digital cameras

[pacnw]

I did search, but did not find what I was looking for!

there was mention of technicians using digital cameras to record info on their calls.

What info are you taking pictures of and why and what camera are you using?

I looked at some inexpensive cameras, less than $125 and they don't seem to have good close up focus.

Thank you

[kelvinator]

We used a Kodak digital camera to record data plate information. I can not remember the model number of the camera though. I do know it had a great zoom feature.

[hearthman]

That was probably me you read about. I'm the camera/ documentation freak.

Any durable camera with macro capability is what you want. Get spare batteries and a 1 meg memory card. You can shoot high resolution that way yet always compress them to email if need be. I use a Canon SD 750 daily and a Canon Rebel EOS for investigations. It has both two zoom lenses: 24-100mm and 100-300mm, which covers just about everything. I also have the shoe flash with fill light.

When shooting rating plates or shiney objects, disable the camera flash and use separate side lighting. Also, rub a crayon or marker over model and serial numbers so they show up. Take a bunch of pics from different angles and lighting. Even with a preview screen, you don't know how it turned out until you view it on your computer. Just blast away shooting everything in sight. You'll be amazed how glad you are the first time you have to refer back to them to see just what they had in that house or the arrangement of things. I shoot pics of my tape rule instead of writing down measurements. You can shoot your work order with the customer's contact info. first as a cover sheet. I shoot the front of the house, the exterior of the chimney(s) and vents, then the appliances from head-on, L&R oblique, down low looking up L&R, then specific shots of points of interest such as all controls, major connections, the mechanicals, chimney connectors, breeching, etc. If I take any readings, first I use digital instruments then I shoot pics of the readings. Whether gas pressures, air differential pressure in Pascals, CO, or DMM readings, it all gets recorded.

To those who think you'll spend two hours photographing the place, you obviously have not tried it. With a little practice, it takes almost no time at all. In fact, I can blast away, then later review the pics taking notes and pick up a lot of things I overlooked at the house. This means actually less time at the home. Download and storage takes about 2 minutes for 200 pics.

Always shoot pre-existing conditions, what you did, then how you left it. If there is preexisting damage, document it with the homeowner standing there before you touch it. If you Red Tag or disable equipment, shoot pics of how you disabled it and your warning tag.

Cheapest insurance you'll ever buy. :D
HTH,
Hearthman.

[karsthuntr]

I had a customer the other day that wouldn't let me take pics of his system. Of course it was a trailer with a Rheem upflow RBHA airhandler, coil was setting on top of the a/h, coil box was used as return box, duct came off the top did a 180 and connected back to the existing trailer duct. Needless to say, it didn't work.

[Zeiss Nut]

@ Hearthman

a 1 Meg Memory card would fill up just by breathing on it :D :D

A 1 GigaByte Memory Card are more like it :D

[BobbyBJr]

I have two Kodak cameras that I picked up at Walmart. One was around $100 and the other was around $200. Both work just fine for what we need. I can get detailed pics of wiring and nameplates with either. The suggestion about taking several pics from different angles with different lighting was a good one.

[hearthman]

Thx Zeiss;

220, 221, whatever it takes.....:D

Hey, I started off with a Radio Shack TRS-80 with 16 kb of memory! Of course, 1-2 GIG card. Yeah,most of my shots are over 1 meg each.

If you use a flashlight for side lighting, try to make it indirect so there isn't glare on shiney surfaces. Bounce it off duct work, your shirt, or even a piece of paper. Many times, I've held the back of my business card next to the rating plate to reflect enough diffuse light to get a good exposure. Works great! BTW, you can shoot pics of the image in a mirror. Once you download it, you can flip the image to correct it.

Hearthman

[broken_jaw]

Is anybody else able to download these pictures you take directly onto your work computer"tablet" and send the via e-mail right to your manager. or even download them as attachments to a work order?

[refer guy]

the main reason i use a camera is to CYA by showing before and after pics when you suspect a shady customer. Another is to show rotted out condensing coils or swamp cooler that have so much rust build up that their about to fall apart. ive gotton alot of work approved through that camera, it pays for it self in no time.

[refer guy]

Is anybody else able to download these pictures you take directly onto your work computer"tablet" and send the via e-mail right to your manager. or even download them as attachments to a work order?

yes

[hearthman]

Well, I finally killed off my Canon SD 750 so I went to Worst Buy to get another and see if I had the warranty plan. I came away with a brand new Canon SD 1100IS with the warranty rolled over for another yr. Total price: $0

They tossed my old camera and gave me this upgrade at n/c.

BTW, I have a 4 gig card. Guess that explains why I can't fill it up.


FYI, I killed it off by dropping it a hundred times, shooting pics inside a thousand chimneys and breechings, and letting things smash it while it was in my front pocket. A real workshorse. Oh, yes, one other point, get a camera with a large viewing screen so your customer can see details of stuff you shot in areas they won't go such as rooftops, attics, crawlspaces, or inside flues, cabinets, HX, ducts, etc. Practically sells jobs itself when you can show them defects on the spot. Also lends credibility to what you're saying and that you're a pro.

