Best way to mount GoPro at DVinfo.net

Dan Asseff · April 2nd, 2011, 08:23 PM

I am wanting to mount the go pro on the side of a hot air Balloon basket to get the shot taking off and landing.My go pro should be here on the 6th. I am wanting it to show the ground leaving and touch down. Hope this makes sense? I will be shooting with a Sony NX-5 as my main camera.

Dan

Ian Newland · April 2nd, 2011, 09:07 PM

Hi Dan, A better view would be from somewhere above you head looking down at the basket and capturing the people in it as well as the ground. With the GoPros wide angle that should be easy to do.

The mount will depend on what the construction is of the basket, what is above your head.and what GoPro Package you ordered. (Motorsports, Surf, etc.)

Go to GoPros website and look at the available mounts. GoPro Official Store: Wearable Digital Cameras for Sports

We also have heaps of DIY mount ideas over at GoProUser.freeforums.org

Cheers

Dan Asseff · April 2nd, 2011, 09:43 PM

Thanks Ian,

I don't want me and my photographer in the shot. I am being paid to capture the balloons in action. I am getting the motorsport and a tripod mount adapter. I have a clamp that i use for my monitor with a head on it.
Maybe mounting on the bar over the side to get some of the basket to? Hear is the one i did last year.
YouTube - New Smyrna Beach Balloon Fest 2010

Dan

Ian Newland · April 2nd, 2011, 10:49 PM

Ok, then the vertical bars look like the best place as the balloon is a stable platform anyway, so go with the tripod adapter with tripod head and clamp, will give you most adjustment and allow you to easily rotate the GoPro for a different view. Otherwise mounted low on the exterior basket with part of the basket in the frame would give a pleasing perspective and a visual fixture. Only thing to watch is the basket being in the frame foreground will affect overall exposure. Can be use to advantage.

I would take some cable ties too, might come in handy.

Jim Michael · April 4th, 2011, 05:07 PM

A possible issue will be padding on the tubing that goes up to the burner (e.g. google cameron hot air balloons and take a look at the basket setup). The tubing near the burner won't be padded, but it gets a tad warm there. As a failover I would take a monopod and see if it can be tie-wrapped or bungied to the basket. On landing, it's not unusual for the basket to fall over and get dragged by the wind, so having the camera inside, rather than outside, is probably preferable unless you're OK with sacrificing a lens port. Actually, if it was my balloon I wouldn't want something mounted on the exterior since it might damage the wicker.

Dan Asseff · April 4th, 2011, 08:34 PM

Jim

I thought about the falling over when we land. I have very short monopod about three feet when extended that would work perfect for your idea. I appreciate that idea.

Dan

Matt Sharp · April 5th, 2011, 10:42 AM

I made a mount a while back, at first I was going to go all padded and huge, ended up with a single 3 foot long 1" aluminum square tube that clamped on with U bolts. Capped the ends, added some rubber coating to the parts that would be touching the air frame and put a cheap mini ball head at the end.

I thought about tipping, as the best shot is always in harms way. The pilot said it usually tips to the wider side when it rarely does tip. So I installed the bar facing the skinny side. Needless to say it tipped and fell onto the bar! But I gave it enough extra slack to hit the bar and not the camera. The air frame is pretty flexible so it didn't hurt anything.

Dan Asseff · April 8th, 2011, 08:25 PM

I was at the balloon fest today, and was talking to the balloonist on the mounting. I was wondering if I can use the black plate that the GoPro ships on in the package. I can drill some hole in it and zip tie to the side of the balloon. What do you think?

Dan

Matt Sharp · April 8th, 2011, 08:40 PM

Dan, not to the actual balloon. Maybe to the basket or the upper air frame around the burner.

Dan Asseff · April 9th, 2011, 02:23 AM

LOL yes the basket.

Dan

Wayne Reimer · April 9th, 2011, 09:29 AM

Dan,
There's no reason that wouldn't work just fine. I think I would be inclined to attach some sort of light safety tether to the camera and attach it to a separate mounting point, "just to be sure".
It's HIGHLY unlikely that it would ever detach or come loose, but in hearly 40 years in aviation, I've seen a lot of things that would never fall off in a million years, fall off of an aircraft.
It's not so much the item that detaches itself, it's the poor unsuspecting schmuck on the ground watching the pretty balloons go by that gets hit with it.

Ian Newland · April 9th, 2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Asseff

I was at the balloon fest today, and was talking to the balloonist on the mounting. I was wondering if I can use the black plate that the GoPro ships on in the package. I can drill some hole in it and zip tie to the side of the balloon. What do you think?

Dan

People have used that plate for many DIY uses including as a chest mount with straps.

If you use the longer helmet Quick connector you will have more range of adjustment. (see below)

Dan Asseff · April 9th, 2011, 08:00 PM

Thanks everyone. The Plate worked like a charm. I also mounted it on a home made four blade helicopter. It was a Emory Riddle collage science project. I will try next week to get some pictures and video.

