Recording Video From Boat

Just curious for those of you who have made your own wakeboard videos if it is better to use a tripod on the boat or to hold the camera by hand.

With a tripod you might feel more bumps then holding it by hand but by hand it seems like you'd have more shake in the picture.

try this
http://wakevideo.com/
Bryan is a great guy to deal with
I love my top mount

The only thing with the tower mount is from the higher angle it doesn't look like your getting as much height than if you shoot from head level sitting down in the boat.

that's a good point Roddyrod
I do get better video than if my 9 year old were in charge of the camera
really enjoy it up and out of the way

unfortunately I ride behind a boat with a fly high and I am also broke so the tower mount will not work.

Anyone use a tripod on the boat?

i've used a tripod and it works pretty good. i think it's easier to follow the rider...but going over rollers will definitely shake things up. some of the best footage we got last summer was from the camera aimed straight back and stationary on the tripod (only the driver in the boat) on a buttery morning. we sped it way up and it looked sweet.

I have used a tripod some on the boat. It definitely makes the video more stable. It just take up alot of room in the boat. I'm trying to rig up something now that will slide over the ski pylon in the back so I can take it on and off quickly and not take up any floor space.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

I tried the tower mount and didn't like it. Four basic problems:

1) As Roddyrod said, the view angle is wrong, especially if you want the video to look impressive

2) The camera always lags the rider. If you are zoomed out so that you can see half the wake it isn't so much of a problem, but if you are zoomed in to get a better shot of the rider he will never be framed properly. The problem is that when the rider makes his cut and starts moving across the wake the "slop" in the system plus the slight curve in the rope leaves the camera centered on where the rider just was instead of where he is.

3) Slack in the line really jerks the camera around. Not much of a problem on simple wake to wake tricks but when the rider gives the rope a good yank to execute a 540 the shock wave travels up the rope and the camera jerks all over the place.

4) It is a real bitch to operate the camera, especially if you have the bimini up. The sun washes out the display so it is hard to tell what the camera is actually seeing. Life is a little better if you have a remote LCD monitor and a remote control so that you can see and control from the observers seat.

Rod

David, a mount for the rear pylon is a great idea. That is the spot were our camera person sits most of the time anyway. And the rear of the boat is probably the most stable spot, so that makes since to put the camera there, not to mention it keeps the shot low.

Defiantly let us know how your design turns out?

maybe a camera mount that comes from the tower and hangs down!