movie camera

[skillett]

Please recommend a camera. I would like to be able to view what the plane sees while I'm flying. I'll not be spying on anyone or anything, just the ground, sky, and clouds.

Thank you.

I'd like to mount on my calypso 93" wingspan and/or the stearman 48". Also, where is the best location on the plane to mount. Guess plane will have to be re-balanced afterwards.

[Alpha]

skillett Hey there Skillett, you're looking for a camera suitable for "FPV", or "First Person View". These are the types of cameras which are intended to capture video while you're flying, to give you a first person view as if you were in the airplane. These cameras use a video transmitter ("VTx") to transmit the video down to you on the ground to a video receiver ("VRx"). So you're looking to purchase more than just a camera, but all three elements of this FPV system.

The cost for an FPV system varies greatly depending on video quality, resolution, stability, range, power, recording capabilities, OST, physical format, etc. Some pilots use ground stations with a TV monitor and separate VRx, while some pilots prefer wearing FPV goggles with an integrated VRx.

Perhaps the best next question is, what is your budget?

[skillett]

SORRY GUYS, I WANT A CAMERA (MOVIE) THAT i CAN VIEW RESULTS WHEN BACK ON THE GROUND.

I'M NOT IN TO FPV.

MY APOLOGIES ALL.

Jimmy

[Alpha]

In that case, I'd recommend a Runcam since they're HD resolution and very well known and well respected in the RC community:

https://www.motionrc.com/products/runcam-2-action-camera-1080p-60-fps-orange

It will fit just fine on your Calypso, and shouldn't be too much of a burden on your Stearman depending on where you mount it. You're also correct, you'll want to verify your CG after positioning the Runcam.

[Aros]

I have used RunCam and Mobius exclusively for hundreds of videos over the years and I can attest to their quality. Excellent HD, durable and the weight penalty is minimal for most models.

[Hoomi]

For budget-friendly, I use a Matecam 808 "keychain" camera. You can get them on Amazon for around $25 - $30. They're not as feature-rich as the RunCam and Mobius cameras, but they're small, lightweight, and take pretty decent video for something so cheap. Here's a photo of one mounted behind the cockpit on my Dynam Waco, "Air Hooterville," and one of my videos taken with it. The camera is held on with self-stick Velcro, and in nearly two years of using it this way, I've never had it come loose in flight.

[BluesDragon]

Does good video despite not having the extra bells and whistles the others may have.
Very nice... thanks for sharing that Hoomi!

[Alpha]

Ah yes, the 808 camera. It's been out on the market for about ten years, but it's still probably the best option for usable footage on a budget under $30. A few tips from using mine:

1) Buy from a reputable seller so you get a genuine one, not a clone. The battery and the lens are the first things clones cut corners on.

2) The tiny LED is difficult to see in broad daylight, but visible under shade. Memorize the light patterns so you know which setting and status the camera is in. I've landed many times only to discover that I wasn't recording, or that heat had stopped the camera.

3) There's an in depth website that covers all versions of 808 cameras. It's a great resource.

4) The camera performs best in brighter light conditions. The image quality degrades quickly as the light fades.

5) As Hoomi said, velcro works well to fasten the camera while still allowing a some movement to dissipate fiber vibrations. If the airplane and mounting position you chose is still giving you excessively vibrating video, try using double-stick tape and velcro combined. Sandwiching a layer of double-stick tape between the camera and the velcro might help.

[Hoomi]

Yeah, the controls on the 808 are not the most comprehensive. I've also had flights where I've gone to review the video, only to find that it hadn't recorded.

I have a GoPro, but I like the smaller profile and weight of the 808 for my planes, plus, the thought that, if it does come loose from the plane, I'm not watching $200-$300 possibly disappear into the desert.

My coworker recently bought a Runcam, and had me set it up for him (he didn't have a smartphone to interface with it - I ended up giving him my old one). They seem like a nice camera, and having the wifi connection to see the view, is nice. It's still a bit heavier and larger profile than the 808. The 808 is actually small enough that the Stinger 64 3S has no problem carrying it aloft.

[skillett]

thanks everybody for all the information.

Jimmy