Limitless What Camera do you use?

[Jerold]

I'm thinking about setting up a camera(s) for the speed runs. I was thinking Gopro with hat mount but Gopros are nice but very pricey and I don't need something that ($400) fancy... or do I?

I was looking at the Akaso cameras seem to have good reviews as the "Best Gopro Alternative". They have options for waterproof, shock proof, image stabilization, wide angle, filters, etc...

The questions are

1. What is your setup. Camera, mount, features?
2. What features don't you use?
3. What features are a must have?
4. Is there any need/desire for in car/FPV/360?

 

[SrC]

I bought maybe a dozen cheapo cube cams for video and also mounting on the rigs. One by one they were smashed by carnage.
I also considered a better sport cam. The GoPros are too much $$ IMHO. But so many use them.
Some just use their Cell phones. Many RC YT'ers do this. Some of the most popular ones do this. KT uses a mix of Gopros, cheapos and and his Cell for Raw content. Then they are all edited together.
The minimum needed features are 1080P Resolution and Image stabilization.

 

[Moirae]

We originally bought an Akaso camera when we decided we wanted to make our youtube channel. We returned it very quickly because we had no idea how annoying working with .mov files was going to be with android and windows. Bought a Gopro hero 8 and never looked back. We ended up buying a head strap which took me a long time to wear without feeling like I look stupid AF. It works good enough though .

I will say we've never had a need for more than 1 gopro battery. By the time the battery is dead we're ready to stop recording anyway. The more you record the more you have to edit but if it's only for speed running, I guess you won't have to edit much anyway.

Personally, I hate onboard camera footage, but it seems like a lot of people like it. Seems like no one really talks about good ways to mount cameras on rigs so I haven't really tried it yet as I'm not creative


I think if you don't care about using .mov files getting the akaso is not a horrible idea. It sucks at night recording but so do all of these cameras tbh.

 

[Diem Turner]

I use an Insta360 Go 2. They're not too expensive ($300), they're small and provide a max resolution of 2560x1440. I really like it and it comes with a clip mount for hats, wings or anything slim, an Amulette mount to wear it on your chest, a tripod integrated into the carrying case (which doubles as a remote) and an adhesive mount for just about anywhere else.
https://www.insta360.com/product/insta360-go2

 

[SrC]

We originally bought an Akaso camera when we decided we wanted to make our youtube channel. We returned it very quickly because we had no idea how annoying working with .mov files was going to be with android and windows. Bought a Gopro hero 8 and never looked back. We ended up buying a head strap which took me a long time to wear without feeling like I look stupid AF. It works good enough though .

I will say we've never had a need for more than 1 gopro battery. By the time the battery is dead we're ready to stop recording anyway. The more you record the more you have to edit but if it's only for speed running, I guess you won't have to edit much anyway.

Personally, I hate onboard camera footage, but it seems like a lot of people like it. Seems like no one really talks about good ways to mount cameras on rigs so I haven't really tried it yet as I'm not creative


I think if you don't care about using .mov files getting the akaso is not a horrible idea. It sucks at night recording but so do all of these cameras tbh.

A cam with Good Image Stabilization gets some really great RC footage when there are other rigs bashing with you. And some times they look like crap. I wouldn't gamble an expensive Cam mounted on my rig. Small cheapo cams are best for Rig POV footage. And mount easier.

 

[Jerold]

I use an Insta360 Go 2. They're not too expensive ($300), they're small and provide a max resolution of 2560x1440. I really like it and it comes with a clip mount for hats, wings or anything slim, an Amulette mount to wear it on your chest, a tripod integrated into the carrying case (which doubles as a remote) and an adhesive mount for just about anywhere else.
https://www.insta360.com/product/insta360-go2
View attachment 257943View attachment 257944

The Insta360 looks sweet but $300 is a bit pricey for casual use.

 

[Diem Turner]

The Insta360 looks sweet but $300 is a bit pricey for casual use.

