Buying my first camera, PLEASE HELP!

[Emmie 0]

Ok, this might be a really dumb question, but all the videotographers I know are out in sunny Florida, and I need some advice. I want to start jumping with a camera. I can't afford a video camera right now, so I decided to get a stills camera first. Before I get would really appreciate if you guys could help me out with a couple of questions.
What should I look for when buying a camera? Does it have to be digital, and what brands do you guys recommend?
Also, do I need to get a camera helmet, or can I attach it to a regular bonehead?
What other equipment would I need to buy with the camera?
Also, is this a good idea? Most people I know fly with a video, not a stills camera.
Sorry to ask so many questions, but I really don't know where to start with this. Thanks for your help.

[PhreeZone 15]

Emmie... unless you have loads of cash to burn on either a Digital camera or a lot of film while your skills improve and you learn all the tricks needed to put the camera to good use, its a lot better to get video first.

I've never jumped stills before but it seems to be a combo of luck, flying ability, and timing to get good stills. Video you can make up for since you will have a continious recorder. It took me 30 jumps just to get used to the extra distraction of the video camera. Stills would be worse since you have to trigger the camera all the time.

As for mounting at a min you are looking at needed a flat top addition and a chincup for the bone head for stills. Then ring sights are going to be needed to jump stills, video while learning you can get away with no sights but stills are going to need a good site to avoid roll after roll of blue sky and nothing else. Bite/blow/tongue/ hand switch will be needed too. Lots of film and lens, good working knowledge of how to play with f stops and shutter speed will only help.

My personal advice is to look around and snag a Sony PC series camera. A PC5 used can be had for under $350 on Ebay. If you have more money then that look at a PC101 for about $900 new. A dbox is about $175 and a chin cup at $50 and you are off and jumping.

Also a big BIG one.... make sure your skills are up to the challenge. If your wanting to fly RW video work it out to lurk a dive from above before you get your camera setup. See how hard it is and if you have the skills to stay up. If you are a freeflier make sure you are stable in a sit and HD. I never got HD till after 150 camera jumps and actually switched to a helmet with no camera to learn since its simpler. If your skills don't meet the level you want once you do a mock video jump or two... go out and work on the skills while saving the money to get the video setup.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[freefallin14 0]

"A PC5 used can be had for under $350 on Ebay"

Good luck... They usually go for around 5-600. Been doing lots and lots of research and watching ebay lately to find a camcorder. Ended up going with a new TRV25 from dbuys. As far as still cameras go look at my post in this forum asking about stlls cameras, there is some good replies in there.

Bret

[SniperCJ 0]

And since no one else has mentioned it yet...

If your profile is up to date and you really DO only have 100 jumps, consider another 100 or so before you even start THINKING about straping on a camera of any kind and complicating things.

With the added distraction of camera flying plus the added danger of an entanglement, not to mention other jumpers 'forgetting' youre up there and dumping in your face, theres more to camera flying than just 'strapping it on'!

I waited until I had over 300 jumps before I started and I was also "lucky" enough to have had 2 cutaways prior to jumping a camera. I mention the cutaways because it does give me a nice feeling to have dealt with a couple before adding the camera to the mix.

Give it some thought.

As to your questions: Lots of us jump a Canon Rebel 35mm of some sort. Theyre inexpensive and durable. I agree however that starting with video might be a better way to learn. Dont forget the added costs of a wing suit (if thats the direction youre wanting to go), audibles, a recording indicator (like the Cam Eye), a trigger switch for the stills camera, and the list goes on. Its expensive to get into even if youre trying to go cheap.

JC

[meridianjumper 0]

I am located in Mississippi. I use still and video cameras. For still, I use a Cannon Rebel 2000. It is a really light SLR 35mm camera. Really great pictures. For video, I use a Sony TRV-18. Great combo. As for a helmet, I am using a pro-tec kinda helmet from SKydance Photography.

-Jeremy

Blue Skies,
Jeremy

[skreamer 1]

Quote

Its expensive to get into even if youre trying to go cheap.

That is so true. When I first got into it, I thought just buy the camera and a helmet. Well, since then I've bought an extra (long life) battery, ring sight, Bonehead chincup, a camerasuit, tapes, etc. I will be buying a Cameye shortly. Then one day when I want to do stills it will be the case of buying the camera, the switch etc.

Plus of course there is the monthly insurance for my camera gear. And of course I am getting good use out of the camera, but with the changes in temperature, condensation, general knocks etc. there is no way it will last forever (no matter how careful you are).

