Video camera recommendations sub miniature only!

[petercharlesfagg]

Friends,

We have all seen the videos online where a modeller has attached a miniature camera to a wagon and then made a short video of their layout?

I am interested in the possibilities, therefore can anyone recommend a mini video camera that will not bust the bank and is easy to use?

I have tried a search but nothing was shown as being relevant.

Regards, Peter.

[port perran]

Have you seen this ?

Video Recording N gauge camera truck 'CamTruck'

And this earlier forum thread....http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=1634.0

Bit pricey though for what it achieves in my opinion but each to his own !

[CarriageShed]

Have you seen this ?

Video Recording N gauge camera truck 'CamTruck'

Now that's posh!

[oscar]

Just got one of these, £43 off fleabay. It is brilliant!

http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/7/8/the-mobius-camera-the-do-it-all-mount-anywhere-1080p-micro-c.html

[scotsoft]

I have the Mobius camera as well but it is too wide to sit on a flat car  :'(

These Lighter Spy Cameras do not give as good a picture as the Mobius but are a lot cheaper and will sit on a flat car to go round your layout 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Spy-Lighter-Camera-Video-Recorder-USB-DVR-SpyCam-upto-32GB-/390695563155?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5af7452f93

cheers John.

[jonclox]

I have the Mobius camera as well but it is too wide to sit on a flat car  :'(

These Lighter Spy Cameras do not give as good a picture as the Mobius but are a lot cheaper and will sit on a flat car to go round your layout 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Spy-Lighter-Camera-Video-Recorder-USB-DVR-SpyCam-upto-32GB-/390695563155?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5af7452f93

cheers John.

These Lighter Spy Cameras do not give as good a picture as the Mobius but are a lot cheaper and will sit on a flat car to go round your layout 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Spy-Lighter-Camera-Video-Recorder-USB-DVR-SpyCam-upto-32GB-/390695563155?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5af7452f93

cheers John.

Ive just read this topic with interest. Early last year I bought a couple of pen cameras and 2 lighter ones. The project has been sideswiped by the building of new board and layout but it looks like the lighter camera will be best for my purpose as it will need very little or no modifications. The pen ones require a fair amount of  butchery...hand crafting bo be a viable option.
The Mobius is to wide for N gauge use I`m afraid.A pity it looks a great little tool   

[Rob H]

I have the Mobius camera as well but it is too wide to sit on a flat car  :'(

These Lighter Spy Cameras do not give as good a picture as the Mobius but are a lot cheaper and will sit on a flat car to go round your layout 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Spy-Lighter-Camera-Video-Recorder-USB-DVR-SpyCam-upto-32GB-/390695563155?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5af7452f93

cheers John.

Hi John,

I've just bought one of these, a few questions please,

What type of wagon do you suggest to mount the camera on ? I know you model US which tend to have larger wagons, I model UK.
Do these cameras need any remodelling to fit wagons ?
What size Micro SD card would you recommend ?

Thanks in advance John,

Cheers,

Rob.

[rhysapthomas]

I bought on of these USB memory stick camera's

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spy-Camera-USB-Flash-Drive-Memory-Stick-Hidden-Motion-Detection-Video-Cam-/370824651705?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5656df23b9

Takes a standard micro SD card I put in 8gb.  By itself it was two big but it was easy to remove the outer case and at £11 no big risk.  It was still too big to fit say in a coach but would fit on a flat bed wagon of some sort.  Only tried it a couple of times but it did work

[jonclox]

I have the Mobius camera as well but it is too wide to sit on a flat car  :'(

These Lighter Spy Cameras do not give as good a picture as the Mobius but are a lot cheaper and will sit on a flat car to go round your layout 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Spy-Lighter-Camera-Video-Recorder-USB-DVR-SpyCam-upto-32GB-/390695563155?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5af7452f93

cheers John.

Hi John,

I've just bought one of these, a few questions please,

What type of wagon do you suggest to mount the camera on ? I know you model US which tend to have larger wagons, I model UK.
Do these cameras need any remodelling to fit wagons ?
What size Micro SD card would you recommend ?

Thanks in advance John,

Cheers,

Rob.

