Getting set up for video and stills

[murrays 0]

Lew,

Good points on getting people to buy when they are revved up from the experience...sticking a business card with your Shutterfly web address in with the prints in case they want more couldn't hurt either.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[PROGRESSIVE 0]

You suggesting doing stills for my hang gliding business is exactly what I had in mind. I purchased a wide angle lens for my Sony PC350, and have the wireless remote. And the suggestion of getting the stand alone printer maybe exactly what I need for this specific operation. Generally speaking, I would take a tandem passenger for a flight. Land at the bottom of the mountain, hook up my camcorder to the remote printer that's working off a power inverter in my Jeep, and crank out a few pictures, before I say bye, bye. Definitely seize the moment.

What I've done, however, is I purchased a camcorder that takes 3 mega pixel pictures when its in camara mode, so I have limited myself in good quality stills. a 5 x 7, or 8 x 10 picture maybe pushing it, but I don't know for certain, in getting a good photo.

I know for skydiving, this camcorder will be more than adequate for video. My goal was to get full utility out of my equipment, but I may have sacrificed some quality on the still shots. Well see.

I guess in a perfect world I'd have lots of bucks and get one real good digital camera and one real good camcorder, each designed for its specific purpose.

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

I guess in a perfect world I'd have lots of bucks and get one real good digital camera and one real good camcorder, each designed for its specific purpose.

I bet if you're first in line at the "After Thanksgiving Sale" at some digital camera outlet you'll be able to fill that wish list a bit more easily. :^)

As for capturing digital prints from a video camera. They don't come out too nice in any size. Unless you have some high end software such as RedHawkVision.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[lewmonst 0]

Don't take this personally, but why would you spend $1400 on a video camera to take still photos? You can get a 6+ Mpix SLR digital still camera for under $1000?

The 350 is a great video camera and you will get high quality video out of it. I suggest you keep it for video, and get a digital rebel for stills. If you thought you could do video and stills from the 350 at the same time, well, you can, but the stills are no better than a frame grab which is at most 640x480 and not suitable for printing at all. The technology is not there yet, you still need a seperate still camera from video. (You'll get 3mp stills when only using it in still mode, which again brings the point back to, why buy a video camera to do stills...)

A question about your business, do you have an office/store of some sort that the customers go to before and after the trip? Or do they just meet you in the middle of nowhere? I think it would be easier to set up, maintain, and sell stills if they were in an office space somewhere. If not, what kind of printer and power inverter do you plan on using? A lot of high-end printers are sensitive to the type of power they receive, and the cheap power inverters give a square wave power supply. High end printers need a true sign-wave power supply. If you get a cheaper printer, which I do not suggest, you should price the prints accordingly. I suggest anyone selling photos, sells photos that are high quality and won't fade. There are plenty of printers to chose from... I'm loving my kodak 8500, but it's a big investment as well. That rafting company i was refering to had 3 8500's and sold prints for $20/page.

Be careful about cutting corners with equipment when you are trying to be a professional. You will learn the hard way that professionals us professional equipment for a reason. Save your receipts, and buy the Extended Service Plan to cover accidental damage...

Good luck
peace
lew

http://www.exitshot.com

[op5e 0]

Thanks for your reply to my posts. I definately agree with the seize the moment approach. My thought was mainly if you do not do it properly then people might think back on their handglide/skydive badly. I mean the photo/video is the only thing they have to remember and if it fades, takes forever, is really dark, way too expensive , too short, barely has you in frame, it can leave a sour taste in the mouth. It has been a long time since i have looked at printers and printing photos at any quality near that produced from the local camera store . And hence why I figured if you print it there it will give you a greater markup. But if you are out in the middle of no where then this may not work out, sorry i will stop rambling now.

Again it depends what your business model is, typical customers you have and what you want to get out of it.

I am definately learning from this thread, thanks all.

[PROGRESSIVE 0]

No, I won't take it personally, I purchased the PC350 for $940 off the internet from American-deals.com. After talking with Inkley's, a shop here in Salt Lake, it sounded like I could get the best of both worlds, quality stills if I wanted it, and video. So rather than purchasing the product there, I went on-line and got a good price for it. I purchased other stuff as well, such as a 45mm wide angle lens, filters, etc.

My hang gliding business is pretty much ran from my Jeep. I go out to the desert and either tow up into a cloud, or fly off some remote mountain top. I charge $150.00 for a tandem. It would be nice to have a store front, quit my full time insurance job
(claims) and hang glide and skydive for a living, but It does get cold here in Utah, and people tend to hibernate in the winter. Maybe a ski and snow board shop in the winter? As far as a printer, or power inverter goes, I don't know at this point. I know there was one at Inkleys for about $100.00, an HP. I'll be sure to find out what kind of wave it kicks out before I buy. Better yet, I'll post my idea first, than go from there.

PS: How much does that helmet weigh that your holding in your picture. I bet your chiro loves you!