mxcale 0 #1 November 11, 2006 i think i'm going with an optima for audible. i want to do sum video and i have a camera picked out too so i just need a helmet. i like the cookie stuff and the hookr and bonehead stuff too but dont that much bout the quallity of these companies or much of any info for them. so who has wut and who likes wut about it? gimme sum info guys!!!!! thanks a million! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joellercoaster 6 #2 November 11, 2006 Hey, consider getting a helmet that doesn't take a camera mount for a while... I know you're in the US, but the British Parachute Association here won't let you jump camera with less than two hundred jumps, and they have reasons. It would really suck to buy a camera helmet for big bucks, only to discover you can't use it for a year or two. Find out first!-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brettski74 0 #3 November 11, 2006 Similar rules in Canada - you need a C licence to jump a camera. I believe it's the same south of the border, but don't quote me on that. I once asked one of the instructors at my DZ about flying a camera. You see, I have this tiny little bullet-cam that I could attach to my helmet - about the size of a stick of lipstick. I figured that this might be fine, since it's so small and round that the chance of line entanglements and such would be barely any different than with the helmet alone. His first response, without skipping a beat was, "Are you willing to smash that against the wall right now?" Think of this... You're still learning and very new to the sport - as am I - and if the shit does hit the proverbial fan, you're in an unfamiliar environment and probably trying to calm down and think through your training. If you have lines tangled on your helmet, you may need to ditch the helmet in order to survive. Do you want to be the guy plummetting to your death and hesitating to do so because you're worried about several hundred dollars worth of electronics that's attached to it? FWIW, I think that bonehead make good stuff and will give you options for the future, but if you're buying that camera primarily for skydiving, you may want to hold off a while. A C licence is still a little way away for you, and by that time, there will likely be better cameras or better deals going than there are now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxcale 0 #4 November 12, 2006 yeah i know i wont be able to jump it for a ltl while but i dont wanna buy a helmet now and in 6 months be ready to video and hafta buy another helmet. i just figured gettin a helmet thats capable of holdin a camera will save me money in the future. keep the helmet experience flowin! i'm still lookin for company comments. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #5 November 12, 2006 The reason for having experience before jumping camera isn't all about having entaglements. That stuff is pretty simple actually. If you dump and have an entaglement, get rid of the friggen helmet!! It more has to do with the flying aspect. You are going to to be distracted trying to get the shot wether you think you are going to forget about it or not. Your flying has to be second nature. You can't be thinking about how to make a succesfull skydive and how to make a succesfull video at the same time without having a few jumps under your belt. Unless you are a 15 yr old phenom that is... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brettski74 0 #6 November 12, 2006 You're right about the flying aspect if you're trying to shoot video of someone, although, at my level, that wasn't why I was asked my instructors about the camera. In most other sports, you don't need the camera guy participating in the actual sport, so helmet cams are primarily used to give a first-person view of the sport. I know I can't fly well enough to be camera guy for a tandem or a team or anything. I just thought it would be cool to strap a camera to my head to show my wuffo friends what I see when I jump out of planes. It'll just have to wait a little, and by then, I probably will be good enough to shoot video for someone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #7 November 12, 2006 You will still be thinking about getting the shot whether you just want the first person view or not.. trust me. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Travman 6 #8 November 12, 2006 The Hookr is a good helmet. I can speak from experience... I have crashed whilst wearing my Hookr. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brabzzz 0 #9 November 12, 2006 Agreed. Even as part of a jump with the videologbook strapped on, you'll still be looking for the shots. The upside is people 'come to you' up there as they want to be on video! Get a protec. Tape it up and cover it with stickers. After another couple of hundred jumps you'll know exactly what you want. And you can mount both video and stills on a protec. Save the money and blow it on coaching instead. I wasted £150 on a Hurricane when a ProTec could have done the same job for much less. 4 years later i bought a new Hawkeye camera lid for half that! --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skysurfcam 0 #10 November 12, 2006 I'm a big fan of the Flat Top Pro. For mine it's the best camera helmet on the market, and I have nothing but good things to say about Bonehead helmets. I don't think it would suit you needs right now though... Notwithstanding that, if I was looking for a helmet I could use as a standalone for a while, then add camera's and accessories later, I'd go straight for a cookie Mxv. It's lightweight, high strength, low profile, but totally camera ready when you need it. Featurewise for this purpose it's best of breed right now. Cheers, C. Brother Wayward's rule of the day... "Never ever ever go skydiving without going parachuting immediately afterwards." 100% PURE ADRENALENS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #11 November 12, 2006 With THAT avatar I think I'd listen! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #12 November 12, 2006 No kidding.. looks like his head is shaped like a video camera... must need a good helmet to fit over that one!! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #13 November 13, 2006 This has come up in conversation recently over a couple of beers. I completely respect the view point that is can be dangerously distracting. Isn't it possible to fly a small camera without letting it take over your dive? If you don't have a cam sight, you turn it on for the whole dive, and fly your normal slot then is it a huge difference? You should be keeping eye contact on the other people in the sky already. I just wanted to play devils advocate, I don't plan on running out and getting a camera any time soon. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #14 November 13, 2006 It's not the physical aspect of having the camera.. it's the mental. You won't forget that it is there. Not too mention your mental preperation before exit is thrown out of wack as well.. you are now a little less worried about your gear and a little more worried about making sure the camera is turned on. I thought that I could set it and forget, but I couldn't. The instant you leave the plane with a camera on your head, you are a cameraman. Freeflyers do it all the time.. set it forget it, but that only comes with experience and having more concern about performing well on a high complexity dive and the shot will come natural, because it is second nature. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 0 #15 November 13, 2006 You can get a HookR helmet now, and add the camera box later, when you're ready for it. I believe you can do the same with Cookie Composites helmets. Edit: if Craig (skysurfcam) says you can add the box to an Mxv later, then I'd believe him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxcale 0 #16 November 15, 2006 come guys! i know there's more of ya out there that hav experience with these companies. i need more personal experience talk and less about me not jumpin with a camera. not that i dont appreciate u guys lookin out for me but i wasnt planin on jumpin a camera for a while but i want the helmet thats capable when i get ready. thanks for all the comments so far tho!!!!!! wwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooo hhhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 0 #17 November 15, 2006 Cookie and HookR both make excellent helmets. I've heard good things about Bonehead too. HookR can do funky paint jobs that, as far as I know, the other two can't. Cookie has a nice-looking cutaway system available. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
icevideot 0 #18 November 15, 2006 Quote i wasnt planin on jumpin a camera for a while hahahaha now that is really funny. Never buy anything you are not ready to jump. I don't care if it is a helmet, a canopy, or a birdman suit. Everything I have seen says if you have the toys you will play with them. Blue skies and lots of luck to you."... this ain't a Nerf world." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skysurfcam 0 #19 November 15, 2006 You're slipping Irish... Cookie paint options... Bonehead Paint options... :-P C PS Thanx for the noice words! Brother Wayward's rule of the day... "Never ever ever go skydiving without going parachuting immediately afterwards." 100% PURE ADRENALENS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 0 #20 November 15, 2006 QuoteYou're slipping Irish... Smartarse! Cookie's paint is just simple colours - FibreZone (HookR) can organise much more intricate paint schemes. I didn't know that Bonehead could do such fancy stuff, and on that I stand corrected . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #21 November 16, 2006 QuoteThis has come up in conversation recently over a couple of beers. I completely respect the view point that is can be dangerously distracting. Isn't it possible to fly a small camera without letting it take over your dive? I don't think so. My freefly jumps without a camera were always better than the ones where I was wearing it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpah 0 #22 November 16, 2006 I bought a Rawa camera helmet without the camera box. I just passed a couple hundred jumps, got a briefing and some training, and an ok from an instructor to start jumping with a camera. I ordered the camera box and will install it this weekend. Anyway...Rawa dealer...www.aerostore.com was good and has been reliable in the three separate orders I have made with them. Call their number and they'll help answer any specific questions. I don't know if an optima will fit in there but I think it may, a neptune does I was told, so you can check the dimensions of the two devices and see. I do not use an audible (yet). There is a lot of padding over the ears, which cut down on airplane noise and will keep your head warm. The chin cup keeps the helmet on solid, and the excess chin clip stuff (whatever its called) is inside the cup, not exposed. It gives it a good clean look. As an interesting side benefit...it keeps face-flappage to a minimum As a person with wider cheeks than most, I like this "feature", LOL. I'm real happy with the quality. I haven't had to "test" it yet, and don't plan on it. Any rubs of the helmet against metal will scratch the paint, tho...probalby my only complaint. Helmet is black, tho, so it doesn't show. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lastchance 0 #23 November 17, 2006 Check out the Bonehead Rat Hat. You can fly it without the camera for as long as you like then when you want you can buy the L bracket or the cam box that you need. The closure on it is a little different and some people say that it is a little hard to use with gloves on but I have never had a problem. Actually I think if I had to dump it in the event of problems, that it would take less time and effort than most. This is of course just my opinion and I am far from being expert. I am a fairly low time jumper and only fly a camera to record my own jumps. I do not go chasing people around the sky. the last thing on my mind on my dives is what the cam sees. Thats for when I get home. I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
damion75 0 #24 November 20, 2006 Again, just an opinion, but I am not a fan of the idea of using a Rat Hat for camera work. One of my team mates has one that he has put a bracket on the side of, and the significant size difference between the tiny flat section and the camera/bracket just screams snag hazard to me. If you want to go with bonehead (not a bad choice!) then why not the Optik? You can buy it 'clean' and then bolt on a bracket or box when you have the experience to start flying with a camera. *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxcale 0 #25 November 28, 2006 thanks and keep the word on the street coming. the more experience i hear the better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
