Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Evan Bottcher on March 26, 2010, 08:50:09 PM

Title: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Evan Bottcher on March 26, 2010, 08:50:09 PM
Thinking of replacing the old camera/mount that's in my car with something niftier, that I don't have to change tapes every 90 minutes and with a decent remote control.  I'm also getting hassled for not having a metal cage around the camera.

These VIO bullet cameras and recorders look pretty good, but $795!  The bullet camera would be nice - could move it to different places in the car easily.
http://www.launchhelmetcams.com.au/fully-integrated/pov1.5

I've seen folk use the Go-Pro Hero cameras - have people been getting through scrutiny okay?
http://www.mmsport.com.au/products/1208/Go-Pro-Hero
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: NigelC on March 26, 2010, 09:45:37 PM
I have a gopro Hero camera and while the images are fine, I haven't yet mastered the sound function which is a bit disappointing.
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: alfagtv100 (Biggus) on March 26, 2010, 10:33:14 PM
Hi Evan,

The GoPro Hero has a decent picture but crap sound.  Really awful sound.
I met someone recently who upgraded to the GoPro Hero HD.  Picture quality is much improved but so has the sound, apparently.

Cheers,
Marco
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Stuart Thomson on March 26, 2010, 11:53:48 PM
Hi Evan,

I'm using the Zi6 from Kodak, once I worked out that you had to format the video card they worked pretty well last weekend.  The were on sale as refurbished until earlier this week, I paid $130 for them, they were $99 on the weekend, now $200.

http://vimeo.com/10328961 and another one from Tony Hawker's car.

I have also used one of the Otec HD videos from Deals direct (Similar to http://tinyurl.com/yjzp43l), which was also good.  The sound is always going to be a problem, the dynamic range of the microphones just isn't there on these cheap cameras.

Brackets made from stuff at Bunnings...

One of the NSW guys was using a Flip Mino as well, seemed to work OK.  I have heard horror stories of the HDD type videos though, so solid state is the way to go.

The one real advantage of these over the lipstick cameras is the ability to record in HD and widescreen, the aspect ratio fits windscreens much better.

Cheers
Stuart
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: jg1053 on March 30, 2010, 01:35:22 PM
Absolutely great footage of the day.
Jim
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Stuart Thomson on March 31, 2010, 07:18:22 AM
The Kodak Zi6 cameras that I used at Phillip Island are on sale today for $99 with free shipping.

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/kodak-zi6-hd-pocket-digital-video-camera-pink/?cm_mmc=newsletter-_-20100331-_-prods-_-18

Cheers
Stuart
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: alfagtv58 on March 31, 2010, 09:01:10 AM
Quote from: Stuart Thomson on March 31, 2010, 07:18:22 AM
The Kodak Zi6 cameras that I used at Phillip Island are on sale today for $99 with free shipping.

Purchased....thanks Stuart!
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Evan Bottcher on March 31, 2010, 09:12:33 AM
Pink?  It'd clash with my nail polish.
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Paul Gulliver on March 31, 2010, 12:29:26 PM
Stuart,

Reading the add, If Phil Bassett can live with a pink one so could i . The add states ther memory card is not included. If you are using it for video do you need the 32 mg card. Costs of the card on flea bay seem to be anywhere from $50 (direct from Hong Kong) to about $150. What are you using ???
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Stuart Thomson on March 31, 2010, 01:39:26 PM
Hi Paul,

I'm using an 8Gb, that's 8 gigbytes, not megabytes.  They cost $25 each from the local computer store, make sure they are Class 4 or above.  The Class 6 ones are much more expensive (and faster), but don't seem to be necessary.  I have Class 4 Kingston cards.

8 Gb is enough for about 2 hours of HD video I think.

Cheers
Stuart
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Paul Gulliver on March 31, 2010, 02:04:27 PM
Stuart thanks for the simple advice & explanation for the computer illiterate. At least i wasn't quoting gigglybits
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Sheldon McIntosh on March 31, 2010, 04:14:20 PM
I got one too, can't go too wrong for $100.  Now, how to mount when I don't have a cage?
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: MD on March 31, 2010, 07:07:12 PM
Sheldon, now you know I like to be helpful so I have given this my serious thinks and here are some suggestions:-

1 You could get a hot brunette to hold it for you. You may need to give her your spare helmet.
2 A piece of string to suspend it from the turret but you could get a panoramic view more often than called for
3 and finally, perhaps two suction cups on the windscreen. However you may get some weird parallax or vignetting effects from the proximity of the windscreen itself..(never tried it)

(hope your sense of humour didn't leave town yesterday..) :)
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Sheldon McIntosh on March 31, 2010, 09:12:51 PM
Quote from: MD on March 31, 2010, 07:07:12 PM
(hope your sense of humour didn't leave town yesterday..) :)

1.  But I don't have a spare helm....oh right.
2.  People are only joking when they call my car a tank/battleship, it doesn't have an actual turret.
3.  Or maybe cushioned against the windscreen by the hot brunette's cups.


