photo sight ring

[diverds 0]

I'm putting together my first camera helmet. Do I need a sight ring? I will be using a .43 wide angle lense and be filming mostly freefly and crw footage for starters. Any feedback?

[airdrew20012001 0]

Sorta. For stuff that is really up close you don't really need it, the feedback you get from the first few video's should teach you where your head needs to be. For the CRW stuff, it might be helpful because the further the object is away, the more you need to angle your head up. You might be able to learn this quickly but a ring sight is nice, you can also use to help you frame the picture as well (ie not cut off part of the formation). I might suggest you loose the .43 for CRW, other wise you have to be sort of on top of them.
Another one of the videographers where I shoot took his off for tandems because you don't really need it, i am about to the point where I am going to do the same. Then again, I also have over 100 video jumps. At first I used it a lot, now I don't remember using it anymore at all.
I would recommend you go to office depot and get a cheap laser pointer and mount it so it lines up with your camera. That way you can use it to check the aim as it WILL get bumped in flight occassionally. I had one get loose on me the fly to the side while I was on the strut. Video turned out mediocre, tandem still paid for it. Had I been able to go without I wouldn't have cared.
That's what's i think. Look around, ask a lot of questions.
Drew
Drewfus McDoofus

[diverds 0]

Another one of the videographers where I shoot took his off for tandems because you don't really need it
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Does this mean you are not using any wide angle lense at all or are just using a higher lense like a .5 or .6?

[MarcusV 0]

I think Drew means the sight ring.
For beginning I wouldn't recommend you a Newton sight because you are just adding another risk up to all the others. A Newton sight sticking out can easily lead to an entanglement with the lines. No fun.
Later when you get paid for CRW or filming 8- or 16-ways a Newton sight makes sense because with it you always frame your object(s) right.
A very effective trick I used was
1. define your dominant eye. Look at an object 10-15 ft. away by watching through e.g. a piece of paper with a 1 inch hole in it holding an armlength away of your eyes (you can form the hole with your hands too). Now keep watching the object and slowly bring the hole nearer to your eyes. The eye the hole is stopping in front of is your dominant eye. If you have problems defining it let a friend help you who is watching you from the object.
2. Get a cheap laser pointer. Get your helmet with camera on and your goggles, be in a relaxed position and fix your object. Get the laser pointer fixed so it lines up with the exact middle of your camera. Now the laserpointer is your reference to the object's middle.
3. Get an reinforcement ring (???? don't know in english) from McPaper or something similar or just use a waterresistant pen to paint a ring or circle on your goggle. Get the point on the object 10-15 ft away from your laserpointer and paint a little ring on the goggle in front of your dominant eye.
Now you are able to always frame any objects right. Shortly before exit you can easily check with your laserpointer if it's really in the middle of your dominant eye, and you don't get the risk of entanglement with a sticking out sight ring.
I hope this helps you; if I haven't expressed myself well enough just send me a PM, I'll try better then ;-)))
I have a picture attached of the reinforcement ring on the goggles.
Blues Marcus
--
Perfect speed, my son, is being there. - Jonathan Livingston Seagull

[MarcusV 0]

---> next try jpg attached ;-)
--
Perfect speed, my son, is being there. - Jonathan Livingston Seagull

[diverds 0]

Thanks for the input...I know some other people that use that exact method. Thats probably what I will do for starters. Thanks again.
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"