Four Tips for Choosing a Video Camera for your Motorcycle
In other posts, we've talked about things to consider before you shoot video, and compared different styles of camera mounts.
Now let's talk about the camera. We’re not going to try to recommend a camera; we’re simply not experts in this field and they change too quickly anyway. But here’s what we’ve learned in 6+ years of shooting video while riding a motorcycle.
- Quality matters. Cheaper cameras will be susceptible to every vibration, and - let's face it - you can't eliminate vibration entirely when you're on a motorcycle (even if you're using the best Motorcycle Camera Mount on the planet). So get a quality camera. Depending on how you're mounting it, the size and weight of the camera matter as well; generally, the smaller/lighter, the better.
- Learn how to use your camera. Make sure you know when it is and is not recording. (On some cameras it's hard to tell, especially if it's a HelmetCam stuck to your head where you can't see it. I once lost a key sequence because I thought the low-battery light meant the camera was recording.)
- Practice. Pick a time when traffic is light on your favorite short twisty road. If you can get a friend to help, all the better - you'll find you can use the extra help. Don't be surprised if it takes an entire afternoon to get comfortable with all your motorcycle video taking options.
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Speaking of the ROAD ... The quality of your video (or photos) is directly proportional to the quality of the road. If you're on a road that looks like this one (like most of the roads near our home!), getting good video is a challenge no matter what kind of camera or mount you choose (but starting with the Swivel-CAM Motorcycle Camera Mount is a good bet)!
- Tracey Cramer
