DSE

mircan

***I tried a crap ton of different mounting options, two different helmets (both chincup camera helmets) multiple different mounts and couldn't get it to go away completely. Just living with it at this point.

Using ND filter to reduce jello:

How to make it video here: http://youtu.be/L5o3m90zTQg



Results video here: http://youtu.be/PgldwfAJB1s

DSE mentioned this earlier.
Seems to me that it works just fine (even with 4 f-stops lost and on overcast day like on that video).

Now, does anyone have 4x4 inches of Neutral density lighting gel to spare? Sheet costs 5$ on BHphoto, but shipping it here is 120$

Write to Rosco. Ask them for a few demo rings/gel samples of their gel. The demo ring contains strips of every color/type they make. Each strip will make three gels for the GoPro or Sony camera if you use a US nickel for a template. Toss in an Xacto knife and a slow cut, you're home free.
They look like this: http://learnmorephoto.com/images/roscolux-160x160.jpg

sdls

Hi,

this might be interesting to you:

https://medium.com/@savikko/automating-tandem-video-deliveries-4efdf3370a8b#.f9686ixtt

VeRY cool! Thanks for sharing the script and setup protocol.
I can't see this working for a large DZ (it's not common to find fat pipes where big DZ's operate), but for smaller DZ's, it's a great solution!

Congrats to:
W. L. "Jay" Stokes 3427
Kirk Verner 2592
Mike McGowan 2342
Sherry Butcher 2295
Mike Mullins 2261
Larry Hill 2012
Jan Meyer 1980
Thomas J. Noonan III 1728

All very good people, all highly qualified.

peek

***FWIW, it was super to see two candidates for the BOD make the trek to USPA Wingsuit Nationals, and shake hands with the competitors, meeting them in person.

You're welcome!

Forgive me, I was referring to other candidates.

It was an appreciated surprise to see you there, too.

gowlerk

***Is there an immense benefit for the dz to be a member of USPA?

Insurance? Loan?

Why can't all dzs go the Lodi way?

Are you an Anarchist? Who would represent American skydiving to the FAI? Who would issue credentials? Who would train instructors?

And most importantly, who would there be left to complain about?

Who would represent skydivers to the FAA? Who would work diligently to protect small airport operations on public airfields? Who would keep the NAA in line? Who would lobby for us in DC?

I once had an opinion that the USPA wasnt' all that. And then I became involved, informed, and of a different opinion. Having had the experience of working with a couple of NACs over the past couple of years....USPA may not be perfect, but it's much more close to perfect than many believe.
Bear in mind too, there is a significant difference between the BOD and the admin of USPA. The Admin people are all professionals, working to do the bidding of the BOD, who are obligated to represent the membership who elected them. Generally, the board does what the membership asks for. Occasionally, they don't.

Charlie is right; new blood will enrich the board. Some board members haven't jumped in years, and only serve their own DZ's. Other BOD members jump their tails off.

FWIW, it was super to see two candidates for the BOD make the trek to USPA Wingsuit Nationals, and shake hands with the competitors, meeting them in person.

peek

Most of the "facts" you mentioned in post #48 have left me puzzled.

Why doesn't that surprise me?
Wait...I've watched you sleep (multiple times) in BOD meetings. One time, a few of us in the front row chuckled when you snored.

You're sitting in the meetings; if you've really not noticed a couple of these things, then your region might suspect an issue of attentiveness. What else might have you missed?
You were sitting next to the BOD member (no longer sitting) whom I assisted in walking out of the room to vomit (Scottsdale) and commented as I helped walk around the hotel.
You were present in Reno and San Diego when other 'moments' occurred. How could you possibly not have been aware?

NWFlyer

******

Those are some pretty lofty accusations. Could you attach some names to the ambiguous references?

I could, but I decline.

Oh FFS, Spot. Either share facts or don't. This "I'm going to throw out just enough gossip to show that I am more in the know than you" routine wasn't really that clever in junior high when the mean girls did it.
Oh for fuck's sake, you take issue with those five words?
Really? I shared the "facts." I just didn't share the names associated with the facts. Without a name, it's not gossip. If you truly give a shit, dial in. It's not my problem if you don't pay attention to minutes and outcomes.

As StayHigh suggested, who is who is fairly well known by those that skydive often enough, hang out at larger DZ's enough, or attend BOD meetings. There is no "I know something you don't know;" rather a sense of respect that I obviously failed to convey.

normiss

A few of us have tried most every year at election time to open the discussion here.
Very few candidates ever contribute.

Where are we to discuss the various platforms?
How are we made aware of ANY discussion outside of the 3 paragraphs in their own magazine?

I'm continually confused as to why so many feel we should not discuss the candidates in any way.
If you don't want your worth as a contributor to a governing body to be considered, why even run?

There is a difference, in my view, between "discussing candidates and their platforms" and people posting "don't vote for this guy because he did this, that, or the other thing." Or verbally reducing them to dust. Or turning something they didn't do into something they did do, because someone on the internet said so.