I kind of think of my camera like a car (re. depreciating value). I've had one good, full season's use out of it already, if I can get at least two more it'll have paid itself off. Then of course I'll probably want a 3-chip or whatever other 'gucci' gear is out at that time...

Will

[mccordia 73]

I'm also looking to buy a camera this weekend.
I film a lot and my 'old' JVC broke down (after only about a year of working...just normal house-hold video stuff)
Even though I'm not going to be using it for jumping untill the summer (I'll hopefully/probably have about 400+ jumps by then) I do want to buy the camera with jumping in mind.

I've already set my mind on sony, and the PC8 is what most people recommend. But there's almost not a single store that has in stock, and they can't order it any more around here.

What other current sony camera's would be advisable for jumping? Meaning you can lock the focus on the outside (and not through a lame OSD menu) and a nice small weight/size?

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[AndyMan 7]

PC8 is at least a few years old, and I'm not quite sure why people are recomending it so much. You need to find better sources of advice, I think.

If you want side mount, you've got a choice between the PC105 and the PC330.

The 105 is cheaper, the 330 more expensive.

The better features of the 330 include solid-state controls (most 105 controls are touch-screen), higher megapixels for digital-camera functions, and better colors.

The 105 goes for $700 while the 330 goes for $1200 at www.dbuys.com

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[skydance1954 0]

You mentioned that you're just considering different options right now. So let me add some food for thought.

First you need enough experience in flying to ensure that you can follow the subject matter wherever they may lead. A skydiving formation, whether it's RW 4-way, or a big way, or freeflying, NEVER sits still. The best videographers just make it look that way. As such, you must be up to the task of staying with them without even thinking about it. With less than 500 jumps or so, only very exeptional flyers can do that. And the proof is in the videos.

In addition to that, you develop a sort of "tunnel vision" to keep the subject matter in frame. You don't have the luxury of looking around to see what's happening when things don't go according to plan. So your awareness must be higher to be able to "look around" without moving your head.

So your flying relative to your random subject matter, framing the picture, keeping the sun at your back, making sure you're not in the traffic pattern (if it's a big way), and paying attention to the altitude. If you have a still camera, you're also concentrating on taking the shots at just the right moments. NONE of those shots can be done twice. If the still shots are meant to be staged or artistic, like, say a sunset shot, then you're working the technical aspects of the camera, and the flash on top of all the above.

is this advanced stuff? You bet your ass it is. And that's exactly what you're doing too.

Camera gear, ring sights, associated flash units, camera suits and such can be very dangerous if not mounted and operated properly. It can also be dangerous if you have ANY stability problems at pull time. You absolutely cannot pull unstable. Nor can you deploy a "lazy throw". Pilot chutes in a wing suit burble can be very unsettling at best, and develop into something very,very bad at worst. A friend of mine on an early video dive in his career deployed his main through the wing, resulting in an un-cutawayable horseshoe. He deployed his round reserve into the mess and survived. A VERY lucky man.

In my opinion, it is also unwise to fly a really small canopy heavily loaded with an RSL with camera gear on board. Spinning malfunctions can easily get caught on deploying reserves, and have done so.

Once you've gotten past all of the above, and you're producing good videos, you'll then have to learn how to edit them. Which then requires some additional equipment.

Some of the posts have mentioned a lot of the gear you'll need in the air. On the ground you'll also require a decent computer with some video editing software.

Oh, and finally, when doing video, no camera, still or video, lasts forever. You'll have to accept the fact that every 2 - 4 years the camera equipment will have to be replaced. They just simply wear out.

When I first started flying a camera, in 1993, I thought that a simple Protec, an 8mm Sony and some home made wings was all I needed. I had over 2000 jumps at the time and figured I had it in the bag.

I found that I could do "compitent" tandem videos, but that I really lacked something when trying to do anything else. There were all kinds of other issues. When looking at those videos today, I just cringe. I found that like everything else, when you get quality gear, things improve dramatically. But one still needs the flying skills and the awareness to use them.

So keep asking questions, do several hundred more "fun" skydives, honing your skills with the goal of flying a camera in mind. Determine what kind of video you want to do. Tandem? RW? CRW? Freefly? Each of these has specialized tools that fit the job nicely. Then start buying the gear to get the job done. Start with video, then when that becomes second nature, add on the still camera.

And make damn sure that you check your gear FIRST, then check your cameras.

Enjoy.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666