Second-Life Aim SmartyCam HD (Rev.2.1) 84º Lens

Compact in size, the Aim SmartyCam HD 2.1 is ideal for installation in most motorsport setups. Its aluminium casing makes it extremely lightweight, robust and reliable too, so you can get all the footage you need directly from the driver's seat.

The wide 84° HFOV lens is specific for open-roof, formula car and kart use, giving you an ample view of the track, without windscreen pillars getting in the way.

The SmartyCam HD 2.1 can be switched on by the logger it is connected to. Switch off is automatic; simply decide after what period of non-activity the camera will switch off. Both operations can also be carried out using the keyboard if you prefer.

Recording can also be started/stopped automatically or via keyboard. The camera will start recording when the speed or RPM threshold is exceeded. In this case, you simply decide how long after dropping below the selected threshold the video will automatically stop.

Unlike generic multipurpose cameras, the SmartyCam HD 2.1 has been designed to avoid the problem of image distortion, thanks to the innovative Global Shutter CMOS sensor. The camera shutter captures the entire image at the same time, not “pixel by pixel” like traditional sensors. The result is that images are captured at once and are not affected by the vibrations that happen on a racing vehicle, which creates the so-called “wave effect”.

Engine rumble causes vibrations which are not a good thing for video recording. Never again will you experience that seasick “wave effect” you get when watching videos recorded by a generic camera, when the car rolls at 7000 RPM. SmartyCam HD 2.1 has been designed for that environment and for those vibrations. “Wave effect” is just a memory.

A lens specifically designed for motorsport must be robust, be able to work when the engine rolls 100 times per second, and have good resolution and brightness. But above all, a lens designed for motorsport must reduce distortion, which is a typical problem of lenses used by generic action-cameras. SmartyCam HD telecentric lens with six elements reduces distortion to a minimum and will withstand track vibrations for years. The 84° provides a wide angle, horizontal field of view (HFOV), making it ideal for tailor-made framing in all kinds of vehicles.

On-board cameras are to be installed inside the car. Where should the display be placed to check the correct position of the camera? The SmartyCam HD 128x128 pixel TFT colour display is on the front, not on rear – where general cameras place the viewfinder.

Most other HD cameras are focused on the highest pixel number. The result is that their video files are far too large, taking up too much memory. SmartyCam HD videos have the same quality as other HD cameras, but their files are smaller because the H264 compression system parameters have been optimised to a perfect balance between video quality and file size.

You can choose among three video file quality levels: one-hour recording takes 4GB (high quality), 2GB (normal) or 1.5GB (low). 

The SmartyCam HD 2.1 onboard camera is specifically designed for motorsport, guaranteeing great resistance against the extreme working conditions typical of track racing and against the most adverse weather.

The video of a whole session once downloaded on your PC can now be split with a simple click in individual videos of each lap: so that you can simultaneously watch two of them and check where you were faster or slower. The same operation can be performed with any SmartyCam HD video recorded on the same track you will be able to compare your best lap with your friends personal best.

The perfect connection to get all your data from the ECU merge them with the GPS information and transmit everything to the SmartyCam HD then watch the graphical overlay in the video.

SmartyCam can be used with all of our Aim dash display loggers (except Solo 2). With our data hub 4x CAN connection multiplier you can add a GPS Module or extra cameras  to your system.