"Home" Type video camera

book collector

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I want to start recording the 1 pocket matches at the pool room between me and several guys I play all the time,
I am looking for input from people who have one they use or have used for this purpose, that does a good job.
I don't think professional equipment is necessary {{but I may be wrong}
Thanks in advance.
 
Check out the Kodak Zi8. Its inexpensive and shoots in high definition 1080. Battery life is pretty good at 90 minutes. If you need it to run longer, it works equally well plugged into the wall or running off an extended battery pack;

I can record my league matches by packing the camera, a tripod, a remote, couple of spare batteries in the accessory pouch of Its George cue case. If you're using a mac, it works with QuickTime, iMovie and iDVD. For Windows, use the built software for editing the mov files.

Some accessories
AA extended battery pack
http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-External-Battery-Extender-Charger-4-Kodak-Zi8-M1093_W0QQitemZ300497032846

Remote Control
http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Remote-...CHQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293081916&sr=8-1

External microphone
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATR-...enser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO/ref=pd_sim_p_7

Carrying case with mini tripod
http://www.amazon.com/Action-Ready-Carrying-Pocket-Camera-Tripod/dp/B002JXI9JU/ref=pd_sim_MI_4

This was recorded in 720
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKLEY0YJlrQ
 
Last edited:
I bought into the hype and got myself a zi8 for kicking around.

My verdict: Absolute garbage for shooting pool. The auto-exposure goes haywire when you pass between the camera and the table.

I recommend upgrading to either video from a digital still camera ($200-$300 range), or even better, any of the Canon VIXIA models ($600'ish for ones with built in hard drives and 1080p)
 
Last edited:
Video camera

ctyhntr said:
Check out the Kodak Zi8. Its inexpensive and shoots in high definition 1080. Battery life is pretty good at 90 minutes. If you need it to run longer, it works equally well plugged into the wall or running off an extended battery pack;

I can record my league matches by packing the camera, a tripod, a remote, couple of spare batteries in the accessory pouch of Its George cue case. If you're using a mac, it works with QuickTime, iMovie and iDVD. For Windows, use the built software for editing the mov files.

Some accessories
AA extended battery pack
http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-External-Battery-Extender-Charger-4-Kodak-Zi8-M1093_W0QQitemZ300497032846

Remote Control
http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Remote-...CHQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293081916&sr=8-1

External microphone
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATR-...enser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO/ref=pd_sim_p_7

Carrying case with mini tripod
http://www.amazon.com/Action-Ready-Carrying-Pocket-Camera-Tripod/dp/B002JXI9JU/ref=pd_sim_MI_4

This was recorded in 720
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKLEY0YJlrQ
Click to expand...

Thanks ctyhntr
Did you use any external lighting or just what was already there?
 
Last edited:
nathandumoulin said:
I bought into the hype and got myself a zi8 for kicking around.

My verdict: Absolute garbage for shooting pool. The auto-exposure goes haywire when you pass between the camera and the table.

I recommend upgrading to either video from a digital still camera ($200-$300 range), or even better, any of the Canon VIXIA models ($600'ish for ones with built in hard drives and 1080p)
Click to expand...

Thanks Nathan
 
Video Camera

cyrex said:
I wanted a camera setup at home to help improve my game. I bought a small camera off eBay.. then bought a small VCR/TV combo and ran it with that. You could get a DVDR setup if you want to get fancy but the vcr thing worked just fine for my purposes.

Not the same camera but this style worked fine:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Outdoor-IR-home-security-surveillance-bullet-camera-1sx-/360198122462?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53dd7b2bde
Click to expand...

Maybe one of these on a tripod attached to my laptop? Thanks cyrex
 
Laptop

If you're going to go that route.. and your laptop doesn't already have a built in camera then just get a web cam. But videos can take up a tremendous amount of space so just be cautious. And do some research if you're thinking of going that route. Good luck.
 
I use an RCA "Small Wonder" Vhs I've had since 1996. It may be outdated by today's standards but works great for taping myself playing pool. I then play it back in my T.V. You can probably pick these up cheap on e-bay.
 
ctyhntr said:
Check out the Kodak Zi8. Its inexpensive and shoots in high definition 1080. Battery life is pretty good at 90 minutes. If you need it to run longer, it works equally well plugged into the wall or running off an extended battery pack;

I can record my league matches by packing the camera, a tripod, a remote, couple of spare batteries in the accessory pouch of Its George cue case. If you're using a mac, it works with QuickTime, iMovie and iDVD. For Windows, use the built software for editing the mov files.

