Camera Helmets

[base689 0]

> From what you guys are saying, it sounds like the tolerance they claim is a little iffy when you get on the low side
I made a small research about specifications (including power supply) of the two bullet camera manufacturers. Here is what I got. Interesting indeed.
·
21CWSHRX from RF of MY (and Faber’s) bullet camera (bought 1 year ago) gives:
S/N ratio: more than 50 dB
min illumination: 0.1 lux at F2.0
Power Source: DC 12V (8V÷15V)
Operating current: 0.130A
·
21CWSHRX from RF (updated with reference to their website) gives:
S/N ratio: more than 50 dB
min illumination: 0.1 lux at F2.0
Power Source: DC 12V (no reference to min÷max voltage to be supplied)
Operating current: 0.090A
·
21CSHRX from SpyCamera4less gives:
S/N ratio: more than 36 dB
min illumination: 0.05 lux at F2.0
Power Source: DC 12V (10.8V÷13.2V)
Operating current: 0.120A
·
apart from natural and obvious small differences in specs from manufacturer to manufacturer, it can be noted that while my ("old") power source was 8V÷15V (nominal being 12V), surprisingly "too large", SpyCamera4less gives as power source a range of 10.8V÷13.2V.
I do not where the truth is about power source range, but if the "true" one is 10.8V÷13.2V, I guess that in my and Faber's setup (where we use 8 AA 1.2V batteries, for a total of 9.6V) we are BELOW the minum value for power sorce, this minimum being 10.8V (versus our 9.6V).
While I am quite happy about videos shot with my bullet camera, it is indeed true that when in "difficulty" (either supplied by (small) 9V battery or when (parts of screen are) totally dark) our bullet camera gives out either "blue spots" or "black filled with blue spots".
While these blue spots don't annoy me that much (because when everything else is lighted up, is caught quite well with good colours), it is going to be very, very interesting to see what happens when I supply my bullet camera with true 12V (being 12V the nominal voltage and well above the "minimum" of 10.8V).
I have just bought a battery holder for 10 AA batteries: next time I am going to power up my bullet with 12V (connecting a battery pack with 10 batteries of 1.2V each) and I will let you know the results.
See you soon.

Stay safe out there
Blue Skies and Soft Walls
BASE #689 - base_689AT_NO_123_SPAMyahoo.com

[Faber 0]

cheers mate

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[base689 0]

Hello there. I just bought a 10 AA batteries holder, I welded the right connector and I sticked 10 AA NiMH 2500 mAh batteries into such a holder.
I measured the output voltage of such battery pack, and my tester gave me 13.4 V, meaning an average of 1.34 V each (actually, just charged NiMH batteries have around 1.3-1.32-1.34 V, after a while they have 1.2 V and only when they are about to die, they have something below 1.2V).
So, let's say thay I powered my bullet with something more than the nominal voltage. For sure, nothing less than nominal voltage.
I did a quick test with the bullet camera in my living room (daytime), after having connected my bullet to my TV. Of corse, I got (as usual) good images.
I simulated the "very dark" condition simply pushing the glass of my bullet against my trousers (thigh): on TV screen I saw an image that was, yes, black and blurry, but it was "black" with not so many "blue spots".
Apparently, the higher voltage (still within tolerance limits of input voltage) you supply your bullet, the less "blue spots" you get.
Of course, I will try the above setup in real night/dark conditions to see what it yields and I will post results here.
See you soon

Stay safe out there
Blue Skies and Soft Walls
BASE #689 - base_689AT_NO_123_SPAMyahoo.com

[sabre210 0]

Hello People

Just thought i'd chip in here.

I also have the bulletcam from Rf concepts and naturally have experienced exactly the same issues you fellas have, blue spots in low light etc. The problem for me has always been the power supply. I have tried the 8 x AA setup and switched to the 9V setup. Neither really work for more than 10minutes before the blue spot noise starts to edge in. Keep recording and then it deteriorates into stripey vertical lines, followed by black and then finally the audio goes.

