I know Nothing about cameras..so here is a question

[hghost]

Having no experience with cameras and or hardly knowing anything about them, other than point and shoot attach cable download to PC...that is my experience with a camera.

No experience with cameras that attach to RC equipment at all.

I would like to know what is a good camera/video I could attach to my planes...one that I can attach to a Small Champ for example, but also a Cub, or any of my Planes. Small enough to attach to a Champ with no problems as that is my smallest plane, if it works on it , all others should be no real problem.

Want something that would be nice and clear. I see people talking about a Key chain camera is that small enough ? Plus one that does not take a genius to figure out how it works and how it downloads ?

Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Just thinking about maybe purchasing one, not sure yet...just an idea.

Thanks in advance.

[coupe1942]

This is just my personal opinion and I am not an expert in the field to begin with:

If you use a key chain camera, be sure it is a #16. A reputable dealer will sell them for maybe $35-40 bucks, but there are many on ebay that are the #11 or others. They generally are not as good as a true #16 key chain camera, even though the cost is usually less. The Mobius, although a great camera for the $75-90 dollar price range has some major drawbacks, as I found out quickly. It is just not housed well enough to sustain any damage from a crash. Once broken, there is no such thing as a repair for it, so one crash and it is toast. It is not water proof or even water resistant, so, no matter how many great features are on it, the camera is not one you should invest in unless you want to risk the chance of failure and cost to replace. The MD80 is probably the best camera for rc flights, as it is only about $10-15 bucks and comes with some mounts that actually do work. The SJ1000 is a poor choice, due to things as the barrel effect, the weight and the crappy camera mounts. If you have the bucks, the all time greatest is indeed a GoPro. Cost is a factor and so is the size when any case housing is involved. Mounts are another issue. I have an MD80 set to go on my plane, but I have not tried it yet to see the quality of the video from there. Although I have a wide angle Mobius and a stock lens Mobius, I simply would not recommend then for the rc sport, even though they produce good quality video results. I love mine, but in just one minor crash I found replacement is a cost I don't choose to risk all that often. The GoPro cameras I have are limited by cost and mounting, but in reality, they outshine all the others as an action camera. My pick for 1st place would be the MD80, but that is based on replacement cost and not video quality. As I said, I have not tried out my MD80 camera just yet to see how good or bad that video quality is.

I'd say there are things that are much more important than the quality of the video.
Initial investment cost.
Replacement cost.
Functionality.
At least being water resistant.
Good mounts.
Ease of use for intended projects.
Ease of the micro or SD card in ensuring it works properly.
Being able to gain at least some type of support for the camera if there are problems.
The camera being able to be mounted so as not to negatively impact the CoG of the plane.

Most of these cameras are made in China and the instructions are a conglomeration of English and Chinese (Chinglish) that often make very little sense.
The key chain cameras are well discussed at sites as rcuniverse or at rc groups. They often do more than expected of them, but just as often can present problems, too. Read up on all of them, as most are simply too heavy or the lens is positioned in the wrong location for good placement on the Super Cub. The phrase of, "you get what you pay for" is often right with any of these cameras. If that is accurate, then stay within an affordable means for you and try out a cheapie camera before sinking big bucks into one of the better ones. I love my Mobius camera, but I can't afford to lose on due to a crash as easily as I did my stock lens one recently.

Good luck in what you pick.

Mostly the key chain camera:

www.flickr.com/photos/a1930ford/sets/72157635023215356/

Mostly the Mobius camera:

www.flickr.com/photos/a1930ford/sets/72157635701860576/

The SJ1000 camera:

www.flickr.com/photos/a1930ford/sets/72157634691823964/

[flydiver]

Very good write up.
If you are willing to do some reading you can get a LOT of info on the keychain cameras here. This site is pretty much THE authority I think.
www.chucklohr.com/808/index.shtml

My opinions:
If your flying is still pretty erratic > don't send up a camera you could not simply throw over your shoulder and walk away from. The extra weight will compromise some planes. If it's an expensive camera, the worry will do the same.

I doubt much of anything will fly properly on a champ, it's just too small.
Gliders are often the best platform. Good lift, good glide, and you can turn off the motor. Something like the Easy Star or Bixler type are good candidates with the rear drive.

If you know nothing about video, you probably don't know anything about video editing. I got a keychain camera, did a few flights, and simply gave up on the editing. I don't have the patience for it. I find it frustrating and tedious. You can spend some serious cash on PC hardware and software + time down if you want to be a cut above a lot of the garbage on youtube and the like.

[coupe1942]

I totally agree with the Bixler and some other foamies being easier to put on cameras and use them. If you look through most of the Bixler videos, many are really very nicely done. The video editing is also a major time consumer for a large portion of these cameras. Some folk adapt to it very well, but many spend a whole lot of time behind the computer, just to get 10 minutes or so of junk to post at YouTube. Many of the videos there remind me of someone shooting video of a ride down an endless highway and filming only stripe after stripe after stripe. Yet everyone wants to be a videographer.

If money is a big concern, then most cameras are not going to do well for you if you crash. Most have neither the anti-vibration or anti-shock qualities to be great if they are cheap. All have some drawbacks to them, regardless of the price. Being able to lose one, be it in a crash or just by losing track of the plane is something that should be a lesson taught before you even begin trying a camera out. Most of the lower end action cameras don't really use any protection and are subject to lens problems or breakage. Remember, a case housing is added weight. Thus, most are at risk of damage from the moment you hook them up on an rc plane. Lots of folk take that risk though, but just never forget that it is a risk with dire consequences if you are unlucky. There are fpv cameras and others besides what I addressed that are cheapies to consider. To me, the Bixler is probably the best plane available to accept the better quality GoPro and not have the same issues as many other action cams.



