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mac2501

Camera set up HELP!!!

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Guys i'm at a loss.

I'm a UK jumper

I want to start filming tandems and i have some money to spend so i have been looking at the Tonfly range.

Currently i have a Nikon D5100 stills, and a gopro3.

I would like to use the above on a 2.5 or a 3x, but all the camera guys i see seem to still be using the Sony CX range on a top mounted or side mounted.

I don't want to spend a shit load of money to find out it was a waste.

thoughts/advice

thanks in advance


regards Mac

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mac2501

Guys i'm at a loss.

I'm a UK jumper

I want to start filming tandems and i have some money to spend so i have been looking at the Tonfly range.

Currently i have a Nikon D5100 stills, and a gopro3.

I would like to use the above on a 2.5 or a 3x, but all the camera guys i see seem to still be using the Sony CX range on a top mounted or side mounted.

I don't want to spend a shit load of money to find out it was a waste.

thoughts/advice

thanks in advance


regards Mac




Im sorry but I dont understand the question. Are you asking advice for a helmet? What does the 2.5x or 3x mean?

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I use a 3x with the zkulls hero overkill mount, a nikon d3100 on top and a gopro (hero 2) on the front.

For the gopro I use the skeleton housing to at least get a tiny bit of sound recorded for interviews, it also allows me to charge the gopro and access the memorycard without opening up the box. What I also really like about this mount is that I can look up and see if my gopro's led is blinking myself, this may not be the case for everyone though.

I put a quick release on top of the zkulls mount for my nikon so I can take it off easily and so I can access the battery without taking the whole mount off of my helmet. I could almost get the battery out without the quick release in between so it might not be an issue with the d5100 if the battery is not in the exact same place.

I don't do much camerawork but for the few jumps I use it for I like it. :)
"So I jump out, look up, and think 'Oh SHIT!...

It's PINK!!!'"
- army guy after his first staticline jump

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Sorry mate,

I wasn't very clear.

Is it worth buying something from the sony CX range ? as i see a lot of places now using a stills and a go pro

the cameras will affect the helmet i buy.

I would rather use the stills and a go pro on a Tonfly 2.5 or a 3x

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As a UK jumper who has recently got into filming tandems, the only advice I can give you is speak to the person who runs the tandem camera pool at the dropzone you intend to film tandems at! Some DZs are happy with Go-Pros, but most still require CX style cameras I believe.

They may also want you to do some practice first to ensure you are able to get the right shots, but this might be limited given your jump numbers although it will still depend on your ability.

Worth noting that CX cameras are hard to come by now, as the CX105/CX115 that are most popular stopped being made years ago. The CX410 is another good one that has a great optical steadyshot but is also now discontinued (I just snapped one up on eBay). Most of the newer Sony / CX range are not suitable due to the type of steadyshot they have, new software which is incompatible with Hypeye's or no way of attaching a wide angle lens.

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For me it's mostly a matter of workflow inherent to filming tandems.

At this point the go pro produces higher quality footage (which is generally irrelevant because as far as I know most places edit and burn the video to standard definition DVDs anyway), but CX series cameras are better in the tandem environment for all of the following reasons (in no particular order):

1. I can flip open the screen and properly frame my interviews.
2. I can get a bigger, high capacity battery that lasts all day and saves me all the worry the rather anemic go pro battery life causes.
3. It uses a full sized SD card that is more easily accessible and much harder to lose track of than a microSD card. If your DZ is busy enough, being able to write your name on your SD card and not have to fumble with opening a go pro case is really important when you are in a huge hurry and halfhazardly tossing your chips at the video editor.
4. I can easily review footage.
5. I can control the camera and see it's recording status via a Hypeye.
6. The menus are way better on the CX cameras.
7. The microphone is better on the CX cameras.

Now go pro might be getting to a point where some of these concerns are reduced. You could get a go pro, buy the LCD pack, wait for that new indicator from Hypoxic to come out, keep your cellphone on your person all day to easily navigate the menus via the app, buy a bunch of batteries and an external charger and just switch things out on every jump for peace of mind, and just be careful with the micro SD cards, but that would probably cost you around 800 bucks, probably more.

Alternatively you stick with what works and can probably just pick up a CX150 for a hundred bucks off ebay and invest another 200 or so in a cheap mount, a hypeye, a lens and a couple of spare batteries.

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mac2501

Sorry mate,

I wasn't very clear.

Is it worth buying something from the sony CX range ? as i see a lot of places now using a stills and a go pro

the cameras will affect the helmet i buy.

I would rather use the stills and a go pro on a Tonfly 2.5 or a 3x



A few years back when I was still active filming tandems I
was using CX 115 + raynox HD-3032PRO combo. (nowadays I would consider such a setup totally obsolete)

I later changed to a go pro2, which I found to outperform the CX series cameras in almost every way.

