cheap dig w/remote

[DSE 3]

Are there any low end digital still cams with a remote that can shoot reasonable frame speeds such as a couple shots a second?
I've heard rumor that the Elph can be modded pretty easily. I'm not a still photographer, but have had a few occasions where I'd like better than 2mp shots.
Maybe one day I'll step up to DSLR, but for the moment, small and easy is what I'd like.
Suggestions?

[stratostar 5]

canon rebel xt.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[DSE 3]

WAY outta my cost bracket for what I want to do. Rebel XT is around a grand with the lens, yeah? I'm hoping to be in the 200.00 range.

[PhreeZone 15]

Need a wide angle lens or not? If not the buffer on most the stuff on the market outside SLR's isn't more then about 1 frame a second. Lots are slower in the 1 frame per 3 second range. If you are needing multiple shots per second you will not be getting that on a sub $200 camera. You can pick up an XT new with Lens for about $650 now.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[stratostar 5]

DSE in your line of work I'm sure you can understand most times it don't pay to go the cheap route with cameras and glass, this has been my experience in the past. If you can't afford a rebel xt right now it would be best to save up some more till you can.
and the prices will keep dropping over time as you know.

As a side note I did see deuce post he would sell his
canon 10-D for 500.00, in the rebel XT thread.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Rebel-XT-Digital-Camera-OES-350D-w-Lens-NEW_W0QQitemZ170014302660QQihZ007QQcategoryZ107900QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Good luck and shop around some.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[bob.dino 0]

Bill von Novak has built a mount with a Sony DSC-V1 and a remote. Note that he says the camera can only handle about 1 shot/sec.

[DSE 3]

I'd like to spend the xtra, but truth is, the only thingk i'm interested in taking stills of is my daughter, who is just completing her A license. It's not for clients, I'm just not a stills guy. I like having my 30 shots in a second, thanks.
But...a 10d for 500.00...that's worth looking into. I was probably going to rig a second helmet just for stills since I've got a couple spare Mindwarps, but I could mount the 10 to the front of my FTP, I guess.
Heading over to classifieds now. just hope the wife doesn't notice.

[jtval 0]

I've been looking to find some one to mod a digi elph. if you hear of sucha person please let me know


there arent very fast but they are light.

My photos

My Videos

[stratostar 5]

Quote

I'm just not a stills guy

That may be true now, but once you get a set up you just might become one of us.
I can understand forking out hard earned money for toys, but if you going to spend some, better to get something proven and that will last a while and do the job you want it to, the XT is proven and will do what you want, and it is light weight, cost is cheap.

Again good luck and shop around some.
As for the 10-d PM deuce or read the rebel xt thread a few down from this one.

What is more important to you cost or MP?
10-d 6.3 -500 body only- VS-XT 8MP 650+ w/lens

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[jtval 0]

hey stratostar.

how light is the XT?
the XT is the rebel, no?


the main reason I have avoided the rebels is the weight. if I was jumping the stills alone it would be good but I dont want that much wieght on my head (with the TRV-22 and the rebel)

another reason is that I would have to build a totally new helmet

My photos

My Videos

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

how light is the XT?
the XT is the rebel, no?

The weight actually depends alot by what -lens- you put on it. The body (and the kit lens) is quite light. The good glass...now -that's- where the weight comes from.

The 300D was the original digital rebel.
The 350XT is the next in the series of digital rebels.

I have the 300D (with a 20mm lens) and it's fine as long as it is top mounted with my TRV22. The 350's body is lighter than the 300.

Hope this helps.

ltdiver

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

[cj1150gs 0]

Quote

The 350's body is lighter than the 300.

A year or so ago, I've compiled size and weight of Canon's SLR lineup. It was somethinh like the attachment.

Carlos Martins
Portugal www.cj.smugmug.com

[EDYDO 0]

Quote

I could mount the 10 to the front of my FTP, I guess.
Heading over to classifieds now. just hope the wife doesn't notice.

The "pros" on here seem to have no problem mounting a 10 on the front of a helmet, but I can tell you that I did. I am a "some time" camera jumper. I tried my 20d on the front of a FTN and, for me at least, it was "way" out of balance. I could not jump it that way. Finally mounted it on top to get balance.

Ed

[stratostar 5]

I'm have never put one on scale, I have owned and jumped both a 10-d and 20-d w/ a sigma 20mm or a canon 18-55 lens. As itdiver has said it is the glass
(lens) where the weight comes from.

I can tell you that with a 20 in one hand and a Xt in the other ( no lens ) there is a noticable amount of weight between the two, the XT being very light.

With that said, I went with the 10 & 20 body's because I wanted a tough camera, and the XT seemed to plastic to me, but they seem to holding up well.

I have both ( Vid-still ) top mounted side by side for ballance and to keep the weight centered on the spine, ie- no forward CG.

As for building a new helmit, there are some good used FTP's & FTN's in the classifieds right now.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[jtval 0]

Thanks for the info (Lori, you too)

I have a friend who jumps the rebel xt with a1000 pound lens (ok I exaggerated a bit)

thats what turned me off.
I've only got an optik for my top mount system so I'll have to w8. I guess the linger I w8 the cheaper they'll be.


About the classifieds. I just bought a new(to me) rig. so My account is flat. I have a feeling I am going to be doing alot of research and see what I can do.

