Mini video camera.

[mbinsewi]

OK, another question on what you guys are using, as far as video cameras.  I have about 11' of hidden track work.  I want to outfit a gondola with lights and a camera, to do track inspection.  I need a camera that will fit in said gondola, and a monitor to watch it on.  All of my hidden track is accessable by lifting up all of the scenery that covers the track (  planned and built that way), and I have done this a few times for maintanence,  But, it would be nice to run a camera through it, when I run my track cleaning cars, to do some inspection.

Any brands would be greatly appriciated.  I DO NOT have a "smart phone", I have an ancient flip phone, so that should help seperate the info you can give me.

Thanks guys!

Mike.

[MisterBeasley]

There are 2 kinds of cameras.  One type operates in real time, and transmits an RF signal out to a receiver, which you plug into a TV.  The other type records the image and you play it back later.

I have one of the real time ones, which I've had about 10 years now.  The recording ones are newer technology.  One issue with the real time ones has always been signal dropouts, which you don't get with recording cameras.

These are not great cameras.  They have a limited focal range.  On mine, the focus is a manual adjustment.  Probably the worst thing from your perspective is that they need a well-lit environment to get a good picture.

I have mine mounted in a subway system.  It's probably about as close to what you're doing as you'll find.  I added LEDs both to the subway tunnels and to the front of the car.  See for yourself.  (Oh, put the sound on, too, for entertainment.)

Some years ago, a trolley lost a wheel in one of my tunnels.  I tried to find it using the camera and could not.  I removed the right liftoff and there it was, but the camera just didn't help at all.

[gmpullman]

My current on-board recording camera is a Mobius Pro Mini:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Mobius-Action-Camera/dp/B00N6AWQ5I/ref=sr_1_2?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1455253941&sr=1-2&keywords=mobius+action+camera

As Mr. Beasley says, it will record but you will have to download the .avi file to a computer for viewing.

Here's one of my on-board videos using the Mobius:

Prior to this I used a Contour Roam II:

http://www.amazon.com/Contour-ROAM2-Waterproof-Video-Camera/dp/B009CN8VRK/ref=sr_1_2?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1455254118&sr=1-2&keywords=contour+roam+2

Do you really have to have the camera mounted on the train? It would be much less costly and easier to wire if you permanently mounted camera(s) where they could see the track. This would also give you the advantage of observing any train movement on your hidden track.

I have a few of these two-channel LCD monitors that are an excellent value:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SLDF7O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_15&smid=AB9370916I9PH

being two channel you can switch between two cameras without an external video switch.

There are hundreds of surveillance cameras to choose from starting at about $15 and running upwards of $1,500.

If you have room for them, these are excellent cameras for the price and they have a pretty decent IR illumination so they can "see in the dark"

http://www.amazon.com/ZOSI-800TVL-120Feet-outdoor-Security/dp/B00J21DFGE/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1455254485&sr=1-5&keywords=surveillance+camera

There are much smaller cameras out there if you don't have the room...

http://www.amazon.com/Camera-EFFIO-E-700TVL-pinhole-Surveillance/dp/B00LRE801Y/ref=pd_sim_421_10?ie=UTF8&dpID=411XqG0TWeL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1GVPBFKV4JZBQM0D401C

And this setup for wireless... but I have no personal experience with this little guy:

http://www.amazon.com/2-4-Ghz-Wireless-Surveillance-System/dp/B000RZUUWG/ref=sr_1_17?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1455254624&sr=1-17&keywords=surveillance+camera

Have Fun, Ed

[BATMAN]

Go big or go home!

That engine stopped busting a sweat with this upgrade, but even it's old technology now.

 

[richhotrain]

gmpullman

My current on-board recording camera is a Mobius Pro Mini:

This is my camera of choice as well. Look no further. If it is good enough for me and Ed, it should be good enough for you.  

Rich

 

 

[nealknows]

I picked up on evilbay one of those mini drone type cameras for about $25. I have an extra mini cell phone power supply (they cost about $10) and a friend made me a mini on/off switch. All of this I mounted on a flat car and have an engine push it around the layout. Yes, I take the mini SD card out and upload it to my computer. Works fine for my purpose. No sound. I made a video of my layout and added subtitles so people knew where it was on the layout.

