car-mount technique and tips?

[Eugene Presley]

So I got a car mount from Filmtools.

This one : http://www.filmtools.com/filmedweigca.html


It has 3 vacuum cups, heavy stainless rods etc.

I've mounted a Canon XH A1 onto the trunk of a car. Speeding around 100 km/h. Got disappointing results : lots of harmonic vibration...

Is there a particular technique for mounting this car-mount? Should the vacuum cups be as far spread out as possible?
Any hints...?

[Kent Frost]

The only time I've ever rigged my camera to my car was when I used a Bogen video head with one of these:

http://www.videogear.co.uk/images/up...superclamp.gif

I clamped it to the door and drove around. This is what I got:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...ideoID=2244658

The specific vehicle you use will also have an effect on the results. When I shot this, I was driving a '91 VW Jetta, and it was very smooth. Now I drive a Ford Ranger 4x4, and there's virtually no smoothness to it whatsoever.

[Bob Hart]

I can't remember if I posted this previously but here it is - two cannabalised West Coast truck mirror frames and some extra tube, halves cut out from automotive drive shafts and angle iron.

Fits into car window frame either inside or out. Should not be overtightened of the door gets bent out of shape. Lanyard is tied so that if it works loose i does not hit the road.

http://www.dvinfo.net/media/hart/Wes...20%20Mount.JPG

[Arnt Mollan]

Hi Eugene
I am using a similar homemade system for my "roadmovies". I can post a picture of the setup if you are interested. It do not have so many joints. I have driven hundreds of miles with this system attached. Outside, on the side, inside the car, it have never failed. I try to avoid the hood to support the rig, because the hood tends to vibrate. Big surfaces of thin metal, and sometimes loose hinges makes the rig vibrate. And you do not make it easier at 100km/t. I never drive that fast, if I need, I speed it up in post. If you hold your hand out of the window in 100 km/t, you know what battle the camera and rig must fight.
I try to hold the speed at 50 - 60 km/t.
I usually attach the rig with two cups on the upper part of the front window, an one on the roof. As near to a profile in the roof as possible. And if I have to mount it on the hood, I make sure the hinges and lock have no slack, and mount it as close to corners or profiles as possible.
If I had to drive that fast, I would make an aerodynamic enclosure. A good model airplane builder can help.
And always secure the rig with a strap.

You can see an example in the video: Eksempel 1 Atlanterhavsveien on this site: http://www.picturenorway.no/index.html

And take care.
Arnt

[Dave Gish]

Originally Posted by Eugene Presley

So I got a car mount from Filmtools.

This one : Ball -Leveling Head / Suction Cup Camera Mount Kit for Cars. BEST SELLER!


It has 3 vacuum cups, heavy stainless rods etc.

I've mounted a Canon XH A1 onto the trunk of a car. Speeding around 100 km/h. Got disappointing results : lots of harmonic vibration...

Is there a particular technique for mounting this car-mount? Should the vacuum cups be as far spread out as possible?
Any hints...?

I've started experimenting with car mounts as well, with the camera mounted both inside and outside the car. Here's what I've learned so far:

1) It seems to work better if the camera is anchored at the top and bottom. The parts to anchor the top of the camera are often sold in a "triangulation kit". The top mounts can attach to the camera shoe using a special adapter. My camera also has a 1/4-20 threaded hole in the handle. Top mounts often use smaller 3/8" rods and mini-grip heads. If you use 3 suction cups for the bottom cheese plate and 2 suction cups for the top mounts, that's 5 cups total.

2) Hoods, trunks, door panels - these often use thin metal, so if the suction cups are close together the footage will shake. It's often best to spread the suction cups out with longer rods to different body parts (roof, fender, door, window, etc.). Also, the edge of a particular car body part tends to be more stable than the middle.

3) The camera should be mounted directly to the cheese plate. A ball-head seems to be asking for problems.

4) For mounting the camera inside the car, you can anchor to whatever is available, for example, the rods under the head-rest, or add a rod down to the floor with a rubber foot or towel to keep from ruining the carpet.

5) It seems good to have a some extra grip hardware on hand - rods, heads, etc.

Again, I've just started learning what works, so please add corrections / omissions.

[Mark Goldberg]

I have been following and researching this topic as well, being a sports car enthusiast as well as videographer. For this type of thing, I use the Canon Vixia HF10 AVCHD camera, which weights just over a pound. I have the Canon wide adapter on it.

I tried the Fat Gecko twin-suction cup mount on the inside of the windshield and found that with my Miata on a country road, it introduces some pretty objectionable vibration.

I think adding a third anchor and possibly some isolation will reduce the vibration and will post again as this progresses.