17 replies to this topic

[ChazUwe]

Can anyone recommend a good camcordered for use in the VX? Are there any particular types that are better suited to in car work? I know nothing about the different types so any guidence or links to websites with good info would be much appreciated edit: I guess they aren't really called Video Camcorders any more.... Showing my age there :S

Edited by ChazUwe, 04 June 2007 - 09:41 PM.

[snoopstah]

Can anyone recommend a good camcordered for use in the VX? Are there any particular types that are better suited to in car work?

I know nothing about the different types so any guidence or links to websites with good info would be much appreciated

edit: I guess they aren't really called Video Camcorders any more.... Showing my age there :S

Depends what you want it for - if you're just planning on recording video in the car (rather than using it as a general-purpose camcorder that's occasionally in the car) you might do better with an Archos-type recorder combined with a bullet-cam.

The bullet-cams are significantly smaller and lighter than even the smallest camcorders, which gives you a lot more flexibility in mounting it - they're generally light enough that you can even mount them outside the car with just a bit of tape, and run the cable through the top of the window.

[VIX]

Chaz,

Don't know anything about this myself and this is not a recommendation. Got talking to David Smitheram, proprietor (according to his card) of Fast Films at the Castle Combe charity day. They had some good kit on display including bullet cams and various solid state and camera recording gear and multi-camera set ups. Didn't seem outrageously expensive. He was very approachable and happy to chat to me and the Mrs without any hard sell. We didn't buy anything!

There's some stuff in their shop at http://fastfilms.co....stallations.htm and if they didn't have what you want then I am sure he'd be happy to discuss your requirements.

Another favourite on here seems to be the Archos recorders - IIRC there's been some recent posts.

Steve

Edited by VIX, 04 June 2007 - 10:10 PM.

[Guy182]

ahhh fishy dave of fastfilms got my bullet cam setup from him. top guy! i have a suction mount but as the VX body is fibreglass.. it doesnt stick too well.. best on the glass really

Edited by Guy182, 04 June 2007 - 10:33 PM.

[Silverback]

I have one of these

Hague camera mounts

A bit pricey, very good piece of kit and used extensively when I had my Impreza...yet to be used with the VX (bullet cams weren't readily available/cheap when I bought it).

[snoopstah]

I have one of these

Hague camera mounts

A bit pricey, very good piece of kit and used extensively when I had my Impreza...yet to be used with the VX (bullet cams weren't readily available/cheap when I bought it).

I have a Hague as well, but it's a right pain finding somewhere inside the VX to stick it - you're pretty much limited to the passenger side window, as the windscreen is too sloped to get the camera at a good angle, and if you stick it to the rear window it's either too high up or upside down!

Works fine outside the car, but it scares the wotsits off me to hang my DSLR+lens off it and drive around - although it's designed to allow that, and I have done it a few times. Wouldn't like to do it on track though!

[jasvxt]

Does the job, and cheap as chips :-

http://www.7dayshop....oducts_id=99648

[dw1]

This thread has inspired me as I'd been thinking about getting some kind of camera. So I've just taken the plunge and bought one of these from ebay.
http://www2.oregonsc...cid=77&pid=709#
Not expecting great things of it but hoping it will be alright in terms of quality. Seems to tick all the boxes for what I want, especially in terms of convenience.

[ChazUwe]

Thanks for the replies guys, now I really can't decide what to get. Do I go out and out and buy a bullet cam purely for track days. Or do I just buy a decentish £300 camcorder and use a mount. Anymore advice, recommendations appreciated

[dw1]

Forgot to say, mine cost £70 including postage from US. I'll need to buy a very high speed SD card, probably about £20. Once I get it I'll do some tests and let you know how I get on. I just like the way it has no wires and it's quick and practical ease of use, the trade off is the medium quality though. I've bought it for track use to understand my lines etc but I'm sure I'll take it skiing with me.

[Lps]

DeJa Vu

p.s. read Speedy's comments!

[TangoAlpha]

I bought one of these. Works very well for both my Canon still camera and also my bullet cam.

[ChazUwe]

Anyone heard of these guys before.I quite like the look of track pack 2?

http://www.motorspor...ex.php?cPath=30

[snoopstah]

Looks good but quite expensive - the Archos AV404 is quite old and probably only worth about 200 quid, and I wouldn't have necessarily thought the rest was worth an extra 180 quid. But it might be easier than trying to buy all the bits seperately.

[dw1]

Just got delivery of my camera, very quick! So thought I'd review it briefly.
http://www2.oregonsc...cid=77&pid=709#

Light weight, you could strap it to your helmet without it being a problem.
It's very easy to use, I had it working in under a minute.
The picture quality is reasonable, very important you need to get a fast 2GB SD card (found one on ebay for £9.99 with 150x speed) and I think this is what makes the biggest difference to picture quality. The sample videos shown on the manufacturers website are accurate to what I got in reality. Obviously its not TV quality or as good as a proper bullet cam rigged up to an archos etc. But as a quick and convenient way of catching your track action, without any need for cables or other equipment then its just the job - can also work as a supplement to your bullet cam.

I'm just off to find out good places to stick it, now where's the gaffer tape...

[snoopstah]

You won't need a fast SD card for it, looking at the manual even at max quality you get 60 minutes on a 2GB SD card. Even the worst SD cards will have data transfer rates that'll blitz that - you'd have to find an SD card that took longer than 60 minutes to fill up to actually have a problem. Looking forward to seeing some shots from it (preferably not with your speedo in view! ). Does it have the ability to plug an external camera into it (so you can use it to record from a bullet-cam?)

[ChazUwe]

Thanks for all your help guys, decided that I would stick with the camcorder and mount kit rather than bullet cams etc (as I would like to utilize it for other uses too). So ended up getting a more expensive HD camcorder and invested in one of the SM1 suction mounts available from Hague. The mount really is a work of art and exudes quality all round. Haven't had a chance to record anything yet. Taking the VX to Europe shortly so hopefully get some decent alpine pass action

Link again to Hague site, brilliant service also

http://www.b-hague.c...cuum_mounts.htm

Thanks again for all the advice

[andyr]

Does the job, and cheap as chips :-

http://www.7dayshop....oducts_id=99648

Thats a bit rough jas - you gonna put a camcorder on that!