What's the current thinking with in-car cameras?

[Evan Bottcher]

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

[NigelC]

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.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

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

[Stuart Thomson]

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

[jg1053]

Absolutely great footage of the day.
Jim

[Stuart Thomson]

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

[alfagtv58]

The Kodak Zi6 cameras that I used at Phillip Island are on sale today for $99 with free shipping.

Purchased....thanks Stuart!

[Evan Bottcher]

Pink?  It'd clash with my nail polish.

[Paul Gulliver]

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

[Stuart Thomson]

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

[Paul Gulliver]

Stuart thanks for the simple advice & explanation for the computer illiterate. At least i wasn't quoting gigglybits

[Sheldon McIntosh]

I got one too, can't go too wrong for $100.  Now, how to mount when I don't have a cage?

[MD]

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..)

[Sheldon McIntosh]

(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"

[OzMidnight]

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.