Jabeln79

Sony's Boss stabilization is the best I have ever seen. Sony Cx 430/580/760. The 430 and 760 have been discontinued but you might be able to find them. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I use a Tokina 10-17. The SL1 shoots about 4.5 FPS, the exit shots are pretty good. Ive been pretty happy with them. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I started using the SL1 when it was released. It is a great all around camera. I use it for Formation skydiving and Tandem Video. It is light weight and small. I also use it for a back up body for photography and I think it holds up to the 60D in quality and out preforms the 60D in Low Indoor light settings. My only complaint is that the Autofocus on Video is not very good. It loses focus a lot and takes awhile searching for the focus to return. I use a CX 760 for video so I don't really do a lot of video with it so it doesn't bother me. I love the camera and use it quite a bit. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The set up. Sorry about the Iphone photos. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have a Canon 60D and CX100 side by side on top of my Optik Illusion. Works great. Also have a Zskullz mount on the side that lets me hook up a third camera or flash bar. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Canon G12 but you will need a remote switch. Takes great pics I think equivalent to a 16 or 17 MM lens. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Used A G10 for several Hundred Tandem Videos works great. Just upgraded to the G12, Works even better. Twice as many photos and 10.1 Mega pixels are all you need. A g12 with cx 100 or anyone newer is really a light weight system. I also have both top mounted on a Optik Illusion. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have recently had two separate malfunctions while flying video on tandems. While filming these past two tandems I was sit flying with wings, I have done this many times with no problems on my other set up (Javelin/Firefly camera suit) This is a newer cameral jacket I picked up off the jumpsuit rack at SDC. The first malfunction happened just after the Tandem master deployed. I rolled back to my belly and deployed uneventfully and had a good velocity over my head. I began to release the camera wings, as I released the right wing my right riser was released the left riser still in place. I wasn't sure why at this point. I began spiraling very quickly and tried to figure out what happened. At first it appeared my cut away handle was gone, but I was able to find it buried in my wing, cut away and deployed the reserve. The second malfunction happened the next time I was sit flying on my camera wings filming another tandem. This time I deployed my main I initially thought everything was ok, I head a great opening. I performed a handles check to make sure they were still in place after the last malfunction. My reserve handle was out several inches. I looked over my head and found my reserve was already out. I had two canopies out in a biplane. 2nd malfunction in 3 times wearing my camera jacket. I jump an Aerodyne Icon rig with a Tony suit camera jacket with large wings. I just started using this camera jacket, its nice in the summer to wear shorts and a wing coat to film tandems. I have jumped the camera jacket many times on my belly and havent had a problem. I have jumped large wings hundreds of times on a Javelin and never had a problem. My rigger at work thinks it may be the wing inflating forward in a sit and wrapping around the handles then pulling the handles out when I roll to my belly from a sit position and the wings inflate behind me. Its cost my 2 free bags which is lucky. Either malfunction could have been a lot worse. Any thoughts on why these malfunctions may be happening? . Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks for the help guys. NO. 4 seems to describe my problem. I will check to see if the default settings are being used. As far as the AVI. I think thats what was done first when we were trying to figure out vegas when we installed it, and no one has changed it or told us the right way. Is there a better way to render the file, or a better file type, so we can burn to DVD thru Nero. Thats what we have right now. Thanks again. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

We use vegas 8.0 at the DZ to edit Tandem videos. We will render as an avi file(mostly a SD avi, HD avi takes up a ton of memory) and burn with nero. The finished dvd is fairly blurry almost like watching a video after drinking too much. The blur happens when This only happens on the edits with a cx 100. The mini dv cameras that are fire wired play back fine. Also the same CX 100 plays/edits great through a linear editing board. Anyone else have this problem or know what might be wrong. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I would take 6 nose cells and roll them pretty tight then stuff the rolled 6 into the nose of the 7th cell then roll them all together as one almost down to the B lines. The startrac at terminal opens pretty hard. Also would cut off the nose caps. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

No wide angle needed which saves money on lenses. I think the lens converts to about a 17 mm lens. I use a .36 or .43 wide angle lens on my CX100 and HC 5 they both come out pretty close to each other. I have noticed recently on a few exit shots were im shooting the Tandem exit on my back shooting into the sun with clouds around above the tandem, that the back ground is blown out. I shoot on TV shutter priority 800 shutter speed, 200 ISO. Manuel setting of the aperture might help keep it exposed right. Or a rear float exit when there is a light layer of clouds above allowing the sun to shine through. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Heres a tandem from a few days ago. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ive been using the canon G10 for about 3 months now and love it. I mostly use it for tandem videos and everyday skydiving. If its a specific jump, or photo op, sunset or night ill use a 40D. The picture quality is great aside from the noise at higher ISO but most skydives are during day light and only require 100 or 200 ISO. The G10 and CX 100 together weigh about the same as my Sony HC 5 alone so the weight is much better for the neck especially when you have a busy day of tandem videos. The camera also works great for free flying, RW and canopy flying. The cons for me are: less pictures only about 30 free fall pics but thats plenty for a tandem in addition to pre jump and landing pics its a disc of about 50 pics. It takes 2 pics every 3 seconds. Its noisy at High ISO. Also the memory card is inside the battery compartment which means you have to take your quick release bracket off to get to the SD card or use the usb port to download pics to a burner. Pros lighter than the rebel series. 14.7 mp gives great pics that hold up to larger prints, newspaper and print covers. I use a camera now on jumps that i wouldn't normally use one. You barely notice it on your helmet. Its very simple to use. Overall its my opinion that its a great little camera for all around skydiving. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

ALot of people from U of I jump at Archway skydiving in vandalia Il. ITs a great place to jump. If you go to school up there checking out the skydiving club. Blue Skies Joe "Knowledge is the antidote to fear." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson