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Thread: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

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  1. #1

    Exclamation Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    The following is to share with the BASE community what we (myself plus a number of other jumpers) have learned about videoing BASE action using bullet cameras.

    Few data about bullet camera (at least, the bullet camera lots of us are using).

    Bullet camera type: 21CWSHRX
    1/3" DSP Color Sony EXVIEW HAD CCD, High resolution - 480 TV lines - 470 kpix
    S/N ratio: more than 50 dB
    min illumination: 0.1 lux at F2.0
    Power Source: DC 12V (no mention to range; from another source: tolerance: 10.8÷13.2V))
    Operating current: 0.130A (my data (=end of 2003)) - 0.090A (updated from manufacturer website)
    Power consumption: 1.5 W (when supplied with 12 V)

    Positive features
    1) quality of images indistinguishable from video shot with PC105 in daylight, and way better images in low light conditions (with respect to PC105).
    2) very small dimensions and very low weight, you can put it on your helmet without noticing you have it on
    3) outstanding capabilities in videoing in low light conditions: it is 70 times brighter than PC105 (whose min illumination is 7 lux) (see later in negative things about this feature)
    4) possibility of using different angle lenses, for example 2.9mm-130°, 3.6mm-92° and 4.3mm-78°, and this lenses can be changed by user (quite easily).

    Negative features
    1) you have to keep a fanny pack on your belly for keeping your videocamera and battery pack (8AA alkaline batteries of 1.5 V each) and microphone
    2) the dark/black areas of images are rendered not dark/black but dark/black with blue spots (these feature results to be very annoying to some of us)
    3) quite sensitive to supply voltage; keeping the supply voltage at least (slightly above) 12 V seems to have very positive effect on the blue spots feature (=it improves and there are less blue spots)
    4) the fact that lenses can be changed by user takes on the table the problem of humidity between circuitry/lens and front glass, that under certain conditions of environment temperature, causes to have a (big) humidity spot in the centre of front glass (joyfully annoying).
    5) time required (about 30 minutes or so) to set equipment up for a jump BEFORE approaching scene of action and still few minutes to prepare things for recording just before action
    6) time required (after the jump) to remove helmet with bullet camera and cable from your body (not immediate, let’s say 1 minute)
    7) a rubber frame is need to protect plugs protruding 90° off the videocamera body (at least, in the case of PC105 that has got that funny small plug)
    8) need of use of a LANC remote controller to power videocamera ON, to start recording, to stop recording, to pause recording (once you are full dressed up for action with rig donned on, it is impossible to activate videocamera recording otherwise)

    My random comments on positive and negative features.
    1) Manufacturer says that you could use bullet camera either with 8 AA batteries for 12 h (or so) or with 9 V (small) battery for 1 h (or so). The story of supplying the bullet canera with the 9 V (small) battery is simply FAKE - FALSE - VOID - BULLSHÌT. I used both a rechargeable NiMH 9 V battery and a standard alkaline 9 V battery. Results: images were really bad and all the screen was full with blue spots. My opinion: bullet camera is simply quite eager of current for its normal operation, which current for its normal working simply CANNOT be supplied by a 9 V battery.
    2) sensitivity about supply voltage and use of AA rechargeable batteries (which have a nominal voltage of 1.2V each) can be overcome using a battery pack containing 10 AA batteries, so still keeping the nominal supply voltage (10 AA rechargeable batteries (my suggestion: get 2500 mAh NiMH batteries) of 1.2V each have an overall voltage of 12 V).
    3) about the blue spots: yes, outside what is “seeable” in the dark part of image, things are dark with blue spots, but all the rest is seeable, when videoing "directly" with a PC105 you see nearly nothing, and if (in same conditions) you turn night shot or supernight shot on, with PC105 you get 1 colour and not so clear images in the end. I do have 2 videos of a S jump, shot at the same time, around sunset, the first through my bullet, the second of my exact jump, but shot by a PC105 from the landing. It was possibly just after sunset, the video shot from my bullet shows nice seable colours, the video shot from PC105 just gives contours with dark "inner". And there also on the net videos of bullet/PC105 that proves that in low light conditions bullet camera videos are way better than video with a PC105.
    4) how to avoid central humidity spot on front glass when changing yourself the lens: once screwed in position the (new) lens (and have screwed it in the right position to have the right focus), clean lens and glass with special glass/lens product and then heat everything with a hairdryer or equivalent "heating system", keep everything under those conditions for several minutes/1 h or so, ensuring that around there is the driest air possible, and when everything is still jolly hot (careful to not destroy the toy with heat!!!), screw glass back in position; ad never touch it again (until next lens change).

