Anyone know what that overhead camera is ?

[Wotto]

Hi all

Anyone know what the overhead camera system they use in the States is for filming the pinball comps and projecting them in perfect 16 x 9 resolution onto the plasma/ lcd screens?

Would a Go Pro be any good for this purpose? ( consider low lighting )

[swinks]

here is a photo of what stern did at the recent Michigan Pinball Show - hd video camera.

[swinks]

vid1900 from pinside has been really helpful

here is some helpful info for you wotto:

"Stern also brought AC/DC, hooked it up to an external speaker and had 2 cameras on it.
Camera one was trained on the playfield, and camera 2 was trained on the player's face!
Both were then played back on a 42" monitor above the game for everyone to see. It was funny to watch people biting their lip, throwing their heads back, wiping away tears..."

[Caveoftreasures]

Since I sell security cameras for a living, I can tell u that this camera will be one of two basic colour camera models.

Its either a HD 3mm lense/internet camera (yes, very basic colour web cam) or it will be a security style 1/3inch 3mm colour camera which will be rated around 450TVL. (450TVL means its not entry level, but close to it).

Since they had it hooked up to a 42 inch TV, it could have been a webcam hooked up to a computer, than a output running to a TV, or just a Security Camera hooked up to a Digital Video Recorder that again had outputs to a TV. All very easy to do.

The cost for something like this is less than $100 in my industry. 

[swinks]

Not to burst the bubble but it looks like it is a handy cam as there is a flip out screen.

[Caveoftreasures]

or A HANDYCAM .LOL  (again 3mm - 8mm vari-focal lense and rated at 450 TVL colour)  I couldnt see that detail in the photo, I am too old to see that small.

thats the end result of the picture technically anyway.

[swinks]

to be more specific a HD handy cam = 1080 lines awesome results for watching a game / mate on a screen.

[Caveoftreasures]

on the subject of finding a decent video camera, I recently did alot of research before buying the latest Cannon digital video camera, and found a few things that are easy traps for people who havent done alot of homework.

most of the stuff getting around these days in small camcorder/handycam body's is low definition and entry level at best. People get caught all the time and ask why is one model $299 and the other $899 or even double that price.   The answer is that all the cheap stuff is budget/entry level and is basic 550 TVL(half that of digital HD).   Also, interestingly, if a product (except Sony) is labelled camcorder/handycam it will 99 percent of the time be low resoloution, and not HD.
If the model has "video camera"next to it, it normally will be a HD digital high definition camera with double the performance of most handycam/camcorders.   The trick is to start looking at the "video camera" labbelled range and u cant go wrong, if that makes sense.

There is a reason most manufacturers label some models "Handycam/Camcorder" versus "Video Camera". You wouldnt think it makes a difference, but it does alot. Stay away from the camcorder/handycam stuff and go straight to the HD Video Camera labelled range. Its really worth paying the extra to get true HD. Play with a few at the shop and u can instantly tell which models are worth buying, and which ones just miss the mark by miles.

[Wotto]

So I am getting that these are custom made 'mounts' using wither a Hi quality webcam or at least a decent 'video camera'
Neither of which I have - yet 

Hey I like the way they came up with the idea of a camera shooting at your face - aaaaaaakwaaaaaaard 

[swinks]

vid1900 said
"It was a cheap JVC HD camera - nothing special at all.

Main thing is to have enough counterweight on the back side of the boom
stand to offset the weight of the camera."