Some accessories
AA extended battery pack
http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-External-Battery-Extender-Charger-4-Kodak-Zi8-M1093_W0QQitemZ300497032846

Remote Control
http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Remote-...CHQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293081916&sr=8-1

External microphone
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATR-...enser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO/ref=pd_sim_p_7

Carrying case with mini tripod
http://www.amazon.com/Action-Ready-Carrying-Pocket-Camera-Tripod/dp/B002JXI9JU/ref=pd_sim_MI_4

This was recorded in 720
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKLEY0YJlrQ
Click to expand...

Would this be good to video the Frog and Tadpole teaching video I want to do?
 
ctyhntr said:
Check out the Kodak Zi8. Its inexpensive and shoots in high definition 1080. Battery life is pretty good at 90 minutes. If you need it to run longer, it works equally well plugged into the wall or running off an extended battery pack;

I can record my league matches by packing the camera, a tripod, a remote, couple of spare batteries in the accessory pouch of Its George cue case. If you're using a mac, it works with QuickTime, iMovie and iDVD. For Windows, use the built software for editing the mov files.

Some accessories
AA extended battery pack
http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-External-Battery-Extender-Charger-4-Kodak-Zi8-M1093_W0QQitemZ300497032846

Remote Control
http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Remote-...CHQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293081916&sr=8-1

External microphone
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATR-...enser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO/ref=pd_sim_p_7

Carrying case with mini tripod
http://www.amazon.com/Action-Ready-Carrying-Pocket-Camera-Tripod/dp/B002JXI9JU/ref=pd_sim_MI_4

This was recorded in 720
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKLEY0YJlrQ
Click to expand...


That's exactly what I was going to suggest. Check out my Vimeo videos for examples. I shoot in 720 @ 60fps and have not had of the exposure problems that Nathan mentioned. http://vimeo.com/johnny101/videos
 
Something a little different, I just got a HTC EVO4 Smartphone that has a pretty good camcoder. I've already used it to see my stroke and has helped.

The up side is that the video is on my phone and I can look at them at anytime and anywhere to review. It's small, and takes good videos. It's a multi tasker meaning it also makes phone calls.

I can then just upload to them from the phone to my PC.

The downside is some kinda a tripod mount. I've got some ideas though. To use it I had to "build a platform" of the ball box, rack and napkin dispenser on one corner of the table, but it was worth it.
 
Have you tried ebay, here is a universal mount?

http://cgi.ebay.com/tripod-stand-ho...510184?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item45f7957368

Most of this year's phones have pretty good video. The iPhone 4 and the newest ipod Touch records in 720 in horizontal mode. Only drawback is the capacity of the built in battery, which is roughly between a AA-AA battery.

duckie said:
Something a little different, I just got a HTC EVO4 Smartphone that has a pretty good camcoder. I've already used it to see my stroke and has helped.

The up side is that the video is on my phone and I can look at them at anytime and anywhere to review. It's small, and takes good videos. It's a multi tasker meaning it also makes phone calls.

I can then just upload to them from the phone to my PC.

The downside is some kinda a tripod mount. I've got some ideas though. To use it I had to "build a platform" of the ball box, rack and napkin dispenser on one corner of the table, but it was worth it.
Click to expand...
 
I have the kodak playsport that is basically the same as the zi8 minus the external mic feature and the zi8 has a bigger screen. I like it and the hardware is the same on both so the picture quality is the same. Grab a flexible tripod and your ready to go. BTW the zi8 is $99 at target so if your looking for one you wont find a better deal.
 
I was watching the videos of the Zi8. I have the playsport.

I noticed a frame rate drop in a few of those videos. Mine does the same thing even at 720/60. That's the only thing I don't like about these kodiak cameras.
 
ctyhntr said:
Have you tried ebay, here is a universal mount?

http://cgi.ebay.com/tripod-stand-ho...510184?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item45f7957368

Most of this year's phones have pretty good video. The iPhone 4 and the newest ipod Touch records in 720 in horizontal mode. Only drawback is the capacity of the built in battery, which is roughly between a AA-AA battery.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of something more mutli tasking. The reason I say this is because I already have three tripods of different heights, so thats not a problem.

Like I mentioned, this phone is a multi tasker. I got a couple of apps on it that are neat. One is called dynomaster and the other trackmaster. These use the GPS functions and the accelerameters in the phone to show you how well your car performs. There is a bean bag type of dash mount I was gonna get so I can use these apps in different cars. Also, there is a overlay app so that you can record video of your run and during playback have the performance date overlaid onto the video....its just way too cool.

Also, since its a bean bag mount, I can make a platform for one of my tripods and just use the bean bag mount on the platform.

Sorry, to stay off topic.

FWIW
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top