Ive just dug my project box out to see what Ive got lined up
I`m going to be using a GF 377-551 drop sided wagon. Its fractionally shorter than the lighter camera  but with a slight overhang at each end it will work out ok.I may remove the deck etc from the chassis and make a slight cradle for the camera to sit in.I could even run a flat truck behind the 377-551 infront of the designated loco. I think a 2 axled truck will be slightly better than an articulated
Time will tell but its way down my waiting to do list

[scotsoft]

Hi John,

I've just bought one of these, a few questions please,

What type of wagon do you suggest to mount the camera on ? I know you model US which tend to have larger wagons, I model UK.
I use a flat car so if you have a conflat then you could use some double sided tape to stick the lighter cam onto the conflat.  However you could pick up a second hand US flat car and use that as you camera car.

Do these cameras need any remodelling to fit wagons ?
The lighter cam is 23mm at its widest, but you could offset it if it fouls platforms etc.

What size Micro SD card would you recommend ?
A 1Mb would do as you will not be videoing for a long time, you might have one in an old mobile phone.  I have a 2Mb in mine as that is what I had lying about.

Thanks in advance John,

Cheers,

Rob.

There has been a video posted on the forum somewhere taken with a lighter cam and although it is not HD it is OK for what it is.  The more light you have on your layout the better the video will be.

I hope this answers your question satisfactorily, if not please feel free to ask more 

Here are a couple of videos taken with the lighter camera, albeit on a larger scale than ours 

On board Conrad's first HO layout using a 'disposable lighter' spy cam.


New mini video camera

cheers John.

[petercharlesfagg]

I have the Mobius camera as well but it is too wide to sit on a flat car  :'(

These Lighter Spy Cameras do not give as good a picture as the Mobius but are a lot cheaper and will sit on a flat car to go round your layout 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Spy-Lighter-Camera-Video-Recorder-USB-DVR-SpyCam-upto-32GB-/390695563155?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item5af7452f93

cheers John.

Thankyou John,

I had purchased one of these and it came from Hong Kong but it hjas been on charge for 5 hours and still the light is on! 

According to instructions it should do and I quote "Light off go when charge is fully finished"!

Methinks I will have to spend a little more (Mine cost £3.99) and have an English based seller and one years warranty, according to the blurb!

Regards, Peter.

[scotsoft]

I think the Branor camera is expensive for what you get, as most of his stuff is, and if you are talking about the GoPro for a bike helmet camera then yes those are very expensive, but very good cameras.  They can give broadcast quality video as proved with their use by the BBC and other television companies.  However there are many videos on You Tube where people have attached much cheaper cameras to their bike helmets, namely the 808 #16 Keyfob camera and subsequent versions up to the Mobius, which give very good quality videos.

In my opinion, it helps a layout when viewed from a camera mounted on a flat car as you can see where improvements could be made and the simple, inexpensive option that the lighter cam offers is ideal.

cheers John.

P.S.  As a Global Moderator there is no force field powerful enough in the known Universe that can withstand the power my mouse button has       

[scotsoft]

Thankyou John,

I had purchased one of these and it came from Hong Kong but it hjas been on charge for 5 hours and still the light is on! 

According to instructions it should do and I quote "Light off go when charge is fully finished"!

Methinks I will have to spend a little more (Mine cost £3.99) and have an English based seller and one years warranty, according to the blurb!

Regards, Peter.

Hi Peter,

I am sure the light blinks when it is on charge and then remains on when it is fully charged.  So I think you may have missed it blinking when you plugged it in and should find it is fully charged and ready to go.

cheers John.

[ParkeNd]

^^^^ It depends on the view of the role of Global Moderator. Either the maintenance of standards of discipline and facilitating open discussion - or the absolute power to impose ones own personal views as the only right ones. There are both types - but I haven't seen the second type on here - yet

[scotsoft]

^^^^ It depends on the view of the role of Global Moderator. Either the maintenance of standards of discipline and facilitating open discussion - or the absolute power to impose ones own personal views as the only right ones. There are both types - but I haven't seen the second type on here - yet

.... and you never will see the second type on here, we do our best to take everything with a sense of humour 

cheers John.