My DIY scopecam project

[customcutter]

I decided a few months ago to build my own scopecam. I had watched lots of YT videos and researched lots of threads looking for information and options. I decided to use a cheap $89 action cam from Amazon that would film 240FPS at 720p. Similar to the Firefly but less than half the price. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LH8JFVF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Yes, I love watching Orion's video's smacking iguanas in slo-mo with tracers! One more thing about the camera. The 170* lens will not work, and has to be changed out with either a 12mm or 16mm lens. I ordered one of each off of Amazon for less than $25. Some cameras the lens is easily removed and others it is not. (I have an old GoPro 2 that it is impossible to swap lenses in, so do your research.)

Next I ordered a prismatic cube from Aliexpress that would turn the images 90* and reflect images to the camera. It has a 70/30 split, so I directed 70% of the light to the camera for better images. It took over a month to arrive but was less than half the price of ebay items at only $28. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...cs6yMVr&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US

Here I'll say that I am not a machinist. I wish I had machining skills, but everything I know (very little) I've learned watching YT videos. I made several mistakes the first of which was cutting my mounting bracket into two pieced diagonally first thing. I should have cut a square, then drilled/tapped the holes for the mounting screws, bored it too size and then cut it diagonally with a slitting saw on the mill. I faced the 2 cut edges on the mill, then mounted it in 4 jaw on the lathe, drilled and bored to the proper dimension to mount on the scope. I left a lip on the back to hold the prismatic lens housing and keep it from slipping out.

 

[customcutter]

I'm not sure how many files I can load at once. So I will break it down into several post and try to explain things as best as I remember them. If you have any questions, please ask. Here are a few more pics. I was originally going to try and use part of the plastic housing that the prismatic cube was in but quickly decided to machine an aluminum housing out of another piece of scrap 6061. First pic is the "square" bracket mounted on the scope, a couple of pics showing the lip to hold the housing in place. Then final piece after shaping on my 2X72" belt grinder I used to make knives with years ago.

 

[customcutter]

The final mounting bracket holding the plastic housing on the scope. A pic of the tube I turned from another scrap of 1 3/8" square bar that I was going to try shoe horning the prismatic cube into. Finally a pic of the mounting bracket and how it holds the housing in place using the machined lip.

 

[customcutter]

Like I said I used a scrap of 1 3/8" rectangular 6061 bar stock to turn a cylinder, then I bored it to 1", and finally started machining the square hole into the cylinder to hold the prismatic cube. A side note here, when I bought the mill about 10+ years ago it was a manual mill that was in the middle of a CNC conversion. So all of the dial indicators on the X and Y axis had been removed. I had to use a couple of magnetic dial indicators to measure the X and Y travel movements. It was slow tedious work and had me pulling my hair out trying to figure things out. (I've since gotten it working again with Linux)

 

[customcutter]

I had no idea what the minimum focal length of the 12mm or 16mm lenses would be, but I knew that I would need to be able to make adjustments if needed. So I decided to make 2 tubes that would fit inside one another. One would mount on the camera housing and the other would mount onto the prismatic cube housing. First is the camera mounting piece I had some 1.25" 6061 rod so I used that. I turned a flange on one end for mounting to the camera housing and bored it.

 

[customcutter]

Time to machine the tube to hold the prismatic cube in place, and allow the camera housing to be mounted. I didn't have any 6061 rod large enough so back to making rod out of rectangular bar. The 3rd pic is the two pieces, one inside the other checking the fit.

 

[customcutter]

Time to start trying to mount the different pieces together. Luckily I still had a few screws left over from years ago making titanium liner lock folders. First I machined out an opening in the camera housing then laid out the holes for mounting. Yeah, that third pic things ain't going to fit up. Time for more calculations, and machining.

 

[customcutter]

It took a while to figure out how to mount things with the space I had allowed myself. Wish I had the skills to lay all of this out in with Fusion 360, but this is flying by the seat of my pants, make a part see how it looks and move forward again. Also like I said not having any dials on the X and Y axis was really making me pull my hair out. The small piece of tissue in the last pic is just applying friction to hold the tubes together. I hadn't determined minimum focal length yet, so no set screws in place to hold it together.

 

[L.Leon]

I’m going to get a beer can and make one right now… just kidding.,. You have great skills to make such a sweet scope cam holder…

 

[customcutter]

Here are a few more pics of the mounted scope cam assembly. I bought a cheap eyepiece off of ebay and cut it in two. It stretched and fit over the housing perfectly. The sight picture isn't perfect through the eyecup, but it keeps reflected light from entering the back of the scope and distorting the camera image. I guess I never took any of the final assembly. I'll have to see if I have any footage that can be mounted outside of the hunting gate. Like I said earlier, if you have any questions, please ask. I'll try to help if possible.

