Hi
I am still looking into how I can film myself when solo walking, skiing and mountaineering in Iceland and Greenland where every ounce or gram is very important. Less is more so to speak.As I have to carry/haul everything on my own I have to be careful about carrying heavy video kit. My thoughts so far are a waterproof bullet cam which I can mount on my climbing helmet, back pack or pulk harness and at the end of a ski pole. These use AA batteries and my solar charger will top up four AA's easily. I would like some kind of harness such as the one Ben Fogle used On Thin Ice so that the cam could be out front of me for a head on POV. I could use the same or another bullet cam on one of my skis for an interesting POV. Operating temperatures in Iceland in the winter will be -10 to -20 with windchill driving that up to -40 and in Northern Greenland -30 to -40 with windchill driving that up to -70 brrrrrrrrrrr. So tape is really not going to work as it will probably freeze! I may have to use a DVR recorder which is tapeless. Then I am wondering which small tapeless cam to carry, perhaps the JVC HM-1000. Does anyone have any idea what kit was used on The South Pole race? Sound will be recorded with a short shotgun and rycote windjammer. My finished film will go onto the web and maybe the Kendal Mountain Festival, so do not need broadcast quality here, but I would like to do the best I can. When I get back all will be edited in FCS on the Mac. I may have got is sussed, but any and all suggestions however wacky would be welcome....Ben and James were able to go to MIRA and use their wind tunnel to simulate freezing conditions, not having that budget I need to go and sit in the freezer for a bit.....
Wow! Not much useful advice I can offer to you, but.... good luck!! Sounds a fascinating trip!
I may have to use a DVR recorder which is tapeless. Then I am wondering which small tapeless cam to carry, perhaps the JVC HM-1000.
Hi Dawn,
My only experience in these conditions is from Ski holidays.
Agree with your train of thought that moving motor (minidv) MAY be bad choice.
Atleast it has a track record.
Regarding solid state cards etc, I agree with your logic, but would check others haven't been let down, lack of moving parts doesn't mean freezing functions is avoided.
Specs for camera can only be indicative as no doubt you will be going below any given temp range for reccomended usage. If cards are mounted near/on outside of the camera, this means they are prone to weather, freezing and accidental damage.
I'd avoid the format that uses MINI DVD (as distinct from miniDV) as:
1)spinning disc/laser is still a moving part
2)its compressed storage format means quality will likely be lost in edit stage.
Batteries are quickly consumed in the cold, an hours charge can be reduced to a few minutes. I reccomend some sort of warm pouch for the camera, for filming as well as storage.
I note you have solar charger.
What if its white out conditions? Not much to film i guess.
Don't know if one of those manual winders for mobiles are available for AA batteries - may require too much physical effort?
Many cameras have functions in menu. I'd try to find camera with controls usable when gloved. A polarsising filter may be handy for the harsh light.
If you email a few m/f's technical depts, they may give you good advice and perhaps even loan you a camera to test!
This thread may help.
http://forums.dvdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=42335&page=2&highlight=freezing
I consider myself adventurous, but I find your 'solo' plan scarey.
Best of luck.
Hi guys
Thanks for your replies/suggestions.
I did mail the usual suspects, JVC, Sony, Panasonic to ask what they suggested and the chance to review a camera for my magazine, but only Sony replied and when I followed up I did not get anywhere. So undaunted, I called up JVC and asked to review the HM-1000 and am now on a list for a demo cam.....for a day. Still better than nought. I can film on the hill and then climb into the domestic chest freezer on fast freeze and see how it copes. I hope to talk a friendly butcher round to letting me sleep over in his cold store which he keeps at -30. Yeah, I guess it is scarey Dave, but if this Iceland goes well, then I will move on to the high polar trek across NE Greenland and that really is a scarey full on place. Anyway enough of this posticulating. The HM-1000 has a ND filter built in and quite a few manual controls. The SD cards are hidden on the side. I have a new solar charger on the way that will charge camcorder batteries. As you say in a white out not much to film, but I shall certainly try and glue the tripod to the ice and film my putting up the tent in storm and severe conditions as well as recording boring days of not much going on. I was trying out a mountain tent from The North Face on my lonesome earlier in the year and the winds were gale force and the snow became a white out, even there. Brilliant tent though. I see my video review has 300 views now on YouTube, so I am quite pleased with that.
Sony do a small POV camera with a separate card based recorder.
That looks just the job Dave.
Note: although it says camera unit is splashproof, at bottom it warns against getting recorder unit wet.
A tad expensive for extreme sports where damage is more likely than the norm.
Even if Sonys silver support is offered for this unit, I suspect it may be a long wait for them to reach Iceland / Greenland.
They warn about extended vibration - probably most relevant to cycle and motorbike handle bar mounting.
In flat terrain, the camera could be attached to telescopic pole above head to look for distant terrain and Polar bears.:eek:
I played with one at the braodcast show and I WANT ONE!!! Can't quite think what job I'd use it on tho