    This is what we have learned (so far) about usage of bullet cameras.
    If anybody feels like adding some comments of his/her own, please add your posts here.
    The more we know about bullet cameras, the better we can use them and have more fun doing better videos!!!!!
    Last edited by BASE_689; January 25th, 2005 at 02:15 PM.
    Stay Safe Out There
    Blue Skies and Soft Walls
    BASE #689

  2. #2

    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    Thanks Andrea for such an informative post.......... if you dont mind, once this has moved to the second page of the main board I will move it to the technical board................

    I hope all is well with you

  3. #3
    BLiNC Magazine Supporter (Silver) Faber's Avatar
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    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    As you informed me about my powersupply might bee too weak,therefore i wont comment on the blue spots which is REALLY anoying to me

    As you write that you easaly change lens im wondering if ýou got a special tool to unscrew the lens?(thinking of the 2 holes in the front),i did noticed that it could be hard to change the lens on my cam(specialy the first,that i had to warm up abit as you surgested).

    Looking forward to see if my comments regarding the cam can be changed(and thereby give my mony credit),soon as i got the new batteryes and a charger that can take it ill post my rewiv.

    Thanks for posting info like this

  4. #4
    Gus937
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    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    That's the exact camera I've been looking at recently on rfconcepts.co.uk, thanks for all the excellent info Andrea. If I get around to buying one and figure out anything interesting I'll add it to this thread.

    Have you been using the CamEye Sport as the Lanc controller, any problems with that?

    Is there some sort of anti-condensation coating you can put on the lenses to stop them fogging up?

    Gus

  5. #5

    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    > As you write that you easaly change lens im wondering if ýou got a special tool to unscrew the lens?
    I did it just once. I used the sharp "point" of a caliper. I manouvered with only one hole (it's enough). You can use any sharp tool that ends with a "spike".
    There was an American manufacturer of a bullet camera (another brand) that was selling a special instrument (with two "spikes" for working with both holes at the same time) for changing (=screwing/unscrewing) the lens.
    Once you start moving (=unscrewing) the present lens, then you do not make so much effort to unscrew it till the end. To screw in the new one is really easy.
    Last edited by BASE_689; January 26th, 2005 at 03:40 AM.
    Stay Safe Out There
    Blue Skies and Soft Walls
    BASE #689

  6. #6

    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    > Have you been using the CamEye Sport as the Lanc controller, any problems with that?
    I know what CamEye is, but I do not use it, so I do not know if it is OK for the purpose of recording through bullet camera.
    Together with my bullet, I bought LANC controller (manufactured by Keene Electronics and sold by RF).
    My Keene Electronics LANC controller works both in camera mode and in VCR mode.
    Be careful, whichever LANC controller you buy, it MUST have the VCR mode, because in order to record via the bullet camera, you have to connect your bullet camera to your AV (analogic) input on your videocamera, which videocamera must be put in VCR mode to allow recording from external source.
    My Keene Electronics LANC controller has got 4 buttons (2 buttons in each line for two lines), which in VCR mode have the function of (from left-right, top-bottom): PAUSE - POWER - RECORD - STOP.
    I had to put a rubber frame around the border of the buttons in order to prevent accidental pressure on one of them once (just before action) I stick LANC controller into the neck of my jacket/T-shirt/whatever.
    If you click on my nickname at ther beginning of this post, then click on "Visit BSE_689's homepage!", in my website, at the bottom, you can see a photo of my whole setup, including the assembly on my LANC controller.

