[Nick Flint Posts: 4866 Status: Offline]

"Camera is Sony Cybershot DSC 400V" it IS then.
Can I put it to the Club that they CLUB together- (hence the name), and BUY me this camera.
Advantages for ALL members include, but are not limited to----
1 Video hover clips that don't promote vomiting
2 EVEN more videos for everyones general entertainment through the Winter months.
- Does the camera come with an inbuilt edit for poor spelling?
I trust, (Nay hope) the whole Club (for which I have undying enthusiasm and love for) will accede to this small token?

On one final matter so as to give a passing nod to the thread head--------
Its a shame that with height of the Aerial Camera, we LOOSE the waves, speed AND any perspective unless there is another "thing" in shot. i.e. when following another craft, it is obvious ,,,,BUT once that is lost, you could well be forgiven for assuming the shot was from the usual 5 ft, at craft speed which appears to be sub hump, on flat calm!

Can I make one tiny "suggestion"?
What about some  some back shots from a pole, standing OUT from the craft either side, but perhaps a good shot would be tilted 45 degs forwards, looking back? It would look good with the wake accentuating that all we leave is a ruffled water, and NO wake.
It will come as little surprise this shot will be tried be me, next time out especially when you guys CLUB together to buy my
SONY CYBERSHOT DSC 400V

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

Are there any cruises (events) possible in the Autumn?  I guess perhaps the best option may be to ascertain a weather window and gofrit?!

Yep - I'll wait until you've sorted out a weather window first as I've not been too good at that this year 

Camera is Sony Cybershot DSC 400V

[Nick Flint Posts: 4866 Status: Offline]

NOW , i understand!
You are correct ref my concerns over camera usage. I should be less constrained over the cameras "feelings"!
What sony camera please, John,  so Jane knows what to buy me for my birthday?
Your clips are easily well stabilised enough for general viewing, whereas MINE are easily NOT!
Your clips also suprisingly show how poor KingFishers lift was before i increased lift fan revs by altering the geared ratio. That one thing has transformed my craft AND made it quieter, cooler, more economical at the same time as giving acres of  lift air to use to tighten up the banking into turns, for that extra special cool look. 
Watching those------
Are there any cruises (events) possible in the Autumn?  I guess perhaps the best option may be to ascertain a weather window and gofrit?!

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

1. You can't shoot video or take pics when it's blowing rain so it doesn't really matter if the camera is waterproof.  It doesn't have to last for ten years as something better/cheaper will have come along well before then!
2.  I suspect the handling will be the issue - trying to hold onto a camera is difficult enough at times without having a big weight/stick attached!  It needs to be a one-handed operation.
3. I used my previous camera for eight years and shot plenty video/pics on the hovercraft without any problems (other than the occasional salt-spotted lens!) - it's been dropped and/or wet (rained on) quite a few times!.

The Sony camera I've had for a year seems to do what you want/need (other stabilised-lens cameras are probably available - I'm a user not a camera nerd so I've not idea what/where  ).  All the videos I've uploaded to here in that time were shot using it and NONE of them have had any anti-shake processing afterwards. 

You can see the camera doing it's job when part of the craft comes into shot (11:20 onwards)  - it's jumping up and down like a yo-yo at times because of the roughness - the camera is stabilising all of that movement (watch the horizon).

http://youtu.be/Ko4yy_ULQ3o

[Nick Flint Posts: 4866 Status: Offline]

Ah, they ant waterproof. 
Is that part of the reason you mount so high John?
Im confused ---   SO rare for ME---[size=78%]-[/size]
I wish to upgrade my video taking of escapades, as relying on YouTube after stabilisation makes the frames sometimes go very weird----
1 I need waterproof, as spray and drizzle seem to occur
2 Is a weighted mount for my waterproof still/video cameras going to improve noticeably? Ive seen ones with a curved dangler below, (gravity stabilisation?) Even better if there is dampening.
3 Although I like the thought of whirrie noises, I REALLY don't fancy them turning into "Saltie crunchie noises" as the omni present Porthmadog saltie sand finds its way into YET ONE MORE PLACE!
Watching wobbly stuff makes me feel sick!
Im TRYING to edit down clips to avoid intolerable boredom for the viewers. ALL I can do so far is clip off either the start or the end parts. I can't mix/match on IMovie yet as has been seen----

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

Gyro is a Walkera G-3D - you can get 2-axis version for around half the price of the 3-axis which would work OK for general hovercraft use (they aren't waterproof though).

One thing that caught me was that the gyro needs held absolutely still whilst initialising or it never stabilises (I've got an hour of spectacular hover-footage shot at a 30 degree angle with the camera frantically wobbling around  ).

[jchovernut Posts: 257 Status: Offline WWW]

WOW, that IS a great price on that HD cam!  I was looking into buying the new GoPro, but I can buy a few of these and mount them at different points for iso-reels to edit together later.  I've been keeping an eye out for some sort of mechanical stabilization; what's the rig you're using?  Looks like this cam uses the off-the-shelf GoPro mounting hardware?  My nephew has a ton of it; he won a huge pile of GoPro accessories at a surfing convention.

John Carter

[Nick Flint Posts: 4866 Status: Offline]

OMG Mr T. You are of course correct ref Wallace.
 oops.com
It was indeed a special day even though you can be heard exclaiming, That was horrible!!!!!!!

[Kim Taylor Posts: 595 Status: Offline]

Point of order Cap'n Flint!! I believe it was a WALLACE impression as GROMMIT is the dawg - unless you are trying to tell me something... WHAT a day indeed gents - WHAT a day - will never forget it.....

[Nick Flint Posts: 4866 Status: Offline]

https://youtu.be/1Iqyjr4oFz4


Early on Kim does his Grommit impression and 10 secs later JR does his exasperated Scot harrumph that Im videoing HIM (of all people)!
WHAT a superb Hoverday. PS John, Sorry about the sandwiches. I blame Kim.

[studlyone]

I imagine that it could be quite useful for documenting bird (non)disturbance.

It sounds like a very interesting piece of kit.

[ChrisM Posts: 150 Status: Offline]

Nice video. Having driven alongside the Loch a few weeks ago it was nice to see the view from the water's side too. It all looked very relaxing but in reality probably wasn't quite so smooth.

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

All you will see is a manically bobbing up and down hull if you include part of the craft (the gyro stabilises the camera, not the craft).  There was 1.5 to 2ft chop in places on the video (and a few 3ft standing waves under the bridge) and the pole was pretty wobbly at 5 metres - the gyro takes almost all the movement out and, because of the height it makes the water look smooth.

The camera is actually pretty impressive for the money - it's a GoPro style action camera at around 1/8th the price of a GoPro and can be powered via USB whilst shooting (connected to craft power along with the gyro).  The gear is owned by the Club and is being used experimentally for a much more serious purpose which will be revealed if it works!

[gavinparson]

Great idea. Perhaps a passenger operating a PTZ could be an idea so you can change the shot and look down on the craft as well.

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

Video shot using a gyro stabilised camera mounted on a 5 metre pole onboard a Prospector hovercraft - whilst cruising on Loch Etive in Scotland (including passing next to the Falls of Lora and under the Connel bridge).  It was quite windy and rough in places so the gyro had to work hard  (you can hear the motors whining almost continuously)!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emeo7WV3Qlo