How to record my steering wheel from a front angle with my phone?

Momoracer · Dec 15, 2019

What sort of tripod/thing do I have to buy to record the wheel at a frontal angle? I want to use my phone (samsung S7), mount it in some sort of structure/tripod that would be sitting I guess at a torso level so I get a good frontal view of the wheel, hands etc. I just have no idea how people record this angle. It would need to be a bending structure that comes from above to not get in the way of the arms so I can turn... I just dont know what to buy.

If this isn't clear enough I did this diagram. The red arrow is where I need the camera to be recording at. You get the idea hopefully. Getting a go pro on my chest wouldnt work, it has to be fixed, mounted somewhere to get a recording that doesn't move.

DrRob · Dec 15, 2019

Sorry, slightly off-topic, but maybe not...

The problem with GoPro and smartphone cameras is the extreme wide angle lens. You have to get very close to the very thing you are trying to record. Doesn't that mean that it will always be in the way of you trying to operate the wheel and the pedals?
I would imagine a mount slightly above/behind your shoulder would work best with an appropriate camera/lens not found on your typical smartphone. There might be slip-over lens-converters for smartphones though. Such a solution might do the trick.

Emery · Dec 15, 2019

DrRob said:
The problem with GoPro and smartphone cameras is the extreme wide angle lens.

Modern GoPros have zoom that can eliminate the wide angle. At least some smartphones have this capability, too. The real problem with GoPros is they record in 15-minute chunks, so if you record a long session, then you have to string together a bunch of separate files. Other action cameras may not have this quirk.

Emery · Dec 15, 2019

Momoracer said:
It would need to be a bending structure that comes from above to not get in the way of the arms so I can turn... I just dont know what to buy.

Probably something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Gooseneck-Flexible-Compatible-Bedroom-Desktop/dp/B07X3PYC8M/

Found it in 2 minutes by googling "clip on phone mount".

Jeremy Ford · Dec 15, 2019

This is how I record mine. I'm using a Brio webcam. It's a cheap Amazon basics camera tripod, plus aluminum extension arm from eBay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adjustable-Extension-Arm-Aluminium-Selfie-Pole-Tripod-Mount-for-GoPro-6-5-4-3-UK/362361419660?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649)
It's using GoPro style mounts, and there are smartphone holders with GoPro mounting options.

Looks like this....

Momoracer · Dec 17, 2019

Jeremy Ford said:
This is how I record mine. I'm using a Brio webcam. It's a cheap Amazon basics camera tripod, plus aluminum extension arm from eBay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adjustable-Extension-Arm-Aluminium-Selfie-Pole-Tripod-Mount-for-GoPro-6-5-4-3-UK/362361419660?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649)
It's using GoPro style mounts, and there are smartphone holders with GoPro mounting options.

View attachment 338994

Looks like this....

Not quite the angle I need, I would like a more frontal view, like the angle of the wheel ingame, im not sure how to achieve this.

RCHeliguy · Dec 17, 2019

iRacing and some others have a HUD that includes your wheel position and it would just show up on the screen along with your brake and throttle position.

alfye20 · Dec 17, 2019

Momoracer said:
Not quite the angle I need, I would like a more frontal view, like the angle of the wheel ingame, im not sure how to achieve this.

To achieve this, you need to mount the camera at your eyes level, it wont be possible without blocking your view so The cam must be placed near any of your ears and Thats forces an alt view to the side where you placed the cam. Is not an easy task.

Here you can se an action cam tie zipped to the headphones:

Jeremy Ford · Dec 17, 2019

Unless you want to attach the camera to your head, or in your mouth (there are mounts for this) then there's no way you can film from right in front as your arms will hit a fixed camera, and will also be right in your line of sight.

Momoracer · Dec 18, 2019

Jeremy Ford said:
Unless you want to attach the camera to your head, or in your mouth (there are mounts for this) then there's no way you can film from right in front as your arms will hit a fixed camera, and will also be right in your line of sight.

So how do you reckon this was filmed

Jeremy Ford · Dec 18, 2019

Momoracer said:
So how do you reckon this was filmed

Have you thought about asking him?

Jeremy Ford · Dec 18, 2019

Going in from the side would be plausible using this. https://www.amazon.co.uk/UTEBIT-Pho...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Momoracer · Dec 21, 2019

Jeremy Ford said:
Going in from the side would be plausible using this. https://www.amazon.co.uk/UTEBIT-Pho...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I don't even know what im looking at.

Jeremy Ford · Dec 21, 2019

What don't you understand? It's a boom arm, you hang things off it.

Momoracer · Dec 29, 2019

Jeremy Ford said:
What don't you understand? It's a boom arm, you hang things off it.

How do you put a phone there?

Emery · Dec 29, 2019

Momoracer said:
How do you put a phone there?

As he already said: There are smartphone holders with GoPro mounting options. Here's a link to one: https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Smartphones-Adapter-Session-Accessory/dp/B07CH2BNNV

Momoracer · Dec 29, 2019

Emery said:
As he already said: There are smartphone holders with GoPro mounting options. Here's a link to one: https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Smartphones-Adapter-Session-Accessory/dp/B07CH2BNNV

How do you sync what you record on the phone with the gameplay?

Jeremy Ford · Dec 29, 2019

Momoracer said:
How do you sync what you record on the phone with the gameplay?

What do you mean?

Momoracer · Dec 30, 2019

Jeremy Ford said:
What do you mean?

I record my hands playing, and I record gameplay with OBS.

How do I sync the movement of my hands file, with the gameplay of the game file?

Is there a way to press "record" and record both the phone and the gameplay? the phone would need to be connected with the usb cable into the computer tho.. so i dont know

Jeremy Ford · Dec 30, 2019

Momoracer said:
I record my hands playing, and I record gameplay with OBS.

How do I sync the movement of my hands file, with the gameplay of the game file?

Is there a way to press "record" and record both the phone and the gameplay? the phone would need to be connected with the usb cable into the computer tho.. so i dont know

You'll need to do that manually and align the videos in your video editor if you have separate videos.