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Tips

Anyone Try this Camera?

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blkcorvair

Jedi Knight
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https://www.goprocamera.com/

My Hard Drive SONY camera is not working for racing. I turned off the sleep mode and I turned off the drop protection but it still shuts itself off everytime I try to use it for racing. So I shall retire it to family video only and search for something else. This looked cool.

$200 for wide video and loaded on SD Cards? Looks like a win win? Anyone used it before?
 
Yes.

I have one. I bought it to replace my JVC mini-DV camera (which the Sprite rattled to death after about a year).

I would not recommend the GoPro.

Attachment stuff (suctions cups, etc) is good and camera is waterproof, but the actual camera is poor. *Very* clumsy multi-function buttons to control it. I see other guys struggle with the controls too, just at the begginning of a race (just when you don't want any drama).

But the main thing is battery life. It's terrible. Even with super-dooper batteries (2 AAAs), it'll hardly last 45 minutes and more often, only 20 minutes or so. They sort of say that you need real good batteries in their info, but I don't think any battery can last in this thing. Plus there is no review monitor.

I have just built an external battery pack (2 C cells) for the GoPro to see if that helps, but I have not used it. I'll keep the GoPro as a backup.

Buy a ~FLIP~ camera. Also solid state. Much, much better. Better video and equal sound. Batteries (2 AAs) last much longer even though it has a built in monitor that allows playback. I can't figure out why the primitive GoPro is so hard on batteries compared to the Flip, but it is.

The Flip does not have a removeable memory card. It'll store one hour of video. I always bring my laptop so that's no big deal to me. Unloading video is simple.

The on/off/record buttons on the Flip work *much* better than the GoPro.

With the Flip, you'll need to build a mount, but considering all the fabrication work you're already doing, that'll be easy (I built one out of a plastic ketsup bottle.....I'll make something better for '09 :laugh: )
 
I bought a Go Pro too and had similar issues. I thought the video was fantastic, but compared to my previous video capabilities, I am easy to please.

My brother-in-law accidentally deleted my first session, but I did get the second session. So, I thought. It quit recording after 1 minute and did not get any sound.

The flip sounds like a decent solution that I might have to try. Maybe I can recoup some cash from ebay with the Go Pro.
 
I have a $120 rebate at staples. My wifes headed there now to get the flip for $129. 60 minutes of video will just have to do. Its a shame they dont take SD cards like the go pro
 
I had run a Sony DV...but didn't like the idea that 1 rock to it and I lose the whole thing...I bought a Race Optics Dvr setup. I remotlr installed the DVR and then have a lipstick camera mounted to the rollbar...great setup as the thing has 1 switch that I velcro to the driveshaft tunnel. I throw when on the grid at the 3 finger mark...it is more expensive but it records on a 4 gig sd card and the batterys last me a day of track time and recharge in my tow car.

I have posted about 10 different videos on youtube under VELODROMERACER.
 
I have one and have been fairly happy with it. Yes, the controls are minimal, but you can set it up ready to go, and just push one last button when it's "time to go". The video quality isn't stunning, but it's far better than YouTube quality. I haven't had the battery issues described - I can get nearly an hour of video on a set of batteries. Make sure you're using NiMH batteries (I've got an Energizer charger and 2 sets of batteries), as regular alkaline cells won't cut it in any kind of digital imaging device.

A 2GB memory chip works fine - just have a few spares.

The thing I really like about it is the weatherproof (and rock-proof) housing that comes with it. The mounting pads work extremely well, and you can mount the camera nearly anywhere. I you mount if upside down, you can electronically invert the image with a single command.

I was disappointed with the sound quality however. I got a significant amount of what sounds like ignition noise on it, and this is on a street car with suppressed ignition.
 
The narrower view (original) Go Pro works fine and is cheaper. Some sellers include a battery pack and extras in lieu of a discount below the MSRP. This saves you a 20 that you will spend for Batt and charger.

batteries MUST be 900ma NiMH or better. Charge after every session. See above post. I use 1000ma Duracell and the 4 battery Energizer charger.

You have to either turn the camera on before you get belted in or have someone push the run button. This wastes camera time on the grid but you can edit it out.

If you make a mount for it (like on a round tube) make sure its cushioned so not to get a wavy image.

Use low volume. You will get ignition interference (noise) if the cam is close to the battery or any cabling.

The suction cup mount is really gorpy. Make up a dedicated mount and use a lanyard under the case clasp.
 
I use a ChaseCam bullet cam and PDR100 recorder. The thumb-sized cam comes with its own mount that clamps easily to the roll cage. A 12 gig card will hold about two hours worth of racing. Video and audio quality are excellent though I do get some rear-end whine that transmits through the rollbar. I recently added a dash-mounted LAN switch with a red/green LED to remotely turn the unit off and on.
 
Now Im jelous. My sister came over with her SD camera. Panasonic records onto SD cards. Very compact. About half the size of my SONY. Pais $200. May be putting that on my BDay list and offing the Flip to my Wife's editions of Baby cams.
 
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