Show Us Your Video/Camera Mounts |
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BENSH
Member Joined: 27 May 2013 Location: Central IN. Status: Offline Points: 1074 |
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Posted: 21 Mar. 2017 at 6:40am |
Many have tried different ways to mount cameras in various ways and places on their jeeps to capture
the moment and I thought we might share information to see what has worked for you - and what proved not to be so great. I’ve tried a few different options and here are a couple of pics of the system I’m trying now.
This option incorporates a Bogen Clamp (from a camera store with studio supplies) that has a female tripod mount. In this case I added a JOBE arm that screws into the clamp and also the camera tripod mount on the other end. It allows you to mount the clamp to a variety of areas but having the camera above the windshield seemed the best place for now. On wide angle it will cover the front of the jeep and the roadside, and is clear of obstruction so you can zoom out. Pretty simple outfit but the Bogen stuff can be pricy. The JOBY arm shown in this photo was part of a package deal I picked up at Best Buy that included a strong locking suction cup. But they also have a website (JOBY.com) with a bunch of different stuff for all sorts of sport mounts from mountain bikes to Go-Pro stuff and even cell phones. *There is also a Go-Pro tripod mount. I took this rig out for a test drive today and when I went to edit it later I couldn’t understand why it was so jumpy - really bad! Guess it would help to turn on the image stabilization ... Will run another test but honestly don’t expect the camera to be able to deal with a the vibration and shaking. The suction cup would have allowed me to mount the camera inside the windshield but then the camera wants to focus on the glass and you don’t have enough room to zoom any. I don’t want to mount the camera on the side by the mirror but perhaps on the cowl in front of the windshield would work, or putting the windshield down and putting it right in front of your face so you can see what you are filming. I have seen some good results with a Go Pro and even cell phones. So what works for you? Edited by BENSH - 21 Mar. 2017 at 7:06am |
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1945 CJ2a 11495
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6141 |
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My first videos were my cell phone held in my hand. Makes for some tricky driving sometimes. And if the trail was any kind of bumpy the picture was almost unwatchable.
Since I am a photography idiot, I tried to find the easiest system I could. I bought a GoPro Hero 4 Sessions. The sessions is a small cube of a camera with no view screen. If you want to see what the camera sees you have to connect it to a phone or tablet. I have found that using the wifi/Bluetooth connection seriously cuts into battery life so now I just mount it to the folded down windshield frame, top if it's up, and start the camera with the button on top of it rather than using the phone app. I bought the gooseneck mount from GoPro and it pretty much will put the camera anywhere you want it. You can see the mount in this picture. The camera does some stabilization, but there is still some jumping around. I've found that YouTube has a process that will steady out your video pretty well, but if you put any captions on the video before you upload it the when YouTube smotoths out the video, the captions jump around. To avoid this, sometimes I'll upload the video to YouTube, run the stabilization process and keep the video private, then download the stabilized video back to my computer, do my captions and titles, then reload it to YouTube and then delete the original. Kind of a pain, but not smart enough to figure something else out. |
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jpet
Moderator Group Sponsor Member x 5 Joined: 30 Apr. 2008 Location: Ramsey, IL Status: Offline Points: 11173 |
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This is one of my very favorite camera angles:
... You need a little jeep in the picture to give the shot perspective, but I prefer the jeep in the side of the pic so you can get more vertical view of the landscape. Also, having the camera lower makes the landscape look taller. It shows how steep a shelf road really is better than shooting downward. backwards is cool too: |
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CJ2A #29110 "General Willys"
MB #204827 "BAM BAM" "We do what we can, and we try what we can't" |
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6141 |
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jpet didn't tell you what type of hi tech camera mount he uses. I got a picture of it in one of my videos. Here's a screen shot of it. You can see what the picture looks like when my GoPro is mounted on the folded down windshield frame as shown in my picture above, AND you can see how Jeff gets those low angle shots from Bam Bam. Arm and sometimes head, hanging out, Iphone in hand.
Last year when we ran Black Bear Road I mounted my GoPro with the goose-neck mount on the tub on the drivers side right next to me. I was hoping to get some more dramatic pictures like jpet is talking about. It didn't turn out quite as good as I had hoped. I got too much of the jeep and my leg in the shot. If I do that again I will point the camera a little more towards the left. That little GoPro sessions has a pretty good wide angle for such a little thing. Here's a screen shot from the video and the entire video as well, just in case you're dying for more Black Bear Road. |
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jpet
Moderator Group Sponsor Member x 5 Joined: 30 Apr. 2008 Location: Ramsey, IL Status: Offline Points: 11173 |
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Stan,
If I remember right, you had your camera a little farther back. After seeing your vids and our discussions last summer, I think your mount should be farther forward and perhaps away from the vehicle more. Trying to shoot and drive, especially on Black Bear, does take away from the fun. That's why this summer I'll be using a drone to film some of these shelf roads. I ordered one that can follow the jeep. Hopefully, I'll get it this Friday
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CJ2A #29110 "General Willys"
MB #204827 "BAM BAM" "We do what we can, and we try what we can't" |
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jpet
Moderator Group Sponsor Member x 5 Joined: 30 Apr. 2008 Location: Ramsey, IL Status: Offline Points: 11173 |
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.... also, the backwards shot that I posted is using the selfie camera. That way I can see what I'm shooting.