IMO there seems to be an attitude among camera fliers that a go pro isnt a real video camera. Camera fliers somehow want to distinct themselves from the reagular jumper whos wearing a go pro style camera. Paid camera fliers seem to fear that they wont be taken seriously with a go pro.

Personally I consider the go pro an excellent choice for something like tandem video. If you need longer focal lenght with narrower FOV for outside video for something else, then I might be looking towards a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera type of camera or an DSLR for video. It would depend on the purpose.

Personally if it was just tandems, (or mostly tandems) then I would go with a setup like tonfly 2,5x + go pro3 + still camera with ultrawide

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samlee

As a UK jumper who has recently got into filming tandems, the only advice I can give you is speak to the person who runs the tandem camera pool at the dropzone you intend to film tandems at! Some DZs are happy with Go-Pros, but most still require CX style cameras I believe.

They may also want you to do some practice first to ensure you are able to get the right shots, but this might be limited given your jump numbers although it will still depend on your ability.

Worth noting that CX cameras are hard to come by now, as the CX105/CX115 that are most popular stopped being made years ago. The CX410 is another good one that has a great optical steadyshot but is also now discontinued (I just snapped one up on eBay). Most of the newer Sony / CX range are not suitable due to the type of steadyshot they have, new software which is incompatible with Hypeye's or no way of attaching a wide angle lens.





this.
GoPro footage is harder to process, and requires more time in the editing system. Some DZ's have elected to avoid GP for this reason.
As mentioned the CX cams aren't easy to find any longer.

I use the 3.0. I'm not a fan of chincup helmets for "serious" work, but the 3.0 and the Shark are both pretty good platforms for not being fixed-chin.

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you forgot the image stabilization the CX above 100 offers, I have been invested in gopro video and SL1 still platform, so far I have reverted back to the Hero 2 because the 3 is undependable. (I've had turn off issues after the latest firmware update ) But there is something that nagged at me and I couldn't place it until I compared video side by side from my CX with a gopro on the same rig... It was the image stabilization, Even though it was minute, it was there... I know splitting hairs here. But for hire, I'm still lugging weight,
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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I agree with the IS. For most of what I shoot, a slightly tighter FOV than the gopro wide setting is best. The "medium" setting matches my .55X on my cx150 pretty well, but at the tighter field of view the lack of IS is much more noticeable and makes the video pretty undesirable.

Currently using CX150 on active stabilization with a .55 for my main, and gopro 3black wide as my backup.

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I'm running the same except I run the hero 2 at 120fps for better slow motion on the exits and deployments, Most importantly making the video guy ahead of me look good leaving the plane :)
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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I would advise speaking with the manager and camera flyers at your dz before you purchase anything.

Nothing like making a complete CX150 setup only to find out they are allowed for tandem because your dz doesn't like the file format.

Ask me how I know.

At my DZs, gopros are the preferred equipment.

;]

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That would really suck... I would imagine it would hinge on the DZ's editing preference. Is that why some of the DZ's are
camera specific?
For me the editing is an expression of the thing I love to do most. I would rather edit my own unless it gets real busy.. Then it becomes about the numbers.. More like work than fun.. If I had to work at a DZ that restricted my choice of gear I would just do AFF or Tandem most likely a lot of formation fun jumping videos :)
Sorry to hear of your demize...
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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Sorry to Hijack this thread but...

I have a Canon Rebel XS I would like to take stills with. I intend to use it for fun jumps only and not very often. I have a Rawa Vision with a flatlock on it for the mount. What kind of switch should I get. Can I get an Indicator etc... Any help would be appreciated.

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You can use a "T" style tongue switch ( or bite ... I like the tongue switch). Just turn your cam on during jump run. No light is needed. Rebels are great on continuous mode ( 2 to 3 shots per second ). They don't tend to "buffer" during shots like some cameras. They are also heavy. You can buy a wider lens also. 16mm or less.
Life is short ... jump often.

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Jacked

...I have been invested in gopro video and SL1 still platform



Jacked, which lens did you find best to use with your SL1 for tandems? for freefly? Are you still using this set up for stills? What do you use for video? Thanks in advance for sharing!
http://www.childrenofthesky.com

Freefly!

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Today is a long way from the start of this thread and as of now
I'm using the SL1 with a canon 10-20, its the older version, larger, heaver, and slower autofocus, but I don't use autofocus anyway... Canon has a newer version that is shorter, lighter, and has image stabilization on board (not that you would use it) the autofocus is snappy aswell... I bought one and lent it to friend to jump with and he loved it so much I let him ride with it.... The Video is a gopro hero3+ on medium fov. It matches a Sony cs150 with a 5.5 lens in comparison very well... The only thing I miss with the cs150 is the image stabilization. I battle with going back to the CS all the time... GoPro has won out because of my old neck and heavy gear just don't see eye to eye these days... That setup works for formation (up to say a 15 way) and is ideal for tandem....Remember no mater how good the gopro gets for still images it is only as good as the glass it see's through. (the SLR is bound by the same rule as well)
The end result is directly connected to the effort applied

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