The **Public Lab Timelapse Kit**: fight polluters by catching them on film! _Above image via @glennwalquist -- [read more](/notes/glennwalquist/12-04-2016/monitoring-sargent-sand-mining-operation-in-ludington-michigan#c16131)_ A number of folks are working across the Public Lab network to set up cheap #timelapse cameras. Help out and hold polluters accountable! ## How it works It doesn't completely -- yet! We're testing this approach in a few places around the country, and looking to prove it out more. But the basic idea is to point a timelapse camera at a place where you hope to catch pollution happening, to collect evidence and to pressure them to stop. [](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/019/690/original/Screen_Shot_2017-02-28_at_2.34.17_PM.png) (above, timelapse of [blasting at a mountaintop removal site](/notes/LauraChipley/09-18-2015/hacking-trail-cameras-to-document-blasts-on-mountaintop-removal-sites#c16250) via @LauraChipley) This could be used at: * refineries * mine sites * industrial facilities * anywhere you can safely place the camera ## How to help We're collecting well-documented examples of this technique in action, and we need: * great photos of camera setups * example footage * easy instructions on how to share your images ## Questions [questions:timelapse] **** ## Try it out We're organizing meet-ups to assemble kits, test them out, document and install them, so that lots of people have a chance to learn how to do this and spread the word. The basic kit is based on: > $103 (with 16g SD card) [Crenova Trail Camera](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016OASTDY/) - 12 megapixel, 8 AA batteries (note that it's actually 5 megapixels, but it stretches images up to 12, unfortunately) Get in touch (jeff@publiclab.org) to organize a local group to assemble, document, and test, and report back how it goes. **** ## Activities [activities:timelapse] **** **Flyer handouts:** timelapse-kit-card.pdf and 4-up version for printing: timelapse-kit-card-4up.pdf **** [](https://publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/019/546/original/tmp_15415-IMG_20170214_121228_354-1789056372.jpg) (Above, prototype box mock-up) ...
| Author | Comment | Last activity | Moderation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| warren | "Stevie -- on a price/features comparison, this $95 one looks pretty good: https://www.amazon.com/Crenova-Hunting-Infrared-Scouting-Surveillance/dp/..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| stevie | "Oh this sounds great! I think you mentioned you have a Mobius already @warren? Can you order one of the trap cams as well? Would be great to have s..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| cfastie | "There are a lot of options for cameras to do this type of timelapse recording: Trail cams (smart battery power management, limited preprogrammed ..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| warren | "Shall we order one of those and try it out? " | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| warren | "Oops, my comment is poorly formatted, (can't re-edit but filed an issue) -- but you get the idea. I don't know of a moving body of water near LEAFF..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| warren | "I saw your related request on the LEAFFEST organizing thread, just wanted to connect that info here as well: - how the cams could be set up (angle..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| cfastie | "Techmoan.com does excellent gadget reviews and the guy loves dashcams. He has lots of reviews of dashcams including his favorite the DDPai M6+. The..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| gretchengehrke | "Hi @bkleist, Interesting stuff! What is your electricity situation and need for being inconspicuous like where you have the camera? I wonder if a ..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| stevie | "Hi @bkleist Thanks for posting on this! I know of a few other people who are interested in using cameras to watch for blasting events. So I'm reall..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| cfastie | "Hi Ben, I haven't used the motion detection feature of the Mobius but it should work well if you can place the camera where a blast will cause eno..." | Read more » | about 8 years ago | |||
| mathew | "Tony's deployment just came back from the roof, I thought i'd share some details. The weatherproofing appears to have held. The external battery ..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| tonyc | "No need for a computer. The mobius has a power saving mode that puts it into hibernate between shots as long as interval is greater than 5minutes. ..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| gretchengehrke | "Good stuff, Tony! Can you post information about sizes so people would know which box would have the lucky, snug fit? That's exciting! What else is..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| cfastie | "I like the smartphone idea, and I like the multiple people idea. If 5 or 6 people take smartphone photos of the site, the camera installation, land..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| mathew | "here's a method for getting those photos up on a map via Mapillary, you can add GPS to the images in post-processing: http://blog.mapillary.com/upd..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| tonyc | "Here's a bit more detailed image of how the CCD sensor unit is secured by the sheet metal of the socket. Just a happy coincidence the sizes on the ..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| warren | "Yeah -- actually I sometimes run the mobius photos with timestamps in-image, like in this one (timestamp lower right) -- they're not much more fake..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| tonyc | "Yeah, the screen could have GPS coords and the start time. the photos are taken at increments, so you can determine time from which image in the se..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| warren | "Haha cool! Reminds me of the "rock camera" from the movie The Cove. " | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| warren | "I like this; what about also photographing a GPS or taking a picture of an android device which is itself taking a picture of a watch (and gets the..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| tonyc | "@gretchengehrke " | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| tonyc | "I should note this thing relies on using an extension to allow you to separate the lens module from the camera body. These are widely available for..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| balsip | "I'd be fine with a less frequent lapse interval, so 6-min would be fine by me. I see your point about battery life, so this kink might be serendipi..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago | |||
| tonyc | "I used new firmware, which had the ability to do low power mode on any interval over 5mins. I use 6 min interval, to be safe, and it allows camera..." | Read more » | over 8 years ago |