When to start jumping with a camera?

[c2278222 0]

How many jumps should you have before starting to jump with a camera?
Thanks,
Aaron

[pbla4024 0]

At least 200 at our DZ.

Fido

[skygod7777 0]

when ever i get asked this question, i say at least 300 jumps. that way you have a bit of a understanding of the sport, your more aware and all that stuff. some people i would tell 200 or what ever if they are confident, and aware in the air, and others i say like 500, or never. the best person to ask is some of the instuctors and camera guys at you dz, and have them tell you about when because only they know your experience. so what i'm saying here is, everything people say on here, you need to take with a grain of salt, because you we don't know how you fly, or how experience/aware you are in the air.

later

[BBKid 0]

I could be wrong but in the UK I think you have to be a C-license (200) jumps. As I said, I could be wrong.

Nick
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"I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!"

[wmw999 2,149]

Having taken a picture in freefall used to be a requirement for a D license. It didn't have to be a good picture, I'll admit, but it was a box on the application. Me, I took my little Instamatic up there and snapped a few. You could even recognize the people in the picture
Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[skygod7777 0]

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Having taken a picture in freefall used to be a requirement for a D license

well, now it (or flying video) at least once is a requirement for you IE (instructor examiner).

just wondering, how long ago was that??

later

[wmw999 2,149]

I got my D license in 1981 . Had to have one for the AFF rating, y'know.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"How many jumps should you have before starting to jump with a camera?"

2-300 jumps is the norm, but it might be better to think about it like this....

You should be proficient in the type of jumping you are attempting to photograph/film.
Bolting a camera to your head adds a whole new suite of hazards to your jumping, so the 2-300 jumps is more or less what it takes to become a proficient "skydiver". That said 200 crew jumps in no way makes me a good freeflier, if you see what I mean?

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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

[BenGriffiths 0]

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I could be wrong but in the UK I think you have to be a C-license (200) jumps. As I said, I could be wrong.

Yep - that's right - plus you need a breif from a camera flyer (fairly obviously)

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Ben G
Still Sinking :-(

[freakyflyr11 0]

i started jumping with a camera a little earlier than i probably should have.id say its not the number of jumps its how comfortable do you feel and not just with jumping with a camera but jumping all together,i.e..emergency procedures. and what you would do if something happened.and go ask other camera flyers their feelings and opinions that is always good.

[diveout 0]

My freefly teammate started doing tandem video/stills with fewer than 150 jumps. It was not "highly recommended" but he went about it the right way and asked for a lot of advice and stuff -being kind of a natural didn't hurt either.

I waited until about 350 because that was when I felt confident about it. By the way, it you're hard core you can make 100 jumps in a month (easy), depending on weather and finances and free time.

[ManBird 0]

500+ have been made in a day. ;) I've definitely seen a good number of people do 100 - 200+ jumps per month... at least in the summer... in SoCal.

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

Click

[Tonto 1]

At our DZ - It's 100, and I think that if you're just wearing one, and skydiving (like freeflying with a friend) that may be OK. If you are "doing camerawork" more experience - 200 to 300 at least.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[quade 3]

THIS is what I recommend.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[CrazyIvan 0]

Thanks Quade, that is very informative.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Paul...
"If you're flying camera for RW, (about the only kind I do so it's the only one I'll address), "

A whole load of the stuff you talk about on your link is very pertinent to most cameraflying, including freeflying....

Good stuff, thanks!

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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

[Iflyme 0]

Thanks for posting that, Quade. Good reading even for people who jump with someone else flying camera!,

[CanuckInUSA 0]

As a freeflier, I started flying a side mounted Sony mini-dv camera a couple of months ago. I was originally intending to start flying mine once I approached the mythical 200 jump mark. But another (more experienced) guy I occasionally jump with and who knows my current abilities convinced me otherwise. Basically I said "man I really want to start flying this camera" and his response was "so why don't you". So now I have about 56 camera jumps under my belt and while I do acknowledge that there are certain added risks involved,I'm also happy to report that I have had no issues with it (yet). No riser strikes, no problems with the helmet on my landings (I standup virtually 95-98% of my landings) and to tell you the truth, I usually don't notice the extra weight of the helmet while in free fall nor under canopy (but I do have strong neck muscles).

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[GeorgeKat 0]

There is more than one type of camera flying and more than one type of jumper with 200, 300 or whatever jumps, so it's a very difficult question to answer safely without individual knowledge of YOU and what you want to do.

If you want 'point of view' footage of your skydives, and you're going to use a very smooth camera helmet that fully encloses the camera, with no protrusions, then that isn't much different to putting on a heavy hard helmet, provided you put it on and forget it.

One major difference (and source of danger) to concentrating on filming something is that you're not able (at first) to concentrate as hard on all the other stuff, like not running into people, and pulling at the right altitude. You're awareness will reduce.

If you want to film Tandems or RW and you're going to have a sight, stills camera and other stuff sticking out of your helmet and you're going to exit independently for the purposes of filming then that's a whole different story, and you will need a lot of advice from people that know a lot about camera flying and your skills.

For any camera work, I would advise you to take it slow and careful. Learn the skills. Get used to the equipment one piece at a time, for example do a number of solos in a camera suit doing practice pulls all the way down, (after a briefing and a check from a camera flyer) so that you don't find yourself spinning when you really have to get something out NOW.

When you're used to the gear, you might ask a camera flyer if you can film him/her filming a group. Follow them out, and get yourself behind, to one side and a little above the camera flyer. This will take you away from the burble and challenge your skills keeping the camera flyer and the group in shot throughout the dive. It will also give to some footage (hopefully) to study of how an experienced person does it. Of course, make sure you all know exactly what's going to happen at break off.

G

[Yoshi 0]

.

If you want to film Tandems or RW and you're going to have a sight, stills camera and other stuff sticking out of your helmet and you're going to exit independently for the purposes of filming then that's a whole different story,

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I use a sidewinder ..nice and completely closed. I film tandems and aff and 4 way, but mostly point of view on ff dives.. I also have a still camera (minolta htsi plus) that is mounted with a toung switch on the top (sometimes) and I never have used a ring sight.. I personally dont believe in them.. if you know your setup and you know where the cameras are pointing with the camera on (which will take quite a few jumps) then you dont need a sight... unless you are trying to be extreemly accurate for the photos you are taking. I suggest just putting a mark or tape ring on your goggles as a sight.. done that in the past and it works fairly well.. then you dont have yet another snag hazard:)
jsut my 2 cents
-yoshi

_________________________________________
this space for rent.

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[GeorgeKat 0]

Yeah, I've had the sight no sight discussion many times and I think it's just a matter of preference.

What I have seen on tandem videos (several thousand by around 10 people, 3 that didn't use sights) is that people with sights tend to keep the subject centered better during that part of the dive when the tandem is further away, particularly on exit. I think it's because it's very difficult to move your head just that little bit and more natural to move your eyes. When you're real close the sight is wrong anyway.

To be honest I don't think I really used the sight that much, but I never had the nerve to take it off!