Another "what digi still camera?" thread

[Peej 0]

Hi there,

I've been learning to fly camera for tandems for a few months now and in the New Year i'm planning on going all out. That means buying a stills camera to put on my pip.

I know nothing about stills photography so i've decided i may as well spend the cash and go digital right away, meaning i can go out and mess around without incurring the cost of developing.

I've done some searching and while there are plenty of threads on the subject i'd like to know what you guys are using right now and what you think of what you're using?

And maybe a few recommendations?

The two camera dudes at my DZ have both just ordered the Cannon 350D online and swear by it.

I'm off to Austria in a week and will be stopping in Dohaa (sp?) in Quatar, apparently they have an amazing duty free section so was hoping to pick something up there.

Any and all advice is much appreciated.

Many thanks
PJ

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[piisfish 140]

350D... Ordering my 2nd one right now...

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Peej 0]

Quote

350D... Ordering my 2nd one right now...

Sweet, thanks dude.

Keep the replies coming people!

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[piisfish 140]

5500ZAR//850USD here in Switz...
that's for 350D body and 18/55mm lens, plus a 256Mb UltraII CFcard

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[plutoniumsalmon 0]

Cannon 5D, I bought one for my dad and it rocks. Its a little more hefty but it will kick ass in quality and performance. Though for you it might be a bit too sophisticated and pricy if all you want to do with it is put it on your helmet. But if you want to learn how to photograph you will not outgrow it for a long while. Personally I am a leica person

Pointy birds
Oh pointy pointy
Anoint my head
Anointy nointy

[piisfish 140]

5D is excellent, but for a common use for skydiving, moreover by a "beginner" in photography, it's a bit too much...

350D/RebelXT is very light, tight and performant enough. And I didn't outgrow mine in the 6 months I had it...

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Peej 0]

Quote

5500ZAR//850USD here in Switz...
that's for 350D body and 18/55mm lens, plus a 256Mb UltraII CFcard

Sweet, that's the same price that Chris and Piers have found online so far, i decided i'd hold off ordering until i can see what's in duty free in Quatar.

That's also provided i can find someone to bring it back for me, otherwise i'm gonna get nailed with import duties

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[gus 1]

I haven't jumped it yet but I just got my new 350D and I'm well impressed with how responsive it is. To my uneducated self it feels just like a film camera.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Peej 0]

Thanks Gus

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[AndyMan 7]

A suggestion, spend some time in the sport before you start giving out advice.
The 5D is not a great camera for skydiving because of its relatively slow frame rate.

As much as we all like to think we're Ansel Adams, there are some situations specific to skydiving - like exits, where a fast frame rate is pretty much required.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[sdsouthsask 0]

Quote

The 5D is not a great camera for skydiving because of its relatively slow frame rate.

You require more than "3 frames-per-second for up to 60 JPEG" at 12.8 Megapixel?

Seems more than sufficient for what I am doing.

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

stopping in Dohaa (sp?) in Quatar, apparently they have an amazing duty free section so was hoping to pick something up there.

For others...something that might need considering....if the camera needs any warranty work it probably won't be available here in the states if you pick it up in a foreign country.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[plutoniumsalmon 0]

The reason why I mentioned the5D, and it does have a sufficiently high frame rate, is because it will not be obsolete anytime soon, and hence will provide mere bang for the proverbial buck for a longer time. It seems to me that lower end digital cameras keep on getting updated every year to something faster, better and cheaper, thus leaving the older ones in the dust. This will of course happen eventually with the 5D but it will take longer.
Also the 5D being a rather cheap full frame camera has the advantage of not needing as wide a lens as its non full frame alternative. Having a higher resolution also means that it can be blown up so much more, this can become useful if one decides to provide a poster rather than a small photo to the tandem customer. It could make more money.
But then again I could be wrong, after all I dont have much time in the sport, but then again I am a professional photo/film person and that apparently does not count

Pointy birds
Oh pointy pointy
Anoint my head
Anointy nointy

[PhreeZone 20]

The 5D is too heavy for casual usage. The 10D/20D are at the limits of most peoples weight limts, expecially one they start tacking on flashes and all the needed video gear.

The 5D is great for the Norman Kents and McGowains of the world that have a helmet dedicated to just stills, but for the average Joe Videographer out there the price difference of $2500 is better spent on second rig/flashes/better glass...

99%of the tandem jumpers out there are happy with 35 mm film or digitals shot on a Rebel frame and cheap glass. You have to weigh if that 1% that wants everything more/bigger/faster/whatever is worth the money to have equipment to make them happy. I'm not seeing almost anyone that posts to this board as having clients that a 10D/20D would not fulfill their requirements.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[plutoniumsalmon 0]

Hey it was just a thought

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[goobersnuftda 0]

Compare the cameras side by side:
http://tinyurl.com/87vpz

A good unbias review from CNET on the 5D:
http://tinyurl.com/b9yog

[plutoniumsalmon 0]

Thank you.

Pointy birds
Oh pointy pointy
Anoint my head
Anointy nointy

[AndyMan 7]

Quote

Hey it was just a thoughtSmile as I said before I shoot a leica but I will eventually bellymount (once I am proficcient enough) a hasselblad.

I've been threatening to jump my Speed Graphics. I want to helmet mount it, but my wife thinks I'm nuts, she says I should belly mount it.

Between me and my wife, we've got more photography hardware lieing around the house than I care to count - including the Speed Graphics, a Leica, 3 canons and 2 Nikons. The one that I choose to jump is one of the cheapest DSLRs on the market. What makes a great camera on the ground is often a whole lot different then what makes a good one in the air.

As for the Hassleblad, I know one former jumper who took one on most of his jumps. He helmet mounted it, and it worked well - but I don't think he got as much from the camera in the air as he did on the ground.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[plutoniumsalmon 0]

loading it in free flight should be fun. The skydiving weege

Pointy birds
Oh pointy pointy
Anoint my head
Anointy nointy

[ScottyInAus 0]

What lense would you throw on the 350D for;
a) Tandems
b) Rel Work
c) Landings

Cheers,
Jason.

[ltdiver 3]

Tandems: 15-20mm (depends on how close you'd like to get)
RW: 20mm
Landings: Again, depends on how close you want to be, but I love my 70-300mm lens for that.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[ScottyInAus 0]

Exactly what I was chasing, cheers heaps mate.

Cheers,
Jason.

[piisfish 140]

Received it this morning.. now I need to find a Manfrotto plate before going donw to Empuria...

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM