I’ve been thinking of picking up a camera to do some video of the layout. I would like to do some side shots, as well as some onboard video.
I know I can use a camcorder for the side shots, but what about the onboard?
I have been curious about the aftermarket cameras. There is one Some are designed to work with inside of trains. I would love to find one small enough to put inside an empty A unit and put it up front so you get the “peering through a window” effect. Arista-Craft is one that I found for under $100.
http://www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/PROD/ARI-56802
A pretty good review of it. I’m still reading it now:
http://www.lsol.com/library/free/article_448.html
There are a host of wireless systems that run on batteries there too.
http://www.x10.com/ has some pretty good cheap wireless stuff. I tried to do some searches a while back, but didn’t find a difinitive source on the subject. Maybe this will stir something up.
Lionel did an engine with a camera in it, but from what I read, it isn’t worth much.
Also note that most of these are 2.4 GHz, which is also common on some cordless phones and wireless internet routers. You many need to go in and tweak the router transmit freq, and code hop on the telephone until you find a clear one while this camera is on. Then again, it might be fine.
Wes
My digital camera has a movie mode. I stick the camera on a flat car with a big wad of blue tac (poster snot) and either push or pull it around the track. This isn’t going to yield high quality video but it’s cheap and easy.
I would talk to Raymons about it too. His video is pretty good.
Wes,
Thanks for the info! I’m hoping Raymans respondes as well.
I’ve got my eyes on something that I think will work out great, but want to see what the guys have to say first.
Chuck,
I have a 5megapixel camera that has they mode as well, but I don’t think it will fit through my tunnels or clear another train coming the other direction… haven’t tried it… yet! [;)]
Wes and Brent
I do pretty much the same thing
Find a flat car that doesn’t wobble around too easy, I use painter’s blue tape to hold the camera in place.
I am using a Canon SD750
You can face the camera to the side or angle it or even face away or towards the train.
One word of caution, make sure the camera will clear all side line entities including other trains.
I found out the hard way! (also if the camera is not too rigidly mounted, it will move if it hits a non moveable object)
To take the video I use the 10 second delay and move the train to where it will start and then run the train slowly past the scenery when the camera starts.
When done I edit it if needed, for example the beginning or end may need to be cut, or this video could be combined with others to make a longer one.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1p0vnH1ZjVw
After I’m satisfied with the video I’ll find some appropriate music about the same length and dub it in.
Another way is to mount the camera on a tripod or some other means where it will stay in one place and have the trains run by or perform switching etc.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U4_jzIXqqxA
The 1st video I made (which was only a month ago) was holding the camera while 4 trains were running and moving the camera to catch the action.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NsAXG0zagCI
I have also tried night videos, be sure to change your settings if necessary for the night.
I use my regular Sony camcorder to record onboard shots - I place it on a flatcar and strap it on with fat rubber bands. It works pretty well, and for being a regular camcorder, it makes great high-quality 30 frames-per-second video! I place the flatcar in a bunch of different places on my trains for different views - in front of the locomotive (in the locomotive cab), in the middle or end of a freight train (caboose-like view), on the end of a passenger train (observation car view), in the middle of a passenger train (dome car view), and other places.
I think it’s really cool to actually “ride” your own trains through your layout, especially to those places you can’t usually see yourself - like in tunnels!
Update - I tried my Canon Powershot A530 and its a No Go for train mounted video. The track is too close together, so I can’t move it in far enough to clear the tunnel portals - unless I make my own tunnel portals. Before it crashes the video looks sweet! LOL!
Brent, I think it helps to turn the camera sidesways enough that doesn’t hit stuff…
Maybe this is the start of another 5 star consist thread. “How many Sony camcorder-laden flat cars can your train pull?” With my camcorder (circa 1996 Sony High 8) I need to change gauges to accommodate the sheer bulk.
Great stuff, Ray(Raymans). I never tire of these.
We haven’t heard from David (dsmith). His on board videos are really good.
Brent, sounds like you should buy yourself…I mean Susieq a really compact camcorder for (insert occasion) that will fit through those portals, etc. On second thought, with all the stuff you bought for her layout, that would push the gifts thing into 2011.
Wes, after Brent’s clearance dilemma, are you going to have to reconfigure the stuff on your layout? Thanks for your pics.
Jack
Wes,
The problem with turning the camera is you don’t get the forward view that I’m looking for. I think I found something that will be right up my alley. It is a small compact wireless camera that I can mount on a flat car and just push around the layout, I can turn it 360 degrees to get a plethora of views… now just have to pick one up and test it out.
Jack,
They don’t make a compact enough camcorder to fit through the portals, nor do they make one narrow enough to fit the flatcar so it wouldn’t swipe the train on the other track. [;)]
My camcorder’s pretty big, (probably about the size of a scale-switcher in O scale), and it seems to go through all my tunnels and bridges (even the Lionel short extension bridge, with some modification!). Sideswiping has never been an issue. Maybe my clearances on tunnels & bridges are bigger than normal ? Still, much smaller camcorders are being built today that I think would be able to fit through just about any O scale tunnel portal or bridge. Simply put - if an O scale train can get through that tunnel, a new camcorder probably can, too.
I made a 30 minute video and put 5 minutes of it on the web. I pushed the flat-car in front of the engine so as to get a straight-on view.
Link to this old video.
Here is an older Panasonic Digital Video camera sitting on a flatbed car under an MTH portal.
Good luck,
Wes
That’s almost exactly the same way I take my videos, and the camera is about the same size, too. If you take video this way, you probably won’t have much trouble at all. You might want to make sure to take off the arm straps things first, though, so they don’t catch on anything.
I have a Sony Cybershot that takes short digital movies. I might give it a go this coming weekend - if I can figure it out. [D)][;)]
Jim
Well I gave it another go tonight…
Very cool, Brent! Man, you are hauling on that layout!
Jim
Brent,
I really like that video. How big is your layout going to be?