Video: Making Adjustments

I haven't ridden as much as I would like the past few months but I have been thinking about making it easier to video the ride.  New camera?  Not in the budget just yet however I can do something about the mounts.

I like the results but I'm not all that happy about how long it takes to get it setup.  Part of this is the price you pay when you use cheap cameras that have unconventional mounting options.  Every since I got my mini dvs, I've been looking for easy ways to attach them to the bike.  I've done several things, most of them on this blog.  Using the mic mounts has been a success until I lost one of the shock mounts recently.  I have no idea when it happened but it's gone.  Be sure to check that the bolts are tight before you ride!

I was thinking about that this morning when I saw the remnants of the tripod adapter I used for my "high" mount.  The bolts kept coming detached so I all I had was an L-shaped thing with plenty of gorilla tape on it.  In addition,  the latch on the waterproof case I bought for the D001 broke and a replacement now costs as much as I payed for the camera.  I didn't like it that much because you have to open and close the case just to turn the camera on and off.  There's no way to do it while the camera is snug inside.

I needed a reliable solution.  I started thinking about the different mounts that came with the MD80/D001 camera: a magnetic one and one with slots so you can attach it anywhere.  I've tried with the slotted one with no success.  It was the same problem with the glue, nut, and plastic; it just wouldn't hold.  This time I looked to the magnetic stand mount.

MD80/D001 Tripod Adapter:  A couple of months ago, I made a hole in the bottom of my monopod to fit the adapter for the super clamp into the bottom of it and thought I should be able to do the same thing with the magnetic stand for the MD80.  I got the stand thinking I'd just put a hole between the magnets.  Instead, I decided to take the magnets out to see what was behind them.

Bottom of magnetic mount with the cover and magnets removed.

The hole below the pedestal is just big enough.  I thought it could hold the nut but I didn't have any more the right size.  I did have a tripod adapter screw though.  It came with the tripod head I use with my monopod.  I decided I'd thread the hole with my 3/8" tap.

Handle not shown.

With the hole threaded the adapter went in easily.

3/8 to 1/4 Tripod screw adapter.

Adapter partially in to newly tapped hole.

I used the tripod to get the screw all the way into the hole.

Because I plan to use it on the bike, I removed the screw adapter and put super glue on the threads then re inserted it.  I didn't like the exposed look of the bottom so I cut the back plate, put a hole in it large enough to expose the adapter, then put a piece of black tape on it.

Now it's ready for use on the high mount (or any tripod).  The problem now is the high mount isn't ready for it.  Not just because I stole the tripod adapter from the tripod head but also because the monopod mounted to the passenger peg seemed a little too bouncy.

The High Mount:  Works but...it seems like there's a lot of flex in it.  I thought I had a great solution:  super clamp + a different monopod.

Super Clamp with different monopod.

On the bike

There's so much fail there, I don't know where to begin!  The new monopod was too light so it would not be still.  I could never get the angle right once I put the heavy tripod head on it.  The cam would never stay aimed where I wanted due to the wind or the vibrations or... Did I mention the failure of the D001 case or who the hell knows?  I won't give up.  I know it can be done because I've seen it.

I know it's not a chase car with somebody strapped to the hood.  It can't be a helicopter with someone hanging from the rail thingies.  Is it as simple as a tripod?

I could be wrong about this one.  See youtube.

A couple of months ago, I stumbled on a site that had diy automotive photography rigs for those that like to get pics of the car while moving.  I saw this:

Pic posted by killingspree in this thread.

I have no desire to do this style of photograpy/video but the parts they used really caught my attention.  They are using a long pole, a couple of heavy duty suction cups, a couple of super clamps, a magic arm with their dslr cameras to take the pics then editing out the "rigs" to create shots like this:

Instead of low, I want high.  That can be done with the same setup:

There are a couple of motorcycle shots in that thread but it's nearly 500 pages long now!  Too long to go through it to find a one or two shots.  Cars will have to do.

I have no photoshop skillz and very little patience with those types of programs to develop any.  These rigs and the resulting shots have inspired me though and now I think I have a solution to have different angles with the high mount.

I bought some sticky pods and have a magic arm on the way.  I'm determined to progress beyond my first attempts last year (?) to get something great to add to my boring rides.  Once I get my setup right maybe then I can consider upgrading my cameras.

Thanks for reading,
patrice, theWolfTamer

Maybe one of these days I'll have a video from this kind of spot.