At places in the attached video, the guy mentions the GoPro used and some thoughts about it. This is expensive as a camera, especially with all the mounts and other equipment you will end up purchasing, but it is by far the best and most protected camera I can think of for the sport.
The video also shows there was a lot of editing done to make it. Believe me, it was not done in only one take, but the results are indeed nice.  Good luck in what you decide to use.

[jklong03]

I just want to add an endorsement to anything Coupe says regarding cameras. He may be a big 'old ham-fisted assembler of small parts, but when it comes to things related to photography from the ground or from the air, I would listen to what he has to say, he speaks from experience!

[hghost]

Thanks for all the answers and suggestions and the articles , I will read them all. My idea was something small, and cheap I could simply tape/velcro to attach somehow to the fuselage or wing and get a few short vids of flight...why I asked about small enough for even a Champ, as I still fly it allot.( Pen type camera perhaps ? )Want clear enough to see anyway.
Just like some hand held camera's, allow me to shoot, attach cable, download to PC...nothing to make a motion picture or any great You Tube video's ...just something to use for my own self and see my flight ....Cheap,Light and easy to use...that's all I am really interested in.....no big expense or desire to make grand video's.

Thanks again

[coupe1942]

Thanks for the nice comments, but much of my experience is actually in making mistakes in the past and simply trying to learn something from them. I am by no means a pro, especially at photography of any sort. I enjoy the diy aspect of making camera mounts and probably have gone through about 10 cameras of various types within the past 4-5 years. I am a sucker for reading the blog of people as Techmoan and trying out many of the action cameras he discussed or reviewed there. Some worked as he said in his tests and some simply had faults that made them less than stellar in performance, but most are more in picking the right tool for the job as much as anything. Knowing your own expectations and the limitations of the camera are pretty good indicators of the results you will receive with any camera. No matter how cheap or how expensive, the camera has to be right for the job. As an example, to me, the Mobius, no matter how great I like it for its ease of use or quality video or such, is simply the wrong camera for many of the rc aircraft when speaking of ruggedness or durability. Especially when your new to the sport and you don't have your flight experience at the controls quite firmed up. However, that said, if used in a Bixler 2, for example, at least it has a clear canopy and mount setup that can help protect the camera in a crash and reduce the chance that it will get broken. Not so on a Super Cub where it is even more unprotected to the elements and such.

[hghost]

808 Key chain camera for less than $5 US dollars.....I think that is a deal whether they work well or not.

For what I want it for seems like a deal......sold at amazon

thanks coupe1942 for all your posts.

[hghost]

I bought the 808 Key Cam to see if it works. I gave it a try indoors, it works very well. Can't wait until I can use it on my planes. A Key Cam and an micro SD Card for less than $10 Bucks, can't be beat, I just had to buy them. Just want to see my little world from the planes view as it were.

[coupe1942]

There is a website that provides all the info you want regarding which revision model it is; #3, #11, #16 or others. Check out the Techmoan blog and he links you to the person's site. Also, at RCGroups.com, the info there is great, too. Probably the worst thing about an 808 camera is removal of the date and time stamp from the video if it bothers you. There are a ton of ways to mount them and at $5 bucks, as you mention, it is no great loss to have one break or ruined. Often the sensor is not quick enough to filter light well as the lighting changes into and out of the sun, but some are better than others. It is a real crap shoot for the most part, as it is near impossible to really know for sure which one is best or simply a cheap imitation. Good luck with it. Take some video and post it here.

[hghost]

Dec 12, 2013 8:40:32 GMT 1 coupe1942 said:

There is a website that provides all the info you want regarding which revision model it is; #3, #11, #16 or others. Check out the Techmoan blog and he links you to the person's site. Also, at RCGroups.com, the info there is great, too. Probably the worst thing about an 808 camera is removal of the date and time stamp from the video if it bothers you. There are a ton of ways to mount them and at $5 bucks, as you mention, it is no great loss to have one break or ruined. Often the sensor is not quick enough to filter light well as the lighting changes into and out of the sun, but some are better than others. It is a real crap shoot for the most part, as it is near impossible to really know for sure which one is best or simply a cheap imitation. Good luck with it. Take some video and post it here.

Thanks Coupe . I used it in light and in darker rooms with little light, it did pretty well. When spring comes I hope to give it a try on my planes.
At the price it does not matter if it works great or not, just wanted for my own personal satisfaction. Hopefully I can get a little video to post
here on the Club site. It is a China job, but for those prices I had to do it. Thanks again.

[coupe1942]

Here is a diy camera mod I am working on for my Key Chain camera setup. Not sure how well it will work or if it will be a bust. I have not added the screw to secure the pen into the battery box door handle just yet, but I think this may work okay for some interesting video. It is a work in progress, but very easy and cheap to make. I hope the photo and drawing explain it well enough. I still have to do some touch up paint work on the orange SC. The camera is pushed up into the foam so that only the first two buttons remain showing there. Makes it even easier to work the buttons when turning it on and the foam is tight enough to hold the camera pretty securely like this.