Camcorder or Camera

[wiiawiwb]

If you could only have one of these in the field, which would be more important for sasquatching?

 

 

[SWWASAS]

I think that decision depends on your own field objectives.    Personally I would like to get new HD video to put the P/G film arguments to bed.     Decades of arguing over that film will never yield new results.     Nothing photographic will result in anything science accepts as proof of existence.  The best that can be hoped there is to interest some scientists in getting into the field.   So your question is really only pertinent to your own field objectives.      In a practical sense,  if you cannot afford both,  you should probably should not start frequent field work since just the gas burned traveling back and forth will be many times more costly than both cameras together over several years time.        

 

[MIB]

Get a good digital camera capable of shooting both pictures and at least 1080P video with a fast enough SD card to handle the throughput of video.    This doesn't take great expense, my little walmart special fuji finepix T410 was under $150 and will do that with up to 10x magnification.   It's about the size of a deck of cards.

 

I, personally, see little purpose in a camcorder.

 

MIB

[wiiawiwb]

15 hours ago, SWWASAS said:

I think that decision depends on your own field objectives.    Personally I would like to get new HD video to put the P/G film arguments to bed.     Decades of arguing over that film will never yield new results.     Nothing photographic will result in anything science accepts as proof of existence.  The best that can be hoped there is to interest some scientists in getting into the field.   So your question is really only pertinent to your own field objectives.      In a practical sense,  if you cannot afford both,  you should probably should not start frequent field work since just the gas burned traveling back and forth will be many times more costly than both cameras together over several years time.        

 

 

Thanks MIB.

 

Oh c'mon SWWASAS, give me a break. What kind of a ridiculous response is that? If I choose not to invest in a camcorder, then I probably shouldn't start frequent field work? 

 

Let's continue to follow your logical advice. If I can't afford a $10,000 FLIR, maybe I should stay home and just walk around the local park and look at the little birdies?  If I can't afford an $8,000 professional camera setup, with a lens as long as a baseball bat, then maybe I should just stay home and learn how to cook brownies?

 

Do I also need a 12"-lifted, custom off-road vehicle too before I start frequent field work? How about a $20,000 audio system for call blasting and audio analysis?

 

So, let me get this right...you surrounded yourself with ALL of the tools known to science before you ever started field work?

Edited September 4, 2017 by wiiawiwb

[SWWASAS]

You asked the question but don't like the answer?     The fact is,  like it or not,    that you will spend more in gas money than the equipment you can carry if you do much field work at all.     What I did not say is the first thing I did was invest in a good DSLR with several long lenses.    All told about $1500 in camera gear.     But after carrying them around for a while,   simply got tired of carrying all that weight around and got a small camera for a fraction of the cost that has as good of telephoto that will shot video too.    You did not ask what people use but wanted a comparison between camera and camcorder.         Your camcorder and camera might put you in the same weight situation.    Call blasting?    Have at it!     All you will succeed in doing is getting some BFRO people excited while driving any BF in the county away.  . FLIR?    You obviously have not been on the forum long enough to know what the problem with FLIR pictures is.    Low resolution of even the best FLIR will have skeptics lining up to claim that what you have is just a human with or without costume or a cow.  And you will not be able to prove otherwise.   

[wiiawiwb]

Who the heck are you to prescribe a narrative that if I can't afford "X" that I probably should not start frequent field work? Do you think you are the divine arbiter of of who decides under what circumstance people should start field work? You are the be all and end all?

 

For the record, I've been in the field for a number of years. Also, for the record, the financial new worth of just about anyone on this forum would them to buy a camcorder, FLIR, or anything else their little heart desires, for field use. People choose to spend it or not. Life is about choices.

 

I'm in the field to get a sighting of my own and not trying to proven anything to anyone, particularly people like you.

Edited September 4, 2017 by wiiawiwb

[SWWASAS]

I am not an arbiter of anything.   Buy what you want.     You asked for opinions then have ranted since I gave one.   My intent was to keep you from wasting the kind of money I have wasted on unneeded gear.     I hope you noticed,  based on your reaction to me,  there has not been a lot of response from others.    Those who start a thread and use them as a means to rant,  usually have problems staying on this forum.       

 

[wiiawiwb]

If your intent was to keep me from buying frivolous gear, then you should have stated that. You didn't, however.

 

Instead, you said if I can't afford both, then just don't bother to go squatching. I don't think anyone would take kindly to that type of advice. It was in poor taste and unrelated to the original question I posted.

Edited September 8, 2017 by wiiawiwb

[TritonTr196]

If I had to make a choice between solely a video camera or solely a camera I would choose the video camera.

 

But nowdays both does each. So I would choose a camera that had decent zoom with video capability. If a good zoom isnt required then a video camera like a nice gopro is excellent as you can always take a stillshot of a picture from the video that will be as high quality as any still camera along with amazing video footage.. I carry both in the field but I only use the still camera if i want to take shots of a so called tree structure, or footprint, or to zoom in on something very far away if something catches me eye.

