Post AhMOGsFNmgKQiRYNCS by Longplay_Games@mstdn.games
(DIR) More posts by Longplay_Games@mstdn.games
(DIR) Post #AhMG1cR5ULIJhXF8eu by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T20:26:13Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
I have been using a Camp Snap camera, which is a cheap digital camera that emulates a very cheap film camera (see attached).I like having a dedicated photography device. I like it's utter lack of review functions, and I like the unpredictability of the quality of its photos. It makes the photography process seem special again. It does not do video. I would like a similar device that is a Video camera. I'm going to talk about that for a minute, what I do now, and what I want.
(DIR) Post #AhMHmJevDZYZ1wXqKW by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T20:45:50Z
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The closest thing I've been able to find to what I want from a digital video camera is the kodak zxd. It's a "flip" style video camera from the end of that product style's lifetime. It was released in the early 10s or late 00s. It runs on AA batteries (rechargable), saves to SDHC, and shoots fine though not spectacular 720p footage.It does not look nearly as stylized as the camp snap, but it's also visually distinct from a modern camera. It is a great Go Bag camera because I can swap out the batteries and the storage, and just keep shooting. It uses modern enough storage that I can buy it off the shelf and standard enough batteries that I can get them pretty much anywhere. It's a *good* video camera, and it's only a few tweaks away from being what I want, but they are somewhat substantial.
(DIR) Post #AhMHr4aseobjkpvHUG by Longplay_Games@mstdn.games
2024-04-28T20:46:40Z
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@ajroach42 That sounds extremely cool!
(DIR) Post #AhMIx50s6yTIkKVZKK by mediageek@mastodon.social
2024-04-28T20:58:57Z
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@ajroach42 I take it that using regular AA or AAA batteries is important?
(DIR) Post #AhMNJsEWC07LaT11zk by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:47:56Z
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I want a camera that will produce 480p30 4:3 video. If it can also shoot higher resolutions, that's fine. If it can also shoot 480i60, that's neat. I want it to have built in HDMI and/or RCA output. This isn't a big requirement, it'd just be nice to have. I want it to use USB C for connectivity and charging. Transferring files off the zxd could be a lot worse than it is, but it could also be a lot better. I'd love for it to be shaped like a video camera. Having a C-mount lens would be a nice bonus, but I'd settle for just having a real lens. If it can't be shaped like a video camera, then it needs to fit in my pocket. I'd love for the footage it produces to look nice, and to have a distinctive visual style. I don't mean that it should apply some kind of aggressive filter, but it'd be really great it'd be really great if it didn't just look like cellphone footage. Most importantly compared to the zxd, I'd really love to have a mic input.
(DIR) Post #AhMNXepwnRUO5r5yts by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:50:27Z
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There are lots of cameras out there that come close to this (or that at least feel right?) but, so far, nothing has captured my attention the way the campsnap does other than this 12 year old kodak pocket camera. That camera remade with a few modern conveniences would probably make me pretty happy.
(DIR) Post #AhMNbc5KyANGiXBEP2 by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:51:10Z
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(On the other hand, I'd be just as happy if I could shoot on an 80s tube camera all the time, honestly.)
(DIR) Post #AhMNt53gV5YHV1jhgW by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:54:20Z
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@Longplay_Games best part is, you can get them used for like $10.
(DIR) Post #AhMNvBRFkZeFrllMTA by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:54:31Z
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@shapr I have not!
(DIR) Post #AhMNznCbHtrc996hKy by Longplay_Games@mstdn.games
2024-04-28T21:55:32Z
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@ajroach42 That's very tempting.I have a simple camera rig for mocap and such, basically an S8 with a 512GB sd card, tripod, and battery pack - but that's more complex to deal with than yours...
(DIR) Post #AhMO1XyAtS5fTyCDU8 by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:55:33Z
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@shapr neat! Could be a good foundation for a diy solution.
