Video Camera Questions, considering installing an in-car cam Options

[John]

Any advice/suggestions for mounting a video camera in our track only car? There is virtually no interior left and a bracket would be fabricated and welded into place for mounting.

Any brand/model recommendations? Any brands/models to avoid?

The car is a DE only vehicle.

What I THINK I want is a small, lightweight camera that stores video on Digital Tape, and can be powered from the car 12v system. I want something that will be easy to transfer video to a PC and then burn DVD's to be played in stand-alone players.

I want enough resolution that it will look decent full screen on a television.

It will need to be hard wired as there is no lighter plug (or dash for that matter).

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[john rogers]

I would be surprised if there was much EMI or electronic interference with a video system no matter what type of camera there was used? There will be a lot of vibration interference and that can translate into the tape system if it is not shiedled from the vibration. Most hand held cameras have some sort of electronic stabilization so if it is mounted on the cage or roll bar with a solid mount there will be little fuzziness. One place you can get interference is with wind noise and Radio Shack sell foam mic covers that elminate the wind noise very well. With my Race Cam setup, the recorder is inside a foan lined case strapped to the floor of the car and the camera is mounted solid to the roll cage.

Several things to consider if getting a hand held camera: Run it with auto focus turned off and focus on the outside of the car in front, run it with zoom all the way out to get the best width range of video, make sure the remote works with driving gloves on and put some velcro on the remote so it won't fly around inside the car and make sure you have plenty of tapes before going racing so you don't overwrite anything.

[Dominic L]

I would be surprised if there was much EMI or electronic interference with a video system no matter what type of camera there was used? There will be a lot of vibration interference and that can translate into the tape system if it is not shiedled from the vibration. Most hand held cameras have some sort of electronic stabilization so if it is mounted on the cage or roll bar with a solid mount there will be little fuzziness. One place you can get interference is with wind noise and Radio Shack sell foam mic covers that elminate the wind noise very well. With my Race Cam setup, the recorder is inside a foan lined case strapped to the floor of the car and the camera is mounted solid to the roll cage.

Several things to consider if getting a hand held camera: Run it with auto focus turned off and focus on the outside of the car in front, run it with zoom all the way out to get the best width range of video, make sure the remote works with driving gloves on and put some velcro on the remote so it won't fly around inside the car and make sure you have plenty of tapes before going racing so you don't overwrite anything.

John, ever have any trouble with tapes malfunctioning? Also, have you ever tried any type of uv filter or is the hood on your race cam enough to cope with the washout from the sun?

Thanks,
Dominic