OT: the Unimpeachable witness

[Grizz]

I want to suggest a piece of equipment we should all be armed with: video cameras. A digital still camera takes great video, they're cheap, and YouTube is our friend and may be our last free-speech opportunity once the unfairness doctrine gets reinstated.

When potential perps approach my door I flank them with my hand on the grip and a running camera in the left hand. You can have it on a strap around your neck to leave both hands free, it'll still capture the scene and sound. Video is great because it's got the sound recording too. Everyone will clearly hear me give instructions, and no one will be able to gainsay my after-action report. There is NOTHING like having an unimpeachable corroborating witness.

Remember to have a spare memory card to swap out so you can keep and MAKE COPIES of whatever your camera captures.

I use mine daily while driving to document agressive and incompetent drivers. If one of them involves me in an accident I'll have a witness. You would be surprised how fast a tailgater will back off when she discovers you're taping them.

[Hobie]

I want to suggest a piece of equipment we should all be armed with: video cameras. A digital still camera takes great video, they're cheap, and YouTube is our friend and may be our last free-speech opportunity once the unfairness doctrine gets reinstated.

When potential perps approach my door I flank them with my hand on the grip and a running camera in the left hand. You can have it on a strap around your neck to leave both hands free, it'll still capture the scene and sound. Video is great because it's got the sound recording too. Everyone will clearly hear me give instructions, and no one will be able to gainsay my after-action report. There is NOTHING like having an unimpeachable corroborating witness.

Remember to have a spare memory card to swap out so you can keep and MAKE COPIES of whatever your camera captures.

I use mine daily while driving to document agressive and incompetent drivers. If one of them involves me in an accident I'll have a witness. You would be surprised how fast a tailgater will back off when she discovers you're taping them.

Grizz,

My impression is that you actively look for high tech tools you use throughout your doings. This being a good one (I like to carry a camera to record game, license plate numbers, and generally neat things) as video can be better than still photos, what camera(s) do you recommend.

[Old Ironsights]

Of course, if you are Blonde the brand of camera might not matter...

[Hobie]

[Grizz]

Hobie,

I've used sony, canon and casio, each progressively higher resolution. The 8 mp casio is slim and I can carry it in my pocket. Its video is very disappointing, but still useful. That particular camera won't zoom the lens in while recording video without creating noisy unuseable stuff. My son's 7 mp casio produces great video and he can zoom while shooting.

What you get with the newer cameras is better software and slimmer form. I think anything over 7 mp is great for the purposes I mentioned. But even a 3 or 5 mp camera will settle disputes of fact, the higher resolution is nice because you get a lot more image detail if you need to zoom into a segment of an image.

The sound recording feature is very useful and it can silently record sound with the lens retracted so it doesn't draw attention to itself.

The newer cameras can use the newer high capacity SD cards, I just ordered a 4 gig SD card online for $7 delivered. That's about 2 hours of video. And a couple hundred high-def images. Be careful though because older cameras don't recognize the new HCSD cards. Have to match the memory technology with the camera technology.

Video works much better in low light or night scenes than stills, you can get useful information.

Kodak makes some very good and not very expensive cameras, but they seem to be large and klunky, not so good for pocket carry.

I won't go out in the car without a camera. Any incident or accident needs to be documented. I don't have a cellphone camera, but my next phone will definately have a camera in it.

Another issue is the battery setup. The casio I have uses a drop-in charger, it puts the camera out of action. It has the very best battery life of any device I've ever owned. I just don't like the cradle charging feature. Lithium-ion is the way to go for long battery life. Video consumes more battery power than stills. I have not worn out the battery but the camera gets the bubble test once the battery fails, it wouldn't pay to replace it.

Nikon is a brand I would trust as is panasonic. Sonys are good. Canons are good. And casios, except for the model I bought, are good too. There is a brand that you can download a software hack and endow the camera with a whole lot of new tricks. I forget which one, but I'll probably go that direction when I have to replace this one. I think you can find it on the gizmodo site or a similar geeky one.

Some cameras use a couple of AA batteries, these can be rechargeable. In some ways these are simpler. A big bunch of batteries at a big box store are pretty reasonable still, as long as you don't mind disposing of them and raising the temperature and sea level. JUST KIDDING !!

Also, for the purposes I mentioned you don't have to spend a lot of money. It's probably best not to because they get damaged easily, better to be able to replace it when you need to and have your personal witness with you always. I mean, the other party can't be trusted to be as honest as we are, and the camera sorts it out. It can also start a fight if someone is really belligerent. But I just laugh. (edit: I have no idea what I was thinking but it's so funny I'm leaving it there.)

I photograph cars and pedestrians on my street that I don't recognize.

I'm thinking of setting up better camera survailence and hooking it up to a patrol car light bar on the roof of my house to alert the entire block that my intruder alarm is tripped.

One more important tip, when shooting thru glass, like getting an image of someone on the street, or when shooting from a car, set the focus to infinity to prevent the computer attached to the camera lens from happily focusing on the bugs and dirt on the glass.

I'm sure I missed some things, I hope this helps.

Grizz

[Modoc ED]

If I were to catch you or anyone else taking an unauthorized (by me) candid picture of me, I would take your camera away from you or whoever and remove the card from the camera.

I feel I have a certain right to privacy and I will not allow either you or anyone else to violate my privacy.

