Very small video camera

[unittrain]

This would give some cool N scale views http://www.advanced-intelligence.com/video.html#!vid044  Only 1/32" lens but expensive

[up1950s]

Engineers eye view .

Caboose mounted Conductor eye view .

Truss rod Hobo eye view .

Switcher , downward view of coupler and ties for spotting uncoupling magnets and coupler status . Brakeman's eye view .

Mounted on a telescoping tube ( antenna ) with a clip on  bi-pod for steady and or hands free inspection of hidden things . UAV eyes view .

[C855B]

No specs. I mean, no specs. Could easily be 240 lines - many of these "spy" cameras are - and the video would be a fuzzy blur.

[up1950s]

Just might be the same camera that's mounted on the sun glasses .

[DKS]

No specs. I mean, no specs. Could easily be 240 lines - many of these "spy" cameras are - and the video would be a fuzzy blur.

This.

Plus, it only provides a video output; if you want a wireless setup, you'd need a whole 'nother chunk of hardware.

Definitely not worth gambling $320, IMO...

[eric220]

Plus that package doesn't include the battery, so there's a whole 'nuther chunk of hardware.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

What a creepy site.

[DKS]

What a creepy site.

Agreed. Seems to be geared toward sexually depraved/deprived/frustrated male stalkers.

[kelticsylk]

There's a wireless pen camera further down the page...Mount it in an E unit?

[eric220]

There's a wireless pen camera further down the page...Mount it in an E unit?

Except that the camera is mounted in the clip such that it would be pointed forward if worn in a shirt pocket. In a model train, it would offer a view straight up, down, or out the side.

[DKS]

Except that the camera is mounted in the clip such that it would be pointed forward if worn in a shirt pocket. In a model train, it would offer a view straight up, down, or out the side.

I bought one of these some time ago with the intention of using a tiny first-surface mirror to orient the light of sight correctly--indeed, the mirror would allow a perfect engineer-eye view because it could be mounted to the top corner of the cab. But the video quality was so poor that it wasn't worth the effort.

Bear in mind that many of these cameras operate at 15 fps (a spec that is very often omitted), which does not produce smooth-looking video.

[Mark W]

There's really nothing to gain from concealing the camera, especially when you're sacrificing quality for size. 

I've found that the GoPro is the best camera for N Scale POV.  Recording at 1080HD and 60fps you can get some great video.  Focus point is pretty good too, about 2-3 cars lengths from the lens. 

[C855B]

There's really nothing to gain from concealing the camera, especially when you're sacrificing quality for size. 

I've found that the GoPro is the best camera for N Scale POV.  Recording at 1080HD and 60fps you can get some great video.  Focus point is pretty good too, about 2-3 cars lengths from the lens. 
...

Notwithstanding the dinosaur at 2:01. 

Which GoPro? My Hero2 is way too big for N and would even be questionable for HO.

Edit: Must be a GoPro3, although nowhere on their site can I find dimensions, just that it's "20% smaller". That's still sort of big for N. Also obfuscated... does the WiFi provide any sort of live viewing? Or is it just control and playback?

[Mark W]

I've got the Hero 3 Black that I run on a depressed flat with some extra weight and a fixed truck for balance (sometimes it takes 2 or 3 attempts).


For narrow cuts, I stand it on end and shoot 2K+ or 1440 which can be rotated and cropped to normal 1080.


You can't quite fit between two adjacent tracks unless you have 1.5"+ track centers, but with staging and camera tricks behind the scenes you can pretty much get the shot. 

[peteski]

That Hero 3 unit is rather large.

Eric and I use a much smaller wireless camera.  It easily fits in an N scale dummy diesel (and it can be fully hidden).  It also has a very good depth of field due to its small lens.  The video is 640x480 and while the quality of the w2.4GHz wireless transmission is not perfect, it is quite acceptable.

Here is some info about my setup: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=26591.msg270100#msg270100
and Eric's: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28477.0