True, but small cameras are just going to cost some money. FWIW, it has image stabilization and also keeps the image level no matter what angle the camera is at. It's pretty nice all around.

 

[olds97_lss]

Buy an older gopro, cheaper.

I used a gopro hero5 for a long time and recently got an 8 so I could use higher frame rate for smoother slow motion, but then found to do that, I had to use a file format that was annoying to work with... the image quality is a bit better though, so wasn't a complete waste. I record 1080p@120fps. Slow mo isn't too bad. I don't have stabilization turned on though as I wear the camera and I don't wander around when jumping/landing/crashing. I try to minimize the functions/processing the camera has to do so it doesn't run as hot and I get longer run times out of the batteries. I record an entire days worth of bash footage and chop it up when I get home. Usually have 40-60gig of footage from the go pro.

For my onboard, I use a runcam2. It's lighter than the hero 5 session I have and cheaper. The mount is more secure and doesn't allow the camera to flop around when jumping and whatnot. Also, the battery can be changed out, unlike the session. I have it set to record at 720p/120fps. The footage is jittery though, but I only use it for picture in picture mostly, so it's not overly awful to watch. If it was the primary footage, it would be pretty nauseating.

 

[donnie533]

I am running a gopro hero9 - got it on sale. I also use the clear underwater / protective case to protect the camera. I have mounted it on a tripod for close to ground shot and have hit it a few times with no damage. Also mounted it on a car with 3M dual lock tape on the car and camera base. It stays on when running, but pops off when I flip. Had it on a Super Rock Rey and flipped at 50mph - camera was fine.

 

[Jerold]

I am running a gopro hero9 - got it on sale. I also use the clear underwater / protective case to protect the camera. I have mounted it on a tripod for close to ground shot and have hit it a few times with no damage. Also mounted it on a car with 3M dual lock tape on the car and camera base. It stays on when running, but pops off when I flip. Had it on a Super Rock Rey and flipped at 50mph - camera was fine.

I figured the waterproof case would be handy to protect the lens. Taking a hit is one thing, scratching the lens is game over.

 

[CrashBoom]

Simple solution is to use use a cell phone, get a mount and put it on a tripod or something. I have a DJI gimbal for my cell phone that has really good image stabilization if you need to move around, but you pretty much need a second person if you're also trying to control a car. Pretty cheap too, I think it was 130 bucks.

 

[Moirae]

Simple solution is to use use a cell phone, get a mount and put it on a tripod or something. I have a DJI gimbal for my cell phone that has really good image stabilization if you need to move around, but you pretty much need a second person if you're also trying to control a car. Pretty cheap too, I think it was 130 bucks.

We also bought a dji gimbal and like it for the most part but it's definitely better for IOS users. Feelsbad being an android fan sometimes.

 

[Jerold]

Buy an older gopro, cheaper.

I used a gopro hero5 for a long time and recently got an 8 so I could use higher frame rate for smoother slow motion, but then found to do that, I had to use a file format that was annoying to work with... the image quality is a bit better though, so wasn't a complete waste. I record 1080p@120fps. Slow mo isn't too bad. I don't have stabilization turned on though as I wear the camera and I don't wander around when jumping/landing/crashing. I try to minimize the functions/processing the camera has to do so it doesn't run as hot and I get longer run times out of the batteries. I record an entire days worth of bash footage and chop it up when I get home. Usually have 40-60gig of footage from the go pro.

For my onboard, I use a runcam2. It's lighter than the hero 5 session I have and cheaper. The mount is more secure and doesn't allow the camera to flop around when jumping and whatnot. Also, the battery can be changed out, unlike the session. I have it set to record at 720p/120fps. The footage is jittery though, but I only use it for picture in picture mostly, so it's not overly awful to watch. If it was the primary footage, it would be pretty nauseating.

Can you define what an older Gopro is, like used (Ebay) or an older model, maybe refurb?

The question about used is can the battery be trashed?
Do the older ones mount the same as the new ones i.e. are the mounts compatible?

