Digital Camera / Security Device?

[fido]

Hi,

Don't think this is the right forum but perhaps someone can help me out.

A house a few doors along has been burgled (sneak thief in the middle of the afternoon) and I thought I'd take a digital camera apart so that the lens, flash and light sensor were located outside with the storage media inside using a PIR to activate the camera

Hopefully this would create a device that could be used to record "visitors" at a reasonably low cost.

I realise that the circuitry is probably all on one board but does anyone have any comments on the thoery & the practical application - I've found commercial devices but the costs are over £500...

I guess I'm really asking if anyone knows the maximum practical distance that a digital camera lens can be from the "body"

Thanks

F

[etw]

Well, I would think you would not need to take a digital camera apart for that. Also I think it is not even possible coz of camera's being pretty well integrated between optics and storage. You would probably be left with a camera that does not work anymore.

Not exactly clear to me wether you were thinking video or still camera.

Anyway, wouldn't a solution be a webcam outside and a computer inside with software that takes pictures every 30 secs and stores those, or that only takes pics if the image changes (e.g. a burglar appearing). Doe not need to be expensive, especially if you already have a computer.

Perhaps you would not even need to run a cable as there are wireless webcams.

Webcams can take stills and movie. If quality is an issue, you may even use an old digital film camera and run that as a webcam (you may need a video In port then)

Good luck