Looper

Section 1: Gear Preparation Insta 360 X3 Setup Before you mount the device on your car, you must dial in the best settings for the use case. Make sure that you are shooting 5.7k 30 fps. For the morning or daytime drives also make sure that you have selected Active HDR shooting mode. In case of low light in the evening or night drives, you should use Normal Video mode. Remember that the last setting that you have dialed in will be retained if you switch off the camera and switch it on later. Always double check that you are in the correct mode before you start recording because it happened to me when I recorded the best part of a drive in Bullet Time mode completely ruining the entire video because I used it before that I had used Bullet Time mode and then switched off the device. Recently I have shot a video in Log mode. Log mode is a type of video recording that is used to preserve more of the image’s dynamic range and tonality by redistributing the digital exposure value representations over the entire value set using a preset logarithmic function. It is often associated with better image quality and is used in professional video production. This however takes extra steps to color the video since the video output looks low contrast. Next you must connect your device with a remote. You can use either the phone app or a GPS remote. In the case of phone app, it will ask you to join the action camera wifi and once it has secured the connection you can control the device with the phone such as start/stop remote, change modes, use it as a remote screen, as well as change settings. In case you are using GPS remote you are able to connect it and can only change the mode and start stop recording. The benefit of GPS remote is you get a much more compact and stable remote. Before you start shooting - Check and double check the settings. I can not tell you how many times I didn't do and lost what could have been a very good footage. Mounting Action Camera Next you want to mount the device on your vehicle at the most optimal place. You can either use suction cups which are temporary and needs to be fixed every drive or permanent mounting solution to mount the action camera on your vehicle. Suction Cups: At the beginning I used a popular Triple Suction Camera Mount available on Amazon.ae with the 120 cm selfie stick that I had got along with the X3. But I could not extend the stick all the way out because the ball mount wouldn’t handle the weight of the device that far away from the base and will slip down. While using it I would extend the selfie stick only 1 or 2 levels out. The benefit of suction cups it that you can mount it anywhere on the car as long as it is a smooth surface. Many prefer to mount on the front bonnet as well as on the roof tops. Permanent Solutions: For my Jeep JL with metal bumper at the front and Teraflex flag mount on the rear door, a local enterprising offroad enthusiast has come up with permanent mounting solutions. They consist of a base which is permanently fixed in place and a rod that has a screw at one side and is attached to the base. I have mounted one at the front on the metal bumper and one at the back on the teraflex flag mount. Front Mount Rear Mount Other vehicles have roof rails that provide alternative mounting options. Either at the sides or at the back of the car. Some users also fix mounting brackets directly on their vehicle either using glue or screw them into the place. PS: I plan to update and revise certain sections to enhance clarity, streamline information for brevity, and improve language and grammar.

If you want to read more about my advice on buying 360 cameras please read this article: Introduction We all love driving in the desert and few of us can ever have enough of it. The sweet sound of the engines growling, climbing on to those tall dunes at Badayer to the calls of “Yalla Push” or tackling tricky fast paced long-range dunes at Faqa’a we want to live and relive every moment we spend driving in the desert. Some of us record videos of our adventures. A good seamless workflow is important so that you don’t spend a lot of time making those videos, which to be honest we can do only so much since we are not professional video editors. I will attempt to go over the workflows that I follow, which might be useful for some of you. These days I record my videos using Insta360 X3 action camera. I do the initial framing in the Insta360 STUDIO 2022 app on my first generation M1 Mac Mini with 16 GB ram. Post export I do the final edit of the videos in Final Cut Pro X on the mac. In some of the videos I overlay telemetry data using either Insta 360 STUDIO or Telemetry Overlay app. In this thread I am going to post series of articles going over the various aspects of videos editing starting from setting up the action cameras, video editing to exporting and publishing on YouTube and Instagram our favorite destinations for sharing the videos. Why am I writing this? Because I have tried it all, different cameras, different mounting options, various editing medium and software and techniques. I feel I can help the community with the knowledge I have gained. Follow this thread to be up to date. PS: I plan to update and revise certain sections to enhance clarity, streamline information for brevity, and improve language and grammar.

You are definitely going to pay my alimony be 100% sure about that. I am in.

A Quick overview for Hisham It was green, a lot green. The best thing to do is drive starting at the bottom play area and then drive west. That will take one through most of the nicer long-range dunes. In the start I tried to follow the map given to me by @Hisham Masaad after all his drive. But we only encountered a lot of greenery. Took a round around the fenced area to reach the must do dunes at the south of Faqa'a. Then we headed west and did not go beyond the suggested track. The second play area was again a must do area in this part. After that we returned back to end the drive at 10:00 sharp. As it turns out I was doing my own exploration after the break, taking a slightly different route.

IM Faqa'a Loop on Sat Oct 07, 2023

Looks like there is going to be another convoy led by @M.Seidam, I am soooo tempted to jump into the waitlist.

As far as Adnoc is concerned they never asked anything. I did not fill in any other fuel brand station ever. I heard that ENOC/ Emarat etc. might ask for EID and the purpose - but can't comment on it. EDIT: All the Jerry Cans I have are from Ace, the flat ones so that they can go nicely in by boot. Their nozzle sucks. They break apart. A mighty BIG Thanks to @Cha who on his own got me a couple spare ones.

Congratulations @Ahmad Nerat on your promotion. Well done and truly deserving.

Congratulations @Rafey Hashmi on your promotions enjoy the new level.

