drhox

...since you don't need a still camera (I do). Skymoo, do you believe is there any possibility of side mounting the camera (box included)? See ya Marcio Rossi Brazil

Thats it. I`ve just talked to Radir (in portughese). He told me about people asking him a solution for the HC5, but he couldn't design one since he has not a HC5 in hands, so far. Indeed, the Freefly Image Helmet is designed for a side mounted camcord solution. But Radir told me that if the HC5 is too big to be at side (it is 3.3" x 3.3" x 5.4" -WxHxD) he will design another solution, maybe another kind of helmet. My HC5 should be here by Dec. I'll take it to him and let you know about the solution. Marcio Rossi Brazil

Tks a ton DSE. I've just cancelled my HC7 order, changed it to a HC5. Saved a couple of Benjamin stamps. As OIS is based on "floating lens"it looks like it has a problem to deal with turbulance or higher frequency vibrations. Digital steady shot, instead, will not suffer from this. Just a guess, I am not a optical elements specialist. Indeed, I am not a specialist in anything. I was very happy with my Sony PC 350 for almost 800 jumps. But it looks like my old 350 needs a rest. I hope to be happy again with the HC5. So far, friends, tandem and AFF students were glad to find out PC 350 superiority over PC 1000 and its predecessors. Hope HC5 do not disapoint me. Thank you all on those quotes. It saved me form buying a camera tha may have problems on free flying. Blue skies, Marcio Marcio Rossi Brazil

so... HC-5 has better stabilization features than HC-7? I am about to by a HC-7, this would make an enormous difference... Please let me know if you talk by experience! Marcio Marcio Rossi Brazil

I am just arrived to skydive party; 1.5 year in the sport, 300 jumps. Since the beginning canopy piloting is something that called my attention. That is why I read every comment at this tread. That’s why I read Scott Miller and Jonh Leblanc seminars, bought Brian Germains “The parachute and its Pilot” book. On the other hand, as result of my concern about safety I’ve also got Piermidia’s DVD collection and “The skydiver survival skills” book. As most of everybody here, I was scared about a 750 jumps guy that flies a 2.0 loaded Crossfire and believes a 1.6 load Sabre isn’t that much for a 300 jumps guy willing to swoop. Well, I fly a 1.1 lb/ft² loaded Sabre2 150ft and I am also a 300 jumps guy willing to swoop… But our friend Rhino said 2 things I got agree on. First, if a canopy performance scare’s you, you rather go big. Second, regards to all swoop beginners: the same under loaded forgiving canopy that rapidly pulls out of a dive and refuses to over steer on a turn, demands you to aggressively pull front risers under 200, 300 ft to get any effect over your swoop performance; even if it is a forgiving machine about general mistake, you don’t have a such wide tolerance frame when it comes do high speed approach. So here it comes “willing to swoop novice dilemma”: improving skills under lightly loaded docile canopies even if it means to turn a little bit closer to the “corner” to get some landing performance or downsizing to a hotter canopy… Surely each one of us was born with a different package of skills. Maybe you are gifted, but it will take some time until you find it out because you are slowing your progression in the sacred name of safety. Maybe you are not and you will finally get to kill yourself before you have the chance to know you’ve been exciding your own ability limits. I had better be on the first group. By the way, I still have to become a closer friend of my S2 150ft before getting into a new romance. But I cannot say guys like Rhino are wrong in what they do: they are gifted and they know it, so why not take advantage of it? I am just concerned about those ones that just “think” they are gifted and may be will soon join, as Brian Germain says, the Dead Skydiver’s Club. Last, but not least: the fact that very skilled swoopers have jumped big canopies for a long time can not be attributed just to their pure conservativeness: there were not Velocities, VX’s, Katanas or Crossfire2 by the time some of these guys gained theirs skills. There was not even the word “swoop”. In fact, they would have mastered their incredible skills in a much different way if starting jumping nowadays. Anyway, in a sport that kills, always better staying beyond limits, even more because we never know exactly which and where these limits are. Just my 2 cents, althought that long... Blue skies, Marcio Rossi Marcio Rossi Brazil