I really want to start making videos from in my car of auto-x or long trips etc. I know some of you have custom setups in your car and would love to know how you did them. Discussion of what's better; webcam? point and shoot? Do you use an intervalometer?

I want to make a time lapse of my trip from San Luis Obispo to Las Vegas next month (7hr drive). Any info is appreciated

Theres one DIY I found but any other experience is nice.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-car-camera-mount-using-car-seat-latch-mounts-170408/

Here's RIWWP's thread...

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-interior-audio-electronics-24/board-camera-setup-169630/

And another one...

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-camera-mount-car-videos-34881/

 

I have been messing around with this for quite a while, and the best I can get so far is a point-and-shoot. Not a single webcam option I investigated was worth more than the recycling value of the cardboard box it came in. Perhaps a really high end one might work, but then you aren't far off from an actual camera or video camera anyway.

My last try turned out incredible, but lost the video in the transfer to my laptop Canon PowerShot SX110 IS from work, mounted on a cheap flexible tripod from Radioshack. I put it against the windshield and A piller, driver-side, the tripod legs against the A-piller, windshield, and curled around the upper left edge of the overhang above the instrument panel. A 2nd pass, I would probably at least tape down the legs to secure it a bit more, but it held like a champ on not-that-slow parade laps around Lime Rock, and the playback only had a slight amount of vibration and wiggle visible.

A windshield or exterior mount with suction cups seems pretty popular, but I haven't found one I like yet. Clamp-type mounts are great in theory, but I haven't seen anyone be that successful with them yet, mainly due to the lack of good clamping points that also have a good video angle.

my 2 cents, if it helps at all.

Edit:
I can shoot some tomorrow using that setup and post it to YouTube if it would help.

 

sweet thanks for the info man; Im going to start playing around with some options as well.

Is this what you are referring to as your tripod?

 

Yes that is. Don't set your hopes high though:

1- That is going for $11.xx, mine was $7.99 from Radioshack. And yes, that is the same too-big-for-it's-pants name.
2- I seriously doubt that is a real camera in the pictures. The weight of my camera was enough to give me quite a bit of trouble keeping it pointed where I want if it wasn't perfectly balanced upright or if I didn't also balance it against something. The plastic pivot points are too loose to be able to 'grip' something like that if it has any weight on it.

For example, I used it yesterday to get this pic, extending 2 legs forward to try to brace the weight so I could get a close and steady shot:


But it took me around 5 minutes to get all the legs to stay put in the right angles and placing to keep the camera balanced on the tripod rather than falling on it's face.

For the video, it worked better than I expected using the legs to contour to the dash and wrap the 1 leg around the instrument 'visor', but for any 'real' tripod usage, this really won't work.

 

Anyone have experience with time-lapse?

 

So rain made my video basically worthless. Auto Focus kept focusing on the rain drops on my windshield, so I didn't bother uploading it to YouTube.

Here is a pic of where I put the flexible tripod. The left side of the camera rested on the A-pillar, the bottom right corner of the camera was against the dash instrument display hood thingie. The left against the door crack keeps it from sliding off under acceleration and right turns, the hooked one closer to me holds it from going forward or to the left, and the back one is somewhat minorly hugging the curve of the dash to add a bit more 'wedge' to the shape to hold it there.

 

haha thats awesome; and it held the camera pretty well?

 

here's another DIY:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=34881

 

Yup, just a bit of vibration. I wouldn't expect it to hold on the track, but street driving seemed stable.

 

well im going out to the car to experiment...

 

Success! I just used my full size tripod and did what another member did and extend two legs to the floor while the 3rd rests in the back seat tray thing. Im going out tomorrow to buy a bungy cord to eliminate side to side movement. It should work great

I'll try it out on Sunday at the auto-x and see how it holds up.

 

we gotta see pics of this ghetto-rig ahaha

 

haha will do... I had my camera with me but it was too dark. I'll get some up tomorrow

 

Ok, it worked out pretty well... definitely needs some reenforcement for when the G's hit though (side to side movement)

[embed]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qpma46MfjmI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qpma46MfjmI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/embed]

 

This setup worked flawlessly today at the auto-x

I'll post some videos later...

 

well that definitely worked out better than i think either of us expected haha

 

yeah, I spent $0

 

Nice! Is your sunroof open? Should close it for less wind noise or whatever if it is.
Think I'll have to try this in my 3 lol

 

www.stickypod.com mounted to the passenger side window

Used a canon S2 IS w/ a hack for unlimited intervolmeter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAcAuwmRyJQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSy__Ardb6E

 

I tried stuffing my tripod into the back seats like ross did and was able to get it very stable. had to fold the legs way out to brace against the front seat rails, but once I did it was rock solid. What a fantastic way to get a camera mount for dirt cheap.

Now I need a decent video camera to put there. Still photos are neat, but video is better.

 

Yeah man, it works really well. I tested it at the auto-x and got close to zero sideways roll. I'm having trouble editing the quicktime file though... any freeware I can DL?

 

You think you could help me out with the hack? I read a couple articles about doing it but not quite sure I know what I need... TIA

Edit: I have a Nikon Coolpix L5 P&S

 

Currently using a triple suction cup holder on my back window. I could probably throw it up on the front window but I'm not sure on how it would work for visibility. Really gotta do some testing.

 

i used a sticky mount on the dash. i only cut a little off the protective backing so it will be easier to remove and clean. but i think i am going to use a couple aluminum spacers to raise it up a little more to clear the dash better. i need to remove the upper center console first so i can put a plate underneath it to support the cam. i will put up some pictures and video's when i get a chance.

this is the camera i'm using. although i dont have the HD model. the microphone isnt that good, i think im going to cover it with a little piece of foam. it always picks up alot of wind noise or something. the night quality isnt that good either. when i can, i'll post some day and night videos.

http://vholdr.com/contourhd/overview


i'm using the flat surface mount now.

Accessories Page
http://vholdr.com/contourhd/accessories

overall...its a pretty good camera. easy and fast operation (once it powered up)

 

One thing that disappoints me about my camera mount is I can't use it on the dash. The Suction Cups won't work with the 'bumpyness' of it. I'd have to probably swap out the center display cover to something more smooth to get something out of it.

As of right now, every video I do is going to be upside down. I gotta figure out what to do to swap them around rightside up. I'm sure it will be simple if I just sit down and look. I've never really taken the time to record something worthwhile...just driving around town.

The camera that I use is the Canon DC 320. Not bad for how cheap it was.