Video recording advIce

[V8KSN]

Evening all

I am about to embark on a trip into Europe with the petrolhead nirvana guys and i have bought a GoPro HD Hero 2 camera to record some of the highlights so i am posting here for advice.

Now i am mounting the GoPro with the supplied suction mount and this mount is stable and secure (apparently up to 200mph) but i am a little paranoid about getting the camera set so its pointing level at the horizon. On some test footage i have taken the cam looks level on the car but on video playback its clear the horizon is ...... well.....wonky

Now short of getting a spirit level out each time i mount the camera can you please give me some advice on how to try and get the camera level or any editing software available that could correct a wonky horizon.

Thanks in advance for your replies

[V8KSN]

Thanks Fordo, what editing software would you recommend to edit the wonky footage? I have a MacBook Pro.

[V8KSN]

Synchromesh said:

V8KSN said:

Thanks Fordo, what editing software would you recommend to edit the wonky footage? I have a MacBook Pro.

The pre-installed iMovie does all the basics. Get started with that for a few edits while you get your head round editing, then decide if you want to spend money of something else.

Does iMovie allow you to correct slanted video footage? For example, if the horizon is slanted from left to right will iMovie allow you to 'level' it out?

Sorry for all the questions, this is all very new to me and I just want to make sure the memories I record will be editable..... otherwise I may end up with a cricked neck while watching them back on the TV

[V8KSN]

Simpo Two said:

If the camera looks level but the image is X degrees tilted, simply tilt the camera by the same amount the opposite way. Can you monitor what it 'sees' at set-up?

Thats the thing, you can't tell if the camera is level until you view the recorded video after transfer to a laptop. For example, if you recorded some video of a sunset and the sun setting is in the middle of the screen and the horizon level on the left is lower than the horizon level on the right could you 'level' the video using some software?

If you look at the image below, would you be able to 'level' the video using software?

[V8KSN]

Simpo Two said:

I'd tilt the camera 10 degrees to port, but I'm just old school

I don't think i'm explaining myself properly

[V8KSN]

mrmr96 said:

V8KSN said:

Simpo Two said:

I'd tilt the camera 10 degrees to port, but I'm just old school

I don't think i'm explaining myself properly

Simpo, he's saying that he's mounting the camera (which doesn't have a screen on it) as best he can by eye, but on playback the scene is tipped.

So he either wants to i) learn how to mount it straight on the vehicle so no post production required, or ii) record it wonky and have some software which will rotate the video by 10 degrees or whatever is required to mend the wonky footage.

Thanks mrmr96