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Pond survey camera suggestions?

Started Jul 18, 2020 | Discussions thread
PHXAZCRAIG
PHXAZCRAIG Forum Pro • Posts: 19,651
Re: Pond survey camera suggestions?

Someone recently asked about streaming video from some sort of underwater camera to be used at the edge of a pond. Nobody could figure a way to get the data off the camera while in use.

I'm thinking along these lines. This is out-of-the-box thinking, so anything that is impractical you need to re-engineer.

My concept for the rig itself is something fixed-focus at the peak of a small underwater tripod. The feet of the tripod can be big padded balls to protect the liner. Some sort of trigger mechanism is built into the rig that triggers a shot when the camera is on the bottom, perhaps by a pressure switch, perhaps a remote trigger. As for the type of camera you could use, I'm thinking a smart phone in a Kraken case ($299). I don't know how cell phone signals travel through water, but perhaps it may be able to stream far enough?

The rig might be built with some sort of lighting added to give the camera a chance s seeing something, especially if using video.

Above water you have alignment issues. I was thinking you might be able to mount strings across the top of the pond that you could use to align to as you moved a boat underneath them.

As for tree branches, are you prepared to perhaps try to remove them as you come upon them?

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Phoenix Arizona Craig
www.cjcphoto.net
"In theory, practice and theory are the same. In practice, they're not."

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