What You Need To Look For In An Action Camera

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

What features to look out for when choosing an action camera could be a jungle for a novice user but after many years of experience trying to catch that special moment from my own extreme sports I have found a few things that will make a difference when you go out to find an action camera. What I have learned from my experience could be of great value to you if you do not want to miss out on that perfect moment which I have done so many times in the past because of lack of knowledge on what features my action camera should have.

The first thing you have to consider is weather what you are filming will do with a small and handy action camera or if the quality has to be even better and you will have to go with a larger camera. personally I find that a small action camera most of the times will do because most action cameras records in HD anyway.

My first choice is to find a handy action camera that is small and lightweight because when doing extreme sports I can not be tied down to a large camera I have to be able to move which is not as easy with a larger camera. The camera also needs a minimum of protection so it will not break with just a small hit or drop to the ground. The protection you will find in many variations just make sure you still have easy access to work with the action camera and the buttons otherwise you will go crazy in the long run.

You probably do not find anything more annoying then when your action camera is filming that perfect shot and then runs out of battery – Nothing you can do but to get frustrated so make sure your action camera has good battery life time and that it is possible to recharge easily or that you can change the battery easily while working. Many action cameras today comes with indicators that is lit when camera is working but usually with very little light to save battery time – just make sure it is not so little that you can not see if it is recording in daylight. Also make sure you find an action camera that will work OK in both day and night recordings.

The microphones on most action cameras are not great but still you will have to make sure it is working and meets your criteria. Find out if you need to use the “real” sound from what you are doing or less will do because an action camera usually are used when moving and the sound from the wind and moving makes a terrible noise in the microphone which is why many people using an action camera uses music on their recordings. Some cameras do have a sort of housing and you actuyally can find some really good once where you will be able to hear not all the noise from the wind but the real dealfrom your doings – For this I usually go with the action camera called Go Pro.

Good luck with choosing your new Action Camera and remember these are just guidelines that suits my needs your needs might be different and then again most of the things I have written you will be able to benefit from in any case.

Technorati Tags: Action camera, Action Cameras, Car cameras, Helmet camcorder, Helmet Camera, Scientific camera, Sports camera

Tags: Action camera, Action Cameras, Car cameras, Helmet camcorder, Helmet Camera, Scientific camera, Sports camera | Posted in Car cameras, Helmet camcorder, Helmet cameras, Scientific camera, Sports camera, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Helmet Cam

Friday, January 27th, 2012

First video shot with my helmet cam; a simple camcorder mounted on a bike helmet. Just for hahas.

Duration : 0:3:3

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Technorati Tags: bike, cam, Helmet

Tags: bike, cam, Helmet | Posted in Helmet camcorder | No Comments »

Justin ImHof helmet camera – USDR Round 3 – 2009

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Justin Im Hof helmet camera footage, from Red Mountain, USDR desert race, round 3, ’09, Morgan Crawford, Nick Burson, Ryan Kudla, Justin ImHof, Colton Sanders, Travis Livingston, Erek Kudla

Duration : 0:9:59

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Technorati Tags: '09, cam, Helmet, USDR

Tags: '09, cam, Helmet, USDR | Posted in Helmet cameras | 11 Comments »

DOD GS600 in car camera recorder black box dvr

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Recorded from a 2008 European Civic 3dr Type-S hatchback

Duration : 0:1:2

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Technorati Tags: FILE0258

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Chase Jarvis, Lego Camera – DigitalRev TV

Friday, January 27th, 2012

What happens when one of the world’s most successful photographers meets one of the cheapest cameras available? In this last episode of the season we invite Chase Jarvis to take some photos with the Lego camera. Find out what happens when we throw some skateboarding and Kung fu into the equation…

Chase Jarvis:
chasejarvis.com
twitter.com/chasejarvis

facebook.com/chasejarvis

Chan Kim Man Scientific Ving Tsun
facebook.com/pages/Chan-Kim-Man-Scientific-Ving-Tsun/180182215393183

Hong Kong Wushu Union
www.hkwushuu.com.hk/

Duration : 0:21:23

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Technorati Tags: Best Camera, camera, challenge, Chase Jarvis, Digital, DigitalRev, DigitalRevTV, Kai, Kung Fu, Lego, Olympus, Polaroid, skateboarding, Wing Chun

Tags: Best Camera, camera, challenge, Chase Jarvis, Digital, DigitalRev, DigitalRevTV, Kai, Kung Fu, Lego, Olympus, Polaroid, skateboarding, Wing Chun | Posted in Scientific camera | 24 Comments »

Review of the RD32II 1080p H264 Sport Cam (2 of 2)

Friday, January 27th, 2012

A look at the 1080p .h264 Sport Action camera. (Part 2 of 2)
For more info & sample clips visit http://goo.gl/tZjYV
Note – Editing & Conversion to Youtube has reduced the video quality.

