OscawanaSkier Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 How much better is the iPhone 12 rear (not selfie) camera at recording skiing videos? I’ve been using my iPhone X selfie camera with the Wakeye app for a couple years. The OIS (optical image stabilization) on the X’s rear camera doesn’t play well with the high-frequency vibrations in a ski boat. The selfie camera is ok, but would be better to utilize the phone’s “telephoto” (~52mm equivalent) lens to get a tighter image. There are tricks like vibration dampeners and magnets, but I’d like to avoid those if possible. So...anyone using the iPhone 12 rear camera successfully without terrible video shake? If yes, exactly which 12 model are you using (mini, 12, pro, or pro max)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller UWSkier Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 why not use a "boat phone?" Get an older Android device with a decent camera and no OIS for $50 on Ebay. No shake and works fine with the standard digital zoom. I have an original Google Pixel that never leaves my boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BCM Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 I have a iPhone12 mini, tried the rear camera for one set on my Wakeye and the shake was terrible, back to using the front camera. I did not try messing with settings on the rear camera, just tried it once and went back to front camera. @UWSkier - I had thought about using an old phone for that but then I can't watch my videos at work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 Did they fix the issue that the 11 had where the cameras were getting damaged when used in a vibration prone environment (mounted on a motorcycle or boat) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Dockoelboto Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 iphone12 here as well, so far no luck with rear camera. I've used it with and without stabilization on. Both shake badly. I do have a cheap knock-off GoPro that works, it is just so handy to have the videos on your phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller UWSkier Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 @BCM if you park your boat in decent wifi range you can. When I put my boat away, it's within wifi range of the house and the boat phone uploads the vids to the cloud automatically. Usually within 30 mins of getting home, my vids are there on Google Photos to view and share anywhere. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Lars Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 @BCM also if they are both iphones you can air drop to your main phone without wifi network or cellular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Interjon Posted April 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 16, 2021 I use an iphone 12 mini rear camera and quality is excellent. Using ski-doc Orbit on 200 and 196. Sounds like mileage may vary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscawanaSkier Posted April 17, 2021 Author Share Posted April 17, 2021 @Interjon - yeah I remember your other post about your success with the 12mini. I posted this question to see if others were having same success. Seems like the obvious difference is the mount. Does the Ski Dock have some vibration reduction ability? Anyone else have great success with Ski Dock over Wakeye mount? I’m due for an iPhone upgrade, that’s why I’m trying to figure this out. My ski buddies all have iPhones and simply air drop vids when we wrap up skiing (that’s why I want to stick with iPhone). But, a new $150 mount is way cheaper than a new iPhone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BCM Posted April 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 17, 2021 @UWSkier and @Lars - I am familiar with cloud photo services and airdrop, use them a bunch. I'm often pressed for time with no cell (data) service at the lake, easier to just use one device for me. Also my old first gen SE would last one set before the battery died and we had some issues with people not seeing the charging chord when entering/exiting the drivers seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller UWSkier Posted April 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 18, 2021 I had issues with battery life on an older phone too. I solved that with a portable charge pack I'd velcro to the pylon. No cable to trip on. Newer phones don't seem to suffer the same bad battery life for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Dockoelboto Posted April 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted April 18, 2021 I'm using the iphone12 and ski doc orbit. So far I can't get any decent video out of the back camera. I've tried different settings, so far no go. I'll keep trying... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller braindamage Posted July 1, 2021 Baller Share Posted July 1, 2021 I’m with @UWSkier . I have an iPhone 6 with a battery case that is my “ski phone”. Other than my wife making fun of me it works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodbuster88 Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Bump, any better luck with the iPhone 12 Pro Max using the 4K 60fps IBIS.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Lars Posted August 31, 2021 Baller Share Posted August 31, 2021 Have to use the front facing camera if its anything newer than the 6S for usable video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ swbca Posted August 31, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted August 31, 2021 @UWSkier WAKEYE with ZOOM ? Do you use the WAKEYE app with your Android phone. If so how to you control the zoom. I use the WAKEYE but I don't care for the wide angle on phones. I use a Galaxy S5 that's always in my boat which has a narrower angle (zoomed-in) back lens than any newer cameras but I would prefer even more zoom to get the professional view you see on the streaming pro tour events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracks72 Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 I once used a phone and didn’t like the results, so I purchased a used Nikon D5300 DSLR that shoots 1080/60p HD video and mounted it to a DJI RSC 2 Gimbal Stabilizer Pro The outcome is great but its rather big rig if you will compare to a phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller UWSkier Posted August 31, 2021 Baller Share Posted August 31, 2021 @swbca use the zoom capability built right into Wakeye app. When I set it on my pylon mount, I zoom it on my phone to 2x, which works great at the lengths I ski with my particular phone. My older HTC, I would use 1.6x. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ swbca Posted August 31, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted August 31, 2021 @UWSkier Thanks . . . My old Galaxy S5 doesn't care about boat vibration, but it gets choppy when the background is changing fast during wake crossings. I will get a Pixel on ebay and try it out. I appreciate your experience with this detail of the sport. IMO anyone with a late model iPhone could do better to save their iPhone for use as a phone and dedicate a cheap old android for their skiing video . . . use the rear camera without problems with video stabilization or boat vibration. This is also Horton's recommendation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller seveet Posted September 1, 2021 Baller Share Posted September 1, 2021 Has anyone with newer iPhones played around with turning the stabilization off in the Wakeye app while using the rear view camera? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Furmanovich Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Hi all I have an iphone 11 max with wakeye anti vibration mount and the videos are perfect. You cannot use the wakeye app however. This app is very old and they never updated it anymore, so it doesnt support newer cameras (i think problems started to occur from iphone X onwards) If you use the normal camera app the videos are perfect. You just need your pilot to start and stop the videos unfortunately I imagine that Iphone 12 will make the best videos. The newer the camera the better, just dont use wakeye app. Their mounts are great, the app sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MichaelWiebe Posted September 13, 2021 Baller Share Posted September 13, 2021 Does anybody use a remote start / stop button for the phone camera video? Maybe mounted to the steering wheel, and the driver hits the button at the green balls? Probably just have to increase the delay time so the screen doesn't power down. From Amazon, for under $20: Xenvo Shutterbug - Camera Shutter Remote Control - Bluetooth Wireless Selfie Button Clicker - Compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, Samsung, and Google Pixel Cell Phones, Smartphones and Tablets Brand: Xenvo 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,746 ratings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Furmanovich Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 @MichaelWiebe that could work pretty well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MichaelWiebe Posted September 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted September 18, 2021 I have an iPhone XR. Have had little success with stable video, with Wakeye or without Wakeye. We are using the below Ski Doc Orbit setup. Have tried low quality video settings, and high quality video settings. Always with the rear camera. Any assistance is appreciated. (Our GoPro Hero 3+ does a much better job.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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