# Best position for Hero2 camera on a raft



## DeeGardiner (Jun 18, 2009)

I would go for variety. Try different angles/mounts. It will spice up your video, and you will learn what works best. But helmet mount may be the easiest. Just remember you are filming and not just boating. Try to reduce head movement to improve the quality of your video.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

I use a Kodak Playsport HD video cam. Takes good video, but it doesn't have the attachment accessories like the Go Pro and it's bigger/heavier. I have mine on a small tripod on my cooler in front of me, so it's basically a bow cam. Great video, but limited to wherever my bow is pointed. I would love to have helmet cam capability so I could have better control of my video. The video I've seen from a tall stern mounted tripod has been awesome. Whatever you do, remember to have a leash of some sort on your camera so that you don't kiss your investment & trip memories good-bye.


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## OleMissBoater (May 22, 2007)

I'll have one as well out for the first time... I'm sure we can figure it out!


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## h2obro (Apr 22, 2004)

Monopod behind rower mounted with cams like a tripod IMHO. If you can get a 2nd camera and have that shooting up at the the rower you can put together some nice edits. A third "wide shot" camera from shore of your big rapids and now you have the makings of some ww porn. Have fun!!


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

I've been filming my trips for a few years. 

1. Helmet cam is the easiest and good if you have a few passengers on the front for a good perspective. Also, you are always looking towards the dangerous/scary stuff, so you end up capturing it on camera when someone flips.

Westwater 2,400 cfs low water. Colorado River - YouTube

2. Hiking pole mount. Great if you have a passenger who is doing nothing, you get all kind of angles and perspectives. Can't do it if you are solo in the boat.

Westwater 2000 cfs April 2012 - YouTube

3. Helmet camera reversed to capture the captain. I did it with two helmet cams, mine was looking forward and my passenger was looking back.

Westwater Canyon August 2008 - YouTube

4. Tripod mounted on the stern. I've seen various mounts. Some are self made, some are tripods. I use a cheapo ebayed tripod. When I break it, I just buy another one for 20 bucks. Just what cataraftgirl said, make sure you put a tether line on the camera. I already lost one GoPro in Westwater when my boat flipped and tripod broke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFGFzubGnE4&hd=1


5. We also tried oar mounted camera, but it didn't turn out well.

6. Bow mounted looking forward is probably the least entertaining to watch. A lot of videos on Youtube are of the front passengers holding the cams and all you see is waves. You have to have something in the picture for the perspective and show the size of those waves, otherwise all you see is splashing.

7. just what h2obro said, multiple angles usually get the best footage overall

Gates of Lodore, 3,500 cfs - YouTube

Hope this helps,
Alex


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

Great tips Alex. And thanks for posting your videos.
I don't ever have a passenger on my Cat, so my "cooler cam" gets good shots of the action up front once I'm into the meat of the rapid. But until I line up for the plunge, I get a lot of shoreline views as I jockey for position. Once I'm through the rapid, I'd love to have the helmet cam to then look upstream and get my friends coming through. We don't scout much, so shots from shore of peeps running the rapids are very rare. I'm in a constant battle with myself about buying a Go Pro as a second camera for my helmet. That combined with the cooler cam shots would be great. But then I'd have to get over my hatred of wearing my helmet :lol:


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

Be smart wear a helmet! Last Westwater trip we had an accident on Skull. One of the boats lost an oar and it caught on the Skull's right wall and became a trebuchet going straight for the head of the passenger on the front. Luckily the counter weight missed her by less than an inch. She wasn't wearing a helmet. 

A problem with helmet cams is the wide angle. They are great for up close and personal and getting the whole boat into the picture, but anything more than 30 feet is too small to see. So if you want to shoot from the shore, it's much easier to shoot with SLR video or a video camera. I carry my Sony SLR camera just for that.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

Good advice......I wear it sometimes, but I don't like it. Got lazy and out of the habit. I have been known to lose my grip on an oar from time to time. Wouldn't want a skull fracture or missing teeth. Maybe a helmet cam would get me to wear it more 
So maybe the helmet cam wouldn't give me the shots I want of my friends? Good to know before I throw down a bunch of money on a Go Pro. My rafting buddy has a SLR/HD video camera, so I combine some of his footage with mine. He always runs first and films the rest of us. But I'm still tempted by a second camera !!!!!


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## Curtiso (May 18, 2011)

I just put a helmet mount on my new NRS helmet for my WW trip coming up. I used that 3M adhesive. Has anyone had any problems with the adhesive loosing its "adhesiveness" when wet? Just trying to cover all my bases.


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## GregMB (Sep 11, 2011)

I think the best R2 videos are on a stern mount (facing forward, of course). The difficult part is getting the monopod to stay in place.


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## DanCan (Jul 22, 2011)

Curtiso said:


> I just put a helmet mount on my new NRS helmet for my WW trip coming up. I used that 3M adhesive. Has anyone had any problems with the adhesive loosing its "adhesiveness" when wet? Just trying to cover all my bases.


I've had my GoPro mounted to my helmet with the tape that comes on the mount for 2 years now. Its been down WW 7 times now, each time I left it on while I went swimming and such. Its still stuck on there as good as it ever was.

DanCan


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## BoscoBoater (Jul 11, 2006)

Best place to mount a camera would be in the air about 25 feet up...


New AR.Drone 2.0: HD CAMERA onboard - YouTube

Controlled with an iPod, iPhone or iPad. 


Who has bought one of these? This should be excellent for river footage.

Like this, but with unfrozen water...

[url=http://youtu.be/-m5s3Jjfx4s]Aerial Video at Mt. Bachelor Filmed with XP2 Quadcopter and GoPro HD - YouTube[/URL]


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## BoscoBoater (Jul 11, 2006)

Or like this with more boaters....

The New XP2 Quadcopter Aerial Video and Photos - YouTube

River company photographers should make a bundle with these.


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