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What camera?

4K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  djh3 
#1 ·
Looking to get a camera for riding around didn't know what would be better a gopro or a drift ghost camera? Anyone mess around with any of these?
 
#2 ·
I use a Drift Ghost HD. I like it a lot. I mainly use the tagging feature, so I don't have to film everything all the time. I just have it powered on, and if something happens that I want to record, I hit the button on the remote and it records the previous 30 seconds along with the next 60 seconds.

Other times, if I'm intentionally planning to record a trip, I'll just have it record like any other video cam.
 
#3 ·
I didn't know the drift had that feature that's pretty cool how's the battery life with it?
 
#4 ·
WE also have the drift ghost. It works great we have helmet mounts that work good. You have to turn your head slowly and turn your head farther then normal because not like having eyes in your head that move also. The wrist controls are a great feature. We love it.
 
#5 ·
Battery life depends on whether or not you're using wi-fi. I generally don't use it because I don't need it. You can use an app with your phone to view and control the camera when wi-fi is enabled. Drift says you get 3 hours of battery with wi-fi off and 2 hours with wi-fi on. I'd say that sounds about right. If battery life is a concern, you can always buy an additional batteries for around $30 each.
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
How about the ION Speed Pro. From what I find looks to be a good camera @ prices I can find. 180 view angle, has a thing you plug in to connect to wifi to xfer pics, uses a SDHC micro card.
 
#12 ·
I don't have experience with the Speed Pro but I have an Air Pro3 and an Air Pro, my complaint is that without being able to replace the battery you only have about an hour of recording or so per charge. I have a longer charging cable and have not set it up to have a solid power to fill the memory card.
 
#8 ·
#9 · (Edited)
So much depends on the intended use. I know you said "riding around," but, sorry, I don't follow you on this. Do you want to record a run through some twisties, or a particularly nice road in a national park? Or are you more interested in a dashcam type of setup? Will you be mounting it on the bike (e.g., dashcam, or trackday, or ...) or will you be mounting on a helmet (which generally results in smoother videos, because your body is acting as a shock absorber, but which is not appropriate for dashcam purposes or documenting a road or a track).

My first action cam was a Liquid Image Ego 727. Decent video, and extremely small. But: preview only via a phone, and firmware updates stopped coming. I wouldn't get any camera after that unless it seemed to have good support, and also the company seemed to be one of the market leaders, so it will be around for a while. This is not the case with Liquid Image, IMHO.

I got a Hero4 Silver for a present, and I like that a lot. I've used that to record track days, mostly, and some back roads during day trips. All of this has been bike-mounted; I like to capture lean angles, for instance, and helmet-mounting isn't great for that (although, as I said, you'll get some vibration). Being the gorilla in the room, GoPro stuff is nicely supported -- firmware, mounts, etc. -- by both the company and the aftermarket. This GoPro has a preview and live view, and, for instance, can be started recording via a smartphone (with either GoPro or aftermarket software).

I also have a case and power cord from 3BR ( https://www.3brpowersports.com/ ) for the GoPro. This is not for submerging the camera underwater (an included GoPro case covers that), but these 3BR goodies allow riding without worrying whether it's going to rain -- they're fine for that -- and also charge the camera. (I'm talking a bike mount here, because you won't be using a USB cable if a camera is mounted on your helmet.) This is not stuff you're going to find for most other cameras.

The most recent use was a couple of sessions at a track day last month. This was on a Burgman 650, and you can see the mounting setup here: Non-Sportbike Track Day, Palmer, MA, 08-22-2016 . The following two images have links to the actual videos I put up on Vimeo; if you just want to go to one directly, click https://vimeo.com/179989063 .

On the dashcam front, there are a few expensive systems -- I research this every year or so -- but AFAIK still no perfect, or near perfect, system for bikes. You'd want waterproof, mostly hidden, easily and securely mounted, that sort of thing; these things are mostly non-issues in a car, but a bike is another matter.

My favorite guy for reviews of cameras -- in fact, one of a very few YouTube channels I subscribe to -- is Techmoan. Take a look at Techmoan - Techmoan , and in particular the Action Cameras or the Car DVR / Dash Cams links on the right of that page. These are detailed reviews of cameras, generally about 20 minutes each. The guy is really familiar with this stuff, and also has a motorcycle; he often will mount a camera to the bike or his helmet sometime during a test.

That's all I got.
 
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#10 · (Edited)
I use a Sena 10C. At first, I thought I would use it to record leisure rides and watch them later. Now, a year later, I mainly use it to record the stupid stuff people do in front of me in case I'm in an accident. If I'm going on a ride that's longer than a couple of hours out and back, then I don't use it since the camera drains the battery within a couple of hours.

With the latest 2.0 firmware update, the Sena 10C finally has a loop record function where if your memory card fills up, it will automatically delete the oldest file and continue recording. I used to clear the microSD card manually every couple of days so this latest firmware is a huge quality of life improvement.

