Camera suggestions

[ZAxis]

For those with the Sony Nex 5, how do you go about snapping photos? There does not seem to be a remote port. I see some using an IR remote signal. Only other way is a mechanical arm that pushes the shutter release.

As Droider we use a Gentled shutter release
Its basically an infra red LED with control chip on the end of a standard servo lead. Just plug it into a spare servo port on the FC and setup a transmitter switch channel to trigger it. Mount the LED somewhere that the sensor on the front of the NEX will always see. Our's is on a bracket added to the side of the camera cradle so it moves with the tilt of the cradle.There is a small delay before the shutter is released but that can be lived with.
www.gentles.ltd.uk/gentled

 

[DucktileMedia]

yeah, that's the one I have seen. I wonder if anyone in the USA sells them? thanks all for the input. I'll let you all know how the new Nex5n works out.

 

[Bartman]

does the Nex5 do a digital live video out? I wonder if any of the video transmitter manufacturers could do a digital input instead of analog and put the converter in the transmitter itself.

 

[ZAxis]

yeah, that's the one I have seen. I wonder if anyone in the USA sells them? thanks all for the input. I'll let you all know how the new Nex5n works out.

mikrokopter us sell them

http://www.mikrokopter.us/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=47_51&product_id=186

 

[midnight999]

I thought the asctec falcon 8 uses the lumix lx3 and lx5, it has a live video link to the screen on the transmitter.

 

[Rcskycam]

I use the Canon S95 with chdk set to run an intervalometer script running to take a picture every 5 seconds and can be modified to shoot at any interval. The reason I use the S95 is because it shoots in RAW format and can be set to shoot at intervals and it also has live view feed done to my eye top video glasses to setup my shots.

 

[mbsteed]

Rsskycam,

Do you use anything special to get the live view on the S95? I have just setup my S95 with CHDK and intend to use it for the same purpose.

 

[Rcskycam]

Mbsteed

You do not have to do anything special, once you plug in the USB/av cable live view is automatically invoked. I made my own USB/av cable from the one supplied by just cutting off the video out connector and soldering the wires to my tx plug and removed the remaining wire to save on weight.

 

[kuau]

Newbie here looking to get a camera for my Xaircraft 650 V8, I have read the entire thread here and seems there is no real consensus on which way to go, Would a camera with built in IS be of any benefit like the olympus E-PL3? over the Sony Nex5, 5n? to help with vibration? I haven't seen any cameras with IS talked about.
Having a camera that can shoot raw and shoot 720P would be nice, I don't mind having to manually switch the camera from stills to video.
Oh yeah any recommendations on a camera mount that would work with a X650 V8
Any suggestions?

Steven

 

[RTRyder]

Newbie here looking to get a camera for my Xaircraft 650 V8, I have read the entire thread here and seems there is no real consensus on which way to go, Would a camera with built in IS be of any benefit like the olympus E-PL3? over the Sony Nex5, 5n? to help with vibration? I haven't seen any cameras with IS talked about.
Having a camera that can shoot raw and shoot 720P would be nice, I don't mind having to manually switch the camera from stills to video.
Oh yeah any recommendations on a camera mount that would work with a X650 V8
Any suggestions?

Steven

It has been my experience that any camera with built in OIS doesn't work well on a multirotor, seems to make things worse and not better unless you have a vibration isolation system that doesn't allow ANY vibration to reach the camera and that is tough to do.

I'm seriously looking at the Nex 5n as my next camera mainly because it doesn't have OIS and the results I've seen from folks flying the Nex 5 have been really good. At this point almost anything is better than the GoPros I've been using but I don't want to have to re-engineer the gimbal mounting system just to use a camera with OIS. I already have two that do and I have yet to come up with a satisfactory way to get good video from either one!

Ken

 

[DucktileMedia]

My Sony nex5n is shipped finally. I did some research and the answer to live view out is hard to get a solid answer on. BUT, I did read this.

http://www.eoshd.com/content/3856/sony-nex-5n-review-and-video-footage

specifically the paragraph that reads:

"HDMI

It’s full HD and even progressive 1080p. It’s live and works well with an EVF or monitor whilst recording. That’s the good news. Unfortunately whether it is uncompressed or 4-2-2 is all academic because we never quite get as far as an external recorder with the 5N! The output is hobbled by an insistence on displaying various overlays and settings on the screen, as well as some in a wide black bar on the right, even when the Disp button is used to pair down info to a minimum."

This implies it will output live through the hdmi only with the menu overlayed. not a problem for FPV. but i dont know if it disables the recording onboard yet. That is to be determined.

Also, doesn't someone make a digital downlink system?

 

[jes1111]

Also, doesn't someone make a digital downlink system?

Yes, but you'll have to work for it a bit: google "HDMI over IP" - plenty of little black boxes available. Then find a pair of 5GhZ (802.11a or n) wifi bridge radios (like the Picostation 5 or 5M from Ubiquiti networks). Get past some power supply issues, install on your craft with the wifi antenna as far from the Rx as possible and you're cooking on gas

 

[jes1111]

Product launch alert!

http://nikonrumors.com/ (and others) are pretty sure that Nikon will announce their mirrorless system camera(s) imminently. They'll compete with the Olympus/Panasonic/Sony units - specs should be good, some real innovation has been promised - worth looking out for.

 

[Fab]

I use the S95 for stills and video too and triggering the camera via an CHDK script and a tool of a German guy you plug into the USB. Go on his site http://skyware.fam-engels.de/index.htm and to CHDK. You will find two different triggers, one to release the camera through your RC (I use the Spectrum DX8) the other is a two way device to release shutter and oparate zoom. A script is included on the site. Rcskycam could you post your CHDK script here for your intervalometer?

Fabrizio

 

[Kilby]

So anyone have any experience with the Sony HX9V? Just saw some footage shot with one recently and it seemed pretty good. It does 1080 @ 60 fps which seems nice. I've got a Lumix GF2 and a GoPro now, but I'd like to have something in between them in terms of weight and size. Any insight from the gang?

 

[RyanArch]

I've got a Sony HX9V on the way...I'm wondering how to set it up for FPV. I know it has HDMI out...wondering about component out though to route to a transmitter? I've seen footage as well and it looks like a great camera for AP. I'd be interested to see someone share their FPV setup though.

 

[RTRyder]

I've got a Sony HX9V on the way...I'm wondering how to set it up for FPV. I know it has HDMI out...wondering about component out though to route to a transmitter? I've seen footage as well and it looks like a great camera for AP. I'd be interested to see someone share their FPV setup though.

Easiest thing to do is just use a standard FPV camera and video TX, there isn't any cheap, compact, and/or easy way to do HDMI for FPV yet. Now that I have a Nex 5N I'll be putting my FPV camera and video TX on the camera platform as my "viewfinder" for the 5N, doesn't take up much room at all and weighs very little compared to what you would need to transmit HDMI video.

Ken

 

[RyanArch]

Easiest thing to do is just use a standard FPV camera and video TX, there isn't any cheap, compact, and/or easy way to do HDMI for FPV yet. Now that I have a Nex 5N I'll be putting my FPV camera and video TX on the camera platform as my "viewfinder" for the 5N, doesn't take up much room at all and weighs very little compared to what you would need to transmit HDMI video.

Ken

Could you go with a HDMI to RCA/component cable to the video TX to the ground receiver to goggles? Forgive me...I'm learning

 

[RTRyder]

Could you go with a HDMI to RCA/component cable to the video TX to the ground receiver to goggles? Forgive me...I'm learning

No, standard FPV video TX can't do HD resolution, they pretty much max out at 640 x 480 on the better ones, cheap ones even less. You would have to set the camera to much lower resolution which then might turn off the HDMI port, kind of defeats the purpose. Only way you can transmit HDMI is with gear specifically designed for it and much of what does exist right now is large, heavy, and power hungry not at all suited to using on a multi rotor.

Ken

 

[RyanArch]

No, standard FPV video TX can't do HD resolution, they pretty much max out at 640 x 480 on the better ones, cheap ones even less. You would have to set the camera to much lower resolution which then might turn off the HDMI port, kind of defeats the purpose. Only way you can transmit HDMI is with gear specifically designed for it and much of what does exist right now is large, heavy, and power hungry not at all suited to using on a multi rotor.

Ken

Got it...I'm not so worried about getting HD resolution transmitted to the goggles, more of how to get the video image from the HX9V into the goggles for FPV flight. If I need to run a separate camera, I suppose that's what will have to happen.