Video Recording While Riding

[Fleecer]

Be advised, this question is from an old guy with little computer skills.

What would be the best way to video record a ride?

Ideally, I'd like a camera on the front of the sled, one on the rear, one facing the speedo, and one on my helmet recording my field of view.....all recording simultaneously.

What setup would best accomplish this and at what cost?

 

[earthling]

The easiest way would be with a 360 camera. The problem with 360 cameras is that they flatten the action, meaning that curves get distorted so you don't get a sense of the curve, distances get distorted so you don't get a sense of speed. But, they are the easiest method because you basically have a rolling 360 degree view around you and when you edit it, you can pick any viewpoint you want.

By far the most popular option is going to be a gopro hero camera or multiple. They can be mounted on just about anything as they have magentic, suction, bolt on, glue on, clamp on, and many other style of mounts.

You can also get chubby buttons (glove friendly buttons) or gnarpro that you can mount to your bar, so you can easily turn the capture on/off.

The bigger issue and the one most overlooked is how you will edit the video. Video editing is a big job. If you are just capturing for the sake of documenting something (drag race) its pretty straightforward, if however you are doing editorial work (telling a story) that can be a big job.

I wouldn't bother with the speedo, if you can data log it and there are other ways to capture and overlay logged data onto video.

If you don't mind a suggestion, I can introduce you to one of the sled channels that does a lot of video recording. They may not know specifically about racing but Jesse is very helpful and willing to talk about anything snowmobiling.

I also happen to be at a tradeshow this week and I know all the camera companies are here so I will keep my eye out for anything interesting you should know about.

 

[cannondale27]

For me having a Handlebar mounted remote button to start and stop taking Video on GoPro was the single biggest improvement on the GoPro. It cut editing hugely. When I do mine the remote is easily accessed and turned on while riding at speed since its right by the grip.

 

[dmarriner60]

I agree with the remote and it's a little awkward but the chest mount they have gives an awesome view being able to see your point of view as well as the gauges. But with multiple views wanted I was going to suggest getting a few of the cheap session models as that is what I did a few years back when my boys started riding early ages. Got them really cheap then but they have discontinued them which sucks cause I do just what your looking at and control them all with the gopro app. But just looked and you can find those little cubes but they aren't cheap at all now. So if it were me I would get the gopro Max for Helmer mount, it is one camera with front and rear facing lenses to capture you and everything around you like a birds eye view. It looks like pretty dam easy way to capture it all without having to be an editing wizard. That will be my next camera

 

[dmarriner60]

Unless I find a better option at least

 

[REDLINE 1]

I took this with a helmet mounted GoPro I have the remote Bluetooth on off switch mounted on the handle bars for easy activation

 

[Fleecer]

Gents, thanks for chiming in on this.

Now that I'm getting a little more educated, I'm thinking Earthling's route would work. Have 2 cameras, one on the front filming as you reel someone in, switch to the one on the back after you pass and they drift away.

This seems to be how TD does his videos. He also has a gps speedo in the corner of the screen showing speed, which is better than a camera fixated on the speedo.

How does TD do it and what equipment would be required to mimic him/them?

 

[snowdust]

Do you guys find the GoPro batteries work for you in the cold? I went that route, but unless it was pretty mild out the battery would be dead super quick so I stopped using it. I had it mounted on my helmet. This would have been a few models back. I think it was all the way back to the 3 or 4. Maybe they are better now?

 

[biffdotorg]

Here is a good example of Reframing in post production.

All of this footage was captured with a GoPro Max 360 with one camera. All shots were re-framed while doing my post production. In other words, you saw what I wanted you to see in the video. But the camera saw everything. In fact, I could zoom in on my speedo if I had wanted to. But there is no need as the GoPro captures GPS info and I can overlay it on the video.

Yes the cameras do not like cold, but they generate their own heat. So if I keep them rolling, they will actually run longer in the cool . It does mean I am capturing a ton of footage, but I can edit out what I don't want. Yes, I can create a clip pointing up front, and go back, duplicate the clip and re-frame it for the rear shot. All from one 360 clip.

For those with TikTok, here is a clip with overlayed GPS data.

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7064920561180364078

" data-video-id="7064920561180364078" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@biff.org" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@biff.org">@biff.org</a> I overlaid the GPS telemetry to answer a few questions. <a title="minnesotacheck" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/minnesotacheck">#minnesotacheck</a> <a title="snowmobile" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/snowmobile">#snowmobile</a> <a title="yamaha" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/yamaha">#yamaha</a> <a title="apex" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/apex">#apex</a> <a title="polaris" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/polaris">#polaris</a> <a title="arcticcat" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/arcticcat">#arcticcat</a> <a title="skidoo" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/skidoo">#skidoo</a> <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Mark Lawson" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7064920497628252974">♬ original sound - Mark Lawson</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>



<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7063885077293387055

" data-video-id="7063885077293387055" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@biff.org" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@biff.org">@biff.org</a> <a title="minnesotacheck" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/minnesotacheck">#minnesotacheck</a> <a title="snowmobile" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/snowmobile">#snowmobile</a> <a title="yamaha" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/yamaha">#yamaha</a> <a title="arcticcat" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/arcticcat">#arcticcat</a> <a title="skidoo" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/skidoo">#skidoo</a> <a title="polaris" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/polaris">#polaris</a> <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Mark Lawson" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7063885062986566446">♬ original sound - Mark Lawson</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

 

[snowdust]

Wow that is awesome. I didn't know they made one like that. Do you have it mounted on a shaft to your helmet then?

 

[biffdotorg]

Wow that is awesome. I didn't know they made one like that. Do you have it mounted on a shaft to your helmet then?

yes, I use a 4-6" riser that get's blurred out by the camera where it stitches the front and back cameras together. If you notice, you can see the gopro mount on the top of my 509 helmet in the shot, but no stick! And when I turn my head, or go from front to back you can see a blurred line where the cam stitched the front cam to the back cam. All done in camera! Amazing technology.

Check out this clip, you can see the shadow of my camera on the stem when I start heading back with the sun at my back!

 

[snowdust]

Love it. This should be just what Fleecer was looking for with minimal Tech knowledge.

 

[1nc 2000]

Racing organization 's have made a rule of no camera's and such mounted on the helmet.
During crashes they get pushed thru the helmet and cause head injuries.
I would not recommend mounting camera on helmet.
After I found out this information I no longer put a camera on mine.

 

[biffdotorg]

I have also been playing with 100% VR video as well. Since the camera captures 360, it would be fun to share it that way so that folks can change the Point of View as they wish.

The issue with that is setting default views and a player that most can use. So far I have been able to share them on YouTube and within Facebook. And save individual frames in 360.

These next two are YouTube 360. If you can drag your mouse in the video, you can change the PoV. If you can't open it up from within YouTube. It's still new ground for me.

 

[biffdotorg]

Racing organization 's have made a rule of no camera's and such mounted on the helmet.
During crashes they get pushed thru the helmet and cause head injuries.
I would not recommend mounting camera on helmet.
After I found out this information I no longer put a camera on mine.

I do believe there were other reasons for any race organization to ban cameras. Mostly for the fact that they could fall off and become a projectile. But as for being pushed through the helmet, no way. Those cameras are way more fragile than my helmet for sure.

Going through someone's goggles, sure, that's possible. But through the top of my helmet, not a chance. I have bashed these cams around, and they are way more fragile than even my cheapest brain bucket.

A buddy runs tech checks at ISOC events, I should ask him. As cameras are still being used in those events, unless it just changed this season.