Video camera mount(s)?

All,

I have done some in-flight video with a ContourHD using a flexible suction cup mount and a headband mount. I've seen videos where the camera was mounted on some sort of extension in front of the wing tip with the camera looking back at the fuselage, without a massive slab of white wing filling the bottom half of the image.

Any ideas how this was done or how to do it?

How would you mount a video camera on the centerline right in front of the canopy?

I'm sure people have already done this; no need to reengineer from scratch!

Terry

I use the same Contour camera system. I use the suction cup mount. You just make sure the camera is "tall" on the articulating arms that run between the suction cup and the camera and you are good. Six inches of height above the wing or fuselage makes all the difference.

suction cups at high altitude are not a good idea. Loss of outside pressure as you gain altitude means suction force drops dramatically. Also rubber will stiffen in the lower temperatures making it easy to break suction with wind vibration, etc. The last thing you want is a camera flying over the canopy and hitting the tail feathers or pitot tube

Better to use a plate duct taped to the wing with a standard swivel mount, or gopro type mounts.

On 10/21/2013 12:44 AM, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
suction cups at high altitude are not a good idea. Loss of outside pressure as you gain altitude means suction force drops dramatically. Also rubber will stiffen in the lower temperatures making it easy to break suction with wind vibration, etc. The last thing you want is a camera flying over the canopy and hitting the tail feathers or pitot tube

Better to use a plate duct taped to the wing with a standard swivel mount, or gopro type mounts.

"Gaffer" tape is like duct tape except that it leaves no glue residue
behind when you remove it. This is what camera crews use to tape long
cable runs to the floor.I prefer it and suspect that you will too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape

Tony "6N"

Originally Posted by Terry Pitts

All,

I have done some in-flight video with a ContourHD using a flexible suction cup mount and a headband mount. I've seen videos where the camera was mounted on some sort of extension in front of the wing tip with the camera looking back at the fuselage, without a massive slab of white wing filling the bottom half of the image.

Any ideas how this was done or how to do it?

How would you mount a video camera on the centerline right in front of the canopy?

I'm sure people have already done this; no need to reengineer from scratch!

Terry

I also use the Contour. I do tape the Suction Cup mount after I affix it and have had no issues even doing aerobatics. To get rid of the big wing, you can get the same look moving the camera to only one thrid the way out the wing. Gets a better cockpit view and still gets the look from the side.

On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:57:37 AM UTC-7, Squeaky wrote

Agree - gaffer tape not suction cups. I had a stickypod suction cup mount let go - fortunately I was paranoid enough to tape it down as a backup. Mounts need to withstand changes in pressure, temperature, airloads and more g-forces than you'd imagine - especially out at the end of bendy wings.

Remember to comply with the FAA regulations, insurance requirements and most of all the laws of aerodynamics if you intend to mount externally. You can't get out and fix it if something goes wrong once airborne.

9B

Have you thought about the 'StickCam' approach which has the
benefit of flexibilty of shot selection and less Gb of footage to
edit. I am a convert!

http://youtu.be/KocDC8mjqKo

No external mounts required!

Chris


At 16:48 22 October 2013,
wrote:
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:57:37 AM UTC-7, Squeaky
wrote

Agree - gaffer tape not suction cups. I had a stickypod suction
cup mount
l=
et go - fortunately I was paranoid enough to tape it down as a
backup.
Moun=
ts need to withstand changes in pressure, temperature,
airloads and more
g-=
forces than you'd imagine - especially out at the end of bendy
wings.

Remember to comply with the FAA regulations, insurance
requirements and
mos=
t of all the laws of aerodynamics if you intend to mount
externally. You
ca=
n't get out and fix it if something goes wrong once
airborne.=20

9B

I use the Contour also. I use the suction cup mount and use gaffer's tape or duct tape over the flanges of the suction cup. Never has come loose. I use the same system doing acro. +6G/-3G. Snap rolls. Never has come loose.

On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 1:23:08 PM UTC-4, Chris Davison wrote:
Have you thought about the 'StickCam' approach which has the

benefit of flexibilty of shot selection and less Gb of footage to

edit.

So the camera is attached to a stick that you push out the vent window?

Yes. You need to make sure the stick has a good quality hand grip
(I used cycle handlebar tape) and a wrist strap too. Make sure that
the camera is mounted securely at the other end too! The stick is
about 18 inches long.

Chris


At 23:41 25 October 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 1:23:08 PM UTC-4, Chris Davison
wrote:
Have you thought about the 'StickCam' approach which has the

benefit of flexibilty of shot selection and less Gb of footage to

edit.

So the camera is attached to a stick that you push out the vent
window?