Do you use gaffer tape?

[DSE 5]

Just curious...
The camera guys at our DZ use gaffers tape (or worse, duct tape) to fix focal length on their lenses.
In the broadcast production world, that's a fast pink slip.
Is this really common in skydiving photography?

[BGill 0]

Sorry if this is a dumb question as I'm new to jumping stills, but what other ways besides gaffers tape are there to fix your focal length when in freefall?

[PhreeZone 15]

To fix focal length? Nah, I adjust that all the time and use rubber bands to make it less likely to move. I use Gaffers on the video to keep the zoom from getting bumped, to cover openings that air will leak in on and other things like that. I also use it to tape my flash down so it doesn't pop up.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[DSE 5]

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Sorry if this is a dumb question as I'm new to jumping stills, but what other ways besides gaffers tape are there to fix your focal length when in freefall?

Stowbands are great for this, especially tandem stow bands.
[edit; erik beat me to the comment]
For big lenses, the balloons clowns make sculptures with are terrific, they can be tied around even the largest glass.

[WatchYourStep 0]

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Quote

Sorry if this is a dumb question as I'm new to jumping stills, but what other ways besides gaffers tape are there to fix your focal length when in freefall?

Stowbands are great for this, especially tandem stow bands.
[edit; erik beat me to the comment]
For big lenses, the balloons clowns make sculptures with are terrific, they can be tied around even the largest glass.

DSE and Phree I'm new to the game of jumping stills, but I use gaffers tape because that's how everyone at my dz do it (there's only 4 or 5 who jump stills). Can you post a picture of the tube stows or rubber bands being used to hold the focal length down?

Thanks, learn something new everyday.

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[Laszloimage 0]

Yes, pretty much everybody is doing it. I use it for everything (sealing the tape tray on my vid cameras, securing floating cables, fixing the focus ring, and etc...) and it works.
I don't use duct tape thogh.
-Laszlo-

[Cashmanimal 0]

I don't see any problems with the gaffers tape. Although I ran out this weekend, and yes, used duct tape. I wasn't going to, but the first jump I made, every photo was out of focus. (Getting bumped in the plane, and I even think the wind resistance was enough to adjust the focal length with the lens I use).

The duct tape, although it was only for a couple jumps, was an absolutely terrible idea. Just those few minutes out in the summer sun was enough to leave a goopy mess when I went to work on monday. In the future, I will just jump with AF on, and take that gamble asw it appears as though tapeless was no better...

It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye

[stratostar 5]

I use gaffers for cables and for the video cam body ina few places. But for the most part as cameras have gotten better and more air tight, we don't have near the tape flutter we used to get. In the past you used to have the camera taped up even those guys I know jumping boxes and condoms have their video cam's taped all over.

Now I have very little on my cameras but still have it on my helmet in places, and always keep a good size chunk on my helmet for thoe just in case times.

As for focus I always used rubber bands till I moved to fixed 99% of the time. I do have small amounton my lens covering the auto/manual switch so it don't get moved.

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

[DSE 5]

Gaffers or not, it attracts dirt, which is never good to have around glass, which is why I ask. Taping over a vidcam door, holding something that flutters, none of that is a big deal, IMO, but putting sticky anything on glass, especially zoom lenses, really goes against my way of thinking. Yet, it appears several people are doing it.

[dragon2 2]

You shouldn't be jumping with zooms anyway

But yeah, I put gaffers tape (never duct tape) on just about everything that needs to stay put: usually just the zoom knob and zoom ring on my videocam (I need to zoom for landings sometimes so I need to be able to remove it quickly and a rubber band is crappy for that).
However my stills camera doesn't need any tape

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[AFFI 0]

Gaffers tape and nuttin but...

[stratostar 5]

I understand your point. I try to use very little these days, and have never really used it on my lenses. I did put a very small "patch" smaller then a dime my auto swtich on my 20 mm fixed still lens after it got bumped once a rubber band won't protect it from that, and the gaffers don't turn to goo in the sun.

As you well know from being on locations around the world, that sometimes you have to make things work for the conditions you're in. And we as free fall photographer are exposed to it all at some times as you know. Many of us have been using gaffers tape for years maybe this is why? But we used it because we could count on it to do the job where others failed and failed bad or at the worst time.

