A decent HD camera for incar recording on track?

[XKaLiBaR]

Does anyone use a HD camera to record on track days? I used my mates one, which is a canon, which cost him around £600, but either the camera is broke, or the stabilizer is faulty or its how the camera comes. See video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXGjBASY8MI

I have also borrowed a mates old Sony with mini dv discs, and there is no shakes, but its no HD quality :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3U2CFdtZ_w

Im looking to spend around £500, well the wife is buying it for my bday next month :thumbs: Any help would be awesome.

[daniel]

GoPro HD. I have one and love it. Get the motorsport version and it comes with a good suction mount.

[_Nathan_]

I've used a panasonic HD camera before - records to SD card, don't get an HDD one as they give up recording after about 10 seconds of vibration. I always turn the stabilizer stuff off too as it makes the driving look slower!

Personally I wouldn't bother with HD - it takes an age to edit!

Spend a little more and get an AiM smartycam - built in GPS and accelerometer for data overlay, lap times etc and in the future you can spend a little extra and get an ecu bridge to grab data such as rpm, throttle position, steering angle etc from the car's ecu to add to the overlay.

I am informed that AiM will be releasing an update soon too to allow data to be recorded alongside video for analysis after the event in a new version of their race studio 2 software that supports video.

Sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc1Yf7ShuOk

PM me for special deals ;)

Obviously none of this makes sense if you want to use the camcorder for other stuff too :whistle:

[XKaLiBaR]

GoPro HD. I have one and love it. Get the motorsport version and it comes with a good suction mount.

Thanks dude, i will look into that.

I've used a panasonic HD camera before - records to SD card, don't get an HDD one as they give up recording after about 10 seconds of vibration. I always turn the stabilizer stuff off too as it makes the driving look slower!

Personally I wouldn't bother with HD - it takes an age to edit!

Spend a little more and get an AiM smartycam - built in GPS and accelerometer for data overlay, lap times etc and in the future you can spend a little extra and get an ecu bridge to grab data such as rpm, throttle position, steering angle etc from the car's ecu to add to the overlay.

I am informed that AiM will be releasing an update soon too to allow data to be recorded alongside video for analysis after the event in a new version of their race studio 2 software that supports video.

Sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc1Yf7ShuOk

PM me for special deals ;)

Obviously none of this makes sense if you want to use the camcorder for other stuff too :whistle:

That is awesome Nathan! Unfortunately, the misses is buying the camera to record our new born coming later this year. But i can pick the right camera so it works in my car. Go figure, its my bday present, but i cant go the whole hog....women :p
On a side note, is that speedo accurate? Or have you changed your diff to 4.1s? I take it your on slicks, with the lines you took.

[Mark CSL]

I use a Sony DCR-PC1000E Takes great video :thumbs:

[_Nathan_]

Hmm, not sure she'd appreciate a speedo overlaid on your new nipper!

All I can say is make sure you get a card recording one and as a tip I ended up buying a second battery to make sure I had enough juice to get through a trackday so maybe budget for a cheaper camcorder and a spare battery or see if anyone makes a car charger or similar?

4.1 diff and yup, slicks. Only 320bhp though. Would love to see what it could do now now at 1250kg and with a full power map :)

[XKaLiBaR]

Yeah it looked like you were lacking power on the straights! But still a damn good lap time.

Last time i was at snetterton, i was charging the camera when i went to lunch in the one of the garages. Just had a dangly wire going through the window of my car, so no one can steel the camera :D

2nd battery would of been easier :hahaha: