Camcorders for filming flights

[toto]

Just as it says ...... what do you use to record your flights at the field with. 

 

Is the " Go Pro " the go to ....... or are other budget makes every bit as good for capturing decent recordings.

 

Toto 

[EvilC57]

I use a Mobius Maxi 4K Action Camera. Either Velcro’d to the peak of my hat, or mounted on the model. Much smaller and lighter than a GoPro.

[toto]

Thanks for the link. Also far cheaper than a go pro as well.

 

Cheers

 

Toto

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Amongst others, I tape this on to my planes.

[leccyflyer]

I used to do a fair bit of video photography of models and full size aeroplanes, back when it was far from straightforward to be able to put clips online. Essential to that was a decent optical viewfinder, in order to track the aeroplane and ensure that you don't just end up with a dust dot. Since then I've put various cameras on models and have also shot videos with smartphones, Go- Pro and digital cameras. The problem with these small digital cameras is that they are mostly very wide angle, particularly the action cams and models in flight just disappear. I've tried mounting the GoPro on the peak of a hat but the wide angle lens is useless. I've even tried a pair of the narrower angle spy sunglasses -or pervert glasses as we call them - but they do not fit well over my prescription specs and the framing is very tricky indeed, meaning you need to look well above the model if you are not going to end up with just grass. It's very frustrating and I've seen some decent hatcam video shot but been unable to reproduce that.

 

 

However I've recently found my old Sony TRV110E camcorder and plan to give that an outing down the field to capture some decent video. If I could find a decent workable set up for filming your own flights then I'd be very keen, so will see how this thread develops with interest.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Mobius are great for mounting on the model, but are too wide angle for shooting from the ground, the model quickly becomes a dot. To shot a model in flight you need a decent zoom and also a viewfinder, trying to follow a model on a screen in bright light is just about impossible. I have a digital HD Panasonic camcorder, over 8 years old but produces decent results.

[toto]

So handheld camcorders may be the best option. 

 

Just need a friend to do the shooting if you are flying.

 

Toto

[leccyflyer]

I'd say the most critical thing is to have a proper viewfinder. Trying to frame a video, zoomed in on a model to get it a decent size on the screen and track it through it's manoeuvres  demands that you have a proper viewfinder, as it's extremely difficult to do it on a fold out screen, especially in bright sunlight.

[toto]

What sort of budget do you need for a decent camcorder with viewfinder and decent optical zoom. Are there any specific models with a specific specification ?

 

Toto

[Richard Harris]

Toto,

 

I use my mobile phones video, this simply  slides into a bracket that is attached to the back of my transmitter. I can video and fly at the same time by pointing my tramsmitter/ phone at the model. It takes a little practice but works for me, obviously the phone is set into flight mode.

 

Rich

 

[EvilC57]

Just my opinion, but there’s nothing more boring than watching video of a model (even one of my own models) just going around and around doing circuits. Half the time, due to the wide angle of the lenses used or autofocus hunting, when played back they just look like a little out of focus dot going around the sky.

Edited February 28 by EvilC57