Spy Camera for digital pics

[Bobby Bucks]

Well maybe not a spy camera, but close. I've been thinking lately of getting a new digital camera with some kind of "stealth" feature. Why? Number one, for pre-foreclosure pictures I always wonder if just when I'm squinting in the view lens of my camera, some nut might be doing the same, only with a 30.06.....ever seen the movie Marine Sniper? It might not be a bad idea for general comp photos as well......think about it......with the sheer volume of photos we shoot of houses, stastically, sooner or later some appraiser somewhere will be shooting when some psycho is loaded for bear and looking out a window. I try to take as many photos as I can with my windows rolled up and simply adjust my filter. I'm amazed there are still appraisers who get out of their vehicle and strut around for comp photos....now, I will do this in certain neighborhoods, of course in some I try to remain a moving target. With that said, has anyone seen an affordable device for shooting comp photos in a stealth mode? I'm searching all over google for a device which will do this. Ideally it would work like the cameras in the SR71 Blackbird........go by the target and take a few pics and get out of Dodge. In my mind even for several hundred dollars in the overall scheme of things it might be a bargain.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Bobby, you could take the Texas Longhorn ornament off your hood and replace it with a digital camera on a remote swivel.

Actually, do you use a digital camera with a view finder? I am quite good at setting the camera up on the driver window ledge, aiming and shooting with no stop time. My favorite is rolling down the passenger window extending my arm, pointing and shooting out that window.

 

[EDWARD BERRY]

I guess we should bring the late 50's spotlight with a camera mounted in it.

OLD in Arkansas-ed

 

[xmrdfghap]

I've been thinking lately of getting a new digital camera with some kind of "stealth" feature.

<span style='color:brown'>I got it Bobby, get one of those cameras that look like a pen and keep it in your pocket, connect it to your palm pilot on your belt that has a wireless card that allows it to connect to the laptop sitting in your car. Video the entire walkthrough, record all the really neat phrases and insights......"Those dogs won't bite, they are pets" or "I designed that myself.......yep, designed it and built it!" or maybe "Thats my cousins trailer back there....notice how he blocked up that portable building so it fits right on the back door so he has a spare bedroom.....that ought to double the value of this place, shouldn't it?"</span>

 

[Jeff Horton]

I bought a Sony Camera because of the view screen and not having to use a view finder. I can just prop the camera lens on the door frame and slowly drive by and snap. Not nearly as obvious as lifting a camera to your eye.

I agree though. I would love something small like a ink pen attached to a Palm or laptop in the front seat.

 

[Ben Vukicevich SRA]

Bobby,

If you like to stop to take photos, Minolta USED to make a DiMage model with a small detacheable lens that you could hold in your hand while looking down at the screen to frame the shot-you could pretend that you're reading a map???

Now the Ben V. way. Never stop for a comp photo. Your current camera will work at 20mph. Just roll the window down and shoot as you come up on the house or as you go away from it. The photos will not be blurred that way...and you're a moving target too!!!!

Ben

 

[Blue1]

Here Ya go Bobby,

http://www.baber.com/baber/cameras/mini_di...ital_camera.htm

 

[airphoto]

Admit that today I shot four photos of a $2 million lakefront property from the airplane .. snotty weather just started this evening and due to go on for the next two days ..

Any day off'n the ground is an excellent day ..

 

[Ben Vukicevich SRA]

Bobby,

Whoops, they're still making one

Go here- the article was written by an appraiser:

http://www.photographyreview.com/pscDigita...59_3071crx.aspx

Or here:

http://www.macworld.com/1997/03/news/3316.html

Seems the lens can be detached and is hooked to a 3.3' cable. So while you're parked, you could hold the lens in your left hand and look down at the steering wheel and frame the house in the LCD for a perfect shot. Nobody would have a clue that you were scoping out their crib.

I still like the Ben V. way. Don't give them a moving target, roll by at 20-25 mph and use your old camera.

Ben

 

[Bemis Pownall]

OK
It happened to me today

Driveby in new neighborhood. So im taking a pic of every model match missing landscaping that I could find. Its 7am.

Im heading out of the hood off to the next job. I notice someone behind me. I take my normal weird short cuts, hes still there. Hes following not too close. Has to run a red light to follow me. He runs over a squirel! Next job is out of town on some old county road. There he is like a shadow. I pull over. So does he. I walk up to him and ask why he is following me. "I HAVE THE POLICE ON THE PHONE AND THEIR HEADED THIS WAY."

"But Im just a RE appraiser and my job is to take pictures of houses."
"Want to see my orders?"

"WE'LL LET THE POLICE DECIDE THAT"

"Whatever"

Back in my vehicle find the next picture, click click, u-turn and off I go.
Obeying all rules of the road. Of course.
Could have smoked this dude in his old pick-em up truck. Off to the next job.
This is like 45 minutes now, I see no cops, I call the cops and tell them I'm a RE Appraiser and some dude has been following me for like an hour. Im headed to the sub station so someone can splain to this dude what my job is. Opps theres a fire station that'll do. I have a full day and dont have the time for this. Its creepy being followed be someone who could be a nutt job.

Well the cops talked to each of us, seperatley, gave the cops my biz card. Cops made pick-em up dude leave first and they were very cool to me and said they get a couple calls like this every saturday..Guess im not the only one working on saturday.

I like that spy camera thing.
I was seeing the headlines
"Paranoid Homeowner Kills RE Appraiser in cold blood"