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bergh

Post your Camera Helmet .....

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I've owned Bonehead Optik since 2004. Some (rather ugly) modifications have been made to it, for now:
1) Spring&Bolt type quick release system;
2) freely pivotable sidebox fastening;
3) kinda upper platform for flash and still-camera.

The whole s**t weights about 7 lbs.
So far, I haven't real-tested the cutaway system ;).

Sidebox pivot hasn't much use, because I can't pivot my still camera anyway. Sometimes (e.g. flying a rabbit for track dive) it has been useful, however.

Main purpose of the ugly metalwork is to provide a place for flash unit and to shift stillcamera to the right for better balance; it also shields still camera and blowswitch unit against line snags.

Previous solution had less metal, but the center of mass got substantially shifted to forward-right (due to flash) and it felt quite unpleasant to me.

villem
life is what you make it to be
http://www.youtube.com/villu357
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skybound

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Here’s my setup:

- TonFly CC1
- Sony CX6
- Royal Lens Diamond 0.3x
- HypEye D Pro

These ZKulls attachments are great as you can quickly clip on/off your camboxes.
"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

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But, but, but,...with that setup, your photos are always upside DOWN!!

Seriously, we've had a couple people complain that their photos were upside down (I used to mount my stills the same way)



My camera is mounted upside down too. No big deal when shooting film, but I always batch rotate the digital pics when I download them from the camera (fortunately I shoot film for almost all tandems).

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Quick couple of questions though, as this setup seems to be getting more common. How are the openings ? Seems like the Center of gravity is way forward. Also, does the video catch the still camera in the frame ?
You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

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Quick couple of questions though, as this setup seems to be getting more common. How are the openings ? Seems like the Center of gravity is way forward.



On mine it definitely amplifies the openings. In a perfect world I would prefer to have everything up top.

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Also, does the video catch the still camera in the frame ?


No, but that just depends on setting it up correctly in the first place. Remember, you have to allow a little more room than needed during a static test on the ground to allow for your image stabilization to work without catching the SLR lens (i.e. if you move it just barely out of view on the ground, when the EIS kicks in during a jump it will show in the video).

Also, when I put my flash on with this set up, the bulky part of the flash cable that goes on the hot shoe blocks some of my (not my camera's) field of vision.

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2K Composites FF3 / Sony HC5 (raynox 5050) / Canon 450D XSi (kit 18-55).
ZKulls top mount retro fitted by 2K. Old style cutaway. 2K do a new button one now which is a bit neater and easier to set up.
I've attached a couple of random stills so you can see how the raynox 5050 matches the kit lens.
The whole set up is very neat, very easy change between with stills and without and very comfortable.
Steve at 2K is also the most helpful man in the world. Absolutely top products and customer service.

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I can't help it, I really have to re-open this dialogue again about the HC5 sidemount. Looking at many other sidemount setups in this forum, can anyone truly say that the FF3 is that much bigger than many other side mounted setups ?

To top off the discussion, do regular FF3/HC5 users have any additional feedback now that you've used the setup for a longer period of time ?

Thanks for all your input.
You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

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I've had no problems at all with either helmet or camera and I've had the set up for about 18 months. No-one seemed to moan about the FF2, the FF3 is precisely 12mm wider.
I'd take the FF3 over some of the Heath Robinson, snag risk, DIY bracket affairs you see around any day, even if they are slighly narrower.
I saw an excellent student type Pro-Tec helmet with a bracket that looked like it was the losing entry for an 8 year old's welding competion bolted to it a while ago. I wish I'd taken a photo.

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PC 350/350D

Added some small webbing and cut cable on the tightening straps to make it easier to get the helmet off in case of snagging. Tongue switch and cameye II.

I'm soon ordering a Vapor Wes Pro and keeping this for backup or to be used in skiing, GL, cycling, climbing and so on...

edit: Sigma 10-20mm, UV filter, Canon 0.6x Wideangle
"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Da Vinci
www.lilchief.no

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FF2 with cutaway, camera eye and tongue switch

Cannon Rebel XT with Cannon 15 mm lens and
SCHUMACHER camera mount quick shoe

PC1000 with Cookies Liquid 3 x 0.29 Wide angle lens

The battery was dead in my other camera so I could not take picture of the Rebel mounted;)

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

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I have been jumping a FF3 with an HC5 for over a year now with out any problems. This year I added a Rebel Xs. I have about 15 jumps with the still camera with out any problems.

I have thought about getting a CX100 due to how light it is, but I won't be jumping a camera much this year.

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