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

[USPA 0]

video: gaffer tape (never duct tape)
photo: rubber band

The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

[Zee 0]

I use fixed focal length lenses in freefall so no need there but I do use it to secure flash cables and the focus ring on my video camera.

Action©Sports

[azureriders 0]

I shoot the cannon 18-55 kit lens, and keep it set on 18 for free fall. To do this I use three stow bands, two large and one small so that I can still zoom in while on the ground with out removing anything. When I release the lens, it automaticly goes back to 18.

[linestretch 0]

hmmmm, I have it on everything.

my pics & stuff!

[AFFI 0]

I am a beaner, so sometimes I use gum...

[WatchYourStep 0]

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I shoot the cannon 18-55 kit lens, and keep it set on 18 for free fall. To do this I use three stow bands, two large and one small so that I can still zoom in while on the ground with out removing anything. When I release the lens, it automaticly goes back to 18.

I use the same lens kit, but don't understand what you are saying with rubber bands and such. Can you please post a picture of your lens set-up? I realize this may not be possible unless you have more than one camera.

Thanks

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[davelepka 4]

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Is this really common in skydiving photography?

It's the only way.



I use it all over the place. It's holding my 18-55 securley at 18 as we speak. It the perfect solution. Rubber bands will eventually break, and I never zoom it in anyway.

Thats one area many new camera flyers get sucked into a bad spot. They let things get too complicated as far as the equipment goes.

Very basic cameras and helmets, if properly set and assembled will do 90% of the job of the expensive stuff in the skydiving enviornment.

Of far greater importance is the person flying those cameras. If guys would focus more attention (and money) on making jumps, debriefing their footage, and re-jumping, the quality of their work would skyrocket.

Then spend the bucks on big shiny glass, and get that cover shot. Later, you realize that the cover shot is just one picture, from one day, that happened to catch an editors attention, and fit the layout of that months cover.

I'd rather shoot with my discount lens, and give a friend a shot that I like, and then get to see that 8 x10 on the wall of his living room, next to pics of his kids and family every time I stop over.

[diablopilot 2]

Who uses zoom lenses?

Ohand you can keep your stinkin' pink slip, this ain't the brodcast production world.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[DSE 5]

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Who uses zoom lenses?

Ohand you can keep your stinkin' pink slip, this ain't the brodcast production world.

Well....several responses (and other posts) suggest folks are using the stock 18-55 zoom lens that came with their camera, so I'd assume many are using zooms, even if they are locked down.
Outside of that..."You're Fired."
Oooh. I feel like Trump.

[pilotdave 0]

How does gaffer's tape attract dirt?

I understand that it's sticky and dirt will stick to it if the sticky side is exposed, but how does it attract more dirt than would make it to the lens without the tape? Seems to me that it seals a little bit of the gap where the lens rotates for zoom, so less dirt would make it in. And rubber bands are often covered in powder to keep them from sticking to each other. Isn't that a much more effective way to get crap inside the lens?

Gaffer's tape has been working great for me. I bend a corner over so i can peel it off easily to change the zoom. After a few months, I can "break" the seal and rotate the lens by hand when i want to zoom in (for tandem landing shots), and it's still tacky enough that i can zoom back out, press the tape on real good, and it holds just fine till I need to zoom in again. Normally I just peel it off the rotating part of the lens when I want to zoom in.

Dave

[DSE 5]

can you assure that the tape is always stuck down? Can you be sure it's *never* leaving gunk on your lens housing? Different grades of Permacel (and other brands) will leave some slight residue depending on heat, humidity, and/or other factors. Not all gaffers is made the same.
Please bear in mind that I don't differentiate treatment of a junky 18/55mm lens that is worth $50.00 and an Angenieux worth $50K. I'm probably being too cautious.

[pilotdave 0]

I use the highest grade of permacel tape. Really! I did my research before buying!
But why do I care if it leaves gunk on my lens? It's just getting covered over by another piece of tape.

Dave

[DSE 5]

What *color* Permacel are you using? It's not the gunk *on* the lens that one tries to avoid. It's gunk that gets inside the barrel housing, focus ring, zoom ring, or lens mount. Or worse, damaging the coatings on the lenses themselves.
OK, OK, Uncle! I give up. It's alright if you use gaffers on your lenses. I won't. I don't eat broccoli either. But you can. And we'll both probably be alright.