Bike mounted camera - vibration damping?

[tommcgee]

This is my first attempt at video recording from the bike. The camera is a Canon D10, with the notable feature of being waterproof to 10 meters. It has optical IS, but that isn't quite enough to kill the vibration.

What are the rest of you using for vibration damping?

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[naddy100]

I'm not going to be any help, but I enjoyed the video and music.

I figure you know everything I have to say:

We're all familiar with the use of a steadicam, or things similar. To get even that level of control over the picture takes a fairly complicated setup -- certainly complicated in relation to riding a bike.

Down the scale is a helmet-cam. A helmet-cam uses the rider to disconnect the lens from the shaking bike. I haven't seen any really high quality video out of a pencil-style camera. It probably exists. I haven't seen it.

There's no real substitute for having Claudio (Long Way etc) follow me around. :)

Noel

[pffog]

No matter what mount you use on a bike there will be some RPM that will cause a resonant vibration.

Helmet mount helps a lot, our bodies are pretty good at dampening.

There is a video with a lipstick lens on the helmet for most of the footage.

It is from a Samsung sc-x300L


http://www.easy-clan.com/europe2007/VIDEOS/Saving%20grace2.wmv

[GrafikFeat]

Only thing wrong w/ that video is having the real sound and the music mixed.
We all know what wind sounds like.

Visually? IMHO it's fine.
The choice of music would've been different but that wasn't the question! ;)

[rmarkr]

Tom
All I can offer is that velcro is effective at dampening the vibes. I have no idea what size/shape/weight your camera is, and whether you can use it for mounting.
I think the vibes are reducing the quality of you movie.

[tommcgee]

Only thing wrong w/ that video is having the real sound and the music mixed.

Oh, I agree. This was my first quick and dirty on-bike video and my first attempt with iMovie just to see what was involved in getting a final product.

I'm an audio guy first, very familiar with digital audio workstations, and was at a loss when it came to the audio component of iMovie. (Gotta watch those tutorials...)

As I type this, it occurs to me that I can use Wavelab (my preferred 2 track editor) to assemble a better result. All of these years, I've simply ignored the video component of any audio software I own.

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS!

BTW, the soundtrack you hated was Sonny Landreth's "Rider" :D:groovy

[tourunigo]

Tom, my only attempt to use the video on the bike was a few years ago on the /5. I mounted the camera on a tall tank bag and used a foam base under the camera. Held it down with two flat soft rubber bungees. Tucked behind the Vetter Barn Door it had little wind noise and picked up that lovely airhead sound. And just to have an interesting experience I tried, for a little bit, riding by using the viewer screen :jawdrop


You should get some good video at Salty Fog! - Bob

[Munchy]

FWIW there are apparently some softward based solutions that are designed to address vibration in video, by comparing the successive shots, measuring movement and applying some type of compensation for it. Deshaker and VirtualDub are a couple I've only found from googling, haven't had a chance to try them. I wish I could give you more but take a few stabs at googling "vibration, video" and "stabilization software, video" and you might have some luck. Or give Deshaker and VirtualDub a try. Let us know whatcha find out.

Some cameras also have image stabiliztion built in. I have a 2004 vintage Sony Handycam that has Sony's "steadycam" which is certainly even better in the 2009 vintage cameras.

I just bought a GoPro Hero 5mp that I'm going to mount before I head out on a ride to Moab, Monument Valley and SW Colorado and vibration is something I'm a bit worried about, too. If I find sumpin' that works, I'll post it up here. I'm thinking that if you wedge some stiff foam around a mount, it might help. We'll see.

[tommcgee]

FWIW there are apparently some softward based solutions that are designed to address vibration in video

Yes, that's true. There are various plug-ins depending on what software you use. The camera I used has image stabilization and I also ran it through iMovie '09's stabilization process.

I have to assume the camera process works, and I know the iMovie process works since I could see before and after images.

[aerialfilm1]

Don't waste your money with steady whatever gadgets or image stabilization cameras or lenses. They are for shakey hands. Shake and vibration are completely different animals.

You need to isolate the camera from the vibration. Foam is your best bet for what you're trying to do. Just don't compress the foam til it loses it's elasticity. Use foam and velcro and tie a lanyard to your camera for safety.

Then look at your platform. Is your bike set up correctly or on worn out suspension? Are the roads you're on just sucky?

Video still ugly? Go wider. If your lens is zoomed in even slightly the vibes are more noticeable. Pull wide or get an wide adapter lens if your p/s has the means.

good luck

[tommcgee]

Don't waste your money with steady whatever gadgets or image stabilization cameras or lenses. They are for shakey hands. Shake and vibration are completely different animals.

You need to isolate the camera from the vibration. Foam is your best bet for what you're trying to do. Just don't compress the foam til it loses it's elasticity. Use foam and velcro and tie a lanyard to your camera for safety.