 

[customcutter]

I’m going to get a beer can and make one right now… just kidding.,. You have great skills to make such a sweet scope cam holder…

Thanks, I don't know about great skills. As I said earlier everything I've learned is from YT videos and just trying and sometimes failure. I wish I had a forge to melt some of the Al cans I've saved out in the garage. Another project on my list that maybe one day I'll get to.

 

[Fixedflinger]

This is nice. I've tried similar for night vision. Removing the IR filter from a cheap action cam and building a mount straight on.
The link to the cube is taking me back to Amazon, what search terms did you use on Aliexpress to find the prismatic cube?

 

[customcutter]

This is nice. I've tried similar for night vision. Removing the IR filter from a cheap action cam and building a mount straight on.
The link to the cube is taking me back to Amazon, what search terms did you use on Aliexpress to find the prismatic cube?

Sorry about that and thanks for pointing it out. I have corrected the original post. Here is the link. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...cs6yMVr&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US

Yes, I saw some other videos as well on making IR cams by removing the IR filter from the chipset. I was trying to figure out how to use the small screen on the front of this camera and put it inside the "eye cup" area, but so far haven't come up with a solution. Of coarse it can be done using an in-line arrangement and viewing the rear larger screen, but that puts a lot of light on the shooters face. Don't know how that would affect potential targets. I tried videoing a target one night using the red landscaping lights around my bait station. Red light doesn't film with this set up.

I still have a 5" screen and CCTV Sony chipset that I bought back in 2015 to make a NV setup. Never pursued it after I bought a thermal scope.

 

[customcutter]

Very nice work and post!!! Nice machine tools and I like the way you clamped the short piece in bandsaw.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Like I said I'm not a machinist. Someone (a machinist) on the other forum posted that it would have been much easier doing the machining on the square piece. Then setting up and cutting it diagonally on the milling machine with a slitting saw and arbor. They were absolutely correct would have saved set up time several time over.

 

[bigHUN]

I got once back in time a sub $100 action cam from amazon (I guess), reviews were amazing but when I re-play the videos on my larger PC screen only then I could learn a sub-quality as well.
I am currently waiting for the latest gopro or dji camera to start selling in Oct. but my mind is open just to anything for a cheaper scope-cam.

 

[customcutter]

I got once back in time a sub $100 action cam from amazon (I guess), reviews were amazing but when I re-play the videos on my larger PC screen only then I could learn a sub-quality as well.
I am currently waiting for the latest gopro or dji camera to start selling in Oct. but my mind is open just to anything for a cheaper scope-cam.

bigHUN, you are welcome to view the 2 pesting vids that I posted in the Hunting forum. The camera appears to be functioning at 240FPS and 720p, the same as the Firefly8se that a lot of people use. So far the set-up exceeds my expectations when I set out. The $150 and a couple of weeks spare time was a great investment IMO.

 

[bigHUN]

I would definitely welcome one scope cam to see what and how my pellets behaving.
I just don't like to spend for two cams - an action cam and one scope cam. Until the gopro gets to the store shelf's I will order one prizm from ali.

 

[Max115]

@customcutter. Just saw this post. Fantastic work you have done just by watching YT videos and figured this out. Excellent. Looking forward to more of your videos.

 

[customcutter]

@customcutter. Just saw this post. Fantastic work you have done just by watching YT videos and figured this out. Excellent. Looking forward to more of your videos.

Thanks Max115, I know that Orion, you, and others inspired me with your pesting videos. I've been addicted to them for a year or longer. Just couldn't justify spending $500-1000 for a quality set-up. I think if I switch to the 12mm lens from the 16 mm lens I will have a better picture quality with a wider FOV. Also I have it mounted on a pretty cheap scope right now. I could make a new adapter to fit one of the better scopes/reticles I have and it would be better also.

 

[Max115]

@customcutter. I know what you mean. When I got my Sideshot scope cam, I opted to not buy the Backbone GoPro and used my own GoPro 7 and too went the route of buying an after market lens. I cheap out on the first lens then later I ended up buying the better lens. I went thru all the headache of setting up the lens properly in order to get the clarity and such. What a pita. I think overall I spent more money in the long run instead of just buy the package deal at the beginning. Well, learning along the way, lol. But at least you have the tools to fabricate and make your own setup for cheap. Your recorded footages looked great. Just have to tweak the alignment a bit. Good job.