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CJ2A #29110 "General Willys"
MB #204827 "BAM BAM" "We do what we can, and we try what we can't" |
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Red Willy
Member Joined: 18 Mar. 2014 Location: Lake Villa IL Status: Offline Points: 512 |
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I have A Go Pro Hero and have been using the head strap, with decent results. I have tried mounting to the windshield and using an extendable pole to pan around. I like the head mount as it films where I am looking instead of just where the front of the jeep is pointing. I use the Go Pro remote so I can snap pictures or take video and turn on and off with out removing it from my head.
Down side is when you forget to turn the camera off when it is time to water a tree Jeff, I have been considering a Drone, I will be interested to see yours in action.
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Glen
49 CJ3A |
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6141 |
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I like Glen's head strap shots. More of an in-the-driver's-seat feel to the videos than the fixed camera mount. I even bought a head strap for mine after seeing Glen's, but have not used it yet. With the Sessions camera, the only way I know if it's on is a blinking red light that I can't see if the camera is on my head, and I often can't remember if I have it on or off. Can't remember what I had for breakfast either.
I bought a GoPro remote, but the thing quit on me the first time I used it so I went back to the manual push button on the camera.
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6141 |
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I'm pumped about Jeff's new drone. I'll get to be in some aerial shots, but not have the chance of crashing hundreds of dollars worth of plastic and electronics, because I'm no good at video games.
Edited by smfulle - 21 Mar. 2017 at 5:46pm |
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6141 |
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Here's a little video about the GoPro goose-neck mount.
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Freedom21
Member Joined: 04 Oct. 2015 Location: CedarSprings,MI Status: Offline Points: 475 |
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I've got some decent shots with my GoPro from the windshield, the side mount and from the front of the hood on my JK. I really like the idea of the head strap mount for that "drivers view". But in the end, the best thing to have is a variation and some editing to put the different views together. So it really helps to have a co-pilot who's willing to do the camera work.
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09 JKU
02 KJ 66 CJ-5 48 CJ2A "Lefty" ?? M416 |
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1947-cj2a
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 09 Sep. 2015 Location: MISSOURI Status: Offline Points: 670 |
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You guys trust your brakes a little more than I.
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RICH
1947 cj2a (Toy From Hell) |
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Ol' Unreliable
Member Joined: 25 Sep. 2016 Location: CO Springs CO Status: Offline Points: 4226 |
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Oh, BTDT? |
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There's a reason it's called Ol' Unreliable
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Red Willy
Member Joined: 18 Mar. 2014 Location: Lake Villa IL Status: Offline Points: 512 |
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Ol'Unreliable, not sure what BTDT stands for but I'm sure it applies to the situation.
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Glen
49 CJ3A |
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mbullism
Member Sponsor Member x 4 Joined: 29 May 2015 Location: MA Status: Offline Points: 4783 |
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BTDT...Been There, Done That
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Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it... Welcome to 1930's Germany
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BENSH
Member Joined: 27 May 2013 Location: Central IN. Status: Offline Points: 1074 |
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Some interesting stuff going on, like just holding your cell phone outside the cab while driving and filming from or rear views. I see that there are several mounts for holding a cell phone and think I’m more inclined to keep my hands on the wheel having never seen much less driven some of the trails you guys are on.
I had an early Go Pro and did have the head strap but didn’t care for taking it off and on to make sure it was running or something, and I wasn’t very good at aiming it. I see that they now have aps for your phone so you can start, stop & aim but as already stated it eats up the phone battery pretty quick, and looking at the latest Go Pro starting at $400 ??? I got an old Army helmet liner that fits my big head pretty good and have attached one of the Go Pro bases on it - but I still didn’t know if it was on or where it was pointing. Now filming while riding as navigator... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--6_Q4Lp4Ac I took this clip on one of our Hoosier Willys Brown County rides and relally enjoyed the freedom to film, unfortunately the tech challenge portion I failed. Never have figured out why or what the strobe effect is. Guess that means jpet won’t want me flying for him.
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1945 CJ2a 11495
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Red Willy
Member Joined: 18 Mar. 2014 Location: Lake Villa IL Status: Offline Points: 512 |
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Go Pro makes a remote that works well and the battery lasts all day
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Glen
49 CJ3A |
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6141 |
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Glen, I'm glad your remote works great. Before I bought mine I read a bunch of reviews and there were a few bad ones that I ignored. Sure enough, the first time I tried to use mine it quit. It didn't make it through one day. I should have sent it back, but I didn't so my only experience with it is bad. If it worked right it would give one a lot more flexibility. You could mount your camera on the jeep ahead of you to film yourself, or set your camera up on the ground somewhere and turn it on as you roll by. |
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