Video Camera who uses one?

[Sven Nijs]

A typical K-Edge mount.
They aren't made from plastic which GoPro mounts are. GoPros are known for fracturing/braking mounts which I can testify too.

Maybe it's stating the obvious but isn't the transparent box holding the GoPro made of equally breakable plastic?

[Lukeyboy]

You'd think so but not so much. They are stronger than the plastic mounts but they are designed for protecting the camera from drops/impacts by bouncing or skimming along the surface rather than supporting them. Given the right forces it'll break but they are still pretty strong. When the gopro went flying in the pic I was doing about 35kph. It was unfortunate that it landed on a broken road reflector which pulled back the latch on top which opened the case and sent the actual camera/battery pack sliding across the road but it was only cosmetic damage (none of the glass/lens touched the road surface). Being a photographer I've had the GoPro in some not so smart locations and broken/damaged a range of accessories. The worst incident that's happened since then was with the same GoPro on a mount that fell off a forklift only to go under the rear wheel and get ejected bouncing along the cement ground coming to a stop about 20m away. Only thing it broke was the suction cup mount into three main sections, rubber tire marks on the bottom of the case/lens bubble, shered off the plastic mounts on the bottom, a 5cm crack from where the mount sheered off and alot of scratches along the edges of the case where it skimmed and bounced along the cement. The camera was fine and it recorded the whole incident until it was turned off. I still use it today without any problems haha.

Just after it flicked out from underneath the wheel.


If you've seen the tv show Mythbusters they frequently use the GoPro for remote shots or for when cameras have a high risk at getting damaged.

[Vivifyer]

finally got some extra mounts to use my gopro2 on my bike. Don't think I can be bothered using it every day I commute though...

[am50em]

finally got some extra mounts to use my gopro2 on my bike. Don't think I can be bothered using it every day I commute though...

Excellent video! Loved watching the hands move on the controls and it looks like a great commute.

[GraemeL]

finally got some extra mounts to use my gopro2 on my bike. Don't think I can be bothered using it every day I commute though...

Why don't you want to use it for your commutes? It really doesn't take much to put it on and take it off your bike. If you have it, you might as well use it

[GraemeL]

A typical K-Edge mount.
They aren't made from plastic which GoPro mounts are. GoPros are known for fracturing/braking mounts which I can testify too.

Maybe it's stating the obvious but isn't the transparent box holding the GoPro made of equally breakable plastic?

The case can take a real beating before it gives way and as far as the mounts go, I don't think they fail easily.

Graeme

[AUbicycles]

I was reenforcing my gopro with cable ties, so a more solid mount but I have to cut the cable ties to release the camera. This picture has two, one at the back and front of the mount. For different mount positions a cable tie would go around the whole camera case.



Now I have a k-edge and have done one ride with it and it looks promising. It was pitch black so have to get in a daylight ride to properly see howmuch rolling shutter there is. The k-edge keeps the camera nicely tucked under the handlebars which I prefer.

[Ozkaban]

*** NERD ALERT ***

For those of you who don't find the way the gopro/any camera names files particularly useful, I have written a script running in cygwin bash that renames them to the date/time last modified (ie, the end of the video recording). If there are two files modified in the same minute then it adds a counter which it increments thusly:

Code: Select all

Aug 17 10:50 20120817-1045.mp4
Aug 17 10:50 20120817-1049.mp4
Aug 17 10:50 20120817-1050.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.1.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.2.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.3.mp4
Aug 17 11:29 20120817-1129.mp4
Aug 17 11:29 20120817-1129.1.mp4
Aug 17 11:29 20120817-1129.2.mp4

I've deliberately not added a .0 to the first instance because a) it's a simple script and b) I didn't want every file to have a .0 in it. Someone else can work that bit out

it's called gopro.sh and stored in /usr/bin

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

for f in `ls *.MP4 *.JPG`; do
  FILE=$f
  EXTN=`ls $FILE | awk -F. '{print $2}' | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]'`

  NEWNAME=`ls -l --time-style=long-iso $FILE | sed -e 's/-//g' | awk '{print $7"-"$8}' | sed -e 's/://g'`
  NEWFILE="$NEWNAME.$EXTN"


  COUNTER=0
  while [ -a $NEWFILE ]; do
    let COUNTER=COUNTER+1
    #echo "$NEWFILE exists, incrementing counter"

    NEWFILE="$NEWNAME.$COUNTER.$EXTN"
  done

  mv $FILE $NEWFILE
  echo "$FILE --> $NEWFILE"
done

Hope this helps someone. Don't know if it will work on a mac bsd shell. probably would with some modifications.

