DIY Footwork Camera Mount (with video)
09-14-2008, 07:50 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
DIY Footwork Camera Mount (with video)
I couldn't find a camera mount that would work for video taping footwork. I tried a bunch of different set-ups, and nothing worked with my cameras. I could have ordered a bullet cam and routed the wiring under the seat, but I already have 2 cameras and don't want to explain to the wife why I need another one.
So I went down to Home Depot today and walked the store for an hour or so to brainstorm ideas for a DIY camera mount. As it turns out, I found a PERFECT mount - for $2.79. It is a 3/8" grounding clamp found in the electical department. It looks like this:
As it turns out the screws/threads used on this clamp are EXACTLY the same size as the standard camera mounting hole. How convenient. [It actually came with screws that had a head for a slotted screwdriver, but I switched over to some hex head ones I had lying around.] Pictures of the assembled mount:
No extra work needed - the camera simply screws onto the exposed bolt. I did add a round disc that I had from an old camera mount - but you could use a hex nut instead. This does 2 things: it adds a little stability to the camera and allows you to get the camera pointed in the right direction and then "lock" it down from underneath the camera.
I have Cobra Imola racing seats with standard pull up bars to adjust the seat. I simply added some racer's tape to the seat adjuster (pull-up) bar, and mounted the clamp directly to it. I positioned it so the camera is directly in the middle of the bar. Set up this way, the camera is unobtrusive and does not interfere with driving.
Link to video (also embedded below)
[EDIT: this video is me driving around my neighborhood pushing pedals for the test video - trying to figure out if the camera is positioned correctly to catch foot movement. The footwork is just illustrative and was not intended to evaluate performance, but to illustrate/verify that the contraption would actually work on the track.]
So I went down to Home Depot today and walked the store for an hour or so to brainstorm ideas for a DIY camera mount. As it turns out, I found a PERFECT mount - for $2.79. It is a 3/8" grounding clamp found in the electical department. It looks like this:
As it turns out the screws/threads used on this clamp are EXACTLY the same size as the standard camera mounting hole. How convenient. [It actually came with screws that had a head for a slotted screwdriver, but I switched over to some hex head ones I had lying around.] Pictures of the assembled mount:
No extra work needed - the camera simply screws onto the exposed bolt. I did add a round disc that I had from an old camera mount - but you could use a hex nut instead. This does 2 things: it adds a little stability to the camera and allows you to get the camera pointed in the right direction and then "lock" it down from underneath the camera.
I have Cobra Imola racing seats with standard pull up bars to adjust the seat. I simply added some racer's tape to the seat adjuster (pull-up) bar, and mounted the clamp directly to it. I positioned it so the camera is directly in the middle of the bar. Set up this way, the camera is unobtrusive and does not interfere with driving.
Link to video (also embedded below)
[EDIT: this video is me driving around my neighborhood pushing pedals for the test video - trying to figure out if the camera is positioned correctly to catch foot movement. The footwork is just illustrative and was not intended to evaluate performance, but to illustrate/verify that the contraption would actually work on the track.]
Last edited by himself; 09-14-2008 at 09:09 PM.
