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$3 DIY Dashcam experiments with Kodak zi8 & Playsport

4,765 views · Published 19 August 2012 · 4:57 · Indexed 29 October 2026

Channel: Robb's Homemade Life · 2012 · Howto & Style

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What I learned while experimenting with a $3 dashboard mount and the Kodak zi8 and the Kodak Playsport:


 The Kodak Zi8 shows wavy video when filming with the car at idle speeds and the image stabilization on. With the Image stabilizaion off the wavy video is reduced but then filming at regular car speeds the video is more bumpy than filming wth the Kodak Playsport.


 The Kodak Playsport showed no wavy video when the car was at idle speed and was less bumpy in general than the Zi8.

 I used two Zi8 cameras and got the same results with both Zi8 cameras.


 The sponge method of mounting the camera to the dashboard is very simple and cheap but did not give as good as results as the $3 suction cup mount. There were also much more reflection problems with the sponge than with the suction cup.


 I did not use the sponge with the Playsport.


When using the sponge, a good way to keep the camera from sliding is to place a wet or damp cloth on the dashboard and lay the sponge on top.

 

 The suction cup was easy to mount to the car window, but the cameras were too long and after attaching to the suction cup they could not be tilted vertically to 90 degrees to film forward and could only film at an angle facing upward.


 However, after attaching the camera to the suction cup, it was easy to film vertically facing forward at 90 degrees upside down.


 To watch the film after filming upside down it is easy to just turn the camera upside down and watch it on the lcd screen on the camera.


 I also was able to edit the video to be right side up by using Sony Vegas. 


here is a film clip link showing an was way to edit the upside down film. Just click on vertical where the film asks you to click on horizontal.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cH12kbuR2Q


 Even though the $1 tripod head that I added a nut to the bottom did not help the suction cup work, I think it will be a good way to attach my camera to my hat for future videos where I need to film without a tripod and keep my hands free. I have attached cameras to my hat before with velcro and simple bolts but the swivel head should be more useful.


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