Bullet camera mounting to harness bar

Digital · Post by **Digital** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:32 pm

Does anyone know where I can get a suitable camera mount for the Archos bullet cam to attach to the harness bar in my car? I've got a DogCamSport suction mount but it's only really suitable for external fitting, and unfortunately the length of the cable severely limits where I can store the Archos in the car.

I've had a look at the DogCamSport and FastFilms websites, but not sure what would be best for the Archos camera, as I think it's missing the normal screw thread attachment that most other bullet cams have

Jamie

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:02 pm

Cheap mobile phone sucker type mount stuck to rear window with camera tie wrap onto to mount. That way you can adjust the angle perfectly. You need to pick the right style. Wrap the camera with a few turns of self amalgating tape to give the tie wrap something to grip into

Your right about the archos not having the threaded hole. A bit of a pain but relatvly easy to get around.

For track use they normally require a secondary fixing method which I still have to figure out yet but will probly be a strap around the roll bar fixed to the sucker mount. You don't want it coming off and landing at your feet when on track

Digital · Post by **Digital** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:09 pm

Thanks John

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:10 pm

I know you want one for the harnes bar which would seem to be ideal but to get good in car shots it needs to be higher up or you loose perspective.

Andy's in car shots had the camera high up. They we're great at giving a sense of speed. Shame he left his mirror on so you couldn't see where you were going. My mirror is long gone so no wories for me in that area.

What would be ideal is an adaptor to mount the bullet cam to a std tripod mount. Still looking for one.

Digital · Post by **Digital** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:14 pm

To be honest I just thought the harness bar would be the obvious fixing point. A nice suction mount to attach to the rear screen would be fine, but the only problem is that the ones I've seen all have a screw-in section for attaching the bullet cam itself. As you say I could just find some way of attaching the camera securely to one of these mounts.

If all else fails I'll just go back to using the suction mount on the roof, was quite happy with the results when I used it on the VX

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:24 pm

I recon. The camera is so light anyway it won't need much to hold it on.

You could always go racking through the loft for the Old £30 35mm camera you bought out of boots when you first left home and them rip the base plate out of that. Tie wrap to bullet cam to a cut down base plate and use you std mount.

Might try that one myself actualy ........

Skyenet · Post by **Skyenet** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:49 am

You should be able to track some sort of tripod adaptor at somewhere like Jessops. Flashguns were often mounted on tripods using small adaptors from hotshoe to tripod screw or a a bar that fitted into the tripod onto which the camera and flashgun were mounted side by side. Have a look in the clearence boxes. Wouldn't take much to adapt one to fit the Archos.

I just had a look in my camera bits and pieces drawer and I could soon see some ways of mounting the archos camera on a tripod.

Of course you could just buy my complete bullet camera system along with a top of the range DV camera. Complete with variety of mounts and loads of cable and bits and bobs. First £400 secures (Paypal accepted)

http://www.scottishelises.com/phpbb/vie ... php?t=6446

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:51 am

Being more of a technophobe, I may be barking up the wrong tree. However, is this any use?

http://www.sector111.com/handler.cfm?ca ... on=product

Seems to bolt around your harness bar

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:14 am

I'll show you me new set-up if you are at SIDC on Saturday

Post by **pete** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:37 pm

I've got a Manfrotto clamp which fits perfectly on a harness bar and has two ball joints to allow percfect positioning of the camera, (ask tenkfeet). I bought it off someone on here but it doens't fit to my car. As it is such a nicely engineered thing I don't want to sell (I'll find a use for it one day) but you can borrow it if you want. Where are you?

Post by **pete** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:42 pm

Oh. Just read some of the other posts. Errm I may be able to help with an old camera... (For the base plate).

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Tue May 22, 2007 1:35 pm

Andy G wrote:I'll show you me new set-up if you are at SIDC on Saturday

.

More duct tape

Skyenet · Post by **Skyenet** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:35 pm

Managed to come up with a way of adding a Tripod socket to use with an Archos Camera. This is just a suggestion on a way to get around the problem of the Archos not having a tripod mount built in.

The main ingredient is a knurled 1/4" tripod screw with a tripod 1/4" threaded socket in it. These should be available from a camera shop. If you have a way of attaching a 1/4" nut to a strip of metal then you could get by without this screw/socket.

You will also need a 50mm length of 25mm diameter tubing. I used some pond hose but afterwards discovered that the centre of a roll of 50mm wide insulating tape suits fine. A 1/4" nut and a rubber washer. You will also need a length of metal about 70mm long by about 20mm wide. I was lucky to find a bit which had a ridge at each side. You will need some 50mm wide insulating tape as well.

At one end of the strip of metal I drilled out a 1/4" hole and then using the insulating tape I attached the tuding to the metal strip. Put the screw/socket through the hole with rubber washer attached and tightened it into the 1/4" nut.

I wrapped the Archos Bullet Camera in a 50mm wide strip of heavy duty Velcro and this then slips neatly into the rubber tubing or insulating tape centre tube.

You now have a 1/4" socket to attach to a tripod or ball and socket head.

In the photo below I have mounted it on a suction mount which has a ball and socket head. To the left is a ball and socket head that has a 14" mounting socket in its base. This type of ball and socket head is available from Jessops for about £8. On the right is the centre tubing of a roll of insulating tape. The Velcro covered Archos camera slips neatly into this. I have covered the tubing in Velcro as I have some ideas of other ways of mounting the Archos on my motorbike or helmet.

The combination of using a ball and socket head and the neat fit of the Archos camera in the tubing allows the camera position to be adjusted to get the ideal view.

Digital · Post by **Digital** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:44 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions

Skyenet (sorry, don't know your actual name

), that looks like a really neat arrangement, might need to see what bits and bobs I can find lying about my dad's garage to plunder

Andy, would definitely like to take a look at your setup, I'll be there on Saturday for my first trackday in the Exige

Jamie

Skyenet · Post by **Skyenet** » Thu May 24, 2007 11:32 pm

Thanks to this post encouraging me to get around to using my Archos 404 camera system I did a wee test clip on my bike last night. Need to work on sound as I get a lot of wind noise. Fancy getting a clip of the Dukes Pass soon.

http://idisk.mac.com/Skyeweb-Public/R1200GSBend.mov