First video from the raffled camera

[PrettyboyTim]

I wish I had had the camera working on my commute home last night (I had battery trouble). My route takes me past the Emirates Stadium (Arsenal), and as there was a game on the road was full of Gooners making their way there. I was going against the flow the entire way, and I just trundled along at 2-4mph through the sea of people. It would have made a great video.

I was really hoping to get a video of my entire commute today, but I'm having some trouble with my camera. It occasionally cuts out, possibly when I go over a sharp bump (it's attached to my handlebars). The problem is that it only seems to write the index to the FAT on the SD card once it's finished writing, so it completely loses any footage taken up until that point. Most irritating!

As a result, I don't have anything to show for my ride in today Possibly I need to attach it to my helmet instead, but my helmet isn't well suited for it.

 

[John the Monkey]

Now there's a good idea, a cokin graduated filter.

TBH, Kood do a good range of filters for less money - I've used their grads for still photography, and they seem fine. What filter thread does the camera have?

 

[PrettyboyTim]

*Heh*

Here's the camera in question

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Thanks, Paul!

Well, I found out what was wrong. The batter cover is slightly damaged, and I thing as a result the batteries were not being held in quite as tightly as they could be. I think sharp jolts were causing a momentary loss of contact and the camera was getting reset.

I put a bit of rolled up post-it note in the back to put a bit of extra pressure on the battery compartment, and this time it lasted all the way home. Here's the (incredibly dull) video:

I wouldn't bother watching it ;-)

 

[magnatom]

Thanks, Paul!

Well, I found out what was wrong. The batter cover is slightly damaged, and I thing as a result the batteries were not being held in quite as tightly as they could be. I think sharp jolts were causing a momentary loss of contact and the camera was getting reset.

I put a bit of rolled up post-it note in the back to put a bit of extra pressure on the battery compartment, and this time it lasted all the way home. Here's the (incredibly dull) video:

I wouldn't bother watching it ;-)

Yeah Tim, the cover does have a small bit broken off, but it never caused me any problems on the helmet mount. I must have really smooth head movement

Your video confirmed to me that everyone in London is rushing around everywhere far too fast. It almost looks like you have sped the video up a little....

Glad you got it working ok!

 

[PrettyboyTim]

It got my full commute in today as well. I'm just running the virtualdub deshaker on it at the moment.

 

[BentMikey]

Yeah Tim, the cover does have a small bit broken off, but it never caused me any problems on the helmet mount.

Interestingly mine has that same bit broken off, I think it's the stop for the screw-on cover.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Okay, so I've run the video through the Deshaker plugin for virtual dub, and it's done a really good job! There are a few odd 'zooming' artifacts that pop up, but that's nothing I can't fix with some settings changes for next time.

I've actually managed to get it uploaded to imageshack this time: (YouTube uploads seem to be blocked at work)

http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=commute1deshakensmallrz3.flv

It's sped up by a factor of 5. Nothing that interesting in it except a very brief clip of a cabby squeezing to the left of me with about 5 inches to spare as I was waiting to turn right at one point...

 

[bonj2]

road surface doesn't look that good on the first road you set off from!

 

[PrettyboyTim]

road surface doesn't look that good on the first road you set off from!

No. It's rubbish. Full of potholes, but they never do a proper resurface (which would stop new ones from appearing), just fill in the new ones a couple of months after they've appeared.

 

[magnatom]

Okay, so I've run the video through the Deshaker plugin for virtual dub, and it's done a really good job! There are a few odd 'zooming' artifacts that pop up, but that's nothing I can't fix with some settings changes for next time.

I've actually managed to get it uploaded to imageshack this time: (YouTube uploads seem to be blocked at work)

http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=commute1deshakensmallrz3.flv

It's sped up by a factor of 5. Nothing that interesting in it except a very brief clip of a cabby squeezing to the left of me with about 5 inches to spare as I was waiting to turn right at one point...

That was a great video! I never see anywhere near as many cyclists as you come across! You have plenty of opportunities for commuter racing!

The zooming doesn't look like an artifact to me. you zoom in on other cyclists bums far too often for it to be accidental....

 

[John the Monkey]

*Heh*

Here's the camera in question

Ah.

I reckon you should point it down a bit then

 

[PrettyboyTim]

That was a great video! I never see anywhere near as many cyclists as you come across! You have plenty of opportunities for commuter racing!

The zooming doesn't look like an artifact to me. you zoom in on other cyclists bums far too often for it to be accidental....

*Ahem* Yes, there was a very shapely bottom in front of me for a short while about 5min 37 seconds in...

...but I swear it was accidental!