video equipment

[Burley]

So I've never had any video gear (gopro etc.) but thought I'd quit my job and become a full time motovlogger.  How hard can it be right? 😃.  Well maybe not, but I would like to share some of my riding experiences and thoughts with friends and family and of course all of you. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on what they would buy today to get started with motovlogging or just plain filming. With most things I buy, I tend not to go completely rock bottom for price, but also not completely top end.  Always looking for that value-for -money proposition (but since I own a Tracer 900 GT,  that's probably pretty obvious).  I know of the brand Gopro, but that's about it.

Hopefully a video of my (actually pretty stunning) ride to work coming soon.

Burley

[bowlin01]

I started with this camera it is excellent for the price

https://www.7dayshop.com/products/evodx-ultra-hd-4k-sports-and-action-camera-with-remote-30-piece-accessory-kit-limited-bundle-deal-ds-236-ev-013

 

[tojjer]

I have a similar one to that one above, mine is the SJCAM  SJ4000. Works fine, quality is good, goes underwater but battery life is poor and no external mic facility.

I also have a Drift Ghost X. Decent price at £129.99 and shoots good quality video at 1080/30 or even 1080/HDR. Lower res available too.

Drift has 5hr battery, or 8hrs if you buy the extended one. Doesn't stick out very far either.

I don't vlog as such, I just film some things and put them on YT to keep and watch occassionally.

Here's a couple of videos to show the quality.

The one facing me is the SJ4000:  

 

[tojjer]

The lens was dirty at times on the Drift

[whitecrow]

I used to be a die hard GoPro guy but I recently picked up a Rylo 360 and I’m thrilled with it. It’s a 360 degree camera records in all the popular modes 1080,4k, 5.8k etc waterproof and records 360 degrees or only 180 degrees. The magic is in the editing and it’s really very easy to do from your phone or iPad. 

[superfist]

I haven't tried a 360 camera, but it might not fit for some styles of moto vlogging.

 

I'd go with the Hero 7 Black, which I've seen on sale for 330-350 recently.  They dropped price to compete with the DJI Osmo.  I have the Hero 4 silver and Hero 6 Black.  I'll probably get the 8 if they stick to their usual annual release schedule.

 

Audio is actually as important as the image and shot, if you'll be vlogging.  I've seen two good styles.   

 

 * One is to record your adventures and rides, and dub over it in the editing process.  There was a particularly good adventure vlog of a guy who rode to the arctic circle.  A go pro, equivalent or 360 camera would be fine for this.

 - Found it!  Alone to Deadhorse - A Solo Journey on the Dalton Highway

 

The other is the more popular "along for the ride" talking in your helmet style.  I hate the idea of the Go Pro mic adapter, but there's a way around it.  When I had the Hero 4, I got the Sena Bluetooth Backpack for it.  When I got the Hero 6, I found I could run a line from the Bluetooth backpack to an audio recorder (I use a Tascam) and get clean, wind-free sound through the Sena headset.   If you don't use  a Sena communicator, you'll have to find another way since it won't work without it.

Standard audio options would be to run the Go Pro mic adapter with a lavelier mic or a lavalier mic with a separate audio recorder.  There's a post on the motovloger forums of a guy who spliced a sena mic into a 2.5mm jack to get clean sound.

 

If I had to do a brand new setup today as a starter setup, it would be the Hero 7 (or equivalent) with the  Go Pro mic adapter to an in-helmet microphone).  It's the "easiest" and one of the least costly ways to get started.   Add a Sena communicator and the audio backpack with a sound recorder for best audio (I pieced these on over the years).  Sometimes for non-talking, I put the audio recorder under the seat to get amazing exhaust capture without wind noise.  I'm really looking to add a 360 camera to the kit, but that will be when the budget allows.

 

For editing, there are some free options.  But Davinci Resolve is free and professional level powerful.  It's intimidating if you've never worked with a full feature video editing software.

Check out Max Wrist (hate his riding) but he has really good edits and transition effects between a 360 camera and the go pro.  He also does a great job of editing to music.  The key is to find some moto vloggers who have similar styles to what you want to achieve and design your workflow around how you want to tell your stories.

 

 

[hammer]

So I have been looking for a camera for my bike and switches easily over to car dash cam  Choice is good, but sometimes, like now, there are too many choices. GoPro, Halo, Contour and so on and so on...

 Anyone have a lead on any good sites to help pick out a camera for a beginner?

[daboo]

If you're looking to try this out...and want something that easily switches to a car dash cam...I'd try one of the Go Pro clones on eBay.  I just checked, and there are two immediately that I saw for less than $30.

There's a member on the ST-Owners forum that has used one of these with good results.  And at $30, you haven't lost much if you don't like it.

Chris

[tojjer]

Just out of interest, where do you all mount your camera?

 Looking to put it somewhere else other than the side of my helmet. And do you find it vibrates a lot if it's on the bike somewhere?

[daboo]

I have two cameras.  One is the Sena 10C Pro.  It's a helmet mounted camera and Bluetooth headset.  The other is a "dash" camera and is mounted in the front under the cowl opening, and in the rear on the rear fender.  The perspective of each is totally different.  Disregarding the quality difference, take a look at the effect you get.

Sena 10CPro

 

This is the Halocam M1 dash camera.  Note how the lean angle in turns is readily apparent.  There's no image stabilization on this camera.

Rear camera.  Much slower road, but it'll give you an idea.

 

 

[Willie17FJ-09]

don't get the gopro session, its a nice small cube camera. the problem is you can not change the battery so theres no swapping to a fresh battery while your out for the day. When the battery goes bad and won't take a charge, its junk. expensive disposable camera 

 

[chitown]

8 hours ago, Willie17FJ-09 said:

don't get the gopro session, its a nice small cube camera. the problem is you can not change the battery so theres no swapping to a fresh battery while your out for the day. When the battery goes bad and won't take a charge, its junk. expensive disposable camera 

 

Definitely has its limitations but I've been happy with mine owned for five years so wouldn't call it disposable nor junk. Five years of ride videos, underwater stuff, and for me it paid for itself with the memories recorded from the first trip with it in Ireland. A lot less bulk to deal with than my friends that ran elaborate setups.

 But I doubt it's appropriate for vlogging. No option for hard power without compromising the weather resistance, no external mic port but I'm not sure what folks do for audio. I generally just put music on my videos that youtube won't flag for copyright. Can't stand spoken vlogging but that's just me

As to mounting, move mine around a lot. On the helmet for commuting or a borrowed bike. Have done some lower mounting positions but have gone through multiple lens covers due to rock strikes. And, have to remember to clean it of bugs.  

[cspradlin]

On 2/8/2020 at 9:16 AM, chitown said:

no external mic port but I'm not sure what folks do for audio.

The Hero 5 Session works with the USB-C audio adapter.

You know, the one they only made like ten of apparently, since they're about impossible to find, and ridiculously priced if you do.