Camera mounts - best options?
#1
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Camera mounts - best options?
I have an Apeman A66 camera that I enjoy taping rides with. I have the handlebar mount secured to my aero bars and then use either the enclosed plastic housing to actally put the camera in or the open (unprotected) mount on clear days. In the following video it is in the open mount from my ride about an hour ago. The first stop was to turn on my lights...I forgot, LOL. The noise you hear is the vibration from the camera in the mount. Sure, we have some rough roads around here but there has to be a solution that's better.
I do have a chest mount that eliminates this but it's been about 100 degrees and that holds a lot of heat in the chest area.
Anybodyhave an on bike mount solution that would be helpful? **WARNING** - the rattle is loud, turn down your speakers.
This video is the camera in the chest mount..better...and as fall approaches I will use it more, plus I like the prespective it gives.
I do have a chest mount that eliminates this but it's been about 100 degrees and that holds a lot of heat in the chest area.
Anybodyhave an on bike mount solution that would be helpful? **WARNING** - the rattle is loud, turn down your speakers.
This video is the camera in the chest mount..better...and as fall approaches I will use it more, plus I like the prespective it gives.
Last edited by mynewnchome; 09-16-19 at 10:49 AM.
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My best videos come from a skewer mounted camera.
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I've enjoyed bar mount videos on only very smooth roads. lately, I've been enjoying vids mounting the cam on my helmet
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#4
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If it is the camera bouncing around in the enclosure shim it before closing the mount, tape foam, cardboard. Some noise the bike makes will transfer through the bike and mount, my camera picks up the clunk when I shift.
Get a helmet mount your body will absorb a lot of the vibration.
Get a helmet mount your body will absorb a lot of the vibration.
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None of the mounts that come with the action cams I've used are really any good for bike use. They're either an awkward fit, oversized, or cheap and flimsy. I'm still looking for aftermarket mounts to put on my main bikes so I won't need to keep moving mounts from one bike to the other.
For three years I used an Ion Speed Pro, which is very sturdy, cylindrical shaped, with good quality mounts. But over time the run-time per charge has dropped from 2 hours to 1 hour, not long enough for my usual rides. And the main mount finally cracked after 3 years and nearly daily use. Not bad but I wanted to find something lighter with longer run-time.
GoPros and similar knockoffs of the same boxy design are terrible for bike use for routine traffic safety documentation. Decent image quality and features, including image stabilization. But just a huge PITA to actually use for routine traffic safety documentation. I used mine a few times this summer and it's been gathering dust since.
I just got a Drift Ghost X a couple of weeks ago that included a couple of low profile helmet mounts. These seem okay but they're mainly designed for motorcycle helmets. Due to an old neck injury I'm very picky about helmet mounts -- the camera needs to go as far back on the helmet as it can while still capturing what I look at. To do that with the Drift camera I'm using a big wad of blue tack removable gum to stick the mount to the helmet, with a safety lanyard in case the mount fails. So far, so good, after several rides.
Best thing about the Ghost X is the 5-hour battery, with an optional 8-hour battery pack. And it works as claimed. It's lower profile than a GoPro or knockoff box, not quite as low profile as the Ion but close. Not lightweight but seems very sturdy. I'll probably permanently or semi-permanently attach mounts to my helmets, then order a bike mount for the handlebar or stem.
Main problem with all action cams is the lack of standardization in mounts. Unlike still and video cameras, action cams all have proprietary mounts. Most action cameras don't even include the anti-rotation hole that mates with a retractable peg on the mounts, which is ridiculous. That's been a feature on video cameras for decades, but most action cams omitted a crucial feature and rely on friction to keep the camera from creeping around. Only some of the knockoffs of the GoPro have some compatibility, but those are mediocre for routine traffic safety stuff. They're designed for shorter run stunts, or maybe for commuters who don't care about non-aerodynamic boxes.
For three years I used an Ion Speed Pro, which is very sturdy, cylindrical shaped, with good quality mounts. But over time the run-time per charge has dropped from 2 hours to 1 hour, not long enough for my usual rides. And the main mount finally cracked after 3 years and nearly daily use. Not bad but I wanted to find something lighter with longer run-time.
GoPros and similar knockoffs of the same boxy design are terrible for bike use for routine traffic safety documentation. Decent image quality and features, including image stabilization. But just a huge PITA to actually use for routine traffic safety documentation. I used mine a few times this summer and it's been gathering dust since.