Duration : 0:18:47

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Technorati Tags: 1080p, 60fps, 720p, Action, cam, camera, cheap, CYCLE, DV, Extreme, FPV, H264, HD, Helmet, Mini, POV, RD32, RD32II, REDLEAF, sport, Sports, techmoan, Video, Waterproof

Tags: 1080p, 60fps, 720p, Action, cam, camera, cheap, CYCLE, DV, Extreme, FPV, H264, HD, Helmet, Mini, POV, RD32, RD32II, REDLEAF, sport, Sports, techmoan, Video, Waterproof | Posted in Sports camera | 25 Comments »

Camera for medieval helmet?

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

I wear a Templar knight outfit for cosplay events like Dragon con, halloween, and etc. My helmet has tons of little holes, roughly 1/4" in diameter, I was wondering if their was a camera with decent resolution that could fit over one of the holes to capture the events I go to… without taping a camcorder to my helmet.

My helmet design is exactly the same as this one,

http://www.darkknightarmoury.com/p-4418-crusader-great-helmet.aspx

try one of the pet’s eye view cameras. I know the cheap models a few years ago only took stills, but I am sure by now they’d have a decent version of video for not too much.

You could also try some of the rail mount cameras intended for guns or other sports ($130) that would do it and be portable but the lenses are too large for the lower end ones (about the size of a quarter) for internal helmet mounting.

| Posted in Helmet camcorder | 1 Comment »

Where is the best place to put my helmet camera?

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

I am getting a helmet cam for my birthday. I can put it on the side of my helmet or the top, which is better?

The top is better because you get a wider view (the helmet doesn’t get in the way as much) and since the camera is higher it can see better. I see helmet cams on both the top and side, but when you see professionals (like on Top Gear) they always have it on top.

| Posted in Helmet cameras | 2 Comments »

Car Cameras used in shows?

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

What kind of cameras do they use to record people that are driving in a car or in the passenger seat like in the show Ghost Hunters or any other shows?

Pretty much the same camcorders they use for the rest of the show – Sony HVR-A1, HVR-Z5, HVR-Z7…

| Posted in Car cameras | 1 Comment »

What are some good camera spotlights?

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Nothing like stage lights. I’m looking to film procedures for assembling parts from specific scientific machines. I am filming with a normal digital video camera, but I am looking for a large (covers a wide area), medium (for focus on just one part), and a precise (one that focuses on one small area of one part).

Price is not so much an issue, however I would like to keep it within a decent range. A $700 limit for any of the three spotlight types I specified would work.

Can anyone recommend some?

Thanks.

When using your digital video cam anything is possible.

$700 is ok try using 100-250 watt halogen garden lights the. or tungsten spot lights.

Your can adjust your digital cam to shoot in different light settings. Or put it on auto white balance.

Shoot a wide area?

I don’t really know how large the area we are talking about, but you can try these set ups.

Hoping that you have a white ceiling, point the light to it at about 35-45 o angle and keep the head about a foot from the ceiling itself. The light will bounce off it and be able to light a sizable area depending on the number of light heads you have.

*The more wattage you got, the brighter it gets.
*The more light head you have the wider the area covered.
*If you dont have a white ceiling then staple white fabric to it.
*The bounce should give you less shadows

Medium & Precise

Again using several lamp heads, diffuse each head with tracing paper. For safety puposes make sure that the tracing paper is anywhere between 4"-8" away from the lamp head (depending on how much deffusion you want); it might burn.

Also try to put reflectors on the sides of your subject (make sure the reflectors are not visilbe in the shot. This will give high lights( rim lights) to the edges of the items you wish to shoot. These reflectors may be mirrors or tin foil glued to small illustration boards. The amount of high light you desire will depend on the reflectiveness of the materials you use as relfectors.

These high lights will give your subject definition and let it stand out.

Its actually easier to light digital than film… also you have post production.

Try to keep your light source at a 45 degree angle to the subject. This will work from above, below, behind…. form x and y axis. Try it. Its not fool proof though, but its where you can start before adjusting or modifying you lighting. My teacher called it The Rule of 45s"

Make sure you hide your cables and stands.

Play aroung with it and have fun.

Remember: " No light, No Picture"

Here is something my former instructor taught me.

" Light lets us see, Shadows make us understand"
-Tom Roa

Ciao

independent film maker/cinematographer

| Posted in Scientific camera | 3 Comments »

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