Video Camera recommendations

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Does anyone have a recommendation for a Go Pro or other camera to mount on my FJR? I currently have a Review XP C300 Action Camera. It works well, and was inexpensive, but I am not happy with the image stabilizer. I do not want to mount the camera on my helmet, and prefer to mount it on the nose of my bike. I have some videos from trips to Europe, Las Vegas, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota but I feel the videos look like you can see every little bump in the road. Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
If money isn't the issue, it is hard to beat the GoPro Hero 5 or Hero 7. Lots of mounting methods available and between the camera stabilizer and your chosen NLE with post stabilization you should gets very nice results.

 
GP Hero 5 session is the only one I've tried. It's got good stabilization but can't get it all. I got some decent video from my first version of the bike mount with the bike loaded heavy and two up. When I tried it solo, and likely at higher revs, the mount picked up a resonation/vibration that ruined the stuff. The editing software took out some of the shake to save a little. I'm working with the second version now and I'm sure there are better places to mount the camera as far as vibration goes. I think more effort needs to be put in mounts. Hey Garauld?!?!

First version

31776254557_0fbc9cc7f4_b.jpg


v2

45993033574_cc572e4537_b.jpg


Samples of variations in 1080 (since it's a cold rainy day):

https://vimeo.com/255579767

https://vimeo.com/310997173

https://vimeo.com/256817886

 
Last edited by a moderator:
1911 brings up a good point that we all face soon as we strap a camera on a bike, the vibrations! Nice videos by the way.

Anytime a hard mount is placed to the frame or hard part connected to the frame we are going to pickup engine vibrations. In camera stabilization or stabilization applied during post production doesn't do well to eliminate the annoying mini vibrations the camera will pickup from hard mounting. Camera optical stabilization and post NLE stabilization works well to eliminate the road roughness and wind whip. Although helmet mounts aren't the best in my opinion, our body does well to insulate from engine vibrations. Some bikes, on some places of the plastic fairing does well to reduce engine vibration, but it's a matter of finding the plastic that is soft mounted and has a place for a stick-on or suction mount. Using rubber grommets (like 1911 v2 mount) or springs can help. Some bikes just like to transfer vibration more than others.

Then there is the location to mount that provides the perspective that we like to provide a view we find pleasing. Tank mounts that show the instrument cluster and shoot through the wind screen on some bikes looks pretty good and others it just doesn't work out. A lot of things to consider both video wise and safety wise. For post production stabilization there are some tools available to help and of course it depends on the NLE being used, or finding a plugin, or using a stand alone application. ProDad offers Mercalli 4+ in both a plugin for popular NLE's, as well as, a stand alone version. Vegas Pro 16 has a pretty good built in stabilizer FX and there are plug-ins available such as Happy Otter Tools. DaVinci Resolve 15 has an excellent stabilization and is available in full studio version or a public beta that is free. And there are many more, some are excellent and others are just barely OK.

 
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