Comments on helmet setup

[sfgroschwitz 0]

Oh collective wisdom of this forum!

Please be so nice and have a look at this setup. I want to mount a cx100 and an xti on top of an optik illusion. The xti will be sitting on the ground for a while until I'm more comfortable with the video, but I want to make sure the whole setup will work before drilling holes (so far the mounts are only taped to the helmet).

Specifically I'm concerned about the SLR looking like a snag hazard, and with how close I should mount both cameras. I kept the xti's port cover open to simulate a bite switch plug - which I don't have yet.

Any other insight or comments of course also highly appreciated. Sorry for the image quality, had to use my cell phone.

[vdschoor 0]

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Specifically I'm concerned about the SLR looking like a snag hazard, and with how close I should mount both cameras. I kept the xti's port cover open to simulate a bite switch plug - which I don't have yet.

Honestly, you said it all already, I don't like how you have the still mounted up there. It just sticks out too far. and is just asking for either a snag, or just plain losing the camera alltogether by a riser slap or something.

I think you should reconsider the helmet, it's really too bad the BatRack is not made anymore, cause your setup would be super clean on top of one of those..

[billvon 2,400]

If you want to do that I suggest laying down some fiberglass as a riser shield under the still camera. I did that with a piece of wood and it works ok.

[sfgroschwitz 0]

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If you want to do that I suggest laying down some fiberglass as a riser shield under the still camera. I did that with a piece of wood and it works ok.

Not sure I understand what you mean. Do you have a picture?

I'm also running my brain hot coming up with a McGyver solution to add a homemade l-bracket that would allow me to mount the xti vertically. Thoughts?

---
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.
~ Bertrand Russell

[freefalle 0]

get a fin and mount the camera vertically.

[The111 0]

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get a fin and mount the camera vertically.

This. ^

And I'd jump just video for a while before adding the second camera, if you haven't already.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[PhreeZone 15]

If you want to mount the stills vertically the easier option is to run the Really right stuff Clamp and its L plate. Its what Scott and I do, much easier and smoother then trying to make a mount to remove later.

I'd also get a Hypeye and Bite switch and put them on before mounting your mounts. The CX cover is not the depth of the hypeye, you'll need another 3/8 inch or more for the Hypeye past its cover The bite switch is another 1/4" or so past the XTi's cover. You will probally need to move the cameras another 1/2 inch or more apart to make them fit smoothly.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[VideoFly 0]

Mount the still camera vertically or kiss it goodbye.

[sfgroschwitz 0]

The RRS mounts look beautiful, but are so expensive... I'm neither independently rich, nor do I see myself becoming so through stellar aerial photography - especially not since I have such stiff competition at my DZ.

If I mounted the still camera vertically, would I want to do that with the flash toward the inside or the outside? Inside appears to have the advantage of leaving the battery cover exposed and eliminate the flash as a snag hazard.

Regarding plug size, I believe only the one from the xti would be a problem. In the current setup the plug on the cx100 is exactly behind the screen of the xti, and would have as much space as it wants. But yes, it seems I should wait with drilling holes until that Hypeye and the bite switch have materialized.

---
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.
~ Bertrand Russell

[djmarvin 2]

As several people have said. It would be a great idea to mount the still a little cleaner. That being said, I have a very similar setup, different video camera. I have had no issues with riser strikes etc. with the still. I have been jumping this setup since 05. My personal preference would be get a different helmet for two cameras (Bonehead Mantle would be my current choice) and center mount my video on my Illusion.

DJ Marvin
AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E
http://www.theratingscenter.com

[billvon 2,400]

>Not sure I understand what you mean. Do you have a picture?

Build up an area under it to make the helmet better match the footprint of the camera.

Attached is my helmet. Note that I do NOT have my still camera mounted for this shot; I had a CX100 mounted where my still normally goes. Imagine it being there and hanging over the edge. The "ramp" beneath the camera offers some protection from impacts coming from below or behind (i.e. riser impacts.)

I used a piece of wood and gaffer's tape, but styrofoam and fiberglass would be much stronger and lighter.

[YISkyDive 0]

Can you switch the still and video? If you mount the still on the other side the Dbox mounting area will extend beneath your stills and help prevent snaggage.

