ries 0 #1 July 23, 2011 I am new to the world of jumping a video camera and am having issues with head shake. Ive tried to "lock" my head in place to minimize it but I just cant seem to get it right. I am jumping a TG1 with a wide angle lens. Its side mounted in a box (its tight inside), the box is mounted tightly to the helmet, and the helmet is tight on my head. I am using a ring sight and the EIS is on. What can I do to fix the dang problem? It drives me nuts. I currently only have 11 jumps with the camera setup so I understand I still have a lot of learning to do. All my framing is good and I am frustrated that this is my only issue so any help would be appreciated... Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefalle 0 #2 July 23, 2011 hey chris, fill out your profile before someone verbally kicks you in the nuts for not doing so. What kind of helmet is it? Do you have a chin cup? I had a prolem with camera shake before what I discovered is the helmet didnt fit perfectly to my head causing the wobble. Maybe you need to adjust the padding inside?? Additionally, how is the helmet secured to your head i.e do you have a chin cup, perhaps it needs to be tighter? Maybe you could try turning off the Image Stabilazation some have said that IS increases the shake is some camera's YMMV. Those are the first things I would check and then go from there, Im sure others will have suggestions. Best of luck Chuck Bryan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ries 0 #3 July 23, 2011 Quote hey chris, fill out your profile before someone verbally kicks you in the nuts for not doing so. What kind of helmet is it? Do you have a chin cup? I had a prolem with camera shake before what I discovered is the helmet didnt fit perfectly to my head causing the wobble. Maybe you need to adjust the padding inside?? Additionally, how is the helmet secured to your head i.e do you have a chin cup, perhaps it needs to be tighter? Maybe you could try turning off the Image Stabilazation some have said that IS increases the shake is some camera's YMMV. Those are the first things I would check and then go from there, Im sure others will have suggestions. Best of luck Chuck Bryan Thanks for the reply. I am using a Cookie MVX helmet and it does have a chin cup. Ive tried adding padding to the point that the helmet was super uncomfortable with no better results...still had head shake and ended up top framing cause of all the extra padding I will try turning off the IS to see if that helps...I didnt think it was much of an issue though with the TG1's but Im game to try anything. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parachutist 1 #4 July 23, 2011 QuoteI am new to the world of jumping a video camera and am having issues with head shake. Ive tried to "lock" my head in place to minimize it but I just cant seem to get it right. I am jumping a TG1 with a wide angle lens. Its side mounted in a box (its tight inside), the box is mounted tightly to the helmet, and the helmet is tight on my head. I am using a ring sight and the EIS is on. What can I do to fix the dang problem? It drives me nuts. I currently only have 11 jumps with the camera setup so I understand I still have a lot of learning to do. All my framing is good and I am frustrated that this is my only issue so any help would be appreciated... Chris Show us some sample vid! My first guess is that you're just learning and it takes practice. The good news is that you're noticing the shaky video and working to improve it. You'd be amazed how many videos I've seen that I thought were complete crap.... but whoever shot it thought it was great. I remember first starting video with a sidemount and feeling like I couldn't keep my head straight up and down. Two weeks later after practicing I'd forgotten completely about that. Practice makes issues like that dissolve. Then I'd worry about shaky video, so I'd hold my neck rigid in freefall, check the video when I get down and keep working on that. Eventually I forgot about that issue too because everyone was saying I could quit doing freebies and start getting paid for videos. So just keep working on it and you can go from rigid neck to relaxed-but-stable, producing smooth videos. That's just my guess without seeing the helmet, you, your footage etc.. but at 11 camera jumps this seems like the most likely reason to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #5 July 23, 2011 what mount are you using Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,397 #6 July 25, 2011 1) Turn off EIS. 2) Go to town with gaffer's tape to seal up any air gaps. 3) Get a wider lens (wider = less visible shake) 4) Remove the box from the helmet, remount the camera on top with a good mount and try it that way. In the end you may just need a better helmet. I saw a big change when I went from my Optik to my Flattop Pro; it was just a much more rigid and head-hugging helmet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superfletch 1 #7 July 25, 2011 Try really, really, really hard... to quit shaking your head. I'm sorry... I couldn't help myself. :D Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flinken64 0 #8 July 25, 2011 One issue could be turbulence around your head/camera. When belly flying the position of the arms could cause turbulence (with and without wings), depending on how you fly. Are you shooting belly formations (on top) or fun jumps at level? Free flying head’s up (sit) you should get most of the lift from your back to get clean air around your head (in head’s down or back flying you normally get clean air, since all body parts are out of the airflow around the head). /Flinken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flinken 0 #9 July 25, 2011 Sorry! Used an old acount for the las post. /Flinken QuoteOne issue could be turbulence around your head/camera. When belly flying the position of the arms could cause turbulence (with and without wings), depending on how you fly. Are you shooting belly formations (on top) or fun jumps at level? Free flying head’s up (sit) you should get most of the lift from your back to get clean air around your head (in head’s down or back flying you normally get clean air, since all body parts are out of the airflow around the head). /Flinken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill_K 0 #10 July 25, 2011 Hey Chris, Lots of good responses here so far. These guys all know their stuff!! At only 11 video jumps I'm just about going to bet that if's not the IS mess'n with you that your just over thinking it and making yourself stiff. I.e. take a big deep breath, relax and go have fun. If your too rigid, it can induce shake. I agree with the other Chris on here though, just keep practicing, I'll bet that solves it's self pretty quickly. Blues, BK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VideoFly 0 #11 July 27, 2011 Instead of flying a rigid body with a shaky head; fly a rigid head with a shaky body. Relax while keeping your camera locked on the subject and fly your body instinctively. Use a magical videographer’s sensibility and awareness to stay safe. Equipment issues aside, the flying skills will hopefully come in time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
