Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Home: Going and coming


This is what you might think of as a sandwich post. 

This is the meat.

The bookends that make it into a sandwich are two separate videos.  One leaving the garage at work and riding to the entrance ramp to the expressway.  The other, from the end of the off-ramp and into the garage at home.

These are the first GoPro ride videos I've posted.  They aren't the first I've recorded on my Vespa though.

A few weeks ago I recorded my commute, end-to-end.  That video is too large to post to YouTube, so you won't see it here.  For that ride I had mounted the camera on a mirror stem using a RAM mount and the head from my SLIK monopod.  When I saw the vibration of the camera with that set up I thought the video would be one massive mess of vibration.

I was amazed when I saw the result.  Certainly not solid by any means, yet, in the circumstances, still very usable video.  The GoPro is one wicked good camera.

For these videos, the camera was mounted using the same RAM mount, without the SLIK head, on a RAM ball mount on the grab rail.

As you can see the video is, well, I hesitate to say it, but rock solid comes to mind.  All I can say is "Wow!!!".  Worth every penny.

Amen.

Now here's the back end of the sandwich. As an added bonus, it's an action flick, thanks to the speeding police cruiser at the 1':40" mark.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

David:

You have very rough roads, and not really much traffic

now don't take this the wrong way, but if you persist in mounting your GoProHD on your rear grab rail, couldn't you find a young thing in a mini skirt as pillion . . .

Perhaps aim the GoProHD 30° more to the left for more side view

bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My Youtube

Trobairitz said...

Great first video posts. The mounting is rock solid.

How long is your commute?

Oh, and on a side note, I really like the style of your house. Very nice view when you pulled in the driveway.

SonjaM said...

I am impressed with the Go-pro. You make me want one.

Dar said...

I gave my hubs a GoPro the Christmas before last, we haven't used it much, but I am gong to start playing with it & get it going for rides. Still looks chilly in your neck of the woods. How are the heated grips working?

Canajun said...

I watched the first video very closely looking for familiar landmarks (I lived in Montreal during the '60s) but saw none.I did notice how little traffic there seemed to be though.
The GoPro is a great little camera. I'm still learning how to use mine; unfortunately I have never been a big video person so I keep forgetting it on my desk when I go out for a ride.

David Masse said...

Bob, traffic has been unusually light since it's a four-day week here due to Easter, and many people have tacked on vacation days for getaways. On that last stretch outbound down Crescent Street I normally have to filter like a ghost to get ahead. And yes, our roads are always in rough shape. The spring thaw is a pavement killer.

Thanks for the tip on directing the camera. I move it out maybe 20 degrees this morning and ran a test. I think you're bang on with the 30 degree estimate. The camera looks weird at that angle, but the fish-eye lens is amazing.

Trobrairitz, the commute is 30 kms or 19 miles. If I take the scenic route, it's an hour long. If there's no traffic and I take the expressway, about 35 minutes.

Sonja, honestly, check out the video on the GoPro home page. These bloody little wonders make you want to take up base jumping.

Dar, the heated grips are amazing. They have extended my commute by weeks in the spring, in total comfort. There has not been one single episode of cupping hot java to regain feeling and banish chills.

Canajun, Montreal has changed a fair bit since the 60's. I'll try to remember to record a ride down what used to be Dorchester boulevard (now René Lévesque Blvd). That should prove more familiar to you.

Unknown said...

David:

I find that if you don't aim the camera a bit left, then you are wasting perhaps a third of your image (right side). I did the same as you but now I get less "bike" in my shots, and more left side scenery. You need a few multi angles.

I purchased a MINI GECKO suction mount. I don't use the GoPro stuff as it won't articulate. This fat GECKO mini can be used on your car windshield with the GoPRO mounted upside down, and you could also "STICK" it on the glove box area of your Vespa with the GoPRO sticking out to the left for a floating perspective.

http://delkin.com/i-5829839-fat-gecko-mini-single-suction-camera-mount.html

this link is for informative purposes. I bought mine locally for $50. + HST at London Drugs

This suction mount can also attach to a curved windscreen, such as on your Vespa, so you could "peek" over your windshield and get video with nothing in front, except the road

bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube

David Masse said...

Bob, thanks so much, those are really interesting and very versatile mounts. More fodder for my birthday list.

David Masse said...

Bob, thanks so much, those are really interesting and very versatile mounts. More fodder for my birthday list.

The copyright in all text and photographs, except as noted, belongs to David Masse.