stearman81n 0 #1 November 22, 2007 Ive been experimenting with shooting video from my airplane using just my Cannon digital camera. I'd like to find a good deal on a better quality camcorder. Maybe some poor skydiver in NW Georgia has something they want to unload for Santa Clause bucks. thanks, Rex over at Skydive The Farm [email protected] see vids at youtube search stearman81n"Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #2 November 22, 2007 Quote see vids at youtube search stearman81n This Video looks like fun. Good luck with finding a Georgia Santa. btw, you may want to check Sony's refurbished camera web site. I've gotten good deals there. If you want a (cheaper) quality output I'd go with a Sony miniDV (tape) video camera. If you'd like to spring for the bucks, the new HD cameras are very nice. Avoid the DVD cameras as the compression already degrades the quality of video. Have fun! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #3 November 22, 2007 Quote [ Avoid the DVD cameras as the compression already degrades the quality of video. Have fun! ltdiver One couldn't use a DVD-format camcorder in a Stearman anyway, unless willing to invest a lot of $$ into a shock mount. That airframe vibrates too much to ask the laser assembly to manage constant vibration. DVD cams can usually buffer up to 15 seconds of vibration, then the bit-bucket fills to overflow and the picture goes to hell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #4 November 22, 2007 Quote That airframe vibrates too much to ask the laser assembly to manage constant vibration. DVD cams can usually buffer up to 15 seconds of vibration Another reason to ask for a flight....I think our buffer can take a bit more time than that...> ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #5 November 23, 2007 well, I wont be shooting out of the Stearman, the vids that I have done are out of the F2B UL trainer. It runs smoother than the Stearman. I do have another open cockpit plane, Baby Ace, that I would like to shoot from & do some acro. Thanks to all for the advice & keep it coming. I cant jump, but I love to watch you folks."Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #6 November 23, 2007 what a fine looking aircraft.... i can see why you 'can't jump'...It's seems natural to me that flying that Plane is plenty exciting enough..... In order for you to share some of that excitement with family and friends ,, Sure thing!!! a good SONY camcorder can help you do just that!!! as mentioned, go for Mini DV.. the Sony PC series and TRV series are all well acclimated to "open air", ( open cockpit) recording... You may be able to mount such a camcorder on your plane... In such a way, that you can also be a subject ,,, if you can turn to face the camera.... then you can also do some narration prior to, or right after shooting a particular maneuver, or other item of interest.. These models have a hand held remote, which you could use to go from standby to record, (A red indicator light, usually somewhere near the lens, will tell you that you're up and recording. ) .. you can also zoom and go wide angle with that same remote... Not sure just where in the cockpit, you might mount it... but a strobo-frame or Monfretto quick connect might work just fine for you.. NOW if you could rig some servos,, which will let you pan and tilt the camera.... then you're Golden... ONLY just like when skydiving with a camera... Be very careful to NEVER get distracted,, or to be over zealous about "getting a shot".. that you inadvertantly compromise safety... Welcome to these forums... jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #7 November 23, 2007 I have a rigid mount that comes up between my legs ... let me rephrase that ... oh nevermind. I fly with my right hand & can swivel the camera 360 degrees with my left. Check the vid called "low rez sunday flying" (stearman81n - youtube) & you will see my ugly mug passing by. The nice thing that I have found is that the shot is not always "framed" by the static view of the airframe, but is more in tune with what the pilot can see looking around. thanks for the input. Yes, distraction kills .. I be careful. Rex"Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #8 November 23, 2007 By the way, "cant jump" doesn't mean that I don't want to. My ears will simply not decompress fast enough to handle the decent. The pain is unbearable, I cant even fly jump runs because of it. Guess I need some tubes installed."Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #9 November 23, 2007 hey, me again ... I borrowed a SONY DCR-PC3 camcorder from Hans over at The Farm. Shot some tandems landing as a test, but I dont have the proper firewire to get into the PC .... I think I need IEEE 1334 to USB, but I cant locate one locally. Is this right? if not, what is the part number of the right cable? thanks Rex"Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #10 November 24, 2007 You'll need a firewire port on your computer, then a 4-pin firewire cable to connect to your camera. The other end of the cable can be 4 or 6 pin firewire, depending on the port you put on the computer. Should be cheap and easy to install a firewire card in a PC. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #11 November 24, 2007 Okay, I got it up & running, did a quick edit of the chutes landing a The Farm & set it to music. It will be on You tube later ... I need a manual ..still haven't got the camera all figured out yet. Thanks to all for the help so far ... I'm not a dummy, just into too much shit. Flying, playing & recording music, now video ... life is good."Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #12 November 24, 2007 Quotehey, me again ... I borrowed a SONY DCR-PC3 camcorder Are you aware that the PC3 is a PAL video camera? Here are the stats: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DCR-PC3-DCRPC3-Digital-Camcorder/dp/tech-data/B00004WHWD/ref=de_a_smtd ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 5 #13 November 24, 2007 QuoteAre you aware that the PC3 is a PAL video camera? They were made in NTSC as well. I had one (long since broken) and still have the owner's manual for it. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #14 November 24, 2007 Quote Quote Are you aware that the PC3 is a PAL video camera? They were made in NTSC as well. I had one (long since broken) and still have the owner's manual for it. HW Cool. Guess the web site I referenced need to be updated. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #15 November 24, 2007 Are you aware that the PC3 is a PAL video camera? They were made in NTSC as well. I had one (long since broken) and still have the owner's manual for it. ///////////// Okay, tell me what these acronyms mean PAL NTSC ..still learning"Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brettski74 0 #16 November 24, 2007 QuoteOkay, tell me what these acronyms mean PAL NTSC ..still learning PAL and NTSC are two different video systems - ie. how the video information is structured. NTSC is primarily used in most of the Americas and Japan. PAL is used in Europe, Australia and many other places. In North America, it is quite rare to find televisions that will display a PAL signal - even in top of the line models. In PAL markets, or at least it was in Australia, it is fairly common to find televisions that will display both PAL and NTSC signals in the mid- to high-end models. If you want to know the gory details, I'd suggest looking them up on Wikipedia, but the bottom line is that if you're in North America, you probably want to make sure you have an NTSC camera. If you're buying from a North American source, it more than likely is NTSC. You usually have to look pretty hard over here for PAL gear. It should say NTSC on the camera somewhere - probably next to the model number. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 5 #17 November 24, 2007 Quote Okay, tell me what these acronyms mean PAL NTSC PAL -- Phase Altermating Line NTSC -- National Television System Committee Does that help?Sparing the details, different standards for TV broadcasting/recording. NTSC is used in North and Central America and parts of South America as well as Japan. PAL is widely used in Europe, most of Africa and Southeast Asia. A third major standard, SECAM, is used in France, Russia, and parts of South America. If your camera were PAL, it wouldn't play well with US TV. If you buy a PAL DVD or videotape (e.g. a skydiving video ordered online from Germany) it probably wouldn't play in your DVD player or VCR. Conversion software and hardware is readily available, but as the two standards differ in resolution and frame rate, conversion is imperfect. HW (prepared to accept corrections/clarifications/accusations of oversimplification ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #18 November 24, 2007 Quote Quote Okay, tell me what these acronyms mean PAL NTSC PAL -- Phase Altermating Line NTSC -- National Television System Committee Does that help?) And all these years I thought PAL="Picture At Last" and NTSC="Never Twice Same Color."Seriously, you got it exactly right. To add, the colorspace/sampling is different, so PAL ends up being oversaturated when converted to NTSC. PAL to NTSC conversion is actually very, very good these days, and NTSC conversion to PAL is reasonably good. But if you can avoid conversion, you're better off, because while most PAL systems can play NTSC, most NTSC systems will not display PAL. One of the benefits of HD is that there no longer are two color sampling schemes, no longer are there two resolutions, just different frame rates and all HD displays can display a 25p or 50i stream just as readily as it can display a 24p, 30p, 60i, or 60p stream. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #19 November 24, 2007 okay, thanks ... guess it's not all that important. I deal with audio (music) acronyms all the time & just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. This cam is pretty much idiot proof. I found the manual online. Its windy today, I don't mind flying in wind, but it will make shooting not too pleasant. I want to pipe the intercom into the audio input on the cam for doing some instructional vids from the cockpit . Somewhere in the studio I have a double 1/8" stereo cable ... been stumbling over it for years & now I cant find it."Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stearman81n 0 #20 November 27, 2007 I shot this on Sunday with the SONY PC3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUIVxG2-Ir4"Go ahead & use take 1, it ain't a hit anyway." - D.J. Fontana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
