CanuckInUSA 0 #1 January 5, 2003 Sometime in the not too distant future, I will be looking to start using a video on my free flying adventures. But before you all look at my profile and tell me I need more jumps, I'm not planning on flying one anytime soon. I still plan on pounding out many more jumps in the next few months before I start flying a camera. But I would like to start educating myself in terms of what is the minimum equipment I will need and what is a preferred setup. Now getting into the video aspects of the sport is not cheap (one of the reasons I'm in no rush to run out and buy a camera), but sometime in the next few weeks/months I will be in a position to purchase a camera (even if I don't immediately start flying with it). It would be nice to have at the DZ so that I can copy the video from some of the other camera fliers I may jump with. I recently purchased a Hawkeye helmet (the LT version I believe) and I am leaning towards picking up a Sony PC-101 (it has the firewire feature if I'm not mistaken). So I would need to contact the Arrow Dynamics people to get the appropriate camera mount. But I really don't know very much about what options are good to have and what options are a must to have. Would anyone like to offer their two cents on this topic? I have browsed numerous posts and have a better idea as to what's available, but I was also wondering if there are any good websites out there that specifically deal with gear setups for the skydiving commmunity? Thanks in advance ... Steve Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #2 January 6, 2003 QuoteSo I would need to contact the Arrow Dynamics people to get the appropriate camera mount. But I really don't know very much about what options are good to have and what options are a must to have. Have you emailed the Arrow/Hawkeye people and asked them about possible options? They'd probably be the best people to ask. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #3 January 6, 2003 "I was also wondering if there are any good websites out there that specifically deal with gear setups for the skydiving commmunity?" For unbiased (usually) opinions on camera flying setups etc, you have already found it! Its here, just ask, and someone will chip in with advice.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chachi 0 #4 January 6, 2003 Well here is my 2 cents. You can look at mounts from the hawkye manufacturer would probably be the best idea. That way it is bound to fit best with a minimum of snag points. DO not attach it until you attach a camera. FLying helmets with camera mounts and no camera is not a good idea. You might look at other cameras though. Keep in mind Sony is probably the best skydiving option but a PC 101 definately on the high end. A lot of other PC's actually work very well for what you might want it for and less money. PC 5 works great. To start wearing a camera on your freefly adventures, most people suggest around 200 jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wlie 0 #5 January 6, 2003 Good thread. What I'd like to know before buying a camera is what features should I look for? Questions: How are video cameras rated in terms of colors or resolution? What about the number of CCDs? (if someone could explain what CCDs are, that would be great) How to tell optical vs. digital zoom. Is there such a thing for you to manually set to optical or digital only?My other ride is the relative wind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #6 January 6, 2003 Quote How are video cameras rated in terms of colors or resolution? Resolution numbers for video cameras can be -very- misleading -- especially when you consider that the recording medium (video tape) and format (DV) is really the limiting factor. For an in-depth explanation, go HERE. Quote What about the number of CCDs? (if someone could explain what CCDs are, that would be great) CCDs are the actual devices that are recording the photons coming in. The electronic equivilent of the film. Typical small consumer cameras have 1 CCD with various filters and sensors in various configurations to pick up the primary colors red, green and blue. These cameras are fine for 90 percent of everything you'd ever want to do while camera flying; fun freefly, tandems and team 4-way. More expensive cameras have 3 CCDs in them. The light gets broken apart into red, greed and blue by a prism and sent on to separate CCDs. The 3 images are then combined and -can- make a much more "pretty" picture than a 1 CCD camera. If you were going to shoot world record video or video for a TV show, it certainly would be worth it to have a slightly better camera showing slightly better images. The general design axiom says that you'll spend 80 percent of your budget getting the last 20 percent of production quality. Quote How to tell optical vs. digital zoom. Is there such a thing for you to manually set to optical or digital only? Digital zoom is simply using fewer pixels from the CCD(s) to create the full screen image. The upshot is that smaller things in the middle of the CCD will -appear- larger, but beyond a certain threshold, all you're doing is making little pixels larger and that can just look damn ugly. An optical zoom, on the other hand, uses the same number of pixels on the CCD but acts like a telescope. In theory, if the optical zoom is working correctly, the image will still look just as good at all settings. Generally speaking there is a setting that will allow you to shut off the digital portion of the zoom. Ya really want to do this. Digital zoom is a marketing tool and basically for suckers.