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chaospilot

Tandem Video and Stills Cameras - What should I buy

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Looking to upgrade from my current setup (PC109 & Rebel XT on a BatRAk). Will be sticking with Top Mount, Bonehead Mantle Helment. Use for Tandems and AFF Only. Computer Editing. Standard Budget ($1000 for each camera), so I am considering one of the Sony CX's and the Canon Rebel Series. Any recommendations?
Bryan Cavage, D-19100
AFF I, Tandem I, Vidiot
http://www.dropzonesolutions.com
-Social Media Consultant and Skydiving Gear Guru

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You've got the combo exactly. Grab a CX100/105 and a XSi and you are set. Total for both should be just around $1200ish. Add in some extras like a Canon 10-22/Sigma 155/Canon 15mm lens and one of the newer HD lenses for the video and you are adding in another $600ish and then the rest is just memory cards, switches and the rest of the small things.

If you want to save some cash you can get an XS body used and save $200-250 over a new XSI kit.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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Thanks for the info guys....so need to upgrade to the CX500 or newer CX model? I may just stick with the XT, but another jumper has the XSI and I can tell the difference in the pictures, so I will just decide on that when the times comes!

Thanks again everyone...any other opinions, greatly appreciated. Time for some beers and football...weather in the 20's with wind in NEPA, no skydiving >:(

Bryan Cavage, D-19100
AFF I, Tandem I, Vidiot
http://www.dropzonesolutions.com
-Social Media Consultant and Skydiving Gear Guru

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Quote

I may just stick with the XT, but another jumper has the XSI and I can tell the difference in the pictures



Is that other jumper using the same lens? Generally a good lens is more important than the camera body. So if you're jumping the kit lens (18mm-50mm) or similar cheap lens, I'd invest in a good skydiving lens (Canon 15mm f/2.8 comes to mind) instead of in a new body, and use the XT until it breaks.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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my 2 cents:

A tandem passanger can't tell the difference and a XT(350D?) is plenty. However, I'd recomennd to upgrade to a XS(400D?) or XSi mainly for the sensorcleaning and a littlebit better imagequality. As mentioned, get a better lens, it has 3 times more to do with quality then the camerabody(or more precisly the image sensor). Canon or Sigma 15mm f2.8 would be my recommendation since I've seen the use of the Canon and I own a Sigma my self. Tamron and others might work well, but I haven't tried them yet.

CX100 is also a very good option since the 110 or 150 only have small advantages, and I consider them not to be necessary.

I'm upgrading my setup for the summer as well, since a PC350 and a Canon 40D is very heavy, and I fractured my neck last summer.

My new set up will be a 400D or 450D (since I'm in Europe) with my Sigma 15mm f2.8, and a CX100. Both with double batteries and double memorycards. Both lightweight and the deliver the goods.

And they'll stay on the helmet at all times, except from some shots where I'll bring my 7D or a 5D MkII(planning on buying one for groundwork). But that's just when there's something special. Once again, tandempassangers won't tell the difference between a 400D and a 7D, but they might see the difference between an EF-S lens and USM equipped lens. Hardly anyone prints larger then typical photoprint from the normal photostore. I had one customer asking for RAW, an that's only because I learned that he was a photgrapher and I had time to transer the files afterwards.

Also, consider used. if you search long enough, you'll allways get one of the really good deals.

I might upgrade to a Canon f2.8 USM since I find it perform better then the Sigma, but that's because I'll be using it for ground photo as well.
"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Da Vinci
www.lilchief.no

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