Now that I'm on the CCT, I've been thinking about getting a GoPro or some other camera to mount on the "dash" that I can plug into the 12v socket as needed and just have it record all the time but for now, the Sena 10C gives me the best of both worlds (communicator and camera).
 
#11 ·
#13 ·
I made a bid to a fellow @ $49 and got it. SO hope to remember to post something back. On the back of this little guy there is a place to plug in a micro usb (phone charger) so should be able to run as long as I want to until card fills up anyways. I ordered 3 32gb cards too. I will have to d/l their app to control the phone and use phone to "frame" the camera. But its waterproof and has external mic. All the videos I saw with the use of external mic sounded like crap. Just a bunch of wind noise.
 
#14 ·
Got my camera. Now I need to figure out best way to and where to mount. One of the fixtures that comes with the camera is a suction cup thing with like a "S" arm. Probably 6" tall when said and done. Only place I can see to mount it is fairing in front of wind screen or a leg fairing. Any ideas friends? If I use a RAM mount off handle bars it needs to be about 6-8" tall to clear back of fairing.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Yes, I have some ideas for you, having played around with two action cameras for a couple of years now. I've been meaning to put up a sub-gallery of this stuff, but haven't gotten around to it yet. In the meantime, here are some suggestions and thoughts, followed by some pics.

1) PanaVise:

This is a superb suction cup mount. It's not the kind of suction cup you get free with a Garmin, for your car's windshield, that drops onto your dash, on a whim. Instead, it has a push button -- to evacuate air, or make it stick better, or something -- followed by a flip-over lever, to keep it that way.

I've had this mounted for weeks at a time (and removed only when I wanted to remove it) on the fairing of the XCT. I place it up near the windshield, just to the left or right of the crease running down the fairing center; that area is very flat. Of course, I make sure the cup and the fairing are first wiped with a micro-fiber cloth with some alcohol on it. And I use nylon-covered cable tethers, just for yuks (but they've never got any real use).

You can see the details at the manufacturer's page https://www.panavise.com/index.html?pageID=1&page=full&--eqskudatarq=250 or at the Amazon page https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N9PPOAY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00 . There are similar products, but the PanaVise is the one I've used and highly recommend.

I used the PanaVise on the windshield of a Burgman 650 last month, to record the first two on-your-own 20-minute sessions at a track day. The sub-gallery of that day is Non-Sportbike Track Day, Palmer, MA, 08-22-2016 . The pic below is from that, and these two video links are also in there:

1st session using PanaVise and GoPro on Burgman: https://vimeo.com/179989063
2nd session using PanaVise and GoPro on Burgman: https://vimeo.com/180043629

2) Cardellini clamp and Manfrotto ball:

I used this setup for many videos using my first action cam, a Liquid Image Ego 727, and that's the next pic below. You may gag on the price of this combination, but we're talking absolute professional quality manufacturing and clamping action. The jaws have a rubber surface, and the clamp just stays put. The ball adjusts all sorts of ways, has coarse and fine adjustments, and it, too, just stays put. No tethers here.

I bought this combination some years back from Film Tools, and you can see it here: Cardellini 494 - The Mini Cardellini Camera & Monitor Mount - Filmtools . (It's possible that you can piece this together elsewhere and save some money, of course, if you get the right parts.)

The next pic is one of the few places where you can mount it on an XCT. The crashbar gives an interesting low-level view, and includes some of the front wheel. I moved away from this setup when I got my GoPro, because I started using (and then backed off a bit) a wider field of view, which would have included too much of the wheel and fender. Still, this is a real machined work of functional art, those two pieces.

This is one of the videos using this system on the crashbar, with the Ego 727 on the XCT, on a public road in Massachusetts: https://vimeo.com/72389999

3) This spring, I fabbed up a homemade system, for mounting behind the Madstad on my XCT. It uses some hardware-store brackets and some pieces made for camera mounting, camera-support extensions, and that sort of thing. These extension pieces are available from several suppliers, and are common in the camera-mount world. Go on Amazon, use the "Camera & Photo" drop-down choice in the search field, and enter something like 15mm rod extension and you'll see some of this stuff.

With much experimentation, and trial and error, I came up with some parts that suited what I was trying to accomplish. Specifically, I wanted to build a mounting system that didn't require any permanent alteration of the XCT -- no cutting or drilling, etc. -- and that allowed the camera to be easily and quickly removed. And this accomplished that. There are two pieces -- the threaded parts at the ends of the main rod -- that required that I do some tap work (they're, surprisingly, solid aluminum, not hollow); also, I painted the right-angle brackets black (and you can see that I'm not a very good painter), but that's it for custom work. I also added some extra washers underneath the windshield brackets in the forward side, to compensate for the thickness of the right-angle brackets, and replaced the button-head bolts with hex-surround-head bolts (because I kept butchering the button heads).

