expensive day at the DZ...

[theonlyski 3]

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I have one mounted on the right side of a Gath Gedi. Try using the anchor cord that comes with it,, thats what I have,, I drilled a tiny hole on the helmet, then anchored the camera there. If it gets knocked out on exit or ff, the anchor keep it floating around,, so you just grab it and insert it back into the rails.
Cheap solution, but works.

How long is this leash? More than a couple inches, and I would think it would be even bigger of a snag hazard for your risers/toggles/lines on deployment than its worth.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[CSpenceFLY 1]

The way these things are mounted and the people using them are the worse thing that has happened to this sport in years. The shade tree engineering that is being done to secure thes things to helmets is going to kill someone. There were years spent teaching people to cleanup the snag points on camera setup only to have this piece of shit to show up on the market.

[brettski74 0]

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How long is this leash? More than a couple inches, and I would think it would be even bigger of a snag hazard for your risers/toggles/lines on deployment than its worth.

The factory leash supplied with the camera and all the VHoldR manufactured mounts comes in two pieces secured in the middle with a plastic clip. Each section is about 1.5" long once secured with a lark's head to either camera or helmet making the complete leach about 3" long from camera to helmet. . The plastic clip in the middle is relatively small and strong enough to resist minor knocks, but would easily break under any real load. The cord used is also relatively thin, although I would not hazard a guess at the breaking force required to snap it, but as suggested before, the plastic clip will likely break long before the breaking strength of the cord is reached.

The camera itself is a much larger snag hazard due to size and strength of the mount (assuming a decent mount is used), but if you were really worried about the leash, you can tape it down flush. I had mine taped down flush at one point, although after removing and re-mounting the camera, I have not yet re-applied the tape, but I'm not too worried about it. As I said, the snag potential of the leash it negligible compared with that for the camera itself.

[brettski74 0]

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The way these things are mounted and the people using them are the worse thing that has happened to this sport in years. The shade tree engineering that is being done to secure thes things to helmets is going to kill someone. There were years spent teaching people to cleanup the snag points on camera setup only to have this piece of shit to show up on the market.

The mount that comes with the camera itself is probably the least snag-worthy thing you could apply to your helmet - mostly because of how flimsy it is and how easily it is knocked off the helmet. I have seen at least one instance where a jumpers attempts to overcome the engineering weaknesses of the standard mount created more problems than it solved. Fortunately, the mount is flimsy, as already stated, and when it got slapped on opening, it broke off, snapping one rail on the mount and breaking the other rail slot on the camera body. I've since pointed him in the direction of some better mounting options for the camera, which he's now using.

As for the shade tree engineering and snag hazard argument, the same arguments could be made about almost any camera used in the sport - not just the small form factor cameras. In fact, most professional videographer's helmets I've seen have large still cameras with large protruding lenses on the front, plus a sight and quick-shoe mount with multiple sturdy snag points. They may also have a cutaway system on the helmet, but it's difficult to cut away a helmet with a broken neck.

Could people be using better mounts? In many cases, I'd agree that they could. Is this a problem specific to small form factor cameras? I'm less convinced about that. The biggest problem I see with small form factor cameras is that some people are beginning to get the idea that because they're small, normal wisdom about camera flying doesn't apply.

[Sangi 0]

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The way these things are mounted and the people using them are the worse thing that has happened to this sport in years. The shade tree engineering that is being done to secure thes things to helmets is going to kill someone. There were years spent teaching people to cleanup the snag points on camera setup only to have this piece of shit to show up on the market.

Yeh yeh.. Look at how many people have been using them in various sports for quite a while now, point me to a fatality list that's specific to these cameras..

If you're worried about these little things, maybe you shouldn't be skydiving, because it's a DANGEROUS activity and it might kill ya! Bowling anyone?

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[Bolas 5]

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The way these things are mounted and the people using them are the worse thing that has happened to this sport in years. The shade tree engineering that is being done to secure thes things to helmets is going to kill someone. There were years spent teaching people to cleanup the snag points on camera setup only to have this piece of shit to show up on the market.

Yeh yeh.. Look at how many people have been using them in various sports for quite a while now, point me to a fatality list that's specific to these cameras..

If you're worried about these little things, maybe you shouldn't be skydiving, because it's a DANGEROUS activity and it might kill ya! Bowling anyone?

His concern is less with the danger to the wearer of the camera as they choose to take the risk but the unknowing person that one of these falling cameras or camera flyers dealing with an entanglement could hit.

While we have the right to put ourselves in "danger" we have far less right to do it to others.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[jimmytavino 16]

sangi ???


did you give give CSpenceFLY the bowling lecture????