Then look at your platform. Is your bike set up correctly or on worn out suspension? Are the roads you're on just sucky?

Video still ugly? Go wider. If your lens is zoomed in even slightly the vibes are more noticeable. Pull wide or get an wide adapter lens if your p/s has the means.

good luck

Thanks. Bike suspension is excellent. Sucky roads? Well, I do like dirt roads so wouldn't call them sucky. :D

I'll give the foam mounting a try.

[Stokes73]

I rigged a mount under the fairing over the front wheel for an Oregon Scientific video camera. I did use foam to isolate the camera from the frame and it works pretty well. The down side is the field of view is much lower obviously, but much less vibration.

[Munchy]

As promised in an earlier post, I have uploaded my videos from a trip to SW Colorado, So. Utah, and No. Arizona captured with a GoPro Hero 5 MP (not wide) helmet camera, which was mounted to the turn signal stalk of my R1150GS. This seemed to be the best mount for my bike, given very little time to test it all. You can see for yourself what the vibration did to the videos. Really not too bad. The gallery also has a still shot of the mounting. I used the GoPro "handlebar" mount, an extra accessory. Comments welcomed.

http://f-rider.smugmug.com/gallery/8815508_fy2sG#581001422_HYUyx

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[jimshaw]

I mounted a Canon video cam on my clutch master cylinder top using RAM mount components. Frankly, I'd call it pretty much of a failure. Bike is an R1150GS.

I used the medium length RAM extension off the ball mounted to the clutch cylinder top. It vibrates quite a bit - every bump in the road excites a vibration. Even at full wide angle, the results are dizzying. Played back on a projector 100" diagonal, it's sickening.

I tried a free trial version of a program called vReveal, which purports to make stability and other corrections to video, but I'm glad, so far, I didn't pay the $50 for it. I may have gotten the settings wrong, so I won't condemn it, but my first attempt made the results worse. Also, it took 16.6 hours of 100% processor use on my P4/1.6 GHz computer to render about 8 minutes of video.

I think the problem, in my case, is the resonance of the RAM ball/extension, and I'm looking for a cure. Tha camera is hung out there about 4" from the ball, so it's quite a lever arm. I need that length to get the lens out from behind the windscreen (where it get's hit with bugs :( ) Maybe some foam compressed under it, or something will work.

The camera is a Canon ZR950, and it has some digital image stabilization built in.

But, so far, the results are sickening. I haven't given up, especially since I have no other use for the camera.

Ideas, anybody? Maybe I'll take it along on the ride to the MOA/outer banks/RA starting next week, and somebody can give me an idea for a cure.

[Munchy]

I tried the same thing with a RAM mounting on the clutch MC and got the same result. I think it is because of the lever arm effect, as you mentioned. Dampening is the key IMHO although I don't think you are ever going to get smooth rolling video from a motorcycle mount unless it is a real custom foam job. That actually might not be that hard to do. I've thought about mounting on my R1150GS beak with lots of foam or gel or both, to isolate it from the vibes. My little video above is pretty jiggly but that is about as big as it's ever gonna get, so it gets the idea across. Hope you find a solution.

[GrafikFeat]

The wider the view... The less vibration you'll see.

I bolted the HERO cam to my hack also w/ a RAM.

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[jimshaw]

The wider the view... The less vibration you'll see.

What camera did you use? Looks to me like you had a really good optical image stabilizer.

Jim

[GrafikFeat]

What camera did you use? Looks to me like you had a really good optical image stabilizer.

Jim

I'll go take a picture of it right now... Seriously.

You'll laugh when you see it!
--
15 Minutes Later:

Click on the link ---> Here and choose slide show.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim_popper/sets/72157621232147927/)

~ Jim

[lineman126]

I use a Chasecam mount with a Canon D10 camera. I mounted it to the Roo Bar. You still get a good bit of vibration though.:scratch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KHZo29Amrs

[geoelement]

I have seen those before on websites but I thought it would do a poor job. Once in a while I see these sell for real cheap. Amazing! I may consider the HeroCam the next time I see it on sale. Thanks!:thumb

I'll go take a picture of it right now... Seriously.

You'll laugh when you see it!
--
15 Minutes Later:

Click on the link ---> Here and choose slide show.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim_popper/sets/72157621232147927/)

~ Jim

[LReader]

I use a VIO POV1.5 mounted on a Ram mount clamped to the hoop around the instrument cluster on my '08 R1200GS.

I get a pretty minimal amount of vibration with this setup. I think it is due to the light weight of the camera head and the video cable from the camera to my tank bag where I keep the recorder.

I have tried other cameras on this bike using the same mount, an Oregon Scientific AT18 and a Nikon P6000, the AT18 vibrated like a BSA Goldstar with a flat tire, the Nikon was better, I used it for still shots mostly, the video still had some vibs.

