wide lens was about 60 bucks from Sony. I bought a new Sony disc camera but I tried it twice and it shut off after a minute or two. Works great otherwise. Not sure if the vibrations bother the disc camera. The old one has traveled every track mile I've done with no problem.

trumper Z06

Sony has an "Excellent" Steady Shot feature.

I also have a Sony digital 8 cam corder. this was... state of the art... way back in 2001. This camera has stood up to years of track abuse and is still going strong.

trumper Z06

Sony has an "Excellent" Steady Shot feature.

I also have a Sony digital 8 cam corder. this was... state of the art... way back in 2000. This camera has stood up to years of track abuse and is still going strong.

davidfarmer

MiniDV has the highest resolution (near broadcast according to the folks at SPEED), but short record lengths. 1hr in short mode, 1.5hrs in long mode

Bill Dearborn

I have an old Sony Hi-8 that was new in 97. It has very good image stabilization and I also have a wide angle lens for it. If you can find a camera with the feature you need to get one that allows you to set it for fixed focus (infinity) and still have the automatic light metering work. You are almost required to use automatic exposure control while driving around the track to compensate for lighter and darker areas occuring because of sun and shade. I also found that when I used the wide angle lens I had too much of the cars dark interior in the image and the light metering would adapt to the darker interior and overexpose the exterior views. My Sony seems to have average light metering Vs spot so I have to make sure most of the image is external (out the windshield) to the car. So you really need to understand how the camera lens and exposure control systems operate before you purchase it. Most salesman won't know enough to answer those questions.

Bill

Solo2GS

Getting a good camcorder with the proper inputs is important, but not as important as the right camera. I find that camcorders do not have a wide enough view angle for most in car applications and wouldn't you like a small light weight camera that you can mount any where inside or outside the car and plug into your camcorder? Why limit yourself with inside shots!

Chase Cam
"Now with 580 lines of crystal clear resolution"

The BulletCams are very small, lightweight, and rugged.

Because of its low weight, there's less "mass" undergoing shock and vibration which means a more stable image, higher reliability and less chance of damage. It also opens up the use of smaller mounting methods so that you can mount the camera when there's not much space available. For maximum reliability, the camera is a single printed circuit board with surface mount components and a board mounted CCD.

The BulletCam is weather and waterproof. You can even submerge it (up to 10 feet, with a waterproof cable).

Our BulletCams use a wide-angle, lens which is ideal for motorsports. Many lenses are too narrow and the field of view just doesn't capture the excitement and vividness that you get with a wide angle lens. You can also get too wide an angle. We can supply our cameras with 90 or 120 degree lenses and lenses can be swapped out.

The camera is mounted in a hard aluminum tube with standard camera mounting attachment points. The front is a replaceable protective lens. If the front protective lens is damaged, it is easily replaced.





Lots of different mounts. They also have other recording devices you can use besides a camcorder.

Nice little video of a shifter kart in action...

Nice tire cam view!

freefall

we think alike - i sent him a PM with my bullet cam setup and a video.

Nitro-C5

Yup that is what I have as well...video is great

RogueVette

Sony DVD handycam, mounted on 1/2" of foam on RD crossbar camera mount. No issues, great video, and super easy replay. Just pop in the disk and go.

99BlackZ51

Another advantage of the Sony is that it has a LANC input which allows you to use a remote button to start and stop recording. I will be switching from my Panasonic for that reason. If anyone is interested I will be selling my Panasonic MiniDv w/ wide angle lens, spare battery and case for a reasonable price. It is only 1 year old and in excellent condition and takes great videos.

Thanks, Scott

tjZ06

Please PM the info. on your Panasonic.

I'm leaning way more towards the BulletCam type of idea though.

-TJ

PS- Thanks for all the great input folks!

Falcon

Get a camera that allows side loading of the tape. That eliminates having to dismount the camera each time you want to change tape. On my Sony IP55, that's a PITA, not that hard, but I'd just as soon not have to do that.

John Shiels

I have just enough room on top of my camera to pop the tape in on top

tjZ06

Wow... after spending some more time on ChaseCam's site I'm about to spend waaaaaaay too much $.

I'm looking at buying two of their bullet cams, their Picture in Picture box and their capture box. I want to record stuff like this: http://www.chasecam.com/ss/061105run7a.mpg

They also mention a G-Meter that you can add-on to the capture box that will display Gs on the video as well. Hmmmm... I already emailed them to see if I can get some sort of package deal on everything.

-TJ