Lance's review of the Garmin VIRB camera

[SSLance]

I got the chance to borrow a Garmin VIRB Elite yesterday at our last autocross of the year. I couldn't adapt the Garmin Cam to my RAM mounts that I use with my GoPro so I picked up an extra GoPro accessories kit and cobbled together a mount to attach the Garmin to the inside of my windshield. With 3 different adapters used, the camera vibrated a bit more during runs than I would have liked, but that wasn't the cameras fault.

This camera has a couple of cool features that I like. First, it is super idiot proof. There is a big slide button on the side of it, slide it forward and the camera turns on and starts recording...slide it back, camera stops and shuts off. There is also a LCD screen on it that lets you preview and review shots right on the camera. The other cool feature is it uses GPS to embed data in the video file like speed, direction, altitude, and G-forces and lets you put different graphics on your videos showing the external data taken during your runs.

Mounting and operation of the camera during events is top notch and it takes very good video. The owner of the camera had it set to 780p and 30 fps I believe to save memory space as he road races with it and I didn't change those settings. We took 8 videos with it 3-5 minutes in length each and it still showed 5 hours of battery time left when done.

I downloaded and installed Garmin's free Video Edit software and used the cord to plug the camera into the USB port. The software found the camera and the files automatically and imported them to the PC. I then started to learn the software. It's pretty user friendly from scratch. Making the first few videos was easy. Then I started overlaying the GPS data onto them and it got a bit more complicated. Trying to sync the data to the video takes some practice. I got a few right on and a few were several seconds off. I think there is some tricks to this and I'll work on figuring those out. On to the good stuff. Here is my third and fastest run of the day as seen from the Garmin cam.

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I'm going to work on a few of the other videos to clean up and show the different templates you can use to overlay the data in a bit. I'll update this thread as I get them uploaded. Might take me a few days though.

Here is the in car from my first run taken with the GoPro, you can see the Garmin cam attached to the windshield.

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And here are the two cameras on their mounts I used yesterday side by side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vqOc1jCVHIY/VEw9228K2-I/AAAAAAAARMs/iu7v0MBo5lY/w386-h685-no/IMG_20141025_191833_791.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NC4oh-Jhxdc/VEw-BsAbOsI/AAAAAAAARNE/zKkqUw4VzTA/w386-h685-no/IMG_20141025_191925_301.jpg

Any questions, just fire away. I think I'll be picking one of these up as well as a very versatile Ram Mount for it before next racing season. Not that it is really better than my GoPro Hero 3 Silver, but it offers a few features that I can't get with my GoPro. I consider it a nice compliment.

[SSLance]

This video is the closest I got the data matched to the video so far, was my fastest run of the day but I got a four letter word cone during the run.

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I've learned how to put a few different overlays in that show the G-Forces and what not and once I get those dialed in and uploaded I'll share as well.

[SSLance]

I'm starting to get the hang of this...check it out...

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[SSLance]

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Virb-Elite-Action-Camera/dp/B00EOHUVTU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414431132&sr=8-1&keywords=Virb+Elite

[Sieg]

I'm really curious as to how it's audio performance is on exterior mounts, with and without their wind block. Audio is where all these cameras really fall short IMO.

The overlays are a big bonus.

Looks like it's definitely competition to GoPro. Nice report. :thumbsup:

[SSLance]

Syncing the GPS data to the video takes some practice. What I ended up doing was trimming the video first, then using the red dot on the data side of the software to sync with the video. The screen overlays lag behind in the preview screen of the video. Trying to sync using the overlays (specifically the MPH on the start of the run) doesn't work. I got it real close on the second try using the red dot and one second increments back until it was perfect. I believe the one I posted is about a half second off, but it's pretty darn close. To get that kind of data and video out of an easy to use $250 camera is fantastic.

There are a couple of spikes in the data which I believe I can contribute to the shaky mount. Like the 68 mph coming out of the left hand 180 near the start. A more firm mount has to help with that.

Now I'll start playing with video meld and my GoPro videos and what not to really see what I can get done.

[SSLance]

I'm really curious as to how it's audio performance is on exterior mounts, with and without their wind block. Audio is where all these cameras really fall short IMO.

The overlays are a big bonus.

Looks like it's definitely competition to GoPro. Nice report. :thumbsup:


This is the same camera I used, you can skip through the middle parts of the pit stop but it'll give you an idea of the wind noise when coming down from speed and then getting back up to speed. The camera was mounted on the top of the windshield for this with nothing for wind blocking.


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It sounds like he was messing with the audio controls during the editing of the video during the pitstop as they get louder and quieter.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Great review,

I can tell your car loves the Sutton tune in the first video. Instead of tires screaming and squealing it sounds like they are laughing and having a good time.


Does it create a map on the right hand corner or is that something that you had to program.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Braelyn needs a neck foam....heads gonna pop off. LOL

[SSLance]

Great review,

I can tell your car loves the Sutton tune in the first video. Instead of tires screaming and squealing it sounds like they are laughing and having a good time.


Does it create a map on the right hand corner or is that something that you had to program.


