Railfan Technology > good video camera in low light?

I'd like to get a video camera to use at motels to record trains while I'm asleep. I had a hard time reading unit numbers after dark, and also in the glaring morning sun shortly after sunrise at the Barstow Ramada Inn. So my prime interest would be a camera that would make movies where I could read the engine number. A camera that I could replay and magnify to read engine numbers without having to transfer to a computer would be a plus. I wouldn't care much about the quality, just readable detail in low light. A camera for $500 or less would be nice.

I've been told I should get a camcorder with an internal hard drive, because those that use memory sticks can only record a few hours before having to be changed.

mapboy

This is an unusual application for a camera and one more suited to a surveillance/security type camera than a consumer type product.
You're asking the camera to do a lot. Record moving objects in low light with enough detail that you can get engine numbers.
I would look for something like a security camera that does time-lapse. A few frames every second rather than full video, since you're not concerned about quality. Plus a time-lapse recording would make it easier to spot trains going by.

Danny Harmon
Tampa

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd like to get a video camera to use at motels to
> record trains while I'm asleep. I had a hard time
> reading unit numbers after dark, and also in the
> glaring morning sun shortly after sunrise at the
> Barstow Ramada Inn. So my prime interest would be
> a camera that would make movies where I could read
> the engine number. A camera that I could replay
> and magnify to read engine numbers without having
> to transfer to a computer would be a plus. I
> wouldn't care much about the quality, just
> readable detail in low light. A camera for $500
> or less would be nice.
>
> I've been told I should get a camcorder with an
> internal hard drive, because those that use memory
> sticks can only record a few hours before having
> to be changed.
>
> mapboy

Danny,

Thanks for the response, I wouldn't have thought of the surveillance angle! It looks like I should try to rent or borrow some video and surveillance cameras to see which type works better for me. The time-lapse part could be a big time-saver.

mapboy