EQUIPMENT... 

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Equipment can get very involved...    


Maybe even over board for some...   

But it is best to keep it simple when getting started...  


GhostBreakers double camera Outfit idea...

Well, the GhostBreakers double still camera outfit idea is a reality and has been used on an investigation.

             

 

The first photo doesn't show the automatic shutter release and it is on a Tripod there for photographic purposes. It is to be used on a Monopod with an automatic shutter release like in the second photo for ease of moving around and taking photos on an investigation.

   The outfit above was born from the inexpensive PVC prototype below that I had put together before.  This one would be inexpensive for anyone or group to make. Although it would be a little more difficult to use as it has no automatic shutter release. Making it a little difficult to get two shots at exactly the same moment.

For those who don't understand it.  I will explain the idea briefly.

    My idea behind this set up is to take 2 identical photos. The reason being, is that anomalies that are captured like orbs, mist, etc., are being explained away as smoke, breath, dust, moisture, etc. I too believe this is the case in most instances. Then I got to thinking about how I approach things. Just because it could be these things, doesn't mean it is!

    Sort of like the guy that goes on an investigation and finds a loose pipe or squeaky floor board and attributes all the clients experiences to that. That isn't good enough for me.

    So I figured that if I could take 2 photos at the exact same moment then, if it were dust particles, moisture, breath, etc. It would not show up on both photos exactly the same.

     Examples: One piece of dust, moisture droplet, puff of smoke or breath vapor pattern can't be in front of both lenses at the same exact point or attern. (see photos below) Your breath pattern will be different as it passes in front of both lenses. If there is a drop of moisture, it won't be on both lenses, and so on. BUT, if you do get 2 identical orbs, mist patterns, etc. Then it may be worth looking into further. 

The 2 photos below were taken at the same time. Notice that the 2 cameras are slightly off on purpose. This way it is even less likely to get the same glare etc., on both camera lenses. However, they both cover the same area. Therefore capturing everything the same if it is really there. Notice the orb in the left photo but not in the right. Proof to me it is the flash reflecting off a dust particle.



Now to explain our 4 camera video outfit that was born from this inexpensive PVC prototype below.

The reason for this idea is for large areas where you can't capture the whole room with one camera. Or, somewhere where you may be afraid of tampering with the cameras, etc. You have seen this on TV.

If you place this outfit in the center of a large area (with each camera adjusted so they face 4 different directions) then nothing can go through the area without being seen.  Nothing could be fabricated. (i.e. - someone moving objects or rigging a hoax.)

Also, no one will be able to bother the video cameras because they can't get to them without being detected. Especially if you use it for your IR cameras wired to your DVR. No one could get to them without being seen and picked up on the monitor. 
 

Above is the final product for hand held video units but can be used with IR Cameras for your DVR also.

    Next, how many times have you seen on TV or experienced yourself that there was something behind you. Like it was watching what you are doing. These can be set to face in opposite directions so while you are taking that photo of what ever. You will also be taking one at the same time of what is behind you. You also don't waste anthing because if you catch nothing you just delete them from your camera.

      

Note:

    It is recommended that with these outfits that you have your laptop with you do download your photos to it and continue on.

Now this may sound silly to some but I am confident and it works for me. I also have been promoting the idea a lot of places other than here and so far it has been received well by the paranormal community.   

LAST NOTE:    The final product for the 2 & 4 camera outfits shown are not for the budget conscious person or group. I plan to be doing this a long time and it will pass down to my older sons. So it was worth the investment for me.  However, for the bigger groups out there that collect dues. This might be something you would want to look into.

    If you like the idea then look at the other photos for the inexpensive ones I made from PVC and painted black. They will work just fine and only cost you a few dollars, a little time to put together and you can use the cameras you have.

What  equipment you may want to use and what WE Don't Use and Why. 