I just got a Drift Ghost X a couple of weeks ago that included a couple of low profile helmet mounts. These seem okay but they're mainly designed for motorcycle helmets. Due to an old neck injury I'm very picky about helmet mounts -- the camera needs to go as far back on the helmet as it can while still capturing what I look at. To do that with the Drift camera I'm using a big wad of blue tack removable gum to stick the mount to the helmet, with a safety lanyard in case the mount fails. So far, so good, after several rides.
Best thing about the Ghost X is the 5-hour battery, with an optional 8-hour battery pack. And it works as claimed. It's lower profile than a GoPro or knockoff box, not quite as low profile as the Ion but close. Not lightweight but seems very sturdy. I'll probably permanently or semi-permanently attach mounts to my helmets, then order a bike mount for the handlebar or stem.
Main problem with all action cams is the lack of standardization in mounts. Unlike still and video cameras, action cams all have proprietary mounts. Most action cameras don't even include the anti-rotation hole that mates with a retractable peg on the mounts, which is ridiculous. That's been a feature on video cameras for decades, but most action cams omitted a crucial feature and rely on friction to keep the camera from creeping around. Only some of the knockoffs of the GoPro have some compatibility, but those are mediocre for routine traffic safety stuff. They're designed for shorter run stunts, or maybe for commuters who don't care about non-aerodynamic boxes.
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Helmet.
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#8
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Just bought this one. Should get it tomorrow.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which can take a CatEye and GoPro mount. Mount to the end of the stem so doesn't take any handlebar room
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which can take a CatEye and GoPro mount. Mount to the end of the stem so doesn't take any handlebar room
#9
Cycleway town
I rarely take footage, if I do, the phone is fine. But I haven't recorded anything for... All year, I think.
I have a plastic 22.2mm clamp on a hard phone case, holds it great. Correctly tensioned I can flip it so I'm looking at the screen, or move it round so the camera's pointing out front.
I have a plastic 22.2mm clamp on a hard phone case, holds it great. Correctly tensioned I can flip it so I'm looking at the screen, or move it round so the camera's pointing out front.
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If you're just trying to record to catch naughty drivers, disregard my comments. If you're trying to capture your ride for other reasons:
The most immersive footage is captured with a stabilized chest mount.
If you're only riding the road, an under gps mount, as shown above, can capture some decent footage. Check your shooting angle and get the front tire in there, it helps the footage.
You can also mount a camera to your fork for an alternate view. It's ok if used sparingly.
A helmet mount will let you look around and can be pretty stable if you focus on using your neck, arms and legs to stay as smooth as possible and absorb shock. Better to mount to the side of the helmet near your ear (use a counter weight) than teletubbie style on top of your head. If you are using a full face, a chin mount works well.
A backward facing chase cam can capture some interesting video. Best is a stabilized mounted to a pack, then a helmet mount, then an under saddle mount.
The most immersive footage is captured with a stabilized chest mount.
If you're only riding the road, an under gps mount, as shown above, can capture some decent footage. Check your shooting angle and get the front tire in there, it helps the footage.
You can also mount a camera to your fork for an alternate view. It's ok if used sparingly.
A helmet mount will let you look around and can be pretty stable if you focus on using your neck, arms and legs to stay as smooth as possible and absorb shock. Better to mount to the side of the helmet near your ear (use a counter weight) than teletubbie style on top of your head. If you are using a full face, a chin mount works well.
A backward facing chase cam can capture some interesting video. Best is a stabilized mounted to a pack, then a helmet mount, then an under saddle mount.
#11
Senior Member
I get pretty good footage from my go pro either mounted on my helmet or handle bars. My problem is the audio. It captures every little knock and twist and air swish.
#12
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I have an Apeman A66 camera that I enjoy taping rides with. I have the handlebar mount secured to my aero bars and then use either the enclosed plastic housing to actally put the camera in or the open (unprotected) mount on clear days. In the following video it is in the open mount from my ride about an hour ago. The first stop was to turn on my lights...I forgot, LOL. The noise you hear is the vibration from the camera in the mount. Sure, we have some rough roads around here but there has to be a solution that's better.
I do have a chest mount that eliminates this but it's been about 100 degrees and that holds a lot of heat in the chest area.
