The Sticky Pod Camera Mount
By Peter Rojas 
posted July 16th 2005 9:01AM
posted July 16th 2005 9:01AM
You'd think most people would be just the tiniest bit wary of mounting a pricey camcorder on the side of their car
with just suction cups (we know that if you do it right it shouldn't be a problem, but still), but if that doesn't faze
you then the Sticky Pod might just be your style. Looks like this thing has been on the market for at least a couple of
years already, anyone find out the hard way what it's like to have your camcorder smash onto the highway at 60
MPH?
[Via TRFJ]
If you own that BMW, would it matter much if your $400 camcorder took a spill?
Forget the highway. I wouldn't let anything anywhere remotely NEAR the sheet metal of that car...
Is there a camera that records on to SD cards? You know, just incase it does fall off your car.
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/video/20040806/index.html
Cameras that record onto SD cards are hideously expensive and impractical with a small amount of time to film. Mini DV is still the way to go at the moment. It would take balls of steal to drive at 60mph with a camera on the hood of your car with just suction cups.
The guys who filmed Getaway In Stockholm managed to smash their camera with a flying rock that was thrown up by another car.
In my day (high school, 10 years ago), we did it the right way: with a person holding the video camera, facing headfirst out of the front trunk of a 1986 Volkwagen Beetle.
Sure was fun to feel immortal back then.
Method of attachment could also be done with strong earth magnets. Just make sure there is felt or some other soft material on the bottom of the magnets to prevent damage to your paint job. Might be a bit more secure than suction cups.
I have used one on a motorcycle track at speeds up to 160mph and never had one fall off. We used them for entertainment after the event, to see how we were approaching the corners, and for tips from other riders.
I own one of those mounts (or a very similar one) and use it weekly for racing my car. That thing is dead on secure, whether for autocross (lots of hard turns, speeds up to about 60mph) and for Solo 1 (speeds up to 130) racing.
"Posted Jul 16, 2005, 9:40 AM ET by brian
Is there a camera that records on to SD cards? You know, just incase it does fall off your car."
Yes, there are video cameras like that.
I'm with #6 - you're more likely to damage the camera with debris (never mind the bugs).
Personally, I'd stay the hell away from stuff like this. Not so much because of the "sh*t, I broke my camera" angle. But wouldn't want to have literally have the thing fly in my face (a camera hitting the windshield at 60mph probably isn't the most pleasant experience, safety glass or not) or hitting other people.
If you look at the link #4 gave, you'll see it's been tested on planes without budging.
I have been using a single suction mount for about 3 years now and have managed to get a lot of good footage with it. My DV camera is old and worth nothing, so if it comes off - I don't care.
So far It's seen 155mph on the side of the car without any wobble. It's also been mounted down behind the front right wheel at hub level for some laps of the Nurbrgring.
Also comes in handy for mounting inside the car for driver footage.
I've tried just about everything to stop the wind noise on the mic (tape, blue tac), but nothing seems to work. Typically, I run a wired mic in the engine bay or in the cabin.
For some strange reason I was actually just thinking about such an item. I was just going to throw it on a tripod and put it out the moonroof.
http://mashko.blogspot.com
# 16 thats exactly wat i did for an assignment for school..worked fine..and the 360 shots i got with it were crazy...but gettin pulled over by federal officers for having a camcorde near the airport wasnt cool...:(
Manfrotto/Bogen(US) have made a better one for years with a heap of different attachments.
The pump action doesn't damage painted bodywork either.
I did something much like this for a school shoot last year, and was inspired by the Sticky Pod design. I needed to do a burn-out shot with the camera framing the drivers side from the front wheel to the rear, with the camera mounted hanging over the fender. I didn't want to mess up my dad's Porsche, so i needed something that wouldnt leave a mark, such as a suction cup. I bought three locking suction cups from the hardware store, and attatched an aluminum pole to them, with a camera mount on the end. It solved my problem, and i had barely any shaking and I didn't lose my camera. The suction cups held on pretty tight, which amazed everyone after seeing the full-out spins and burnouts I was doing with it attatched.
"Method of attachment could also be done with strong earth magnets."
Yes, I'd agree with you if we weren't talking about magnetic tape video recorders. :P Or digital electronics in general. The magnetic fields of rare earth magnets are, obviously much larger. if you used an appropriate number (3, considering the felt. 1 if you let it make contact) of magnets, that would be... messy.
Works for a spotlight though. I digress. I once saw a ski rack system for a car that used large, VERY thin magnets. The combined surface area made a really strong bond... I think that would be the way to go here. Like the magnets you slap on your truck if you're involved in an event. Just make sure it doesn't curl up at the edges... Wind is a bitch :P
My $0.02
umm...the last time i did any videotaping from the car, i drove with my foot while sitting on the top of the driver's seatback, while holding the camera out the sunroof.
i wouldn't really recommend this, as it was impossible to use the brakes.
see the immortality comment in #7.
Well people seem to be saying that the suction cups are plenty strong...which is a good thing. I would question whether or not the shoe of the mount in adequate, either on the camera side OR the mount.
Two things though, since some of you seem to be experienced with 'hood perspective cinema'. Would not a lexan or plexiglass shield/bubble be a good idea to cut down wind resistance and protect the camera from flying debris ? Also, could not a much smaller camera be mounted on the hood that would then wirelessly transmit the images back inside the cab where the actual recording equipment could be stashed (thus decreasing the danger to life, limb, and monetary investment)? X10 anyone ? Just a thought...
There's a more pro version of this thing from a company called Microdolly in Burbank; three suction cups that can hold 200lbs. EACH connected to a central camera mount. This sucker can hold a decent sized camera rock steady. We just used one out on a desert highway, absolutely rock solid.
I've done a lot of video from various angles on sports cars. The stickypod is quite good, but you are limited to large relatively flat surfaces - I did a video in a Ferrari 355 F1 and there's no place to attach a stickypod that wouldn't cause the owner to have a seizure. I've found that suction cup based mounts tend to be a little bit "bouncy" though, and prefer hard mounts if possible. There are great clamp on deals with various extenders so you can get the camera positions you're looking for. Tow bolts and radiator attachment points work well for right down on the road stuff if you're willing to be creative with a socket wrench in some cases. Camera housings for diving are a must though - rock chips in expensive optics are bad. I prefer mounting inside the car though. Take off the rearview mirror and clamp to a roll bar or harness attachment point. No roll bar? Clamp to a headrest post...
As an owner of this device, I can tell you with certainty that it does not fall off if attached correctly. It does not leave a mark, if you wipe down the cups and surface so there is no dirt on them.
A camera flying into your windshield WOULD suck at 60mph, which is why you buy one of these- so it doesn't. :P
Couple of comments on previous comments...
1. A lot of todays sheet metal is aluminum. Especially hoods. Magnets won't work for that.
2. The camera would not actually hit your windshield with 60mph of "force". Remember the camera is travelling the same speed as the car. So it at most would have the effect of the wind accelerating the camera towards the windshield. Either way the camera would not survive, but the effect on the car would be less. No dents, but would expect some scrapes.
As the inventor of the Sticky Pod, I had to see what all the hype was about. My weblogs went crazy after only a few days. Many thanks for the compliments and comments. To those of you that own a Sticky Pod, you're the best! Be sure to send us your videos and pics so we can post them on our site.
#26 - I was just about to mention that. I thought it strange that noone here seemed to remember Newton at all.