BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

This camera isn't meant for this use.  It is a simple point and shoot Sony. My guess is too much jostling confuses the autofocus. It also has an open lens with nothing covering it which makes the lens likely to scratch via road grime/dirt/dust. You can buy a weather resistant sports camera for cheap. There's a thread on here somewhere with people talking about them.  Do a search.

The next video did not suffer from being fuzzy. The video from the Target Bike corral to Shadyside. I am uploading it now; will post after upload is complete.

Here is the other video that is not fuzzy taken after the video above. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSaxYTyARno  

I'd recommend getting the Mobius Action Camera (https://www.mobius-actioncam.com/store/products/mobius-actioncam-pro-2/) for use as bicycle dashcam. In addition to solving your video vibration issues, it features infinite-loop recording so that you don't have to constantly wipe your memory card clean, as well as compact size and light weight. With the addition of weather cover, it can withstand rain storm as well: https://www.mobius-actioncam.com/store/products/weather-cover-wa-mobius/ Here's a sample video of my Mobius camera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y71S5Pm4leE

I do not have that kind of money. I got scared seeing that just the case is $21. Is there a way I can dampen the vibration of the mount I already have with some rubber (old tire) or something? Why is the second video not fuzzy despite the vibration?

You are asking a poor little point and shoot Sony camera with technology from 20 years ago to do things it can't.

I dealt with the vibration issue by getting a chest strap. The strap wasn't cheap, GoPro name brand, screaming distance of $40 at REI. Positives: Very little vibration, I can glance down and see how long it's been running (top-mounted controls), easy to put on and take off. Negatives: Instead of road noise, it picks up every mumble, burp, sniffle, and snot rocket launch; it tends to point skyward when I pull up to a light and sit up straight. But of all the things I've tried over the years, this is working out best. Short video with jitter adjustment supplied by YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3FTHNjNFpw No jitter adjustment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks1WEQnTGlY The second one might be mildly unsettling. The first one is kinda fun.

The camera is a Sony DSC-W830 on a tripod type mount on the handlebars.

  This is pretty sophisticated point-and-shoot camera with autofocus and decent lenses. Autofocus controls lenses and this mechanism is:

1. Pretty precise;
2. Not designed to work in vibration mode (your hands do not vibrate that violently);

Internally, it has an algorithm that quits completely if it cannot set autofocus in a certain time. And vibration on Brown Hill Rd is way beyond the capability of camera's image stabilizing buffer/algorithm.

As I am one who is all for the "rigging" of things to be used beyond their original design limitations, Stu's chest strap idea is interesting, depending upon if your riding position is upright enough. I recently got a "waist strap" smart phone carrier from Five Below ( https://www.fivebelow.com/tech/series-8-fitnesss-trade-smartphone-waist-belt-large-phones.html ) that looks like it might be able to be modified to fit that camera. Cut a hole in the front panel to accomodate the lens, wear it high, you probably need to add a neck loop to keep it high, like a wide, soft 36" shoelace, and you probably would need to fiddle with some padding on the camera back to get the horizontal angle right. But still, <$10.

I'm all for squeezing out any potential use of a commercial product, but if your ultimate goal is to have a bicycle dashcam(s) the works reliability and is easy to put on / take off, you might have to bite the bullet and invest in it. After all, if you catch the motorist that hit you and run off using the dashcam, the compensation might worth the investment. What you don't want is to find out that you don't have the dashcam with you because the dashcam takes time to set up and you had to leave home in a hurry without it, or the dashcam doesn't have the footage because you forgot to wipe the memory card clean.   To show that I am a guy who likes to maximize the use of a commercial product, here are some pictures of my set up:

1. The original Mobius Action Cam bicycle mount requires some time and finger strength to take the camera off. In order to save time, I jerry-rigged a Garmin GPS device mount to the camera.

1. I also use the same Mobius Action Cam as my car dashcam, using another set of jerry-rigged mount.

@Gordon:  I am unemployed and have currently have an objection to work. I hope I can get over this fear soon.

@edmonds59: I just went to Five Below and bought that item. How would you do the neck loop? It might be hard for me to breathe with that strapped around my fat belly.

Also, Here is a photo of the mount on my handlebars. https://s6.postimg.org/8p9nrbwhd/DSC00043.jpg

I'll send a visual, don't have time at the moment, but this afternoon. (edit - I am pretty decent in girth also, and the thing is pretty comfortable for me.)

@Edmonds59, I tried it today, but it was filming the ground the whole way.

I was afraid of that. But the camera angle should be surmountable with some padding. This is what I was picturing:

Look at my setup the next time you see me in person. (412 Flock ride on Friday, 6p at Dippy.)

Ok, @StuInMcCandless, I'll be there.