RossDagley

Thanks
I'm already in talks with some of our regular customers about a trip to see you guys

and team future just broke it again apparently - 108 minutes.

thanks for this - i came on the forum to ask this very question

I jump a (reasonably complicated) camera setup. A few weeks ago (USPA safety day) two jumpers were discussing video cameras, mounts, ringsights etc and asked me over to get my opinion and advice on their new gear.

I started to give some advice about mounting, lenses etc, and as you do, I enquired about their jump experience. One had 110 jumps, the other 130. Both already had camera helmets (no stills just video, although one had a stills mount). I explained the USPA's recommendation of a 200 jump minimum and (my version of) the thinking behind that recommendation. They quietened down and thanked me for my time - the conversation drifted off but I was left with an odd feeling it wouldn't be the last I saw of that. They'd already got all the gear after all...

A few hours later, I hosted a seminar for Safety Day at my DZ for freefly safety - one aspect of which touched on video and stills in freefall, snag hazards etc. One of the guys I'd spoken to earlier in the day was present and intently listening for the duration of the talk.

Later that afternoon, I see the pair walking to the plane. All kitted out with their new camera gear. I didn't mention it again. Twice he'd heard me say 200 jump recommendation, and the reasons behind it. Then perhaps he just thought "fuck it, I'll be fine - I'll take it carefully". I've honestly no idea what people think in these situations but I doubt it's an actual "what the hell does he know I'm invincible", more likely just "it'll be fine..."

As an (new) Instructor, I gave the best advice I can. However, I can't force someone to sit down and frankly I wouldn't want to. His choices are his choices. If he wanted to jump a 120 at 150 jumps (as another skydiver I know does) I cant stop that either - but I can tell him how bad an idea I think it'll be.

Of course, if the same jumper was in the door with a cheststrap undone I'd grab the fool and drag his ass back in the plane. There's a line however between common sense and about-to-die. I'd like to think i'd try and stop an about-to-die situation. I can't however stop people without much common sense...

When I'm paid to look after someone I share the responsibility - when it's AFF, I own that responsibility as the student often doesn't know better. When I'm funjumping or simply on the ground, if someone makes a bad decision after seeking advice, it's honestly not my place to force them to not jump. And I'm not sure if I'd like that responsibility either.

Thanks man
Shot with a Canon 1d and a 15mm fisheye, it's hard to get a truly BAD shot though!

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Tony makes a great camera wing, I've got one of his, I also have a Firefly with super-thick fabric layers (designed by norman kent) that I prefer in terms of stability and smoothness.

I also had a Windline suit that had ZP on the front and Supplex on the back, it worked really well, and I still wear it from time to time. Biggest issue with it is that the jacket isn't quite long enough nor tight enough, and when I go into a sit or on to my back for a deployment shot, it can blow upwards and covery my handles.
I prefer wings that clip to the rig or that clip back to themselves after being routed through hiprings on the rig.
Beyond the clipping system and whatever design holds the jacket down below the waist, I think wings are more or less wings. They can be made forward of the arm for a sit, backwards of the line of the arm for belly, and myriad combinations between. wing size is relevant to your weight and the desired amount of access to range.

Thanks for the detailed explanation - thats pretty much what i was looking for.
I have seen a design where they use RSL type quick snaps to clip to the rigs hip rings that looks good. I'm hoping to use the suit for both belly (aff external video etc) and sit (for tandems etc) so I guess that placement of the wing "line" needs discussing with the makers
Thanks for all the help guys

I was kinda hoping for some personal recommendations - does anyone fly one of these makes on a regular basis? What material for wings (does it make a difference?) etc.

Thanks!

I'm in the market for a camera jacket of some type (ideally the low cost type )

It needs to be able to fit over my normal suits so I can just throw it on over what I'm wearing when I need to film something floaty.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

reminds me of this photo:

End of the Rainbow

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Saturday night was spent scrubbing the carpet to remove multiple blood stains.

