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Digital Camera Buying Advice (Yes, Again)

Thanks, RJVB.

In looking at tank bag options, accidentally stumbled on this: http://joby.com/gorillapod/slr/

Specifically, look at this: http://joby.com/store/gorillapod/slrzoom

Anyone here have experience with those in any application?

Comments on whether this is worth a try or too stupid for words? :p

Thanks.

Bill

Edit: I probably should start a new post rather than editing this one, but, as it's not been long, I'll toss this url in from a guy who did a fine write-up of the one I'm looking at, mounted on a Honda trail bike!

See http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/product-re ... -zoom.html
 
I have not used that particular tripod, but I have seen it on a number of bikes including Cack. However, every one I've seen on a bike has been zip tied for safety as it does not look like the tripod has the capability to hold tight enough to keep from shifting on a moving, vibrating motorcycle.

I'm still thinking about mounting options myself (that was my thread you referenced a while back) and have pretty much decided on adding a RAM bar mount to the left hand switch screws (need an additional 10mm on each screw) and then one of the double extensions to accept the quick release from the Manfrotto tripod. I'm not brave enough to mount my Canon 20D like TaoSport does, but I'll risk a point and shoot (leaning toward the G9/10/11 from Canon as I want RAW capability).

jdg
 
agree about the tripod securing/ity!

Jdg, do you honestly think you can get quality shots that warrant RAW??

(each to his own, but I can imagine other kinds of pr0n to fill up my disk with :silly:)
 
My experience with that kind of small tripods are that they will tilt exactly at the moment of exposure.
Go get a good heavy Manfrotto tripod for the formal occasions and a grip with a small ballhead attached for the snapshots..

image


Can be placed everywhere, carry 6 or 7 kilos, and wont slip.
And they are Italian... :mrgreen:
 
Bill: Gorilla tripods are an excellent pod for impromptu use in odd places like the railing on the website. I have one which I use with my little Fuji f10 and my Canon G11. They come in various sizes and are very versatile. One staying put on a shaking vibrating bike. I'm not so sure I'd trust my camera to that. Clamp type mount would probably be better for that. I'd recommend a Gorilla highly for all kinds of other applications.
FBC
 
Are you willing to sacrifice a windscreen to 'shove' the lens through, Bill? If so, you could probably construct something like a cage or platform that gets fixed to the screen mounts, like the GPS cradle below (turned 90º of course :silly:)

20090713190221-dfc26f8b.jpg


You'll be using a (compact, luminous) fixed-focal wide-angle lens, I suppose?
 
RJVB said:
Jdg, do you honestly think you can get quality shots that warrant RAW??

Actually, yes I do. I don't take everything from the saddle and carrying the big Canon along slows down the photo taking process. Yes, I get some nice shots, but I often pass up some good stuff(tm) when I just don't want to pull out the Canon from it's bag inside the top box or pannier, put on the "other" lens (never have the one I want mounted at the time), etc. I'd rather spend the time riding. If I'm by myself, then I will take the time to mess with the Canon, but even then, after the fourth or fifth stop it's getting old. If I can find a camera with decent optics, 28mm to something over 300mm equivalent zoom and RAW, I'll be happier.

jdg
 
28-300 in a compact, P&S style camera?! OK, I see why you'd want RAW, though I'm not sure that format has any advantage over plain old jpeg to compensate for errors from the optics. :p

If you do go there, have a look at a product called something like DXO Optics. They have correction/compensation algorithms for a range of cameras and lenses.
 
You may have seen my photo-slide ride report I hichhiked onto rocker 59's at https://www.guzzitech.com/forum/168.html?p=33387#p33387.

In any event, this is just a brief follow-on with respect to the use of the camera and mounting system.

BLUF: The Nikon D3000 worked great.

Used a Ram-Mount with short arm ball holder and tripod base plate. Attached same to the Norge's left bar using the mirror/clutch resevoir mounting holes to attach the RM. Had a remote release, but found it easier just thumbing the
shutter release button set on "continuous." That led to lots more pix than even I posted, but still quite easy to cull. Had ocasional focus or shutter-speed issues, but, given condition, really quite few. Obviously, I stowed DSLR when raining, and checked for lens bug strikes at every stop.

Look at a few of the road pix -- all in url, above, or here: http://tinyurl.com/ATL2SWMO-2010 -- to see the results.

My concerns about stability, i.e., scared feceless that camera would fall off, were groundless. Undoubtedly, the mount transferred some vibration, but most shots were unblurred. Tho I carried an extra and recharged it at night, battery life was extraordinary, permitting a full day of many shots and it never died on me.

I may create some sort of lens protector (beside the UV filter in place now, or just buy several of those and change out at stops, saving cleaning all for the night. Grappa should eat the bug-splatted innards off glass with little trouble. :lol:

So, there you are. I'm pleased.
 
Bill, thanks for the follow up... and I had a look at the pics, nice!

Now that I'm hundreds of $'s invested in a lipstick cam and two small MiniDV recorders, I think I'm going to try one of the HD vid stick cams below, instead of a GoPro... just because. I wonder how a freeze frame will turn out?

All of my photog friends have been recommending a Lumix P&S for this type of work, and as you know, not much need for weather protection out here.

0000-Twenty20-VholdR-Contour-HD-Camera---.jpg
 
The Contour Hd is the camera I've been using for a while now and it's a great little camera but there are a few drawbacks to using it. It uses a cmos camera which gives you a slightly wavy appearance to the video sometimes when you have alot of vibration, but that's not big deal unless you are really picky. Vibrations to the camera can be a problem if you mount it to certain parts of the bike. If the camera vibrates too much it will loose contact with the battery and that shuts the camera off and corrupts the video file that you are taking at the time. I've learned to fix this with a plastic shim to the latch and battery and haven't had a problem with it since then. You can hardwire the camera's power to it but that involves modifying the rear door of the camera to let the car charger usb to pass through it. The only other negative is the sound that the stock microphone pics up or the lack of it. It's really good at picking up massive amounts of wind noise but that's fixable by putting in a external mic jack and a cheap mic from Radio shack or just put music over your video.
The pluses still outweigh the negatives with the Contour for me.
It's light and small
You can use cheap Nokia cellphone batteries
Batteries last 2-3 hours each
True HD camera
Records 8 hours of HD video on a 16gig micro SD card
waterproof housing available for it if you want to go diving with it
You can mount it just about anywhere with a RAM mount

I use the 720 p version of the camera and have tried a friends 1080p new version. The 1080p version has more options for frame rates, up to 60fps if you want slow motion shots, and different aspect ratios, but if you dont have a really fast computer the 1080p video can play back a bit choppy on the computer and its not supported on YouTube yet, they only support up to 720p.
One accessory I'd highly recommend with this camera is a Viewsonic VPD-400
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/vpd400.htm
It allows you to check your camera angle after you've mounted it without carrying a laptop around and it gives you an extra 8gigs of storage for you videos. Its also nice to show the videos to people during a ride or outing.

Some vids from last week

[youtube]RgmD2HXSfoE[/youtube]
 
Moto510 said:
The 1080p version has more options for frame rates, up to 60fps if you want slow motion shots, and different aspect ratios, but if you dont have a really fast computer the 1080p video can play back a bit choppy on the computer and its not supported on YouTube yet, they only support up to 720p.

Not quite correct as I have posted several videos with 1080p options - like this one...
[youtube]Qwcgp-yLiBk[/youtube]
 
Nice. Thanks JD, I haven't been on that road in quite some time. How far up the Ridge Route do they let you go? I got to ride it a few times before they closed it due to the slide.

BTW, did you get your bike straightened out? Where have you been?
 
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