[PharmerPhil 0]

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Can you switch the still and video? If you mount the still on the other side the Dbox mounting area will extend beneath your stills and help prevent snaggage.

But then you stand a good chance of shearing off your HypEye connector, or your SLR connector. Or both...

[PhreeZone 15]

Not to mention having the camera's in this config means you don't have to take them off to get access to the memory cards. Its a lot easier to get the footage with out having to remove a camera.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[bwilling 0]

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I think you should reconsider the helmet, it's really too bad the BatRack is not made anymore, cause your setup would be super clean on top of one of those..

Here's Boneheads solution for all the old Batrack fans, and it looks like it will be one of the best options to top mount both an Xti and CX100... I hope so, because that's my long range plan.

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[Bill_K 0]

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I think you should reconsider the helmet, it's really too bad the BatRack is not made anymore, cause your setup would be super clean on top of one of those..

Here's Boneheads solution for all the old Batrack fans, and it looks like it will be one of the best options to top mount both an Xti and CX100... I hope so, because that's my long range plan.

I hope so too, because my new Mantle should be here by the end of next week. My setup is an XS and CX100.

[Fast 0]

Just looking at it, to me, it seems like your probably going to be seeing your still lens and or helmet in your video, based on where the cameras are sitting.

Make sure you check that (including wearing the helmet with goggles) before you mount anything.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[Icon134 0]

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If you want to mount the stills vertically the easier option is to run the Really right stuff Clamp and its L plate. Its what Scott and I do, much easier and smoother then trying to make a mount to remove later.

I actually thought about that on sunday when we were considering the layout but the RRS L-bracket would require that either the still camera be mounted on the other side which means the video camera screen wouldn't be accessable.

because you don't really gain any space by mounting it on its current side with the RRS mount... just based on my experience.

Honestly a "fin" would probably work nicely.

fwiw: P/N L5118 at Paragear is what these guys are talking about.

edited to add: If I can get some aluminum plate stock I might be able to use a frend's metal working tools to make something similar for less then what paragear is asking.

Scott

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[PhreeZone 15]

Why would it need to be on the other side? I have this same set up on my FTP and I don't see why the video/stills would need swapped.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Icon134 0]

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Why would it need to be on the other side? I have this same set up on my FTP and I don't see why the video/stills would need swapped.

because you don't gain enough space when it's rotated due to the placement of the eye piece.

Althought it might work... I'd have to look at it again...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[sfgroschwitz 0]

Alright... First off: thank you all for your comments so far. It helps tremendously to build on your combined intelligence!

Went and saw my buddy in the hood in his welding shop today. Turns out he did a static line jump years ago and he knew quite well what I meant when I talked about riser strike and such. Tickled his imagination and dorky inventiveness. We'll be working on making a nifty aluminum l-bracket next week. If everything works out as we hope, it might actually slide right into the base of the mount, and accept the base plate of the camera. We'll also see whether we can construct a base plate for horizontal mounting that includes a carbon fiber 'filler' for that gap on the right side (similar to Bill's suggestion). I'll keep you posted.

Seeing the camera or the helmet in the video by the way is no issue. I got my .5 lens today and there's no problem whatsoever. Even the royal .3 lens I have only captures a tiny bit of the still camera, which is negligible given that I can't even imagine a situation in which I would use the xti with that lens and a .3 lens on the camcorder.

---
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.
~ Bertrand Russell

[VTmotoMike08 0]

Hi Ohio crew
I don't have much to add because Eric and Scott both know a lot more about camera helmets than me, but I am in a similar situation so I thought I would add my two cents.

Instead of "filling the gap" on the right where the camera hangs over, why not "extend the top plate" towards the left where the flat side is? It will be fairly easy, especially if your buddy has a welding shop. Just make a support that bolts onto the flat side and a top plate extension, weld it together and move both cams a little to the left. Seems easier than sanding and taping wood and still craming everything onto the existing space.

Actually, I might eventually do this with my optik illusion too. Except I would have to use wood (sanded and painted) because I don't have metal working tools. Just got some new toys in the mail and construction is happening this weekend so I will post pics. I still have my old PC-109 so it will probably be side mounted for now.


EDIT: I just took a look at my optik illusion and doing what I mentioned would only give you about another inch (2.54 cm in German) in mounting space. That may or may not be enough for your application. Just my thoughts...