Video Experiment --

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:50 am

Try this... (3 min)

http://homepage.mac.com/camfarm/iMovieTheater13.html

Or this... (7 min)

http://homepage.mac.com/camfarm/iMovieTheater14.html

darcym · Post by **darcym** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:47 pm

a little too bumpy for my taste. The bumpy road didn't help (obviously). Love the tune.

Was this a helmet cam? I like seeing the rider's point of view, the trouble is that you end up getting a kind of tunnel vision unless you're using a wider angle lens. A good effort though.

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:40 pm

Still learning everything.

Camera mounted on gas tank and well padded but shows the movement of the suspension too much - I need to learn about damping.

Widest angle and auto functions are not the best, but I don't know more yet.

Apparently, I compressed using the wrong codec settings as well....could get higher quality in same file size with a bit more effort.

We'll see if this turns into a hobby or what.

Post by **NoRRmad** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:48 pm

MikeCam wrote:Still learning everything.

Camera mounted on gas tank and well padded but shows the movement of the suspension too much - I need to learn about damping.

Widest angle and auto functions are not the best, but I don't know more yet.

Apparently, I compressed using the wrong codec as well....could get higher quality in same file size with a bit more effort.

We'll see if this turns into a hobby or what.

I'll bet you're using a Mac... Apparently, the codec required isn't available for Windows. I get a "no codec available" notice, though I can hear the sound OK.

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:52 pm

Try Quicktime 7.0.3 (free download) and H.264 (codec) for Windows

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

munchmeister · Post by **munchmeister** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:24 pm

Interesting clip, I too would be interested in more details, such as whether this was a bullet/helmet cam, mount, etc.

FWIW, the best motorcycling vids I have seen have a wide angle point of view and are ones in which some editing has been done to smooth out the transitions, etc. They are all fun to watch, tho, but good ones have ya coming back to watch again and again. I just got a miniDV video camera and hope to shoot my rides, just haven't got all the "parts" together yet. Like photography, the best ones seem to involve some "post production" and include the elements of a good story. (I.e. point-of-view, characters, etc.)

If ya wanna see a really good one, check this out:
http://www.motorradkarawane.de/fpx/dolomiten.wmv

But thanks for sharing Mike !!

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:44 pm

Camera: Panasonic PV GS300 miniDV (Crutchfield Scratch and Dent model)
Auto Focus, Auto Exposure, Auto Aperture, Auto Shutter, Auto White Balance, etc - fully automated settings.

Ram Mount to Gas tank on K1200R with Pelican foam padding and (only a little bit of duct tape) aimed over the small windscreen via the Ram 3" arm and a Ram camera attachment.

Tires slightly lower on air pressure 34F 38R.

Post processing in iMovie 6.0.3 and Quicktime 7.0.3 (Codec H.264). Sound by iTunes integration from original U2 CD's ripped into AAC (128 bit) format.

I can tell you that the 668 Mb .dv original is pretty smooth and has no artifacts as this highly compressed version does. And most of that is operator editing error.

Now I gotta think up some better roads, better mounts, better exposures and better 'story-telling' - hmmmmm? Characters? Plot? Themes?

Whoa nelly! Watch out for this hobby.

Post by **Boxer** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:45 pm

Couldn't you have gotten Mac to ride along with you to do the photography. That way, you could wave and look real cool making the curves etc....like that MacGregor guy.

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:59 pm

It would have to be Mac riding up front and me following with the camera. For a plot line we could have a voice over at the beginning that says - "Race you to the campground!" or something. For character development and plot thickening we could pass a local deputy and refuse to stop for his flashing lights! Then not tell him the camera was rolling while he beat us with his night stick. That would get us on Fox News but I might not get full producer/director credits!

I'd consider using Vann, but he won't keep his feet on the pegs.

darcym · Post by **darcym** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:16 pm

munch - that was an amazing video but very professionally done. Lots of different camera angles, different shots set up, on-board sound and a separate music track, smooth editing ... not your average guy going for a ride.

The difference between a video that takes that much effort and planning and a guy just getting on a bike going for a ride are night and day. His co-riders had to put up with him stopping and asking them to take that turn again ... lots ... waiting for him to set up the shot at the right angle .. etc. Probably there was more than one camera going, too.

I think we can all appreciate that kind of video. But we can also relate to the video the one guy takes of just him on his favorite ride out his back door. Both I think have merits, and anyone starting out needs to find what works for him and what his vision is for the ride. And how much time and effort he wants to put into it.

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:26 pm

Darcy,

True words. I am playing. Not even sure if this will last more than one further attempt. I have learned so much already and can see the effort of getting video that others might find interesting is way beyond my 'hobby' level.

