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skyhighkiy

Mustek cameras? Need Help

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Hey guys, I was looking in to purchasing a Mustek dv5500 or dv4000 as a starter camera, something light and affordable to mess around w/ my friends (or new A jumpers in exchange for my slot) with. get 100 or 200 jumps on it and then upgrade to something I can start doing videos w/ (tandems, etc.)

anyawy, has anyone had experience w/ these cameras? what's the concensus? are there any other cameras between 100 and 150 that you guys would suggest for a starter camera?

Thanks!


BE THE BUDDHA!

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You do know you sound like a troll, right..?

If you buy a camera with the intent of jumping it, get a Sony. Period.
These don't come in the 100-150 dollar price range of course.

Then, get at least 200 jumps under your belt before jumping video, and get good at the discipline you want to film before filming it.

But first, do a search on this forum for how to's on starting camera flying :S

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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I have a Mustek DV2000 (last year's model) and did a few jumps with it before buying my current Sony HC 40. This HC 40 is probably the last tape-memory camera I will ever buy. I plan to use it for a couple more years until solid state memory (ala. Mustek) gets big enough and fast enough for commercial freefall video.
Mustek's are amusing toys. They are small enough and light enough that you will probably get away with simply duct-taping it to your helmet.
The challenge - at you experience level - involves remembering to turn the camera on before the door opens, then forgetting about it until after opening.
Don't bother with fancier/more expensive cameras until saving your own life is second-nature.

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That is the first reply here I've ever seen to a sub 200 jump wannabe cam flyer that was useful, as opposed to "go see the frequent questions" or "your trolling because you want to jump with a camera under 200 jumps".... I'll go back to lurking now

Good Judgment comes from experience...a lot of experience comes from bad
judgment.

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Rob, thanks a lot for the advice man, it's good to have advice from someone experienced rather than harsh dribble :)
how was the video on the mustek? choppy? or otherwise.

when you say "Don't bother with fancier/more expensive cameras until saving your own life is second-nature."

do you mean not to go moreexpensive until I'm able to take care of myself w/out thinkingabout it, so I can keep my mind on keeping my camera safe, while still being safe, myself?

In you ropinion, would this be a good camera for my intention? (screwing around w/ friends and having a good time watching video afterwards)

Thanks again! B|


BE THE BUDDHA!

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That is the first reply here I've ever seen to a sub 200 jump wannabe cam flyer that was useful, as opposed to "go see the frequent questions" or "your trolling because you want to jump with a camera under 200 jumps".... I'll go back to lurking now



Yeah, everyone here are @#$%& -- they just want to keep the low timers out of their territory, yeah, that's it.:P

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Yeah, everyone here are @#$%& -- they just want to keep the low timers out of their territory, yeah, that's it.:P



Thing is, I know I'm a lowtimer..... And the distraction of any kind of videocamera on a jump where you should still be learning to jump scares me, but hey, I'm no instructor. But in our country, you wouldn't get away with even a little camera without at least 200 jumps (depending on what you want to film). And even 200 jumps is nothing, really....

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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I hope you all realize my response was said (typed) with 'tongue in cheek'.;)

I'm a low timer too. I think so many low timers feel slighted when their questions are answered with, "read FAQ" or "get more jumps". The truth is usually that IS the best response. Again, it may come across as "unhelpful" but it is the best response in most cases.

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I don't think it's a very good response at all.

If we're on this forum, we're going to be looking around any way. we already know to search the forum.

if someone is going to respond w/ that, they should say "look at this thread" andthen give a URL. otherwise they're basically saying. Look low timer, get some advice somewhere....no crap :)
I've gotten TONS of information from people here willing to help,and I'm really thankful for them.

another thing, why do all the low time jumpers have to say (or feel like they have to acknowledge) that they are low-time jumpers.

I don't understand why people say "but you're a low-timejumper" again, no crap. until we have thousands of jumps we'll be low-time jumpers. we don't need it pointed out to us. and I'm sure, even the people w/ thousands of jumps consider themselves students in part.

Just a rant :)


BE THE BUDDHA!

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I personally donÕt think that this would be a good first choice, if you go to there site www.mustek.com/html/prod_camra/dv5500/spec.html and read the specÕs on the camera it seems very restrictive in its use and the supported formats seem to me, to suggest its more of a toy than a usable skydiving camcorder.

There are some camcorders for sale on the dropzone.com classifieds and ebay has more than you can shake a stick at.

I also think itÕs going to be more than a few years before this type of technology gets to the point that it will be usable for skydiving purposes. unless you like to waste money and time, in which case go for it.

