Self-capture

satimis

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Hi all,

I use following arrangement for self-capture;

1) A smart phone-1 mounted at the end of an extension rod as camera
2) Another smart phone-2 mounted at the handle of the extension rod as remote controller
3) Smart phone-2 controls smart phone-1 via Remote Desktop Technology.

This setup works seamlessly. But there is a drawback. The video always captures me with my head bending down because I have to look at smart phone-2, the remote controller, frequently.

Would there be a better setup? Please advise.

Thanks in advance.

Regards
 
You could go to one of those little machines you find in big stores that does passport photographs....
 
This is a joke right?
 
What brand/model are the phones? There are selfie-sticks with bluetooth remote controls in the handle.
 
Hi,

I have both;
dji stabilizer and zhiyun stabilizer

My Samsung S6 works on both of them
My Samsung S9+ also works on zhiyun stabilizer
My Samsung S22 Ultra can't work on both of them

I doubt whether the stabilizer is the device for self-capture, only covering a small view. Mobile phone mounted on extension rod can cover wider view.

I wonder whether there are better solutions?

Regards
 
Hi,

I have both;
dji stabilizer and zhiyun stabilizer

My Samsung S6 works on both of them
My Samsung S9+ also works on zhiyun stabilizer
My Samsung S22 Ultra can't work on both of them

I doubt whether the stabilizer is the device for self-capture, only covering a small view. Mobile phone mounted on extension rod can cover wider view.

I wonder whether there are better solutions?

Regards
Thanks for the information. Now please let us know what your specific goal is. Otherwise the question is to vague to answer.

For example...you want a wide view? Take a look at Insta360, many cameras, sticks, systems etc. But that may not be what you want either. It would help to define the goal.
 
Thanks for your reply.

My target is self-capture during traveling abroad, not for profession.

The setup on my OP can help me but there is a drawback as described. I don't expect the video only focusing my face on the scene as those videos available on YouTube

Drone follow-me is a good solution if there is no regulation/restriction on its use.

Regards
 
Thanks for your reply.

My target is self-capture during traveling abroad, not for profession.

The setup on my OP can help me but there is a drawback as described. I don't expect the video only focusing my face on the scene as those videos available on YouTube
So fundamentally you want to keep your eyes up and looking either at the camera or around at the scenery, and not down at another screen you're using for control. And your phone camera doesn't have wide enough coverage.

What you're doing is the typical "selfie" mode of shooting that is done so often that it's a little confusing as to why you're having trouble with it. Many, even most smartphone have a "selfie" mode that will allow both the camera and the sceen to face you. If you use that mode your eyes will be up and forward even if you look at the sceen. The camera is mounted on a selfy stick that you hold, but never look down at.

There are many cameras that have screens that will flip around and face forward so you can do the same thing. The general category to look at is "Vlogging" cameras. So many, though, that without knowing a lot more about your needs and abilities, recommendation is impossible. Here's one example to get you started, the Sony ZV-1.

Then there are action cameras, small cameras meant to go with you and capture the action. Motorcycles, hikers, skiers, anything that involves a person, some movement and can't be covered by a bigger camera. Thes cameras are tiny and light. "GoPro" is a big name, but by no means the best. Within the Action Camera class you'll find two general types, ones that have a single lens and shoot a wide shot, typically 150 degrees, and those with dual lenses that capture a full 360 degrees. I personally have both types.

The DJI Action 2 has an optional battery/screen module that you can face forward. On the end of a selflie stick you can get a reasonable idea of framing, and the shot is quite wide, so if you want more surroundings and less of you, just use a longer stick. Some sticks can be paired with it for remote start/stop. The stabilization is excellent and the video quality is also excellent.

I also have an Insta360 camera with dual lenses. That gets you everything from you and your surroundings to what's above, below, ahead, behind and sides. Using their app, after you've shot the footage, you can re-frame the shot to include only what you want. Perhaps a shot of yourself, then cut to a shot of what was in front of you, the cut to a shot to the side. And that all comes from one master shot that includes everything. Frankly, these things are a lot of fun. If you'll take a bit of time to look at the sample videos on the maufacturere's sites, you'll get an idea of what's possible.

