engineer wrote on 07/25/21 at 09:43:59:I use an external mic, a cheap lapel mic that can be bought on Amazon for under $20. Location is important, up front it will pick up a lot of valve noise so I keep the mic behind me to shelter it from the wind and to pick up the exhaust sound. I clip it to the back belt loop on my jeans and run the wire up over my shoulder and then put my riding jacket on over it so the wire isn't flopping around in the wind. Then I run the wire out of the front collar area of the jacket and plug it into the camera. The jacket also covers the mic and wind noise is no problem.
Some GoPro models require a special adapter for an external mic. I prefer cameras that have a USB port for the mic, that keeps everything simple and inexpensive.
As you know video eats up memory so I set the camera for 30 frames instead of 60 and that cuts file size in half and I don't think the difference is noticeable. I use a resolution of 1080, no 4K stuff for the same reason, large files take forever to edit. It took me most of one riding season to work out my preferences for videos so I think you are progressing very nicely.
Great tips and I considered some. Sadly my cam (GP3+) is one that requires an adapter, and a special case if used. I'd do the lapel mic thing but I'd have more in the additional equipment than I have in the camera.
Since the internal mics are sealed in the case, I think it's picking up buffeting around the windscreen, etc. It's definitely a "thin" sound compared to the iPhone recording...which you can almost feel.
Alas, the easy answer for me is to simply use the internal mics sealed in the case. Syncing and editing a separate track is pretty laborious. If I upgrade, lapel mic FTW.
Sidebar: Another reason to use the internal mics (or lapel mic, etc.) opposed to an external digital recorder: file size. While YouTube took the file no problem, the result of adding the WAV file pushed it slightly over the limit for IGTV. I'll have to remove the file if I wanna post there.