Anybodyhave an on bike mount solution that would be helpful? **WARNING** - the rattle is loud, turn down your speakers.
https://youtu.be/UuseO8TDuLc
This video is the camera in the chest mount..better...and as fall approaches I will use it more, plus I like the prespective it gives.
https://youtu.be/v3luDv_O3fA
I do have a chest mount that eliminates this but it's been about 100 degrees and that holds a lot of heat in the chest area.
Anybodyhave an on bike mount solution that would be helpful? **WARNING** - the rattle is loud, turn down your speakers.
https://youtu.be/UuseO8TDuLc
This video is the camera in the chest mount..better...and as fall approaches I will use it more, plus I like the prespective it gives.
https://youtu.be/v3luDv_O3fA
One solution is to invest in a camera with internal stabilization. Another is to purchase a motorize stabilizer accessory.
As you've discovered, the chest mount nets the most stable footage as your body's center mass make a great stabilizer. The con is that you don't get an unobstructed view of the road.
The third and last choice is of course the helmet mount, but it comes with the limitation of twitches and weird movements whenever you turn your head. Good for a few seconds, but annoying after a short while.
p.s. As a final suggestion, you might also try lowering your front tire pressure a few pounds. It won't stop the large jolts, but will help smooth out those minor road vibration. Disable the audio input or delete it in post and insert your own music and/or narration.
#13
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I have a K-Edge Go Big Handlebar Mount 31.8 mm with an aluminum extender that positions the camera a little further forward so that my fingertips don't keep showing up in the videos.
The extender also helps to keep my camera further away from my Garmin Edge 800 so it doesn't interfere with the GPS too much.
The extender also helps to keep my camera further away from my Garmin Edge 800 so it doesn't interfere with the GPS too much.
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Isn't it more difficult to see the display and press the buttons on the camera that way ?
I have pictures of my handlebar but I'm still a junior member and it will take one more post for me to be able to add pictures here.
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My camera doesn't have a bright blinking light on the back and sometimes I thought it was recording when it wasn't so it helps to be able to look at the display or the blinking light on the front.
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My Accessories
Clockwise from left:
Rearview mirror
Garmin Edge 800
Akaso V50 Elite camera
Cateye Rapid 3 headlight
eoGear top-tube bag
The camera case is attached to a K-Edge Go Big Handlebar Mount 31.8 mm with an aluminum extension arm.
The camera is connected by a cable to a RAVPower 6700 in the top-tube bag so I don't have to worry about the battery going dead.
I bought an extra camera case and drilled a hole through it for this cable so the case is no longer waterproof but it's still splash-proof.
Last edited by LJ Seals; 09-30-19 at 11:15 PM. Reason: To provide more info.
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#19
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sometimes, I like the hand-held option. so a quick-release mount is a deal-maker for me. or .. a 2nd camera. or ... both!
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These are far and away my favorite bike mounts: https://www.amazon.com/Rec-mountsTM-.../dp/B00EFUGNWK
Here's a couple of typical videos shot from that perspective:
Dogs in AR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XHQHBU5akQ
https://youtu.be/XqytTW1jbfw
Forward Facing:
https://youtu.be/DS2RmDPIFbk
Here's a couple of typical videos shot from that perspective:
Dogs in AR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XHQHBU5akQ
https://youtu.be/XqytTW1jbfw
Forward Facing:
https://youtu.be/DS2RmDPIFbk
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#21
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These are far and away my favorite bike mounts: https://www.amazon.com/Rec-mountsTM-.../dp/B00EFUGNWK
Here's a couple of typical videos shot from that perspective:
Dogs in AR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XHQHBU5akQ
https://youtu.be/XqytTW1jbfw
Forward Facing: https://youtu.be/8vzCFUhX7uY
https://youtu.be/DS2RmDPIFbk
Here's a couple of typical videos shot from that perspective:
Dogs in AR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XHQHBU5akQ
https://youtu.be/XqytTW1jbfw
Forward Facing: https://youtu.be/8vzCFUhX7uY
https://youtu.be/DS2RmDPIFbk
#23
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With that said, I posted the videos just to give an idea of the perspective from a skewer mounted camera. We can talk dogs in one of the other 200 threads on dogs and bikes.
BB
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#24
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Well. I am a total newbie at action camming ... but what about just globing the camera on the helmet with duct tape like I do with my 'burner" diode lamp ?? works great on the light and it's heavier than a friends action cam he uses on his sailboat. Opinions? ... cuz I wanna try.
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