- Sid S
- Dom B
- Phil T
- Marie-Claude D
- Luc M
- Scott S

One thing to add.
Cameras mounted on to rifles and then aimed at people is VERY VERY bad !

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Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1

I cant do it
I have two trips into Canada for working cons (both in Vancouver) this year, one was in April
then next is in Aug

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"Chief Bartender for the Naughty Corner Bar"

Carpe Crustulum!! (seize the cookie!!)

Maybe next year when you have you Marine kit!

'Nuff said.

During the sweep I didn't see a problem with the FPS setup (hell the security folks and many others loved the footage) but I get what you're saying. However I have already been working on a fix to make it more user friendly and even better while being easier to record and carry both it and the rifle.

Also working on an idea to mount it to the headset or even the armour itself, inspiration hit me from the most unlikeliest source - details to follow.

Random question since I can't find the old Nukes, Knives and NERF thread: The NERF Vulcan already has a designation as a grenade launcher yes? I think Kevin did it up but I'm remiss in finding the thread. There's an idea floating in a black hole disguised as my brain to modify the appearance to make it into a variation of the Smart Gun by lengthening the barrel and adding a few other fixes... should I run with it?

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

If it involves taking the camera off your PR and mounting it anywhere else (except the barrel of another weapon) I'm all for it.

I'm glad Scott said something. Sid- It really doesn't matter how many people thought the gun mounted camera was cool---

My fear (which I am not alone in) is that randomly pointing your PR (because you are using it to take video footage) at a crowd of complete strangers at the hotel might eventually scare someone. You take a big chance every time you do it.

If I decided to mount a tiny camera (say from a cellphone) inside the barrel of a .357 to take pictures of strangers... how many of us would think this was a potentially bad idea?

Like it or not we live in an age where guns are becoming more and more (for lack of a better term) "politically incorrect" in the public's eye. Especially in Canada where guns were never common place to begin with.

Certainly I've brought realistic guns to Polaris. However I don't point them at anyone, even when my picture is being taken. Aside from not wanting to take any chances, pointing a gun at someone no matter how harmless it might be is considered rude.

Cops have walked right past me while I'm openly carrying these replica guns, and I still get nervous.

Not trying to come down on you Sid, but as I said- if you are abandoning the gun camera thing, more power to your new idea.



I can kinda picture what you have in mind (the rear grip section and forward handle are smartgun-ish)- I say go for it!

My plans to attend Polaris this year are unfortunately up in the air. However should I decide I can make it you guys might have a "downed pilot" as an objective for the sweep.

Kevin

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

The one very workable idea especially if the other falls flat involves mounting it on the PR, however the PR remains in an upward carry position, similar to trail carry (yeah I finally went for my restricted/non-restricted PAL and got edumacated on firearms ) so that the rifle barrel points upwards while the camera mounted closer to the magazine receiver farces forward allowing me to keep the PR in a neutral/safe position while keeping the camera secured and able to record.

Heck lemme get a photo of what I'm toying around with before heading to work tonight

Regardless it was an idea for last year and security cleared the setup I had - but I won't be repeating the previous attempt at any more cons.





I think we're thinking the same thing in this think fest, however my idea involve lengthening both the barrel and past behind the trigger and rigging up to either an ALICE frame or some other cheap Steadicam replacement and going from there.



Especially considering the lack of Predators or Bugs this year I really like this option, a rescue mission vs Search and get Destroyed

EDIT - Here's what I've got so far - quick and dirty setup. Again this I feel is a more than reasonable fix to the issue and it's far more comfortable to carry it like this and I will make it look better by adding material found such as green and black mesh. This would do well to serve as a backup set up should the camera not agree with mounting to the armour or the headset

Please ignore the obvious text formatting issue on the bottom pointer, I'm tired and sore

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

I wasn't really trying to start a whole conversation on this, so I apologize about the thread deviation.
However, my thoughts on this is as follows.
Putting a camera on a weapon is pretty much a bad idea in my opinion.
So now instead of pointing it at people during a colony sweep, you will have to walk/run around with your pr pointing straight up.
I just don't think it works.
I know we are at a place where there are people who are familiar with costumes and the such.
It still doesn't matter.
You don't point a weapon at someone unless you intend on using it.
Fake, nerf, or otherwise.
I don't know if you own a motion tracker, but that may lend to pointing at people in a friendlier way.
Certainly a helmet cam would be fine.
Heck, go as a combat photographer.
Again this is my opinion, but I think if someone wants to be a camera man/photographer, that is a job in itself.
So be part of the sweep, if it happens, or record it and be happy doing that.

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Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1

No probs, here's my take on it...



Exactly, I keep the PR at all times in a safe position



Established and see above quote, I won't be aiming the PR at anyone or anything.



I'd love one, can you sell me one cheap ? Hell if you're willing and own one I could mount my video camera on it!



If I can make it work, absolutely! Main issue to overcome is the weight imbalance as well as having to mount the camera on the left side (of the wearer) of the helmet.



Tried that with my minicam at DragonCon 2008, didn't look the greatest.


... Yeah I didn't know it was an issue until mentioned this weekend, about 10 months afterwards, however I was already in the process of changing things up and this will let me take pictures/video which is a main reason above costuming why I enjoy cons.