I have some great footage from The Firestation in france. A large group of us, i'm about the last to exit. The power just about held out to catch everyone elses exits but by the time i reach the exit point it;s just black and the sound of the freefall and flight. Shame cos i broke my ankle on that jump and it would have been interested footage.

I'm pretty close to giving up on the bullet cam entirely cos i keep missing jumps.

What's the solution people.

ian

[Faber 0]

Were did you get that 10 pack from,did i miss it some were???
is it compact,i think the setup already takes loads of room
I think its interesting what you experienced and i´ll give my cam another shot to get it up running.

Ian,even as i have the 8pack whith 8 AA 2100mha,i have power for serval hours of recording even whith the mic on aswell,its the Qually i complain about.
If your keen to hook up in easter,ill be arround UK at that point

Did any try play hooking up a bullet cam as handheld(video glove)? how were the results of that? and any pics of the glove?
Cheers.

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[base689 0]

For Faber:
> Where did you get that 10 pack from, did i miss it some where???
With Package 4 it came a power pack for 8 AA batteries, it is just a plastic holder for 8 AA batteries ending with a connector. You put into your holder 8 AA batteries (either alkaline or NiMH). If you put the NiMH ones, you get the (negative) issue of supplying bullet with 9.6 V (instead of nominal 12 V), that seems to be "not enough" (to say the least) to get a good supply for bullet camera, expecially in dark conditions.
Faber, simply go in any good (big) electronics shop or electrical shop and ask for a holder for 10 AA batteries (you can show them yours and tell them you want one similar but for 10 AA instead that for 8 AA, with same connector).
As 10 AA holder they will give you (nearly) exactly the same as our (in package) 8 AA battery holder, with the small difference that it is (obviously) sligthly bigger.

> is it compact, i think the setup already takes loads of room
8 AA holder has got 2 rows for 4 batteries each.
10 AA holder has got 2 rows for 5 batteries each.
10 AA holder has got same thickness as 8 one, 10 AA holder has got same height as 8 one, 10 AA holder is simply 25% longer than 8 one. I don't think it is a big issue.


For Ian:
> I have tried the 8 x AA setup and switched to the 9V setup. Neither really work for more than 10 minutes before the blue spot noise starts to edge in...
Ian, please, read what I wrote above (in another post of mine). Small 9 V batteries simply cannot give enough current to supply properly bullet camera (with 9 V battery, I experienced blue spots since the very first second, getting very "rubbish" images; yes, bullet camera (my feeling) would have drained small 9 V battery in 10 minutes, maybe less (I was measuring the voltage of "9 V" battery during use, after few seconds battery voltage went from 9.3 V to 8.8 V)).
With the 8 AA setup my experience is good (several hours of use, including external mic) , eventually you could give a try to stick into your holder 8 AA alkaline batteries (so with such 8 AA batteries you get 12 V as supply voltage): if you get good images from your bullet camera, then you too can switch to buy a 10 AA battery holder and sticking into it 10 AA NiMH batteries.
In this case you have the advantage of using rechargeable batteries and still having 12 V as supply voltage for bullet camera. Remember, the most powerful rechargeable AA NiMH batteries are (so far) the 2500 mAh ones.

Stay safe out there
Blue Skies and Soft Walls
BASE #689 - base_689AT_NO_123_SPAMyahoo.com

[base689 0]