Every single member of the board has warts. Some of them more huge than others, but I've yet to meet a member of the BOD that doesn't have SOMETHING that nobody would like.
They're people. They make mistakes in both personal and professional lives.

lyosha

Those are some pretty lofty accusations. Could you attach some names to the ambiguous references?

I could, but I decline.

A-A couple of them are no longer on the board. One of them isn't a skydiver any longer because he lost everything when he was burned at the stake on the internet, and I find that reprehensible.

B-While there are a few people that believe that outing someone on a website like this is morally/ethically acceptable, I'm not one of them.
It's one thing to bring to light truths about our organization (and it's got flaws enough of its own), its another thing entirely to (often anonymously) attempt to destroy someone else's reputation over the internet. You're invited to attend a few BOD meetings and come to your own conclusions of who is and isn't contributing to the forward progress of our sport.

There are often two sides to every story, and not everyone chooses to tell their story here on Dz.com. And its not my job to force them here to defend themselves.

Quote

I am not out to crucify someone. I am just asking why the board cannot hold themselves to the same standards they have put in writing for us to follow. I feel anyone in their position should hold themselves beyond reproach.

Todd Ames

FWIW, I don't know that it's possible for the board to hold themselves to the standard they expect from us, nor what we expect of them.

One candidate in this year's election, was shown to be flying in a beanbag chair ferrying to a demo.
Another, fabricated emails that were used to eviscerate another candidate in this year's elections. When the fabrication was discovered, it "didn't matter, because no one wants that guy elected anyway."
Yet another posted confidential material on Facebook, where an instructor was crucified long before a USPA Safety/Training committee conversation could take place.
We've seen BOD members stoned in committee meeting, we've seen BOD members drunk at meetings, we've seen BOD members participate in covering up competition cheats, we've seen BOD members give ratings for sexual favors. There is at least one sitting board member whose admitted they truly don't give a shit about skydiving, but they sure appreciate the free airfare to this or that place.

Over the years, I'm sure nothing surprises anyone.

Just remember that the BOD members are like everything else, a cross section of life and real people. A few board members are brilliant. A couple are dumber than a goldfish. Some are intent on building power, while others just want to do the best job they can. If I didn't think my mountain regional director was a super guy, I'd have run against him not because I want the job, but because someone who has passion for the sport tempered with experience should be sitting in that seat. Since he's a good man with a lot of background, I voted for him.

Regardless of what anyone thinks...the job the board members do is a dirty, pain in the ass job. I've not been on this board, but have attended most USPA BOD meetings since 2006. "Fun" is not a word I'd use to describe any of it.

Reading Judy's words on Tom and Albert doesn't surprise me. I've been around when Tom Noonan is having one of those 30 minute calls with constituents. And the same goes for several other BOD members. I'm stunned at the amount of personal time some of these people dedicate to their constituents, all for a plane ticket and hotel room twice a year, to an event where they get to listen to people bitch, moan, and complain about how bad their USPA board is.

Hats off to those people that serve (even the couple that are dumber than a goldfish) for taking the time out to do a thankless job.

yes and yes, and for specific purposes, it's a terrific tool.
I can't see how one might apply it well in skydiving, however.

Wish you were here, John. It's going along well, weather not-withstanding.

Some very impressive scores going up here!

lyosha

I'm looking for someone that's not spoiled by Otter DZs (like myself) for some input/advice/sharing of experiences.

How sketchy is wingsuitting out of a pac? Are there precautions you take that you wouldn't in an Otter(i.e. barrel roll exit or something of the sort)? What about flocks?

Much thanks!

Lots of WS jumps out of PAC's, and it's not difficult to safely exit them. I've put out 11-ways from a PAC without any issue. If you were taught and do practice a head-up exit with all surfaces minimized, you'll be able to exit a PAC no differently than any other aircraft (assuming the pilot is maintaining a tail-high, rotation-reduced profile).

Causing a stall is a bigger issue for the PAC. With three on the door and three jammed at the rear, stalls are relatively common, scary, and unnecessary.

lyosha

Come now. That's hardly the same.

Statistics exist for a reason. In spite of all the outcry, GoPros on low time jumpers are hardly the biggest threat to their safety. As a matter of fact, instances of inexperienced jumpers getting hurt due to specifically a GoPro are extremely rare.

I know more 200-jump jumpers that have fucked up nice and proper on their 200th jump (I know several, I'm engaged to one lol) thanks to "OMG YAY I CAN JUMP A GOPRO!!!111" than jumpers that started wearing a GoPro at <150 jumps that screwed up at any point in their careers as a result of a GoPro, before 200 jumps or after.

That having been said, improper canopy choice for location (either too low a wingloading or too high a wingloading) and engaging in jumps beyond the ability of the individuals to understand the risk in seems to be a much greater threat. Perhaps it would be pertinent to pivot focus.

Just to remind the peanut gallery, I've been wearing a GoPro since jump ~70, just after my first cutaway. And to re-iterate, I feel it should be up to the S&TA of a DZ how these things are handled.

