Button Cam vs Other Devices
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It depends on the job really. Some jobs nowadays the clients prefer non-button cameras due to the angle you can get.
The primary problem with something like a bluetooth is battery power. It's great for what, an hour? Then what?
Your typical new home is going to be over an hour and if you lose part of the video, even 10 minutes, you probably aren't getting paid and the client will reject the shop. In addition, you often do multiple shops per day and can often have many within 10-15 minute of eachother. Not nearly enough time to recharge the entire battery. (You can always buy more cameras, but at this point you could have gotten one button camera).
Some clients wont allow cell phone recorded videos period. Others prefer them due to the style of interactions.
Sometimes a head mounted camera is needed because of higher counter tops and you need to follow the money.
Generally speaking though, the vast majority of jobs are suitable by a button camera, so you get your best bang for your buck with that. Here's a spreadsheet of video shopping companies and the links to sign up. It also tells you (for the companies who responded) which cameras and devices they allow for their shops.
[docs.google.com]
The primary problem with something like a bluetooth is battery power. It's great for what, an hour? Then what?
Your typical new home is going to be over an hour and if you lose part of the video, even 10 minutes, you probably aren't getting paid and the client will reject the shop. In addition, you often do multiple shops per day and can often have many within 10-15 minute of eachother. Not nearly enough time to recharge the entire battery. (You can always buy more cameras, but at this point you could have gotten one button camera).
Some clients wont allow cell phone recorded videos period. Others prefer them due to the style of interactions.
Sometimes a head mounted camera is needed because of higher counter tops and you need to follow the money.
Generally speaking though, the vast majority of jobs are suitable by a button camera, so you get your best bang for your buck with that. Here's a spreadsheet of video shopping companies and the links to sign up. It also tells you (for the companies who responded) which cameras and devices they allow for their shops.
[docs.google.com]
CEO The Mystery Shoppers Depot
US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
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US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
Airbnb host based in Chicago and 10% discount if you mention this forum
Thanks for the thorough response. I was thinking the same thing about a head mounted camera providing a better camera angle. The spec for the Bluetooth camera I ordered promised several hours of battery life. We'll see if the claim is true.
The other issue with a head mounted camera is that many shops need you to keep the sales agent in the frame a high percentage of the time. If the agent points to an object to your right, you will need to turn your head to see that, but can keep your torso (with the button cam) aimed at the SA. In addition, you will see in your video from the head mounted cam that you move your head a LOT more than you thought. And that can cause enough disruption to the viewer to induce vertigo ! I kid you not. That is a BIG reason why clients needing longer video interaction usually want a more stable, button, cam mount, or anything that has long battery life, high quality audio and video and can be torso-mounted, like a pen in a shirt pocket. But, Joe is correct, the biggest bang for the buck comes with a button camera that meets video output standards set by the MSCs and their clients.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
The biggest reason the PV500 is the standard is not necessarily the picture or sound quality. It's the reliability. It's a known quantity. They rarely fail. A majority of video shops cannot be reshopped by the same shopper. Sure I've done a fast food shop twice in the same day because I forgot to turn the camera on (durrrrrr), but you can't return to a new home shop. PV500s rarely fail when it's not a user error, like turning it on. So companies prefer shoppers who use a PV500. Usually, when an exception is made, like perhaps at the end of a quarter when a company needs a shop done and is willing to take a chance, they might advertise that a pen cam is acceptable. The video from it is very likely as good as the PV500 but the failure rate is much higher. Failures mean the scheduler has to scramble to find a replacement shopper and we all know there is supposedly a huge video shopper shortage already.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Well a shortage of reliable video shoppers with good skills in setting up back stories as well as using the equipment, BG. It also appears that as many, or more, video short that require a back story fail due to poor planing as fail due to either equipment or equipment user failure.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
I would guess a much larger percentage are due to user error in some way (bad story, forgot to charge battery, didn't turn the camera on) as opposed to equipment failure. I know mine are.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
But I think poor story is more of a problem than actual equipment failure.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Really? I've lost two or three shops to equipment failure, maybe four or five to equipment user error including dead batteries and forgetting to turn on the camera and one to poor angles. None to a bad back story.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
That is because you are an exceptional shopper, Lisa. And, the problem is that few video shoppers can say the same about how they lost shops. The recording is unforgiving; if a video shopper screws up the editor and the client will know.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2018 07:21PM by walesmaven.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2018 07:21PM by walesmaven.
Exceptional I am not, LOL!
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Exceptionally something
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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