USPA

Option number 3, Argus The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

RED? very nice, but you know most people use helmet mount don't you? ;) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

The Argus has also arguably demonstrated better reliability then cypres and Vigil. Just depens on your selection of arguments. The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

This isn't a Vigil problem, Cypres can also fire in this situation (happend in The Netherlands with some club rigs only 3-4 years ago among others). It's simply a case of RTFM. The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

mind you, solid state doesn't mean hard drive. Do a search on Panasonic SD-1/3/5/7 and Sony CX-6/7. Biggest problem at the moment... No lanc... The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Personally haven't used either. I'm trying to let my next cam be a solid state one. One of our vidiots like's his A1, but mind the HDV querks that go with the GOP format. Another had a HC-7 but had all the problems with shaking reported widly here. He now uses an HC-3. The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

If money is no issue, try to get an hold of a Sony XDCam EX... :D The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

see councilman's post. They just switch the button and switch settings. (Like Argus, Vigil and Mars do in their user menu) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

why would you put your shutter above 120? (Not during jumping, but when I use a PD-170 at work, i almost always use 50) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Over here we get paid € 55,-, But have do do everything ourselves, pack, edit etc. in 18 minutes time. Everything has to be own property (TV's recorders, computers, mixing panel etc etc etc) the DZ doesn't supply anything. We have to use printed DVD's and covers in full color. Edit has to a fixed script and should be about 7-9 minutes. And our "edit room" has to be paid to the DZ about € 800 - € 1000,- a year. Oh yeah, we only get about 50-70 jumps a year. Not very profitable. BUT! We don't have to pay for our tea and coffee... ;) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Well there is always Cypres 2 and Argus (which is now approved in almost any righ, including Basik Air (which has commented alot before as "BKR" ) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

When you're done, could you comment on the ability to use NLE for tandem DVD's with this cam? (Import files, aprox 5-10 xfades and write a 5-10 minute movie to DVD in aprox 20 minutes) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

video: gaffer tape (never duct tape) photo: rubber band The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Well, the magazine is a video magazine, not a skydivers magazine, so I'm pretty sure they didn't jump it either... :D lol.... Now I scanned the manual I see the slow motion they are talking about is indeed a seperate recording function not suitable for skydiving (max 12 seconds of recording). Fades are very usefull on tandem video's over here in which we edit/record in real time (during recording). The RGB output is therefore also a great addition. (Although in time we'll probably switch to NLE since it's possible with this cam quickly enough). Also hoping the SD1 will do beter, also great to have a choice. Not that it would make any difference I think, but why no SD3? The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Yes, I do not have a link, I only have a hardcopy. I could scan it, but it's only in dutch. I'll try to sumorise: ------------------------------------------------------------ Sony CX6 is sony's first HD-camcorder which records on a memory card. Although sizes of memory cards are limited, they are getting bigger fast. A 4 GB card is affordable and hold about 40 minutes. An advantage of the cards is that they can easily be swaped. Another advantage is the lack of mechanical parts, which makes it virtually imune to shock, you would have to say every skydiver's helmet should ben fitted with one. The camcorder is extremly small, but has good ergonomics. To keep the camcorder level, you should place your thumb underneath the camera. The serious operator will hold the lcd screen with his left hand, so the right thumb can operate the start/stop button. Zoom can be operated with right index finger (lever) or left thumb on the LCD touch screen. In the later case the zoom's speed is fixed, the lever makes variable speed possible, but can be sensitive so it takes some practise. Althought manual operation can be done through the lcd touch pad, the cx6 works fully automatic. A press on the easy button let's the camcorder take full control of it's own operation. Lighting is controllable through the diafragma, and manual focus is also possible. With manual focus Sony has the unique ability to select a point on which to focus on the touch screen. Lighting will adjust to this point also. The camcorder lacks a viewfinder, but the image on the LCD screen van be used easily even with full sunlight on it. This makes the camcorder well operatable. The HDR-CX6 is fitted with lot's of extra's. You can add different effects and different transitions are possible. The docking stations has a button to burn AVCHD movies directly to DVD. The dockingstation also has connections for power, AV-out, Component-out and USB. The camera has connections for AV out and mini-HDMI. Sound is recorded in surround, but this can not be compared to your home DVD surround, still qualtiy is good, also because the camera itself doesn't make any noise. There is no input for a microphone, but it can be attached though the AIS. The camcorder also lacks a headphone jack. This indicates the HDR-CX6 is mainly designed for point and shoot operation. Sound can't be manually controlled either. The camcorder does have a zebra function however. Off course the cx6 can also be used for pictures. It takes 6 megapixel picture, but does so from a 3 megapixel sensor, so the remaining 3 megapixel are interpolareted. Conclusion: The Sony HDR-CX6 is a remarkble camcorder. It's small, but has good ergonomics. It has a high light sensitivity and a very good image quality. But most of all, because of it's recodring media. This not only explaines the small size, but also renders it insenstive for shocks and is ideal for e.g. on the back of a motor cycle. The CX6 is designed for ease of use, but can be manually controled through it's touch screen. The supplied docking station makes a quick connection possible with power and the tv. ------------------------------------------- BTW i found the simple manual of the cx7 here: http://www.docs.sony.com/release/filedownload.asp?Sub=&file=HDRCX7.pdf The full manual here: http://www.docs.sony.com/release/HDRCX7_handbook.pdf The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Just read a dutch review about the cx6, which even meantioned it should be on every skydivers helmet... ! So very curious about your findings. The reviewer complimented on the image quality and the slow-motion and fades. The later isn't avaible on HDV cames (at least the HC1/A1 i've been told). The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

too bad € 1200,- is considered cheap... (CX6, but as I understand it's equal to the cx7 except for the stick wich is included...) Can't wait for you findings on the cx7, since it's the only affordable cam on my short list (after which the HDCAM EX, which is not affordable... ;) ) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

On if the TM at our DZ did that in his early days also. He had a reserve ratio of 1 on 40 on a Eazy main. When he quit doing that it went a hole lot better. The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

The main disadvantage of the cx7/6 is the lack of lanc in my eye's. It does specify it has a remote through the multi a/v interface. Can you elaborate on that? Also, are there any problems expected like the hc-7 had? The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

And maybe some reserve ride, because some girls can't get them loose, so end up spinning with 1 brake released. Or maybe people only treading the pin once through the loop, resulting in brake firing. (They are more common over here, so we have more issues with them over here too... ;) ) The version with buttons is even more worse. (also damages alot) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

I heard a rigger complain over here too, it seems to be hard to get a hold of cutters at the moment... The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

No, already patented by a manufactorer who patented every magnet which comes near 30 inches of parachute gear. The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

demo'd both for 10-20 jumps (not alot) and agree with almost everything which you said, except the openings. The X-fire clearly wins here in my opinion. It just always opens soft and nice, without diving. The katana slamed me once and dived every 2-3 jumps. From with I've heard from other jumpers, this is a consistent difference. The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

That sounds like a good prospect. I hope my TRV6 holds out a little while longer then. I'm planning for my next cam to be a solid state one. Such ashame the cx7 doesn't have lanc.... The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

Hi Douglas, Would it be logical for a camcorder to be marketed between the cx-7 and the betacam EX, Or is such a gap logical? Not that you should tell what sony is doing, just curious about your expert opinion... ;) The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...