Hello Sam,
I downloaded your videos. From bulletcamvspc105.wmv I noticed that (on the shooting of bullet itself) you had a (central) damp spot in the middle of the lens.
That's exactly what I get when my bullet experiences a brisk change in temperature conditions (jump at our terminal wall, under nice May sun but after 1h 15' of hike in the cool shadow of trees, or while snowboarding (outside extreme low temperature).
This "central damp spot" is due to the fact that we assembled ourselves our lens in "normal environment" (=our home) and not in a laboratory under either (nearly) no atmosphere or under very dry air condition.
The small amount of humidity present in the air of our home environment at the moment of closing the sealing cap with glass, trapped that small amount of humidity within the space between lens and glass. Under certain (wrong!!!) conditions, there is condensation and so pops such an ugly central damp spot.
It was very big and very annoying while I videod my brother while we were skiing last Xmas (I was snowboarding, he was skiing!!!).
It took me 2 days to sort the central damp spot out.
First day I kept for few ours my bullet open (with "screw glass holder" unscrewed), in two pieces, in the warm environment of my mountain home. Not enough: the following day I experienced once again (this time, on a lesser extent) the central damp spot.
Second day, I unscrewed the glass and kept for several hours screw, glass and bullet over a (very hot) heater. Assembled again, next days I experienced nothing but just good video, without any central damp spot.
My suggestion to get rid of central damp spot on bullet cameras: unscrew glass, clean lens and glas with special glass/lens product and then heat everything with a hairdryer or equivalent "heating system", keep everything under those conditions for few 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. And never touch it again!!!!!
Just my 0.02€.

Stay safe out there
Blue Skies and Soft Walls
BASE #689 - base_689AT_NO_123_SPAMyahoo.com

[vid666 0]

well, waking up this old thread :

I got the RF concepts kit as well. I rigged up a hand mount, and put one jump on it so far. Too bad I salvaged all the available AA batteries I had laying around, so the battery pack gave up about 5 mins before exit - got nice sound though.. ( I got the 10 pack and rechargable AA's on the way )

A few questions for the ones that already have experience using this setup in the field :

how'd ya rig your handmounts ?

I used as set of motorcycle gloves that has the top just like female velcro. One you stick a bottom of the bulletcam ( which I have male velcro attached to), it stayes pretty snug. I also have wrapped 2 velcro cable-tie strips around, for security. My next step is attachding a spandex made pouch to the top of the glove to eliminate any snag points. Cables go under my shirt to the fanny pack, so there's no snag potential. ( have to wear long sleeves of course )

Also WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE CONNECTOR ON THE END OF THE CAM itself ? Not the BNC on the extention, but the actual 4 hole round connector that is about 10" down from the bulletcam ?

It's very impractical the way the whole thing is configured and I was gonna splice and dice and make it a single cable which has that connector on one end, and the SONY composite ( 3.5mm ) on the other with the barrel coming of off it to the battery pack - I think that would be ALOT cleaner.

any help ?

thank you.

P.S. The low light performance is amazing compared to my TRV22...

[whatever 0]

Quote

how'd ya rig your handmounts ?

I took an elastic band, the small/medium size used for skydiving linestows, and just poked my left thumb through it, and slid the bulletcam under the elastic, pointing along my thumb, so I can point the camera where I like.

then I ran the bulletcam cable under my watchstrap and under a longsleeve t-shirt, which also covers the hipbag that houses my camcorder and batteries.

I put my Cameye Sport under the watchstrap too, so it's accessible without messing with my clothes, especially if I'm wearing a winter jacket and I have to be geared up before the climb.

I posted a video shot like this on skydivingmovies.com

cya
sam

soon to be gone

[John_Scher 0]

Quote

I'm going to order a Dainese D-Raptor helmet. It's fullface, carbon fiber, and weighs 950 grams which, I believe, is lighter than the ProTec Ace. Dainese makes stuff for impact protection and this particular model is a mountain biking helmet.

It costs about $250, which is about $61 cheaper than an Oxygn A3 which offers little protection for impacts. The D-Raptor covers the whole back of your head also, where the A3 stops above the occipital bone.

I'll let you all know what I think of it after I've jumped it and rammed into some stuff around the house a bit.

Dexterbase,

On the assumption that you have now rammed into a few things at home and possibly elsewhere would you kindly advise what you now think about the D-Raptor from Dainese.