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Camera With Altitude for Wilderness Site Monitoring
Screw a ¼- to 3/8-in converter bushing (figure 8) onto the hiking staff's camera mounting stud. Screw the Bogen tilt head onto the hiking staff's camera mount. The base of many digital cameras has a ¼-in threaded tripod mounting hole.
Figure 8—A bushing converts the hiking staff's ¼-in mount
to a 3/8-in mount for the Bogen tilt head.
Screw the camera onto the tilt head securely. Twist the camera slightly offcenter and turn the gray knob on the tilt head to straighten the camera and secure it tightly. Connect the video cable to the video out port on the camera.
Use tape or hook and loop fastener (Velcro) to tie the video cable lead coming from the camera to the hiking staff, ensuring that the connector will not pull out. Turn the camera on and set it to receive the wireless remote signal. Once all the components have been assembled (figure 9), plug the stereo jack cable into the video in port on the miniature LCD viewfinder. The image on the miniature LCD viewfinder is the image the camera sees. Using the miniature LCD viewfinder, determine the appropriate tilt angle to document the site. The scored line on the Bogen tilt head will align with a degree of tilt on the 0- to 90-degree sticker. Record the tilt angle. Camera tilt angles will read from 0 to 90 degrees in 10-degree increments. A horizontally aligned camera will read 0 degrees.
Adjust the height of the hiking staffs, the monopod, and the angle of the camera for the desired view. Make certain the camera system is level by positioning the bubble levels in the center of both directional bars on the cross-check level.
Figures 9—Detailed view of the
camera-with-altitude unit.
Determine an appropriate location for the photopoint by viewing the image through the camera's remote viewfinder. Document the tilt angle of the camera using the 0- to 90-degree sticker (figure 6) on the tilt head. Record the distance and compass bearing from the location of the pole and camera assembly to physical landmarks, such as boulders, large trees, or other permanent objects. Monitoring sites are usually rephotographed after set intervals, sometimes as long as 5 years or more.
Good recordkeeping is a must. Photographs should be taken during the same time of year, under the same weather conditions if possible, and at the same time of day. Record the type and model of each camera and the camera settings used at a photopoint: ISO speed, zoom setting, aperture speed, and so forth.
Camera settings can be displayed through the digital menu or function display. Many cameras determine and record these settings automatically, but you should record the actual values. A photograph taken with another camera of the camera setup and physical landmarks may provide valuable information for someone trying to locate the photopoint many years later.
For detailed information on effective methods for documenting repeat photography, consult Photo Point Monitoring Handbook: Part A-Field Procedures and Part B-Concepts and Analysis. Frederick C. Hall. 2002. (USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-526, /pnw/pubs/gtr526)
Tracks Sherlock hiking staff with camera mount
Bogen No. 3249 four-section compact monopod
Bogen No. 3232 swivel tilt head
Hama bushings 1⁄4- to 3⁄8-in converter (10 pack)
Surveyors foot for monopod (optional)
Digital camera
Miniature color LCD TV (viewfinder)
12-ft stereo cable with 1⁄8-in stereo plugs on both ends (to connect the camera to the LCD TV viewfinder)
Cross-check level
Coupling hex nut (to connect two hiking staffs)
0- to 90-degree sticker for the camera tilt head
Custom-threaded connector (to connect the hiking staff to the monopod)
Approximate total cost, excluding camera: $250
When weight and bulk are not a concern, this inexpensive system can provide an enhanced view for documenting topics of concern for foresters, wildlife biologists, botanists, or nature enthusiasts.
Choose a paint roller with a 5⁄16-in-outside-diameter metal shank. Use a hacksaw to cut the metal shank of the paint roller holder to a length of 2 in. File the burrs left by the hacksaw cut. Use a 5⁄16-18 UNC thread die cutting tool to cut threads on ½ in of the metal shank. Screw the standoff onto the metal shank of the paint handle and assemble the plastic paint roller handle on the paint extension pole (figure 10). Screw the Bogen tilt head onto the standoff. If a level is warranted, use a U-bolt and angle iron to create a platform for the level.
Attach the camera onto the tilt head securely by twisting the camera slightly off center and turning the gray knob on the tilt head to straighten the camera. Connect the video cable to the video out port on the camera and to the video in port on the miniature LCD viewfinder. Turn the camera on and set it to receive the wireless remote signal. Using the LCD viewfinder, determine the appropriate tilt angle for the camera and record the angle.
Figure 10—Detailed view of the camera-with-altitude unit
using a
paint pole rather than a monopod and hiking staffs.
Extendable fiberglass paint pole
Paint roller with plastic threaded handle and 5/16-in outside diameter metal shank
Male-to-female reducing standoff
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