Small Cameras

Dave Mundy

When I was on holiday recently I saw a lady tourist holding a small 5cm. (approx.) cube and panning it round the location we were in, obviously making a video: any ideas as to what the device could have been? (?Bluetooth).

Peter Cook

Not necessarily video – a long slow pan can indicate the taking of a panoramic photo.

Bernie Newnham

Probably a GoPro, though very cheap clones are available.  Haven’t found a use yet, not being sporty, but I couldn’t resist trying it out.

Martin Eccles

It was probably a "GoPro Hero 4 ( or Hero5) Session" camera. It is about a 35 mm cube recording to a micro SD card.

Pat Heigham

Yes, most likely a GoPro – they can be attached to bikes/cars/surfboards/sports helmets etc.

I believe the excellent ‘slow TV’ doc of a train ride on the Flying Scotsman made great use of a number of these cams, ranging from forward views, to midshots of the driver and fireman, plus CUs of the wheels and chuff box (yes it is called that!).

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Bernie Newnham

I thought you would like to see the quality of the picture out of my cheap GoPro knock off – http://www.tech-ops.co.uk/bern/test.mp4  The viewfinder is tiny, just a 5x3cm screen, so knowing where minimum focus is, is tricky. Still, I suppose it isn’t meant for CU flowers.

Pat Heigham

I would like to draw people’s attention to the two episodes of ”Saving Lives at Sea”, transmitted on two Wednesdays recently.

This was a real-life documentary about the work of the RNLI.

Using body/helmet-cams (and it could not have been easily done any other way, as a film crew would not have fitted into the smaller inshore rescue boats), although necessarily wobblycam, one was put into the picture very effectively.

Gripping stuff, and I have been a supporter of RNLI for many years, as a good many friends (and freelance cameramen I’ve worked with), tend to enjoy sailing or ‘messing about in boats’!

A worthwhile charity to support, so I think an extra pound or two will be on its way. (It’s not Government funded, by the way).

Geoff Fletcher

Living in North Norfolk, I, too, am a supporter of the RNLI. Most people don’t realise it is not funded by government. There is a great lifeboat tradition here – many famous rescues and local heroes.

 

ianfootersmall