The car LOVES this style of track and the driver is getting better at it as well. I got me a class win yesterday beating the two guys that have been beating me like a drum all summer long. Sometimes it all just clicks in your favor I guess. :lol:

When you get into the video editing software, there are about 10 different templates you can choose from with different style of gauges and graphs to display the GPS data (g-forces, speed, position, direction etc) log. Some of those templates include the "track" that the data was logged on. Basically it builds the track from the GPS data log. It is VERY slick.

You choose how much or how little of the data you show by picking from the different templates.

[SSLance]

Then it really gets cool when you can do stuff like this.

This is a comparison between my best run and my friend Jeremy's best run in my car. I'm in the top screen he's down below.

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I ran a 49.3.81 +1 and he ran a 50.432. Looks like I got most of my lead on him in the first straight.

[Sieg]

This is the same camera I used, you can skip through the middle parts of the pit stop but it'll give you an idea of the wind noise when coming down from speed and then getting back up to speed. The camera was mounted on the top of the windshield for this with nothing for wind blocking.

It sounds like he was messing with the audio controls during the editing of the video during the pitstop as they get louder and quieter.

Same audio issues as GoPro and Contour. :(

It's pretty obvious an interior mounted remote mic is about the only way to get quality audio out of these platforms.

[mdprovee]

Might have to get ones of these for next year.

Do you just buy the camera and mount? Do you need anything else?

[SSLance]

I borrowed this camera from a friend and made my mounts work with it for the day.

I'll probably buy a Garmin VIRB of my own before next year only I'll buy a Ram Mount suction cup kit (like what I use for my GoPro) specifically for it at the same time. The Ram mounts are the best, toughest, and most versatile mounts made and are very reasonably priced.

Other than that, they are basically plug n play.

[barrrf]

Wow this is great! Thanks! Ive been looking for a worthy competitor to the GoPro - just for sake of shopping. I appreciate you doing the leg work on this.

[SSLance]

When I saw my friend post the video with the track data on it, I HAD to find out how he did it...and it was on from there.

I still love my GoPro Hero3 Silver, but this will make a nice second camera with additional features to compliment it.

[SSLance]

Our local SCCA Region's annual Banquet was Saturday night and Garmin donated a VIRB Camera and some other gear to the silent auction to raise funds for a local charity. Guess who was the lucky winner? :D

Not only did I get a great camera at a great price, but got to make a donation to help a worthy cause at the same time. Thanks Garmin!!

I did find out it doesn't come with a memory card so I picked up a 64 GB class 10 card for it yesterday and I'll be ordering up some RAM mounts for it as well soon.

[carbuff]

Very nice!

You'll love this story... My girlfriend saw a comment I made in one of your posts on Facebook of all places where you were discussing the VIRB. She took that comment and your discussion, and voila! I got a VIRB Elite for Christmas! This will perfectly compliment the 2 GoPro's that I already bought since I can use the GPS data from the VIRB to overlay on the GoPro videos!!!

I wonder if there is a way for me to overlay all 3 videos into a single video? Hmm, that would be awesome!

[SSLance]

Sweet! Glad I could help out. :D

I always forget which one but either videomeld or racerender will let you combine either 2 or 4 videos into one. I didn't know you could use the Garmins GPS data with a GoPro video though, that sounds interesting.

Not sure how I'll use both of these cameras in the upcoming year, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. For sure I'm putting some sort of permanent mount on the roll bar pointing forward between the seats out the windshield though, that is the best all around location to capture the best video I think and I'm glad that I'll be able to use it now.

[Schubitzky]

Lance, I think you've convinced me to try the Garmin, but I haven't been able to find it in any local store. Before I pull the trigger I wanted to know if you could change the metering like the go pro. I mount my camera behind the driver so I can see how I'm driving, but I don't want the outside to be whited out or overexposed to the point you can't see what's going on. The spot metering on the go pro takes care of that problem and I want to know if the Garmin will do it as well.

Can you dig into your new camera a little and see if that option is available? thanks

[SSLance]

Hey Mike...here is the manual for the camera.

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/VIRB_OM_EN.pdf

I couldn't find it on a quick search and I'm out of time to keep looking right now. Maybe you can find it though.

[Schubitzky]

thanks!

[SSLance]

Little camera testing to go along with car and driver testing today. Ran the Virb for the first 5 runs or so on my new Ram Rollbar mount then swapped the GoPro in its place. For that position, the GoPro is the clear choice, because of the spot meter I guess. This shows it pretty well...

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I'll find some other spot to run the Garmin as I want to be able to use it's GPS features on runs.

[carbuff]

One thing I learned the hard way about the VIRB. Don't start recording via teh side switch if you have it powered off. Apparently there is a somewhat known problem in which the GPS data gets out of sync with the video because it takes several seconds for the GPS to sync to the satellite while the recording of video begins.

All of my first 2 events recorded with the VIRB were out of sync, so I had to try and manually sync them which is a pain...

Otherwise the data is pretty cool once you get is synced. :)

[SSLance]

So, it's better to turn it on via the power switch, then after it boots up...slide the switch? Good to know...as I've had the same problem.

Thanks...

[carbuff]

That is what I read, and my last experience using it worked well that way. Only problem is that it takes some of the convenience of the big switch away, and I unfortunately killed my battery by leaving it on all day between runs. So I missed recording my last couple...

[Flash68]

That course looks pretty fun Lance. :)