Premium Member Tim O'Connor Posted March 27, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 27, 2008 I'm putting an inexpensive video camera inside a hockey net Saturday night for a project for a fundraiser but it made me wonder if there are companies that make protective enclosures. I'm using a homemade contraption and when I've seen barriers before they've been built by grips. I've looked on vendors' websites but haven't seen anything along these lines. I've never used an Eyemo but I've read that those have often been put in stunt vehicles. An Eyemo costs more than the camera I'm using for sure. Do stunt cameras, I guess you would call them, get put into any protective containers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Michael Nash Posted March 27, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 27, 2008 but in between is there now such a thing as a viewfinder that unsqueezes the image? Yes, if you have the right viewfinder. Usually it's a lever on the side of the extension that flips in an optical element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Tim O'Connor Posted March 27, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted March 27, 2008 Yes, if you have the right viewfinder. Usually it's a lever on the side of the extension that flips in an optical element. Thanks, Michael! If anybody is wondering about Michael's seemingly telepathic response to another question, as I typed my original question here somebody next to me saw and gave me the answer. I decided to ask a different question but I guess while I was deleting the first and typing this one, the first question was posted. Just goes to show how fast you can get help on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Brad Grimmett Posted March 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 Do stunt cameras, I guessyou would call them, get put into any protective containers? Yep, they're called crash housings. I honestly haven't paid much attention to what they're made of or where they've been rented from in the past, but most rental houses could probably point you in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Chris Keth Posted March 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 I believe the material is called lexan. It's clear like glass and you can shoot through it, if it is not all scratched up. When used properly, lexan is bulletproof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Brad Grimmett Posted March 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 I believe the material is called lexan. It's clear like glass and you can shoot through it, if it is not all scratched up. When used properly, lexan is bulletproof. Yeah, it's some kind of plexi in the front (maybe lexan (lexan is just GE's version of plexi)), but I don't know what the rest of the housing is made of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Hal Smith Posted March 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 Yeah, it's some kind of plexi in the front (maybe lexan (lexan is just GE's version of plexi)), but I don't know what the rest of the housing is made of. Sorry Brad, Lexan is not Plexiglas. Lexan is a polycarbonate plastic and much stronger than Plexiglas which is an acrylic plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert duke Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 The Typical crash housing is made from 1/2 inch aluminum, with 1/4" lexan in front of the lens. you could cheaply make one from 1/8- 1/4 inch aluminum for different cameras and uses. they just bolt together and the camera just bolts to the housing. the housing usually has multiple holes that are tapped for rigging. Any machine shop can make you one. it doesnt have to be air tight nor water tight. just sturdy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Tim O'Connor Posted March 28, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 That's great, everybody, thanks! I mentioned your replies to a guy I'm doing a job for and he can hook me up with some Lexan and get it cut and everything. I'll go get the other materials and build a box as Robert described. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member John Sprung Posted March 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 For crash cameras and housings, the first place to try would be Clairmont Camera. They have probably the best machine shop of any rental company, and routinely modify Eyemo's, old Arri's, etc. They build custom crash/burn housings. In fact for anything unusual like that, I'd ask Clairmont first. -- J.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Brad Grimmett Posted March 28, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 28, 2008 Sorry Brad, Lexan is not Plexiglas. Lexan is a polycarbonate plastic and much stronger than Plexiglas which is an acrylic plastic. Thanks for the correction Hal. Didn't mean to state un-truths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Chris Keth Posted March 29, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 29, 2008 To add one little thing about lexan: polycarbonate is the same material that is used for safety glasses. if you've ever tried to break safety glasses or have had them save your eyes, you know how freakishly strong it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Michael Nash Posted March 29, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 29, 2008 Just for the record, and so no one gets hurt, plexiglass/perspex is NOT the same thing as Lexan. I saw someone make this mistake on a film set with what could have been deadly results. Production was supposed to purchase a piece of Lexan as a shield for the camera operator and assistant during a scene with closeup (blank) gunfire. *Someone* in production bought plexiglass instead. The actor fired a shotgun loaded with a "blank" round about three feet away from the lens, directly at the focus puller. The blank round blew a hole the size of a golf ball right through the plexi; fortunately the AC escaped injury. However, he promptly walked off the set... Plexiglass/Perspex (acrylic) shatters. Lexan (polycarbonate) does not. Plexi is not Lexan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Tim O'Connor Posted March 29, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted March 29, 2008 Just for the record, and so no one gets hurt, plexiglass/perspex is NOT the same thing as Lexan. I saw someone make this mistake on a film set with what could have been deadly results. Production was supposed to purchase a piece of Lexan as a shield for the camera operator and assistant during a scene with closeup (blank) gunfire. *Someone* in production bought plexiglass instead. The actor fired a shotgun loaded with a "blank" round about three feet away from the lens, directly at the focus puller. The blank round blew a hole the size of a golf ball right through the plexi; fortunately the AC escaped injury. However, he promptly walked off the set... Plexiglass/Perspex (acrylic) shatters. Lexan (polycarbonate) does not. Plexi is not Lexan!! I was in Lowe's last night getting parts for the crash box and I was struck at how Lexan was relatively only slightly more expensive than Plexiglass. It may be ten times stronger but it's not ten times more expensive. I wouldn't have know how much more important it is to use Lexan for this purpose without all your responses. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Hal Smith Posted March 29, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted March 29, 2008 I wouldn't have know how much more important it is to use Lexan for this purpose without all your responses.Thanks again. Ain't community great! You should also thank Tim Tyler, David Mullen, and the others who created this Forum. Additional comment from the frau: "I guess it takes a village to make a movie". Nice quote, when I get tired of my "Some is good......" signature I just may change it to that line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Tim O'Connor Posted March 29, 2008 Author Premium Member Share Posted March 29, 2008 Ain't community great! You should also thank Tim Tyler, David Mullen, and the others who created this Forum. Additional comment from the frau: "I guess it takes a village to make a movie". Nice quote, when I get tired of my "Some is good......" signature I just may change it to that line. Some Cinematography.com is good, more Cinematography.com is better, too much Cinematography.com is just right. I am indeed grateful to Tim, David and everybody involved with this great forum. I have received tremendous help from folks on here. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now