    > Is there some sort of anti-condensation coating you can put on the lenses to stop them fogging up?
    You could, but I am not an expert about antifog products, and then, I do not know if a "normal" antifog spray would work effectively under the most extreme changes in weather conditions (what creates the central damp spot is a passage from cool temperature to warm temperature, or the opposite, very, very annoying indeed).
    In my humble opinion (IMHO), the best thing to do about humidity is to get rid of it at the moment of screwing front glass back in position (so hairdryer/heater/similar system).
    Then again, I do not know if the damp spot is formed on the lens or on the inner of front glass. My feeling is that it is formed on the inner of front glass. And, finally, I think that the best thing ALSO FOR THE ELECTRONICS INSIDE is NOT TO HAVE humidity around.
    So, yes for the antifog spray, but yes also for heating the whole set up before screwing front glass back in position.
    Stay Safe Out There
    Blue Skies and Soft Walls
    BASE #689

  7. #7

    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    > if you dont mind, once this has moved to the second page of the main board I will move it to the technical board
    No, I don't mind, feel free to put it where it can be most useful for everybody to consult it.

    > I hope all is well with you
    I am jolly fuc(ing good, thanks. What about your leg? Are you about to come back to action? Keep in touch
    Stay Safe Out There
    Blue Skies and Soft Walls
    BASE #689

  8. #8
    BLiNC Magazine Supporter (Silver) whatever's Avatar
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    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    Quote Originally Posted by Gus937
    That's the exact camera I've been looking at recently on rfconcepts.co.uk, thanks for all the excellent info Andrea. If I get around to buying one and figure out anything interesting I'll add it to this thread.

    Have you been using the CamEye Sport as the Lanc controller, any problems with that?

    Is there some sort of anti-condensation coating you can put on the lenses to stop them fogging up?

    Gus
    I've been using the Cameye Sport (has to be the sport, CameyeII doesn't do vcr mode) and I'm very happy with it.

    the only drawback is my buddies made fun of me when I did not cover the indicator light up well, as they could see me about to exit from the ground...

  9. #9

    Re: Important issue about blue spots

    I have just put on DVD some video where there was also shooting done with my bullet camera (still supplied with "only" 8 AA batteries (for overall nominal 9.6 V of supply voltage)).
    The phenomenon of blue spots on dark areas is evident when reproducing DV cassette directly on TV.
    With my great surprise I noticed that once captured, rendered and authorized onto DVD, the issue of blue spots in nearly disappeared!!!!!
    In particular I am talking about a scene from our local A in total darkness, where the only light was my speleo light on my helmet.
    Everything under the cone of light of my helmet has nice colours, everything else outside is dark/black, I mean, it is a sort of dark/black "snow", where blue spots can be hardly be noticed. It's just dark/black!!!
    My interpretation of the (positive) phenomenon is that blue can be a colour that is "neutral" to processes of rendering AVI file in MPEG (=VOB file), something that is there to be seen only when you send DV cassette directly on tV: once elaborated and rendered, this blue colour is (sort of) removed.
    Probably our friends way more expert than me about DVD's can help us understand this (pleaseant) phenomenon (nearly disappearing of blue spots on DVD).
    To end this post: I am really confident that supplying bullet camera with 10 AA rechargeable NiMH batteries (for a nominal voltage of 12 V (but good 13.2 V when just charged)) can improve dramatically the blue spots issue, possibly to get it hardly noticed.
    I suspect blue spots is related with supply voltage being below the "nominal" 12 V: when I tried to supply bullet with "9 V" small batteries (a rechargeable NiMH of actual 9.2 V and an alkaline one of actual 9.5 V), this small batteries gave blue spots since the very first second in good daylight, and their actual voltage (being monitored through a tester) was diminishing "at eye sight", just as if bullet were depleting WAY FAST their energy. After 30 s or so, the voltage of each "9 V2 battery became 8.5 V and still going down.
    Just my 0.02€
    Stay Safe Out There
    Blue Skies and Soft Walls
    BASE #689

  10. #10

    Bullet cam, 9v batts, LANC and cables/connectors 4 same

    Remember that the useful voltage of most "9 volt" batteries, at least the small rectangular ones with the two approx. circular snap connectors on one end, is typically more like 7+ volts at best, when under load (i.e., while connected to your camera).