I have found over the past several off seasons that the RideBehind Videos (a guy in San Diego doing 'The Fast Side' of Palomar and some other roads) are watchable. That is a goal I might never reach.

munchmeister · Post by **munchmeister** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:48 pm

darcym wrote:munch - that was an amazing video but very professionally done. Lots of different camera angles, different shots set up, on-board sound and a separate music track, smooth editing ... not your average guy going for a ride.

The difference between a video that takes that much effort and planning and a guy just getting on a bike going for a ride are night and day. His co-riders had to put up with him stopping and asking them to take that turn again ... lots ... waiting for him to set up the shot at the right angle .. etc. Probably there was more than one camera going, too.

I think we can all appreciate that kind of video. But we can also relate to the video the one guy takes of just him on his favorite ride out his back door. Both I think have merits, and anyone starting out needs to find what works for him and what his vision is for the ride. And how much time and effort he wants to put into it.

No question, that Alps vid took a lot of time, planning, etc. Following their thread at ADVrider, I don't think they consider themselves professionals, however. They certainly did some planning, not to mention editing. My point is that a couple guys riding their bikes CAN do some pretty engaging stuff, not that Mike or others are trying to do that. I understand this is just playin' around, something I hope to do as well.

Like anything, it takes a HUGE amount of time to do it that way and we're not all inclined to spend that much time creating videos of rides. As a hobbyist photographer, I know how much time can be spent beyond the act of taking the picture, to edit, post process, upload, write a bit of a story to tell about the ride, etc.

But for those that are interested in making the ride video a bit more engaging, just a couple of simple additions that help "tell a story" can make a big difference to the viewers. Take a few seconds walking out to the garage, hand held. Take a "mugshot" hand held, and wave at the audience. Take a sec or two of that mean machine you are hopping on to. End it with a shot of rider taking helmet off, showing a BIG grin. Etc. All add interest, all contribute to a "story" even if jiggly, hand held, etc.

I'm not trying to tell anybody how to enjoy their hobby here. Just a few suggestions that will make us smile at the end of the clip, too.

What is amazing to me is that we can do this at all. All on a home computer with a handheld video camera. Wasn't too long ago there were no "personal" video cameras and the first ones were as big and bulky as a case o' beer !! Try holding that on yer bike

Peace.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:42 pm

Nice MikeCam...last year I strapped my camera on my beak and road around the block with it on video mode..it worked great.

How would I go about loading it onto a site..it's 293 MB (307,982,336 bytes)...is that way too big...although it only goes for a few minutes.

DJ

Post by **MikeCam** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:14 pm

DJ,

It is my understanding that video for web viewing is best compressed via codec (video processor gizmoid stuff) to make 'usable' file sizes in the 10Mb range.

Most e-mail programs limit attachments to 5 or 10 Mb as well. And most hosting sites have fairly low 100's of Mb or 1Gb limits to 'free' users.

YouTube and its ilk permit more but I am unaware of the costs and risks....

For instance, my video and editing are intellectual property now (very valuable too!) but the sound is someone else's. My right to use it is limited to non-commercial, not for distribution or any form of renumeration unless I get an additional license beyond the DRM/copyright that is mine for buying the CD i.e. royalty agreement of some type.

So there are all sorts of things I know a little bit about and don't know more.

Your video is uploadable to any site that gives you the server space (or your own computer set up as a web server) but who wants to download or stream that much file size, even at high speed?

The good news is that most video editing for home users provides a quick and easy selection of codecs (you don't even have to know that name) to select for e-mail, web streaming, DVD burning, etc and each gives various degrees of compression and convenience.

Whew! That exhausts my understanding of this complicated but fun topic.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:35 pm

Thanks Mike...it's tricky stuff.

DJ

Post by **wncbmw** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:20 pm

I'd consider using Vann, but he won't keep his feet on the pegs

Never gonna let that alone are you?!

chris · Post by **chris** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:22 am

Nice vids. I tried using my camera mounted on the mirror but the result wasn't pretty. Yours is a hell of a lot less bumpy than mine.

God know show they get smooth flowing video for tv.

chris · Post by **chris** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:40 am

Nice vids. I tried using my camera mounted on the mirror but the result wasn't pretty. Yours is a hell of a lot less bumpy than mine.

God knows how they get smooth flowing video for tv.

Post by **MikeCam** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:52 am

Next time I will incorporate the ideas I received from this group and determine if the effort, the fun, and the cost balance.

munchmeister · Post by **munchmeister** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:27 pm

How the heck do they get 'em this steady, on a dual sport, riding rocky roads in Utah ??? Gotta be some specialized equipment.

An acquaitance of mine does this kind of stuff. Very nice.

http://www.motorradmedia.com/roadlesstr ... m3-ut1.wmv