2nd Camera?

[Hippo-Drones]

Interesting, so the USB-C is used to connect to the media mod, then from the media mod, it's the same deal where you get a couple different media ports like the microphone port available for input?

It is basically the mic adaptor turned into a camera frame with some extra mics added

 

[YBGuy]

It is basically the mic adaptor turned into a camera frame with some extra mics added

Awesome, thanks for the extra info HippoDrone.

 

[Drakhen99]

Interesting, so the USB-C is used to connect to the media mod, then from the media mod, it's the same deal where you get a couple different media ports like the microphone port available for input?

Yup. The MM uses the camera's USB-C port [same on Hero 8 and Hero 9, but they have distinctly different Media Mods], and then exposes a mini HDMI port, a USB-C port, and an external Mic port.

Very handy little bugger to add to your cameras. Plus, it has mics front and back, and on the Hero 9, it adds an audio level meter to the rear screen. There's passthroughs for the camera's mounting fingers as well.

-John

 

[Baldbiker]

I finally got a second camera mounted facing back and was feeling like this was going to be a major step forward with the video logs, but after making several videos with it I feel a bit underwhelmed by it. The footage comes back and has no variation, so sometimes I end up just sticking the face view over top of wherever and it just looks like it's me talking at that particular moment. Although it does help to break up the monotony of the forward view while I drive around and yap about stuff, Im going to start looking for other angles to mount it to make it more interesting than just looking up at me in a helmet while riding. Mounting the camera in other places is tricky though, because the camera tends to bounce around a lot and ruin the video, or even worse, you could lose the camera.

 

[Drakhen99]

I finally got a second camera mounted facing back and was feeling like this was going to be a major step forward with the video logs, but after making several videos with it I feel a bit underwhelmed by it. The footage comes back and has no variation, so sometimes I end up just sticking the face view over top of wherever and it just looks like it's me talking at that particular moment. Although it does help to break up the monotony of the forward view while I drive around and yap about stuff, Im going to start looking for other angles to mount it to make it more interesting than just looking up at me in a helmet while riding. Mounting the camera in other places is tricky though, because the camera tends to bounce around a lot and ruin the video, or even worse, you could lose the camera.

I feel you on that whole 2nd camera weirdness thing. For me, it added a whole new dimension, but I found myself directly talking to and looking at the 2nd camera the whole time I was speaking, which besides being distracting, changed the camera angle for my 1st camera, so that footage looks wonky sometimes when I used that view instead of the handlebar-mounted camera. I also have a half helmet and do a lot of gesturing, so that view is more "talking head" video style than "look at my helmet", which I think is super neat but super frustrating if my audio gets out of sync [I've had the GoPro footage "drift" by up to 1s after a long ride]. Some things to think about.

Definitely look into the Jaws clamp mount for handlebars and other bars - I have done some tests [vids on my channel] of mounting it in different spots on my Street Glide, and most recently I used it on the handlebars of my wife's Sportster and my KZ, both with great results. With the newer GoPros and their stabilization, I feel it's very near to rock solid, and if you can get it up a bit so it's not an extreme vertical angle to see you, all the better.

I love trying out new mounts for 2nd and 3rd camera angles... I mean, I cobbled together a fairing mount that works for my Hero 8, Max, and whatever else I want to mount on there [there's a vid where I put the 7 or 9" unicorn mount on that mount for a more extreme 360 view of the front of the bike... I may have to do that one again].

TL;DR: Buy a Jaws clamp mount and try multiple mounting positions until you find one or more you like, and then use those. Gestures can add to the dynamics of the footage as well.

-John

 

[Baldbiker]

I tried mounting a gopro on the top box. That was a mistake.

 

[Drakhen99]

I tried mounting a gopro on the top box. That was a mistake.

What did you use to stick it there?

-John

 

[MachKneel]

I feel you on that whole 2nd camera weirdness thing. For me, it added a whole new dimension, but I found myself directly talking to and looking at the 2nd camera the whole time I was speaking, which besides being distracting, changed the camera angle for my 1st camera, so that footage looks wonky sometimes when I used that view instead of the handlebar-mounted camera. I also have a half helmet and do a lot of gesturing, so that view is more "talking head" video style than "look at my helmet", which I think is super neat but super frustrating if my audio gets out of sync [I've had the GoPro footage "drift" by up to 1s after a long ride]. Some things to think about.

Definitely look into the Jaws clamp mount for handlebars and other bars - I have done some tests [vids on my channel] of mounting it in different spots on my Street Glide, and most recently I used it on the handlebars of my wife's Sportster and my KZ, both with great results. With the newer GoPros and their stabilization, I feel it's very near to rock solid, and if you can get it up a bit so it's not an extreme vertical angle to see you, all the better.

I love trying out new mounts for 2nd and 3rd camera angles... I mean, I cobbled together a fairing mount that works for my Hero 8, Max, and whatever else I want to mount on there [there's a vid where I put the 7 or 9" unicorn mount on that mount for a more extreme 360 view of the front of the bike... I may have to do that one again].

TL;DR: Buy a Jaws clamp mount and try multiple mounting positions until you find one or more you like, and then use those. Gestures can add to the dynamics of the footage as well.

-John

I really need to get off my @$$ and get a 2nd camera but I am just so stubborn and don't want to spend more money although I do think it would help, especially as obviously I run the channel with another guy so I could get backwards facing footage of his bike too, and his of mine etc etc.

The struggles!

 

[Drakhen99]

I really need to get off my @$$ and get a 2nd camera but I am just so stubborn and don't want to spend more money although I do think it would help, especially as obviously I run the channel with another guy so I could get backwards facing footage of his bike too, and his of mine etc etc.

The struggles!

Oh man, that's right - you've got 2 riders! You can put it on the right handlebar of the right-most rider, aimed left a bit, and catch both riders in frame. I did this on a vid with a local MVer and it was pretty neat.

-John

 

[YBGuy]

Yup. The MM uses the camera's USB-C port [same on Hero 8 and Hero 9, but they have distinctly different Media Mods], and then exposes a mini HDMI port, a USB-C port, and an external Mic port.

Very handy little bugger to add to your cameras. Plus, it has mics front and back, and on the Hero 9, it adds an audio level meter to the rear screen. There's passthroughs for the camera's mounting fingers as well.

-John

Interesting stuff!

 

[Drakhen99]

Interesting stuff!

Yeah, I'm a fan. A little pricey for a couple of mics and a wrap-around frame and ports, but it does add 2 cold shoe mounts, which I forgot to mention before.

-John