Vandal-Resistant Day-Night Infrared Dome Hi-Res Camera

Protection in almost any environment! This Vandal-Resistent IR Day/Night Color Dome Camera DC-550WC-DN is protected against nearly any kind of weather or attack by a tough, all-metal enclosure. It features a Sony 1/3" CCD chip for superior picture quality under almost any lighting conditions, with 36 IR LEDs for illumination. A High resolution camera with 550 TV Lines!
The camera is fully adjustable; it manually rotates 360° and has a manual tilt of approximately 10° to 120°.
This dome camera has the highest IP (Ingress Protection) rating. A rating given to electronics as it relates to the amount of sealing they have against the entry of solid and liquid objects. It’s IP66 rating means “dust tight; complete protection against contact” and “protection against heavy seas or powerful jets of water”.

Features:
• Auto Electronic Shutter (AES)
• Auto Gain Control (AGC)
• Auto White Balance

Specifications:
Image Sensor: 1/3" CCD
Resolution: 550 TV Lines
Min. Illumination:0.2 Lux
Lens:Sony 4-9mm Manual Zoom/F2.0
InfraRed LEDs: 36 pieces
Illumination Distance: 80 feet
Power Required: 12V DC
Current Consumption: 300mA Max

Includes:
Power Supply

The alarm on my iPhone went off at 4AM, the sun was due to rise some time between 5 and 6 but we hadn't scouted the location as we arrived late last night and it was too dark to go and look for good vantage points. Our camera gear was packed and ready, so Scott and I jumped in the hire car and went in search of "Sunset Point". Yes, you read right, we went to look for photography oppurtunities at 4AM in the morning, at SUNSET point.

I think we were on the coast of Lake Erie, in this odd little carnival town, the name of which I'll try to recall later. Between the motel and the shore was a national park which we assumed was going to be a straight drive, however when we got to the front gates it was closed to visitors. We gave it about five minutes thought, weighing the pros and cons and how illegal it would be to trespass before deciding to mount the kerb and drive through the forest to get around the huge locked gate.

So we were on our way. The peninsula was about 5 miles in length and it wasn't long before we had reached the most Northerly beach. I took the 4x4 straight through the carpark and up on to the dunes rather than getting out like any sensible person would do. Scott suggested that we drop down a level and get closer to the shore. The sky was still dark and we were motoring along. About half a mile along the beach we decided to turn back and look in the other direction. I pulled to a stop and started to turn.

*whiiirrrrrr*

The car had stopped moving although my pedal was on the gas, we were wheel spinning in the sand. Keeping my calm, I got out and checked the front wheels which where a good foot lower than the back wheels. I got back in the try a little more power -You know the story from here on, it just gets worse and worse.

We were stuck, on a beach we didn't know, at five AM, after breaking into a national park, looking for a sunrise at sunset point. It may be funny now, but back then when it was happening we were panicking.

There was no way we were leaving our camera equipment in the car while went in search of help. I headed for the road with Scott, bags and tripods on our backs. In the distance I saw car headlights so sprinted towards them through this thick beach vegetation over several dunes. Out of breath and tumbling down the embankment to the road I just made it before the car passed. All of a sudden the full beams were flicked on and blue lights started flashing away, while I was stood in the middle of the road, panting like I'd just ran from something. Out of the car got a man with a gun on his belt, I was petrified and immediately confessed the whole story of what had happened and told him my friend was on the beach still. I expected Scott to appear, but nothing.

The man I stopped was a park ranger, obviously he would be the only person driving round a closed park at 5AM. Luckily for me took pity in our stupidity and decided to help. When Scott eventually appeared he seemed surprised to see me talking to the ranger rather than handcuffed with my face squashed on the bonnet. After a brief discussion over the phone with a few tow truck companies, the ranger decided to take us back to the base to meet the rest of his team, hopefully for some help.

As you can see from the pictures above and below, we did eventually get pulled from the sand and were able to go home, but empty handed as far as sunrise pictures are concerned.


A conversation Scott and I had over breakfast later on...

Sam: "It didn't have a sign that said no driving on the beach"
Scott: "My tripod doesn't have a sign that says don't eat it"
Sam: "Well it's not illegal to eat your tripod, just f*****g stupid"
Scott: "Exactly, Sam"

Back in the day, to be a photographer you needed the equipment and the knowledge to use it, which, was very complicated and expensive. The average person had a very basic camera if any and the pictures from them were very poor and unreliable and expensive to have developed so if you wanted good pictures, you hired a photographer. When you wanted a portrait made of your family, photographers traveled around, set up at hardware stores, you made an appointment and had really bad pictures made. lol

Today, we have within reach, cameras beyond any ones imagination of yesteryear that can outperform anything made back in the day. We have edit programs that can fix almost any mistake. And now people who probably would have never taken pictures, are. You don't need a darkroom, you don't need a studio, you just need a camera and a computer and an eye.
What will the art of photography go? Where should it go?

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