Track Cameras - Real World opinions

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 2:22 pm

Hey deviant .... sorry mods , off topic..... what is the passenger seat you have there?

koop21 · Postby **koop21** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 2:46 pm

mazmad wrote:Hey deviant .... sorry mods , off topic..... what is the passenger seat you have there?

Looks to be a Kirkey Seat (Link)

As for the Sony Action cam, I have one but yet to test it during Motorsport application (need me some camera mounts). The wireless connectivity feature is really handy for remote recording / viewing the camera position, it doesn't offer any other besides that. The quality images has that trade mark Sony colour so they are not complete true, but they do make things more Vivid and lively. The action cam case isn't the greatest because condensation will occur when recording in it, so you will need to buy another cover face to allow more air in the case or purchase a condensation pack that Sony sells to keep condensation build up at bay.

deviant · Postby **deviant** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:44 pm

tiki wrote:Spot metering should fix it.

""I did a trackday on the weekend and tried to film it. I set the camera to sunlight but it looks like it was trying to compensate for being under a dark roof so the image got blown out:""

How does one do such a thing?

mazmad wrote:Hey deviant .... sorry mods , off topic..... what is the passenger seat you have there?

Ultrashield Spec Miata. Go Gear here in Perth sell their range of seats...very comfortable and easy to mount.

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:30 pm

So what is the verdict on the GoPro 3?

Looking at a second camera and not 100% happy with the sharpness and light compensation of the Radcam HD20. although not convinced there is a better all round package.

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:55 pm

mazmad wrote:So what is the verdict on the GoPro 3?

Looking at a second camera and not 100% happy with the sharpness and light compensation of the Radcam HD20. although not convinced there is a better all round package.

Video: Good quality in day, complete rubbish at night. Can be adjusted slightly in the GoPro Cineform program you can get off their website, adjusts contrast, sharpness, colour etc. Straight off camera it looks a little flat, the video I've embedded is before any video editing, just addition of the speed/time overlay.
Audio: Good in cabin with skeleton door on, better if your car is loud. No good with the skeleton door on if it's anywhere windy, sealed door is better but muffles it quite a lot.

Relatively simple to use, cycle through menu options with one button, select with another, and you can also pair it with a smartphone using built-in wifi on the camera to get a ~3sec delayed 'live' view of what the camera is seeing, to help you get the angle you want.

Shot at Lakeside last week:

Sparra · Postby **Sparra** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:04 pm

Does not like ANY moisture, condensation or otherwise. Mine fritzed itself on the way into Cooktown, on a bike (BMWR1200RT), with a build up of condensation in a sealed plastic bag. It wasn't in the waterproof cage due to needing to keep it externally powered.

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:16 pm

Doesn't sound good Sparra. So what about picture quality?

Looks a bit flat, colours muted, in yours trackphotos, but maybe was just a grey dull day.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:20 pm

Hopefully I will get some decent footage from my camera on Saturday and post the footage up. I may also get some with the Countour Plus and replay XD and post the footage. Only issue will be where they are placed as light will have an impact on the quality.

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:33 pm

mazmad wrote:Looks a bit flat, colours muted, in yours trackphotos, but maybe was just a grey dull day.

That would be understating it :p Rain threatened all day, around midday it started raining and didn't stop for hours.

Sunny day at QR looks like this straight off the camera:

Can be made more vivid with CineForm if you particularly wanted to, I think you can also turn on a setting in-camera for it to apply the same effect while recording.

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:27 pm

Cool thanks guys. Looks a little like the footage from the hd replay, very sharp in car but less sharp and a little washed out outside of the car.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:21 pm

This was a test setup of the rear camera (a 3rd gear pull on a road near home, deadend). The speed is in MPH and is the default overlay. The VBOX automatically overlays whilst it records, it can take up 4 x 5 volt inputs as well as RPM or hooked up to an ECU it can take 5 CAN inputs. The other is from the ist lakeside MX5 Car Club in 2013. This is a specific track overlay, with the 2nd (low res) camera pointed out the rear window (attached to the roll bar), the front camera is just below the rear vision mirror. Audio is from an microphone in the cabin (passenger footwell). Position is from GPS.

and1 · Postby **and1** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:48 pm

Thought I'd bring this up instead of starting a new thread...

For the WA boys, Harvey Norman in Osbourne Park have the Contour for $150. They only have 6 left.

I would have bought one but I'm tight on cash and I recently got a mobius cam I'm itching to try out.

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:19 am

Jaycar have a GoPro ripoff for $150. Comes with all the same mounts, helmet, rollbar, bike. Remote, waterproof case (to 3m). Packaging is identical. Also hd. Battery life is decent.

Real test will be in car to see how it copes with the light changes, and the noise. I will give it a to in 2 weeks time.

Ramona · Postby **Ramona** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 6:34 pm

I have a Pentax WG2 camera. They are advertised as an adventure camera and I bought it as an underwater camera, they are good for down to 40 feet. I was amazed at the quality of the photos and particularly the movies. Its a 16 megapixel camera and I use it now almost all the time, takes better movies than my movie camera and better stills than my SLR!
At a track day recently at Marulen I used my movie camera bolted to my roll cage. Pretty good movies but the minimum focal length is a bit long and does not show enough cockpit. Trial fit of the Pentax on the same mount looks perfect.

Not sure if these cameras are sold in Australia, I bought mine from Hong Kong off eBay for about $200. Check out youtube for tests etc. Shock proof and very waterproof.

Hot Rodders · Postby **Hot Rodders** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 9:32 pm

mazmad wrote:Jaycar have a GoPro ripoff for $150. Comes with all the same mounts, helmet, rollbar, bike. Remote, waterproof case (to 3m). Packaging is identical. Also hd. Battery life is decent.

Real test will be in car to see how it copes with the light changes, and the noise. I will give it a to in 2 weeks time.

So Mazmad, how did the camera go.
Still looking and feel Go Pro is overpriced.