I am looking for information,ideas input or suggestions on video camera , small and rugged enough to mount under my car to watch the front tires and suspension when I launch at the drag strip.I have no way of getting video of the front end movement.I need something that can be played back on lap top or some kind of screen or sends it remotely to a location I`ve seen these things advertised ,never interested , so now that i am looking & can`t find any thing. I know Ted had some things in side our cars once at Columbus but I think that would be too big and fragile.Any ideas or thoughts would be appreacited    Thanks Harry Hutten Jr.

Harry;
What about mounting a back-up camera in reverse? They are cheap enough. Just not sure if it could be recordable.
Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Other than something specific to the task, maybe a Gopro camera.  They are designed for more rugged uses than an ordinary camera.
A cheap video camera may work just as well.  Most cameras have 1/4" threaded hole for mounting to a tri pod.  That makes it easy to devise a bracket to hold it to the car.



Lawrenceville, GA

Thanks guys for the tips. Charlie a question I have checked these Gopro cameras & don`t  know how much camera I need to get under car viedo of the wheels & suspension.Will these cameras work after dark under car as that`s when a lot of testing happens around here any thoughts  would be very helpfull The store clerks aren,t able to figure out what I am doing& also want to up sell.                Thanks Much Harry

I don't know much about them.  They do have a low light setting.  If that didn't work, you could add some sort of LED illumination - maybe some sort of small flash light secured to the same bracket as the camera, or wire up a light bulb to come on with the taillights.  The GoPro Hero4Session looks like it would be the easiest to adapt for your use.

http://shop.gopro.com/hero4/hero4-session/CHDHS-101.html

Some video cameras have an infrared mode, which should work great for low light and could be cheaper than the GoPro



Lawrenceville, GA

Just daydreaming a way to do this..........  A mimic motion device. Attach a piece of (rugged) cord to the point you wish to follow, run it up and over (something lubricated) and attach the other end to a bungee. Arrange a chunk of tape measure to parallel the bungee. Aim a camera at the pre-loaded cord end - photograph the movement as the car launches.
Now I need a nap...........

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

A few years ago, my wife bought me a Flip video camera which I've used in some low light situations with decent results, mostly restaurants and bars where friends' bands were playing.  You might check craig's list, There was one in the Columbus area for $50 which is about right, I think they were only about $100 new.  It compensates for the low light by going to a lower resolution.  Those little LED blocks Harbor Freight sells could be made to brighten things a little.

Another thought is if you have an old phone around that takes video, that could be a really inexpensive way to go.

Don

I'm looking for a camera for similar sorts of uses now.  If you haven't already found something, search for "action cameras" or "sports cameras"  There are lots of options besides GoPro which will be cheaper and should do the job.



Lawrenceville, GA