    Many people have different ideas of what to use while doing an investigation. Some you see on TV bring so much equipment that it seems like they take most of their time setting up and breaking down, rather than investigating. Besides, all their electrical equipment could be causeing most of their paranormal readings. We don't feel the need for all the fancy equipment you see on TV and other places. When you get right down to what brought you to the investigation you realize it was from people that had personal experienceses. These people didn't have any equipment, yet they saw, heard or felt something that we think is worth inestigating. So why would we need any equipment if they didn't need it? My personal opinion (not the necessarily anyone else's in the group or anyone at all for that matter) is that all the equipment you see used, actually interferes with and prevents investigators from obtaining any real evidence and why you never see anything happen on TV shows. However, we do employ IR cameras when the building is large.

This is my opinion and not meant to influence anyones ideas of what and what not to use. You must do what you feel works for you.

    I don't think much equipment is actually needed. The following is what we feel may be necessary in most investigating.

    First and formost pen/pencil and a spiral notebook. Your camera and a audio recorder.

     Recorders...    You may use the recorder instead of the pen and paper however we feel the recorder is best when used as back up for the pen and paper. Also, unless you have a budget like a TV show and can afford a high end recorder. Your recordings will probably not show any definate EVP. Most recordings we have done that have resulted in something being heard, have been interpreted differently by each person who has heard it. However, because of different audio frequencies, and interference, a good recording device that has different speeds may reveal some interesting results. I would just like to reference the discovery in recent history of the sounds emited by elephants that are inaudible to humans. (You may have heard the story) The discovery was made by mistake. A researcher made recordings of a heard of elephants. While listening to the recording and taking notes the researcher mistakenly rewound the tape and palyed it back at the wrong speed. Then they heard a sound they hadn't noticed before. They finally figured out what they had done and then conducted the experiment on purpose and found that elephants do in fact make a sound that cannot be heard by the human ear. (The story may not be exact but it is close) So if you can afford equipement that you can change playback speeds etc. You may get some interesting results. Sony does make an affordable hand held model in the photo above.

EMF meters, etc...     I don't use EMF detectors. Well not the way you see on TV. Please go to our Theories page for the exception to the rule! You may use them if you feel the need or you think it helps you in your investigation. We have done a little reading on the detectors and thermometers etc. All this information is readily available on the internet. The EMF detector was designed and it used for detecting ElectroMagnetic Fields. Now a large number of Paranormal investigators also believe that they also detect the presence of ghosts. We have found that these meters can show a reading of 2 or 3 in the middle of an open field. So a reading of 1.5 or more in a building with electricity running through it almost everywhere doesn't show us anything more than that it is doing the job it was created for. So you see that if it were designed for only detecting ghosts it would be great. But since there is no such meter then trying to figure out what it is detecting makes it not practical for us. Although some believe when an EMF meter spikes it reveals paranormal activity. Then there are those who believe that it shows electro magnetic fields that ghosts feed on and could show activity. They also believe that when their batteries go dead it is for the same reason. That spirits draw the energy from the batteries and electricity in the buildings. My take on this is, Ghosts have been reproted for thousands of years. What did they feed on before electricity? See what I mean.

 Thermometers...   I also don't use thermometers like you see on TV. We can physically feel changes in temperature quicker than most thermometers I know of. So it doesn't make sense for us to use one. I suppose if we had an unlimited budget we could probably find a thermometer that could detect sudden changes in temperature better than we can. Now you are saying to yourself... But they have them on TV and they show sudden changes in temp! Most of the thermometers I have seen on TV are what are called non contact thermometers. They shoot a laser beam at an object and it detects the temp of the object it is pointed at. These are designed so that people do not have to get too close to things that are hot enough to harm them. So when you see someone on TV pointing one of these things and saying that the temps are rapidly changing. The temps are not changing where they are standing but what they are pointing at. So next time look at what they are pointing AT not where they are standing. Are they pointing back and forth over a window, airconditioner or something else that would have a different temp than say the wall? Many people make this mistake and think there is something happening when there isn't.

