Video Camera

[Bfagan]

Does anyone have any suggestions on a camera that can be mounted on a flatcar and pushed around the layout to videotape a run?

[DKS]

http://looxcie.com/

[bdennis]

Do a search on ..ebay and look for "Security Lighter DV Hidden Camera"
I have used one before and they are cheap as chips
Here is one I did using a friends..

[DKS]

Do a search on ..ebay and look for "Security Lighter DV Hidden Camera"
I have used one before and they are cheap as chips
Here is one I did using a friends..

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I tried one of those. The problem is the frame rate is 15 fps. The Looxcie shoots at 30 fps (IIRC, it's actually interlaced, so you get the equivalent of 60 fps). And the unit should drop onto a flat or long gon with little or no modification. Shoots for hours on a single charge.

[Zox]

If you want to be able to watch your video in realtime, a "wireless micro security camera" will do the trick.

Here's the one I'm currently using on my camera car:

http://www.amazon.com/Securityman-ClearCam-Interference-Free-Wireless-Camera/dp/B000UY4MF0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1341373797&sr=8-3&keywords=wi+fi+interference+free+camera

Here's a dirt-cheap one (unless you buy it from Micro-Mark, in which case it costs $100 or so):

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Wireless-Color-Camera-Microphone/dp/B000YM2OIK/ref=pd_cp_p_0

Going with the 2.4 GHz band buys you a shorter antenna on the camera, but makes you more likely to get stepped on by WiFi and Bluetooth signals.

You will experience video glitches with any wireless system, so if your only purpose is to record for later viewing, something with onboard recording is probably better.

[DKS]

You will experience video glitches with any wireless system, so if your only purpose is to record for later viewing, something with onboard recording is probably better.

This cannot be overemphasized. Tried to produce a DVD tour of Rick Spano's Sceniced and Undecided from the engineer's perspective back before micro DVRs were available, and it was a dismal failure.

[LV LOU]

Actually,check out the top of the page:.."2012 best helicopters"..I fly helis,X Heli has a lot of small cameras geared more toward hobby use,they have some pretty wild little hi-def cameras with tilt lenses..I'm actually building a heli specifically for camera use..Think about it..Arial railfanning!!!

[elnscale]

Think about it..Arial railfanning!!!

FPV (first person view) is popular in Europe, using cameras in RC planes. There's some great videos by a group named Black Sheep where they fly RC planes through cities. Check out San Franciso at http://team-blacksheep.com/videos see May 6th. One of my favorites is Prague http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbD4Ic2UmLA from a few years back. Great quality videos and music too.

Just imagine the railfanning opportunities of this!

[LV LOU]

 Steve,imagine the opportunities to do aerial flyovers of yards,remote shots of trains,ETC..I race R/C cars,we put cameras in them during races.Imagine a drivers view from a nitro R/C sprint car doing 6 second laps on a 300 foot dirt track..

[Bob Bufkin]

Would be neat to have a helicopter with this capability.  But - how long before this scares the crap out of the railroad or other facility and Homeland Security decides to do something about it.

[TiVoPrince]

Everybody 
knows you don't mess with black helicopters, no matter what size...

[mike in bc]

homeland security over reacting in 5,4,3,....

[rogergperkins]

The use of video on trains in n-scale was done on the Atlas forum. No names of posters comes to mind.
It certain takes n-scale modelling to another level. 
The best version of a camera car I have heard discussed is mounting the camera in a dummy A unit so that it can be run in "disquise." 

[GaryHinshaw]

The GoPro shoots HD at 30 fps, but it's size (2.4" wide) and optics (2 ft + focus) are not very well suited for N scale; it's more targeted to the extreme sports crowd, like base jumpers, but it might be great for RC.

[ljudice]

http://looxcie.com/

Thanks for that link....   Looks like exactly what I was looking for...