@Mahmoud Taha & @Lalaji thank you very much for your interest in participating. Please go thought the main DCT 2023 post as well as fill in the necessary Participant Registration Form.

A good point indeed. Normally I use it till my car shows a temperature of about 35 degrees after that it stops working, because it is too hot to operate.

Exciting news! The championship fever is upon us, and I'm thrilled to announce the formation of "Team Looper" for the upcoming Desert Championship. If you're passionate about off-road racing and ready to tackle the desert's challenges, we want YOU on our team! 🗺️About Team Looper: Team Loopers is not just a racing team; we're a community of thrill-seekers, gearheads, and desert enthusiasts who believe in the power of collaboration. We're gearing up to dominate the Desert Championship, and we're looking for like-minded individuals to join us on this adrenaline-fueled journey. 🚙Why Join Team Looper? Unity in Speed: Team Looper is all about the synergy of speed and strategy. Together, we'll navigate the desert track, conquer obstacles, and strive for victory. Team Spirit: Join a close-knit group of racers who share a passion for off-road adventures. We're not just teammates; we're friends with a common goal. Championship Glory: Imagine the thrill of standing on the podium, hoisting the Team Championship Trophy together. It's not just about individual skill; it's about our collective strength. 🤝How to Join If you're ready to be part of Team Looper and make your mark in the Desert Championship, simply register your interest in the post below, and comment your interest to join here. Whether you're an experienced racer or a newcomer with a hunger for speed, there's a place for you in "Team Looper". 🛠️Team Requirements: The only requirement is your passion for racing and a commitment to the team. You need to be Fewbie or above. More details in the below link. Let's rev our engines, conquer the sands, and show everyone the unstoppable force that is Team Looper! Feel the adrenaline, join the adventure, and let's make history together! Find the link below for full information

DRIVE PLAN This Sunday, we will explore one more area in the series of exploratory drives started last week. Let's meet opposite the 2nd December Cafe to explore the Mahrani and Al Sadiah areas in Sharjah ex-Faya and its exit routes. You have to take a long "U Turn" down 2nd Dec Cafe. I haven't been here in ages, so it is going to be true exploration. Expect to find a lot of vegetation but also some of the nicest dunes if my memory serves me well. We will end our drive where we started so at least the exit is quick. We request every member that joins this drive to go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette, and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquettes Emergency details for all off roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie Plus and above When: 15 October 2023, Sunday Meeting time: 6:00 AM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tmFe1pJj3KLbgf5z7 Approximate finish time: 10:00 AM Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. RECOMENDED OFF-ROAD GEAR: Tire deflator & Tire pressure gauge Compressor (MANDATORY) Walkie-talkie radio (MANDATORY) Off-road flag (MANDATORY) Shovel, Tow Rope & 2 Shackles First-aid kit Fire extinguisher LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Saturday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned - Without any exceptions. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR

@Mohammad Sayawoush Azad you can upload your pics to the gallery here: https://carnity.com/gallery/category/1849-fewbie-mahafiz-sharjah-08-oct-2023/ your can access the page from Off Road Club > Gallery

While leading drives fiddling with the phone became too cumbersome to use the action camera, hence I bit the bullet and bought the second generation GPS remote. This post acts to update my recommendation on the same. I want to update my recommendation here to Buy for the GPS remote if you can afford it. I have seen it being sold at AED 318 on amazon. If you are buying new from Insta360 directly you can add to the shopping cart there to save on the shipping. In the past I had recorded GPS data using my phone when I used to use it as the remote. The data was wrong and all over the place, so much so that I completely disabled recording GPS data. One more benefit I see is, it stays connected to the camera all the time so you can start stop recording whenever you want. With the phone as the remote, if you have used the phone for anything else it would disconnect and sometimes it becomes difficult to connect again. GPS remote connects with the camera in about 5-10 seconds and stays connected till the battery lasts. The remote needs to be near to the camera for the first connection and it stays in connection upto 20 m they say. This I learnt the hard way when in the Badayer drive I set it up on the mount and started to drive, hoping it will connect, but it did not. I had to go near the action camera when we stopped to some weird comments from the convoy as to what I was doing. 😆 The remote shows the battery status for both the camera and the remote. You can circle though the various shooting modes, but it does not go into Video HDR mode in the remote but if activated in the camera it will show and record in that mode. It also shows the time recorded. It comes with a couple of bands, one for wrist and other for a cycle handle bar. The battery for the GPS remote seem to last for 5-6 h ours more than enough for a drive. I have asked the Insta360 guys and they have told me that upto 3 cameras can be connected and activated simultaneously with this remote. I will try to test it when I can and update here.

Friday, 29th Sep 2023 there was an Advisor "Yalla Push" drive at Al Badayer posted by @Hisham Masaad. In this post I share with you 3 videos. I have not added any music to these videos, because my current mounting solution for the action camera does not add a lot of wind noise which was an irritant when the action camera was mounted on the side of the windows with suction cups. The sweet sweet sound of @Simon D's V6 is mostly what you will hear in the videos. You will find that I have overlayed telemetry data in these videos, courtesy of the new gps remote. The new generation gps remote seems to work pretty nicely. The first video does not have elevation data because it did not seem correct to me, but the rest were pretty good. Last video is my favourite because of the fresh new dunes @Hisham Masaad took us though which frankly is a rarity in that area. As every YouTuber says Subscribe to the channel and Smash That Like Button. 😅 Video 1 (3:10) Video 2 (10:01) Video 3 (12:02)