I made a HO-scale camera-car for my GoPro 4 camera

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I made a HO-scale camera-car for my GoPro 4 camera. I uploaded the design to Thingiverse.

If you would like to use the design, you can download it for free, and modify, if needed.

You do need access to a 3D printer, and provide the hardware (trucks, couplers and screws)
Thingiverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3984071

2

That is a nifty desogn.

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I wonder how small these cameras will be if I ever finish my lifetime layout.

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-Kevin

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3

It is a nice design, but I think this ( or something similar) could be scratch built from styrene.

Mike.

4

Does it clear the HO NMRA tunnel specs?

Mel

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

5

I think this could easily be made with for example thin hardwood plywood or other hard sheet material, with the bottom flexible part made of thin plastic sheet.
Probably other ways to make it too. It is quite a simple design.

6

A nifty idea, nwsisu! [tup][tup]

I agree, Mike, and that was my first thought upon viewing the photo. I think if I were doing it, I’d build it so the camera could be used as-shown or upside-down, for a more-to-scale eye-level view.

Wayne

7

Its 61mm x 42mm square, with the camera center-mounted, but very short car length. I need to compare with NMRA specs before giving a definitive answer.

8

That is a nice design for your camera.

My camera car was a little less elaborate. Piece of foam, a couple of elastic bands and a chunk of tungsten for ballast [:-^]

I had the container well car in my junk box.

IMG_2457 by Edmund, on Flickr

The lens, including the CCD, can be rotated on this camera so I have it turned for a view that is closer to the ground.

Thank you, Ed

9

I think a high-quality wireless drone FPV camera would be the best solution. I just wasn’t willing to invest money in that, at the moment. I already have the GoPro, so that’s why I am using it.

The camera car could be designed with the camera placed horizontally, if there is enough clearance.

I think the newer GoPro camera versions are smaller, so they would work much better.

10

Ya cameras for our trains are really getting nice, and popular amongst modelrailroaders. I see all kinds of youtube videos now with in car FPV cameras.

Its still strange watching these videos, because of the angle it shrinks you down to HO scale size. And I laugh when you see some big guy with a huge looking head reach in to flip a turnout. LOL

11

a few years ago i used a keyfob sized camera on a car …it was hidden inside a boxcar with just the lens showing …

worked well …

made another that was wireless and used dcc track power, turned out a little fuzzy on detail in some places …

12

As I recall I bough a hot wheels camera car for like $18 to make short fuzz layout videos by pushing it around on a flat car.

13

I had already drawn up the NMRA Standards Gauge so I added your Go-Pro dimensions.

Very nice NWSISU.

This is my version. A lot more work and goodies, probably not even clo

14

Great idea…Anyone know if there is a camera small enough for N scale. My go-pro 3 would not fit through a N scale tunnel…and I’d hate to try to pull the car out if it got stuck in one!

Thanks,

Jeff

15

The SQ8 Mini Cam would fit. I have one mounted in a HO Model Power E7 with a Dual Shaft Canon EN22, decoder and 1” speaker.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1.A0.H0.XSQ8+mini+cam.TRS0&_nkw=SQ8+mini+cam&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=Q8+mini+cam

Measures .895” x .895” x .81”

I’ve had this SQ8 for about two years and it still works very good. The specs say 45 minutes record time but this one is only good for about 20 minutes to a charge.

It has surprisingly good video quality.

16

[quote user=“RR_Mel”]

I had already drawn up the NMRA Standards Gauge so I added your Go-Pro dimensions.

Very nice NWSISU.

This is my version. A lot more work and goodies, probably not even close to the Go-Pro video quality but I can pan the camera 180° by Blue Tooth. Does the Go-Pro have WiFi? I use the WiFi from the Q7 camera as a viewfinder.

17

Thanks everyone for your comments, and for sharing your setups! I think having a camera mounted to the train is quite exciting, and not that difficult nowadays, when electronics are getting more affordable, and smaller sizes.

One would think that manufacturers would start adding cameras at least as an option.

18

One of my drones is a cheap one, with a cheap wireless FPV camera. I tried the camera on my train. It worked great overall, except the horrible low resolution video quality. So I didn’t bother using it. I rather save up some money for a high quality drone camera.