Cheers,
Dave

[Vivifyer]

finally got some extra mounts to use my gopro2 on my bike. Don't think I can be bothered using it every day I commute though...

Excellent video! Loved watching the hands move on the controls and it looks like a great commute.

cheers I was surprised at how much my bars flex when i first took a look at the video

Why don't you want to use it for your commutes? It really doesn't take much to put it on and take it off your bike. If you have it, you might as well use it

valid point, I meant that I'm using it more during recreational rides. my commute is almost entirely on PSP, which is surprisingly uneventful most of the time.

[RonK]

Mentioned in the Sunday paper - the Liquid Image Ego cam. Looks interesting, relatively inexpensive, is wifi enabled and apps are available for streaming to IOS and Android phones.

[Xplora]

Mentioned in the Sunday paper - the Liquid Image Ego cam. Looks interesting, relatively inexpensive and is wifi and apps are available for streaming to IOS and Android phones.

These could be really nifty for bad necks as a rear vision camera

[AUbicycles]

(choose to watch in 720p HD for better quality)

Youtube direct link: GoPro K-Edge in Akuna Bay, Sydney

This a GoPro Hero with a K-Edge GO BIG mount (the more expensive ones) and a nice downhill section with a few rough bits.
The quality of the footage compared to previous mounts is much better and I also use a secret material between the K-Edge and handlebar (which probably has not effect as it is really really tight).

You tube has compressed the video a lot and though the detail is nice. Rolling Shutter is greatly reduced so there are now heavy 'jello moments' though as a bumpy road there is still some distortion of the video.

On this cycle route, there are some other really rough sections though this is a nice downhill (along McCarrs Creek Road just before the turnoff to Akuna Bay and Westhead), and I put some music on it as well.

[Lukeyboy]

Nice downhill run.

To me it looks like the compression has more to do with how you exported it in your videoediting program rather than how youtube has compressed ie your bitrate.[/photographerandvideoeditormode]

[AUbicycles]

You could be right, I was trying to get it done quickly so didn't take a lot of time on this though on youtube when viewed in 720p in HD then it is much closer to the original file.

[Vivifyer]

Youtube still seems to crustify your videos even when exporting at a higher bitrate. Using the default "youtube 720p" export settings which have your 2 pass encoring set to 5kbps still ends up looking worse once its uploaded. I tried 8kbps which is plenty for a 720 video using h.264, still ends up covered in compression artifacts once uploaded. Vimeo is much better for retaining quality. Unless there is some magical settings around, I think its just the way youtube is with uploads.

also here is a new one I put up
regular gopro bike mount, tightened till my fingers went numb.. to minimize vibration. Also tried putting warp stabilizer (after effects) on the video.. well it took about 22 hours to render. and looked like rubbish, so didn't upload that.
This is straight off the camera and speed up 400%

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6bUylDsYY4&hd=1[/youtube]

[Baalzamon]

Youtube still seems to crustify your videos even when exporting at a higher bitrate. Using the default "youtube 720p" export settings which have your 2 pass encoring set to 5kbps still ends up looking worse once its uploaded. I tried 8kbps which is plenty for a 720 video using h.264, still ends up covered in compression artifacts once uploaded. Vimeo is much better for retaining quality. Unless there is some magical settings around, I think its just the way youtube is with uploads.

also here is a new one I put up
regular gopro bike mount, tightened till my fingers went numb.. to minimize vibration. Also tried putting warp stabilizer (after effects) on the video.. well it took about 22 hours to render. and looked like rubbish, so didn't upload that.
This is straight off the camera and speed up 400%

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6bUylDsYY4&hd=1[/youtube]

Nice going, riding over a pedestrian only bridge at the 12min mark...

[Vivifyer]

Nice going, riding over a pedestrian only bridge at the 12min mark...

yes, suppose to dismount there. But I didn't, congrats for noticing.

