Camcorder Dash Mount
 

I'm trying to dash mount a GL2 (kinda like they do in cop cars) but can't really figure out how to do it. I'm going to be filming the road while driving, so it has to be mounted fairly securely. Any ideas?

Oh, and I'll be driving downtown Baltimore, so it'll need to resist the added shock driving on those jungle-esque, neglected pathways we call our streets.

Thanks!

Dan this site may be able to help you

Check this out as well.

http://www.hoyttech.com/index.cfm?fu...TOKEN=20938976

I've had good luck with them.

or you can look at the sticky pod http://www.stickypod.com/

Awesome! Thanks so much. I'm going to give these a try.

One last site:
 

http://www.microdolly.com/micro_6.html

Our kit uses a three-point suction mount system. And one of the advantages we have over others is that our suction cup bases are metal, not plastic or rubber. That metal gives you more stability and you won't get the flex or bounce from the other products.

Stephen Schleicher review
 

Here is a comparison of two units.

The microdolly looks pretty cool, but [GULP] how much does it cost? The price isn't listed on the web site, so it has to be up there.

For the price of 13 Sticky Pod Pro Paks
 

<<<-- Originally posted by Daniel Stone : The microdolly looks pretty cool, but [GULP] how much does it cost? The price isn't listed on the web site, so it has to be up there. -->>>

You could buy another GL2 for the suggested retail price (3rd one down from top).

B-Hague does one, but with rubber suction pads, for what you seem to want it for, it would work out much cheaper.

The car mount in my book uses 4 suction cups, and you can build it for less than $50. (I never trusted just one suction cup!) You can see a quicktime movie on my site with it mounted in different places. Maybe you can find it useful for your project.

http://dvcamerarigs.com/carmountmovie.html

Dan
www.DVcameraRigs.com

I haven't used suction cups for mounting a camera on a car - but have for mounting a Correvit system.
We had one problem with the display sucker (mounted on the inside of the windscreen) - on a very hot day, with the kit in place all day, the black rubber of the sucker got incredibly hot and actually burned onto the glass - and went brittle and fell off - leaving a rubber circle on the glass and ruining the sucker.

I expect that if the sucker is on the outside, the metal body reflects the worst of the heat, leaving only the edge exposed - and most likely there will be a cooling draft at times - but inside with no aircon.....

When mounting on the outside, it's ALWAYS important to add a safety strap, no matter how many suction cups you have!

Dan

Here are some pics of my car mount using standard grip equipment. The best setups are three points to the vehicle then a fourth tie-down from the camera hot shoe to one of the support bars. No doubt, this is the expensive way to go, but it's much more solid than a sticky-pod or similar.

http://www.steadicam.netfirms.com/dv/carmount.htm

I got my mount from Filmtools.com I searched a long time for a vehicle mount...

Stickypod - I use an XL1S, and the stickypod claims to support it, but the demo video had a weight plate hanging at a stand still. This is -completely- different from actually driving with a camera. You need to worry about road bumps, vibration, wind resistance, and other factors that could compromise suction. So I didn't trust it.

Microdolly - great stuff, but incredibly expensive I was quoted just under $2000 including shipping. Something a studio could afford, but not most DVinfo people.

Filmtools - has a variety of options, I was going to go with the 3-cup mount but decided it was a bit overkill and my budget didn't allow for the $1000 model (adjustable mounting plate). So, I opted for a single 6" cup mount: http://store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/gripperxxx.html
Similar to the one mentioned already at B-Hague site, but with a beefier, removable camera mount. Works awesome outside, even at high speeds. I use a ratchet safety strap just in case.

For interior shots, I attach the cup to my windshield (inside), upside down which allows a lot of clearance to swivel the camera in any direction (driver shot, front, sideview mirror, passenger, etc...) I simply invert the picture in post.

So in conclusion, I wanted something that was robust (used both outside, and inside the vehicle), high quality (Woods grip suction indicator is great), and could take a beating (thick Manfrotto 488RCO mount), and had a quick-disconnect feature for any quick hand-held shots (488RCO mount has a double-saftey spring disconnect).
And an extra bonus is the bubble level! I would stop my car at times to get a nice scenic shot. A quick adjustment with the bubble-level allowed me to get a level, steady shot quickly without taking the camera off the car, or fussing with a tripod. All for about $160. Can't beat that price for so many useful features.