Ashley,Art,Aus:
<<"I want eventually to use digital cameras to identify and measure individual fish as they come aboard vessels, and go down a shute.">>
My first question would be related to financing.How much of a budget do you have? When you say you will be putting systems with observers on boats,how many will that be? What are the duties of these individuals. Do they sit at an expensive laptop and monitor the influx of the fish?
If you purchase a laptop and a digital camera plus accessories,lighting,etc.you could have a bundle invested in each boat.Lighting will probably be the constant.I hate to regress ,technologically speaking,but,why not consider a plain ole monitor w/camera and feed into a VCR. The tape can be monitored &/or info pulled off and transferred via satellite link. It would be more of a "no brainer". Tape the fish,identify and a few outtakes over the link can be compiled at the main database.
The tapes are fairly inexpensive and can be filed,erased,whatever. CF is the technology of choice however.Art and Aus present good points. In my own endeavor dealing with horses,I have found that digitals tend to pick up "dust" particles which reflect into the camera.This has also happened when I have taken pix during snowfall or rain.You may want to consider this because splashing water from the fish in the chute may present a problem.
Keep us updated.Sounds like a great venture using technology to save our shrinking planet.
Ron |
