The media could not be loaded. Prior to this, I experimented with using a plastic container and some poster putty to mount a camera on the dash of my car. While I expected a certain amount of camera shake, the results were very disappointing. Therefore, I went to Amazon in search of a proper dash mount. I purchased the Fat Gecko camera mount based on the positive reviews, and I am very pleased with the product. Well constructed from heavy duty plastic and metal parts, it also offers a great deal of flexibility in terms of camera positioning. The suction cup is extremely strong, and I actually pulled the plastic mount base off my dash trying to remove the Fat Gecko. Afterward, I considered alternate uses for this mount which might come in handy for filming in other places. By mounting your camera to a window, you can get a unique angle, especially in a small space. This would also come in handy for placing the camera somewhere you can't fit a traditional tripod. Additionally, the Fat Gecko comes with a cold shoe attachment for mounting a microphone, light, or small display monitor. In looking at the other product offerings, this is very much a modular system, with the ability to expand by purchasing additional mounts and combining them. As a film-maker, this is an especially appealing feature. Given the strength of the suction cups, I would feel comfortable mounting a camera to the outside of my car as I have seen done in Hollywood productions. I also intend to experiment with turning the camera mount into a steady cam by attaching a weighted plastic container. All things considered, I am extremely satisfied with the quality of the Fat Gecko, and I'm excited by the possibilities it offers. I highly recommend this line of camera mounts as they are well constructed, affordable, and with some imaginative thinking, offers a lot of options for filming any of a number of projects, scenes, or events. I'm including a video I shot by mounting the camera directly on the passenger-side door of my car. The music is royalty -free, and the video is entirely my own. I cruised around at speeds of 35-40 mph, but I would be comfortable mounting a small, consumer grade video camera while traveling at much higher speeds. Read more
- Overview - I've been using this suction cup for a couple of years now and I highly recommended it. I originally used it with a point and shoot digital camera, and recently with a gopro (with gopro tripod adapter). I can mount it in various places for different shots without having to stick a bunch of permanent sticky gopro mounts. For what it is, it's a great product. I highly recommend it over others out there considering its build quality, function, and price. - Suction performance - I've not had a single time where it failed / fell off. I've reached speeds up to 90mph with it and it held on fine. But if you plan to go that fast make sure to setup a safety tether! The suction is definitely better than other cheap suction mounts out there, but I cannot say how it compares with the gopro suction mount, as I've not tried that one. But I suppose that's a good thing as I didn't need to. - Build quality - The quality is top notch. Very high quality, durable plastic & metal all around. You don't need to worry about cracking or breaking it at all with normal use. Just make sure to take care of the actual suction cup, as that is the most delicate part of this product (as with any other). Also, wipe clean both the surface and the suction cup before attempting to mount it with a (damp) cloth. - Extension arm - The extension is of same high quality, and works fine. But consider your application. I mount it on a sport bike with lots of vibration so the resulting video is too shaky for me. Could work great on or in a car, however. Read more
Before I continue the review, I used: Nikon D7000 35mm 1.8 2012 Subaru Impreza First of all, this mount is rock solid when mounted properly. As long as you make sure the suction cups are firmly attached (meaning, you push them down twice, then secure them with the strong plastic clips), it's not going anywhere. I began testing the mount at 20mph, 30mph, and 55-60mph (highway) with the camera attached to my hood, in the direct center. At all of these speeds, vibrations were quite obvious, but I realized this wasn't a flaw of the mount, but what it's attached to, the car! Vibrations caused by bumps, uneven road surfaces, and things like that were all too apparent as the video I took continued. At slow speeds, video was flawless. I took a video from the driver's side door, and hood (left, then center). Aside from rocks hitting the UV filter attached when the mount was close to the tire, it performed flawlessly. The suction cups are secure, they tilt, and don't worry me whatsoever. Moving on from that, I did notice one little flaw- the length of the bar you attach the camera to. For shots with focal lengths above 20 (for example, 35mm) i'd recommend getting the extension arm, which I will be soon purchasing. For taking photos of my wheel as I drive, the camera would not go far enough out for the shot to look good, and the extension arm looks as if it'll help. The construction of it is very, very solid- hardened plastic, and steel make up the product entirely, aside from the suction cups, of course. This is by far the most affordable, and surprisingly secure mount you can get as a consumer. Read more