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #7 January 6, 2003 QuoteDigital zoom is a marketing tool and basically for suckers A rule of thumb is for each power of magnification with digital zoom you loose almost half of your resolution (picture quality).--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #8 January 6, 2003 QuoteA rule of thumb is for each power of magnification with digital zoom you loose almost half of your resolution (picture quality). Actually, it's a heck of a lot worse than that -- try 1/4. Imagine a checkerboard. 8x8 for a total of 64 black and white squares. Zoom into a 4x4 section and you're now looking at 16 squares. Sucks pretty bad huh?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #9 January 7, 2003 CCDs are charge coupled devices, simply put they are the electronic equivalent of a piece of unexposed film, they convert light into electronic picture elements (pixels) that comprise an image. Digital zoom is a waste of time in terms of resolution and is provided for tourists to use. Most digital zooms can be disabled on cameras, but you don't need to worry about that as you will most likely have your cam cranked out as wide as it will go when beginning to fly camera. A single CCD camera is really all you need when you are starting out. In the past there was a huge difference between 1 and 3 CCD cameras, nowadays I would say the difference is marginal, and the images are difficult to tell apart for the untrained eye. In terms of resolution, just about any minidv cam will give you excellent results, although as discussed here, sony make very good cams and there are good reasons they are so popular. At the end of the day, I would advise you to get a simple sony PC series cam (note mini dv), any model would probably serve you well. Its very easy to think that buying an expensive setup will get you great pictures, it won't. What will get you stunning shots is YOU visualising the shot and having the imagination, skill, and confidence to fly your camera into a position to achieve that shot. Leave the stills off until you have mastered flying a small video camera, the moving footage will give a much more immediate feedback on your results, rather than waiting for film to be developed, or digital stills to be transferred to a viewer. Happy snapping.. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
petur 0 #10 January 7, 2003 QuoteDigital zoom is a marketing tool and basically for suckers. True! Disable the digital zoom feature. You could just as well resize the image in photoshop or some other image editing tool... You're able to get even better results that way than with the built in digital zoom.--- P. "It Hurts to Admit When You Make Mistakes - But When They're Big Enough, the Pain Only Lasts a Second." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thrillseek 0 #11 January 7, 2003 As i am fairly new to this stuff, i only have 2 peices of advice: 1. DO NOT buy a Cannon. The price and size is really attractive, but there aren't as many features, and virtually no accessories on the market, unless you want to get custom stuff.(in a word, $$$$) 2. When it comes to software for editing, I definately recommend Adobe Premiere 6.0 or 6.5. The learning curve isn't too bad, and it offers more options for editing than anything else out there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cajones 0 #12 January 9, 2003 I'd be careful recommending Premiere. It has "issues" with some hardware and/or software. Download the trial version from Adobe and make sure it works well with your computer. It won't guarantee functionality in your environment, but if the trial version doesn't work, the full version will not, either. The laws of physics are strictly enforced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thrillseek 0 #13 January 9, 2003 hmm...that's funny...i've never had a problem with Adobe. What sorts of hardware software problems exist? When i change computers, it'll be good info. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #14 January 9, 2003 Chipsets based off the AMD specs and newer AMD processors with Windows as the OS seems to cause some issues untill you tweak the hell out of the system. Its not the easist thing to fix and even being a computer geek I had to use settings I found online since I could'nt get it fixed any other way.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cajones 0 #15 January 9, 2003 The problems with Premiere vary from system to system. The Intel 845 chipset has a few different problems, that seem to differ with different manufacturers. I have built some editing machines with the Intel branded 845 motherboard with zero problems. You may want to go with the 850 chipset, for a Pentium 4, or the 860 for the Xeon. When you get ready to build your new editing machine, PM me, and I'll try to help you build a trouble-free system. The laws of physics are strictly enforced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thrillseek 0 #16 January 9, 2003 I must have been lucky so far. I'll definately let ya know when i get the new machine. Muchas Gracias Cajones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
