Smiley cache good idea?

[+Maconb]

I have an old digital camera that I'm not using anymore. I was thinking of incorporating it into a cache and letting the cachers take a picture of themselves getting there " Smiley " on. Since it is a digital camera I can upload the pictures easy enough but how could I display the pictures so that the cachers can admire the cache for what it is, a photo journal. Any ideas????

[Mr.Yuck]

I have an old digital camera that I'm not using anymore. I was thinking of incorporating it into a cache and letting the cachers take a picture of themselves getting there " Smiley " on. Since it is a digital camera I can upload the pictures easy enough but how could I display the pictures so that the cachers can admire the cache for what it is, a photo journal. Any ideas????

 

You don't see this any more, but in the olden days, people used to put disposable camera's in caches for people to take their pictures. I did it once, on a 2004 hide. Although I did retrieve the camera, I never got it developed. It's around here somewhere. Anyways, the procedure back then was to get them developed, scan them, and just add them to the cache page gallery. I suppose if you're competent with HTML, you could put a table of pictures in the main body of the cache page, although I can't remember seeing anyone do this.

[+Roman!]

Create a thumbnail grid on the cache page that links to the full sized pictures. You could even us a picture of the thumbnail grid as your background.

 

In my almost 2 years if caching I have only stumble upon 1 camera cache but its a fun idea.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Roman!

[+Maconb]

I'll have to play around with it. I have only placed like 4 caches and nothing extreme. Thanks for the help.

[+-CJ-]

Doesn't it raise an additional problem if the cache is being muggled? As a rule, I have a couple of logbooks at hand so I can replace a soaked logbook or add a new one to the container; but obviously I've no cameras for this purpose. So, in other cases I could do some repairings and log it found, in this case I will have no other option but to log DNF. If you have some old cameras for replacement and ready to check the hiding place regularly that could probably work. What about humidity? I believe that at geocaching.com there has been practice of putting cameras into cache containers. If so, could anyone give me a couple of examples of geocaches where it worked for more than a year? (Thanks in advance).

 

We've a couple of caches around here where COs put SD (microSD) cards into small/micro containers. However, geocaching is not much active here so I cannot give any statistics about findings. I suppose that COs are able to visit the places and copy contents of these cards to their devices for later publication. In one case CO requested not to make photos but to record greeting audio messages.

[+Ike 13]

I would think that a digital cam would be more susceptable to moisture than the disposable ones and thus it could mess up quickly. I guess if you were just going to trash it it's no different but if it was me I'd find it a loving home with someone who isn't able to afford a camera and go the cheap disposable route with the cache.

[+Maconb]

Doesn't it raise an additional problem if the cache is being muggled? As a rule, I have a couple of logbooks at hand so I can replace a soaked logbook or add a new one to the container; but obviously I've no cameras for this purpose. So, in other cases I could do some repairings and log it found, in this case I will have no other option but to log DNF. If you have some old cameras for replacement and ready to check the hiding place regularly that could probably work. What about humidity? I believe that at geocaching.com there has been practice of putting cameras into cache containers. If so, could anyone give me a couple of examples of geocaches where it worked for more than a year? (Thanks in advance).

 

We've a couple of caches around here where COs put SD (microSD) cards into small/micro containers. However, geocaching is not much active here so I cannot give any statistics about findings. I suppose that COs are able to visit the places and copy contents of these cards to their devices for later publication. In one case CO requested not to make photos but to record greeting audio messages.

I was going to leave a log book. The camera was just going to be there for fun.

[+Mike & Jess]

I had a similar thought when I placed my "Take a photo, Leave a photo" cache.

Because of our weather conditions here, a camera (digital especially) would have a tough time to survive.

 

A couple tips however from this cache I can share...

- Double lock & lock (one container inside the other, and good name brand). If a finder fails to properly close one container, it's hoped the second one will be. Also creates a seporate air space for water issues.

- Silicon packs and or rice containers should be in the cache. Take a film canister, fill it with normal rice. Glue shut and puncture small holes with a pin. This should obsorb moisture in the cache and help keep it dry.

- Be mindful of the placement. Will the cache drowned if there is a heavy rain? Will it likely be sitting covered in snow or ice? Place the cache where it is least exposed to the elements will help it survive longer

[+Maconb]

I had a similar thought when I placed my "Take a photo, Leave a photo" cache.

Because of our weather conditions here, a camera (digital especially) would have a tough time to survive.

 

A couple tips however from this cache I can share...

- Double lock & lock (one container inside the other, and good name brand). If a finder fails to properly close one container, it's hoped the second one will be. Also creates a seporate air space for water issues.

- Silicon packs and or rice containers should be in the cache. Take a film canister, fill it with normal rice. Glue shut and puncture small holes with a pin. This should obsorb moisture in the cache and help keep it dry.

- Be mindful of the placement. Will the cache drowned if there is a heavy rain? Will it likely be sitting covered in snow or ice? Place the cache where it is least exposed to the elements will help it survive longer

Thank you

[+Mike & Jess]

Our climate is a fair bit more nasty towards caches then what you will see in your area.

My cache I used as an example has been out for 2 years without issues. Not bad for a cache that is dedicated to swapping printed 4x6 photographs.

[+Maconb]

OK so I have received great tips on how to put out the cache but the question still remains... How do I display the pictures so the cachers who used the camera can see them???

[+Mike & Jess]

OK so I have received great tips on how to put out the cache but the question still remains... How do I display the pictures so the cachers who used the camera can see them???

The easiest way would be to add a log to the cache page when you retrieve the photos and add the photos with the log.

Be sure to mention that the photos taken with the camera will be posted online. Also, be sure to label the camera heavily that it should remain in the cache.

 

Back to my previous post, here is a picture of the rice container in my cache. Someone added it to the cache log.

[+Maconb]

That sounds great I can edit the logs an add their pics. I'm ready to put this out. My wife, who doesn't understand why I like geocaching was all like, "what if somebody steals it?" well I wasn't using it anyway. So I'll keep this one close to the house. Not a whole lot of traffic or cachers for that matter but it will give me the least chance for it to get muggled.

[+Mike & Jess]

That sounds great I can edit the logs an add their pics. I'm ready to put this out. My wife, who doesn't understand why I like geocaching was all like, "what if somebody steals it?" well I wasn't using it anyway. So I'll keep this one close to the house. Not a whole lot of traffic or cachers for that matter but it will give me the least chance for it to get muggled.

 

Have fun.

 

I'd definitely consider placing this cache out in the bush. This should reduce the fly by night cachers and hopefully prevent a muggle from stumbling upon it. Would be a kick in the knees if it's a big hit, and the camera goes missing before you get to pull the photos.

 

Can you post the GC for the cache once it's up? I'd love to check up on it's success.

[+Mike & Jess]

Started thinking about this and how I might be able to do something similar for one of my toughest caches going out next summer.

One issue I'm going to have, which you might as well is the battery in the camera. Does your camera use normal batteries?

 

My thoughts for my situation will be that I'll use a camera (need to buy it) that will take AA batteries. I'll advise the cachers that the camera will not have batteries, and to use their own (and remove when done) to take the photos and/or view the photos on the camera. This way there is no dead battery or corroded battery issues.