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  #11  
Old 07-29-2020, 10:37 PM
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Just a little more as I play with the camera a bit. The frame is oriented such that if the control button is on top the image is right side up. That will put the rocket on one side of the image, which, now that I think of it, isn't bad.

I haven't found a way to turn off the timestamp altogether as you can with some 808 camera variants. As received mine was set about 14 hours ahead of local time (which is PDT). The creation/editing of time.txt works just as the included documentation says.

It gets kind of warm while being charged, at least off one of the ports on my MacBook Pro here. But using a USB-B to C adapter the Mac talks to it just fine and the .avi videos play fine in QuickTime player.

Time to go assemble the model so that it will be flyable tomorrow.
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  #12  
Old 07-29-2020, 10:53 PM
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Ooh, I hope there is a way to turn the time stamp OFF!! I hate that feature on consumer cameras...pro video cameras don't even go there. It is fine if it is a quick 'on/off' type button, and is kinda of handy even to date and time stamp a segment of footage, but ONLY at the very beginning for a couple seconds, then take it off. But to have that 'on-screen' during the entire video just ruins otherwise (hopefully) perfectly good video footage!

Ever see date/time stamps on 'news' footage? ...Hollywood films?? Of course not, and they should not HAVE to be on this kind of footage, either.

Ok, gripe mode off (and NOT directed at you certainly, Bernard).

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  #13  
Old 07-29-2020, 11:22 PM
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Yeah, I'd like to be able to turn it off, too. I tried both of the usual ways to do it via the time.txt file and they didn't work. Maybe someone else can discover it.

I tried looking for this little camera separately and actually didn't find anything quite so compact and capable. I hope Estes has a good pipeline to this particular device.
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  #14  
Old 07-30-2020, 08:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl
Ooh, I hope there is a way to turn the time stamp OFF!! I hate that feature on consumer cameras...pro video cameras don't even go there. It is fine if it is a quick 'on/off' type button, and is kinda of handy even to date and time stamp a segment of footage, but ONLY at the very beginning for a couple seconds, then take it off. But to have that 'on-screen' during the entire video just ruins otherwise (hopefully) perfectly good video footage!

Ever see date/time stamps on 'news' footage? ...Hollywood films?? Of course not, and they should not HAVE to be on this kind of footage, either.

Ok, gripe mode off (and NOT directed at you certainly, Bernard).

Earl

And even if you keep everything charged, next time you use it the dang thing is 13 years and 4:37 off the correct date and time! ....approximately.
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  #15  
Old 07-30-2020, 12:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEC
YI tried looking for this little camera separately and actually didn't find anything quite so compact and capable. I hope Estes has a good pipeline to this particular device.

I'm encouraged by this, but will await some real flight footage to properly evaluate.

I've long been an advocate of Estes offering a modern camera, thinking that it would be attractive to casual retail shoppers whose kids are tech-obsessed and jaded, and therefore would draw more kids into the hobby. Now I guess we get to test that theory, although I don't know how to measure the results.
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  #16  
Old 07-30-2020, 04:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neil_w
I'm encouraged by this, but will await some real flight footage to properly evaluate.

I've long been an advocate of Estes offering a modern camera, thinking that it would be attractive to casual retail shoppers whose kids are tech-obsessed and jaded, and therefore would draw more kids into the hobby. Now I guess we get to test that theory, although I don't know how to measure the results.


I’d say if we see a growing presence of Estes products on mainstream retailers shelves we’ll know. Will those items be things that get us old-timers excited? Maybe, but my guess is more things like the Astrocam and Rocket Science set, fun stuff for school age kids. But more income from those things means more things for us “big kids”
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  #17  
Old 07-31-2020, 01:39 AM
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I put six flights on one today. The camera itself seems to work pretty well. Here is the one where everything worked as intended including the descent with the nose cone hanging base down so the camera looks down.

More thoughts about the model as a whole later.

https://youtu.be/lregGzlUVww

This video is straight off the camera card with no editing, no processing of any kind (except whatever YouTube did to it).
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  #18  
Old 07-31-2020, 04:50 AM
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Nice!
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  #19  
Old 07-31-2020, 07:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Royatl
The new Astrocam from Estes has arrived on the shelves of Target Department Stores, and I picked one up tonight in Kennesaw, GA for $59 bucks.

The kit comes with a Porta Pad II and Electron Beam controller, a fairly standard E2X kit with a longish, pre-colored BT50 body tube, and a couiple of motors: B6-4 and C6-5. A coupon is included for a free pack of B6-4s in exchange for you entering info on the Estes website.
The kit comes with a special nose cone to receive the camera, and some rubber bands to assist in holding the camera on the nose cone.

Then there's a wad of bubble wrap, with a label saying "DON'T THROW THIS OUT!!" (well, words to that effect) Inside is the camera.

The camera appears to be an off-the-shelf device (i.e. made for general use, not specifically for the rocket). It's a nice ovaloid shape. There is a button on one of the flat sides. There is a slot in one of the long edges which has a 16GB Micro SD card. Press in to unlatch it and pop it out, press in again to lock it in. On one of the ends is a tiny hole where the lens (and probably microphone) is. The other end slides off, revealing a standard USB 2.0 connector. The first thing you do is plug the camera into a usb port with power in order to charge the 3.7v LiPo battery. It takes two-three hours to charge. It discharges in 40 minutes.

The camera shoots video at 1080p, 30 frames per second. Saves video files as .AVI. You can shoot stills 2560x1440 on .JPG files. You can access the files with your computer just by plugging the camera into a USB port. Or you can take the SD card and put it into your computer. 16GB is enough fro 90 minutes of video. The camera will accept up to a 128GB card.

My camera is charging at this moment and I'll update this thread later.
Are you sure it's BT-50? *This* https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/estes_astrocam.htm Estes Astrocam listing in AC Supply's catalog shows a 1.34" diameter (the body tube, not the camera section) 1979 Estes Astrocam 110, with an updated blue-and-black decor scheme. The camera is also, I was surprised to see, a *film* camera using 110 film--the listing text says:

*******

EST1327
Fully assembled 110 Rocket Camera Nose Cone!
Easier to use shutter release!
Takes Photos From Low Altitude (B6-4) or High Altitude (C6-7)
Includes a FREE roll of Kodak Gold 110 Color Film
Quick building. No painting required!
The Estes Astrocam 110 is back and better than ever! The Estes rocket camera nose cone has a newly redesigned shutter release that makes it even easier to set up. Includes a FREE 24 exposure roll of Kodak Gold 110 color print film. (ASA400) Launch it on B6-4 for close up low altitude photos or take it to the limit on a C6-7 for high shots.
Film developing and prints not included. Film sold separately also.

Specifications:
Length: 18.4" (46.7cm) Diameter: 1.34" (34mm)
Max Altitude: 500ft (152 meters) Recovery:12" Parachute
Fins: Plastic Engines: B6-4, . C6-7
All Estes orders totalling $500.00 will receive another 10% off
(That equal to 40% off the list price).
This discount will not be reflected on your shopping cart, but will be deducted from your invoice!
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  #20  
Old 07-31-2020, 07:39 AM
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AC supply is full of dead pages. The new rocket has the same name but is a completely different rocket.

https://www.target.com/p/astrocam-v...et/-/A-79405312
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