Experience with mounting a camera outside a car

Contributing and equipment
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Any experience with mounting one or more cameras outside a car? Please post pictures, product names (links are always good) and if you use a safety backup, in case e.g. a suction cup should fail. Please write or post picture of e.g. where you attach a line to the car.

In Thoughts or experiences with action cameras - #10 by StephaneP @maxim75 wrote “Been mounting GoPro outside car with suction cup & safety rope with carabiner.” and continued: “BTW GoPro suction cup is the best for getting your camera mounted outside car. Tried cheaper suction cup from eBay was a waste of money - it just does not hold camera”
And an example from him: https://www.mapillary.com/map/im/PyjJlcIwozv8DP9TL9Y9mA/photo

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via Wochennotitz Blog I found this one:

https://twitter.com/WikimediaSE/status/625668197539311616

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This looks great for Mapillary, but it does not exist: The Window-Wedge: A simple GoPro Car Mounting System by Brian Martin — Kickstarter

But perhaps one of these can be used in the same way?

Any comments?

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I use an original VIRB mount on a steel tube on top of a car roof rack. Some strong tape holds everything together.
The GoPro mount is not stable enough.

Some pictures

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My setup with suction cup, safety rope and external power supply using 5m USB cable. The only downside is vibration. Window wedge would be a nice for taking photos kurbside.

GoPro_camera_mounted_on_car.jpg800×533 69.9 KB

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Does anybody have experience with this mount? I wonder if it is strong enough for use while driving

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My experience with strong magnets is, that the good ones are always expensive. Just by looking at the price I would not dare driving fast with a $17 kit.

I would look at Magnetic Mount by RigWheels Film & Video Magnetic Camera Tools. first.

In general I would prefer magnets over suction cups, as I think they are less prone to fail. But I would always keep a safety rope like on the picture by @maxim75 .

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Keep coming with more different mounting kits :slight_smile:

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Have heard a lot of good things about the cinesquid so we bought one to test. Haven’t done so yet but it looks pretty heavy duty so good for heavier/larger cameras.

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I’ve been using the same GoPro suction cup as @maxim75, without the ancillary arm, for the past few days and it has been great. Here are some pictures of my setup:

oHEFVEu.jpg2611×1958 852 KB

Sc8FtWb.jpg3264×2448 2.31 MB

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Garmin Virb on Manfrotto Superclamp, I think next thing will be a RAM Mount between camera and clamp to gain 15 cm in high for a better perspective over the roof:

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How do y’all keep bugs from going splat on the camera lens?

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Ride slow - they usually splat just over 80 km/h, if under there are rarely impacts, and if they are easy to remove which lens cleaners.

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If you try to drive slow around here, you’ll get run over! :open_mouth:

So this wouldn’t be something to try while driving on a highway, then…

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Mount a remotely managed tiny windshield wiper to sweep the lens! :stuck_out_tongue:

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HI All,

this is a photo shot of my car mounted GoPro Hero 3 Silver. The suction cup was from ebay and less than 15 EUR.

I clean the bonnet before I attach the suction cup and use a string connected to the front gril just in case.

So far I have good experiences with the mount. I keep the speed below 80 km/h.

IMG_5765.JPG2448×3264 2.54 MB

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I also use the same setup, only difference is that I have the camera att the left corner of the bonnet.
I connect the camera with a string to a beam under the bonnet and I drilled a hole in the housing to be able to plug a usb-cord to the camera. I have a long extension cord which I lead under the bonnet and then into the car.
So I charge the camera while using.

The picture shows my camera setup, but without the security strap.

camera setup gopro.jpg841×870 132 KB

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Looks like everyone uses more or less similar setup. I was bought cheap $15 suction cup from eBay, but it’s quality was quite low and it just fell of even from glass window. Highly recommend original GoPro suction cup.

As a safety measure I also got cable with carabiner attached, but after riding more than 2000 km suction cup never fell off.

Also, if you feel uncomfortable riding with expensive camera attached outside your car, get Xiaomi Yi - it’s image quality is quite close to GoPro and it costs $70 and can be attached with all standard GoPro mount

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Another picture of my setup. Now on the roof.
Now I can control the camera from my driving position. This could be important for swedish legislation.

20160706_234726.jpg2421×1767 2.57 MB

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