forget about the wind, how about bounce - RAM MOUNT CAMERA

[Mercury]

hi gang, i purchased a ram mount for my digital camera. My camera normally takes pretty good video clips. But it seems that it will bounce quite a bit when mounted on the handle bars. Ive just about given up on the wind noise, i tried taping the mic and that helped ALOT but still over drives the camera microphone - maybe it will be bettter once the windshield is on.

anyway i was wondering what you all do to dapen the bounces?

here is a quick video of the bouncyness

YouTube - Test Ram Mount

thanks for any and all advice

kenny

[RichLockyer]

LCR_Peaches/BTK Red Lodge 2008 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
1 - Turn on image stabilization if the camera has it. If it doesn't, it'll never look good.
2 - Shorter arm on the RAM mount.

[trikebubble]

I mounted my RAM mount up close to the handlebar end, so the camera would shoot beside the windshield, not thru it.
I set the RAM mount so the camera touched the mirror slightly, it seemed to help stabilize it.
I also didn't worry about the wind noise, when you take your video clips and edit them (I use Windows Movie Maker) you can just cancel out all the sound if necassary. (I find a soundtrack is better than wind noise anyways)

A few "projects" of mine, using only a standard 4-5 megapixel digital camera:
YouTube - The Road To Red Lodge - Redux
YouTube - Roll Me Away - Memories of 2006


And this time I mounted the RAM mount in a lsightly differnt area, and didn't have the ability to "stablize" it against anything. You can see a difference:
YouTube - Trike's Kootenay Run 2008

[Mercury]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

I mounted my RAM mount up close to the handlebar end, so the camera would shoot beside the windshield, not thru it.
I set the RAM mount so the camera touched the mirror slightly, it seemed to help stabilize it.
I also didn't worry about the wind noise, when you take your video clips and edit them (I use Windows Movie Maker) you can just cancel out all the sound if necassary. (I find a soundtrack is better than wind noise anyways)

A few "projects" of mine, using only a standard 4-5 megapixel digital camera:
YouTube - The Road To Red Lodge - Redux
YouTube - Roll Me Away - Memories of 2006


And this time I mounted the RAM mount in a lsightly differnt area, and didn't have the ability to "stablize" it against anything. You can see a difference:
YouTube - Trike's Kootenay Run 2008

great info thanks.... ill try moving to the handlebar end... i am limited on options as i have what i have and i only have until tuesday to make it as good as i can... i doubt there are any local stores that cary ram mount stuff - but maybe

I know my camera has stabilization for still pics, i dont know about movies though...

As long as i can get the jist of blueridge and tail of dragon, i think it will be ok....

i just want to record this memory

kenny

[RichLockyer]

Most "point and shoot" cameras designed primarily for stills are not very good at movies. In good lighting, they'll do okay, but they are primarily still cameras and the movie capability was added as a selling point.

OTOH, my Aiptek movie camera does a very good job for a $150 camera (on a $25 mount), but it's still photo capability isn't any better than a $20 Wal-Mart "Hanna Montana" cheapie kid's camera.

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

Most "point and shoot" cameras designed primarily for stills are not very good at movies. In good lighting, they'll do okay, but they are primarily still cameras and the movie capability was added as a selling point.

OTOH, my Aiptek movie camera does a very good job for a $150 camera (on a $25 mount), but it's still photo capability isn't any better than a $20 Wal-Mart "Hanna Montana" cheapie kid's camera.

My Canon Elph digital still camera was remarkably better at shooting video from my bike than the pos Canon digital camcorder I purchased last year.
It wasn't a hard drive style though, so I think that may make a differnce, but it did not like the vibrations or movement one little bit.

[Mercury]

i will arrage the windshield and ect... tonight and see how it does with everything on there and settled... ill try the edge of the handle bar location leaning on mirror


kenny

[CTRider]

Best fix for bouncy camera shots?

An inline 4....

[Mercury]

Originally Posted by CTRider

Best fix for bouncy camera shots?

An inline 4....

oh stop

even if i kill the engine its bouncy - i tried it

kenny

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by Mercury

oh stop

even if i kill the engine its bouncy - i tried it

kenny

But his inline makes the road smoooooth.
All roads are bouncy, that's why we have have suspensions...
Try putting some foam over the mic like the T.V. crews have on their mics.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by freightshaker

But his inline makes the road smoooooth.

Nah, that would be the posh suspension Honda ported over from the Goldwing. Those wings on my tank aren't just for show...

But, seriously, the best way is to eliminate every flex and pivot point you can. The fewer angles and bends between the road and your camera, the better. Every angle or junction point doubles the vibration. Your mount should also be as short as possible. Longer arms mean more vibration.

Also, be absolute certain the lens is fully zoomed out wide. Zomming in even a little will amplify vibrations.

As mentioned above, foam over the mic will help with noise, but I would suggest a single layer of electrical tape under the foam. The sound will still get through, but at speed, the wind would just blast right through foam. The tape will keep the wind out of the mic - the foam will silence the wind buffetting around the camera itself.

If you are using a camera with an external mic jack, use an external mic and tuck it under the seat, under your jacket or somplace else out of the wind. Huge difference in sound.