mike in arkansas Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Ok-- Just starting out-- found my first two caches today!! Whoopee. This could be addicitive! Anyway, I live in a remote rural area down about 3 miles on a gravel road, and there is a sign (mine) at the entrance to my property. I was thinking of placing a cache there at the sigh. Has anyone heard of someone leaving a CHEAP (e.g. $20 Vivitar) digital camera and asking people to take a picture of themselves by the sign-- IF THEY WANT TO? Also request that they return the camera to the cache? Just a thought that I had. It might be fun to actually see the people who visited one's cache! Crazy?? Mike Quote Link to comment
+palmetto Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Inexpensive disposable film cameras in caches used to be quite common. Cache owner would grab them and develop the film from time to time - posting the pics to the cache page. I don't even know if they're sold any more? Digital might work. It might go missing, but I wouldn't think so, most people carry some kind of camera now, they don't need yours. Quote Link to comment
+cerberus1 Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 We often find disposable cameras in caches. I take pics of the outdoors, sometimes my other 2/3rds, for the online log, not selfies. I wouldn't leave anything in a cache that had any value if I didn't want it to go bye-bye. Quote Link to comment
mike in arkansas Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 I agree--- I would have to be willing to lose it to the unscrupulous jerks. Fortunately we don't have such people in Arkansas-- but there are those D*** yankees who come this way. That is why I specified CHEAP. It would be worth trying one anyway and see how it goes! Anyone else who has tried this and their experiences? Mike Quote Link to comment
+T.D.M.22 Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) I think there was a thread about having game cameras set up near a cache. I'll also say I think you should find some more caches first. See what makes a good cache, and what doesn't. Things that seem like they would, might hold as much water as a hockey net. You could also be surprised on what keeps the elements out like Price kept the puck out. Edited February 25, 2014 by T.D.M.22 Quote Link to comment
+Jayman11 Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I haven't seen one in a cache around here in a long time. I believe I have seen some of the old film disposables at one of the dollar stores around here though but can't remember for sure if that was where I saw them or not. lol Quote Link to comment
+captnemo Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Ok-- Just starting out-- found my first two caches today!! Whoopee. This could be addicitive! Anyway, I live in a remote rural area down about 3 miles on a gravel road, and there is a sign (mine) at the entrance to my property. I was thinking of placing a cache there at the sigh. Has anyone heard of someone leaving a CHEAP (e.g. $20 Vivitar) digital camera and asking people to take a picture of themselves by the sign-- IF THEY WANT TO? Also request that they return the camera to the cache? Just a thought that I had. It might be fun to actually see the people who visited one's cache! Crazy?? Mike 1st "Crazy" helps! 10 years ago I put a disposable camera in one of my caches. Got the pictures posted on the Cache page. Great fun but don't see many of these anymore. Don't be in a hurry to place the cache until you find what you like in a cache and what you don't like. Since the cache will be on your property be sure and put that info. in a note to the reviewer whn you list it. Quote Link to comment
+Chief301 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I think it's a cool idea...used to be pretty common but nowadays, well, it's hard to cram a disposable camera into a nano 😬 Maintenance is the key....the only encounters I've had with this concept is caches where the description SAYS there's a camera in the cache, but it's long gone, or where the camera IS in the cache but has been full for months and the owner never came and got it developed. Just be prepared to visit the cache periodically and replace/develop the camera. Of course, as you understand, you cannot REQUIRE them to take a picture.....but I think most folks will play along. Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Inexpensive disposable film cameras in caches used to be quite common. Cache owner would grab them and develop the film from time to time - posting the pics to the cache page. I don't even know if they're sold any more? Digital might work. It might go missing, but I wouldn't think so, most people carry some kind of camera now, they don't need yours. Per what I'm bolding, that, and so was putting WheresGeorge.com dollars in caches. Then people decided those bolt covers at the bottom of parking lot lampposts lifted up, and you could fit a film canister under them. Yeah, I think it's an excellent idea to try it with a cheapie $20 camera these days. Do they even still make those disposables? Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Ok-- Just starting out-- found my first two caches today!! Whoopee. This could be addicitive! Anyway, I live in a remote rural area down about 3 miles on a gravel road, and there is a sign (mine) at the entrance to my property. I was thinking of placing a cache there at the sigh. Has anyone heard of someone leaving a CHEAP (e.g. $20 Vivitar) digital camera and asking people to take a picture of themselves by the sign-- IF THEY WANT TO? Also request that they return the camera to the cache? Just a thought that I had. It might be fun to actually see the people who visited one's cache! Crazy?? Mike If it's your property you could chain the cache to something and secure the camera to the cache, to make it harder for anyone to steal it. If you're using a digital you'd need to consider charging it. If it's left outside in the winter the batteries may not last very long. Put a really old and cheap (and small) memory card in it so people aren't tempted to steal the nice shiny 32GB flashcard you kindly left for them. Or, if it's on your property, why not set up a webcam so people can use a smartphone to take a picture with the webcam if they are so inclined? It excludes those who don't have a smartphone and can't call someone to grab a picture online, but since it's not mandatory that shouldn't be an issue. That way you don't have to deal with batteries, memory cards, and it's unlikely to be stolen. Quote Link to comment
Blue Square Thing Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 (edited) You could try leaving just a memory card (small, cheap one as above) and making the cache description really clear that if people want to take a photo of themselves with the cache then there's a card in there and they can use it. I think I found one like that last year somewhere around here... e2a: this cache - http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2Y039_watch-the-birdie Edited February 26, 2014 by Blue Square Thing Quote Link to comment
+BAMBOOZLE Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Brings back memories. In the old days many caches had disposable cameras, I hid a few myself. I haven't seen one in years.....I guess they're hard to cram in a film can. Quote Link to comment
+wmpastor Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I agree--- I would have to be willing to lose it to the unscrupulous jerks. Fortunately we don't have such people in Arkansas-- but there are those D*** yankees who come this way. That is why I specified CHEAP. It would be worth trying one anyway and see how it goes! Anyone else who has tried this and their experiences? Mike No scoundrels in Arkansas, huh?! What I say to you is, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" This proves otherwise: Arkansas Crime Statistics. Quote Link to comment
+Traditional Bill Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I agree--- I would have to be willing to lose it to the unscrupulous jerks. Fortunately we don't have such people in Arkansas-- but there are those D*** yankees who come this way. That is why I specified CHEAP. It would be worth trying one anyway and see how it goes! Anyone else who has tried this and their experiences? Mike No scoundrels in Arkansas, huh?! What I say to you is, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" This proves otherwise: Arkansas Crime Statistics. No unscrupulous jerks in Arkansas? Oh okay, gotcha. Just curious; what is your definition of a "D*** Yankee"? Anyone North of the Mason Dixon? I'm a New Jersey native, however as somebody who has lived in both the north and the south, I've realized that people are people no matter where you are. Unless of course you're joking, in that case it went right over my head. Oh yeah, that camera thing. Neat idea, although I've snapped many a photo on a camera in a cache already, so it's nothing new. Just be careful with what you put in your cache. I hear that those d*** hillbillies run rampant in Arkansas. Quote Link to comment
+Manville Possum Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Brings back memories. In the old days many caches had disposable cameras, I hid a few myself. I haven't seen one in years.....I guess they're hard to cram in a film can. You have a valid point. I used to love these type caches, but I don't even think they make the disposable cameras any more. A SD card would fit in a film can and the finders could use their own camera to snap a photo and put the card back? I will never forget the three moons over Georgia photo that showed up in a friends letter box, all with matching stamps. Quote Link to comment
+The_Incredibles_ Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 We have 1 like that here. The main issue is maintenance. The cache owner lost interest and now the camera sits in there full. A similae idea, since alot of people carry cameras or phones with camera, why not put some funny hats or glasses or funny signs in the cache and encourage peopleto take photos with their own camera and upload them. Quote Link to comment
GrandPotentate Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Inexpensive disposable film cameras in caches used to be quite common. Cache owner would grab them and develop the film from time to time - posting the pics to the cache page. I don't even know if they're sold any more? Digital might work. It might go missing, but I wouldn't think so, most people carry some kind of camera now, they don't need yours. Inexpensive disposable film cameras are not inexpensive to get developed. We used to have one in a TB hotel my caching group owns, but the camera costs $5 to purchase and $20 to develop. Quote Link to comment
