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Prototype life recorder

From:
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:32:02 -0400

Hi all,

Does anyone know any small cameras that have:
- Good color balance. Doesn't have to be fantastic, just realistic.
- Completely silent operation
- Small size
- Big storage. Ideally, expandable storage using replacable cards.
- Ability to timestamp photos, either on the image or in the file name.

I'm building a prototype life recorder using a small digital camera,
but it has some drawbacks that the above list would remedy. The model
I'm using right now is the DV4500, made by mustek. I used this camera
because I happened to already have it, and a 1Gb card for it.

I have hacked the camera so that I can trigger it with a 555 timer
circuit. According to my math, I can get one picture every 5 seconds
for 17 hours before the card fills.

There are two drawbacks to this camera for use as a life recorder.

The first is that the color balance isn't much good. Red comes out
oversaturated, and everything else looks muddy. Sometimes, black
objects look dark red. I'm beginning to suspect oversensitivity to IR.

The second is that it makes a two-stage clicking noise every time it
takes a picture. This click comes from a mechanical shutter, and may
be crucial to the working of the camera. It also stands a
better-than-even chance of driving me nuts if I hear "ka-click" every
5 seconds for days.

A tripod mount point would be great, but not required. That is what
I'm using to connect it to a shoulder mount.

If anyone is interested, I can a full day of recording in some
convenient place as a data set for people interested in working with
life recording data procesing (or just interested in what I do all
day).

-Abe

Amazon link to the camera
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000T8BB6/103-0915728-0021417?v=glance&n=502394

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