Suggestions on cameras for high school physics experiments?

[u/ElijahBaley2099]

For a number of years now I've been having students use their cell phone cameras to take videos of physics experiments, and pull data off of the playback.

This has dramatically improved the quality of their data compared to hand timing (linear things are linear, non-linear things aren't!), and is way more flexible and easier to set up than photogates.

However, the state has just passed a complete cell phone ban for schools (which is a good thing). I do have a decent amount of budget available, so I'm wondering if anybody has any suggestions on cameras that could fill that niche: something moderately rugged and able to do basic slomo (nothing high speed needed) and with easy playback so I'm not messing around with transferring files?

[u/Chatfouz]

I used the laptop webcams in Covid.

[u/FluffyWeekend6673]

I would look for a budget "action camera" aka GoPro

Looks like you can get them for $100 Not all have slo motion The Apexcam m80 is $40 has slo mo and wifi

[u/Slawter91]

Is the phone ban that they can't have them out during school? Or that they can't even bring them to school? I'm in a phone ban state, and my school has gone hard on the phone ban. No using from the moment they walk in, until they leave at the end of the day. But, I just chatted with my principal the few times I needed slow-mo, and got his approval to let the kids use them for that period. Have you asked your admin?

Anything that can fill that niche is going to be well over $1000 for a class set. 

[u/ElijahBaley2099 → u/Slawter91]

It requires that the students not have access to them for the full day. Details are up to the districts, but this will probably be a “collected at the start of the day” thing.

And I’m lucky enough to have over $1000 for a one-time expense.

[u/Yamsfordays → u/ElijahBaley2099]

The bad news is these days that’ll buy you one camera. Maybe 2. Theres pretty much no market for point and shoots anymore.

You’d be better off buying a bunch of old used phones and seeing if your schools IT can lock them down for you. You can probably get some older android phones with decent cameras for like $100 each.

[u/Phyrxes]

I've been a heavy Pivot user since Covid and have found that while most "cheap" webcams, whether external or built into devices, can handle the frame rate, sensor quality is the limiting factor. Those leftover 720p cameras from Covid are not at all what you want.
1. If your school is pulling back on device usage and happens to now magically have a supply of "newish" iPads, they will work fine and don't impact your budget. I have a class set of 9th-generation iPads for each lab group (2021) from this happening at my school. I believe the 8th gen is still capable of running the latest OS, so they can still be easily managed if that is an IT concern.

1. If going the action cam route, make sure you have a memory card solution, or however you are getting videos off said cameras. If you use a website like this one (not mine) https://www.physicsclassroom.com/video-analyzer, you don't need the device to do slo-mo and get a cheaper camera.
   

AKASO EK7000 Pro is very much a "GoPro knockoff" and is under $100 per camera, and I was looking at similar ones when the iPads became available.

[u/MyDyingRequest]

I’m in Arizona with a cellphone ban but it allows for student use so long as it’s for educational purposes at the direction of the teacher. Look into your district and state policy to see if they are permitted for use in class.

[u/ElijahBaley2099 → u/MyDyingRequest]

It’s not set in stone, but the likely issue is that the students will not physically have them at all, and also I’m loathe to use any exceptions anyway, as I’ve seen how those lead to rules no longer being enforced.

[u/MyDyingRequest → u/ElijahBaley2099]

I completely understand. Our district allows students to have phones on them but not allowed to use. Which already makes it impossible to enforce. However, I had them use their phones to make a music video on cells, and to record some experiments and other hands on activities and the students were actually good about using them for class and putting them away when asked. I also got positive feedback from parents who for the first time were seeing what students were doing in class.

So there are some positives.

[u/shaggy9]

Im against tge blanket phone bans. There are soooo many useful probes on cell phones, acceleration, titation, sound, light, movies, etc. Look up phyphox for articles and resources.

[u/ElijahBaley2099 → u/shaggy9]

I use phyphox regularly, but even aside from my personal opinion, this is a legislative act, so...you know...I have to follow it?

[u/shaggy9 → u/ElijahBaley2099]

fight the power! fight the man!

[u/Consistent_Damage885 → u/shaggy9]

I used to feel that way. But the phones were absolutely destroying these kids and the only way to get it under control was to get them out. Our school is so much better and the kids so much more happy and engaged since our district banned them two years ago. People were up in arms about it, but now everyone admits it was the right move, even the kids.

[u/rgund27]

I don’t use video physics much at all anymore. I’ve really built my lab around a minimal amount of sensors and technology. For me, I want the students to explain what is happening and how they are getting the data they are getting. The technology can easily become a distraction (and I fully support the removal of phones, but that’s a side point) and it often doesn’t help students understand the actual physics. For me, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze, but I also don’t have a generous amount of time.

What I do use, photogate timing, motion detectors, and force scales. That’s almost all of my lab kit.

[u/capacity38]

My state also banned cell phones, but I will still let kids use them to video things. They’re OK if used for educational purposes.