Using Sony MESH IoT Plug-in with RICOH THETA V

API Usage plugin
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I set up the RICOH THETA running the Sony MESH plug-in to take pictures of birds. I like bird watching, I thought this would be a cool use for the camera. I believe it’s commonly called a “camera trap.”

The results have been limited so far. I need to do more testing. But here’s a couple preliminary comments:

  1. I tried several different configurations, including a hummingbird feeder. Position of camera and Sony MESH motion sensor button was tenuous. But most importantly, no one showed up. I guess hummingbirds don’t try out the new restaurant in the neighborhood right away.
  2. So, I went to my local community garden, and put out bread crumbs. This worked better. The configuration with the camera was simple, I just taped the motion sensor directly onto the camera.

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  1. Setup was a chair, and breadcrumbs. (Eventually I put the camera down closer to the bread crumbs on the ground.)

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  1. It first caught some things other than birds

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  1. But eventually, it worked!

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Caveats and lessons

  1. Wind in the bushes or other movement can trigger the motion sensor. Depending on your setup, this can produce a bunch of unwanted pictures. Then again, the 19GB of internal memory can handle 4,800 photos, so maybe this is not an issue.

  2. Sony MESH motion sensor button has some specific specs that you should be aware of. The one that surprised me is that motion is detected from side-to-side. If the bird moves directly towards the sensor, it’s possible it does not trigger it. Details here:

https://support.meshprj.com/hc/en-us/articles/212120438-How-does-MESH-Motion-work-

From the website:

MESH Motion uses infrared heat to detect motion which can impact accuracy when the tag is moved or placed in close proximity to lots of human or animal movement. MESH Motion only detects motion that crosses paths with the tag, so motion such as walking straight towards the tag or away from the tag will not be detected by the sensor.

  1. Definitely need to protect the THETA. This is no different from any normal THETA use.

  2. Definitely need to take into consideration normal photographic settings. In my case, I was taking pictures in the shade which ultimately makes the birds harder to see. You can do some post-processing and make the pictures more clear, but a better initial setup would save you effort later.

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