[KonaCommuter]

Nice going, riding over a pedestrian only bridge at the 12min mark...

yes, suppose to dismount there. But I didn't, congrats for noticing.

Like a boss

[AUbicycles]

On Youtube the image stabilisation trial I did made it 'washy' - while much of the vibration was compensated, a blurry results doesn't help much either.

That said, the bumps are from poor surfaces on the roads so when riding smooth sections the video is also smooth and on the road bike I have high tire pressure which doesn't help much for getting smoother video. Pretty happy with the K-Edge Go Big, even if it is pricy.

[BadBlood]

*** NERD ALERT ***

For those of you who don't find the way the gopro/any camera names files particularly useful, I have written a script running in cygwin bash that renames them to the date/time last modified (ie, the end of the video recording). If there are two files modified in the same minute then it adds a counter which it increments thusly:

Code: Select all

Aug 17 10:50 20120817-1045.mp4
Aug 17 10:50 20120817-1049.mp4
Aug 17 10:50 20120817-1050.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.1.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.2.mp4
Aug 17 11:28 20120817-1128.3.mp4
Aug 17 11:29 20120817-1129.mp4
Aug 17 11:29 20120817-1129.1.mp4
Aug 17 11:29 20120817-1129.2.mp4

I've deliberately not added a .0 to the first instance because a) it's a simple script and b) I didn't want every file to have a .0 in it. Someone else can work that bit out

it's called gopro.sh and stored in /usr/bin

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

for f in `ls *.MP4 *.JPG`; do
  FILE=$f
  EXTN=`ls $FILE | awk -F. '{print $2}' | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]'`

  NEWNAME=`ls -l --time-style=long-iso $FILE | sed -e 's/-//g' | awk '{print $7"-"$8}' | sed -e 's/://g'`
  NEWFILE="$NEWNAME.$EXTN"


  COUNTER=0
  while [ -a $NEWFILE ]; do
    let COUNTER=COUNTER+1
    #echo "$NEWFILE exists, incrementing counter"

    NEWFILE="$NEWNAME.$COUNTER.$EXTN"
  done

  mv $FILE $NEWFILE
  echo "$FILE --> $NEWFILE"
done

Hope this helps someone. Don't know if it will work on a mac bsd shell. probably would with some modifications.

Cheers,
Dave

For those of us that do not know how to add a script, can you please tells us the steps involved?
Cheers

[Ozkaban]

For those of us that do not know how to add a script, can you please tells us the steps involved?
Cheers

It involves installing cygwin which is probably something you don't really want to do unless you're familiar with linux/unix.

I'll talk to my father in law who's a Windows admin about how to write the same in a windoes batch script, which will be very straight forward to run - will get back to you in a day or so.

Cheers,
Dave

[RonK]

At the price Mugglechops posted (thanks Mugglechops for the discount code too) wifi bacpac and remote kit was dispatched overnight by USPS First Class International for only $7 US.

It has become pretty much accepted that shipping costs from the US are high, but this goes to show that most US sites way overcharge for shipping. Rip off.

So a big thanks to Dave's Motors for getting it right.

Wifi BacPac & Remote Kit arrived from Dave's Discount Motors yesterday. K-Edge mounts arrived from Wiggle last week, and the Amari helmet with camera mount arrived a few weeks ago.
So with a Tamrac Zipshot tripod I'm almost ready for my solo tour of southland NZ.
On the weekend I bought some 19mm square alloy tubing. I'm going to fashion a camera boom which will be attached to the rear rack and give a view over my head.
Oh, forgot to mention the XSories U-shot telescopic boom I'm taking as well.

[AUbicycles]

I was raving about the K-Edge Go Big mount (For GoPro) until this happened…



I will admit it wasn't a gust of wind though actually didn't expect it to give as easily as it did.

[jcjordan]

How did you do that?

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710a using Tapatalk 2

[Lukeyboy]

Pretty sure they'll send you a new one under their lifetime warranty.

Specifications:
Made in the USA. CNC Machined 6061 T6 Aluminum
Weight – 46 grams, super light, super strong
Compatibility – fits 31.8mm diameter bars; all mounting hardware included
Two position design – in front and below or in front and above handlebar
Lifetime Guarantee – if you break it, we will replace it

http://www.acecosportgroup.com/shop/k-e ... mount.html