We found a fun, new toy to take pictures and video with.These little "spy" cameras are cheap and available on ebay for less than $8 each, and work great! Very small and light-weight... perfect for fishing or adventure cameras.
We've been testing ways to waterproof them, with this new assembly to strap one on our fishing line to watch a fish as we fight it.
Another use is to clip it on a hat, so we can video ourselves as we fight the fish and have our hands free.We have a tuna fishing trip coming up, and want to keep 'working' as we take video.
This simple clip works quick and easy.
Here is the final setup, ready to capture video whereever we are looking.We did think about using the "spy sunglass" cameras, but the glasses aren't our style and seem more cumbersome.
What else can you do with a mini video camera?Anything you can think of! Here is a fun way to capture a "worm's eye view" from a mini-RC car.
We tried waterproofing the cameras a number of different ways.Hot glue on all the ports and seams was fast... but leaked!
Spray on Plasti-Dip completely covered the camera, and worked for about 3 minutes... then leaked!
Here is our "test setup" to simulate the Columbia River...
We also used various plastic bags and vacuum sealing... these worked well, but are less useful for attachment mechanisms.The real trick is sealing the camera while keeping the camera's viewport clear.
Here's another fun application - mole-cam!A simple LED lamp lets us peer into the enemy's trenches!
Soon we'll have the mini-RC car driving deep into their lair...
One of the best waterproofing methods we found was simple, clear, packing tape. Higher quality is best for longer use.This is the route we'll be taking to get video of fish!
After drowning several cameras, we had specimens to dissect and for "parts".An impressively complex design with some great components for future hacks!
Here is the Plasti-Dipped camera. It was disappointing this didn't hold out the water better... because it coated quick and effectively.Well, maybe not "effectively".
When wet on the inside, the Plasti-Dip peels off easily...These cameras will hold a miniSD card up to 8GB in size, for an hour or more of video!
Just don't ever by memory from China on Ebay.... !
Stay tuned for more fun with these.