But the correct answer is ..."after scrutineering"
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: OzMidnight on April 06, 2010, 07:16:39 AM
There is a large thread on the IPRA forum dedicated to this very topic!  It's worth a read, especially as some of the guys commenting are scrutineers.
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: jimnielsen on April 06, 2010, 08:27:17 AM
Sheldon -  its a good question, I didn't get one of those cameras because I don't have a roll cage either - and I can't work out how to mount the thing otherwise. Even with a cage you are still limited to attaching the thing with its 1/4" camera mount at the base - these things ( thin rectangular upright cameras ) don't really lend themselves to being attached into cars in a way that scrutineers would like. Additionally the camera is supposed to be 106 grams without batteries - if they ever bring in a rule where the camera actually has to be < 100 grams, this may be a problem.

The hero pro camera has the mounting issue solved - that is great for racecar applications, and I quite like the softness of the video that it produces, however the sound recording (an essential component ) is very problematic from the hero pro.
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Evan Bottcher on April 06, 2010, 09:15:21 AM
Stuart Thomson - can you show a photo of the way you've mounted the kodak camera?
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Sheldon McIntosh on April 06, 2010, 03:24:05 PM
Quote from: jimnielsen on April 06, 2010, 08:27:17 AM
The hero pro camera has the mounting issue solved - that is great for racecar applications, and I quite like the softness of the video that it produces, however the sound recording (an essential component ) is very problematic from the hero pro.

Do you mean the suction cups?  They are a good solution, and very strong, but they wouldn't pass scrutineering would they?
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: jimnielsen on April 06, 2010, 04:29:21 PM
well, maybe - the ability to pass scruitneering should be based on some specific load capability, not the method. At the Alfa Island event I had one suction cupped to the underside metal roof of my car and it worked well, it would be very difficult to remove with out releasing the suction. I did have an 'emergency' cable tie around it as well, however - but this was not needed..Anyway, talking to Ray Pignataro, who is using his hero pro today at Bathurst at the FoSC meeting - the sound is again 'rubbish'  - so I wouldn't get one on that basis anyway..
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Sheldon McIntosh on April 06, 2010, 04:35:59 PM
Quote from: jimnielsen on April 06, 2010, 04:29:21 PM
well, maybe - the ability to pass scruitneering should be based on some specific load capability, not the method.

Should be, but scrutineers often operate to different rules of logic to other people.  Apart from Colin and Bruno, they're ace!! :-*
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Stuart Thomson on April 08, 2010, 07:27:20 AM
Quote from: Evan Bottcher on April 06, 2010, 09:15:21 AM
Stuart Thomson - can you show a photo of the way you've mounted the kodak camera?

Yep.

Made from brackets and stuff from Bunnings.

It attaches through the two 1/4" bolts coming out the back to a bracket of some sort.  I usually use a rollcage, but anything solid in the car would do.

I'll work out something for road cars when I get mine back :-(

Cheers
Stuart
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Stuart Thomson on April 08, 2010, 07:27:52 AM
and finally...
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Ray Pignataro on April 08, 2010, 07:59:11 AM
Had no problem with scrutineering at Bathurst, using only the suction plate. video is fabulous sound is ordinary. On another note fantastic event.
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Evan Bottcher on April 08, 2010, 08:17:44 AM
I never was very handy with Meccano.
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: jimnielsen on April 08, 2010, 09:29:17 AM
well post the video so we can see it, Ray!
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: dehne on April 08, 2010, 10:37:29 AM
i bolted mine to the dash of my car abd the first time i used it it passed but ther second time it did not so i went and brought a lightweight video camera from target for $79 and it is great it takes 2 x aa batteries and a memorycard slides in the back so now im going to glue it in so it will never come off
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Paul Gulliver on April 08, 2010, 11:12:45 AM
Stuart.

Do you need a building permit for that camera cage???
Title: Re: What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?
Post by: Ray Pignataro on April 08, 2010, 06:30:08 PM
Jim you know you have to come over to post the video . I cant do that?