Gimme a break !!!

he makes a valid point about potential for problems with these mini cams

and of course YOU
have it ALL figured out.... and criticize his sensible words...

that's rich!!!

jmy

[timmyfitz 0]

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>Have no big cameras ever come tumbling down?

It is much less common. People who jump bigger cameras don't just "turn them on and forget about them" - they plan their dive taking the cameras into account, thus minimizing the odds of an unexpected door/tail/jumper/riser strike.

LOL. Unfortunately not often true no matter how much you would like it to be true. There is a simple explanation that has already been mentioned in this thread. K.I.S.S.

[jimmytavino 16]

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The way these things are mounted and the people using them are the worse thing that has happened to this sport in years. The shade tree engineering that is being done to secure thes things to helmets is going to kill someone. There were years spent teaching people to cleanup the snag points on camera setup only to have this piece of shit to show up on the market.

used to be a time when the pure COST... for a skydive quality camcorder was such,, that all but the most serious, and dedicated, would never consider "making the leap" into freefall videography...
and THAT was a good thing.. Sort of a "checks & Balances " kind of situation...

cameras were Big and bulky and HEAVY,,, and that too,,, weeded out , those less suited to flying w ith a camera or 2 , or 3 on their heads...

Now the small size and the ' chump-change ' price... has changed all that..
Each may do as he or she chooses,, but word to the wise.... It's not always as simple and easy as it seems...
be careful not to get caught up in the wellspring of tiny format cameras...and as Bolas points out.. please DO remember that there are others in the air WITH you... and you should be considerite of their safety too...
jmy

[riggerrob 560]

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Try having someone stealing your rig...

I still have a tough time wrapping my head around that one. A skydiver ripping off another skydiver??? Damn. That's lower than low. I hope anyone who would do that ends up bouncing... or hit by a truck. Whichever comes first.

.................................................................................

Relax!
Skydivers rarely steal form each other.
The vast majority of parachutes are stolen by crack whores, who do not have a clue how to fence them, so the vast majority of stolen parachutes land in dumpsters.

[NWFlyer 2]

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Try having someone stealing your rig...

I still have a tough time wrapping my head around that one. A skydiver ripping off another skydiver??? Damn. That's lower than low. I hope anyone who would do that ends up bouncing... or hit by a truck. Whichever comes first.

Recent thread on the topic ... lots of reminders in there that it's not just skydivers at the DZ. Also, though I don't have numbers to back it up, I believe that the vast majority of theft occurs away from the DZ.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3898941

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[billvon 2,435]

> Look at how many people have been using them in various sports for quite
> a while now . . . .

Skydiving is a little different than go kart riding.

>point me to a fatality list that's specific to these cameras.

DSE has compiled an incident list specific to small format cameras, ranging from a scare only to broken bones. There are 20 incidents on the list from the last 2 years alone. It's in the video forum if you want to look.

>If you're worried about these little things, maybe you shouldn't be
>skydiving, because it's a DANGEROUS activity and it might kill ya!

Worrying about the "little things" is a good way to stay alive in skydiving. The people who don't really give a shit about the details are generally the scariest people to watch.

[Sangi 0]

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DSE has compiled an incident list specific to small format cameras, ranging from a scare only to broken bones. There are 20 incidents on the list from the last 2 years alone. It's in the video forum if you want to look.

Would like him to compile a list for normal cameras as well and everything else for that matter..

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[billvon 2,435]

>Would like him to compile a list for normal cameras as well and everything
>else for that matter..

Feel free to do so if you like.

The purpose behind compiling that list was to demonstrate that the old justification "I'll just turn it on and forget about it" doesn't fly. A good conclusion you can draw from that fact - wait until you have the additional experience and skill to handle the additional distraction of a camera. And then DON'T forget about it.

[Sangi 0]

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additional distraction

Haven't had that problem.

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[champu 1]

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$300.00 jump

On the bright side, you didn't...

-Make a wingsuit jump shooting video and stills
-Try to deploy your main and get lines wrapped around your arms and cameras and have a bag lock
-Chop your helmet, wings, and main dropping all the handles
-Fight yourself free of the mess and pull your reserve (also dropping that handle) but so low that you also have a cypres fire
-Have your freebag land on a transformer in a nearby power substation and catch fire
-Completely lose your main and cameras (and helmet and audibles)
-Have a lineover on your reserve
-Pull out your hook knife to try to clear it but drop the knife
-Crash into your own car in the DZ parking lot
-Break both your legs, both your arms, your pelvis, your back, and several ribs
-Have the medics cut up your reserve, your wingsuit, your harness, and your car to get you free
-Get life-flighted mulitple times until you get to a hospital that can operate on you

[david3 0]

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additional distraction

Haven't had that problem.

