When many people think of ghost
investigators
on the job, they picture radioactive backpacks and photon guns.....oh
yeah
and those nifty ghost traps too. I get asked quite often
about
the equipment I use, what is does and where to get it. I am going
to spare you all the technical jargon and specs of each piece of
equipment
and just give you the basics in plain talk. Hopefully you learn
and
a bit about the equipment we use and lose some of those
misconceptions.
If you are considering having investigators out to you house, this page
may also set you mind at ease, knowing beforehand, what they will be
bringing
with them. This is not all the equipment investigators use, but
it
is the most common. South
Jersey
Ghost Research uses all of the equipment shown below and many of
the
photos of equipment are of things right out of my toolboxes.
- Dave Juliano
Cameras:
I use an Canon Power
Shot SD1000. This is a very popular model among ghost
hunters.
It
uses smartmedia memory cards. An 256meg card can hold up to 400
photos.
You can also buy additional memory cards up to 4 gigs. I get
great results and
the flash is very bright and works great outdoors at night. I
have
also seen great results from digital cameras by Kodak, Canon and Nikon.
There are many levels of photo quality available now and denoted
in megapixles. I used a 3.1 MP for years with excellent
results. I now use a 7.1 MP camera. The higher the number
the better quality of the photos IF you are going to print them out on
good photo paper with a very good photo printer. For viewing on
computer screens, the lower megapixel cameras are fine and still print
photo quality photos.
Many department stores (Walmart, Target, Kmart) and computer stores
carry
many different models of digital cameras. A good one starts a
about
$120.00 and the go up from there. Ghosthunting 101 Camera Tips
I also use modifed cameras
that can see in infrared and one that can see in what we call the full
spectrum (ultraviolt light through visible light into infrared
light. These cameras can be used with the camera
flash or special IR or IR/UV full psctrum lights. If
you are going to video record with them, which most digital cameras all
also do now, you will need a IR light source or a full spectrum
light. You can use IR and UV flashlights as lights for
these cameras too. Remember to be very careful when using
the ultraviolet lighting because it can be harmful to the human eye.
Where you can
order these:
The Ghosthunter Store ®


Moultrie Game Spy
4.0-Megapixel Digital Camera with IR Flash
We
also use motion sensor scouting cameras. When somethign
trips the motion sensors the camera takes photos of the area
simultaneously. The latest version we use is show
above. It is a digital camera scouting camera but instead of
having a regular flash, it uses 72 infrared LED light bulbs that
enables the camera to take infrared photos in total darkness when the
motion sensor is triggered.
Where you
can
order these:
Dick's Sporting Goods
The Ghosthunter Store ®
Video
and Audio Recorders
ccd-tr716
IR Light Extender

Sony HVR-HD1000P
The camcorder of choice is the older
consumer Sony
camcorder line which had the night shot IR feature.
Now they only include that on their prosumer line of camcorders like
the model I use which is the HVR-HD1000P. This camcorder features
a night shot feature which
records in total darkness. The night shot setting uses infrared
light
to record beyond what the human eye can see. We have been getting
great results using it. You will also want to consider
getting an IR
light extender for your camcorder. This increases the distance
you can film in total darkness from 10 feet to 150 feet.
You can also get a modified camera like the digital ones shown listed
under digital cameras above that will also do video too, some in high
definition. Ghosthunting
101 Recording Tips
Where you
can
order these:
Sony.com
The Ghosthunter Store ®

I also use a wireless
camera set up. This set up have 4 cameras that can see in color
and in total darkness thanks to 20 infrared LED lights. I've
used this with a $40 USB video capture device and I view and
record the video
directly on my laptop. Now I use a standalone DVR with an
internal hard drive that allows me to record all 4 cameras at the same
time. Using the DVR requires the cameras to be hard wired
but its much better quality that running them wirlessly.
Where you can
order these:


A normal tape recorder or a handheld
one is an invaluable tool. I recommend when you are attempting to
record spirits, use an external microphone in order to reduce the
amount
of noise generated by the internal mechanics of the recorder
itself.
You can also use these for interview witnesses and keeping notes during
an investigation. Hi grade or metal tapes seem to work the
best.
These are available at all department stores and many other places as
well.
Most start at $15.00 on up. Ghosthunting 101 Recording Tips
Where you
can
order these:
Yahoo
Shopping

Digital voice recorders are becoming
more popular and the majority of investigators use them instead of tape
recorders. We
have gotten good EVP results with this type of recorder with and
without a
external microphone. It is also easy to transfer your EVPs
to your computer. This piece of equipment is also well suited for
notes
and interviews. They start at about $40.00. Ghosthunting 101 Recording Tips
Where you
can
order these:
The Ghosthunter Store ®
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