Filming on a motorbike is a thrilling experience that can take your films to the next level. When I first heard about this type of camera operations I was immediately intrigued. I set out on a mission to build my own custom camera rig for filming while riding on a motorbike. After much research, I finally settled on the DJI Osmo Raw camera mounted on a motorbike helmet.

I took an old motorbike helmet and drilled some holes to firmly connect the Osmo to the helmet using the long screws. Due to the relatively heavy weight of the Osmo I mounted a 500 grams counter weight on the opposite side of the helmet. The total weight of the camera helmet rig is about 1.5Kg.

To test the rig out I reached out to the Nuragic Bikers, a local association of bikers. We rode around the countryside of Barumini, a town in Sardinia, and captured some truly amazing shots. Most of these shots were taken while following the bikers from behind. I also took other shoots from the trunk of a car using the same Osmo Raw after disconnecting it from the helmet.

Building a custom camera rig for motorbike filming has allowed me to capture footage that I never would have been able to get otherwise. I am now able to capture footage that is truly unique and captivating.

For minor shots, I used a Canon C200 mounted on a tripod. This camera is well-known for its excellent image quality and colour accuracy, so I was confident it would match perfectly with the footage from the Osmo RAW. As I suspected, the colour matching between the two cameras was almost perfect after colour calibration in Davinci Resolve.

My advice to anyone looking to build their own custom camera rig for motorbike filming is to research the type of camera you want to use and then find a way to mount it securely. Make sure to contact any local biker associations to make sure you’re following safety regulations. And most importantly, have fun!