You are not being honest with us… or yourself.

[Sangi 0]

I am, the only distraction I can think is me watching out a bit more during the exits so I wouldn't knock the camera off, besides that once I'm outa the plane I'm focused on the jump and honestly most of the time I REALLY DO FORGET I'm wearing a cam.

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[AndyMan 7]

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Would like him to compile a list for normal cameras as well and everything else for that matter..

There's no need. Why? Nearly every person who jumps a big camera setup will tell you - "yup, this thing is dangerous. I can name 18 different ways it can kill me".

But you have the same conversation with someone who jumps a go-pro, and you walk into a wall of denial, of "it can't happen to me", and a wall of ignorance.

That's why DSE published that list. To counter the denial, to show it CAN happen to you, and to educate. Such a list (more or less), is not required for big camera setups.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[Bolas 5]

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$300.00 jump

On the bright side, you didn't...

-Make a wingsuit jump shooting video and stills
-Try to deploy your main and get lines wrapped around your arms and cameras and have a bag lock
-Chop your helmet, wings, and main dropping all the handles
-Fight yourself free of the mess and pull your reserve (also dropping that handle) but so low that you also have a cypres fire
-Have your freebag land on a transformer in a nearby power substation and catch fire
-Completely lose your main and cameras (and helmet and audibles)
-Have a lineover on your reserve
-Pull out your hook knife to try to clear it but drop the knife
-Crash into your own car in the DZ parking lot
-Break both your legs, both your arms, your pelvis, your back, and several ribs
-Have the medics cut up your reserve, your wingsuit, your harness, and your car to get you free
-Get life-flighted mulitple times until you get to a hospital that can operate on you

Was this you, someone else, or a conglomeration of events?

Damn.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[billvon 2,435]

>besides that once I'm outa the plane I'm focused on the jump and
>honestly most of the time I REALLY DO FORGET I'm wearing a cam.

Yikes.

[Sangi 0]

Honestly, when I think to myself, there's really no point trying to defend myself here.

The picture attached applies to practically every forum and discussion on the internet, dorkzone is no exeption..

Goodluck soaking in your ego's fellas

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[champu 1]

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$300.00 jump

On the bright side, you didn't...

-Make a wingsuit jump shooting video and stills
-Try to deploy your main and get lines wrapped around your arms and cameras and have a bag lock
-Chop your helmet, wings, and main dropping all the handles
-Fight yourself free of the mess and pull your reserve (also dropping that handle) but so low that you also have a cypres fire
-Have your freebag land on a transformer in a nearby power substation and catch fire
-Completely lose your main and cameras (and helmet and audibles)
-Have a lineover on your reserve
-Pull out your hook knife to try to clear it but drop the knife
-Crash into your own car in the DZ parking lot
-Break both your legs, both your arms, your pelvis, your back, and several ribs
-Have the medics cut up your reserve, your wingsuit, your harness, and your car to get you free
-Get life-flighted mulitple times until you get to a hospital that can operate on you

Was this you, someone else, or a conglomeration of events?

Damn.

I was just trying to come up with a hypothetical "most expensive possible skydive ever." It's almost, but not quite, a mix of actual events. I'm not aware of anyone ever crashing into a car in such a way that they end up "in it." I've seen mains and harnesses cut up but never a reserve or a winguit. I've had my chopped main land [ever so luckily] on the ground between two transformers in a power substation, but never seen gear destroyed in such a manner. I've seen each of those injuries, and some combinations of them, but never all at once.

I guess to add insult to injury someone could come to your hospital room and ask, "is this the first time this has happened to you?"

[BillyVance 34]

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Honestly, when I think to myself, there's really no point trying to defend myself here.

The picture attached applies to practically every forum and discussion on the internet, dorkzone is no exeption..

Goodluck soaking in your ego's fellas

I'd say you're the subject in the picture, if I may do so politely.

ETA: Look, all I'm going to add here is that denial can and will get you killed. There was a time when I was doing stupid shit and at first didn't heed warnings from friends, but I came around eventually, and I appreciated their concern. Hey, I'm still kicking.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[CSpenceFLY 1]

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The way these things are mounted and the people using them are the worse thing that has happened to this sport in years. The shade tree engineering that is being done to secure thes things to helmets is going to kill someone. There were years spent teaching people to cleanup the snag points on camera setup only to have this piece of shit to show up on the market.

Yeh yeh.. Look at how many people have been using them in various sports for quite a while now, point me to a fatality list that's specific to these cameras..

If you're worried about these little things, maybe you shouldn't be skydiving, because it's a DANGEROUS activity and it might kill ya! Bowling anyone?

I know you are just trolling but sometimes you should just shut the fuck up. You contribute nothing here.