(DIR) Post #AhMO8IbIQvkhqLiMUq by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:56:57Z
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@mediageek important? No. But it's neat when I can make it happen. The camp snap doesn't use AA batteries, but it does run for days on a charge over usb-c. The important part is to reduce the cognitive load associated with remembering to charge the camera.
(DIR) Post #AhMOBljYZb6p4EEUim by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:57:40Z
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@u0421793 I will check this out. Being bundled to a nice mic helps a lot.
(DIR) Post #AhMOGsFNmgKQiRYNCS by Longplay_Games@mstdn.games
2024-04-28T21:58:37Z
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@ajroach42 Have you tried using a Nikon D90? Slightly different form factor, but they do a great job with most of those parts. about $200 used, and tons of lens options.
(DIR) Post #AhMOJLzQAn45XXGnhY by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T21:59:06Z
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@Longplay_Games I have not
(DIR) Post #AhMQQGSnJkwiKtQrGi by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T22:22:39Z
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@u0421793 what an interesting little doodad! And available very cheaply on the used market too. I will absolutely be giving this a shot.
(DIR) Post #AhMRFWO3sDTKUVex6m by qwazix@bananachips.club
2024-04-28T22:31:30Z
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@ajroach42 I had a late minidv sony handycam that could also shoot on memoryStick. If I'm not mistaken you can stick a microsd in there with an adapter. It doesn't really tick all of your boxes but it shoots 480p, has RCA out and feels like it might capture the essence of what you are looking for. And you get uncompressed footage on the cassette if you so wish.
(DIR) Post #AhMRwYa1b0JvkDmBAO by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-28T22:39:47Z
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@qwazix if it uses a still produced battery (infolithium maybe?) it might be a winner.
(DIR) Post #AhMath1idN2wezRHkW by mediageek@mastodon.social
2024-04-29T00:20:05Z
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@ajroach42 If you can deal with rechargeable batteries I can recommend the Sanyo Xactis. I've got a couple that I like for this purpose. Most have stereo sound, which can be nice.My first, bought new in 2009, was a VPC-CG10 which is 720p w/ manual controls.The VPC-PD2BK is 1080p w/ a flip-style body like the Kodak, and a true 3x optical zoom. The batteries are used in many different cameras & devices to it's easy to get chargers & spares. If I'm taking one out I have a few charged and ready.
(DIR) Post #AhMayvYY2bp1AdI4u0 by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-29T00:21:03Z
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@mediageek neat. That looks like exactly the kind of junk gadget I'm looking fo.
(DIR) Post #AhMgjdfer6Rv56i2SG by mediageek@mastodon.social
2024-04-29T01:25:29Z
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@ajroach42 They’re plentiful and cheap these days. Here’s a video I took at a street fest a long time ago that shows how well the CG10 handles amplified music. https://flic.kr/p/8oF2sG
(DIR) Post #AhMkV5v1wowYADDguW by ajroach42@retro.social
2024-04-29T02:07:42Z
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@pinhman Hi! I'm a pretty experienced hardware hacker, and I've spent plenty of time around the pi and other SBCs. I've found the Raspberry pi in particular to be especially ill suited video applications, and I've found the DIY route to be too fragile for on the go applications.
(DIR) Post #AhMuc0Ko6iFQPgD6Js by ddr@pony.social
2024-04-29T04:00:30Z
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@ajroach42 So uh aside from USB charging, the camera I used to work on technically fits these requirements to a T.V1 here: https://www.krontech.ca/
(DIR) Post #AhN3Dw92vqeq3ZJ8yW by qwazix@bananachips.club
2024-04-29T05:37:23Z
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@ajroach42 unfortunately I haven't got it any longer but it was the classic sony batteries that I think have become industry standards for led studio lighting etc. It looked very much like this.It also had a "night vision goggles" mode which is immensely fun if you are a teenager. Or if you feel like one :-P