Dan

April 2nd, 2011, 08:23 PM	#1
Dan Asseff Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Port Orange Fl Posts: 317	Best way to mount GoPro I am wanting to mount the go pro on the side of a hot air Balloon basket to get the shot taking off and landing.My go pro should be here on the 6th. I am wanting it to show the ground leaving and touch down. Hope this makes sense? I will be shooting with a Sony NX-5 as my main camera. Dan

April 2nd, 2011, 09:07 PM	#2
Ian Newland Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 319	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Hi Dan, A better view would be from somewhere above you head looking down at the basket and capturing the people in it as well as the ground. With the GoPros wide angle that should be easy to do. The mount will depend on what the construction is of the basket, what is above your head.and what GoPro Package you ordered. (Motorsports, Surf, etc.) Go to GoPros website and look at the available mounts. GoPro Official Store: Wearable Digital Cameras for Sports We also have heaps of DIY mount ideas over at GoProUser.freeforums.org Cheers

April 2nd, 2011, 09:43 PM	#3
Dan Asseff Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Port Orange Fl Posts: 317	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Thanks Ian, I don't want me and my photographer in the shot. I am being paid to capture the balloons in action. I am getting the motorsport and a tripod mount adapter. I have a clamp that i use for my monitor with a head on it. Maybe mounting on the bar over the side to get some of the basket to? Hear is the one i did last year. YouTube - New Smyrna Beach Balloon Fest 2010 Dan

April 2nd, 2011, 10:49 PM	#4
Ian Newland Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 319	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Ok, then the vertical bars look like the best place as the balloon is a stable platform anyway, so go with the tripod adapter with tripod head and clamp, will give you most adjustment and allow you to easily rotate the GoPro for a different view. Otherwise mounted low on the exterior basket with part of the basket in the frame would give a pleasing perspective and a visual fixture. Only thing to watch is the basket being in the frame foreground will affect overall exposure. Can be use to advantage. I would take some cable ties too, might come in handy.

April 4th, 2011, 05:07 PM	#5
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	Re: Best way to mount GoPro A possible issue will be padding on the tubing that goes up to the burner (e.g. google cameron hot air balloons and take a look at the basket setup). The tubing near the burner won't be padded, but it gets a tad warm there. As a failover I would take a monopod and see if it can be tie-wrapped or bungied to the basket. On landing, it's not unusual for the basket to fall over and get dragged by the wind, so having the camera inside, rather than outside, is probably preferable unless you're OK with sacrificing a lens port. Actually, if it was my balloon I wouldn't want something mounted on the exterior since it might damage the wicker.

April 4th, 2011, 08:34 PM	#6
Dan Asseff Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Port Orange Fl Posts: 317	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Jim I thought about the falling over when we land. I have very short monopod about three feet when extended that would work perfect for your idea. I appreciate that idea. Dan

April 5th, 2011, 10:42 AM	#7
Matt Sharp Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 280	Re: Best way to mount GoPro I made a mount a while back, at first I was going to go all padded and huge, ended up with a single 3 foot long 1" aluminum square tube that clamped on with U bolts. Capped the ends, added some rubber coating to the parts that would be touching the air frame and put a cheap mini ball head at the end. I thought about tipping, as the best shot is always in harms way. The pilot said it usually tips to the wider side when it rarely does tip. So I installed the bar facing the skinny side. Needless to say it tipped and fell onto the bar! But I gave it enough extra slack to hit the bar and not the camera. The air frame is pretty flexible so it didn't hurt anything. Attached Thumbnails

April 8th, 2011, 08:25 PM	#8
Dan Asseff Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Port Orange Fl Posts: 317	Re: Best way to mount GoPro I was at the balloon fest today, and was talking to the balloonist on the mounting. I was wondering if I can use the black plate that the GoPro ships on in the package. I can drill some hole in it and zip tie to the side of the balloon. What do you think? Dan

April 8th, 2011, 08:40 PM	#9
Matt Sharp Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 280	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Dan, not to the actual balloon. Maybe to the basket or the upper air frame around the burner.

April 9th, 2011, 02:23 AM	#10
Dan Asseff Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Port Orange Fl Posts: 317	Re: Best way to mount GoPro LOL yes the basket. Dan

April 9th, 2011, 09:29 AM	#11
Wayne Reimer Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Regina, Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 255	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Dan, There's no reason that wouldn't work just fine. I think I would be inclined to attach some sort of light safety tether to the camera and attach it to a separate mounting point, "just to be sure". It's HIGHLY unlikely that it would ever detach or come loose, but in hearly 40 years in aviation, I've seen a lot of things that would never fall off in a million years, fall off of an aircraft. It's not so much the item that detaches itself, it's the poor unsuspecting schmuck on the ground watching the pretty balloons go by that gets hit with it.

April 9th, 2011, 08:00 PM	#13
Dan Asseff Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Port Orange Fl Posts: 317	Re: Best way to mount GoPro Thanks everyone. The Plate worked like a charm. I also mounted it on a home made four blade helicopter. It was a Emory Riddle collage science project. I will try next week to get some pictures and video. Dan