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The Cam ECS-12 is an electronic clip system Nerf blaster that was released in fall of 2014[1] under the N-Strike Elite series. It requires four AA batteries to operate the blaster; an additional four AA batteries are needed to power its camera.[1]

Included contents[]

Details[]

The Cam ECS-12 is a semi-automatic flywheel clip system blaster. Its namesake feature is its integrated camera, fitted atop the blaster, allowing users to take first-version view videos while playing with it. The Cam also features an integrated non-adjustable shoulder stock, as well as a foregrip in front of the blaster.

It has two tactical rails: one on top of the blaster, above the camera, and one below the muzzle. It also has two strap points: one built into the trigger grip and one in the shoulder stock.

It advertises a firing range of up to eighty-five feet (twenty-six meters).

The camera[]

The Cam's built-in camera is a small 0.3 megapixel[1] camera that can take either photos or video; videos capture at twenty frames per second. The screen itself is built above the firing and acceleration triggers. The 1.77 inch screen shows a crosshair on it, possibly as a means of aiming, that will not show in video or photos taken by the camera.[1]

Buttons in front of the screen allow for the user to quickly change from taking photos to capturing video. Users can also navigate through, play back, and delete their photos or video. The button used for taking a photo or starting/stopping recording video is located on the left side of the blaster, near the front of the gray grip. An orange shade for the screen comes detached from the blaster due to packaging; it can be attached to the top of the screen to prevent sunlight glare on the screen.

The SD card slot is located just below the button dashboard.

The footage of the camera is poor, even by the standards of cell phones from the early 2000s; the framerate of the camera is far below that needed for action sports such as Nerf wars. Audio quality is also reported to be very poor. Revving the blaster, which is necessary to firing the blaster, results in a deafening noise in the recorded footage.

Official description[]

History[]

The Cam ECS-12 was first announced by Engadget on January 27, 2014; this may have been a potential leak, according to the image's file name.[3] It was then believed to be the same unknown blaster spotted by blogger UK Nerf as a secret blaster at the London Toy Fair. It became the first blaster to have a built-in camera.[1]

Initially advertised to fire up to ninety feet, the Cam was almost immediately met with backlash from Nerfers due to its high price.[4] Nerfers also began noticing that the specs on the camera included with the blaster were not particularly powerful for a blaster of such a high price.[5]

The blaster made an appearance at the 2014 New York Toy Fair.[6] The Cam was met with the harshest criticism yet upon unveiling, with the NIC seemingly having a unanimous disapproval of the blaster.[7][8] Criticism spread even further after it was discovered that Nerfers could purchase a Stryfe and a small camera for much cheaper than the Cam ECS-12 without that much of a performance difference.[9]

Trivia[]

  • This is the first of any dart blaster to feature a built-in camera.
  • This is the second ECS-type blaster, after the Stampede ECS.
  • Early versions of the Cam ECS-12 were depicted with a half-translucent clip, similar to that found in the Sonic ICE Retaliator. The final product ended up including the standard-at-the-time twelve dart clip.

Gallery[]

The full image gallery for Cam ECS-12 may be viewed at Cam ECS-12/Gallery.

Official videos[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
    O'Brien, T. (2014-01-27). Newest NERF blaster has baked in camera for capturing your foam firefights (Article). Engadget. Archived from the original on 2019-02-10. Retrieved on 2014-01-31.
  2. 2.0 2.1
    Amazon logo Nerf N-Strike Elite Cam ECS-12 Blaster(Discontinued by manufacturer). Amazon. Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved on 2014-11-21.
  3. Mr. K (2014-01-27). Engadget lets slip the Elite Cam ECS-12 (Article). Adult Fans of Nerf. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved on 2014-11-21.
  4. Southern Brisbane Nerf Club (2014-01-28). Elite Cam ECS 12 & what else I want to see from Nerf in 2014 (pic heavy) (Article). Southern Brisbane Nerf Club. Archived from the original on 2018-08-04. Retrieved on 2014-11-21.
  5. Click Click BAMF (2014-01-27). NEW BLASTER AGAIN! - N-Strike Elite Cam ECS-12 - 2014 Release (Article). Click Click BAMF. Archived from the original on 2016-03-31. Retrieved on 2014-11-21.
  6. D'Orazio, D. (2014-02-18). Nerf N-Strike Elite Cam ECS-12 Blaster hands-on pictures (Article). The Verge. Archived from the original on 2016-12-28. Retrieved on 2014-11-21.
  7. BlasterHub logo PMindemann (2014-02-24). In Detail: N-Strike Elite Nerf Cam ECS-12 Blaster (Article). Blaster Hub. Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved on 2014-11-21.
  8. YALE70 (2014-01-28). Nerf N-Strike Elite Cam ECS-12: Why? (Article). StudioYale Productions. Archived from the original on 2016-12-23. Retrieved on 2014-11-28.
  9. Bazookafied (2014-06-18). Is the Cam ECS-12 Worth It? Build it!! (Article). Tactical Tag. Archived from the original on 2016-03-31. Retrieved on 2014-11-28.

External links[]

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