adzam

has anyone tried these wireless cameras` which are so readilly available and cheap. i have seen pics of them fitted to model boats and cars, but yet to hear of one being fitted to a rc plane

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Wowbagger

Yes, Adzam, they do. Live video feeds, everything. They even fly the plane from a tv screen from a camera mounted in the cockpit. Pilot eye view. Expensive game though supposedly. Wish I could have a go at it!

adzam

there are "cheap" wireless cameras that run of 9v available on ebay for around £45-£50 , they include the camera,battery lead, reciever and leads to connect , all you need is a tv or vcr

there are 12v tv`s for camping , s`pose that would work

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duncan

Wow.. would break Forum rules my email is flyingcameras@hotmail but simlicity is the answer when it come to the aircraft. Powered glider, large,8 or 9ft ,under12lbs, smoothest 2st possible, ( 50 OS heli )hand launch,belly land (seldom suitable landing site,) . Go to highest altitude , run off whole film per flight while on the glide. Customers, archeolosist,planning authorities,roads etc, pollution, watercourses, agriculture,crop damage,wild life(counting deer,migratory birds,geese) avoid neighbors house picture for the wall stuff. CAA regs pretty stiff re commercial use of RPVs. Model club insurance wont do. Downlink live mini TVs for sighting are cheap (about £200 complete). Remember it is the photographic quality that counts not your flying ability or sophisticated aircraft. Look on it as a high mobile tripod. 35mm cameras are adequate for most but 6cmX6cm better but pricey. The digital revolution will be the next major change. Oh ..and you wont make any money out of it. Expect to sell less than 5% of shots taken. It is interesting though. Since we were on a historical note on another page, cameras were first taken aloft about 5 or 6 years after they were a practical proposition in balloons ,long before aeroplanes . The dark-room had go up too, to senitize and the develope the wet plates. Have fun, its a bit easier now .

Wowbagger

Dunc', more useful info in your post than I've seen on the subject for years! But how about isolating the camera from vibration? What do the commercial guys use? Or is it not worth the effort - just shoot on the glide? I'd hoped for lower level shots and maybe some air to air if I could get over the camera shake, which was the big problem last time. Electric would seem to be most of the solution, wouldn't it? When those Li-Po' batteries come down a bit more in price I may have another crack at it.

I've seen isolastic mounting devices for cameras here and there but doubt they work very well. I can't see how they can work without being tailored to the specific installation - too many variables.

Suppose it'll be the usual for me then - rubber bands, £15 35mm camera and lots of luck!

duncan

WowB Your 15 quid camera is the problem. You need a shutter speed of 500th sec for engine-on pics. Camera is isolated easily by packing in a large wad of not too soft sponge-foam. The high-tech stabilising devices are way out of our league but many modern cameras have that built in. I`m using old Canon T-70s. A s/h body can be obtained for very little these days as everybody flocks to digital. Only fly on calmish days with good bright light,(sunlight will give harsh shadows.) Use UV filter to protect lens and a rubber lens hood will keep muck off lens. 200 asa film for most purposes. I prefer Fuji "Superia". A standard 35mm lens saves you having to go very high to get a fair area covered in pic. Camera mounted under port wing, inside fuz, pointing down at about 45o. Fly cone pattern round target area, take more shots than you think you might need, film is the cheapest item in the whole set-up. You are right about electric do, a web-search for the Pointer RPV, why didnt we have these batteries on the civvy market years ago. Now back too the JUMBO construction factory...unless the weather improves, looking good so far. Sun has just came out.......

Wowbagger

Thanks for the good advice once more Duncan. How much will a second hand T70 cost roughly? And what about lenses, any preffered type I should look out for? Also, and most importantly, how heavy will the complete camera be?

Yep, shutter speed - my £15 job has 1/90th

adzam

you could try www.ffordes.com

there in inverness-shire and have a very good second hand selection

t70 is an slr , so will be heavy

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adzam

in fact , you`ll pick a t70 or t 50 for around 60 quid m8, with a 50mm lense (roughly speaking , the same view as the human eye, give or take a bit )

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duncan

Wowb. Cheapest I`ve got so far was £65 for body in good nick , averages 80/90 in second-hand dealers. Canon lens about £50 to £80, other makes to fit much less,say half. It has a remote cable socket so your prefered switch or servo can be anywhere. Set focus on "infinity",Tape it well with electricians tape to stop lens being accidentally moved, put a 15" day-glo ribbon on the lens cap to remind you to remove before flight ( done it !). Go semi auto ie shutter priority @500th and let the chip decide on f stop to suit. T70 is auto-wind at 2 frames per second. It was originally made for use by "non civilian" use and came in a tasteful olive drab. If you spot one of these , grab it, they are much sought after by enthusiasts. I`ve only ever seen production black ones. Dont be tempted by the T50, a much lesser machine, though similar. Only had two rendered un-usable in 16 years,both to salt water ingression, instant junk. Used a Pentax 645 for a while but cost didnt justify the risk (£1400) Results were astoundingly good but customers wouldnt pay top price. Slide film only if you want top quality prints but your local mini-lab wont do them in 30 minutes. Weight is about a pound and a bit I think......and it rained so nearly got ailerons finished but clubmate came round for natter and that was that.....