Nicoli35

Ahh, gotcha. I just love this suction mount

simsgw

Yep. That's the one I declined by reason of our rules. I can believe it works well because Gary Brandt runs several very fast quarter milers and uses that mount himself.

Gary

simsgw

It occurs to me that we do have a loophol... uh, exemption for those suction-cup mounts. They be can used if scrutineering is shown a tethering arrangement that shows they cannot fall off the car and cannot swing loose and distract the driver.

I've never considered that because it really means a dislodged camera would bounce around on my own car, doing more damage in half a lap than if I had simply paid a body shop to permanently place a mount for me. Somehow it feels like Murphy's Law waiting in ambush. If I put the suction mount on my car, it might run for two seasons without falling off, but if I add a tether to meet the rules, Murphy says the camera will fall off on the first lap.

Gary

Detroit Shooter

I do have photographic experience
Go here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

and search
Remote mount
Clamp

There is amazing stuff for whatever mount you may end up with


I believe you want a helmet cam for the perspective you are looking for.

I do not like either perspective too much blocking your view.

If you went suction a tether to the convertible top latch ( I assume there is somewhere) and a suction mount under the rear view or outside in front of the rear view might be interesting.

Finally Microsoft sucks get a Mac and all your problems will be solved.

I own dozens of PC because I am forced to but at home I have a Mac.

Maverick1

Nice videos.
Looks like a pain in the *** having to get out of the car and close the gates every time you leave the house. Have you ever thought of automating them?
If you like twisty roads I have a couple suggestions for you, one is called Palomar mountain road, and the second really fun road is called Glendora mountain road.

simsgw

That's the third suggestion that I try a camera mount. Probably have to use a jaw line mount to avoid the problems with interference, and it might create motion sickness for viewers when used in a car, but I'm going to give it a shot. I agree that I don't like either of the two tripod locations so far. I'm not thrilled about tether cord going to my convertible top latch because it will put unusual wear on the excellent seals in that area. Besides, windshield mounts of all sorts create boring videos. Maybe not for a first time viewer with no track experience, but after the first few such videos or any significant track experience, it becomes ho hum to watch asphalt come into view and disappear stage low. Maybe I'll go back and watch Grand Prix again for some ideas on camera perspective.

Right now, I'm thinking of trying the GoPro HD3 mounted about a foot higher than the position in that first video, to give the sense of speed and the car in relation to the world, and a low interior mount for another cam to provide a passenger's perspective. I have a Contour HD that would make an excellent helmet mount. Then I'll merge and intercut the footage in post-processing. At least, that's the direction of my current thinking.

In the past, when we needed a lot of still photography for engineering projects, we used B&H extensively. Excellent supplier, but right now I'm about $750 into a GoPro Black kit and that's generous -- but it's about the cost of one (1) professional fluid tripod head at B&H. I'll probably save that investment... Maybe after the first million-hit video I shoot, when I have the milli-cent royalties pouring in.

I remember when the battle was between Honeywell's round holes in punch cards and IBM's 80-column cards with square holes and Control Data's 96 columns of square holes. And the hot combination for autocross was disks in front with drums in back so the parking brake was easier to use to induce body rotation, but the handle in Alfas sucked compared to the sweet simplicity of MG hand brakes.

Would you believe that fifty years later I'm pretty immune to the clan wars? I buy what works for whatever I'm doing, from Linux to OS/2 to CPM. And even Smalltalk once, for my sins. Right now, Linux works best for servers while the desktop sucks, Microsoft is best for general utility, Android rules the finger computers from smart phones to tablets, and Apple has the best public image bar none. Apple also has been the darling of the graphics world this last thirty years so doubtless that family has excellent video software available if I looked.

I'll use anything to get the job done, but it's like a chef mixing sweet and savory in the same dish when you try to mix and match for a single job. It can be done, but just makes extra work. Since nothing else in the building is Apple-based except this frustrating Photoshop translation that I use for stills, it would be a giant headache to add one box for the sole purpose of editing videos.

Gary

chuckbdc

I don't think the recipe analogy works here. Its more like getting into Porsches. Once you do, the parts collection, even with beloved Solexes, will want adjustment.

Detroit Shooter

I vote IBM

simsgw

Better analogy. Since I retired, we don't have spare Sparcs and Mac's sitting around awaiting a project need. The residue is just half a dozen Linux boxes and my desktop. Well, and a couple of laptops and smart phone and a tablet or two and some micros and... Thirty, forty tops. Almost nothing really.

Gary

stronbl

Gary -
Very interesting project - please take a look at Harry's Laptimer -- besides his own stuff, he has links and suggestions on other products that may be of help to you (no affiliation from me, I just like the stuff).

http://www.gps-laptimer.de/Home.html

external iPhone GPS link: https://www.emprum.com/ultimategps.php

Lot's more on the subject in the 997GT2/GT3 section, search for track video, harry's lap timier, or some similar subject to suit your interests. You may find something that tweeks your fancy. GL!

simsgw

I mounted that new Hero 3 Black on the tripod, but moved it to the limit of travel. this time, Then I crossed my fingers that the top piece wouldn't blow right out of the car or gyrate wildly and went down that same road. 'Down' is the wrong word. I went up the road and then back down the other side of the ridgeline. I let the video run while I turned down the road on the other side of that lake, so you can catch a glimpse of another decent road. That one gets used by commuters every day, but they are the fastest 'commuter' drivers you'll find in this area.

Here is the result. My own reaction... no, I won't bias the jury:

Gary

David in Talent

I like it ! Nice job, Gary. Enjoyed the ride............;-) Perfect vantage point for the camera.

chuckbdc

Good position for highlighting scenery, but I prefer through the windshield centered so the relationship of hands on steering wheel and wheel position to road features are foremost (and tach/speedo views being bonus points to promote viewer attention in that they are such familiar cues for all Porsche drivers).

For scenery drives my favorite is a position that gets the viewer into the 911 drivers head as well, like the following, where there is no question of the, er, bull involved:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9tzg...ayer_embedded#!

Hammer911

Looks good! especially when I am stuck at my desk driving my computer.

Are those golf gloves you are wearing? - if so, I think that's a great idea.

simsgw

We had a cold front moving in that dropped temps to a bone-chilling 50F.
Irony aside, golf gloves do help on those marginal days for top-down driving. I never looked at the GPS data (a little busy) but the elevation must be at least 4,000 ft msl. I keep a pair of golf gloves in the center console. They would get in the way and be left at home if I used the ... ahem... glove compartment.

I like the view as well, but see next note.

Gary