The Next Generation of Onboard Video Cameras for Model Rail

It's been around 4 years since I originally wrote my "Best Video Camera for Model Rail" post. It remains one of the most popular, and generates a lot of questions.

Many of those revolve around how to put the micro video camera inside rolling stock, for aesthetic reasons.

My original solution was to use an 808 style key fob camera, which I later upgraded to a USB stick look-alike. However, I didn't quite have the guts to pull these apart and put them in a wagon.


First off, there's the Aobo Wifi Camera, which, according to the reviews is a clear favourite among modellers.

It's been fitted to model aircraft and cars with success; one of the strong points appears to be the battery life, while another is the dual WiFi control and SD card slot.

This allows the user to both start and stop recording, get a live view, and record to the built-in SD card slot (the card is an optional extra).

There are two versions of the Aobo -- 640 and 1080 -- at two price points. It's probably worth paying the extra to get the updated HD version, but those on a budget will be glad to see that the 640p version is coming down in price as more recent versions hit the market.

What I like is that the camera is on a ribbon, which means that you can put the camera wherever you like, and not be constrained by the shape of the camera housing.


For even more flexibility, and at a slightly cheaper price point, is the Magendara 1080p Micro Video Camera.

It may not feature WiFi control, but it does come with a wireless controller, records to SD card (up to 32Gb, but not included) and has a 10 hour battery life.

Again, the camera is on a ribbon, which makes for easy installation in rolling stock, and the body (battery included) is even more compact, as it doesn't have any kind of casing, just a heat-wrap.

However, reviewers report that this camera is quite delicate, so handle with care. Otherwise, results are seemingly on a par with the Aobo.

Moving down again through the price points, Flylinktech have a number of miniature video cameras, hidden in everything from a door mounted clothes hook, to watches and fake (eye) glasses.


While these are about half the price of the Aobo and Magendara cameras, fitting them to rolling stock will, like the 808 Key Chain Camera, take some modification.

Easiest to modify would appear to be the hook -- there are a couple of screws in the back which, looking at the photos, ought to allow for easy removal.

Otherwise, you could cut the arm of the glasses off, and use it as-is, or work out a way to get at the electronics.

One final miniature video camera category to explore might also be the latest FPV cameras designed for use with micro drones. The come with the FPV camera, but need various wireless transmitters and receivers.

They have a kit-building feel to them, and a suitable list can be found by following this link.

For my money, I think the Magendara 1080p Micro Video Camera might represent the best value, so, as soon as I get an opportunity, I'm going to give it a whirl!

What's the Best Onboard Model Railway Camera?

This article covers the 808 Key Chain style micro camera, but I've also written an updated list of cameras which rely on more modern technology in "The Next Generation of Micro Video Cameras for Model Railways" article.

A quick search of the web pulls up a company called 4K Systems, who sell a device they call the MC120 Micro Video Camera. If you want to have a quick look at this, before I tell you the price, you can check it out here.

Now, this camera is the size of a car key fob, can take video in HD, holds about an hour of charge, and has an on-board micro SD card slot. It also costs over 90 GBP including postage and packaging.

Even though model rail is a pretty expensive hobby, it occurred to me that there ought to be a better solution, so I thought I'd share a few with you.

The first thing to note is that Amazon have a good line of keychain cameras. My favorite is the Keychain Keyring Cam 808 #11, which costs half as much as the 4K camera. It might boast a lower resolution, but the Amazon videos and reviews show it to be more than capable.

Amazon has a fairly extensive list of keychain cameras, ranging from around 5 GBP up to the aforementioned 808 #11. Worth checking out, but there's a problem.

4K Systems MC120 Micro Video Camera

I've borrowed an image from 4K's web site to illustrate what I think is a problem with the 808 keychain solution - it just doesn't sit right.

In fact, for N gauge and smaller scales, it would be unusable; it's just too big.

O gauge modellers might be able to fit it into a box van, but for the most popular scale - OO gauge - it's just a little bulky.

Now, my first reaction was to have a look on eBay,  Amazon, and others to see if a custom solution existed. The first thing that came up was this wireless video camera, which costs around 30 GBP from Amazon, and looks as if it could be secreted in a truck, wagon, boxcar, or suchlike.

In fact, trawling eBay pulled up such a custom-made solution for US modelers. For about 150 GBP, the TrainCam System for 1/87 scale modelers is a reasonable solution, and could feasibly be pulled apart and fitted into UK rolling stock.

Unlike the keychain camera, it actually transmits an image to a receiver, as opposed to storing the video on an SD card. It does look promising, but the price puts it out of my reach. But then I found this:

This Mini DV Camcorder might only record in 640x480 (which is just fine for online!) but it is small, has great battery life, and takes up to 32GB SD cards.

It also looks pretty; not that this is a criteria, as it will likely lose that exterior pretty fast if you're modelling in N, or even OO gauge. I'd say it's well worth the $10 or so that it's currently on sale for!

In the end, I also bought a keychain camera, which I will tear apart and see if it can be fitted into a Railfreight box van, and am also looking at ways to adapt a pen based video camera. The chief drawback with pen based cameras (and button based ones) is that they are vertically mounted.

Looking at the tear down video of the 080 style keychain camera, this looks possible, as the camera component seems to be flexible (i.e. it's on a short ribbon cable.)

So, as to which is the best solution, there's no easy answer. If you know any better, please post a comment, and if you want to find out how I get on in my experiments, follow the blog!

Don't forget to check out the "The Next Generation of Micro Video Cameras for Model Railways" article for more examples of adapting micro, miniature and spy cameras for model railway filming use.