Laszloimage

I've been using HDR for 2-3 years now. You don't need two cameras or exposure bracketing. You have to use RAW vs. JPEG. Convert two or more files with different exposure from RAW to TIFF, JPEG, or etc. and "splice" them together in your software Photoimpact or PS-7 or higher. Make sure the converted files don't carry the original data of the exposure. That's the only thing film can still do better, the dynamic range. Shooting in RAW to create a High Dynamic Range image is easy. -Laszlo-

Spot, Thank you for your input about this subject. You're right as always on this field... Any info about BlueRay recorderes? Will be anything like that on the market any soon for an affordable price, so we can make true HD videos for costumers? That would be great... Thanks! -Laszlo-

I use my XT for tandem landing photos with the Canon 70-200 f2.8 USM IS lens for 2yrs now. Every day! So far it didn't break... ...yeh the 5D fits better in my hand though.

For a good exit shot you need a good exit from both the jumpers (in this case the tandem pair) and the photographer. If you want to rely on frame rate as some one mentioned already a movie camera would be the best choice (like the ARRI 235 which can take 75 35mm frames a second...) But trust me if the exit goes bad... no good shot. If it goes well there's is a good shot (of course the photographer still need to know his stuff...). Good photos are coming from good skydives and good photographers not from the frame rate of the camera! (...of course there's still need a good light, a good lens, and etc...)

Agree. For jumping (meaning for tandems) the 40D is way too much. The investment to buy a 40D is only worth it if you going to use it on the ground too for lot of action photography. (but then you need to spend even more for lenses). The XT is a very good camera, even that one is almost an overkill for tandems. -Laszlo- ps. according with your profile you're still kinda far away to photograph tandems...

I suppose to get the remote in a week or so which can work just like a Cam Eye through the A/V port. http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665304384 It still needs some modification. I just modifide the LANC version of this remote http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11034776 Now it can function just like any other known Rec indicators through the LANC since I extended the LED's with a cable. In addition I installed a 2.5mm stereo jack, so it can accept a bite/tongue switch. Now it's possible to take pictures while the camera is recording (I tested already). The only problem is all the cameras on the market AFAIK allow to take only 3 shots. To take pictures again the recording needs to be stopped and started again. (who's gonna do dat in free fall and cut out a few seconds of video???) I hope the the future models will buffer more photos. The A/V version looks exatly the same, so I should be able to make the modifications as well. It will be a good news for those who owns cameras without a LANC or a CX7. -Laszlo-

...well I don't know. But my Sigma 15mm seems to me a pretty dam good lens. Definitely for its price. As I said the only screw up is the numbers on the focus ring, I cant rely on those. Here's some example shots. For the tandem I used my Rebel XT with the Canon 14mm L lens ($1700!) For the AFF I used also my XT and the Sigma 15mm. Finally a shot fro 2days ago with the 5D and the Sigma 15mm. Check out the details when I cropped them in. There's no difference at 8MP resolution between the Canon's $1700 and Sigmas' $370 lens exept the distortion form the fisheye effect (what I like though, just like many others incuding costumers...) Yeh, you should probably dirrect those guys to this posting. -Laszlo- I don't see any "Significant Malfunction" in any of these images www.laszloimage.com

If you're setting the focus manually and then use Tv there's a good chance you gonna have a bunch of out focus shots. Remember in Tv mode you fixate the shutter speed and camera will adjust the exposure changing the aperture. As long as your F stop value only goes up (example you made your setting at f5 and gets brighter out side and the camera keep shooting at f8 or f11...). But as soon as the aperture value drops below, you can get soft images very easily. I used a flash for every shots. The fastest shutter I used was 1/320 the slowest was 1/200. The lowest aperture value was f7.1 the highest was f11. The lowest flash power was 1/4 the highest full on the 580EX.

You can set infinity on any lens. The depth of field is coming from the combination aperture value, the focal lenght of the lens (in this case 15mm) and the size of the capturing medium (in this case a APS size or called 1.6 factor CMOS sensor). For example if you use as low as f5 aperture on the 15mm lens (including the Sigma 15mm fish eye) and focus to 8feet everything will be in focus from 4 feet to infinity. here's the Depth Of Field Calculator: http://photoinf.com/Tools/Don_Fleming/Depth_Of_Filed_Calculator.html The true issue with the Sigma 15mm lens is those nubers on the focus ring aren't accurate. If you try to use those numbers you have good chance to get soft images. I always focus on something from the calculated distance (yes I use the tape measure!!!). I set an object to the desired distance from the lens and using only the center point of the AF I set the focus. Then I switch back to manual focus and fix the focus ring with a tape (ugly gaffers tape) and it works! I took these images recently with my Rebel XT and Sigma 15mm lens (full manual settings): http://www.laszloimage.com/Feb_2008_NEW/pages/Feb_2nd_08_MG_0212.htm http://www.laszloimage.com/January_2008_NEW/pages/Jan_31st_08_MG_0121.htm http://www.laszloimage.com/January_2008_NEW/pages/Jan_31st_08_MG_0135.htm http://www.laszloimage.com/January_2008_NEW/pages/Jan_31st_08_MG_0151.htm http://www.laszloimage.com/January_2008_NEW/pages/Jan_31st_08_MG_0166.htm -Laszlo-

I just ordered this: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&langId=-1&productId=11034776&storeId=10151 As soon as I have it I'll make the modifications... like a connection (a jack ) for a bite switch and extention for the LED. I hope it will work. -Laszlo-

Thanks for the info!!!! But there's even a better item on this very same site. RM-VD1 Remote Commander http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&langId=-1&productId=11034776&storeId=10151 The remote what we were dreaming about for a long time.... This is connected to the LANC and allows to take pictures while you're recording since it contorls the photo function as well. I guess it still needs some rigging though to make it functional. I'll order one and try to make it "Work". Baybe after this we can use the same divice for both video and stills in the "Tandem World" -Laszlo-

Spot, When you got the camera please let me know Just send me a PM for details.

