Customer Reviews

Wingscapes WSCA04 Timelapse Outdoor PlantCam

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The PlantCam is a robust, well-designed device that produces timelapse videos at a very affordable price. It also has some idiosyncrasies that are worth knowing about. For me, it replaces an awkward method of timelapse photography in which I attached a video camera via Firewire to a Mac laptop and used iMovie's option of capturing frames at a reduced rate. That method was very flexible (the framerate was infinitely adjustable and the camera could zoom in as needed), but it tied up a computer and video camera for the duration of the movie, and it could not easily be used outdoors. By contrast, the battery-operated PlantCam is self-contained, compact, sturdy, sealed against the weather for use outdoors, and designed to do this one task well. Its preset choice of framerates and non-zoom lens are less flexible than the iMovie approach, but the PlantCam does the job at about a twentieth of the cost of the other equipment.

The designers made choices that generally are very shrewd and user friendly. In Setup mode, one selects an interval from "ASAP" (almost real time) through 0.5, 1 or 5 min (the settings I have used for full-day movies) to one frame per day. Images are stored on an SD card that is easily tranferred to a computer, and there is also a cable for playing images directly to a TV. Images can be labeled with the interval, date, and clock time, or labeling can be turned off. Image size is selectable in three steps from 640x480 to 2560x1920, and the image quality is good (rich colors and deep blacks). Focus is selected from one of three choices spanning 11" to infinity. Both a laser pointer and a viewfinder are available to establish where the camera is pointed. For multi-day recordings, the time the camera turns on and off can be preset in hourly increments. All in all, the designers have provided well-thought-out functionality.

But the PlantCam also has a few idiosyncrasies that were not what I expected, although I was able to find workarounds for all of them. In particular, it helps to understand that at heart the PlantCam is a device for capturing still frames. The "video" setting does not produce a single timelapse video as I expected, but instead captures a series of 10-second video clips at the specified interval. (I am mystified by the utility of this series of video clips.) To produce a "normal" timelapse video, one instead captures still photos and uses Setup mode's "convert to video" function to compile the still frames into an AVI video. The conversion is limited to 360 frames, which is not enough for long videos at higher framerates. The workaround is to convert the still images in blocks of 360, specifying the first frame and last frame for each conversion, and then paste the blocks together in QuickTime before saving the compiled video as a QuickTime (.MOV) file. Another idiosyncrasy: saving the AVI file is wise even if it is complete because of a software bug that gives each compiled AVI file the same date and time. The individual jpegs are correctly time and date stamped from the camera's internal clock, but the AVI file is always stamped Nov 25, 1961. (I have corresponded with Wingscapes about this bug and perhaps it will be fixed in a future firmware update.) Finally, another limitation of the software is that AVI videos are always 640x480 even if the stills have higher resolution. Thus, there is no point in capturing stills at higher resolution if conversion to an AVI movie is the goal. However, QuickTime does provide a workaround: by importing a series of high-resolution stills, QuickTime can produce a high-resolution movie.

In spite of these few puzzling design decisions, the PlantCam is an excellent choice. It definitely does the job it was intended to do easily, with high-quality results, and at a very favorable cost. It's fun to use, and I'd recommend it highly.

Length:: 1:11 Mins

Here is an actual video made using the Wingscapes Plantcam. This is what you can expect when using the product inside. The quality might be even better outdoors, but it is December and nothing is growing right now. I took 152 high quality images with the camera (1 every daylight hour). I used Microsoft Movie Maker to turn the images into a video; each still is shown at 1/15th of a second. Hope you enjoy!

--This camera is advertised for its lapse-time (automatic spaced intervals between exposures) capability. Its name (PlantCam) could give the impression that its only use is for seeing a bud, flower, plant or garden grow "high speed," compressing hours, days, or weeks into a few minutes. But it can be used with delight in many other nature-situations with satisfaction, showing "sped-up replay" in the motions of clouds, shadows, animal intra-flock associations, indoor flower turning, snow melting, and even things like recording the development of a drawing, construction, what people mostly look at in a store window, and on and on. The camera works fine with variable time selections, a laser pointer for down to 11 inch close-up work, a view finder for distant projects, several levels of resolution, date-time imprint and more. I have viewed the picture results with Windows Picture Manager, finding the filmstrip view nice for speeding through the sequence. In Windows Movie Maker I can move what might be hundreds of pictures to its story board and play the changes as a sort of movie. I also have the company's BirdCam and get incredible bird closeups. The cameras are simple to operate with almost intuitive control layout, but I recommend you work through the carefully written and adequate manual with camera in hand several times. For a number of times I was overlooking the last step, that is, turn the dial to "auto" before setting the camera on the tripod or ground for its shooting. I am convinced this camera would be great for an adult to use in collaboration with a youngster in discovery activity. I know I have found its pictures excellent and intriging.

Very impressed with this - might seem that $80-odd is a bit expensive for a glorified webcam, but it's really a well thought out product.
It's properly weatherproofed, really easy to use, and comes with various bungees and stand attachments so you can properly mount it for long periods of time (don't want it moving!)

Lots of attention to detail; the menus are simple, the picture quality is fine, you have a decent range of time intervals, SD cards work without hassle.

You don't want something unreliable or high-maintenance, and you do want something solidly mounted and weatherproof. This fits the bill.

Definitely recommended if you want time-lapse footage of... anything.