      Cameras...     Everyone uses cameras. We do too and use the ones pictured but, I am going to Pooh Pooh on the camera idea briefly first. There is one simple, grade school science reason why cameras may not capture a ghost. Ghosts are generally of no substance. So something without substance would not be able to reflect light. Therefore being uable to be photographed. The reason we see at all is because of reflecting light. Now with that said, lets move on and to why we do use cameras.

      We use cameras (video    & still       ) to record what we see during the day so we can recreate the scene later at home. This way we can continue the investigation away from the actual scene at our conveinence. Now remember that your camera can and most likely will pick up things you can't explain. We aren't concerned with this. What we are looking for is, picking up something that we didn't see while taking the photography but CAN identify now. Then you know you have something. Shadows, noises, smokey images and Orbs just don't make the grade with us. Now sorry to everyone else but we do not believe an Orb has anything to do with the paranormal. I will leave it at that because a lot of people take offense at those who say orbs aren't paranormal.

One suggestion we have is to get a good digital camera. They can be expensive but you will also use them for your personal use and for many years to come. So we think it is probably the best investment as far as equipment. Since you have a good camera now, don't use the flash. Even with a good camera, flash will cause you to pick up a lot of junk, dust, reflections etc., that some will most certainly and mistakenly attribute to the paranormal.

Now you have been saying to yourself... They have been saying you may not be able to photograph a ghost, so how can people see them and why waste time and money on a good camera etc? Well, now without contridicting myself (which I may do from time to time trying to show both sides) and sounding silly. We believethat there may be certain circumstances that a ghost will turn up on a photo but I don't think it can be deliberately and always done. We think that the reason you can see a ghost may be not only because you can see but because people hold a special bond wtih ghosts. (Ghosts being former people) Also remember that a camera works like your eyes. Your eyes don't work like a camera. Cameras were fashioned from the idea of howthe eye works not the other way around. We believe your eyes can pick up a lot more than a camera.

    Here is my theory of how we may be able to see ghosts. Look at a ghost like a very clean window. Now if you tried to take a photo of it all you would get is what is on the other side. But, if you look at the window at just the right angle in just the right light... you know it's there. How? Well, first of all, you are sure in your mind that it exists, even though you can't actually see it. Second, your eyes are working constantly. Not taking individual still shots but more like a video except your field of view is much better than a camera. So your eyes will catch every minute detail. So unlike a photo, your eyes see more and the connection the living have with ghosts that an inatimate object (camera) doesn't makes it understandable why people see more ghosts than cameras. I do have many theories. Many may contridict each other like I have said but we must look at all angles if we are to find what we are looking for. And I can handle being wrong if someone has proof of something contrary to what I have said. I have no fear of faliure, only of not trying.

    Now here is something that you can try with your photos at home for some interesting results. Load all your digital photos onto your computer.       Then make a separate folder and name it whatever you want. Now open each photo for editing. Go to the top on the tool bar and click on "image". Then click on "invert color". This will change your photo to look like a negative. Now "save as" whatever the original was  with 'neg' designator and then save it to your new folder.  This will allow you to go back later and look at them closely at your lesiure. Why???

    I have done this because it is a known fact that we cannot see every bit of the spectrum of light. Just like we can't hear every level of sound. This process allows us to adjust that somewhat, revealing things that you were unable to see while you were taking the photos in the original light spectrum. I have had interesting results. You know the old saying? My eyes are playing tricks on me...  Well, maybe they aren't. This may help you find out. I  have one more piece of equipment we use.

    Night Vision Scope...   We do use small night vision scopes. They prove to be a valuable asset when traversing dark cooridors etc. They work well and are relativly inexpensive. You can even get them cheap if you buy one used. Try eBay.



Advertizing...       There is nothing wrong with advertizing. How else are you going to let people know what you do? How else are you going get people to contact you for help? How much advertising is up to you.  But some inexpensive items are available to everyone. Business cards, etc, and the best is vehicle decals.       
If it doesn't embarass you to drive all over with your logo for everyone to see. (If it does, maybe you should look for something else to do.) Then every where you go people see who you are.