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ereda95

First Skydive, many questions about cameras and mounting options.

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Hi all, this is my first post here :)

I am doing a charity skydive in April and want to capture it on camera. I have singled out the GoPro Hero 3 White and the Sony HDR-AS15 as the main candidates, although I am open to any suggestions from you guys. You will undoubtedly know more than me. My budget is £200 ($330) although I have found the Sony HDR-AS15 £140.

From my research, the Sony seems better in terms of image quality (especially for everyday and low light usage). It also has the wide lens. Ultimately the GoPro looks cool and has many more accessories and mounting options though.

Speaking of mounting, what is the best way to mount the cam for a skydive? I want it to be as stable as possible and from my POV, so it needs to be on my helmet I assume. Will the sticky tabs do the job?

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There is a camera forum here that can advise you on camera technical issues. I will assume that this charity skydive you are contemplating is a tandem, if so just inquire with the DZ about providing you with video. If is not a tandem, you still need to check with the DZ about options. Student or first time jumpers are not normally allowed to wear cameras when jumping. Most DZs and some governing bodies require an experience level of 200 jumps before allowing anyone to wear a camera on a skydive.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Generally, tandem jumpers are not allowed to wear cameras. Please contact your event organizer or the drop zone where the event will take place. Save yourself the money from purchasing a camera, and hire a camera flyer who will do outside video and will make sure you get the best quality product. You should focus on listening to your instructor and having fun, not worrying about if your camera is in focus or causing a safety hazard.
"I love when humans fly,"

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Hmmm. I see.

I think it is a bit ridiculous. It is probably the first and last skydive I will do, I wanted something that showed it from my point of view as well as the outside photographer taking a video.

I don't see what harm strapping a small camera to my helmet would do. It isn't as if I would be messing around with it or letting it distract me. It would be a simple matter of turning it on before I even get on the plane and forgetting it is even there. But rules are rules and I guess there will be people who aren't as sensible.

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ereda95

I don't see what harm strapping a small camera to my helmet would do.



I imagine you've watched a tandem jump or two on youtube. Have you seen any where the passenger is wearing the sort of helmet you are thinking of using? Why do you think that is?

Mark

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ereda95

...I think it is a bit ridiculous...I don't see what harm...



Be careful with that kind of logic in this sport. How could you gauge dangerous vs. non-dangerous behavior within its confines without any knowledge of it?

This sport has tail risk on a magnitude you cannot yet fathom. That means that adverse events in it are often highly lethal. Your parachute (and reserve) doesn't open? Game over. The only thing that keeps it somewhat safe to be a participant in, especially at a relatively low rate of information such as yourself, is that you are void of decision-making on your first skydive and there is someone highly experienced that does everything for you.

I may only be a beginner in it, but through my own research, I can tell you that you don't want to be wearing a helmet when doing a tandem dive, and should opt for a frap hat (made of hard leather) instead. Hard helmets have a nasty habit of incapacitating that highly experienced ticket to a soft landing you are attached to.

And cameras? Snag hazard. It is my understanding that you have to be ready to rip the camera off of your helmet in case parachute lines become tangled with it. Plus, they have a strong tendency to bring out unsafe behavior due to the "look at me!" factor.

In general, any time you try anything new in this sport you have to give very serious pause to all the things that could go wrong, and what you would do in each of those scenarios. You have much, much to learn before you are ready to consider what kinds of behaviors are and are not safe, and what could go wrong. Simply put, you just don't know what you don't know.

That having been said, find the exact person you will be jumping with (contact the dropzone months in advance, ask if they can set you up with a particular tandem instructor), and ask him if he would allow you to do ____ (whatever it is that you want to do). Be very careful not to pressure the individual. He is going to have to save your life in a couple of months - do you really want to pressure him into making decisions against his judgement? If he hesitates, tell him its okay to say "no, I won't do that". And if he says "no" without an explanation don't ask why. But maybe it will work. What do I know. But my gut is pretty adamant about telling you not to do it.

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To say it a little clearer.

You can die skydiving. Of course you can die driving to the dropzone. But you've come here to ask the experts. The experts tell you that you probably will not be allowed to take any cameras other than those used by the tandem master or a separate videographer. This is to limit any additional risk to both of you.

People have died because of the "sensible" attitude of I'll just turn it on and forget about it.

The fact that you got so far in considering this without talking to the skydivers involved means that you do not have an appropriate respect for either the sport, the danger, or the expert personnel involved.

BTW you will most likely NOT be wearing a hard helmet, if the post above wasn't clear enough.
I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

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as your saying its going to cost blah blah in £, then I assume your from the uk

good luck finding anyone who will let you wear a camera ;)

unless you want to pay the person double or more than what you would normally, they wont allow you to wear a camera

hell most centres only let you wear frap hats, not full on helmets, so your next best bet is a chest strapped gopro.

but again, I highly doubt anyone will let you wear one...good luck though.

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I wanted something that showed it from my point of view as well as the outside photographer taking a video.




It has been done. If you ask around you may find someone who will allow you to attach a camera to your harness chest strap. I have heard of people hand holding Gopros. That being said, most DZs will not allow it, and none on your head.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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gowlerk

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I wanted something that showed it from my point of view as well as the outside photographer taking a video.




It has been done. If you ask around you may find someone who will allow you to attach a camera to your harness chest strap. I have heard of people hand holding Gopros. That being said, most DZs will not allow it, and none on your head.



I don't think people should jump allover a future tandem passenger for making the wrong assumptions. They have no reference to gauge the risks involved.

I think that the chest mount or chest strap, is probably an acceptable option, although I doubt the footage would be much to see.

To the original poster, outside camera is very good, if the dropzone offers it, combining outside camera, with the tandem instructor having hand-cam is best option available and you will be very happy with the results.
Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

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cazzercam

Unless you want to pay the person double or more than what you would normally, they wont allow you to wear a camera



Price does not come into it in this case, I'm afraid. A few extra quid vs the TI losing their rating when the video hit YouTube? You'd have to have really amazing boobs, for a start.

nigel99

hand-cam is best option available and you will be very happy with the results



Hand cam is not presently legal in the UK. This may change in the future, but for now it is what it is.

To the original poster, as people have pointed out with varying degrees of politeness: there is a lot going on in a tandem skydive that is not immediately obvious, and the rules have not been arrived at without careful thinking. Even some relatively experienced skydivers find them surprising, but the reasons for them turn out to be sound.

You are going to have an amazing time. First-person video or the lack of it is not going to change that :)
--
"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?

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mark

***I don't see what harm strapping a small camera to my helmet would do.



I imagine you've watched a tandem jump or two on youtube. Have you seen any where the passenger is wearing the sort of helmet you are thinking of using? Why do you think that is?

Mark

Yes. I've seen plenty of them.

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councilman24

To say it a little clearer.

You can die skydiving. Of course you can die driving to the dropzone. But you've come here to ask the experts. The experts tell you that you probably will not be allowed to take any cameras other than those used by the tandem master or a separate videographer. This is to limit any additional risk to both of you.

People have died because of the "sensible" attitude of I'll just turn it on and forget about it.

The fact that you got so far in considering this without talking to the skydivers involved means that you do not have an appropriate respect for either the sport, the danger, or the expert personnel involved.

BTW you will most likely NOT be wearing a hard helmet, if the post above wasn't clear enough.



I don't know where the DZ is yet. Insofar, it hasn't been organised to that extent and I was only asked if I wanted to join the team yesterday. So I can't ask the skydivers involved.

I see people dying quite regularly where I volunteer (at a hospital). Although not skydiving related, through these I know the importance of adhering to any safety rules. I commented that I didn't understand the danger, and that it seemed ridiculous to me. Now that the 'experts' have told me why, I can appreciate the rules.

There is really no need to be unpleasant with me.

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nigel99

***

Quote

I wanted something that showed it from my point of view as well as the outside photographer taking a video.




It has been done. If you ask around you may find someone who will allow you to attach a camera to your harness chest strap. I have heard of people hand holding Gopros. That being said, most DZs will not allow it, and none on your head.



I don't think people should jump allover a future tandem passenger for making the wrong assumptions. They have no reference to gauge the risks involved.

I think that the chest mount or chest strap, is probably an acceptable option, although I doubt the footage would be much to see.

To the original poster, outside camera is very good, if the dropzone offers it, combining outside camera, with the tandem instructor having hand-cam is best option available and you will be very happy with the results.

Thank you. I don't know why some of the people feel the need to be so harsh / rude. I thought this would be a friendly place to get advice, since there is very little reference (like you say) for someone like me. Once the rules/reasons were explained to me I fully appreciated them.

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Thanks for the explanation and extra information regarding helmets.

I obviously understand the dangers involved, but my main/reserve chute not deploying and all of those technicalities have nothing to do with me. I am merely there for the ride, it is the tandem instructor who will be controlling everything. If something goes wrong, there will be very little I can do. It's almost like you all expect me to know it all.

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Joellercoaster



To the original poster, as people have pointed out with varying degrees of politeness: there is a lot going on in a tandem skydive that is not immediately obvious, and the rules have not been arrived at without careful thinking. Even some relatively experienced skydivers find them surprising, but the reasons for them turn out to be sound.

You are going to have an amazing time. First-person video or the lack of it is not going to change that :)



I realise that now! Thank you, I hope so. Slightly put off by the 'varying degrees of politeness' on here though. I trust this isn't representative of the skydiving scene as a whole.

