Introduction: Covert Spy Sunglasses
Step 1: What You Need...
1. Micro Color Spy Camera that records audio and has an optional 9 volt power clip. GET IT HERE
Specs:
NTSC 380 TV Lines
2 LUX
Effective Element: 510x492
Viewing angle: 30 ~ 35 degrees
Automatic Iris, Exposure with adjustable focus
Viewing Distance: 50 mm to infinity
Full Motion Real Time Color Video without delay
Operating Voltage: 9-Volt Battery or AC-DC +8V 200mA Power Adapter
Operating Duration by Battery: 10 hours on Duracell or Energizer Alkaline Battery
2. 1 Pair Solar Shield Polarized Sunglasses. I picked a size Medium ($19.95 + tax - Walmart)
Step 2: Tools...
1. Soldering station
2. Hot glue gun
3. Wire Strippers/snips
4. Heat shrink tubing
5. 9 Volt battery
6. Small Camcorder
Step 3: Prep the Camera...
First trim back the molding on the camera to reveal the wiring. My camera had 4 wires. 1 for Video, Audio, Power and ground. That came together at 3 connectors. (The ground was connected to the ground wires on the video, audio and power line). I tehn cut the wireing about 4 inches from the camera leaving enough wiring on the other end.
Step 4: Extend the Wiring...
Now we want to add some wire to each line to extend it about 3 feet. After marking what each line is, solder one length of wire to each of the 4 cut lines coming from the camer. Add some shrink tubing and then solder the other ends of the new wire to the connector end.
Step 5: Installing the Spy Cam...
The Solar Shield glasses are great because there is plenty of room to install the newly wired camera in a far corner and secure with hot glue. Clean the glasses good before you install the camera because you are not going to be able to access the lens area again once installed. Then secure the wiring along the arm of the glasses. The black shrink tubing gets concealed perfectly.
Step 6: Connect the Camera...
I chose a Sony Camcorder that I already had (DCR-H32) because of it's size, it has A/V inputs and shoots MiniDV. You can easily hide the wiring down the back of your neck and in your shirt and then down into a pocket in your pants, inside a jacket pocket or anywhere else. Add the 9 volt battery clip and you are ready to shoot some spy footage!
Step 7: Color Video AND Audio
This setup shoots great color imagery for the price as you saw in the video and pretty clean audio. You could also include the audio wiring in the main strand and use a lavalier microphone attached somewhere on you, but I was mainly interested in the video. There's my Covert Spy Sunglasses for around $40! Enjoy!

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254 Comments
7 years ago
Amazon sells video shades as low as 20 bux complete ready to go with sound capture, Why try to reinvent the wheel?
Reply 7 years ago
this was made in 2008
back then you couldnt buy them (they were too expensive)
Reply 7 years ago
I've tried those. They're junk. I'd rather source the components myself, and know how to do it. To me, that what Instructables is about. Besides, even if you do just buy them, what I need is a reliable pair that streams to my phone and uploads video files to Dropbox. In my sideline business, if I don't get the investigative footage, I don't get paid.
Reply 7 years ago
I like how it records to a camcorder, presumably with much longer battery life and maybe a longer recording capacity too.
Reply 7 years ago
Why be on a Maker forum if you're not into making things for yourself? Sometimes the answer is simply "to see if I can."
Reply 7 years ago
yeah but you dont want to be stupid about it.If you can get something better for cheaper why be a tweeker and make it? Its like try making a bar of soap? it'll take a week and tons of time and material all for $.59 product. thats just dumb
Reply 7 years ago
Bro! I make and invent stuff all the time. I am a veritable invention machine. I even hold a couple patents and have designed and developed products that are in use all around the globe.
What I don't do is dabble in folly.
I will make things when it makes sense.
Example, I make my own bacon because I can make it for 80 cents per pound but I don't make my own cheese because it costs the same or more to make it than I can buy it.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunglasses-Glasses-Recorder-Camcorder-Eyewear/dp/B00RBHHC1A/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1450988698&sr=1-8&keywords=video+glasses
Reply 7 years ago
and how do you make your bacon
Reply 7 years ago
Did you note that this was originally posted in 2008? What is commonplace and inexpensive today was not so almost 8 years ago.
Reply 7 years ago
why then would we just get an email notice about an instructible as if it were new? I feel like i am now getting misinformed, bad info
Reply 7 years ago
No, I didn't.
And that makes a big difference too.
The web is a weird archive, I tend to look at dates on news stuff and should have done so here.
Thanks,
Greg
7 years ago
on the plus side of this time warped post ~ you have all made it over 18!! lol
13 years ago on Introduction
With the ability to use capitals and full stops.
Reply 7 years ago
smart guys know that in the forum it does not matter everybody will understand his or her message regardless
14 years ago on Introduction
Is there any way to get a camera like that without buying it on ebay? I'm 13 and I'm limited to what my parents will(and won't) let me do.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Yes, there is you can go in some "spy" websites (write in google telephone silencer) and you will see some spy sites the order is mailed to you or ppl delivers it to your door you just pay him and sign a document i'm 13 too (i buyed my Sony HandyCam DCR-DVD109 with my mom from a tech magazine :D )
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
You're thirteen, and that's why you wrote buyed. It's bought. :P I'm joking, I'm thirteen as well.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
aren't we all?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
no, we are not all 13 maybe a vast majority of you are but, I am 14 big difference
Reply 7 years ago
No that is an untrue statement. There is such a small difference between 13 and 14 that one could correctly say there is no difference.