This system works very well, and is adjustable in gobs of ways using only lever tighteners. And the camera (and short attached rod underneath it) can be completely removed by loosening a single lever (and if that lever happens to loosen in use, the camera-and-rod just slides down, and stays in place). Also, the videos don't get much of the bike at all. I used this a few times, and this is probably going to be my preferred XCT mount. Here's a video of a track day back in May, using this system:

Track session, homemade mount and GoPro, on XCT: https://vimeo.com/168109961

But note:

- This was at New Hampshire speedway, which is a very bumpy track.
- This was using an earlier version of my system, with less-beefy right-angle brackets; I've since replaced those with wider brackets, which are more resistant to vibration.

Some random thoughts:

- The PanaVise works extremely well, as you can see in the Burgman videos. But note that these were taken at Palmer motorsports in MA, and that's a very smooth track. And the Big Burger is a smoother bike than the XCT (on smooth roads or tracks, that is -- the XCT has an inch more suspension travel).

- When the XCT's 106 is on the boil, you're going to get vibration -- that's the nature of a big V-Twinkie.

- You can minimize vibration with a helmet mount, because your body will act as the ultimate shock absorber, and soak that stuff up. OTOH, as a personal preference I like bike mounts, because they show lean angles, no head checks, bike mounts are easy to line up and stay lined up, and so forth. But that's me. I've never tried a helmet mount, and I don't think I will.

- Keeping a camera's view clean is easier when it's behind a windshield, because you're going to clean the windshield anyway, and you don't have to be as careful (although I still really like the PanaVise, out in front). In the Loudon (NH) video, the GoPro's behind a light gray tinted Madstad. That was just for looks, ordering it that way, because I almost never look through it. If I had to do it again, I'd get a clear windshield for that reason. In fact, I just ordered a windshield for my new-to-me Burgman, and the order is for a clear one.

I hope this gives you some ideas.

Here are the pics:







 
#16 ·
#17 ·
ill thanks for the tips. The first one you mentioned looks to be almost what came with the camera, matter of fact I just looked at it and that is who makes it.
I mounted the camera in 3 places today and took for a spin. First was on mirror. I think to far back and has many obstructions. Edge of windshield, dash, windshield brackets etc. Second I used suction mount and mounted on left leg fairing on top. i think OK but needs some angle adjustment as I had it pointed down to much I think. 3rd I placed much as you said. Front of fairing, centered but off the "V" I need to find some free editing software now. I tried to upload my video, but it said something about a security token missing. HMM
 
#18 · (Edited)
I couldn't believe I hadn't taken any pics of the PanaVise on the XCT (or if I did, I couldn't find them). So I just put it on, the way I usually do, and took some pics. I did this for completeness, in case anyone reads this thread later and doesn't know what we're talking about, or maybe is just looking at mounts but is unfamiliar with the XC or XCT. See pics below.

Regarding your upload problem, I don't have a Contour -- that's what that is, right? -- but I am a retired geek, so maybe I can help you out. First questions: what is the make and model of the camera; what computer (e.g., PC, Mac, etc.) and what operating system; and how were you attempting to upload the video (e.g., via USB cable, wi-fi, etc.) and using what software.

[Edit: are you trying to upload your video to THIS forum? Or are you trying to upload it from the camera to a computer?]



 
#19 ·
This is it. ION Speed Pro I was trying t pt ff t camera in mp4 format that the camera save to a smaller file for like face look or prime time or whatever some of that crazy bussiness is. I use a plain old IBM Pc type machine with Win 7.
your mounting of the GOPRo is exactly where I had mine. Because the camera is round and lower I layed it down to make the least amount of eye sight for me. The back of my camera underneath has a spot for a tether. I think I'll connect it to one of the madstad screws.
 
#20 ·
Well, your best bet may be to contact iON. In the meantime, a couple of things:

- Missing security token error messages often are the result of trying to manipulate files that are too large. Not sure if this is the case here, but just something to keep in mind.

- I noticed on iON's FAQ page -- https://usa.ioncamera.com/air-pro-faq/ , way down near the bottom -- there's this note:

One of the features of our camera it allow you ease of uploading to social media. The camera creates two files by design. The first is the full sized HD video file. The second is a duplicate in a lower resolution suitable for upload to social media sites. The files will have the same name but the smaller one has _thm added. For example IONX0001.MP4 and IONX0001_thm.MP4.

So maybe if you try to upload that smaller _thm file you'll have some luck. But I'd still call or email iON, because hardly anything is every new to tech support folks.
 
#21 ·
Small THX or whatever it is called, was the file I used. I have not done any editing for video, and dont have a clue what is a good free editor. I figured maybe the video was to big or something, its about 10 min long I bet, not sure. Really dont need to post that long of a video for you all to get an idea.
 
#22 ·
You contacted iON, or had any other luck with this?
 
#23 ·
I may have sent them an e-mail, not sure. But I did put one up on you tube.
 
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