OxyClean or hydrogen peroxide. Test in an area that won't show first, as it can (rarely) take the color out of some carpets. It will also, however, take the red color out of blood.

I'm sensing an ex-husband you've previously failed to mention....

couple from this week

It's a typo

Should have been a 1d2n

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I have a D2X too but no way in hell am I going to jump it Record jump or not. I think my D200 is on the heavy side already, but def. worth it. My D80 is better for my neck though

Just jumped my 1dn2 for the first time this week. Felt heavy as hell on the ground but was fine to jump with (did a mix of belly external video and freefly). The image quality is lovely, but the 8fps is what is the killer deal - I wouldn't want to jump it every jump for sure but for occasional use it's absolutely fine.

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Why would you get a PC109 instead of e PC1000?

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so i know your going to say not to cheap out but what is the cheapest cam i can get new that would work for starting out. that can havea fish eye put on it. and where would i go about getting one???

Look for an older model Sony - something like a PC109. They're still ideal for most types of general skydiving and are slim enough to sidemount.

I would strongly advise against getting an eBay lens for it - the lens is a large snag factor when it protrudes from the front of the helmet by a few inches - you'll either loose the lens and ruin the thread of the camera if you're lucky or have a linewrap if you're not. If it was me, I'd be looking to remove as many possible snag factors on my head as possible - not add them.

Scrimp a little on the camera if you need to (get a PC109 not a PC1000 for example) - but get a slim lens - a Cookie lens is a fine example (as is Royal etc).

coming on really fast! Good work guys

Word on the street is that the prices for the new tunnel will be very similar to the 12ft tunnel - does anyone have any indication of prices yet? (and a completion date of course!).

This tunnel is for sure on my "to-do" list

Thats awesome
I remember just before the Bedfords World Challenge this year Bodyflight ran from something like 6am to 4am for a couple of days straight. I worked one of those shifts straight. Urgh.

Yes you need a wide lens pretty much.

Presuming your talking about video not stills, generally a .5 or a .3 is the ticket. .5 works well for tandems and allows you to keep some distance - .3 works well for close freefly. A .2 works well for docked freefly and inside VRW. Ge more than 10 ft away and you'll see nothing though. This is all my personal experience = YMMV.

Due to the way my body (doesn't) work, I now jump with a D-ring reserve handle, and will until I figure out another system *for me*. My first rig (Icon - bought new) had a soft handle by my request - I thought it was cooler and thought it was safer (for the reasons being listed in this thread pretty much - someone else grabbing it accidently).

I cannot reach any handle with my right hand alone(any being main, reserve, or cutaway). I can *kinda* flail at my reserve handle with my right hand, and occasionally it comes into contact with it, so for me, the "easier to grab" handle (with something I could maybe get a finger or two through) is a much better idea. Theres a chance i could reach the handle in an emergency with a solo right hand - with a softpad, theres next to no chance.

Anything can happen in skydiving though - I used to work with a guy who is a very capable freeflyer who survived a head down reserve deployment after someone else docked on his *soft pad* reserve handle.

I've not got data to back this up, but I suspect they are also more likely to fold under the harness than a rigid d-ring handle. Someone else might comment on this.

As someone said, they're not the magic safety bullet. YMMV.

this is pretty much my default transition. cross cartwheel/layout from sit to head down. I try to avoid front or back flips to head down when flying with others because you can lose sight of the other(s) - i NEVER back/front flip when coaching - its asking for it.

ah that explains it (and why i've not come across it). I'll research it some more now. thanks!

hmm - i found a pd article on the rds (http://www.performancedesigns.com/hotnews/RDS/rds.htm), but cant seem to pin down anything on these rings or their function - could someone point me in the right direction please?

sorry for the vague subject, but cant describe it any better! Looking at the latest uspa mag, i see i bunch of swoopers with what appears to be d-rings on the front risers.

What are these for? I've never seen (noticed) them on a rig I've come into contact with.

over 17 hours a day, for 7 days in a row. Impressive.

and 1000hp