Zlew

Then I bet you will be more than happy with Home Studio, or the adobe equivalent.

It is the watered down version, but it is very capable. For the videos that I make, it does more than I need it to do, and only costs about 100 bucks. For me, some of the upgrades for Pro are not worth it. I don't need tons of video channels, audio channels...never hit the limit on Movie Studio yet. Some of the other upgrades/differences might be worth it to you if you are using it for tandem/DZ videos to sell to customers. Good info here http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro/compare That shows in pretty good detail what is left out of Home Studio.

Hey folks. I bet this is one of those posts that not many people will ever really need to know about, but here it goes anyway! One of my CX150's reset to factory defaults, and when getting it ready for this weekend I noticed the field of view (FOV) seemed zoomed in. I went back and reset all the custom settings I use, and found it reset to "active" steadyshot. When I changed it back to standard, the FOV seemed fine. I then had a face-palm moment when I realized that it made sense that the higher electronic stability control settings would have a tighter FOV. After all, if you "stabilize" the footage in Vegas (or even on youtube) you will know it pretty significantly zooms or crops in order to get the wiggle room to stabilize the image. You guys probably already realized this, but i am a little slow. So I thought I'd test it out to see how significant the differences were, and I was happy to find I could change the settings while recording. The specs are in the video also, but the Cliff's notes- Tested CX 150 with .55x century, Sony .8x, and no lens set full wide angle. First setup was 11 feet away (4way distance give or take for me), room is 10 feet wide, 5 feet from the table top to the ceiling, large picture frames 11x14 prints. Second setup was 4.5 feet (tandem ish) I only tested Standard and Active- results for "off" were the same as Standard. The differences were not huge, but I would say significant. Something to consider if you are shooting in "active" mode. It also might make sense that there might be a quality degradation with the cropped "active" setting since it similar to a digital zoom, or utilizing seemingly less of the sensor. Anybody have any info on that? Link to the video- http://youtu.be/7143oE9ssQE

Niklas Daniel did outside pics of our team last year in eloy, and he was shooting a 7D at the time. That was a year ago...not sure what he is using these days, but seems like a perfect camera for the variety of things that he shoots. http://www.niklasdaniel.com/_photography.htm For a non skydiving camera... I was torn but passed up on it. If I shot sports photography I would have picked it up in a second, but since I don't it sits awkwardly between the 40-50-60D series and the full frames. At the time the price gap didn't make sense but now it looks like the 7D is close in price to the 60D bodies. I still use my old 40D for most of my portrait work, and my next camera will be either a 5Diii or 6D. *edit- removed 70d as it hasn't officially launched yet.

I guess it just depends on what you are looking for. 200 grams is almost half a pound; the mirrorless camera with bat/card/lens I am shooting now only weighs .8lbs total (as dose my CX150 setup) While it might not be earth-shattering, a half a pound difference for some might be worth thinking about or taking into consideration. The beauty of the 7D IMO is the faster auto focus, and burst rate. It gives you a really good chance of getting super sharp pics in a variety of distances/situations. If I shot tandems all day, might not be that big of an advantage, but shooting things more outside, or bigway type stuff... it would be a really sweet rig. The extra $ and slightly more heavy body might be worth it to several folks due to those factors.

I saw one used for a scrambles last year... The footage was judgeable, but he had to fly really really close due to the field of view (I'm not a gopro expert, and not sure about changing to a narrower frame...but the frame he was using was really wide). Even flying really close the team was smaller in the frame than I would prefer. Due to the super wide angle, flying just a little bit too high instantly made the team way too far away. Those near fisheye lenses are great for being really close, but one of the risks is the further you are away, the subjects get disproportionally smaller. edit* this is for belly, not freefly

I can't speak for frefly, but you see them in belly comps once in a while as a backup camera (usually backing up a CX). The CX's are really nice cameras for comps and paid jumps. Very light weight, and small form factor, multi lens options, easy to adjust/customize settings on, and probably the biggest thing is the half moon port for the Hypeye. Having that real time visual indicator is really nice. Price is also right.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL45E3B7998E49283E scroll down and check out the line type vids. There is some good info in there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knXrXHiWO7o&list=PL45E3B7998E49283E&index=18 Edited with updated URL. looks like this video is all of the other vids edited together.

This is another one where if you ask 10 camera guys you will get 10 answers. I have seen great video (4way) shot with things as wide as a GoPro to as narrow as a CX without a wide angle lens. Trunk has a page somewhere that has several lenses listed and the pro/con of each one (will look for the link). *edit- adding url http://www.gethypoxic.com/reviews-tests-hacks/camera-insights/61-cx100.html I started with the .55 because it was super low profile, and that is what I used to shoot tandems with. I found it did really well for exit shots, but for me it was a little too wide for freefall; was easy to have the team too "small" in the frame. Not as much as with wider/fisheye type lenses, but while it is more forgiving in some ways by being "wide" it can be less forgiving in others, as smaller changes in your distance to the target with a wider lens will cause a bigger change in how "close" the subject appears compared to a more narrow lens. I got the .8x on a whim. It is a sony lens, light and low profile and cost under 100 bucks. I couldn't find anyone who had jumped it, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I am really happy with it so far. It is a little tight on exit, but overall I really like the framing I can get with it. Very clear with enough wide angle, but not over the top. For now I use this lens as my standard one camera lens, and then use the .55 as my backup for competitions. I do my rangefinding for the .8x and then the .55 can back me up and pick things if I mess up and have something go out of frame with the .8 (not really a problem, but I like the idea of the backup being wider... esp. for some rally long exits like block 1). Trunks link also talks about which lens you can zoom and which you can't... I'll try to track it down. Get some jumps on what you have now and review your own work. You should have an idea of the type of framing/angle you are looking for. If you get to the point where you think the lens is one of the things you can change to improve...try some other lenses. But I bet early on you will get more mileage out of really working on your exits and your ability to fly around your head and always stay in proximity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BmKtl_b28M

This should be a simple answer, but it is not. The ideal frame is pretty steep and pretty close. If you get too steep (on top of them) all the wing in the world can't keep you from falling on top of them. Obviously, the closer you are the higher the risk is as well. It is all about judgeable video. You need to be close enough and steep enough that you can see all the grips. For rookie teams, many times you may need to fly a little further out as they tend to move, and "breathe" during blocks and between formations (Blocks like 1 ,13, 15, 20, and 22 can take up some major real-estate when learning them). Not only taking up more space on the points, but also sliding around the sky a bit during the skydive. More experienced teams can do almost all the blocks and stay in a space similar to a wind tunnel and tend to fall right down the tube (which is great for you!). I set up my cameras/ring with these distances in mind with my current team My first year with my team my goal was to have at least 50% of the vertical frame filled with the team at all points during the skydiving. This year I am shooting for 75%, and the videos that I drool over keep them in the 80-90% range. I'd be careful with zooming, as it will amplify shake/vibration and may make exit frames difficult. For most camera jumpers, you start a little too high, and a little too far out, and work your way in as your skill (and your teams skill) increase. With my main lens (.8) I try to fly about 12 (edit- 12 is on the high side. 9-12 usually is best for me)feet up with my head about 1-2 feet off the feet of whoever is below me. With my .5, to get the same frame I have to be several feet closer. Try to pay attention to the dirt dives to anticipate how people will move, and what formations you may need to give a little more space to.

I have to disagree. I think 90% of traffic stops are about $$$. Sure, now and then they may find a "bad guy", but most of it is about getting money. In towns where there are neighborhood patrols, the police are seen differently and have an actual connection to the community. If they spend a little time around the people they are "protecting and serving" other than just pulling them over, they can get a feel for the area...notice things that are out of place, and THAT type of police presence deters crimes (bad guys less likely to kick a door in if Officer Friendly is known to drive by now and then). I don't think sitting at the bottom of the hill and taking advantage of the 5mph people gain going down the hill to write tickets for 5-7 mph over all day in any way deters crime. If you know the police won't be around the homes/businesses until someone calls 911, I would think it would embolden the "bad guys".

From the SCM- Working time starts the moment any team member (excluding the videographer) separates from the aircraft, as determined by the judges; if Judges cannot determine the start of the working time, the following procedure will be followed: a. Working time will start as the videographer separates from the aircraft; and, b. A penalty equal to 20 percent (rounded down) of the score for that jump will be deducted from the score for that jump. **** That's for comp. Beyond that your team/coach may have specific requests so they can debrief the exits. They will want to see as much of that first second as possible to figure out where any issues/problems from exits are coming from.

I agree. My local PD is focused on 1- revenue and 2- reacting to crime. We had a cop at a public event a few years ago, and he asked me what the PD could improve on. I told him it frustrated me that I see them running radar up and down the main street behind my house every day, but I've never seen police in driving through my neighborhoods/alleys looking for/preventing crime. He told he he agreed, but due to the way they run his days are either- traffic patrol ($$$$) and responding to "calls". With those priorities they don't have time to be proactive about protecting/stopping crime. They write tickets and wait for people to call 911. I know not all cities are like that...but drives me crazy that mine is.

I have a V1, and it has saved me more than enough times to pay for itself. As far as laser goes... yeah, most of the time your detecter will just tell you that you got a ticket (unless the cop left his radar on also...which happens a lot...). There is a small hill by my house where bike cops love to sit at the bottom and write tickets for people who are at 5mph after going down the hill. I have never seen them there and not had my laser go off (meaning, I don't have evidence of them shooting and not setting the detector off). Usually it is when shoot me, but every once in a while I'll get some "splatter" and pick it up when they are shooting other cars (and then get the full blast when they shoot me). I don't drive all that fast, but I like the v1 and the extra info it gives me. It lets me know more about what is going on around me...where cops are (for the sake of speeding and just general info). I have only had one ticket since getting my v1 4 years ago, and that was a laser hit from a sneaky cop (and yes, the V1 went off to let me know I got the ticket :) ). Even a good detector will not make you bullet proof, but it at least gives you more info and a much better chance. Even with always on radar, you can end up in a spot where you have very little notice with the detector....and instant on and Laser make things even more tricky.