    'Under load' means that there is some finite resistance placed across the terminals so that the battery is producing electrical current. The higher the current, the higher the voltage that is lost to resistance within the battery itself.

    Yup, resistive losses happen inside batteries as well as most other electrical components. This is why if you overload a battery (nearly short or fully short circuit, too little resistance between the terminals), the high current will cause battery overheating an eventually damage to the chemistry within the battery.

    So to test the USEFUL voltage of a battery, you must test it with some load between the terminals to drag down the terminal voltage to the actual working voltage value. Typically when you do this w/ a rectangular 9v battery, it puts out more like 7 volts. A Radio Shack battery tester with the meter has a built in load for this purpose. Most of these batteries are designed for very low current applications over long durations. They are not a very good work horse battery for higher current. One tenth of an amp is relatively high for this format of battery. You could try more than one battery in parallel to run each batt at lower current, but you will never be anywhere near 10 volts, let alone 12 volts. They just ain't got the right stuff.

    Lithium polymer (electric model airplane) hobby batteries are good work horse batteries, and very light weight w/ high charge density and high power density. A 4 cell (in series) LiPoly will give you around 14 volts nominal. Unfortunately they are not super durable (unless you build a small battery housing, no big deal), and they require special attention and (somewhat expensive) smart charging hardware while recharging in order to reduce the risk of fire or meltdown. Or else your car or house burns down. So there's that.

    LANC is very useful for this kind of remote camera rig, and I use it on my hand held video camera cranes, typically w/ DVCR in vest. It turns out that the cabling for LANC is just 3 wires of low voltage signal and low voltage power (& return) so you can also custom rig your own cables (custom length and other configurations) using commonly available and relatively low cost, reliable model airplane servo wire (3 conductor, low voltage) and associated connectors. These are available already made up to different lengths (typically in 6 inch increments for the straight extensions) or you can buy the wire, the connector kits and the crimper tool relatively cheap and do your own cable harness production. You can put a connector in the cable where you take your gear apart, and then the gear-up and the gear-off cycles go faster. Moser, Jameco, etc.

    Both the LiPoly batts and chargers are now becoming more widely available as Chinese manufacturing is taking hold of the market and dumping in more supply, and this goes for the connectors too. Connector kits used to be $1 US per ONE connector, and now from China they are like 30 cents ($0.30 US) per connector PAIR, with fast cheap shipping! Sweeet. Unshielded with plastic body, of course. But hey, the terminals are gold plated, so who cares. United Hobbies dot com

    A good way to share these expenses is to get some buddies at the drop zone to chip in and get a set of connectors, a spool of servo cable and a crimper. Some heat shrink tubing and a heat gun are also good. Of course, if you BASE jump, you may not be allowed at the local DZ, so your on your own in that case. Outcast.

    Now, about heating that camera before the lens... Good idea to dry it out, but bad for the reliability of the electronics. Thermal stresses are very bad for microcircuitry. Best to heat soak very slowly (at a larger distance from the heater vs. closer to the heater) and not too high a top temp. I use heat guns and heaters w/ fans for lots of glue curing and drying applications, and I've ruined lots of stuff trying to dry it or cure it in a hurry. So for the love of life, be careful.


    Thomas "Tim" Harris
    Brownstone Beam
    Hand Held Camera Positioner
    Brooklyn NY USA

  11. #11
    BLiNC Magazine Founder mknutson's Avatar
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    Re: Bullet camera use in BASE: present experience

    What about having a BLoG ?

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