Video cam float

[Camanche killer]

Video cam 'Follower' float

Hi Jonny,

Really love this idea and look forward to the results....

How about some kind of a boom to drop the position of the town line, this way the line would enter the shot towards the bottom of the screen and hopefully not be to intrusive. Balance could be an issue......

Kev

 

[Jonny250]

Kev, yes i have had the same idea and may look at something like that if necessary. I could always just fit a fishing weight on the bridle line to keep it down.
Just finished the last sand and glass before attaching the body to the 'wing' [its not a wing], so will be ready for painting then ballasting tomorrow...

Tom a big thanks from me for the mono line sorry i wasn't in - i would have liked to show you the project and get your ideas!

 

[Jonny250]

more progress, although i had hoped to have it finished in time for a dive, it will have to wait for next time. here's some pics, the tube for the adjustable weights has been cut in, filled with resin in the inner end. Bath test to check flotation. cut-out for weights to be fitted. Plasticine around weights to hold them in place and provide fillets. All laminated in place:

 

[Jonny250]

I could have painted the whole thing with white topcoat, but it would only add weight and i'm not worried about looks, just want to get it in the water!!!
Here'e the finished item waiting for the last weights to go in the tube [2 x 10oz fishing weights for just more than neutral buyancy]. Gopro mount glued on too...:

 

[Magpie]

You're welcome Jonny.

Its only having seen the shot in the bath that I've got a true idea of quite how large it is! I presume its that big to make it a more stable platform, but it's going to create quite a lot of drag eh.

Look forward to seeing the shots you get from it though. Will that shape make it plane either up or down? I guess that might be adjustable by moving the weights to make it hang nose down or nose up in the water?

 

[Jonny250]

Tom yes its large to be a stable platform. Heavy too with 2kgs of lead, probably too big...
i'm not too worried about the drag. it does plane if the weights are not balanced, but as they are fitted it will just be a follower, i.e. lead by the tether.

 

[bobdonny]

Looks awesome! Well done!
But you'll surely need to paint the epoxy to protect it from UV?

I was thinking of something like a swim bladder that helped it float on the surface but released air as it dove... not sure how efficient that would be and would only prob be limited to a few m depth (or it would just go neg bouyant and sink).

Looking forward to seeing the vid

 

[Jonny250]

So i managed to get in the water today - poor vis and rather chilly!, but ok for a first test.
overall i am really really pleased with the success of the 'follower' - i need to make some tweaks to slow it down [it glides pretty quick] - but i got some good footage that shows the diver and the view ahead - where a fish might just be...
it self-rights very quickly if i capsize it and buoyancy is bang-on.
currently uploading some video...
here are some piccies:

 

[foxfish]

Bring on the vid... cant wait!

 

[Jonny250]

Here you go... [warning, no fish seen!!!]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STJNHxFXosA]Spearo follower-cam maiden voyage - YouTube[/ame]

 

[denian]

Great video Jonny like your thinking with the follower cam set up .How have you done it?I've been racking me brain to configure one !Take it the line is 4m to 5 m long ?How long has it taken you to get to this stage .?.Is the white tape on your back weight vest a marker so other lads with you can spot you?.......just looked back and seen the previous post !with pics....! doooh now ive read the whole thread fantastic stuning bit of engineering

 

[jerseymike]

Here you go... [warning, no fish seen!!!]
Spearo follower-cam maiden voyage - YouTube

that was great, good camera set up. What fishy did u see?

 

[Camanche killer]

Video cam 'Follower' float

Jonny,

Success really like the aspect when diving down, the deeper the dive the better the shot as it gives you a chance to take it in. I can see the footage of you hunting along the bottom working well in a conjunction with the mounted camera, almost like your own film crew.

When stationary you are slightly off centre, maybe a slight camera angle adjustment could solve this? BTW nice bubble rings

Closing scene with you gathering equipment was also great gives you the full back drop.

All in all a good trial run, good work.

 

[foxfish]

Jonny, you must be very happy with that result!!
That was just amazing, I never thought your project would work as well as that, it seems like the camera has an intelligent source with the way it pans around & also follows you!
I can hardly believe it works so well!!
Fantastic job mate.

 

[Yeti]

superb! well done Jonny! now you just need to make a few more for Aug!

 

[denian]

Think you had better painten it pritty quick mate. Thats just stunning what skill you have im gob smacked did you work for NASA or some thing?....... its just dawned on me its a ray ..i made one at school out of a coat hanger and paper mache` ...dont all great designs always lead back to nature.

 

[kevind]

Really nice idea, well done Jonny. I think it will work best with a second camera attached to the gun. The follower cam gives a great angle for showing the hunt and the gun camera would give good footage for the shot. Unfortunately where I dive the vis is not normally good enough.
Kevin

 

[Jonny250]

Thanks guys for the encouraging comments and feedback
Mike the only fish i saw was a small wrasse that i dropped down onto - it didnt hang around.
CamancheK i agree about the offset shot when stationary - its easily solved by adjusting the camera angle which takes a second to do, but i do quite like the 'looking ahead' aspect, so i went with that angle. i can widen the view on the gopro and then could get more in, but seeming further away...
ian i looked at patent and all that and have done the paperwork to protect the design, but theres nothing to patent - there's already boats and submarines that carry cameras so nothing 'new' as such. but thanks for the suggestion
I need to do a little more work and testing but will be looking at costs of tooling this week...

 

[grantl]

Video cam 'Follower' float

Brilliant Jonny - tbh I thought you wouldn't get much useable footage at all but that's really impressive. It's got real potential Id say.

 

[baiyoke]

Great job!!

There's a little bounce to it, when being pulled. Perhaps a more flexible part could be added to the rope, and/or a long rear stabilizer could be made (like an airplane).