Use of a digital camera for records

lilbees

Based on the forums I have been on lately, this camera holder was recommended. Take a look!

www.gscassociates.com/dcm.html

Pretty nifty........
Not too expensive, about $35 and will work with the LDS reader booth.

I have ordered this for my efforts. Hope it works for me. I know I could never hold the camera still long enough to get a good picture.

lilbees

lilbees

Forgot to add........

www.gscassociates.com/...Figure%204

Gives more detail on what you have to do for set and use with your camera.

lilbees

alanmercieca · Mem Joined: Oct 09, 2008 Posts: 77

Me I love inventing and reinventing things to make them better ..especially recipes

Although most of my material invention ideas are beyond my ability to make ...the camera holder idea that I have is the only one that I could make myself; so far. The idea is actually very simple

Maybe in April I could try to make a protocol!

I used to think that I could make big money by getting patents for my ideas although I would need to hire professionals to make protocols and that is very expensive and it's hard to know which inventions would do well

BillieDeKid wrote:

Your idea for your do-it-yourself sounds interesting. If you ever make a prototype please post a photo of it. A few people around here can tell you that I like to come up with my own designs for various things so I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with.

BillieDeKid · V.I.P. Joined: Oct 26, 2007 Posts: 1221 Location: Illinois

Lilbees - that looks like it might do the trick. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

alanmercieca - it's always worth taking a shot at making money with an invention. I've been involved in quit a few (designs for other people) over the past 30 years and it's an interesting process to go through to say the least.

giannattasio · New Member Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 23

Ciao ragazzi,
It is very easy to take photos with your digital camera of the microfilm and you do not need any extraordinary equipment. The must have is the portable tripod which can be purchased for about $8.00. I've taken hundreds of photos at the Family History Center and transcribe them at home. The photos come out much better than flash drive copies and you can then manipulate the images in your favorite photo program. I have taken photos from the microfilm viewer and the reader scanner both ways produce very good photos.
I use a camera with a 13x zoom, no flash, set to auto and a collapsible aluminum tripod that folds to the size of an umbrella. It has quick release leg locks, opens to a height of 53", with a 3 way 360 degree swivel panhead. All tripods have a standard 3mm mount that will accommodate any camera.
Our Family History Center charges .35 per printed copy also. In the time it takes you to set up the scanner you could take 10 photos for free.
The 1st doc was taken from the reader scanner, second from the viewer.

i269.photobucket.com/a...tripod.jpg

i269.photobucket.com/a...atrife.jpg

i269.photobucket.com/a...2morto.jpg

Eleven

Thats a nice crisp copy you got with the camera.

I am copying your info...just in case. Ya never know..lol

lilbees

The tripod you have is certainly more inexensive than what I ordered. I am certainly rethinking what I did.

Thanks so much
lilbees

giannattasio · New Member Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 23

I looked on ebay and they have new portable tripods exactly like mine with the telescoping legs for $8.95. If you are not a professional photographer you don't need anything more than this tripod has to offer. It's all about keeping the camera perfectly still when you shoot. With a handheld camera it is very difficult to not move the camera when you depress the button to take the photo. I also have the extra zoom on my camera which allows me to get a very close-up photo from a distance. I've not tried to use a camera that only has a 3x zoom so I'm not sure how that would turn out. Buona fortuna ragazzi.

Eleven

I am bumping this up because I am toying with the idea of going back to the FHL to continue with my mothers town. I have an FHL a half hour away. Its the one I used 16 years ago, when they didnt have the proper lens so they allowed me to view on the printer...which was very convenient for me. Recently, I was told by someone using this same FHL, that now..they wont even let the people use that printer, you have to have one of the volunteers use it. I am definitely not up for that. If I had to go there. I wouldnt print anything, I would just handwrite the info (which I dont want to do).

I then thought about contacting the next closest FHL. Its an hour away. I was going to call and ask if they had a scanner..but, now that I reread this thread, I am certainly not going to invest in a flashdrive, only to be charged per scan.

So..I am considering the camera. My husband got one for xmas and used it only to test it. I have no clue if it zooms or not...I will have to check it out, if I intend to actually go. I have a few questions.

1) to the people using tripods...doesnt this take up quite a bit of room in the place? Do they permit this? I know the fhl that I used was a small dark room. You needed the center clear so people could pass. So..how much room do these tripods take up?

2) to the guy with the 13X zoom. How much do these cameras cost?

3) when you take these pix..is it with or without the flash on the camera being used

4) to me...you must be nuts for even wanting to go back there again..lol

giannattasio · New Member Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 23

The tripod takes up very little room, people don't even notice it. The only reason anyone realized I was taking pictures was because my camera makes noise. When I take photos directly from the viewer I don't even open the tripod up all the way and I just lean it against the edge of the table. You don't need a flash. My camera cost about $250.
At the FHC I go to they started to charge people for flash drive copies. They know I take the photos and have not said anything to me about it.
That's wierd that they won't let anyone use the scanner at your FHC. What's up with that?

lilbees

Since I have started to take pictures instead of scans from the film, I have had great luck filming records that I need. Much cleaner and not as dark as the scans. Also easier to clean up when I get them home.

Like another individual who usually sits next to me, I don't always use the tripod. I have gotten where, like her, I just take the shot. Has worked quite well so far. I do film the indexes making it much easier for me to search for records. I still check each record when I cannot find what I am looking for in the indexes.

So, good luck to anyone who wants to do this. As long as you set your camera to macro w/no flash it should work quite well. Also, this is much cheaper. I don't have a $250 camera. I do have a basic powershot by Cannon. I do bring extra batteries with me for the camera. I learned the hard way that they can be used up fast. I do have a large memory card that I purchased separately. Not that I have filled one up but just in case.

lilbees

Eleven

Thank you so much.

Giannattasio, it isnt even a scanner..its the old viewer/copier. They dont have a scanner.

lilbees, I never used a digital camera in my life. My 3 kids have them, take the pictures of their kids or at parties and email them to me. I always felt i had no real use for one.

My daughter bought my husband one for christmas. They laughed because he said he didnt want pictures in his computer. They told him he could have regular pictures made if he wanted to. He never used the thing. I am guessing, its an inexpensive camera. If I do this I will probably buy my own. I figure, 16 years ago, copies were only 5 cents. I have over 200 copies, of my father and father in laws towns. I even took copies of people who didnt belong to me...just in case they did. With the price of they charge for copies now..I might as well buy a camera. I think it would come out cheaper. Also, back then film rental was only 3 dollars.

I also searched page by page and almost ignored the indexes. Early on, I discovered names missing on the indexes.

Oh..I didnt realize that camera batteries get used up so quickly.

Eleven

Me again.

I have a question. If I brought up a document thats already in my computer, and tested the camera by taking pictures of the screen, would that show similar results to taking a picture from a reader? I figured I could try my husbands camera here at home and get an idea of the results I would get at the FHL.

giannattasio · New Member Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 23

lilbees, good to know that a regular point and shoot works fine. I also have gotten to where I often don't use the tripod all the time and steady my arm against the side of the viewer when shooting.
Eleven, this isn't rocket science, it's very simple, you don't have to have an expensive camera with fancy equipment. Just go to the FHC bring your camera and practice shoot some photos. The batteries don't wear out fast but you always bring a back up battery with you whenever you are shooting with digital. I don't know how a digital photo would come out taken from your computer screen. People are always aprehensive about using technology they've never used, you just have to try it and experiment.

Eleven

Thanks for that. I think I am going to dig out this camera (if I can find where he put it) and take a look at it.