Waterproofing a camcorder?

[swizzle]

I'm working on a method of underwater viewing to look for potential objects by a unique method. I'd like to call it "creek cam". I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to do it yet but I'm going to turn my camcorder into a treasure hunting tool. I'm going to waterproof my camcorder and add some bells and whistles to it. First I'll make sure to buy 4 or 5 led lights. The bright white ones. Then buy an airtight container with a glass top. If I can't find one then find an airtight container and make a window in it. One hole for the lense and 4 or 5 for the lights and velcro tabs to anchor them. Make a blind for the lens so the leds lights don't glare off of the glass. Next add some H2O absorbers. Attach the container onto a 10 foot pole at the eight foot mark. At the end of the (wood or plastic) pole attach a waterproofed stud finder with an led display. Hit record and load the camcorder into the airtight container and turn on the stud finder and from ten feet away I'll be able to see behind waterfalls and under banks. Maybe even add some type of bait to try to get fish on film. I've heard of many people hiding caches in under cuts in the bank. Who knows maybe a nugget or two on film. The leds going off in one spot could be a place to check. What do you think? Does it have possibilities? If you were going to try the same how would you do it? What would you change about my design annd why. The simpler the design the better. The cheaper the better as well. Let's hear some ideas and maybe some tips. Let's get you homemade junkies going. Matter of fact lets see all of your homemade gear. Some of you worked hard on it so now is your chance to show it off. Let see what you guys got. Jason

 

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[Leon]

I have thought of doing the same thing, as I am up & down the river quite a bit in the summer time...
I have an old army ammo box with rubber sills, and have thought about putting a plexiglass window in the side of it, and running a pole up from the top, to run a the cables out. Only I wasn't planing on recording then going back, I was going to hook it to a 12V tv system, and watch it live... Keep us informed on how it turns out...
Good luck & happy Hunting~

 

[swizzle]

Let me know what you would use for a tv. Size and weight could be an issue. Swinging a 10lb unit around could get tireing after a while. I've been thinking about getting something small for backpacking and camping. Video taping backwoods lakes and streams for fishing and treasure hunting would be awesome. Jason

 

[parttime_miner]

I'd use and X10 wireless camera (they are smaller than a deck of cards) ... A lot lighter than a camcorder, A lot more High Tech, and cheaper too...

The wireless cameras run off a 9V battery and can transmit a good distance... You could then put it in TupperWare and seal wire holes with silicone... You could mount it to a bouy to a stick, to your dog.. It wouldnt matter...

Then, have a small tv (b/w or color) and use your camcoder to record the video coming in to the reciever....


Parttime_Miner

 

[swizzle]

The reason I want to use my camcorder is because of the nice sharp color picture. Would the 10x give the same quality as my camcorder? I would like to see the two compared side by side but I don't want to buy the 10x and find out that I'm disappointed with the results. Let me know what you think. Jason

 

[parttime_miner]

Googled a bit and didn;t find much...

Here is a photo from a few hundred feet up... an x10 attached to a model rocket...
http://www.soundingrocket.com/myrockets/images/arcas_houses_200.jpg

The X10 is going for less than 30 bucks on ebay... better than replacing your camcorder because of mosture...

Quality shouldn't be bad if you get a new color model... should be just fine!

Take a look at this setup
http://www.tcrobots.org/mtgpics/2001/0107_05.jpg

Anyways, This is what I would suggest... Seems a lot easier, faster, better, cheaper and more versatile... 8)

Either way, I'd be interested in what you come up with... Make sure to post a pic when you get your project complete...

 

[parttime_miner]

well.. I just found this link... maybe it cant be done... but I am pretty sure that I have seen it done on the net somewhere... (underwater x10 with great clairity)

http://www.northeastsecuritysolutions.com/residential_cheap_camera_bad_idea.htm

more research is needed...

 

[swizzle]

I would like to be able to use the record on my camera while viewing a monitor on the spot. I would however settle for just the record mode. If I wanted to see a potential target up close then my camcorder playing on a 19" screen would show up much better then on a 4" or 5" screen. I really would love the best of both worlds but the 19" screen is a must for me.I'm really debating on what to use for a pole as well. Its gotta be lightweight and at least a few inches to a foot of the end of the pole has got to be metal free or the stud finder will stay on. Jason

 

[weldermark]

may be easier to incorporate one of these it's only $30.00 and a lot easier to push under water.



mark

 

[parttime_miner]

Leverage is a big issue... A ten pound camera on the end of a 10 foot pole, would be harder to lift and manuver than you'd think... It would weight a bit more than 10 pounds as you try to lift it up under a waterfall...

I'm with Weldermark.. There are about a billion different brands of digital cameras out there, will great resolution, for cheap... The great part about most of these smaller cameras, from my experience with Logiteck Quickcam, is that the closer you get to the object the clearer the picture will get... Very detailed images from about 3 inches...

Think of all the uses for this thing... put a light on the end and check caves, look into crevices... and of course underwater...

