Flashlight/ Pen Cam

thingiverse

I had a unique requirement for creating a set of handheld cameras: I needed them to be easily held like a pen or flashlight and fixed on a table. The table would be filled with toys and other objects, and the camera would stream live footage directly to a projector. The entire project was designed to be low-cost from the start, so we didn't invest in high-end equipment like SGI systems. As a result, the picture quality suffered, especially since we were working with PAL technology. You can learn more about PAL at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAL. To make the camera housing suitable for our needs, it needed to be lightweight and stable on the table. It also had to be easy to orient the camera and fit into a standard microphone clip like an SM57 or SM58. The entire setup, including the cameras, plugbox, and cables, required rugged construction to withstand the demands of stage use. The plugbox should provide 12V power to the cameras and output signals through RCA jacks. I decided on a simple Bullet camera from Amazon for this project: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0799J134N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. To focus on the table, I used an objective lens available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00G55ZBFS/ref=pe_3044161_185740101_TE_item. For the camera housing and plugbox, I ordered tiny XLR plugs from Reichelt (https://www.reichelt.de/tiny-xlr-einbaustecker-5-pol-wandstaerken-bis-6-mm-rean-t5mp-p166202.html?&trstct=pos_3). The 3-ch cables with conductive shielding were cut to a length of 5 meters and soldered with the tiny XLR plugs. It worked out well. The plugbox and power supply unit (PSU) were leftover components, which I wired as intended. I hope this project inspires you to try something similar!