Video Camera Qs

[Walter Ambrosch]

I'm looking for recomendation on smal, high quality and affordably priced cameras for placement all over the shop.

The video cameras will be set up in several places in a workshop for different camera angles and then either cabled into a pc or mac for recording.

We want at least 3 cameras set up high and out of the way so that no floor space is needed for tripods.

Cameras with magnetic based or something which could be attached to a headpiece, machines, or hand tools would be very helpful to get the "User view angle".

Since this is a hobby shop, I would prefer more decent cameras, than one super high quality one.

 

[LTImbeau]

We've had good luck with the GoPro cameras. They do stills (programmable for time intervals between shots) or video (1080p). Good clear pictures. The drawback may be that they are wide angle only, almost a fish eye (180 degree) view, but that may be an advantage depending on your space. They have numerous mounts that can be glued, or suction cupped, anywhere. Depending on the model they run $200-$400 each, plus memory card.

 

[AlanZ]

Walter,

There are a couple of approaches.

The main questions/issues are

1. What kind of cameras can one connect to a computer (camcorder, webcam, etc)
2. How to connect cameras to the computer (usb, hdmi, firewire, composite, component, etc)
3. What method of switching between cameras to use (hardware vs software)
4. What recording software to use

Every item in the list above affects every other item,

I'll be happy to chat with you one the phone... I've sent my number in a private message.

 

[AlanZ]

Walter,

I've done quite a bit of this stuff (both recording and live broadcast over the web), and am outfitting my shop to do high quality recordings.

The issue is how to connect multiple cameras to one recording computer.
If you don't mind low resolution, then some of the security camera setups might work.

If you're working with standard resolution, one could go with a simple composite video hardware switcher... like they do at many demos, and try to capture that low resolution feed into some video input device.

However, doing high def recording isn't a trivial thing with multi cameras. There are hdmi hardware switchers, but the inexpensive ones typically take about 2 seconds (of black screen) while switching between hdmi feeds.

When using multiple webcams, you run into different issues. Assuming your computer has the power to handle the incoming feeds.

For example, the driver software for Logitech webcams (very good units, by the way) only lets you configure one camera when multiples are set up. So, if you needed to zoom one of them, then you couldn't zoom the other.

A way around thism for example, in a three camera setup, is to use three different brands of webcams... and hence three drivers that can be configured independantly.

So, I don't know any "out of the box" solutions that come preconfigured... unless you're looking at purchasing a hardware switching station or buying dedicated video capture cards for a computer (and have enough computing power to capture the bandwidth of multiple feeds).

As mentioned, I'll be happy to chat on the phone about options.

 

[Bill Boehme]

A couple excellent sources are B&H and Adorama. I prefer B&H, but I have always had good service from Adorama. Also, B&H would be able to gie you good technical assistance. I suspect that Adorama would also be able to do that. I would shy away from other online dealers especially if the prices seem to good to believe because 98% of them are shady and the prices really are too good to be true. Avoid Amzon partners like the plague. Anybody else, check them out at resellerratings.com.

BTW, high quality and low cost go together like water and oil. If you can live with mechanical switching and no monitors then you can save a lot of money.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I would suggest forgetting about a head mounted camera unless you want to give viewers motion sickness.