Timing is much more simple on trailing, and t he risk of leaving too early or hitting the formation on exit is lower. Main drawback is it is easy to miss grips on steep formations and with teams that are turning points quickly on the hill. It is a good one to have in your toolkit though. I use trailing "when in doubt" or when things are not working out correctly. If things are not going to plan on climb out, you can always trail.

The next pic was from a different jump and was a trailing exit. Really posted that pic to show one of the reasons I don't like trailing exits. If you are talking about the 4two.jpg, that is a diffent jump but same exit style and exit frame as the 8x10pic. If you click the youtube link above, the first thing in that video is the footage of that exit (launched a 4) and I think you will see it wasn't a bust.

you will learn to fly around your head, and hope your body just follows. When exits funnel, they usually drift forward and away from you (much like tandems can if they are slow on the drogue). If they put it on the hill nice and clean, you should be right there with them. Leading exits- The risk here is that you are depending on a count. If you jump with the same team all the time it may not be a big deal, but a lot of teams now give the count from inside the plane (inside center) and some don't give any indication of when thery are going until they are gone. I left early once when outside center gave what I thought was a knee swing for "set"...but it was jsut him getting his balance and put his leg back on the plane...I was gone. The other risk is if you leave too early you end up really having to fly up the hill and can get the "side view" if you are too early or they come off the hill too fast. All grips are usually lost here. I'll see if I can find some examples of what I mean.

updated the flickr link above with new pics from last month. not full res (1600)

and at $350....(plus pancake lens) hard to beat!

So far I'm really happy with it. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4423084;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread Cliff's notes- Fantastic for stills, super light weight. Great for ground video, shit for freefall video.

My teammate (who also flies camera) made an interesting point last year. Our teams bring in these world class coaches to jump with them, fly in the tunnel with them, engineer every skydive, pick apart every second of the jump in the video de-brief... but as camera guys our main resource is each other. "hey man, what the fuck am I doing wrong" and "how the hell are you doing that" is our equivalent of paid coaching. :) gotta help each other out and spread the info! I'm not very good, but happy to share what I've learned.

I had high hopes of getting some frame grabs...but my PMB is acting buggy and crashing (son-of-a). Only managed to grab one, and it is of a trailing exit (from a caravan...I can't get as far back as I like on the caravan to do the exit I prefer to do out of Otters). The 4 Two.jpg file is a little later in the exit than I wanted to post (grabbed an actual still, not screen grab). This pic is from about 1.5 seconds into the exit and leaving at the same time. Should give you an idea of the exit frame I like though. On the hill with my head even with the middle of the formation and in the clean air to their right of the formation. Line of flight would be perpendicular to the highway below. You can already see the 90 degree turn I'm starting to make as I move to park over the top. if it is a little steep, or a little flat, you are usually still ok on this exit. Edit- the first exit in this video is where this still was taken if that helps. Watch to the end, and there is an exit gone bad easter egg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT6gw2dAHyc&list=UUHNuDXLq-8UWPWNA1myLFJA&index=1 The trailing exit pic (00040(1) is 1 second into the jump, and shows the trailing exit, exit frame. Camera dude is above, and looking down on the team. If the exit comes off really steep, you will lose most of the grips. Even if it comes off right can be hard to see Tails grips. Also attached is a pic that Niklas Daniel took of my team from last year. Not sure if this is what you were asking for in your first post, but that's my body position about 1 second into exit.

Mod types- this might get more feedback in the photo/vid section. Omniskore would be a great place to start. They have all the rounds for Nationals posted (let me know if you need links) For body position, it depends on a lot of things and there isn't one right answer. It depends on what type of exit you are trying (leading/trailing/same time), the formation the team is pulling off, and how things are going in that exact moment (sometimes you will be wings collapsed arching like hell, other times giving as much wing as you can to get that separation to keep them in frame right off the plane. Trailing exit body position is different than the others. As far as getting under the plane (disclaimer...this is just me, how I do things...others will disagree). I try to exit at the same time as the team (not leading or trailing), and I dont try to get under the plane, but I try to stay right next to it. When I exit I think step BACK, not step out. *edit- I also try to get as far back and away from the door when I am on the step. On most exit points, the team has enough momentum that they will end up a few feet out (towards the wing tip) and as long as I go directly back I have my own clean air to fly in. I exit back and have a specific exit frame I shoot for that keeps me looking at their backs the entire time (will post some pics when I get home) and as I rotate on top of the hill, I make a 90 degree turn and I am right over them and never in the burble. None of that really applies when doing a trailing exit (but that is IMO the easiest to learn and a good one to have in your toolkit).

Also- most of the promo videos for my teams have been shot with the other video guy diving out after our team. On most planes it wouldn't be possible to get another camera guy out on the step in a way where you could really see the primary camera guy (and not mess up his normal exit).