I have gotten myself frustrated trying to acquire (raw) smooth video while riding.

I have a RamMount (RAM-B-149Z-C1U) mounted between my handlebar risers, behind a windscreen. I'm not getting head-on air effects, but probably some air turbulence coming from underneath the camera. The camera is writing to a SD memory card, and I have experimented with video stabilization on and off. I am unable to get smooth video above 35-40mph.

I am dealing with engine VIBRATION that is traveling up the mount and is distorting the video being collected. I can pull-in on the clutch and immediatly dampen the shaky video to a much more useable state. I have experimented with some foam-rubber trying to isolate the mount's U-bolt fastening to the bar, but it hasn't helped.

My questions are in two-parts:

1. Does anyone know of an alternant form of mounting or pedestal apparatus which is designed to absorbe or attenuate vibration?

2. My Video camera is a Panasonic SDR-H200 (expensive, 3-CCD collection, 30GB hard drive, 4GB SD memory card); but is not capable of a seperate CCD or video input; Anyone know whether I simply have the wrong camera for this application?

I've been doing lots of research and have hit many dead ends. I have found video stabilization software packages, and even dedicated hardware devices that you can run the video through for mathmatical smoothing. But since I'm not on a fat budget trying for Holywood production quailty, I decided the best approachis toTAKE better video to begin with.

Some of you guys have some awesome video collected and posted here. Aside from great productions with wonderful tunes mixed in, I am extreamly impressed with the initial quality of your video itself!!!

Can some of you folks put some scenarios together of what you are using and how things are mounted?

All suggestions will be cheerfully accepted.

THANKS !!!!!

 

Don't know about being a guru.

I use a cheap Nikon Cool Pix L10 camera with a custom leather mount on a Dyna.

http://www.austinsouthsider.com/camera_mount.htm

I think it's the Dyna, they vibrate at idle and smooth out as the rpms go up.

 

I use a RAM mount alsoand a cheap little Aiptek DV camcorder that I picked up for about $80. Mount is on the bars down near the bottom. No windshield. Ratbasturd may be onto something about the vibes on a Dyna. I get some shake at idle then smooth out as the RPM's rise.

Videos I've done - http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=NoSpamz4Me
Camera I used - http://www.aiptek.com/Merchant2/merc...;Store_Code=AS

 

poorboy - you need to ditch the Camcorder... part of the problem is the weight.

Check out some of my videos Ive taken... with my Digital Camera and ram mount,it takes perfectly still images (movie or pics) i got a 4Gig memory card and now i can hold 3 hours of video or 3,000 pictures at high resolution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa7scttD1-A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsnlqzF5rW0

I mount my camera clear of the windshield... you'll get wind noise, but you replace it with music anyways.
Ive gone upto 100mph and still had a nice stable movie... following semis does however create enough turbulence to throw it off at any speed. shows my camcorder because i couldn't take pics without my camera! but you get the idea

 

let me know if you need anymore pics, a setup like what i have costs.... at most 300 bucks, find a cheap used Digital camera that takes movies (at least mpeg2-3 4 is better), a large capacitymemory card, and the ram mount... which you already have.

 

Thanks guys! I'll continue my experimenting.

Nice video rshute4! I'll try with a lighter still-pic camera running in video mode!

[sm=icon_cheers.gif]

 

rshute4,

Those are some great videos. Since there is snow on the ground it is nice to be able to enjoy watching someone's rides online.

I'd like to get my camera mounted this year to shot some videos. I have a 06 Heritage and since the winshield is so big I would like to mount the camera down on the engine guard. I didn't see where RAM made a mount to fit 1 1/4" tubing. I am also thinking that being mounted behind the winshield will make the picture quality poor.

Dave

 

O.K. I think I got this figured out pretty well now.

rshute4 was EXACTLY right. My RamMount is MUCH happier hanging onto a very light camera.

I mounted the RamMount on the left-side of thehandlebar, just ahead of my switches. The RamMount easily holds the camera which peaks out around the windshield, not through the windshield.

Here's alink for a short piece of RAW Videothat I've just shot this morning on the way to work. No audio, nothing fancy. But please look at the better quality now, and only minimum video jitter.

As we all know, anything uploaded to a video hosting site results indegraded video quality compared to watching the same piece before a site compresses it through a bit-reduction.

 

Poorboy,the vid looks good,I am waiting for my Ram mount to come in.I hope my vid comes out like yours ,i will be very happy.
Glad you got it
Joe

 

Hey Dave.... Call any of the RamMount vendors and ask about the 1 1/4" handlebars. RamMount DOES support that size tubing and has the correct-sized U-Bolt that fits their mount bases.

That is what I needed for my '08 FB bars.