Cameras - again !

PeterM · 27 March 2009, 10:32

Am looking at getting something to go on the boat(s) . Any thoughts on :

http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/ATC5K...gon_Scientific

I knows its not going to give me superb quality - but its simple , waterproof & will bolt on the Aframe easily , and need no wiring .

Its not somehting I've been into ( ever) so dont want to spend huge amounts of money - plus I can stick this on the bike etc if I want.

Pete

wavelength · 27 March 2009, 10:40

Hi Pete the link didnt work for me!

Grasshopper · 27 March 2009, 10:51

Try http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/ATC5K...cientific.html

slimtim · 27 March 2009, 10:59

Here's the link: http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/ATC5K...cientific.html

I have not had any experience of that camera but I have used this one:

http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/VholdR_Action_Cam.html

Its more expensive and it has lasers to line it up properly. I took one out for a test as a helmet cam for DH mountain biking in Whistler. It seemed to work ok until the point where I hit some massive braking bumps at speed and it just couldn't cope with it. I would imagine it would be even worse on a rib as it wouldn't have 8 inches of suspension and a human body to stabilise it!

These ones: http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/VIO_POV.1.5.html are supposed to be the business. Way more expensive and not fully integrated into a single unit so might not be a viable option. I'm sure others on here have used those Oregon ones with success.

Tony · 27 March 2009, 11:19

If you do your research, you will find the ATC5K is a good fun cam , but in reality it has this wavey line thing going on..
I bought the Wireless set up off Dogcam and its rubbish, so thats another no no.
Its going to be one of those things you have to spend good money to get a good cam setup.
These would be my top 2.
http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/hqr2-he...ra-package.htm
http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/dvx-h26...t-recorder.htm

Tony

PeterM · 27 March 2009, 11:50

Interesting - my research starts here .......( & google ! ) . agree that all the others would give a better pic , but I can see me spending £3-400 ( which I'd rather avoid ) , plus I really want to just have a one combined unit & not camera , wires & so on that I can break , forget to remove from the boat etc .

Chris · 27 March 2009, 11:52

I have spent quite a lot of time experimenting with cameras and have a fully rigged Bullet camera system on my rib however if you just want something fun and easy to use then I would get a Sanyo Xacti waterproof camcorder and one of these...

The Sanyo Xacti is a great waterproof camcorder,not too expensive and can take stills too... and you can just screw it the mount and stick it on your console.

Tony · 27 March 2009, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

I have spent quite a lot of time experimenting with cameras and have a fully rigged Bullet camera system on my rib however if you just want something fun and easy to use then I would get a Sanyo Xacti waterproof camcorder and one of these...

The Sanyo Xacti is a great waterproof camcorder,not too expensive and can take stills too... and you can just screw it the mount and stick it on your console.

I tried this to, with a canon camera. The threw for the mount on the Canon is made from plastic and after several minutes of hard ribbin it ripped the thread out. I would check the thread first.

MarkM · 28 March 2009, 19:31

Have the POV.1 for a while:
http://www.vio-pov.com/products.php?...ogin=&mem=&gr=
It's just superb.
I know it's a different price, but it's worth it. Was also thinking of the ATC5K at first but the quality of the pictures changed my mind.
Bought it at:
http://www.advdesigns.net/vicamo.html

The first video I made is here:
http://www.vimeo.com/1860559
Might take some time to download as "Vimeo" is busy these days.
Camera was hand held, sometimes just standing in the Scorpion. Speeds up to 90 km/hr. Now I made several contstructions so I can film from my cap, helmet, cockpit and 1,50 m above the transom.
In the future I'm not commentig anymore in the video, that's not my best part, and less technical gimmicks for overlow, etc.

benc · 28 March 2009, 19:50

I had a similar camera to the one here setup, but I had it recording to my video camera... which isnt great because its tape based.

However,the one on the link above comes with a solid state(SD Card) recorder.. which should be much better. I am going to most likely be ordering one in the next couple of weeks.

We did this video down in yarmouth on a very rough day using it:

http://www.gburgess.co.uk/movies/yarmouth1.wmv

This one shows the boat getting a bit of air

http://www.gburgess.co.uk/movies/air.wmv

chris123 · 29 March 2009, 09:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by benc

I had a similar camera to the one here setup, but I had it recording to my video camera... which isnt great because its tape based.

What type of tape based recorder? If it is miniDV tape, you are better off staying with it, because the quality will be much better than any of the 'consumer' grade solid state recorders. You need to transfer from the recorder to computer via firewire (iLink on Sony recorders) to maintain the quality though.

Cheers

Chris

Chris · 29 March 2009, 10:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris123

What type of tape based recorder? If it is miniDV tape, you are better off staying with it, because the quality will be much better than any of the 'consumer' grade solid state recorders. You need to transfer from the recorder to computer via firewire (iLink on Sony recorders) to maintain the quality though.

Cheers

Chris

Agreed I use a Sony HC30 DV camcorder and it gives superb results and unless you are going to spend £400 on a solid state recorder you wont get better results.

I also have a clever device for switching the camera off and on remotely so it can be stored in a waterproof location in a foam lined box. Then one on and off switch on the dash controls the camera siwthching it on and off into record mode.

However all this requires a bit of rigging and fiddling

PeterM · 29 March 2009, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

However all this requires a bit of rigging and fiddling

I really really want to avoid this bit of the experience..........

benc · 29 March 2009, 19:02

Maybe I'll just get my camera fixed then... some how it stopped working, get lines all over the screen now!

For the camera mount btw, it was a bit of stainless tube, with a hole and a nut weldled onto it.. welded to a stainless plate... bolted to the aframe. Then, a bolt going through the nut to clamp the camera into the tube... works well

Chris · 29 March 2009, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackroady

I really really want to avoid this bit of the experience..........

Then one of these...

http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/mini-dv...o-recorder.htm

And you can fix the camera to the boat using a suction mount.

PeterM · 30 March 2009, 11:55

Am looking at this for the extra £50 - but it & ATC5K seem to run 640 x 480 - this with 25 fps & the ATC5K at 30fps.

Given my total lack of knowledge about these things - isn't 30 better than 25 ? ( based on my theory that anything being sold with referance to numbers - the bigger number the better)

what am I missing ( in simple terms ) ?

Tony · 30 March 2009, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackroady

Am looking at this for the extra £50 - but it & ATC5K seem to run 640 x 480 - this with 25 fps & the ATC5K at 30fps.

Given my total lack of knowledge about these things - isn't 30 better than 25 ? ( based on my theory that anything being sold with referance to numbers - the bigger number the better)

what am I missing ( in simple terms ) ?

Everything...
The quality is not good.
Look....

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