I would suggest you not worry too much about remote control though. Plan to just start the camera, take your shot, then stop it. Then edit off the and messy start and end to the shot. There are free or low-cost editing apps for every platform.
Drone follow-me is a good solution if there is no regulation/restriction on its use.
I've alreay given you extensive information about this. The above sentence implies you haven't bothered to do any research yet, and still don't know the regulations in the countries you're going to. You're not even listing the countries for us to help.

Drone photography requires you to learn two very different skills that you don't have now. You can't just pick up a drone, toss it into the air, and expect to get anything useful, even if regulations permit free flight. In fact, that's a recipe for a crash. Most novice drone pilots crash and break some part of their drone in the first few flights. Some loose their drones completely. I've been flying drones for a year, and have yet to crash at all, but then I followed a controlled program of developing skills slowly and carefully. Drone piloting is not to be taken lightly, and it will take a surprsing amout of time, patience, and concentration if you want to get good at it. Then there's the legal stuff. Based your very limited description of your usage, I would suggest you do not get involved in drones yet.

Look over the examples I've linked to, see if anything there is at all similar to what you're planning to do, and perhaps make a short list. Then by all means go to YouTube and search for videos shot with the cameras you're considering. Look at what other people are doing with those cameras, see if you can visualize yourself in those shots. Then you'll be able to make a more informed decision.
 
Hi f64_or_bust,

Lot of thanks for your detail advice.

I don't mind to purchase a new camera which can be mounted at the end of the extension rod and can be remotely controlled by the controller (smart phone) via "Remote Desktop"

List of countries to be visited;
(9 countries in Balkan, Southern Europe)
Albania
Bosnia
Bulgaria
Croatia
Macedonia
Montenegro
Romania
Serbia
Slovenia

Thanks

Furthermore I may purchase a follow-me Drone for home use, additional to the camera. Could you recommend me a model, not for profession use ? I may bring it with me on the trip. If the country to be visited allows me using it without infringing the Law then I'll the Drone

Besides I have a Sony Pocket Camera, Cyber Shot. It can be mounted at the end of extension rod but, unfortunately, can't be remote-controlled by the Controller.

Regards

Edit
====

A further thought about the connection between the camera and the controller.

At home I can use WiFi to connect them or use Tethering, in Open Space, sharing the network of the smart phone to the camera for connection.

What will be the solution while traveling abroad?
 
Last edited:
Hi f64_or_bust,

Lot of thanks for your detail advice.

I don't mind to purchase a new camera which can be mounted at the end of the extension rod and can be remotely controlled by the controller (smart phone) via "Remote Desktop"
That's not what I suggested. If you want to do that you're on your own. BTW, nobody does it that way.
List of countries to be visited;
(9 countries in Balkan, Southern Europe)
Albania
Bosnia
Bulgaria
Croatia
Macedonia
Montenegro
Romania
Serbia
Slovenia

Thanks
Great! Now you have a list. Google "drone laws" followed by the country.
Furthermore I may purchase a follow-me Drone for home use, additional to the camera. Could you recommend me a model, not for profession use ?
I've already recommended you not do that. There is really no such device called a 'follow me' drone. That's a feature most drones have, some do it better than others, but you're still flying the drone, and that's a learned skill. I don't mean this as an insult, just an observation. If you're not doing your research, just asking questions on a forum, you're not going to learn how to fly a drone either. You have to teach yourself, or not do it, there are no classes. And you have to do your own research into cameras, drones, and drone laws. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't be considering drones at all. They aren't for everyone, that's why there are so many used ones on the market.
Besides I have a Sony Pocket Camera, Cyber Shot. It can be mounted at the end of extension rod but, unfortunately, can't be remote-controlled by the Controller.
Try to think about not controlling the camera at all. Start recording from the button on the camera. Stop recording with the button on the camera. Then edit your videos. You'll need to edit them anyway to make them watchable.
A further thought about the connection between the camera and the controller.

At home I can use WiFi to connect them or use Tethering, in Open Space, sharing the network of the smart phone to the camera for connection.