+wmpastor Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I agree--- I would have to be willing to lose it to the unscrupulous jerks. Fortunately we don't have such people in Arkansas-- but there are those D*** yankees who come this way. That is why I specified CHEAP. It would be worth trying one anyway and see how it goes! Anyone else who has tried this and their experiences? Mike No scoundrels in Arkansas, huh?! What I say to you is, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" This proves otherwise: Arkansas Crime Statistics. No unscrupulous jerks in Arkansas? Oh okay, gotcha. Just curious; what is your definition of a "D*** Yankee"? Anyone North of the Mason Dixon? I'm a New Jersey native, however as somebody who has lived in both the north and the south, I've realized that people are people no matter where you are. Unless of course you're joking, in that case it went right over my head. Oh yeah, that camera thing. Neat idea, although I've snapped many a photo on a camera in a cache already, so it's nothing new. Just be careful with what you put in your cache. I hear that those d*** hillbillies run rampant in Arkansas. It's not "camera thing," it's "camera thaaaaang." And it's looks like the two of you are going to re-fight the civil war. Quote Link to comment
mike in arkansas Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 Ok, I gotta come clean-- I am not a native Arkansan. I was actually born and raised in California! But I DO love Arkansas, and most (not all) of the people (like most places) are really fine people even if some are a bit hillish!! I appreciate the comments y'all made. I like the idea of the SD card with info to bring your own camera! As far as neglecting the cache, it will be about 20 feet from our mail box so I will be checking it regularly. Thanks again, and blessings on everyone who chimed in. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 On a slight tangent, I used to leave disposable cameras as swag and people would open them up, take pics and leave them the cache. This was despite the fact that I'd label them as a trade item. I had no interest in developing pictures so eventually I stopped leaving them as swag. Quote Link to comment
+The_Incredibles_ Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 You could put the cache *inside* your mailbox. Then rig a sensor up and have a hidden camera also inside the mailbox that takes a photo whenever the mailbox is opened. Quote Link to comment
+Don_J Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 You could put the cache *inside* your mailbox. Then rig a sensor up and have a hidden camera also inside the mailbox that takes a photo whenever the mailbox is opened. Actually no. In the US, you can't put anything in your mailbox except mail. Besides, why would you want six photos a week of your letter carrier. Quote Link to comment
+msrubble Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 The SD card is not a good idea. Why should anyone trust the safety of a card they found in a cache? Second, in my limited experience, the memory card has to be formatted for a particular camera. A card that's set up to work in your camera might not work in mine. Quote Link to comment
+hzoi Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I'd just ask folks to take a picture themselves and post it to the cache page. Most folks have camera phones these days, and then you don't risk someone strolling off with your camera. I haven't seen a disposable camera in a cache in years. Though we did just find a disposable camera TB -- it was released 11 years ago, and the first finder picked it up and held onto it for 10 years before releasing it. Oops! God only knows how the film is holding up, but that's not our problem, we'll take a photo and move it on. Quote Link to comment
mike in arkansas Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 This is more complex than I ever imagined!! And thanks for all the comments and suggestions. FOrgot about the sd card needing to be formatted for different cameras. Plus my wife and son both have concerns about even putting a cache on/near or property. I think it is fear of too many people being aware of where we are and like I say there are a FEW Arkansans I would not want prowling around our place. I appreciate the suggestions to spend more time finding caches before placing one! Again, Blessings on ya'll Quote Link to comment
+palmetto Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I found a cache placed 14 months ago - real old school, 5 gallon bucket, with disposable camera in cache (that I bet he really will grab, develop and post the pics to the cache page), nice hike to it, good view from the spot, big ol' log book, tons of swag. I remembered it after posting to this thread. Apparently disposable cameras can still be bought. Quote Link to comment
FaithCacher22 Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 They do make those sposie cameras still, but they aren't so cheap anymore, I saw one not long ago and it was like $8. And like someone else said, it costs even more to develop, and it's not even 1hour anymore, like it used to be, but overnight or even days, depending on where you go. :/ Whether a cheapie camera or digital, either way, I'd worry about moisture and temperatures. Quote Link to comment
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