Barrel cameras?

[Big Mat]

Hello all,

 

Has anyone tried one of the cheaper barrel cameras of ebay or amazon, sub £100 range?

 

I've no desire to spend £500+ on a shotkam, I'm not shooting videos to share, just enough to see when/why I miss.

 

thanks

mat

[London Best]

2 hours ago, Big Mat said:

I've no desire to spend £500+ on a shotkam, I'm not shooting videos to share, just enough to see when/why I miss.

 

thanks

mat

Forget the camera and spend your money on a coach who knows what he is doing.

[Big Mat]

9 minutes ago, London Best said:

Forget the camera and spend your money on a coach who knows what he is doing.

I do spend money with a coach, but that coach doesnt then come and sit beside me on the foreshore to see why I'm missing geese.

 

Also, what does that have to do with cheap barrel cameras? Are you going to recommend one?

Edited January 2, 2022 by Big Mat

[archi]

You can pick up shotkam for around £350 but that I have used one though

some people seem to rate them, like most things in life you get what you pay for.

you could probably buy a used one for £350 use it a year and sell it for similar money so would be cheaper than the £100 ones off eBay etc that probably don’t work

[archi]

Reading further about the cheaper cameras I don’t think they have the ability to match to the POI or show the red dot or cross that the shotkam does

[buze]

I experimented a few years back with alternative cameras. I personally don't like the shotkam as it doesn't give you "context" -it's way too narrow fied- even for clay, if you can't see the hold, pickup points and the landscape, what's the actual point?

The alternative cameras I tried were much wider angle, and were more 'scenic' in many ways -- the ones I tired were cheap and only 30fps so you could barelly see the pellet cloud, but it was fun; only problem was always the mount for them, quite rubbish. 
It was a while back now, I don't think it should be hard to get a lot better these days -- but if get one, you can probably ignore the camera itself if the mounting system isn't adequate for a 12 bore explosion nearby..

One valid alternative is the aimcam. I got a pair, and that is quite fun  and definitely more "scenic" -- gives you a lot of context as it's wider angle, and it doesn't have the "mount" problem. The first model I had failed out of warranty, but the guys there were super helpful and just replaced it with a much newer model, which still works great.

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, look at a GORD VE F9 mini sports camera on U Tube by jungle explorer, ??

[billytheghillie]

Look on the bay of plenty, but search for mountain bike cameras as they are cheaper.

[Big Mat]

12 hours ago, buze said:

I experimented a few years back with alternative cameras. I personally don't like the shotkam as it doesn't give you "context" -it's way too narrow fied- even for clay, if you can't see the hold, pickup points and the landscape, what's the actual point?

The alternative cameras I tried were much wider angle, and were more 'scenic' in many ways -- the ones I tired were cheap and only 30fps so you could barelly see the pellet cloud, but it was fun; only problem was always the mount for them, quite rubbish. 
It was a while back now, I don't think it should be hard to get a lot better these days -- but if get one, you can probably ignore the camera itself if the mounting system isn't adequate for a 12 bore explosion nearby..

One valid alternative is the aimcam. I got a pair, and that is quite fun  and definitely more "scenic" -- gives you a lot of context as it's wider angle, and it doesn't have the "mount" problem. The first model I had failed out of warranty, but the guys there were super helpful and just replaced it with a much newer model, which still works great.

Thank you, I though someone would have experimented with them.

I've seen some that are 60fps which might be more suitable.

[Bobba]

I tried one of the cheap bullet cams. Waste of money. Too fiddly for real time pigeon shooting and the recoil destroyed any meaningful / useable footage. I have an Aircam. Getting direction set up on the camera prior to shooting is extremely difficult and fiddly and one knock when transporting in the glasses case and the setup is destroyed. Crock of messy stuff.

If you are successful in your endeavours please post your findings.

[steve s×s]

15 hours ago, Big Mat said:

I do spend money with a coach, but that coach doesnt then come and sit beside me on the foreshore to see why I'm missing geese.

 

Also, what does that have to do with cheap barrel cameras? Are you going to recommend one?

London Best at his best LOL 😀

[London Best]

5 hours ago, steve s×s said:

London Best at his best LOL 😀

All a camera will tell him is that he is missing geese. A coach should be able to tell him why.

[Big Mat]

9 minutes ago, London Best said:

All a camera will tell him is that he is missing geese. A coach should be able to tell him why.

Given that the cameras can show the shot, i'll be able to see if i'm consistenly behind or infront. A coach cannot tell me that from the clay ground. May i suggest unless you actually have a useful suggestion about camera choice, you naff off somewhere else. You're just an unpleasant old troll 

[Old farrier]

Here’s a couple from the shot cam 

they were both hits but you can see the shot different shot size 5….71/2 

hope this helps 

the camera isn’t quite zerod to the poa 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Old farrier

[billytheghillie]

16 minutes ago, Big Mat said:

Given that the cameras can show the shot, i'll be able to see if i'm consistenly behind or infront. A coach cannot tell me that from the clay ground. May i suggest unless you actually have a useful suggestion about camera choice, you naff off somewhere else. You're just an unpleasant old troll 

I like that, Unpleasant Old Troll  🤣

[old'un]

40 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

Here’s a couple from the shot cam 

they were both hits but you can see the shot different shot size 5….71/2 

hope this helps 

the camera isn’t quite zerod to the poa 

Were they going away clays or crossers?

[Old farrier]

19 minutes ago, old'un said:

Were they going away clays or crossers?

Up and away sort of springing teal 35..40 yards 

[London Best]

1 hour ago, Big Mat said:

Given that the cameras can show the shot, i'll be able to see if i'm consistenly behind or infront. A coach cannot tell me that from the clay ground. May i suggest unless you actually have a useful suggestion about camera choice, you naff off somewhere else. You're just an unpleasant old troll 

I think your last remarks are a little uncalled for. 
I did make what I considered to be the most useful suggestion: forget about the silly camera and invest your money with someone who can actually teach you to shoot. 
It’s not my fault if you didn’t appreciate my help.

[old'un]

26 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

Up and away sort of springing teal 35..40 yards 

I have never used one, I can see how they work on going away shots by showing the shot pattern in the air but not so sure it would tell you if you are missing in front or behind on crossing birds as you have no idea of where that pattern is in relation to the bird, now if you could look from above or below the bird and see the intersection point that would be helpful.

[Dougy]

Mate of mine has just bought one to record his shooting, looking at some of his shots it gives a really good idea of the amount of lead given. Ones perception of the amount of lead  required is yards away from another. 

 

[Old farrier]

3 hours ago, old'un said:

I have never used one, I can see how they work on going away shots by showing the shot pattern in the air but not so sure it would tell you if you are missing in front or behind on crossing birds as you have no idea of where that pattern is in relation to the bird, now if you could look from above or below the bird and see the intersection point that would be helpful.

It’s easier to see on the video but I can’t upload them so I had to get a couple of still shots it’s a useful aid and capture the moment when you do connect with your goose