For those of you with a Drift camera, I'd recommend taking a few minutes to do a firmware update.
http://driftinnovation.com/drift-firmware/

I just did mine and thought I would pass it along.

Grassstrippilot wrote: So is this difference between new vs. old technology why my Sony Cybershot does not have have any problem with prop bending but cameras like the Drift do?

I'm trying to learn about all this and this has all been good info. Thanks.

That's exactly my question. My old Samsung SC-DC164 (which shoots 640/480 30FPS) almost never shows the prop artifacts. I have a couple of newer Canon cameras as well as my cell phone (Samsung Focus) and they all show the prop. The phone is the worst.

The problem with my old Samsung Digital Camcorder is that the auto focus "hunts". I think it wants to focus on the prop or ?? I can turn off auto focus and focus on infinity and that works pretty good but the images are obviously degraded. I borrowed a GoPro and sure enough the prop is there. The quality is much better with the 12MP Canon than the GoPro (5MP). The GoPro 2 is probably better.

OK a dilemma on the Drift POV's.

I can buy a Drift HD 170 Stealth these days for $169 on Amazon.

The new Drift HD is over $300.

I've read all the threads on the Drift and I want one but I want to be sure I'm making the right decision on which. Is the only real difference between the two the smaller size of the Drift HD? I'm just not familiar enough with the Stealth to know. I would much prefer the hard waterproof case of the smaller version...this would seem to easily enable adding the filter that apparently is needed to get rid of prop artifacts. I'm not sure that a replaceable lens and a 9mp pic matter. I don't even know what a 9mp pic is ...and how that compares to the Stealth. I don't want to be cheap and in 6 mos wish I had gotten the other camera.

Can anyone offer any insite?? I have been unable to find anything that compares the two cameras

Thanks....Don

If you can get a Drift HD170 Stealth for $170, I can not think of a rational reason to buy the new version. Overall, it's the same camera and you gain nothing huge over the Stealth for the extra $150.

The Stealth is a heck of a camera, and the HD is just that much better.

Great review, thanks Matt!

theclymb.com has the new Drift HD for $240. You have to be a member to buy, but membership is free and anyone can join.

http://www.theclymb.com/home

The Drift HD is now $215 on Amazon.

Even better...just to be clear though, the one at theclymb.com is the new smaller model, not the HD170.

260Driver wrote:theclymb.com has the new Drift HD for $240. You have to be a member to buy, but membership is free and anyone can join.

http://www.theclymb.com/home

Hot Dang that's a good fine. Was $370, now $240. $12 batteries too. The last thing I need is another Drift, but these cameras are just too cool!

Tell me about it! At that price I may have to grab one...

Umm, the Drift HD is available at several outlets for $130-$150. I got a second one 2 1/2 weeks ago, *with an extra battery*, for $186 *including shipping*. Looking now, it appears they have raised the price to $169 for the cam alone (B&H Photo).

$169 at Crutchfield.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_788SHD170/Drift-Innovation-HD170-Stealth-Camera.html?tp=36196

I saw the Drift HD170 on Amazon for $169 too.

I don't remember if this was asked, but how does it do with the cold? I have one of the ATC cams and it seemed like in really cold temps, it would shut off while in flight.

The Drift does good in cold. I shot some video today at Leadville CO, and it was a whopping 6°F on the ground and -10°F at altitude. I was able to film the entire flight home (1hr15min) on a battery with it hanging off the wing strut in the wind.

Great! That is what I wanted to hear.

blackrock wrote:Jello - That is what my in-flight images look like. The mount is very solid so I don't think it is camera shake. Is any one else having this problem with their Drift Stealth at 1080p mode?

Hey Mike (and everyone else),

So I got my HD170 from Santa and went out to do an initial trial yesterday. Takeoff and climb out looked like the Wasatch was getting hit by a 20.0 earthquake...lots of jello effect. In cruise, is dampened out quite a bit, descent and landing was nice and smooth. I have yet to do another flight to do the "hold in your hand" suggestion that was made to ascertain that it is vibration (which is my guess). The mount seems as solid as I can make it with my current setup, which is the ram mount with rubber between it and the strut held on by a viole strap and "cleaned up" a bit with a velcro strap. I also have a foam type of material between the camera and the mounting disc/ball piece of the ram mount system.



So, my question for you guys that had this problem is, what did you do to alleviate it? For example, did you add a certain type of material for padding to take out some of the vibration and if so, where and how did you add it? Any info would be appreciated and pics of your setup would be even better!

Take out all of the foam and padding, make it solid. I have my Contour mounted to the strut with a hose clamp around a Ram roll bar mount along with a 2" extension. the extension has a ball receptacle on both ends with a thumbscrew in the middle to set tension.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.578277,-100.972884

Very interesting --- I saw a article in a R/C model airplane Magazine using servos and old radio to change direction/elevation of camera . I have a old 3 channel and servos(270 degree travel) hmmm. I'd like to be able to turn it on or off when i want -also saw the remote they had . Thinking of a 1/2 shaped ball (clear) mounted on wing tip( or inspection cover) with forward /aft /and side views. I'd like a monitor screen to see what the camera is aimed at --- maybe blue tooth or hard wired hmmm. It'd be cool to have 2x,4x or variable telescopic remotely from cockpit in flight --- HD video .I've also got more channels R/C units up to 8 channels and boxes of servos.

182 STOL driver wrote:Very interesting --- I saw a article in a R/C model airplane Magazine using servos and old radio to change direction/elevation of camera . I have a old 3 channel and servos(270 degree travel) hmmm. I'd like to be able to turn it on or off when i want -also saw the remote they had . Thinking of a 1/2 shaped ball (clear) mounted on wing tip( or inspection cover) with forward /aft /and side views. I'd like a monitor screen to see what the camera is aimed at --- maybe blue tooth or hard wired hmmm. It'd be cool to have 2x,4x or variable telescopic remotely from cockpit in flight --- HD video .I've also got more channels R/C units up to 8 channels and boxes of servos.

Sail winch servos and a cheap servo driver will make a pretty clean instal and give you one heck of a swing. Plus it will eliminate the TX and RX and you will just have a dial to run the servo.

http://servocity.com/html/dual_servo_driver.html

http://servocity.com/html/spt200_pan___tilt_system.html

Cool stuff Leni! I was checking these beasts out the other day. Would sure be a lot of fun!!

http://www.bergenrc.com/ObserverTwin.php