Good potential Track Camera?

[Miatamaniac92]

Woot! or actually http://www.woot.com/ Today has a small camcorder for $120.

Rat not included I'm guessing.
For the click lazy:
Warranty: 90 Day Woot Limited Warranty
Features:

• 1/6” CCD optical sensor with 30x optical zoom and 800x digital zoom
• 2.4” vertical sliding LCD monitor an be freely positioned over a wide vertical range so you can view from many different angles
• 3-Dimension Noise Reduction (3D NR) reduces video noise by 30% in low light for a 2dB improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio for bright pictures in low light
• Can be used as a web camera with the IEEE 1394 (Firewire) port
• Records in 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio
• Super high band processor records to MiniDV tape
• On screen display supports English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese lanugage

Sadly, I don't see any mention of anti-shake. I'm borrowing my sister's camcorder for the foreseeable future so I'll pass.

Chris

[MadMerv]

Wow! Might be fun in the grill............

[channelmaniac]

Wow! Might be fun in the grill............

Why would you grill that poor dog?

[prontophil]

Check out this link:

http://www.miatamania.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=67660&utm_source=mi ata112&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Emailer

The Motorsports HERO is a waterproof mini wireless digital video camera for motorsports. Its quick-release design simplifies mounting the camera to your car, motorcycle, helmet, etc. Developed at the track, the Motorsports HERO shoots TV resolution 30 fps video with sound tuned to capture the grunt, squeal, and excitement of driving at the limit. Records 5 minutes of video to a 2GB SD card (not included). 2 AAA batteries included. Roll bar mount fits tubes from 1.4" to 2.5".
• Sensor: 3 Megapixel (2048x1536)
• Lens: Glass f2.8
• Exposure: Auto
• Internal Memory: 16MB, expandable to 2GB SD card
• Video: 513x384 (56 minutes on 2GB SD)
• Self Timer: 10s
• PC Connector: USB/RCA cable included
• Power: 2 AAA batteries included
• Operating System: WIN ME/2000/XP/VISTA and Mac OS 9.1/10.2 and later

[Miatamaniac92]

Anyone have any TCB roll bar mount ideas that don't involve duck tape or jb weld?

Chris

[altiain]

Check out this link:

http://www.miatamania.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=67660&utm_source=mi ata112&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Emailer

The Motorsports HERO is a waterproof mini wireless digital video camera for motorsports. Its quick-release design simplifies mounting the camera to your car, motorcycle, helmet, etc. Developed at the track, the Motorsports HERO shoots TV resolution 30 fps video with sound tuned to capture the grunt, squeal, and excitement of driving at the limit. Records 5 minutes of video to a 2GB SD card (not included). 2 AAA batteries included. Roll bar mount fits tubes from 1.4" to 2.5".
• Sensor: 3 Megapixel (2048x1536)
• Lens: Glass f2.8
• Exposure: Auto
• Internal Memory: 16MB, expandable to 2GB SD card
• Video: 513x384 (56 minutes on 2GB SD)
• Self Timer: 10s
• PC Connector: USB/RCA cable included
• Power: 2 AAA batteries included
• Operating System: WIN ME/2000/XP/VISTA and Mac OS 9.1/10.2 and later

This is the option I would go with. These cameras are bulletproof! This is the camera mentioned in this thread from Texas World Speedway.

[jrj512]

I have a Hero that I got from Santa. I like it, but it tends to get a little finicky on occasion. I think it might be the heat getting to the batteries, so I am going to buy a new set. For the most part, I like it.

[johnwag]

I run THIS camera at the track on an I/O Port roll bar mount. It's great and very clear.

[MadMerv]

I was at TWS this past weekend, and there must have been twenty cars that had the HERO. Very tiny, in a waterproof enclosure, simple to use, and pretty decent video on playback. Unfortunately the sound is terrible!

[2K Miata]

I had the io-port mount originally and replaced it with this camera mount from Bogen (they make the swivel on the io-port mount)

BOGEN Super Clamp
Price: $54.95 (+$6.85 shipping) B&H is a great on-line vendor

This can be installed and removed in seconds (great if you want to share a camera between runs), its rock steady and can be used on any diameter of tube or square edge. You can use it as a camera mount for on virtually any thing. I've been using it for the past eight months and, for me, its a better solution than the io-port setup.

Here is a pic of it mounted (shot thru the windshield)



I also looked at many inexpensive camcorders which have a audio input to get good sound using an external microphone but there aren't many out there to choose from. I found the Canon ZR800 had the audio in, its DV and when shooting in the HD format it covers most of the field of view of the windshield so a wide angle lens is not needed. With an inexpensive stereo microphone stuffed down in between the seat and and center console you get great sound.

[Keifersmith]

I just recently got into autocrossing with my '91 miata. I'd like to mount my digital 8mm camcorder to get some video but don't have a roll bar to mount it (yet). anyone know of an easy, relatively inexpensive way to mount it in the car?