What will be the solution while traveling abroad?
Don't do that at all. Seriously. You don't need to control the camera. You just need to start it then stop it. You can do that from the camera. The cameras I suggested will pair with bluetooth devices, or their own apps on a smart device, to get them started or stopped, but you'll still need to edit anyway.

Find one of the cameras I linked to, download their manual and read it.

Have you looked at any of the links I posted?
 
Why I need a remote controller? It is because the camera is mounted at the end of the extension rod, too far away to be reached by my hand. I was not talking about the camera already mounted on the Drone. It is controlled by the Drone controller. A further question, are the video captured stored on the camera? Or stored on the controller of the Drone? If the video stored on camera in case of accident I'll lose all video. If stored on the controller I still have the video in case of the Drone crashed.

If not joining tour travel, for self-capture the best solution is to mount the camera on a tripod and I walk around in front of the camera. Then point the camera to another scene and do it again. Finally edit the video on computer.
But the travel group is moving on and I couldn't do self-capturing in this way.

An alternative is shooting the scene in camera first and add myself to the video on computer. This is a reproduction. Then I don't need to travel.

I trust I can do it on video. I have done a lot adding friends to my photos on computer. This computer technique is quite mature.

If using a drone for self-capture during tour traveling its setup must be quick because the tour won't wait for me. I must find a solution before I start to travel.

I'll go through all your links again later. Thanks.
 
Why I need a remote controller? It is because the camera is mounted at the end of the extension rod, too far away to be reached by my hand.
I've already explained why that is not necessary. Your needs may be different.
I was not talking about the camera already mounted on the Drone. It is controlled by the Drone controller. A further question, are the video captured stored on the camera?
Full resolution 4K video is stored on an SD card in the drone.
Or stored on the controller of the Drone?
You can record the video linked back to the controller. It is not full resolution. The controller usually has an SD card slot, but most of us don't use it that way.
If the video stored on camera in case of accident I'll lose all video. If stored on the controller I still have the video in case of the Drone crashed.
That's not a realistic idea of how things happen. If you crash into water, or your drone flies away, then yes, you loose the SD card. But a typical crash doesn't camage the SD card, which is inserted in the body of the drone (not the camera). The loss of an SD card due to a crash would be extremely rare. As I said, water might do it, but not much else. But drones have been submerged, recovered, and the files on the card were intact.
If not joining tour travel, for self-capture the best solution is to mount the camera on a tripod and I walk around in front of the camera. Then point the camera to another scene and do it again. Finally edit the video on computer.
But the travel group is moving on and I couldn't do self-capturing in this way.

An alternative is shooting the scene in camera first and add myself to the video on computer. This is a reproduction. Then I don't need to travel.

I trust I can do it on video. I have done a lot adding friends to my photos on computer. This computer technique is quite mature.

If using a drone for self-capture during tour traveling its setup must be quick because the tour won't wait for me. I must find a solution before I start to travel.

I'll go through all your links again later. Thanks.
You have a lot of study to do.
 
Why I need a remote controller? It is because the camera is mounted at the end of the extension rod, too far away to be reached by my hand. I was not talking about the camera already mounted on the Drone. It is controlled by the Drone controller. A further question, are the video captured stored on the camera? Or stored on the controller of the Drone? If the video stored on camera in case of accident I'll lose all video. If stored on the controller I still have the video in case of the Drone crashed.

If not joining tour travel, for self-capture the best solution is to mount the camera on a tripod and I walk around in front of the camera. Then point the camera to another scene and do it again. Finally edit the video on computer.
But the travel group is moving on and I couldn't do self-capturing in this way.

An alternative is shooting the scene in camera first and add myself to the video on computer. This is a reproduction. Then I don't need to travel.

I trust I can do it on video. I have done a lot adding friends to my photos on computer. This computer technique is quite mature.

If using a drone for self-capture during tour traveling its setup must be quick because the tour won't wait for me. I must find a solution before I start to travel.

I'll go through all your links again later. Thanks.
Good luck in getting authorization to employ a drone or selfie stick on a group tour!
 
Hi,

I already have a selfie stick of 120cm, max length, having used it for quite long time. I'm now looking for some new device.

The stick is not suitable for mounting camera but suitable for mounting smart phone as camera.

Regards
 

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