Saturday 22 March 2014

Wee film using the old? SD Tachyon XC Sports camera on the coast with Mowgli

Back in 2009 i was given two Tachyon SD (Standard Definition) sports cameras which i won...

I still have one. Used with 3M snap Velcro i used them as as helmet cameras mostly to make films for the blog...

I did not get on very well with the mounts for the camera but did make one cool modified mount!, check out the old days when 60 TPI Endomorph tyres front and back were the only choice for fatbikes!...

I also bought the late release micro Tachyon camera but it had to be returned as faulty and none were left in stock. Pity as it was a lot lighter so better on the side of a bicycle helmet...


Funny how quick HD (High Definition) has become the norm. But is it really better for just doing a quick wee bit filming to post on a blog like on here?. Their is so much stuff to look at on the web these days that is fatbike related i know i have less views of my films lately. The Blog stats show it is the non cycling stuff that gets the most views and comments these days.
Fatbikes have evolved since i bought my first Pugsley 6 years ago-which is no bad thing for new purchasers of them with the availability of choice and parts,  and i guess so has many of the owners with their expectations of them regarding performance and weight and using them instead of regular MTBs.

SD is Dead?
Not to say SD quality films are no use any more.
SD quality is maybe not as good as HD but the 4:3 ratio and speed of upload and publishing suits my old wheezy PC, maybe the quality is as mentioned not as good but i sometimes wonder if it is good enough for the reality of only around 3-400 people viewing the films i do before the stats slow to the odd view after that.


A special evening on film...
If i was asked to choose a  favourite film i have made then i would choose this SD one i made using my previous SD Canon compact camera and a Tachyon sports camera. Why?, because it captures the coast at an amazing time of evening-that magic hour of light before sunset...

Flippin Youtube has blocked this film due to the soundtrack i used WTF!, so sod them it is still on Vimeo :)



Ok can i choose two? then this amazing Artic conditions - 20C snow ride across the Lammermuir Hills, an amazing day i will be lucky to ever experiance these conditions again in East Lothian...



Past, Present, and future on the coast...
Some things have moved on. The electronic technology race with cameras, PC`s and phones you cannot keep up with unless on a disposable income. If my old PC dies then i will not be blogging in the foreseeable future, just no money to buy extra stuff this now, could sell a bike or two but that would be sacrilege!

Maybe the future will pick up work wise or i will get a better payed job, who knows...

Here on the East Coast it is still business cycling as usual and i am still doing my own thing and riding what ever bikes i have that are suited to around here, and taking pics and making films still.
So i thought why not keep doing the odd SD film for the blog when time/patience is at a minimum when on a winter weeks holiday, and used the Tachyon SD camera today...

These cameras have never let me down, easy to work with waterproof gloves on a cold day-try that with a Go Pro!, and get the job done...



Go Pro HD, Good quality but...;
I like the Go Pro HD sports camera i have  for the chest cam view but the wide angle view is not that good for distance views, and the sound is useless and not any good for hearing bird life and water running in woodland,  but the main gripe is the upload time is ridiculous!, an hour or two to publish on my PC and then often 2-4 hours or more to publish on youtube.
My Canon £70 compact camera shoots film in HD and does not take that long to publish the files into a film on my PC and i prefer the picture view and sound quality if out the wind.

What i really need is...
Yep i  defo need a waterproof compact camera for continued year round all weather pictures for blogging and filming. Decided this afer day 2 up in Appin near Glencoe where i missed getting pics and film of a lovely old coffin road we cycled in drizzle and heavy rain. A waterproof sports compact camera will do both jobs, esp if i can make it fit the Go Pro chest cam mount. Water proof sports compacts have anti shake settings so should in theory be ideal to film with while cycling, i need to put some money aside for one...

Meanwhile some SD film...
Out last Friday with Mowgli on the coast and i used the Tachyon camera for the first time in ages, just to save waiting hours to upload a film from the Go Pro. The SD Tachyon deft is lower light quality and a bit grainy and jumpy but kinda old school like a film from the early blog days, i even used the old Purple Pugsley. Have to say the nicest colour fatbike...  :)



And to keep with the old SD film theme an old favourite tune; `Pleasure and Business` by Phontaine
No HD to click on-just watch!

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