*runs and hides*

No, it's not the same, and if that's the message you took from my words, then I communicated poorly (using someone else' words).

It's the braggadocious child that needs to tell the world "I broke the rules and I got away with it." As some have said, the worst thing is to get away with breaking a rule/ignoring a recommendation and thinking you're OK for having done so. Eventually, that attitude will catch up. Whether it's downsizing, putting on a wingsuit too early, jumping a camera, attempting particular maneuvers in a group without the training/skill, whatever.

Consider the approach, not the action.

Guys I did it I finally ran across the freeway blindfolded and I didn't die. OK, that was sarcasm, but I did run across the freeway blindfolded and figured I would report back now that I have experienced my first blind-folded freeway crossing on foot. I know many of you will be disappointed...

I now believe I'm capable of running across the freeway with a blindfold on, whether it's rush hour, midnight, under construction, or whatever else is going on when I run across the freeway wearing a blindfold.

I ran across the freeway blindfolded, don't really have a reason to do it again and it won't matter anyway because I'll take off the blindfold before winter comes. Distracted by the thought of being "that idiot" not the actual stain on the concrete.

Are you proud of me now?

Quote

Instant gratification is also the most. The costumer can watch the video literary 10minutes after they landed.

This can't be reiterated enough. I've gone from a DZ where I designed and ran the video program, delivering jumps less than 10 minutes later, to a place that delivers them by DVD, using copyrighted music, 10 DAYS later. No one seems to be happy at the result.

People expect instant gratification, and in this particular case, it's not just a good customer service gesture, it's also good business, because the longer it takes to deliver, the greater the likelihood the video will be lost, damaged, eaten by the DZ dog, whatever.

Ray, I'm a member in your region.
One angle of this election year is that there are three people employed or operating Eloy running for the board; Larry Hill, Shawn Hill, and Mike McGowan.

Why do you deserve my vote vs the three power hitters from the most active dropzone in the United States? Do you feel there is a benefit or should there be concern for a dropzone to potentially have two representatives on the board?

Sony officially announced today.
Sony A7SII

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/

That was a great listen! Sandy is a walking encyclopedia of our sport.

Skydivesg

Thanks spot -

How about the fov?

It also has a narrower FOV than the Sony.

Search the threads, there are several commentaries.
In short, the bitrate and aperture of these types of cameras are too small and low to function for a high-speed sport.

https://vimeo.com/41088648
https://vimeo.com/40985675 is at 16mbps, and these are a pair of one of the best offerings out there.

And of course the usual...200 jumps, please refer to the now nearly dead thread on small camera incidents.

Skydivesg

How does this compare to the AS 100?

And is it only 120 fov? No 170fov?

It doesn't. At all. But...it's nearly 3X smaller, so has some good benefit in some situations, not to mention the price. I wouldn't drive a car over the AS100 either, but have done so with the Replay.

peek

http://www.replayxd.com/product/1080-mini/

I have been doing skydiving video and stills for many years but have done less of it in recent years because I just don't like the encumbered feeling I have when wearing a camera helmet. Also, when jumping with students, I have always felt like the camera would distract me.

The Replay XD 1080 Mini is just what I had been waiting for because of its size, simplicity, and pricing. Here are my thoughts on it. This review does not include any technical information because others can report on this better than I can. I have never been much into "specs". I just put cameras on my head and go skydiving.

For $140 you get the camera, several mounts, a memory card, and a USB cable, a very good deal in my opinion. When connected to a computer it is recognized as a USB disk drive.

I mounted it on the right side of a spare Protec helmet using the lowest profile mount, on the flattest place I could find. The mount allows the camera to be rotated at any angle, so I had to experiment with the rotation and make a mark on the mount for repeatability purposes. (I don't think this alignment would be easy to do at the DZ with the camera right out of the box.)

Any snag hazard is extremely low. I do not trust double-sided tape so I included one screw. I had to have it forward a bit so that it did not view any of the helmet. For this reason, (and because it is not extremely wide angle), I needed some kind of sight, because it does not face directly forward. In keeping with my desire for simplicity, I am using a pair of goggles with a mark on it. Close enough.

The supplied VHB tape holds just fine whether on a MIG Jet rolling at 600 mph or an Indy car doing 200 mph and requires no screws. VHB also eliminates the need to drill holes.

The neatest feature is that it has a vibration motor, and only 2 buttons, on/off, and record. It vibrates 3 times for "on" and "record", 1 time for "stop recording" and "off". Fantastic, no more asking your friends, "Is it on?"

The modes and controls are minimum because the large majority of the configuration can be changed in a simple text file with a simple text editor on your computer.

This can also be done on an iPhone, Android, or tablet

So what I have wound up with is a video helmet that I can treat exactly like my normal Protec, with my googles stored up top on a little rubber "foot". Just position the googles, turn on the camera, and start recording. As simple as I can make it.

Replay is a US Company, their tech support second to none, and they are built of aluminum, not plastic. Incredibly durable, great picture, low profile...there is a reason I've used them on several commercial shoots, and why they were rated very high in the DZ.com camera shootout.