Automatic Panning Camera

[kedwards]

A number of members mount cameras on trucks to capture 'roof top' or 'driver's eye' views of their railways. On most of the videos I've seen the problem is that the camera is fixed on the truck which is fine on straight track but when the track curves left or right the camera disconcertingly points off to one side. A number of years ago I read an article, it may have been in a G Scale Journal, in which someone had made a camera mount which automatically swung the camera to the left on right hand curves and to the right on left hand curves so that the camera followed the curve. It may have have been operated by the front bogie on a truck. Can anyone recall the article or has anyone got any plans? I would like to make a mount that works in this way.

Keith

 

[penylanpip]

Now I have no recollection of the pedigree of this photo, but it has been lurking in my railway folder under 'odds' for some years.
I know I kept it for the very reason that Keith raises; it would seem to solve the problem of looking at the lineside scenery instead of along the track on curves.
If I ever get my track laid, I intend to give it a try-out, but that won't be tomorrow...

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Either on LSC or MLS, yes a truck out in front with a lever arm back to the car with the camera, as the front truck moves, the lever arm moves in relation to the camera car and swivels the base.

Greg

 

[Tanker man]

Hi Keith, I remember that article and I must have the mag somewhere, I think the camera base is attached to the rear bogie so that as the truck goes into a left hand bend, the rear of the camera base is moved to the right which makes the camera look left, if that makes sense? . It has been one of my 'to do' projects, ever since I read the article.........but like a lot of things, 'life' got I in the way.
I will have a root around and see if I can locate the mag
Cheers
Dave

 

[gregh]

This article has some ideas for you...

http://www.trainweb.org/btr/Sketch%20bogie%20flatcar%20geometry.pdf

 

[kedwards]

Well, I have to say I'm really impressed and GSC has come up trumps yet again. What a marvellous community this is!
Enormous thanks to Philip, Greg, Dave and Greg from Downunder for your thoughts photos, videos and the learned paper on the subject.
The video confirms my thoughts that pivoting the camera gives a far superior view of the track ahead and a better overall experience for the viewer.
Lots for me to digest but as soon as I've laid some track on my new railway I will be making a pivoting camera mount to use on the videos I make.
Thanks again. This will save me a lot of what could have been wasted time.

Keith

 

[dunnyrail]

This article has some ideas for you...

http://www.trainweb.org/btr/Sketch%20bogie%20flatcar%20geometry.pdf

Hi Greg, nice to hear from you again. Super run down on the varying options.Have made a base for my GoPro that fits on one of my long 4 wheel Swiss style log wagons, the cutouts are for the bolsters. I have in the past monkeyed around with steerable contraptions with nit a lot of success but will now have a go at that one of yours, my one should be easy enough to modify and I have 3 suitable bogie flats to use for mounting it.

 

[gregh]

Just to clarify ... the link I provided in post #5 is not my work.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Geoffery Coleman

Barron Tableland Railway

his youtube: Geoffrey Coleman

 

[Homo Habilis]

There were also a couple of articles in past issues of Garden Railways on camera cars.

There is also this short video and article on their site.

 

[Tanker man]

Hi Keith, have finally found the issue with the article in it, Garden Rail, June 2005! Took a bit of sorting, if you would like a copy, of the article, if you drop me a pm with your email address, I will scan it and mail it back to you, it's only 3 pages so not difficult to mail
Regards
Dave

 

[Trains and More]

I had designed and build a camera car just like that about 35 years ago. My layout then had tight curves and it bothered me to see the track disappear when the video camera looked straight ahead. I had written a short "How to build a Camera Car" at the time, but it was only for the club news letter. For many years now I am a writer for the Magazine "Gartenbahn Profi". It is a coincidence that I have just written another report on video photography in general, but it deals specifically with such a car that steers the video camera. It appeared in the 3rd issue 2020. The article is in German, as is the magazine, but the pictures are telling the story even if you don"t read German.

 

[Trainman58]

Hi Keith, I remember that article and I must have the mag somewhere, I think the camera base is attached to the rear bogie so that as the truck goes into a left hand bend, the rear of the camera base is moved to the right which makes the camera look left, if that makes sense? . It has been one of my 'to do' projects, ever since I read the article.........but like a lot of things, 'life' got I in the way.
I will have a root around and see if I can locate the mag
Cheers
Dave

I have one built by a friend. It is a well wagon and pivots off the back bogie. We weighted the axles to make it a more steady ride and coupled with spring mounts it is very stable. I will try to add some photos of it.

 

[Trainman58]

I have one built by a friend. It is a well wagon and pivots off the back bogie. We weighted the axles to make it a more steady ride and coupled with spring mounts it is very stable. I will try to add some photos of it.

The camera turns into the curve by a pivot from either direction. Quite a cool piece of apparatus.

 

[dunnyrail]

I have one built by a friend. It is a well wagon and pivots off the back bogie. We weighted the axles to make it a more steady ride and coupled with spring mounts it is very stable. I will try to add some photos of it.

Be interesting to see the link for a vid made with that. Y concern with the GoPro? would be it having vision of the wagon ends, but perhaps that is not the case.

 

[kedwards]

I was hoping to spend today working on my new garden railway but after an hour or so it rained and rained and rained.



So I came inside and I made this. It does the job and seems to work perfectly. I will post some video of it in action shortly.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Jimmy B has been working on one recently, and I believe he has all but perfected it

 

[dunnyrail]

I was hoping to spend today working on my new garden railway but after an hour or so it rained and rained and rained.

View attachment 272178

So I came inside and I made this. It does the job and seems to work perfectly. I will post some video of it in action shortly.

View attachment 272179

View attachment 272180

View attachment 272181

Like the Meccano joby, now why did I flog all that Meccano on Ebay before I moved to the nits?

 

[JimmyB]

Jimmy B has been working on one recently, and I believe he has all but perfected it

Just waiting some fine whether for the final test, but yes mine works.

 

[kedwards]

Just waiting some fine whether for the final test, but yes mine works.

Likewise. it's pouring again here.