...60 jumps and going with the tandem. I can understand the over eager wanna be dude. But how about the TM/I??? Why would he let someone going along the tandem jump with such a low experince? Even if he wants to brake rules and recommendations... but no common sense at all? His rating should be pulled. I wouldn't call him a TM/I, I think he's a retard. I've been talking about camera rating ever since I'm jumping camera. On an AFF or Tandem jump the camera guy is just as much part of the skydive as the instructors are. So the videographer should be just as much responsible, some kind of qualification (rating) would be smart. ...skydiving businesses probably wouldn't support the idea. It would make it even more difficult to get enough camera staff for relatively low wages. I can see the "money aspect" of it, more and more DZ would rather go with the handy cam (which is better than nothing but lame IMO). -Laszlo-

Unfortunately there's no small point and shoot digital camera on the market with any kind of conection for external shutter release. I can modify certain models, and so far they're working great. The two succesfull models are the Kodak V570 and the Kodak V705. These two have a 23mm wide lens too!!! (talking about 35mm equiv.) Unfortunately thes models are discontinued, but they're still availble on-line here and there. I saw a few newer models from different manufactures with 28mm lenses. I never tried to take them apart, but they could still work. If anyone is interested about the Kodak ones please send me a PM. -Laszlo- www.laszloimage.com

The best you can get these days is the Canon 580EX. ...it's a bit expensive though. It's about $380-400, but I love it. (I've got two...) -Laszlo-

...try to repeat the whole photo taking process exactly the same way, with same settings, with the exact same equipment, except ad one more thing. Try to take a second shot when the person is in the image, but before you do that ask him to make ten steps towards the camera. Make the calculation with first shot with the person in image, and then another one when he's a few feet closer to your lens. Trust me, in the second calculation that BASE object will become less tall.

Yuri, It could only work if the person was standing right next to the bridges's pillar. Otherwise the calculation won't be accurate beacause the distance between the known value (the person) and the angle of view of the lens allows infinite variations. Counting the pixels is a good idea. But the only accurate calculation would be if we know the actual angle of the view and the distance between the camera and the known person. Based on that we can calculate the hight of the object in the back using triangulation (Tg, Ctg, Sin, Cos....) Otherwise we're going to be a victim of optical illusion. -Laszlo-

In the "FlyMan" shot the AF must have been very difficult to achive to your camera. The reason is because the big part of the image is very bright (the water and the horizon) Your subject is dark and occupies a lot smaller portion of the frame, and of course lot closer too. For the camera this is extremly comlicated to focus on. I can tell the camera was focusing on the back ground rather than the jumper in the picture. The only reason for some sharpness is the high (f11) aperture value, so you gut some depht of field no matter what. (not enough though since the camera was fucusing far not to close). Please look up the meaning of depth of field and its relation to aperture (f stop) based on that you'll be set manual focus lot easier. (its a big subject this post is way to short to explain the whole concept...) ...but here's the link for DOF: http://photoinf.com/Tools/Don_Fleming/Depth_Of_Filed_Calculator.html Also the "AI Servo" AF mode can fake the camera out if it shakes in free fall, which deffinitelly will happen if you're a beginner cameraman. If you're using AF vs. Manual I recommend to ose the "One shot" AF mode without using the burst on your camera. This way you have to press your tounge/bite switch more often, but you'll get better results. ...and of course in the future if you can you'll need to use a flash. Deffinitely when you have a bright back light. Good luck! -Laszlo- the attached picture shows an example how the flash "works". As you see the back ground of the image is just as bright as yours. But the subject (the 10-way) is all light up by a flash.

Tony can build you a custom suit as well based on your old one. This way you don't even have to make major chages... ...and it's going to be Tony Suits since it's going to be made by him. -Laszlo-

Thanks Gary, Very useful info. "Stow your excess brake line" is very important! I've seen this happening before... -Laszlo-

Jump #184 was my 1st camera jump. Some dude from TX talked me into it, he said that just try it it's fun. I didn't like it, I never wore a full face helmet before, now top of that I had a HI-8 camcorder mounted on it... I started to get excited about camera flying around 300 jumps. -Laszlo-

Exactly! plus we could store a bunch of videos on the camera as well...

Thanks Spot!

I read the features and specs. It says video and stills can be transfered from the HDD to the Memory Stick. Does it work the other way too, transfer data back to the HDD after recording only to the Memory Stick? That would awesome...

...even CNN said that. "BlueRay is the winner" It was in the news yesterday (01-05-08) right after I made this post I just red this head line news on YAHOO: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080106/gadget_show_hd_dvd.html