Hearthman

[Gunslinger]

The Canon G9 is a great camera. A little pricy at $425. or here abouts but it'll do it all. It has a great macro focus range and a zoom also.

[bobb25]

I don't use one very much, but when you need one, they can be worth their weight in gold. I use a Canon, which is one of the best brands. On mine at least, the image can become grainer when the zoom is used, because the camera uses optical when not in zoom, and the more zoom you use, the more digital is combined with the optical. I usually get as close as possible, and don't use the zoom, then crop the pic later. I use a SanDisk ImageMate card reader instead of connecting the camera right to the computer. Transfers images faster.

[petrotech760]

I use a Canon EOS Digital Rebel with the following lenses, a 28-50mm, a 55-200mm and 70 -300mm. The larger zoom lenses are great for checking out the tops of chimneys that may be suspected of being bad, ie.... missing caps, screens missing, broken liners, etc... It has a alrge 2.5-inch screen that has a zoom feature, so you show customers the picture. The 28-55mm lenses is great for shooting close-ups of anything, minimum focal point is about 1.8 feet. I also use a synchronized hot shoe flash, it provides all the light you need and is synchronized to the shutter on the camera. No external light is needed. The camera is expensive, new models are around $750, but well worth the investment, especially if you plan on using it for other photo taking. Like family pictures, events, etc... Rhode Island requires a passport photo for our licenses and have used the Canon with photo quality paper for the passport photos for the last 10 years. Beats going to a photo machine and paying $10 for 3 photos that look like crap. Total investment was about $1600-$1700. But the price has come down recently, as newer models have come out. Also had a Kodak a while back that was a nice point and shoot camera. I use 4 Gigabyte cards and picture size is usually around 25 megs each. Card can hold well over 500 pictures. The most important feature on a camera is the Megapixels, the higher the MP the better the quality and larger the picture. I you down size them to send via e-mail or SMS/MMS the quality is fantastic. You can also print them at 8.5" x 11.0" with excellent quality, even on plain paper. The Camera I use is only a 7 Megapixel. That equates to 20" x 30" picture at stunning quality. KInda of overkill, but a real clicher at 8.5x " 11.0".:D

[jaybirde]

I always have 2 phones on me. One work phone, one personal phone. Both have 1.3 megapixel cameras (& video cameras) built-in. I also carry my Kodak EasyShare C653 for the stuff I need more quality for. My personal phone (a Palm Centro) can email the photos to myself, a customer, etc. pretty much instantly. With my work phone I can send photos by Sprint Picture Mail to the boss or the dispatcher, etc. very easily. Both work well for me. The kodak is especially nice for taking pictures for retrofits. Sometimes you can't remember every detail (maybe I AM getting old!) of every job and the picture will jog your memory as to which side the return was on or if it was an upflow or downflow and on and on.

Just my 2 cents.:D

[petrotech760]

Some of the cell phone cameras are good, but many of them lack flashes and as we all know, the places we usually work are well lit (Not). I have a Blackberry Curve personal phone with a 2.0 Megapixel camera which is connected to the Internet, so sending photos to customers and the boss is not a problem. But I find that the phone has to be held real steady in order to get a clear picture. I have to admit that I have gotten some nice clear shots of labels on units where I can actually read the model and serial number. Which camera I use depends on where I am at, if in an attic, I use the Cell Phone camera, but in a basement or outside usually the Canon. :)

[kantech]

I carry a small kodak digital all the time. take pic. of unit on roofs or too show out state customer,and the office saleman who will not leave the office for a look.with a 512 sd card it can store alot of pic.:rolleyes:

[orlandotech]

I have a Kodak c613 camera that I use from time to time in the field. 6.2 megapixels seems to be enough for me. I have used it to snap dataplate info of repaired units before leaving the roof. It saves time to snap a pic than to jot it down on my pocket pad. We don't have digital workorders or invoices so I just use it to save a little ink and time. :D I also use it to make reference photos of wiring if I need to pull a bunch of leads out of the way to remove a blower or something like that. It sure beats trying to decipher the existing wiring schematic or taking the time to make your own up. Its a time saver since your done in a matter of seconds instead of minutes and you don't have to worry about a wire or two you forgot to make note of since, if you follow hearthman's lead and turn it into a photoshoot, you should have plenty of pics from all angles to go by.:D

Just goofing on ya a little hearthman.:) When I shoot reference photos I tend to snap more of them than I should so i'm sure I have it covered. I figure that it doesn't matter how many I snap since they are basically free ( no developing ) and after I can delete them if necessary.

[hearthman]

No problem Orlando, I'm just glad to see techs carryingg cameras. As some of you see, there are many practical sides to shooting pics. I frequently find myself wishing I had a certain shot on file but I have never complained about having too many pics. As Orlando pointed out, you can always delete the bad shots or unnecessary ones.

Hearthman