Exhaust footage?

[mischmaster]

Hi guys

I see lots of videos across YouTube etc that seem to capture great video and audio of their exhaust setups, whilst on the move. Presumably they have a GoPro or something similar mounted to the rear bumper, then an external mic that does a great job of cutting out any wind noise.

Can anyone send me some links (amazon or similar) to everything I would need for a half decent setup?

I’d like to capture some footage. Not looking to spend a small fortune but a setup that’s good enough to record in 4k with excellent audio ideally. Appreciate any recommendations from anyone that runs a setup like this, or those that have come across what I'm after. Cheers

[StevieBee]

The correct way to capture decent exhaust audio is to use a lavalier (lapel) mic taped close to the exhaust pipe, positioned out of any oncoming wind (inside the bumper for example) and run this into a separate MP3 audio recorder or your phone. Start both camera and audio recording then clap your hands loudly near to both so you have a peak on the waveform to sync in edit.

You can use any mic but bigger ones are more difficult to conceal and secure.

Don't rely on the audio capability of GoPros or similar. It really isn't that good. It's a bit of a faff but a decent MP3/WAV recorder will set you back less than £100 and the audio quality will be so much better. Plus, if you're filming the exhaust pipe as well, the GoPro will pick up the creaks from body work and it's own fixings.

Keep in mind that the sound you hear from an exhaust is optimal from a good few meters behind the car so what you record won't be what you hear.

There's loads of exhaust note sound files available on stock libraries. These are normally recorded with a car on a rolling road so you get the change in pitch and the gear changes, recorded from the optimal distance but without wind buffeting. You can search for things like 'V8 acceleration', 'V6 cruising', etc... Some might consider this a cheat but if it gets the job done!

This is one I made using the lavalier mic set up: https://youtu.be/M82VjXZ_7Nc?si=BYolra-ynVQUJclY&a...

[mischmaster]

Something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/DJI-Transmitter-Microphon...

I then need some sort of video recording device to connect this to though, no? Or you're saying just use an iPhone for the visual?

Can't I use a mic like this to capture the audio, then connect it to some sort of dash cam style camera for the visual?

Sorry, absolute novice when it comes to this stuff. The mic I have linked has good reviews for recording car exhausts from the googling I have done.

Ideally I'd have the visual part recording the rear bumper i.e near to where the placement of the mic would go. But if this is harder/not possible, then a camera pointed at say the RPM gauge synced to the mic placed on the rear bumper would work.

[mikeh501]

I bought a sennheiser hot shoe mic MKE200 which sits on my insta360 action cam and picks up the exhaust pretty well. I then try and isolate and improve the exhaust noise in post using davinci.

problems with external cams. 1. You can’t use them at a track 2. If you’re on the road you will want to turn it on and off which is a pain without a remote 3. Battery life is usually crap and if cold out the battery will run out really quick.

Here’s a recent one with insta360 RS and the mic above on a helmet mount. I sometimes also put a insta360x2 on the side window.

https://youtu.be/LsuJgP1ACUI?si=svgE4PEMyH8P2WiP
https://youtube.com/shorts/PbuCPC2vWUI?si=XC4neqTc...

[StevieBee]

mischmaster said:

Something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/DJI-Transmitter-Microphon...

I then need some sort of video recording device to connect this to though, no? Or you're saying just use an iPhone for the visual?

Can't I use a mic like this to capture the audio, then connect it to some sort of dash cam style camera for the visual?

Sorry, absolute novice when it comes to this stuff. The mic I have linked has good reviews for recording car exhausts from the googling I have done.

Ideally I'd have the visual part recording the rear bumper i.e near to where the placement of the mic would go. But if this is harder/not possible, then a camera pointed at say the RPM gauge synced to the mic placed on the rear bumper would work.

So, for optimum results, you want to be recording audio on a different device to the visuals. This gives you the greatest audio quality and flexibility when you come to edit the film.

The other advantage is that you can position the camera in a way that is optimal for the visuals and then position the mic that is optimal for sound. When using the mic in the camera, you end up with a compromise between the visual and the audio.

Whatever mic you use, plumb this into either your iPhone or a dedicated MP3 recorder - something like this: https://www.wexphotovideo.com/zoom-h2n-audio-recor...

You still need to use the camera to record audio as well as you need to sync the two sound files - the one recorded separately and the one in the camera.

The 'clap' i mentioned is used to create a visual peak on the waveform so you can align the sound from the external recorder to the sound from the camera. In edit, you can play around with the sound levels of both - double-tracking - to enhance the audio further.

The mic you linked will get the job done and paired with a decent audio recorder, you should get some really good results.

I'm describing an approach that is used by the Top Gear / Grand Tour team. The key is to play around with different options and see (and hear) what you like. It may well be that a simpler approach works for you.

This is a good tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRT44_-Irk8

[mischmaster]

StevieBee said:

So, for optimum results, you want to be recording audio on a different device to the visuals. This gives you the greatest audio quality and flexibility when you come to edit the film.

The other advantage is that you can position the camera in a way that is optimal for the visuals and then position the mic that is optimal for sound. When using the mic in the camera, you end up with a compromise between the visual and the audio.

Whatever mic you use, plumb this into either your iPhone or a dedicated MP3 recorder - something like this: https://www.wexphotovideo.com/zoom-h2n-audio-recor...

You still need to use the camera to record audio as well as you need to sync the two sound files - the one recorded separately and the one in the camera.

The 'clap' i mentioned is used to create a visual peak on the waveform so you can align the sound from the external recorder to the sound from the camera. In edit, you can play around with the sound levels of both - double-tracking - to enhance the audio further.

The mic you linked will get the job done and paired with a decent audio recorder, you should get some really good results.

I'm describing an approach that is used by the Top Gear / Grand Tour team. The key is to play around with different options and see (and hear) what you like. It may well be that a simpler approach works for you.

This is a good tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRT44_-Irk8

Thanks very much. Appreciate your time.

I've had a look around today based on your advice and have come across the following: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DJI-Mic-TX-RX-Ultra-Light...

I'm not looking to spend huge money or achieve the absolute best possible result, so I think this appears to be a good balance. I've also had a search on YouTube and people appear to be using this setup for a similar requirement.

Apparently I can plug the receiver into my iPhone and simply record from the native iOS camera app. The transmitter can be placed on the rear bumper via a magnet and that's it. From what I've read, no further syncing is required...