Edited September 9, 2017 by TritonTr196

[wiiawiwb]

Thanks everyone. A lot of my work is done by means of backpacking into areas that are far off the beaten path with little human traffic. I then go off trail and setup where no stray hiker will pass through.

 

This approach obviously precludes me from loading up a vehicle and hauling in everything that will fit in it. Limited space so it forces me to make choices about what I bring. I plan for every ounce and things compete on the importance scale for occupancy in my pack.  A gram weenie in the vernacular.

 

The camcorder goes off the list. Thanks again.

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2017 by wiiawiwb

[MIB]

Speaking in a speculative way .. and inviting comment .. some of the thermal imagers have recording capability via an "out port".    I suppose one possible use for a camcorder, if you had one that was compatible, would be to record the video feed out from a thermal imager.   That would be one possible use.

 

However, my work is also done backpacking into remote places.   Aside from carrying trail cams for long (a year) term deployment, I try to travel fairly light.   I carry 1-2 very small audio recorders, a small digital camera, probably 12 ounces total, and my hiking / camping gear.   I'm not lugging a bunch of stuff around to set up a base camp, I'm really backpacking .. traveling, exploring.   Those things are first priority chosen to put me in a place bigfoot might be.  I'm not bigfooting with the other things as an afterthought.

 

MIB

Edited September 9, 2017 by MIB

[wiiawiwb]

If I were trying to document the existence of sasquatch, then I would approach things much differently. I'm not trying to document it at all. My sole objective is to see one. I don't need to prove anything to my family or friends and they know that. 

 

MIB, you just hit on something. I would be probably best served to get a thermal imager.  My eyes will allow me to see a sasquatch by day and the thermal imager by night. That's all I need. Forget the camera, forget the camcorder. A thermal imager is the way to go. One piece of equipment to backpack in.

 

The FLIR Scout (TK, II and III) is an affordable piece of equipment. Ok...now which one?

[Explorer]

Wiiawiwb,

 

I bought a FLIR unit (BHS-XR Command) last year and am happy with it.

When I go camping solo, it provides an extra layer of security because I can clearly see what is near camp at night.  The heat signatures are clear but if the target is hiding behind a tree (or bush), you won’t see it.  It sure helps me sleep better when I can see that the creature that is moving behind the bushes at night is just a deer. It avoids wasting time chasing shadows and noises at night.  It lifts the veil of darkness.

 

Disadvantages of unit are:

• Heavy unit (so I backpack with it only on short trips; mainly use it in car camping trips).

• Uses a lot of battery power.  However, you can use 4 AA lithium batteries if you ran out of power on the rechargeables.  When car-camping you can recharge with car engine, but when backpacking you need to bring plenty of extra batteries.

• Does not have audio recording (no big deal to me, since I always bring an audio recorder and place it on field).

• Expensive (but if you don’t care about having video capability or high quality images, then you can find less expensive units).

When I go backpacking, I usually take my camcorder for day time and i-phone for photos (both are light weight).  My sighting occurred in day-time while I was solo backpacking.  After getting over the shock of the sighting, I took my video camera, exited my tent, and went out to the area where I saw the creature and looked for evidence and to check if it was still hanging around.   But it was gone.  Nonetheless, I am glad that I had my video camera because I recorded the incident just a few minutes after the sighting and I don’t care about proving it to anybody either.  This video recording (which has no evidence whatsoever) is for me to remember that this was a real event and to remember the location/environment/situation.

 

In summary, I use video-camera when hiking in day-time and use FLIR when at camp at night.

 

I think you can find a lightweight FLIR unit that you can take backpacking.  If you can spare the cost, then buy it because it will open the night for you.  IMHO, you should pay the extra money to get video capability.  Not because it will provide any scientific proof, but because it will confirm to yourself that what you saw was real.

[bipedalist]

In regard to the lightweight camcorders.   Michael Greene IIRC used a thermal unit tied into a dvr with motion detection in the back of a minivan in his "Squeaky' video of putative BF from the Uwharrie mtn range area of NC..  

 

His setup could be duplicated (with wiring and a lightweight camera bag) using an Aiptek HD handheld unit of very light weight with DVR capabillity.  I believe there is also a movement activation setting that can be programmed with it.   It is the ultimate "fake camp" setup device.  I tested one with a handheld MX-1 thermal unit and the only disadvantage is that your visible video output does not allow you to use the viewfinder of the thermal it videos out to the dvr lcd.   It was at least near 1080p on one setting and advertised as such but not sure on the fps setting to get there.  

 

A former mod on this forum used such a setup in Norcal as I remember and spoke highly of the portability.  In these days of FLIR memory devices it is a little primitive though.   Very portable though. 

Edited September 10, 2017 by bipedalist

[MIB]

6 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

If I were trying to document the existence of sasquatch, then I would approach things much differently. I'm not trying to document it at all. My sole objective is to see one.

 

Right.  We're in a little different place on that.   I've seen two, almost certainly a third.   Seeing one?  Mission accomplished.   I am indeed interested in documenting, not because I want to prove existence, but because when someone else finally does, I want me to be ready with show and tell.  

 

MIB