Length:: 2:12 Mins

I bought this camera after reading several reviews on amazon, and a positive review from chasingame.com chasingame reviews trail cameras which is the purpose i got this camera, Since I got it I have been testing it around the house and have got some interesting results. This camera does exactly what it says pretty well. the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5-stars is due to image quality. while not awful, there is plenty of room for improvement. Overall, I would highly recommend this for its intended purpose, and I am anxious to try it out as a scouting camera later in the summer. I think it could fill a niche that motion activated trail camera don't do well in.
looking at a broader area at designated times seeing deer outside the detection range of trail camera.
Update: 8-1-11: I had the camera monitor the progress of construction of the garage I was building. The camera worked flawlessly on a single set of batteries for over 6-weeks.
Update 9-14-11:
This camera has been in the field for 3 weeks watching some promising areas for deer, however, I have had a lot of frustration with the camera not working, I was expecting thousands of pictures over a 4-day span, but would check the camera and it would have 120 images. I checked the batteries they were between 40% and 50% I would reset everything and try again, same results. I finally took the batteries and charged them and tried again, That worked.
I had the camera set to take pictures every minute from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Moral of the story keep the batteries fresh or fully charged.
still a great tool
Update 1-5-2012:
The internal feature is very limited in the number of photos that can be converted to video. I used Windows Movie for some conversions, but it was very slow. I Tried Picassa3 a free download from google it it works like a charm, I will be using it from now on.

Short but sweet. I have always been fascinated with time lapse ever since my son and I made a video showing my grandson's toys putting themselves away. That was way long time ago and the video camera allowed single frame remote trigger. Modern digital cameras are incredible but unless you are prepared to pay about 10 times what PlantCam costs, time lapse is out of reach and remote trigger near impossible. With the computing power available in today's digicams, where the heck is it fellas? My Android fone can do it!

Enter PlantCam. The resolution is satisfactory and high def 1080p can be attained with third party editing software. The focal lengths are more than adequate from macro to infinity. The timing features (daily start, daily stop, interval) makes for EZ shooting. What came in the box was a big surprise. The well built weather proof camera with laser pointer built in for the perfect shot, a very sturdy and adjustable mounting device, a carry strap, a miniUSB cable, A video cable, a tape measure (to help you get the correct focal length), bungee cords to attach the camera to a tree or post and BATTERIES (yes, they say not but they are).

What's more, fifteen minutes after I had the box open I began my first time lapse and about half of those minutes were spent finding a tripod that would fit on my window shelf! That's how intuitive the camera's controls are. Couple hours later, I had a sunset.

Best method is to forget the camera's AVI mode. What you want to do is capture a series of sequentially enumerated JPG images (a 2 gig SD will hold about 7500 and the camera handles the sequence) then compile those with third party software. I have PowerDirector but there is a free Open Source program out there that will do it for you. Google "Avidemux" to get it. All you do is point to the first numbered file in the folder with your JPGs and Avidemux will draw all of them in and make your movie. NO 360 frame limits and it's free. Choose MPEG-4 ASP (avcodec) for the encoding and choose AVI for the output. Set your frame rate for the most pleasing results then save your AVI movie.

Only con I could find for this camera is that it needs lots of light to get good quality. But with adequate light, it's very nice indeed. I highly recommend this item. I was pleased with all the extras that came with it.

I would attach my video, but don't know how to do it.

This item is easy timelapse, made easy, with less than professional results.
It is:
-easy to figure out after reading the manual
-easy to mount as you are given many options
-easy to use with a tripod
-easily protected from the weather (wind/light rains)

This item is not:
-doesn't work in low light/artificial light. you need the sun or your result is no image.
-no crisp resolution. part of the guesstimate done with the focus ring, nothing seems too crisp
-infinity focus is more like everything slightly out of focus.

Do get this item if you want to set it and forget it.
Don't get this item if you want to do something with a high quality.

Do read the instructions, as it will help explain everything.

I am a professional sand sculptor and bought this camera to create timelapse videos of works in progress. You can see the results here: [...]

I love this camera. It is not fazed by the elements and I can mount it on a shovel handle. And the price is definitely right. I am excited about taking it with me to the world championship sand sculpture contest in Sept. of 2010. :)

I am a sports photographer in the BMX industry. My mom had bought this for me because I grow carnivorous plants. I was very excited to get it started. It is very user friendly, with the function and controls very easy to use. The first video I made was at 1 minute intervals and about 330 pictures, picture quality on high is ok, but not great. After making a video using the system in the camera itself that puts the pictures into a video for you, it stopped working correctly. Now when I produce a video the video has several glitches every 15 seconds in the form of green static. I reset it, put new batteries into it and it still does the glitch. VERY DISAPPOINTED. When I contacted PlantCam for help I got no reply, which usually means thats a bad product was made in the thousands if not tens of thousands and the Co. doesn't want to take care of the problem. If you are looking for a good time lapse/ video camera, check out a go pro, they shoot video and pics in HD, and they are weather proof also.

I have wanted to make time-lapse videos of long construction projects, but found setting up a camera outside for a great length of time can be hazardous to the camera. Commercial enclosures for a simple camera were out of my range. Enter the Plantcam. It fulfills every need and then some. In a weather-proof container, you can program the camera in the necessary paramaters to make a time-lapse project of whatever you desire. My first use was as a security camera to see who was taking my Sunday newspaper. The next project is assembling a storage building. You can take stills or video, start and stop at certain times each day, take as few or as many shots as you want. It is a great deal for the price.