One of these days you'll be taking a picture of someone in their vehicle or whatever and find yourself being accosted. You'd better be prepared for it.

I know that there are people out there doing just what you are describing but they need to be prepared for a confrontation -- verbal or physical.

[jnyork]

So, tell us how you take these pictures of these bad drivers and tailgaters all the while keeping both hands on the wheel, both eyes on the road and concentrating properly on your own driving.

[bogus bill]

I admit, had I had one in my past life it probley would have been nice once or twice. Now that I am retired and pretty much inactive, I belive I can get through life without one hanging around my neck. Kind of like guns I guess. I carried for a liveing over 35 years, now I have a ccw and very seldom carry. Through the years I seemed to have a knack, or nose when to carry, and obvisley its worked up to now anyway. The wife is big on carrying cameras, and a big camera buff. Sometimes she embarass,s me wanting to take pictures of cowboys etc. Yet though she carrys it almost all the time, you can bet she is going to miss a big picture the few times she doesnt!

[Grizz]

If I were to catch you or anyone else taking an unauthorized (by me) candid picture of me, I would take your camera away from you or whoever and remove the card from the camera.

I feel I have a certain right to privacy and I will not allow either you or anyone else to violate my privacy.

One of these days you'll be taking a picture of someone in their vehicle or whatever and find yourself being accosted. You'd better be prepared for it.

I know that there are people out there doing just what you are describing but they need to be prepared for a confrontation -- verbal or physical.

You're cracking me up Ed. If you're on my property without my prior consent you're already trespassing. You have no right to privacy. You do have the right to leave alive if you heed it.

If you're threatening me or my vehicle in any manner on public right away you have no right or expectation of privacy. You're in a public place, and anyone can record anything about it at any time. And trust me, you will be on camera if I regard you as a threat.

If you want privacy, don't cross me. You have no right to privacy on my property, or on any public property. Further, if you did steal my camera you've committed another crime. How is it you think you can do that with impunity? Apparently you think you are a law unto yourself.

Nothing but love for ya,

Grizz

[Modoc ED]

Don't need any love Grizz but you got my point.

Actually, nothing really personal to you. I'm just tired of the goody-two-shoes of the world and their cameras.

Anyway, all's good here.

[ccw9mm]

Actually, nothing really personal to you. I'm just tired of the goody-two-shoes of the world and their cameras.

Be tired ... but also be careful about whether you're willing to commit assault, battery or robbery to enforce your opinions of privacy in public on others. They'll have every right to resist having hands placed on them or having property robbed from them, if your being recorded results in force to stop the recording. That's a dangerous road, there, as your actions will make clear one thing: they have a right to stop your actions via the force required to stop it. As well, robbery is defensible via lethal force, in many places, so caution is due. You're not in Texas, are you??

Contact police if you believe such a misdemeanor has occurred, but have caution if believing a felony is legally supportable to stop that misdemeanor.

In Oregon, ORS 165.540 covers recording of communications and places certain limits on when such recordings are legal. Basically, all parties must be informed the conversation is being recorded, which essentially implies consent if you hang around and remain party to the discussion. (ie, the msg you hear when you're waiting to reach a customer service agent at a company you're calling, in which case continuing to speak on that call implies consent.)

One of these days you'll be taking a picture of someone in their vehicle or whatever and find yourself being accosted. You'd better be prepared for it.

Am reasonably prepared to resist any physical crime perpetrated against me, as (I hope) we all are.

You should re-read the applicable laws, apparently in regards to assault/robbery. In many places, public servants (particularly police) engaged in the their public duties have no legal expectation of privacy, in regards recordings of any sort. YMMV.

[Grizz]

I repeat myself a lot, so I'll just quote myself:

There is NOTHING like having an unimpeachable corroborating witness.

And so far this thread proves my point. And yeah, if you drive past my house on the public street and I don't recognize you as local, I will photograph you and your car and license plate. It's the neighborly thing to do.

Only the perps need worry about their images, right?

If they want privacy, they are free to remain private. The street isn't.

[Hobie]

can zoom while shooting. anything over 7 mp sound recording feature new HCSD cards Video in low light or night scenes Lithium-ion Nikon panasonic. Sonys Canons And casios, except for the model I bought, are good too. There is a brand that you can download a software hack and endow the camera with a whole lot of new tricks. I forget which one, but I'll probably go that direction when I have to replace this one. don't have to spend a lot of money. It's probably best not to because they get damaged easily when shooting thru glass, set the focus to infinity to prevent the computer attached to the camera lens from happily focusing on the bugs and dirt on the glass.

Did I distill that lesson correctly? I'm going to be looking now.

[Grizz]

can zoom while shooting. anything over 7 mp sound recording feature new HCSD cards Video in low light or night scenes Lithium-ion Nikon panasonic. Sonys Canons And casios, except for the model I bought, are good too. There is a brand that you can download a software hack and endow the camera with a whole lot of new tricks. I forget which one, but I'll probably go that direction when I have to replace this one. don't have to spend a lot of money. It's probably best not to because they get damaged easily when shooting thru glass, set the focus to infinity to prevent the computer attached to the camera lens from happily focusing on the bugs and dirt on the glass.

Did I distill that lesson correctly? I'm going to be looking now.

Yes Sir, you got your Christmas wish-list matrix in good order.