keithbar 1 #1 July 8, 2008 lets just say you had a friend who had been jumping a camera for a number of years. but allways video only. and if that friend had a shiny new cannon xti on the way what would your advice be? how would you mount it? top or front? is it gonna be a big ass pain to get everything lined up? what brand of memory card is the best to buy? thanks ....keithi have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #2 July 8, 2008 Lots of questions... Lots of possible answers. Find a mentor.http://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mircan 0 #3 July 8, 2008 You have made a poll that is impossible to vote. Anyway: 1. Inch an a half. 2. Akando googles and flexi 3. Easy. Used a laser sight. 4. Front. 5. Don`t have one, so I don`t know. But if it means something, my friend who works with metal says he can make me one for about 20$ max. Quotehow would you mount it? top or front? see under 4. but i`m considering top mount now. I figure that i`ll have a better visibility in the upper hemisphere and better balance. Quoteis it gonna be a big ass pain to get everything lined up? no. there are numerous threads on sighting here, so you can search for it. Quotewhat brand of memory card is the best to buy? The one that does the job. i had a Tanscend 4GB that came with camera, but it broke. Now i have Kingston 2GB. It`s faster. I got my Rebel couple of months ago so I can understand what your friend 'problem' is like.dudeist skydiver #42 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #4 July 8, 2008 I've got both my still and my video camera on top of my FTP mounted side by side with RRS quick release mounts. I also know people that have the still camera mounted up front. I've tried a few different types of googles with my FTP but right now I'm using a set of Sorz (bought them at paragear) and I like them the best... When I mounted my Quick release mounts I made sure that both of the mounts were parallel (I used a L square and the 1/4 inch holes had enough play to adjust the position a bit.) Both the still camera quickrelease plate and video plate have anti-twist setups. The I aligned my ringsight (concentric ring) using the video camera and although there is some paralax it seems to work ok... which isn't too difficult I can even do it myself using a miror. I would probably align my ringsight directly to my still camera if I ever wanted to shoot a longer lens (like a 50 or 100mm lens)... I agree with anther poster that you should probably talk to a local camera flyer and get advice from them.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mircan 0 #5 July 8, 2008 QuoteI agree with anther poster that you should probably talk to a local camera flyer and get advice from them. And what if there are no local camera flyers anywhere near? Or the ones that are doing it know less about the matter than you? I`m not bashing, just explaining situation at my country. When i started, local cameramen were competent enough flyers, but didn`t know much about anything else (equipment, software...). So i had to learn the rest of the stuff by myself from dvds, books, magazines, this place etc... and i`m still a beginner.dudeist skydiver #42 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
980 0 #6 July 8, 2008 Quote how close is your sight to your eye? on my sidemount it was maybe 5mm from my sunglasses/goggles on the FTP I jump now it is more like 15-20mm Quotewhat goggles/ glasses do you jump? I wear modified sunglasses that are very low profile. Quotehow difficult was it to line up your still camera to you video camera?assuming an already sighted in side mount. Not very difficult, maybe a little tricky at first, but you get the hang of it quickly. I guess it will depend on what you want to sight it for, I mainly do tandem video, so it was a pretty easy thing to sight for. Walk around with the camera on your head once you think you have it sighted, shoot video and pics of various objects at the relevant distances for your intended use, then compare the video and stills with what you saw in the sight and adjust accordingly. Quotehow do you mount your still? good old 1/4-20 capscrew (topmount) or thumbscrew (front mount) I used to have a stroboframe on the sidemount helmet, but don't see the need anymore. Quoteis the goldmember mount worth the money? No. For what I do, I don't see the point of quick releases. If you do want one, I think the Liquid Flatlock is way nicer for just a little more money. Quotetop or front? I prefer top. Quoteis it gonna be a big ass pain to get everything lined up? most likely not Quotewhat brand of memory card is the best to buy? any reputable brand that is on sale a $15 1GB backup CF card in your jumpsuit pocket is worth way more than that when you have forgotten to put your card back in before boarding the plane (seen it happen) buy whatever is on sale at Staples or similar, rather get 2 or 3 1GB cards for Like $12-$15 each than spend a silly amount of money on a superfast 4GB or more monstrosity when 