Laszloimage

I have to agree with Lonnie. I like to have a 1000feet sniwel to protect my spinal cord. But I also prefer to be setteled at 3K just because the nature of the job. The long spots all the traffic front of us, and more... In the other hand yes I highly recommend to get far away from the tandem more horizontally than vertically. Tandem instructors should be team players too in this matter. If they have a camera guy they shouldn't pull lower than 5K (4.5 is the minimum anyway) but 5.5 is better. I know the "game" from both side. As a tandem instructor I pull 7K if I have to just to make sure the camera man can deploy safly and still making it back to the DZ. I was once in the situation (long time ago) when the TM/I complained because he almost sniwelled into me with his resereve after a cutaway. He also pulled somwhere between 4 and 4.5K. I shouldn't have needed to pull low because he wanted to. I learned my lesson though... Now if the tandem didn't release the drouge by 5.5K I start back sliding or back tracking and I pull no lower than 4K. (plenty of horizontal separation even with the Velocity). As soon as I can steer my canopy I make a 90degree turn off the line of the flight. Over the years I happend to film my own tandem under canopy as well.... If the TM/I is a retard and inconsiderate to pull low it doesn't mean I have to do the same stupid thing as well. I'm a pussy I'm a dirty high puller

I build adapters. Please PM to me if you're interested. -Laszlo-

Thank you Scott! It's never perfect... The 7D shoots 24p and has better controls but it's not a full frame. The 5D mkII is full frame but shoots 30p only... I can't wait to see in the camera in the future with full frame sensor and 1080 24p capability. -Laszlo-

The clarification is 500 jumps (RW jumps actually...) and 100 camera jumps top of that prior to video tandems. That's the minimum requirement by UPT (used to be Relative Workshop)

I don't hate to go to work! ...this one is from 30minutes ago

The 6Mhz band width with 100mW power is definitelly not the best solution for an analog good quality TV signal for 2-3 miles while the trasmitter is moving (freefalling) I think the best would be to increase the the output power (1-2 Watt) and send a digital signal. How about to build an AVI/MPEG-2 converter and feed it from the FireWire port? Or some cameras have the streaming capability through the USB port...

The solution is to set the camera to higher ISO low aperture and very slow shutter speed (like 1sec) with the second curtain sync on the flash. The difficultie is you'll need to press the shutter release a second earlier while the canopy is approaching you. The jumper should be by the camera on the very end of the shutter cycle, and that's when the flash suppose to fire. It probably requires multiple attempts and a very good canopy pilot who always approaches the same way. ...a little luck can help too. I have lot of experince doing this type of photography. Here's a few example: http://laszloimage.com/July_2008_NEW/pages/July_17th_08_MG_0585.htm http://laszloimage.com/July_2008_NEW/pages/July_17th_08_MG_0588.htm http://laszloimage.com/July_2008_NEW/pages/July_17th_08_MG_0596.htm The idea was to capture the light of the building and the moon in the back with trail of the landing parachutes. I'm sure it would work with stars too as long as you don't have too much "pollutive" light. Also the Moon is significantlly brighter than the stras, so you probaly want to do this when the Moon isn't the brightest. Overall this type of photorgraphy is a very complicated task, but achiveable. -Laszlo-

Congratulations Lonnie for yopur Mk-II! Have fun with it!

It looks like motion blur. The 1/250sec shutter isn't too slow if you can keep your head steady (it shows clearly in the two good shots). It appears to me the prblem is coming from your camera mounting. At the exit when you flew on your back the camera seemd vibrating from the wind which caused the blurry images. That Goldmember quick release isn't the best beacuse of this vibration issue. The plate dosent sit tight in the clamp like in the Cookie for example. Manual focus works just fine on Tv mode as long as you set it up at f3.5 which is the minimum aperure of the 18-55mm kit lens. If you set the fucus to 8feet at f3.5 you should get a sharp image between 5.5 and 15feet. Perfect range for the tandem with this practicular lens.... And if you use 1/250 sec shutter even at ISO100 you should get higher aperture than f3.5 on the sunny day. That means your focus range will be even better. If you use ISO 200 which is still good on this camera you can go a bit faster on the shutter and you can still maintain higher f for a good depth of field as well. -Laszlo-

Spot, I'm sorry to hear that you got hurt. I know what is like... I've been there too. I wish you fast recovery and no pain! We need you back as fas t as possible! -Laszlo-

Yes, I do have Canon Digital to 2.5mm adaptors. ...that's how I use my 5D. Please PM to me. -Laszlo-

Great news! Thank you for the info! ...I still didn't have the money to buy one But it will come fore sure ...24p and 25p update? That would be great too.