In your opinion(anybody not just stratstar)
which lens is the lightest that can still do a good job of filming tandems(and fun jumpers)

My photos

My Videos

[stratostar 5]

The kit lens, canon 18 to 55mm, I think.
But you would more then likely want a sigma/canon fixed 15mm wide angle lens.

~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[PhreeZone 15]

Kit lens works fine. It depends on how close you like flying to a tandem. I perfer ~ 7 feet back so an 18mm works fine but I'll dial it into 20mm some times. A 15mm is way too wide for the flying I like to do. On the other hand if you are a in their face flyer a 15mm is needed to fill the frame.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

Kit lens works fine. It depends on how close you like flying to a tandem.

And how much light you have. The kit lens doesn't like low light at all.

ltdiver

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

[DSE 3]

Quote

Quote

Kit lens works fine. It depends on how close you like flying to a tandem.

And how much light you have. The kit lens doesn't like low light at all.

ltdiver

Is the kit lens the lens that only opens to F3.5?
If so, that's a real surprise. Anyone got a recommendation for something that will at least open to 1.8, pref 1.2? If I'm gonna spend the extra cash on a DSLR, I might as well get something I can pull off my helmet and use in regular life, and DOF is always important to me with vid, so I'd probably want the same for stills.

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

If I'm gonna spend the extra cash on a DSLR, I might as well get something I can pull off my helmet and use in regular life...

Just like what's been said about a DSLR in that you get what you pay for, the same can be said for the lens as well. Don't skimp and go for 'cheap' with the glass you buy. Personally, I like the Canon 20mm, but you'll hear alot of different opinions as the day progresses. (I hate the kit lens....IMHO it's crap. I only keep it in case I want to sell my 300D in the future as a complete package).

Quote

Anyone got a recommendation for something that will at least open to 1.8, pref 1.2?...DOF is always important to me with vid, so I'd probably want the same for stills.

On the issue of DOF....remember the -higher- numbered f/stop gives you the longer DOF. Not the other way around. The lower number f/stop gives you a shorter DOF but better ability in low light.

If you choose to travel down this road, with quality product, be prepared to spend the $$.
ltdiver

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

[jtval 0]

I'm usually flying pretty close. but I can alwaysback away if the lens dictates.


if it'll shave off someweight I'll fly a little furtherr away

My photos

My Videos

[DSE 3]

Quote

Quote

If I'm gonna spend the extra cash on a DSLR, I might as well get something I can pull off my helmet and use in regular life...

Just like what's been said about a DSLR in that you get what you pay for, the same can be said for the lens as well. Don't skimp and go for 'cheap' with the glass you buy. Personally, I like the Canon 20mm, but you'll hear alot of different opinions as the day progresses. (I hate the kit lens....IMHO it's crap. I only keep it in case I want to sell my 300D in the future as a complete package).

Quote

Anyone got a recommendation for something that will at least open to 1.8, pref 1.2?...DOF is always important to me with vid, so I'd probably want the same for stills.

On the issue of DOF....remember the -higher- numbered f/stop gives you the longer DOF. Not the other way around. The lower number f/stop gives you a shorter DOF but better ability in low light.

If you choose to travel down this road, with quality product, be prepared to spend the $$.
ltdiver

Yeah...I do sorta know how lenses work. If only I could fit my Angenieux 11.5 on the front, I'd be great for short DOF. I know nothing at all about still lenses, only that some of the same companies make still lenses that make video and film lenses. For example, Sigma makes some of the most horrible lenses available for motion picture work, but I hear from people that are very happy with their Sigma lenses on their still cams.
Dunno if it's the same for stills, but the wider apertures cost significantly more bux in the production world than their smaller aperture counterparts. Ours are also all primes, I'm assuming most folks are using at least short zooms for skydiving?

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

Yeah...I do sorta know how lenses work. If only I could fit my Angenieux 11.5 on the front, I'd be great for short DOF.

Ah, really?

11.5 would give you a decent LONG DOF. 16 would be even better for keeping everything near and far in focus.

1.2 would be a very shallow (short) DOF.

ltdiver

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

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

I'm assuming most folks are using at least short zooms for skydiving?

Missed this before. I know a handful of cameraflyers who use a zoom lens. One who -actually- turns it in freefall and his images are fantastic!

Most use a fixed (by this I mean, not zoom) lens and interchange on the ground depending what they want to do.

ltdiver

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

[DSE 3]

I guess you don't use Angenieux lenses. I don't believe they make still lenses, but they might.
11.5 isn't an Fstop, it's a model#.An 11.5 is a long wide tip HDlens, with an aperture of 1.7 to t1.9. and a zoom ratio of 11.5. Focal length of 5.5 to 60mm.
The production world prefers short DOF, which is why you find the majority of lens lengths being less than 100mm.

Anyway, in our world, virtually everything is at 1/48 or 1/60, and shooting at 1.2-2.4 is common. If it needs to be stopped down, we'll more often use ND glass vs shifting the shutter/aperture. Resolution suffers smaller than F4 on most sub 2/3 cam systems and all 1/3 systems, so most mid-level lenses don't stop down more than F5.6. The more expensive lenses (40k$ and up) do, of course. We don't own any of those, we rent them when we need them.
Back to my original question, are there any decent wide aperture lenses for a "reasonable price" or am I looking at 2K plus for a 1.4? I'm a babe in the woods when it comes to glass for stills.