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ereda95

***

To the original poster, as people have pointed out with varying degrees of politeness: there is a lot going on in a tandem skydive that is not immediately obvious, and the rules have not been arrived at without careful thinking. Even some relatively experienced skydivers find them surprising, but the reasons for them turn out to be sound.

You are going to have an amazing time. First-person video or the lack of it is not going to change that :)



I realise that now! Thank you, I hope so. Slightly put off by the 'varying degrees of politeness' on here though. I trust this isn't representative of the skydiving scene as a whole.

Don't take it personally. Jumping with camera is probably the number 1 sore point in skydiving right now.

A huge number of newer skydivers (and I don't mean tandem jumpers) feel that the rules are unfair or illogical and that the modern action camera removes all risk. This has left many more experienced jumpers frustrated with having to sound like a stuck record and seeing the same attitude displayed week after week.
Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

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I'm not saying the verging degrees of politeness were OK or not, but I assume some may not have been polite because similar questions are posted on a regular basis. People come here and post similar questions without searching to see if it has been covered or not. I'm sure they get tired of answering the same questions over and over.

Get the outside video, forget about getting your own camera (the footage won't be that good anyways), and most importantly, enjoy your jump.

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ereda95

Thanks for the explanation and extra information regarding helmets.

I obviously understand the dangers involved, but my main/reserve chute not deploying and all of those technicalities have nothing to do with me. I am merely there for the ride, it is the tandem instructor who will be controlling everything. If something goes wrong, there will be very little I can do. It's almost like you all expect me to know it all.



Well, your choice of words was unfortunate. I didn't mean to come off as rude, and I certainly don't expect you to know anything. Lord knows I knew jack when I went on my first tandem... still probably do :P

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Slightly put off by the 'varying degrees of politeness' on here though. I trust this isn't representative of the skydiving scene as a whole.


Skydivers, while they are mostly a welcoming bunch in my experience, are also just a subsection of people in general. As such, you'll have nice people, snobby people, assholes, etc.

However, you've mentioned that you work in a hospital. What would your reaction be if someone posted in some hospital forum: "My wife is giving birth soon. I'd like to do my own amnio at home. I've figured out what supplies I'll need, but am unsure how to sterilize the needle. Can someone recommend whether I should use boiling water or something else?"

I imagine you might, politely or not, explain that you are not allowed to do an amnio on your own.

Imagine further that this person replies, "I don't see the harm in doing this myself, but I guess not everyone has as steady a hand as me, or my commitment to cleanliness."

Now, imagine that you get this question not infrequently.

Whether right or not, can you see why some skydivers may start answering in a less polite manner?

Another way to approach the question might have been: "I'm thinking of doing a tandem soon, and would like to record the experience using a gopro mounted on a helmet that I would wear. Do you think this would be permitted? If not, can someone explain the dangers involved? I don't know anything about skydiving, and would like to learn. Thanks!" I imagine that would generate a different sort of response from most skydivers than your original query did.

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ereda95

***

To the original poster, as people have pointed out with varying degrees of politeness: there is a lot going on in a tandem skydive that is not immediately obvious, and the rules have not been arrived at without careful thinking. Even some relatively experienced skydivers find them surprising, but the reasons for them turn out to be sound.

You are going to have an amazing time. First-person video or the lack of it is not going to change that :)



I realise that now! Thank you, I hope so. Slightly put off by the 'varying degrees of politeness' on here though. I trust this isn't representative of the skydiving scene as a whole.

You called our rules ridiculous. Why should anyone then be polite to you? How would you feel if I called the rules of your house ridiculous? Like the rule about only peeing in the toilet...seems very conformist to me...it's probably going to be the only time I use your bathroom and I expect you, as a host, to clean it up.

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ereda95

Slightly put off by the 'varying degrees of politeness' on here though. I trust this isn't representative of the skydiving scene as a whole.



Well... yeah. That.

(Like most people) skydivers are a lot nicer in person. The Internet is an easy place to be rude. Don't be put off by our online behaviour, come visit - in my experience dropzones are amazingly welcoming, accepting places.

(Although it's also true that camera wearing is a recurring hot button issue, and some of the snippiness directed at you here is really directed at people with 100 jumps - I don't think there is any excuse for speaking harshly to beginners with questions, ever!)
--
"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?

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Where abouts are you roughly in the U.K? Come along to a dropzone and chat with the folks there.. you'll get a better idea of the 'vibe' than you ever could on the interweb.

You'll meet arses where ever you go in every walk of life (as I'm sure you know).

I hope that you really have a great experience and enjoy our sport.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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Trafficdiver

You called our rules ridiculous. Why should anyone then be polite to you? How would you feel if I called the rules of your house ridiculous?



I kind of see your point. I meant that it seemed ridiculous to me, as I didn't yet understand the reasons why. I did go on to say "rules are rules" though. It isn't like I am disrespecting the rules, or prepared to break them.

Ultimately I was polite to everyone, and I expected the same courtesy back.

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