Scott

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hey, thanks for the advice,

so in ure opinion, are there any solid-state cameras out there that would be good for playing around w/?

like I said, I'll invest in something big $600+ after I've had a couple hundred jumps screwing around w/ the camera. this is just for something to have fun w/ and be able to screw around w/ friends.

I kinda want to get used to having an inexpensive camera on my head so I can get used to not slamming it in to stuff (door,etc)


BE THE BUDDHA!

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until we have thousands of jumps we'll be low-time jumpers. we don't need it pointed out to us



You may find that a lot of people feel there [I]are[/I] an amazing number of people who DO need that pointing out to them. Especially here. People often air on the side of caution and point it out anyway as that's the safest thing to do.

The camera forum is also the place where you're most likely to find someone with far less than the required experience trying to find the answer they want as opposed to the answer they need.

There are oodles of posts here by jumpers with less than 200 jumps asking how it probably is safe for them to jump camera now rather than wait. The threads invariably progress on to them getting pissed at all the people who tell them it's a bad idea together with them having a go at the fact that low number jumpers are always discriminated against, or words to that effect.

Don't jump to chastise the regular posters who have a hard time summoning up the effort to write a detailed post about how it really isn't a good idea to jump camera with low jump numbers simply to get shouted at yet again by someone who doesn't want to hear that advice. They’ve done it before, had the advice shoved back in their face and been shouted at for trying to hold someone back.

You criticise being told to search the forum as you’re already likely to have done that. We’ll if you’ve already searched the forum you’ll have known before you posted this thread that you’re going to get a lot of people tell you that no matter what the brand of camera, doing it now at 70 odd jumps is a [I]really[/I] bad idea.

I can only presume that your first respondent assumed you must not have searched the forum because if you had your question would have already have been answered for your dozens of times before and thus your post would have been redundant.

Your not advised to wait so you don't damage the camera. Your advised to wait so you don't damage yourself. The value of the camera is entirely immaterial to the risk to your life its very presence creates.

[trying to explain why you feel the need to rant]

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Sorry if you're not getting the answers you want to hear dude, but we've all been there in one way or another and all can sympathise.

Hell most of us are still there in some way. I've got the money for my next canopy sat at home now... can't wait to downsize off the slam-me-open piece of crap I jump right now. But the order's not going in till next season at least.

Waiting might suck but we have to do it... because if we don't we can hurt ourselves real bad. Many posters know that first hand. And almost all of them have been waiting for one thing or another far far longer than you and I put together.

I only hope I get the opportunity to wait as long as some of the jumpers on here. It might sound sucky - but think what I'll have been up to in the mean time. B|

(It's like my tax wish... I want to be paying £1million a year in tax... that might suck... but think what I'll be earning :P)

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Well those decisions are totally up to you. I only had 100 jumps when I started jumping cameras and all of the you need this and that before you do anything is, well, off of the mark. Everybody's different in there maturity and how well or fast they learn, the BSRÕs are just recommendations and USPA has no ÒrealÒ power over you the skydiver, only you know whatÔs right or wrong, safe or dangerous for your skill level.

As for recommended camcorders, all I can say for certain is stick with Sony, and top mounting in the beginning is safer than going side mount, stick with belly flying and just a few people until your proficient and comfortable with using, operating and flying cameras.

Id try and find a raged out Sony TRV, HC or PC on ebay and start there, IÕve broken 5 camcorders and 2 still cameras in 8 years, but I also consider cameras as disposal property because if you donÕt, your going to be real upset the first time you have one go tits up on you.

Good Luck as you go forward with this endeavor
Scott

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I personally donÕt think that this would be a good first choice, if you go to there site www.mustek.com/html/prod_camra/dv5500/spec.html and read the specÕs on the camera it seems very restrictive in its use and the supported formats seem to me, to suggest its more of a toy than a usable skydiving camcorder.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You get what you pay for in the camera business.
Musteks are cheap toys.
Sonys are expensive serious cameras.

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You get what you pay for in the camera business.
Musteks are cheap toys
SonyÔs are expensive serious cameras.



Pretty much how I see it on the first two, but saying that Sony consumer camcorders are expensive or serious is a bit much in the big world of video cameras, lenses and accessories. there are lots of cheap ones (camcorders) on ebay for the beginning videographer. I paid about $2000.00 for my first DV camcorder in 1997 and a Sony HC-20 cost 1/4 of that price now and can do 3-4 times the amount of stuff that the TRV-9 could do when I bought it new.

Just my angle Rob, IÕm not trying to slam you or anything.

Also if you know OB say high for me.

Blue Ones
Scott

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