Like I said, I'm still working on a fix... if I go with this version it may alter the appearance on one side of the PR a bit however it will be more than safe/people friendly.

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

Does your camcorder have video-in? You can get a reasonably small bullet-cam from ebay etc for relatively cheaply.

I know video-in on European cams is restricted to high-end/pro MiniDV, but that is because the EU tax system classes camcorders with such a feature as VCRs and charges 3x as much tax!

Sadly no it does not, good thinkin' though I do like this minicam and what it can do for such a tiny but still kinda heavy to wear on the head.

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

I love your ingenuity Sid, but I will repeat what the other guys are saying.. gun-cam=bad-cam.

Kevin, we don't have any extra-terrestrial targets for this year... but I think a good selling point would be the speech you give before the sweep. We normally do this far away from any onlookers... this could be done in a higher traffic area... would make good drama. How would you feel about this?

It's confirmed, we have our synthetic for this year's sweep.

- Sid S
- Dom B
- Phil T
- Marie-Claude D
- Luc M
- Scott S
- Ernst
- Chantale

I just wish someone would have spoken up earlier than just a few days ago. But hey the people have spoken and that's that, see you in July, hopefully (job may interfere and will have to say screw it).

EDIT - dammits another idea hit me and well considering that the folks here have something to say about it I may as well check first on it...

Can I attach an assembly from a medium sized camera tripod and have it peer over my right shoulder? It would sort of look like the shoulder light and the tripod would likely be situated diagonally across the back of the armour, I could cover it with some burlap or something to make it less conspicuous.

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

I tried mounting the camera on the RACAL headset... Too heavy.

I tried mounting the camera on the shoulder armour... some potential but too much wobble.

Then it hit me... Why not on the side of the chestpiece!?!



There, I think that solves it

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

Looks good... you might want to consider the left side to not interfere with your weapon on the right.

I've been remiss: Porkchop and Brodie have been added to the Meatgrinder, awesome!

Thanks Dom and yes I was thinking that too, the problem with that is being able to adjust the viewpoint of the camera as needed due to shifting, but I think we're well on our way with this setup

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

I just wish someone would have spoken up earlier than just a few days ago.

Sid, until recently I wasn't even really thinking about Polaris.
So the matter of you waving your gun around really hadn't come to mind either.

Can I attach an assembly from a medium sized camera tripod and have it peer over my right shoulder?

There is no need to ask for permission to do anything.
As far as I know there are no rules or restriction to any of us as individuals.

I really want to make one thing clear.
This was not an attack on you Sid, and it was never meant to be personal.
So I hope it wasn't taken that way.
I know that you having a camera on a gun is not going to hurt anyone or cause any harm.
Most people in the con area are probably the same.
But all it takes is one single extreme acting person, and it could really end the fun for not just us, but all the convention goers.
I was at an Ad Astra one year where there was a police convention happening the same time, it was tense.
The pro life convention at the same time..that was different.
Anime North does not permit any sort of real looking, or metal weapons.
So far we have not come up against those restrictions.
By acting responsibly and voicing our concerns to one another, hopefully we can avoid stresfull situations, and continue to have a good time.

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Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1

Dude, it's all good. If I was to take something as a personal attack, trust me that person would know it When I ask for feedback it's to get help and make sure I'm on the right path

So yeah, do you like the new camera setup concept? I really do.

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

If its not attached to the gun....I like it
Its cool that you have a camera,with the added enthusiasm of actually wanting to use it on us.

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Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1

Cool. It's not just using it on us, I like having a camera handy to take shots at conventions but with all the gear to wear and carry even having it mounted there and turned off makes it much easier to take photos/video on the go instead of fumbling around and trying to get it out of the case

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

I know this thread keeps going off topic, yet semi related But I had to show you something I found today at the local Flag Raiders shop. For $60 I found a decent knock off set of ACU style camo including the hat, it was a sampler they brought in but nobody showed interest.

It pretty much jumped off the rack and threw me into the changing area to try it out and then begged to be taken home.



I liked how the fractal pattern on the armour worked with Multicam, but this is right out there

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

Sid, I may be interested in that uniform for a 405th Infantry costume... do you have access to more?

And while I'm at it tonight, check out the latest results of playtime in the workshop

The trouble I was having mounting the camera to the head stemmed from putting on additional weight in the form of a tripod and other attachments - then I went back to the basics and stood back in awe while worshiping at the Temple of Adhesive Velcro.



Yes I know the helmet isn't correctly setup, it was set aside to just go with a more comfortable cloth hat.

... Got to run some reliability/potential camera overheat tests but so far looking good

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

Huh?

http://www.tcon.ca/polaris/modules/content/index.php?id=219

In their sidebar menu the 501st event is listed as the Colony Sweep?

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Sid, that Jayne Cobb (Firefly) & Snake-Eyes (GIJoe) costumer & member of
"Baldwin's Badasses" UAS MacDonald - A07/TQ1.0.12147E1 Rank PFC

So ... now the 501st do the colonie sweep !?!?!? WTF ??

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A07/TQ2.0.72153E1 Cpl. Philippe "Locke" Turcotte