Why a wideangle lense?

[diverds 0]

This is probably a stupid question but I was wondering if a wide angle lense gives a camera the same frame as if the subject was being shot from further away. For instance, if I shoot a video of a tandem with a .5 wide angle lense from 3 feet away, will it look any different then if I shoot the same tandem with no wide angle lense from 6 or 8 feet away? If not then what is the point? Why not just fly a little further from the subject?
Also, I hear of people switching from one wide angle lense to another. Why not just buy the widest lense you are going to use and then zoom in slightly with your camera when you want a closer shot? I have heard the picture can get a little grainy doing this but I am only talking about bumping the zoom in a couple stops. The difference between a .45 and a .5 lense can't be that much that it will reduce the quality that much to zoom in a touch can it?
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[PhreeZone 15]

For 4 way do you really want to have to fly 75 feet above them to get the shot?
The further away you are the harder it is to stay centered on your target. Can you hold a 4 way in the center of the video for the entire dive from 75-100 above them? A head movemnt of a fraction of a dergee is a big movement at a log listance.
The closer you are, the less slight movements are noticed. A 3 degree movemnet doe'snt move much on a tandem at 3 feet but it might be bounching them around the screen at 10 feet out.
Cause I don't wanna come back down from this cloud... ~ Bush

[quade 3]

Quote

For 4 way do you really want to have to fly 75 feet above them to get the shot?

I think that 75 feet is a bit of an exaggeration.
It's possible to shoot perfectly usable 4-way without a wide-angle. It doesn't require backing up anywhere as much as most people assume and, in fact, has a couple of advantages. The main one being that because you are farther back, you can fly with more confidence over the center of the formation and not get bounced around so much in the burble.
Tim Wagner, formerly the camera flyer of the Golden Knights, judge and all around good guy that runs OmniSkore, -recommends- not shooting with a wide angle for 8-way.
That said, a wide angle makes life a LOT easier for the split second following exit. If the team presents grips and hasn't gone flat, then you're almost guaranteed to see all the grips. TWO split seconds after the exit, however, you better be on your game, because if you let the team get any real distance, the wide angle will turn them into little specks.
For -me- (not for anyone else -- just me) the right compromise for 4-way seems to be a Sony 0.6 and pushed in just slightly. Just so that the indicator flips over to the next block in from full wide.
As for other disciplines . . . I know one sky surf team a couple of years ago that jumped with a wide angle and took Silver at Nationals.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[airdrew20012001 0]

I fly a .50 kenko when I do tandems because I can get closer in and get better detail on the passangers face while still getting more of the passenger in. I also like the slight fish-eye effect for ground work and in the plane. I have shot tandems with and without it and I agree with the idea that the closer you can get, the less the head movement is noticeable. I seems like since I went wide angle there is less camera shake. I do take it off for bigger ways (8+). The only down side is that if you are out, you seem way out. You have to be a little more aggressive to keep the subject from looking like a dot in the sky. If you go to my webpage, the picture in the tandem section of the lady in the sunglasses was shot from about 4 feet away with a .5, the other pictures are from slightly linger distances but without a wide angle lens. (http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/logerflyer) The RW was shot without a wide angle. For indside video (people inside a four way flower, being inside a 20 way RW) you NEED wide angle or it just doesn't come out. I tried a six way horney gorilla without my WA lens and it came out for shit.
One test that sold me was that I could get a whole person, head to toe, in the frame with it and without i cut them off and the neck and knees if from the same distance centered on the same spot.
Hope that helps.
Drewfus McDoofus

[diverds 0]

Thanks for the input. I checked out your web page. What is up with the tandem pic of the Instructor tackleing the student off the step? Thats a funny pic. I am going to try to attach it to this post.
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[airdrew20012001 0]

LIke that? The student was playing spiderman in the door while on the step. My favorite part is the scared to shit look on his face. He was all amped onthe way to altitude then flipped when he put his foot on the strut.
Drewfus McDoofus

[diverds 0]

The tandem master looks familar. Whats his name? Where is his home dz?
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[prost 0]

One other thing to remember about wide angle len's. A .5 in one brand might not be equal to a .5 in another brand. It should be but I have found that some times it isn't even close.
William

[airdrew20012001 0]

His name is Urban Moore, he is out of Eugene (well Cresswell technically) Oregon. He also does some summer work in Florida.
Drewfus McDoofus

[diverds 0]

Hmmm...I must have him confused with someone else.
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"