I also use iMovie or Final Cut Pro to apply a stabilization filter.

Here is clip of RAW video footage of a ride up Palomar Mt. Rd. from the POV1.5 camera, the camera records in AVI format, I just converted it to MPEG-4, a format YouTube will upload, no other processing:

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I will post a video using this footage with stabilization processing as soon as I get a chance so you guys to check out.

Here is the ride up Palomar Road, edited with iMovie 8.0 and processed with the image stabilization filter, processing time for stabilization was 11 hours with an 8 core MacPro with 16gb of ram, uploaded as a Quicktime movie, (.mov) format. I removed the audio from the camera and added some music. The audio picks up a lot of wind, I need to make a wind filter out of foam or synthetic fur to wrap around the mike, that should reduce the wind noise and allow better audio pickup.

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Here are some photos of the camera system mounted on the scooter:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3581/3817456295_0a05e23eda.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3818264302_e26da8bac3.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/3818264978_b0cb560da4.jpg

Note the video cable from the camera to the tank bag, that helps reduce vibrations, near the clutch master cylinder is the wireless remote to control the camera.

[GrafikFeat]

BTW, the soundtrack you hated was Sonny Landreth's "Rider" :D

Who hated it? Moi? All I said was I'd have chosen something else.

Like beer, it's subjective. But in the end we all pi$$ and moan... :laugh

[tommcgee]

Who hated it? Moi? All I said was I'd have chosen something else.

Like beer, it's subjective. But in the end we all pi$$ and moan... :laugh

Grousing is fun.

[GrafikFeat]

Tasty Too!

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:laugh

[Munchy]

I will post a video using this footage with stabilization processing as soon as I get a chance so you guys to check out.

How 'bout a still shot of the setup you use. That is one of the most stable videos I've seen without stabilization from the camera. :thumb

But the price of the VIO 1.5 is pretty steep !!

[amiles]

The video's shown here are to my eye very good. I think that some vibration enhances the video, making it more realistic. Perhaps perfection is not what it's cracked up to be. (within reason, that is)

[Munchy]

The video's shown here are to my eye very good. I think that some vibration enhances the video, making it more realistic. Perhaps perfection is not what it's cracked up to be. (within reason, that is)

These are, IMHO, some of the most stable vids I've seen from a motorcycle, especially a GS. Of course there are many variables, not the least of which is road surface. You have some damned nice roads out there in Calif. if they are all like that one (does that have anything to do with Calif. budget crisis? :violin Just kiddin').

And LReader's edit to point out that running it through stabilization software on an 8 core MacPro points out that there is a lot of time, money and effort that can go into these videos and equipment, just for a little bike video. I tried that on my computer and gave up after a while cuz it was taking too long and I needed the computer back :dunno

But those are nice steady shots. Guess I'll stick with my cheap GoPro Hero and vintage computer but might try to mess with the mount some. I think some foam rubber and duct tape will go a long way towards smoothing my videos out. :brad

[perniculous]

A cheap solution would take a little work. Think sandwich.

The top bread needs to connect to the camera. Like thin piece of plastic or aluminum with the 1/4-20 stud sticking out of it. If you make the stud long enough, you can put a nut on first, then the camera. Aim camera then tighten nut up against camera.

{contact adhesive}

The meat of the sandwich should be a foam of similar density to your car door gasket trim. Like carpet padding firm. Low fat and low cal but the carcinogens will get ya.

{contact adhesive}

The bottom bread needs to connect to the mount. Same thought as the upper piece.

BTW I have a Flip Video cam that works pretty well.

[LReader]

I believe that the sandwich idea may lead to more shaking not less.

How about a solid mount like a Ram mount and then attach a piece of medium cord, flexible cable, rubber tube filled with BBs or something like that. one end to the camera mount the other end to another part of the bike. The cable should be heavy enough to put some tension on the mount. The dampener cable should be in a horizontal plane. This would absorb/dampen some of the vibrations, the length could be varied/adjusted in it's attachment point to the bike to correct for harmonics.

Perhaps this in combination with the sandwich idea would provide a stable mount.

If someone tries it let me know how it works.

[GrafikFeat]

Keep it Simple. :whistle

Ram mount on a part of your bike that has minimal vibration(s).
Also, the wider the angle of the lens the less likely you'll see vibrations.

Hero Cam. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWuCvTvybX8)

[tommcgee]

Keep it Simple. :whistle

Ram mount on a part of your bike that has minimal vibration(s).
Also, the wider the angle of the lens the less likely you'll see vibrations.

Hero Cam. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWuCvTvybX8)

+1 on the search for vibration free mounting points.

Since I started this thread, I've learned that the lighter the camera and the shorter the RAM mount arm, the less vibration you're going to see.