Dangerous Dan

My Feedback: (1)

I am building a Sig Kadet LT-40 for my Kids. I thought it would be neat to put a digital camera on it. I would like to use a pico switch to activate the shutter. I have seen some digital pics from glow planes taken with cheap cameras but they looked like crap.

I am looking for the best aerial photography digitial camera for under $100 that can be set up with a pico switch http://www.dimensionengineering.com/PicoSwitch.htm

Thanks

LowKey3D

I'm looking at the Tony Hawk helmet cam to put in my Airplane..

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Digit...oductDetail.do



Well maybe not. Only does 15fps

W4UAV

I used an LT40 and ALWAYS got vibration in the pics I took. Its just basic AP from glow planes. Try this: if you are comfortable performing deadstick landings, take the plane up 150-200 feet and use the throttle cut (or trim), kill the engine and on the way down snap pics, I got great results.
Heres pics from one of those flights:

W4UAV

I havent used it but after a search the Nikon L4 looks good at around $120.
http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/deta...=email,ECOSTPG

Mike

Dangerous Dan

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know much about cameras. A friend placed a cheep camera on a glow plane and the vibration made all the pictures look funny.

I am assuming that you would need a digital camera with a fast shutter speed to take good pics.

Is there a digital camera out there for around $100 that would not take fuzzy Pics when mounted to a glow plane with the engine running?

W4UAV

Quick answer, no. The digital camera has to write the picture it just took to the card or internal memory, vibration really disturbs this process as well as shaking the camera at the time of shutter release. Vibration of the glow engine is real hard to isolate.

Dangerous Dan

My Feedback: (1)

Can you mount tha camera on a board that has rubber isolation mounts and have the motor on isolation mounts as well?

W4UAV

Youre on the right track, I say that because that was one of the first things I tried, I still got vibration to the camera. Itll be very frustrating, trust me.
Glow and digital cameras just arent pals. On my LT40 I had the camera wrapped in foam and built onto an isolated tray inside the fuse looking through a window out the side. I still got wavy or blurry pics. The only time I ever got good pics or video was with the engine shut off completely.
Thats why electric is becoming the power source of choice, still I shut off the motor and glide, snap pics, then add power and climb out.
Mike

Dangerous Dan

My Feedback: (1)

Am I better off just getting a film camera? or can this be done.

I was thinking of using a dubro isolation mount

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD626&P=0

and then making a 3"x5# peace of light ply mounted with

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXR626&P=0

to the bottom of the fuse


the camera would mount to the ply with velcro

and be activated by this

http://www.dimensionengineering.com/PicoSwitch.htm



Do you think this will work?

TestPilot6

I don't know if there are any inexpensive cameras that can be switched using the pico switch. I'd appreaciated it if anyone can tell me how this could be done.

joesabido

I used a cheap Kodak Camera, on a padded box on the side of the fuse of my trainer.

The shutter was activated using a servo to replace your finger. It was controlled by channel 5 on the TX.

It was very rudimentary, but it worked!

It had a Super Tigre G51 engine and vibration was only a problem on very cloudy days where the cammera needed to keep the shutter open longer.

This was the airplane:



This was the setup:



This are the pictures:











Joseph

agutthon

I opened a refurbished C913 kodak 9.3 MP camera. I soldered wires to the trigger button and attached a micro servo to a micro switch. plugged the servo into the retrack port of the receiver. Works great.. just lots of vibration.. so now i will create a vibration isolation mount for the camera.