 

[Moirae]

Can you define what an older Gopro is, like used (Ebay) or an older model, maybe refurb?

The question about used is can the battery be trashed?
Do the older ones mount the same as the new ones i.e. are the mounts compatible?

a lot of stuff is compatible between models. When I bought my hero 8 they were already on the hero 10. I think you should look into a hero 7/8, You won't have any problems with compatibility for majority of things. They all use the same basic format.

 

[RedondoBeachRC]

The GoPro isn’t too bad an investment as you’ll be able to use it on family trips as well. I really like the 4K capability.

I bought a version 10 for speedruns but used it way more for family vacations.

 

[Mr. RC]

I just use my phone, it does the job as i just make the videos for me and my friends. Just don't make the mistake of putting it on a low tripod while bashing.. that was an expensive back glass repair

If you are planning to do some speed running, then i would recommend another person to record as it will be a challenge and a half to get the car in frame while also controlling the car
also just realized that the last time that this was talked about was in November just a bit late to the party

 

[LibertyMKiii]

I have been using these camera glasses for a while.
For shooting speed runs it has worked pretty well and love that it's my POV along with following my head movement precisely. The polarized lenses are not bad either as I wear them on bright sunny days with zero complaints. They don't look very "cool" so I only use them for speed runs. I was able to be out for about 3 hrs shooting video off and on without battery longevity issues.

You can see how it works in all of my latest YT videos if you are interested. The image is not GoPro clear but it seems pretty good.
My only complaint is that it chops the videos up into 3 or 6 min clips based on the settings. Nothing a simple video editing app cannot handle.

https://www.amazon.com/MingSung-MS20-Sunglasses-HD1080P-Scouting/dp/B0BDRLLJD8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36V4RJ3QBE8DM&keywords=camera+glasses&qid=1680195315&sprefix=camera+glasses,aps,116&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

 

[Jerold]

I just use my phone, it does the job as i just make the videos for me and my friends. Just don't make the mistake of putting it on a low tripod while bashing.. that was an expensive back glass repair

If you are planning to do some speed running, then i would recommend another person to record as it will be a challenge and a half to get the car in frame while also controlling the car
also just realized that the last time that this was talked about was in November just a bit late to the party

I ended up with a few different option but it just shows my camera skills suck. The new camera is an Akaso, which seems pretty good and about 1/2 the price of the GoPro. It doesn't have GPS though so if I put it on the car you will just see what it looks like and no MPH read out.

This is for speed runs and I have a Nikon S8100, Iphone 4 and the Akaso all in different locations. Then put them and all the gear into a custom case.

https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/case-for-the-camera-gear.58838/

The best so far seems to be putting two cameras at a low angle. One towards the start and one the other way around. The third one I've tried different FPV but it is pretty much worthless video.

I've got a new mount to put on the radio and will try that.

The hardest part of doing a two camera shot is syncing the video. I've only got the crappy Windows editor and it's not very precise.

Here is one of the runs.

I have been using these camera glasses for a while.
For shooting speed runs it has worked pretty well and love that it's my POV along with following my head movement precisely. The polarized lenses are not bad either as I wear them on bright sunny days with zero complaints. They don't look very "cool" so I only use them for speed runs. I was able to be out for about 3 hrs shooting video off and on without battery longevity issues.

You can see how it works in all of my latest YT videos if you are interested. The image is not GoPro clear but it seems pretty good.
My only complaint is that it chops the videos up into 3 or 6 min clips based on the settings. Nothing a simple video editing app cannot handle.

https://www.amazon.com/MingSung-MS20-Sunglasses-HD1080P-Scouting/dp/B0BDRLLJD8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36V4RJ3QBE8DM&keywords=camera+glasses&qid=1680195315&sprefix=camera+glasses,aps,116&sr=8-5&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

I love the idea but I wear eye glasses and it would be awkward. Maybe I can find some sort of clip on deal.

For the short videos, if they are MPG you can concatenate them.

me@cpu$> cat file*.mpg > big.mpg