Hi Brian, can you let us know which camera app you choose as it will be useful for me (and others) who use a mobile phone to take video's please?? Ron
G`day Ron, The phone is an OPPO A53s One of the cameras is called " Open Camera ".....this is open source software and is free and no ads. Video resolution goes up to 1920 x 1080 Full HD. ...it also has Macro and all settings are adjustable. Focus and exposure can be locked once set and this helps to stop the focus pulling in and out when trains are passing Photo resolution goes up to 4096 x 3072 ( 12.58 mp ) Plenty of additional settings including Panorama shots etc.....it has all the bells and whistles. The second camera is simply called " Camera " Once again Full HD with all the bells and whistles, however this software contains ads. The ads are mildly intrusive but can be flicked away quite easily. This software also has the ability to lock focus and exposure, however it`s slightly more touchy / sensitive to get it to lock in .......old fingers at work here. I feel this software performs better than Open Camera, but there`s not much in it. It has the added bonus of an editing suite that comes with it. Once you`ve shot your video, you can put it through a stabilizer program to get rid of the shakes and bumps. If you have held the camera fairly steady it will give a better result, however if you`ve done a shaky video, the resulting stabilized video looks as though you`ve had a little too much to drink......interesting..??? I find myself using Camera more than Open Camera even though it has the ads The opening footage, pulling into the station, in the video was shot with Open Camera and the rest of the video was done with Camera I should also add that I use Lightworks video editing suite free version. Being a free version, it will only export at 720p resolution, however it gives the results you can see in the video. The software is intuitive and easy to use. It also runs well on my PC, where other editing suites struggle. The test of an editing suite is when you load up your video with effects and enhancements. Most of the lesser suites available start to lag when loaded up, whereas Lightworks just keeps on going. Rendering is fairly quick as well, although determined by the length of the video. Hope this helps Ron Gormo
G`day Folks, Still fiddling about with couplings I`ve fitted some rotating magnetic couplings to my Hornby Class 29. This loco joins the growing list of loco conversions over to a dual coupling system. I like to run my freight stock with magnetic couplings and my full length 5 coach trains with small tension locks. The magnetic couplings are much better for shunting and the tension locks allow me to uncouple in my height restricted sliding fiddle yard where the full length coach trains are stored. This is the Class 29 now finished and tested with the dual system. The tension lock is a new small replacement for the original large version and the hook is removed to make for easier uncoupling. Neither coupling, even combined together, is as intrusive as the original Neither coupling interferes with the other, so we have a happy co-existence here, regardless of what type of vehicle and coupling system they are coupled to. Below is a video showing mostly testing , and a couple of issues that needed to be addressed to get things working properly. There is also load testing.......enjoy Gormo
G`day Folks, I converted a couple of tankers over to magnetic couplings today. These are old Dapol I think.........can`t find a name on them......anyway it doesn`t matter.....the models are OK....it`s just the couplings. Here we have the first one converted with the old next to it as a comparison And the two tankers completed.......they just need weathering now. They have been given a thorough test and have passed. One thing of note here is that the wagon weights run full length of the body, so it was necessary to make the couplings with the drop down bar to prevent the magnets swinging back up under the wagons. Gormo
How much of a difference do the tank cars look ? I have to say that your magnetic couplings look far less obtrusive than the tension lock. Nice work Gormo. Cheers, Gary.
Thanks Gary, Yes the big tension locks had to go eventually, even if they were replaced with small tension locks, it would be a vast improvement. The wagon spacing is also reduced for a more prototypical look. When you push the train, the wagons bunch up buffer to buffer and when the train is pulled the wagons separate a little as the couplings take up the tension. The Class 29 has also had a re-jig. I was still getting some derailments, so have re-located the couplings to the bogies.......that seems to have fixed the problem....fingers crossed.......pics to follow Gormo
G`day Folks, Re-location pics of the couplings on the Class 29 from body mount to bogie mount. It rests on the tension lock but does not interfere with operation of it. I should have followed my own original advice and mounted these couplings onto the bogies. I thought the body mount would work but even though it has minimal body swing for a diesel, it was still enough to cause derailments in some areas. It was fine on most of the railway, however it has to work on all of the railway to keep me happy. A better view with the body off. Gormo
Another victim has had the operation today, My Bachmann N Class Southern mixed traffic engine. This loco has had a bit of a journey with me. I bought it second hand and it had some issues. No tension locks for a start ,which made things a bit tricky, but also when it ran it seemed to have a pulsing motion, indicating something was not quite right. That turned out to be solidified grease / lubricant on the gears which, when cleaned off, returned the loco to smooth running. I added my previous version of magnetic couplings to the loco and it worked well pulling the converted stock. Today I took it up a notch, firstly by removing it`s couplings, and then by adding tension locks to it and also the new rotating magnetic couplings. So this loco now has the dual system and can connect to anything on the railway. The train it`s pulling is all converted to rotating magnetic couplings as well. The front set up. In close up I am reminded I need to do some touch ups here. The magnetic coupling actually seems more discreet than the small tension lock ( no hook used ) The rear end.....once again touch ups required. And connected to a train. This loco has sprung buffers which will help when pushing a train through corners. Onwards and upwards Gormo
Yes it works 100% now on the 29 Gary. The N Class has traversed all the dodgey areas with flying colours too. Gormo
Started mocking up a fuel depot for the airfield at Little Bardfield. I have plenty of pics of the real deal and some images of model kits, so some sort of fuel depot will come from this at some stage. I want to be delivering and picking up tankers from here There will also be some development at the baseboard edge, possibly some industries with a loading dock. All just planning at the moment, but where would we be without planning.... Gormo
This will make a nice detailed addition to the fuel siding. Will the tanks have a hard stand and bunding around them ? Cheers, Gary.
That is what I was thinking ! I'm sure you will be constructing your own from paper and card. Cheers, Gary.