Model Railroad Videos

[BB Michigan]

Hello everyone. I've taken some videos of my layout with a Sony digital camera. The quality is okay since the main feature is to take pictures and shooting videos is just an added on feature. I've put them in .wmv so that drops the quality down a little but saves me room in my web hosting account.

The videos are shot on the curve in the thumbnail and have real train sound effects. Tell me what you think and ENJOY. Question I can add videos to the forum board, right?

1. http://webpages.charter.net/d712/modelrr1.wmv
2. http://webpages.charter.net/d712/modelrr2.wmv

 

[sushob]

Cool! Thanks for sharing! I like the sound effects. I don't know for sure if you can add videos to the forums or not, but I don't think you can. We'll have to wait for Bob to answer that.

 

[George D]

Great videos. I like the camera location - down where a rail fan would be, not up in a helicopter.
George

 

[CBCNSfan]

Very nice, the sound is impressive, nice work, any more?
Thanks for sharing, it's appreciated.
Cheers Willis

 

[BB Michigan]

New Video

Thanks all for the video comments!

Here's a new short video with the actual model sounds: http://webpages.charter.net/d712/modelrr3.wmv

 

[CBCNSfan]

Hey! that's OK nice.
Cheers Willis

 

[BB Michigan]

New Video

Train heading up hill with realistic sounds: http://webpages.charter.net/d712/modelrr4.wmv

 

[modelbob]

> Question I can add videos to the forum board, right?

You can add LINKS to the videos, as you've done here, but you can't actually upload the videos here.

I would like to consider adding the capibility to have videos on the forum at some point in the future, but at least for now it's not something we can support. Even small videos are quite large files, yours are over 1/2 meg each and they're pretty small as videos go. With the number of people we have visiting the site that creates a tremendous draw on bandwidth which gets rather expensive.

I've also considered, but so far rejected, the idea of a "premium membership" which would allow members more web space and the ability to upload/view videos. I don't really think the demand is there and the negative response would be pretty harsh I'm guessing.

 

[CBCNSfan]

Well BB the others were good but this one just blew me away. With stereo headphones on the sound was exactly like the real thing. Whatever you are doing different than the previous vids, keep doing it
Excellent
Cheers Willis

 

[BB Michigan]

Willis, glad you like my videos. The sound is from a train video I downloaded off the net. I edit my videos in Windows Movie Maker and able to take the sound off the downloaded video clip and overlay it onto to mine. I enjoy finding a train sound that the timing is close to what the model does.

 

[BB Michigan]

New Video

It's been awhile since a new video. So here's a short one. I'm working on scenery so I can take more videos. The sound for this video is from a video I took of an actual train. Listen for the air pressure release.


Something new, click on the thumbnail. (400KB)

 

[petestrash]

BB I liked your video's and the sound sync is cool.

Could I make a couple of suggestions to improve the picture for future videos.

If you look at modelrr4.wmv you will see the automatic focus hunting in and out as it tries to focus on the train as it passes, and with modelrr5.wmv the train is slightly out of focus.

Most video cameras have a option for turning off the auto focus feature and let you use manual focus. You can achive better shots this way.

To setup a shot, turn off the auto focus and manually focus the camera with the train stationary. Then remove the train and make your shot. when the train passes through it will be in focus and the image will be stable.

Regards,

Peter

 

[CBCNSfan]

Hi Peter, is the same true of digital cameras? I know mine has the capability of making a short movie but I've never tried it.
Cheers Willis

 

[modelbob]

> Hi Peter, is the same true of digital cameras?

They vary a lot, so read the manul that came with it, but most of them will allow you to set a specific focal length. I guess give the manual a read and then try it.

 

[CBCNSfan]

give the manual a read and then try it

LOL, I think the manual is more complicated than the camera. I just leave it on Auto, look at the screen and press the button. Highly technical
Well I might give the manual another chance!
Cheers Willis

 

[chrismoore93]

BB Michigan,
Great Videos! Can't wait to see more. Keep up the good work on the layout.
Chris Moore

 

[NHGuy]

That's pretty cool. What does the note taped to the box car say? Josh-something?
Couldn't mak it out.

Bill S.

 

[BB Michigan]

Thanks for the comments guys and thanks for suggestions Peter. I'm going to have to try that. I have to get my track back together to take more videos.

 

[BB Michigan]

That's pretty cool. What does the note taped to the box car say? Josh-something?
Couldn't mak it out.

Bill S.

The note taped to the white box says Pete under Josh. I had to prove to my classmates that indeed it was my models so what better way then put their names on the side of the train.

 

[grande man]

Your videos are awesome. This may be something to play around with. I'm running out of places on our layout to take stills.

What's a typical file size?