Neal

[RR_Mel]

I have two wireless micro cameras similar to the one in the link from ED and both work very well.  The newest one (about 2 years) will focus down to about 2½” and works very good at low light levels.  I use 6 super bright 5mm LEDs for a light source and I had to crank down the voltage to the LEDs so they wouldn’t overload the camera.

 

I have both cameras mounted inside A unit diesels (PA & E8) and the LEDs behind the windshield.  My Layout is 14’ x 10’ and I mounted the receivers for the cameras above the center of layout and I do not have problems with dropouts.  The early camera is powered from track power and it has glitches in the video from wheel power pickup.  I powered the newer camera from Lithium batteries inside the E8A and it is glitch free.

 

 

 

There are two micro relays in the rear of the camera locomotive frame controlled by the E7B pusher DCC decoder that individually operates the camera and camera lights on and off, the headlight is on the decoder headlight control of the pusher.

 

There are two 4 volt 5000mah (overkill) Lithium batteries that supply total power to the camera and LED lighting, the locomotive is totally isolated from track power.  I put a micro connector at the bottom rear of the frame to charge the batteries so that I don’t have to remove them for charging.

 

 

I get pretty good video in total darkness with just the 3mm LED headlight, I had to drop the current to the large 5mm LEDs to 4ma each to prevent overloading the camera with too much light.

 

 

I tweaked the lens for ∞ and objects at about one foot are still in focus.

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[mbinsewi]

Thanks guys for the great ideas, and excellent train rides !  Wow, is all I can say.

I think the Mobius Pro will do the job.  Ed, that is one great layout!, and Mr. Beasley, wow, what a cool subway!  The way the inside is finished, It was so real, and the music! perfect.  Brent, I have one of those hanging in a closet somewhere.  I don't think it's seen the light of day for 10 years?, and Mel, wow, looks like electronics thats way above what I would try to tackle, what a great installation!

Recently, I had to remove the mill / food plant to access the tracks, so I took a picture with a regular camera, so I could get a look.  The first pic is looking under the city scene, and the second pic looks under the hill behind the pulpwood loading area.

 

Thanks again, guys!

Mike.

 

[BroadwayLion]

That pink tunnel looks like someones colonoscopy!

LION uses Swann Camera. Visit to website of Swann shows not this particular model any more. Maybe the B+H site has others that may wrok fer ewe.

 

 

 

LION grind down the top of camera to make it fit in tunnels of him.

 

LION grind down bottom corners of camera make it clesr 3rd rails of him.

Ewe without low tunnels or third rails knead no grinde.

Him attaches it to subway car (sans front couplers) with rubber band as indicated.

That is how LION does it.

That is how LION does it. Him needs to go up and make new video, much has been added since then.

ROAR

 

[BRVRR]

I took the advice of a couple of the guys here and asked for a Mobius camera for Christmas. I was impressed with the quality of the video the Mobius delivered.

The following is a short clip from the first video I took with the camera.

I am still experimenting with proper angles and train speed. I apologize for the speed in this video.

Frankly, I found the documentation for the camera a little intimidating. My biggest problem was converting the video so I could use MovieMaker for editing and posting.

[richhotrain]

Great video, Allan.  

Rich

[tstage]

Well, that was a fun trip, Lion!  I also enjoyed seeing cameo appearances of Brother Dispatcher, as well as the "Krylon silo" around the 16:30 mark.

Tom

[mbinsewi]

Thanks Lion, , great observation !  I've always like checking out your videos, and I can't wait to see your updates.  The way your trains stop at the platform, then continue on, I can almost hear the hustling and bustling passenger sounds.

I'll have to check out that camera.

Mike.

[C&O Fan]

It's been a while but I started a thread on mini Cameras When i first got my Mobus

There are some other types of cameras in that thread also

I've enjoyed my Mobus it's a great camera at a very good price Under 100$ with a 32gig card

I won a free camera from mobus with this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drSCZKt4ORY

 

You can see the way i mounted it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjwqoDXusSs

but for your purpose you'll need to mount a small flash light with it

 

 

There are over 200 reviews on amazon for this camera

http://www.amazon.com/Mobius-Action-Camera-1080P-Sports/dp/B00DP1WYD2

[gmpullman]

Another plus for the Mobius is that when it is not on my layout it sits on the dashboard of my truck to record every incompetent driver I encounter... and there are many  

One of the recording options you can setup is to have the camera continuously record when the power is plugged in through the lighter/USB plug. I have it on a Joby flex mini tripod. It records in 5 minute segments for easy searching of a scene.

Ed