1GB holds around 250 pics on your XT and most people's workflow will have them dump the pics after every jump. This way you can keep one spare somewhere in your helmet or jumpsuit pocket, another at your editing station and a 3rd in the camera. I have Lexar, Sandisk and Rocketfish cards and they all work fine. cya sam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #7 July 8, 2008 Quoteshoot video and pics of various objects at the relevant distances for your intended use, then compare the video and stills with what you saw in the sight and adjust accordingly. FYI, Paul Quade has an article on why adjusting the sight to nearby objects is a bad idea... http://www.futurecam.com/sightingIn.html Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #8 July 8, 2008 Quote Quote I agree with anther poster that you should probably talk to a local camera flyer and get advice from them. When i started, local cameramen were competent enough flyers, but didn`t know much about anything else (equipment, software...). So i had to learn the rest of the stuff by myself from dvds, books, magazines, this place etc... and i`m still a beginner. Which is good advice too... I'm still a beginer and I know more about cameras then some of the more experienced camera flyers at the dz. Some helmet riging I got advice about other stuff I figured out on my own. Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 0 #9 July 8, 2008 QuoteQuoteshoot video and pics of various objects at the relevant distances for your intended use, then compare the video and stills with what you saw in the sight and adjust accordingly. FYI, Paul Quade has an article on why adjusting the sight to nearby objects is a bad idea... http://www.futurecam.com/sightingIn.html Dave Yeh, pick an object far away for two reasons. 1) It will reduce parallax between the two cameras giving them better alignment relative to each other. 2) It will reduce your own errors in the alignment process, especially if you are viewing the video camera live feed zoomed in fully (which I recommend).www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mircan 0 #10 July 8, 2008 Try to learn how to set up a Flat Top Pro when you have the only one in 600 miles radius. And you are the only cameraman who knows what the hell FTP is? People on this site are GREAT help. Norman Kent`s DVD also helped with some details... dudeist skydiver #42 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 0 #11 July 8, 2008 QuotePeople on this site are GREAT help. Norman Kent`s DVD also helped with some details... I agree. People on the internet are real people, surprisingly enough. We have this great tool at our disposal to connect us all, and you still see the tired "ask the locals" response thrown around all the time. While it's true that in some cases there is no substitute for a hands-on tutorial, if you have some common sense and do your research you can learn everything you need on here. Hell, I BUILT an entire camera helmet without any hands-on help... it all came from an instructional CD (with many gaps) and a few dozen emails exchanged back and forth with Wes Rich and Brett Thomas. The connectivity of the internet (its most obvious and largest benefit) allows us to find greater experts remotely than we ever could locally (and a wider variety of opinions). And of course, for every one of those experts, there are probably 100 morons claiming to be experts. The burden of sifting through the bullshit lies on the student... but such is true in any walk of life. I've seen plenty of bad advice given by real-life "experts" at DZ's. The way I approached camera flying (and helmet setup) was to get all the info I could from as many sources as possible, compare and contrast, and decide for myself which ideas I liked and which I didn't. About 90% of that info came from this very forum. I went through the "post your setup" thread and saved every single jpg. I still have that folder on my PC, showing several dozen other camera setups, ranging from small, normal, and snag-free to massive, gargantuan, and probably unsafe. I learned a lot staring at all those jpg's, and I never could have inspected that many different setups at my home DZ.www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mircan 0 #12 July 9, 2008 Matt... Thanks for saving me time from typing, because you wrote about 99% same thing that i would type (i did almost everything like you: DIY camera helmet, folder with camera setups, have read tons of posts, articles... amazing!) If we include common sense and analytical approach, then here we have "the vault" of priceless info. I mean, where else would i get the chance get a prompt answer about thing like aerial photography from a guy who spent doing it for the last 10000+ jumps? (especially in the part of the world where I live) Hell, I have never seen in person someone with even half of that bio. I don`t know what would be my learning curve without this place. dudeist skydiver #42 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
