Andy;

How reliable is the HD170 remote "clicker for turning the camera on and off? I have mine mounted on the "V" strut in the cabin and the remote clicker seems to be a bit hit and miss. At least I can reach over and manually turn it on or off when in the cabin.

Also what are the parts you used for the tie-down mount. They look to be RAM.

Video editing software is where I have a real interest. I have a Corel package but it is too bleeping complex for a Luddite like me. Since the Drift saves in the *.mov format it is not accepted by some editing software.

Thoughts?

Tom

I use the Contour +2 camera. The company went belly up shortly after I bought my camera, but they are back in business with new owners now. There are a lot of the cameras with original packaging still on Amazon and they are quite a bit cheaper ($279) than many other options for full HD capability and remote operation. The remote uses Bluetooth rather than WiFi, and that means less battery drain, so the battery lasts longer. I carry 2 batteries with me anyway. The camera is physically smaller than most of the competition and is basically a cylindrical shape, so it is fairly streamlined. I like that about it too. Overall, the camera's capabilities are more than a match for my skill level. I control the camera with my smart phone. The controller app is available for Apple and Android phones.

http://www.amazon.com/Contour-1701-2-Ne ... ntour+%2B2

Just got the Garmin Virb yesterday and tested it, very nice camera for aviation. It has gps and accelerometers in it so you can display lots of info on the video (altitude, g´s, ground speed, location on map, etc). Also really easy to operate and one can operate it from the phone app or Garmin watch, editing software is very intuitive.
I tried out the intercom connection and it worked perfect. Just trying to figure an nice mount option and will post video.

I have a Garmin Virb and like it. Have it mounted from the top of the windscreen with the suction cup. Guess I need to read the directions because I can't figure out how to get the altitude, ground speed, location, etc to show up. I hate reading directions.

Sorry for the delayed response, TomD. I've found the HD170 remote to be about 30% reliable. When I don't use it for a long, I think the battery must run down and causes the remote to be unreliable. I'd check it before you get into the airplane. If you have to press it more than once or hold the button down to start the camera recording, it's likely the battery in the remote needs replacement.

I use RAM mounts. I don't remember the part numbers but I used one of the RAM B 1-3/4" double socket arms and replaced the bolt with a RAM B ball base and knob. I cut a strip of rubber padding and punched a hole through it for the 1/4" ball bolt. That adds a lot of friction and keeps the arm from tilting up or down on the tiedown ring. The ball is where I clamp another RAM B 1-3/4" arm to a 1" camera mount ball that goes into the bottom of the HD170 camera. I used medium Locktite thread locker since I didn't want the ball base to turn in flight. I didn't use the plastic mount that comes with the HD170 since it's ridiculously flimsy with a tiny screw holding the whole thing together. When you use thread locker, it makes the ball base pretty much a permanent installation on the camera. It's a toss up as to whether you would pull out the nutsert first in the camera base if you tried to unscrew the ball. If you want to remove the ball later, you could try a lighter thread locker.

I use the AVS Video Editor which can be found at http://www.avs4you.com/AVS-Video-Editor.aspx to edit the .MOV files. It's not particularly fast or impressive but it was free and not too hard to use. You need a fast computer with a lot of RAM (6GB+) to make it work well.

Wow, 8 months later I see I was on the experts list. Sorry for the delay, thanks for thinking I'm wise beyond my skills.

Most of the answers already given I agree with. I think it's a no brainer to go with gopro given the mounts available and that most people think it has the best quality. But, really, the action cam market is mature. Nothing you buy is going to stop you from making the movie you want to make. So think about the product you are trying to produce rather than the technology side of the house. You might find that you don't even need an action cam and will be better served with you DSLR and some film making lessons.

One wrinkle I would like to address though is on the gopro remote control. Using the ios app to control the camera is a loser in my experience. Use the keyfob remote. If you want a camera to record an entire flight (though *WHY* would be the important question in that case!) then you'll definitely need the extended battery pack. In more typical usage, using the keyfob will allow you to turn the camera(s) on and off when you actually want to film something, and I can't think of a flight that I landed with less than half the battery remaining when used this way.

Patrick mentioned Final Cut and Motion. That's what I use also. Adobe software is quite good also if you aren't on OSX.

Here's a video that I took with my new GoPro Hero 4 Silver action camera mounted on the right tiedown ring with the RAM arrangement that I posted previously. My iPhone does a great job of previewing, controlling the camera, monitoring the recording and changing settings. I'm using GoPro Studio on a Macbook Air to edit. I'm still experimenting with all the settings.
http://youtu.be/TpOlVcDapao