![]() You can see one of my many GoPro videos below. The other good thing I noticed was the microphones in the earlier models were very good and side mounted to reduce or eliminate wind noise. The protective cases were also well suited to the external car environment and because of their popularity lens replacement options were cheap and abundant. I used them previously for scuba diving and other outdoor activities. I originally started using my old GoPros because I already had them. What was once the undisputed king of the action cameras now has tough competition with a variety of cameras on the market with new and more advanced features every year. Action cameras are far cheaper then replacing a high end smartphone. If you are just starting out with track days this might be a good option for you but be extremely careful. Rather than risking my phone I chose to get a separate video system. ![]() The downside of using the phone is the damage it might receive and the device has more capabilities that it is better suited to than taking video. Make sure that the device is very securely mounted not just rubber bands and little clips. This works especially if it is mounted securely and protected by being located inside the windshield of a production car. I have seen track day drives and even some racers use their smart phone as a video system. I have used a few types of cameras myself and race with other competitors that use different systems. This built in feature can allow for integrated videos with data overlay. This is a cool feature and it might be something to consider in you decision if your car doesn't already have a built in data system. Newer camera system even have data built directly into the camera unit itself. You can now get high speed real time lap data, predictive lap times, GPS positions and even accelerations in a tiny little package. Gone are the days where you were lucky if you got a few radar gun readouts going down the front straight and a buddy with a stop watch. Dataĭata has becoming an ever increasing tool for racers to use to improve their on track performance. The good news is this can be remedied with an external microphone, so if you see a camera with fantastic video features but a lack luster microphone don't sweat it. The sound can also be great if you are going to produce some trackside promo videos or show off your in car skills online including that awesome pass. This is all useless if the internal microphone is junk or mounted directly into the incoming air flow and all you get is distortions and terrible howling wind noise. It allows you to listen for the engine noise, bumps, creaks and determine if you nailed that downshift before the hairpin. Sound can be a very useful feedback tool. ![]() We will talk about external microphones later. Alternatively you can live with the reduced video quality if you are just using it as a training tool. Factor in replace a lens protector every 2-4 race weekends. Look into how much lens protectors are and how much they cost to replace. Just a few sessions out on the track and you will notice small chips and scratches on the lens after a few race weekends I notice most of my sense covers are damaged, especially if the racer in front puts a wheel off and kicks up rocks. These damages to the lens can reduce the video quality and make certain features hard to distinguish. Most cameras come with protective cases that can be used to protect the lens. If you are in an open wheel car, sports racer or mount the cameras where they are externally exposed on the car, you will need to factor in lens replacements. The downside is increased cost, extra memory needed to store the video files and increased processing power needed for editing/playback. If you are planning on doing production videos or wanting to see gauges and other fine details you might consider 4k resolution. For many purposes HD 1080 resolution is sufficient for you to see the track details, your movements and any other visual cues you want to review. The larger the video format the more pixels and more detail you can see. The are a lot of camera options and you can now film in the old 480, High Definition (HD) 1080 or even Ultra HD 4k video formats. The more popular consumer cameras are used for extreme sports that have the same need. Good thing is nearly all action cameras are designed for low mass and use a small package. Size & Weightīeing on a race car of course you want the camera system to be small and light weight. Here are some of the features to look for when looking to getting a video system for your race car.
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