I wish. I have to keep spending my money on other stuff. It will come though...

Some fresh ones: http://www.laszloimage.com/May_2009_NEW/pages/May_30th_09%20073.htm http://www.laszloimage.com/June_2009_NEW/pages/June_1st_09%20057.htm http://www.laszloimage.com/June_2009_NEW/pages/June_1st_09%20060.htm -Laszlo-

Tonfly, Rawa, and etc. helmets are basically free fly helmets with the option to mount a camera onto them. They are not real camera helmets for real camera work. The idea of these helmets coming from the time when Sony and came out with the PC series video cameras (and other manufactures too with similar design). The size and dimention of those cameras allowed to mount them on the side of the helmet. But those cameras are no more! As you see you bumped into a limitation already. I recommend to sell your helmet and get a full face one with big top platform instead (there are a few very good designs out there) which allows you to mount various camera equipment with less limitation. The CX7 "shake problem" is coming from its optical image stabilization. We have one person using it here the Ranch, he's ok with it. He has it mounted on the top without a box. Generally these cameras are ok for belly flying. When you start free flying with it (defenitelly sit flying) you gonna have more and more "jittery" issues. The CX12 perfoms better but still have the same problem because of the optical image stabilization. The real solution is the CX100 which has electronic stabiliztion (no floating lens element). For further info please read the camera forum regarding to the CX7/CX12/CX100.

Awesome photos! The web design looks very good too. But I have to agree with others about the side bar issue and the resolution. I wolud use smaller res. images and scroll vertical instead of horizontal (if you want to stick with the idea...).

Jimmy, I found this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D200-digital-SLR-camera-body-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ270392991939QQihZ017QQcategoryZ31388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem This is brand new with warranty. $639 plus $15 shipping. I would read his feed backs though! -Laszlo-

Were your pictures used on a US web site? It happened once with me. It was a Spanish DZ using 10-12 of my shots to promote from AFF to tandem and all kind of skydivind disciplanes. (typical DZ web site) When I called them up and told them the reason why I calling all of the sudden they forgot to speak english. I couldn't do too much with them since they were in Spain. Ever since I put a water mark into the midle of my photos. I make sure it covers part of the main subject of the image but try nut to totally ruin it. see the attached example

My problem is with the “work for hire” is when media/advertisement takes advantage of it. I’ve been there a few times when we got paid for just another tandem video ($50) but we were shooting for TV or other production stuff. I think Spot you know the best how much a camera guy makes a day on production. But those guys can’t skydive with their cameras. We can! So why do we have to make significantly less and give away all of the rights? I have no problem to give away my stuff for average Joe Shmoe for WFH. The problem is when once awhile there’s an opportunity to shoot something for production, but they expect us to work for our regular rate, while they paying lot more for everybody else on their own crew. For example a few years ago I was kinda forced into to film Rachel Ray (Food Network) for $50 because the rest of the staff was OK with that (luckily that contract was only about the video, so I kept my stills). I shot video for production before and signing a WFH contract, but those paid LOT MORE than just an average tandem video. Same thing with the stills… People come out to make a tandem jump and buying a video/still package for $95. But what we don’t know is the guy from a NYC advertisement agency. And the next thing is we see he’s tandem photos promoting some multi billion Dollar investment bank about risk taking. He can do it because of the WFH. Cost him $95 an my cut would $50. Not a theory it happened before (not with me though) …that’s the other reason I don’t take tandem stills with higher end camera (the other reason is the weight of course).

Thank you to all of you again!

...could have been worse I met someone who's reserve pin (yest the pin it self) was cut with the bolt-cutter to check the reserve! ...anyway a chipped paint shouldn't be an issue as long as it's only the paint. If you post a picture or two people will take a look for sure. insurance? good luck with that... I'm sorry to hear this though.

Thank you Spot!

That 3-way exit shot is very cool!

Being judged or being criticized is two different things. Taking constructive criticism is vital to learn anything (not only free fall photography). Those guys actually tried to help you out with advices; even if they didn’t say what you might wanted to hear… The other thing is photographing tandems isn’t the right way to learn become a camera man!!! Definitely not with 350-60 jumps! The requirement is to film tandem is 500 RW jumps and another 100 camera jumps as an addition. IT IS A REQUIREMENT! Why don’t you just grab a tandem rig and start practicing doing tandems your own? I recommend learning camera flying with small RW groups. -Laszlo- ps.: more discussion about this is on other threads already. Sorry about the off topic... It should be continued elswhere...

Thanks!