Ideas: If you could get a nice telescoping rod and have a wood mount for camera/light/studfinder
Also, maybe a cheap pinpointer would work better than a stud finder...

P.S.. there is an article on slashdot today about mounting a camera to a remote controled tank, very similar...
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/11/2218241&tid=133&tid=1

Imagine sending a camera tank into a cave to check for bears...

 

[swizzle]

I was exagerating a little on the weight. I'm thinking that the whole unit would probably br around 3 to 4 pounds tops. Still a lot of weight but I don't expect to use it for more then 10 to 20 minutes at a time before taking a break. As for looking behind waterfalls I want to try to look around the sheets of water not through them. I would most likely take off the stud finder attachment so I can stay tight to the rock. Anyone here actually make an underwater camera? more or less for lakes or even creeks. I would like to see some homemade designs. I will post my design when I actually get around to making it. It might be a few weeks before I decide on the final ingrediants before baking up this idea. I"m loving this feedback you guys are great and thanx for all the info. Jason

 

[weldermark]

hey swizzle they do make water proof boxes for various type's of camcorder's for filming under water you may look into that, it may be the way to go.


mark

 

[ranger ricky]

go to google.com type in waterproof underwater camcorder.


lots of sights i know your not interested in the price tags they offer but some of the features and spec they speak of might give you an idea.

an example it talks about how cam corders wont work properly under one atmosphere, which is about 33 ft. the presure wont let the film speed work properly.....

as a expereinced diver underwater visability will be very low and a light source will be a must unless you in a gin clear water source,

i know with your imaginenation and ability you can come up with system.

 

[PJB (Ohio)]

How about this fiber optic video recorder?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48629&item=5738857363&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V

 

[1320]

Don't reinvent the wheel! Go to Cabela's and buy the Aquatics View Cam, $200 shipped....of course, it takes out the fun of making one yourself! If you use a security camera you'll still have to hook up a VCR to it (if you're interested in recording).....this isn't hard. If power supply is a problem (no electricity), I'm certain that you've already considered a 12 volt version but trust me on this one, not all security cameras can be converted and ran off a 12V battery. You've got volts, amps, millamps, regulated this and that just to name a few.

There is a camera in the classifieds on this site that might get you in the ball park, it's an older ad so you'll have to scroll to find it.

You have two options for building your "pole". I've built both and they work equally well. You can use wood dowels screwed together (like a custom pool stick) with inserts/studs. The other pole was made of electrical pipe (the kind that electricians use to run wires through). Couplers are sold to attach the individual pieces (5 foot sections). I used an elbow coupler at the very end so that I could use my drop down camera in a horizontal method. This version of the pole gets a little flimsy at 25 feet of length. My dowel version of the pole is a sturdy 30 feet long but a little heavy.

I use my poles and cameras for searching old water wells. Shout if you'd like some photos.

 

[1320]

What won't work: PVC as pole material....too flexible, chimney sweep rods, same thing. Plastic as a camera container, it'll float.

Things to consider...camera control. Moving water will give you fits. Murky water will too. Short and long poles...you'll eventually want to get deeper, see farther. On the short distance/shallow areas, your arms will love the short pole. Even with a calm pool of water, it's gonna be hard to capture images that aren't shaking with a camera attached to a pole. A way to retrieve your camera if it breaks off. (My drop camera has a metal housing...a big 250 lb pull magnet attached to rope is my backup).

Black and white gives much better definition in low light conditions (murky water and deep water).

Keep this in mind on your underwater targets (may not apply to the waterfall): Sediment. For coins, rings and small stuff, unless it's a recent drop, you won't see it. If the water is moving fast enough to move the sediment, it will also move most coins, rings.

I've considered the idea of a weighted tripod to attach a sealed cam corder to but not having a method to manually manipulate the zoom has kept me idle on this one. I don't think the camera's auto focus would be of much help in my applications of mostly murky and deep water.

You're gonna get hooked on this then you'll be trying to create retrieval tools for those real deep objects

"Passeno" on this website has built two of these cameras that he uses for diving, he has good advice. He's not a regular poster so a PM would be the way to go.

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

What won't work:? PVC as pole material....too flexible, chimney sweep rods, same thing.? Plastic as a camera container, it'll float.?

Things to consider...camera control.?

PVC camera housing
Sure it will float unless you add weight and I use the remote to turn my dive camera on and off before and after entering water. All you have to do is figure out how you want to get it down. If you need help with that let me know.

 

[ranger ricky]

i have used the cabellas underwater camera, we use it from time to time on places we set up underwater structure for fish attractors, its a unit we borrow, i hope you understand how important a light source will be to get any visability

 

[swizzle]

Yes I completely understand the importance of a light source. I intend on going with some waterproofed super bright LED lights. Unless someone has a proven cheaper and more effective method. Jason

 

[stoney56]

A friend of mine is a plumber and uses a fiber optic camera lens on long coiled cable w.monitor to check sewage lines but probably way too costly for your endeaver. Lots of luck.