Sunday, 14th Aug 2011

The 808 Keychain Micro Camera

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Back in 2001 I was the proud owner and frequent user of a L’Espion Digital Dream keychain camera. It took terrible pictures (storing 20 on its 2MB memory!) but it was teeny and I could take it places normal cameras couldn’t go. My photos from that time are here. Now we have cameras on mobile phones such things aren’t necessary anymore, but I got a tingle of recognition when I saw this beauty, going by the somewhat incongruous name of the 808 Micro Camera.

It seems they’re “made in China from unused cell phone camera parts” and they sell for under £10 (not including memory card). I’ve just ordered one on eBay for £6.80 and will review when it arrives, but I’m expecting glory.

And obviously my mind is racing as to what you can do when the unit price of a stand-alone video camera drops this low. Buy lots of them would the first step. And then use them all at the same time. I’m thinking insect eyes.

All you need to know and more in this MetaFilter post.

Tags: 808, hacking, L'Espion, miniature camera, video  

3 Responses to The 808 Keychain Micro Camera

  1. spacer Midge says:
    August 15, 2011 at 7:43 am

    The DVR D011 cam i use for Crtical Mass rides comes from the same family. There’s quite a frighteningly extensive resource of info on these ‘Gumpack’ cameras here www.chucklohr.com/808/

  2. spacer Leroy Douglas says:
    August 15, 2011 at 10:00 am

    Yes, I was recently introduced to the possibilities of using a USB keyfob DV Camera when I attended a hack the media session at the London HackSpace. They mentioned that a BBC documentary filmed from inside an Israeli prison used quite a lot of footage from one of these devices. The picture quality was more than reasonable for something so cheap.

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