Kimblair13 0 #1 January 21, 2006 I was just thinking...is there such thing as a good camera flyer that DOES NOT have a ringsite? I mean, when you see all the "famous" camera flyers...they have huge ringsites. Is there any good ones that do not? Or to be good is a ringsite a must? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #2 January 21, 2006 It's not the camera that makes a difference (except maybe a big ass wide angle lens on it that lets you shoot everything in front of you no matter if it's centered or not)....it's the type of skydiving you're doing, IMHO. Freeflying...you're close, with a large (say, .3 or .2) wide angle lens. Ring site is not as big of an issue, in fact you might not want to have one at -all- due to it's snag hazard on another jumper. RW (FS)....if you're competing you most definitely want one (if you care about the quality of your services that is). All you have to do is sit there and watch the 'fish bowl' at Nationals to know what a nice video looks like. The freestyle and skysurfer's cameraflyers at my DZ all use ring sites, I believe. World Champion Craig O'Brien does, at least. So, in a nutshell (a large one, that is) that's my .02. Hope it helps. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #3 January 21, 2006 It's easier to start with one and learn how to use your peripheral vision and keep your head still, and then stop using one, then to start shooting crappy video and "having" to go to one to get your stuff centered. It also depends on the lens you use. Some of my favorite photography is with a 100 mm lens shooting other canopy fliers under canopy. With a 20D or the 5D you could "spray and pray" but with a ringsite that is truly on center for that lens, you can get some really neato shots. I've had several of those shots published just because they are so different. The one of the centerfold in Parachutist of Gravitygirl doing an AFF is probably one of my fav's. Have to have a ringsite to do that on purpose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bliston 0 #4 January 22, 2006 Muppet, from Jumptown in Orange, MA, shoots fantastic video without a site. He filled in for our team when our video guy was down and his framing (from exit to breakoff) was spot on. His tandem video and still work are also reputed to be stellar. So, it can certainly be done.... BenMass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #5 January 22, 2006 A ring binder reinforcement circle on the inside of your goggles....... A bit of time on the ground to get it set up to your camera angle..... Works wonders......Snag free solution anyone ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #6 January 23, 2006 I shoot decent video - decent enough that people purchase it. I have never used a ringsite. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #7 January 23, 2006 Are you asking about having an actual ring sight, or any sight reference at all? If your set up is right, and you know the edges of your frame, and dot or circle drawn on the goggles will work 99% as good as a mounted-to-the-helemt round thing that sits in front of your face. As far as a jumper with no reference at all, you would need alot of jumps with the same cameras and lenses, and most likely filming the same things to get away with no reference. Some of the 'pro' guys have a selection of video cameras, still camera, and lenses for both. When making those types of changes, sometimes from jump to jump, the helmet moutned sight helps to keep everyhting on the same page. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 0 #8 January 23, 2006 I use to have two camera helmets: a flat top pro with a ringsight for important video jumps (rw, tandems, coach jumps, etc.) and a Hawkeye with no ringsight for jumps where the video was less important. Didn't take long before the Hawkeye became a cameraless helmet. If someone is going to see it, I don't want even a second of my video to be framed shitty, and a ringsight is the ONLY way to know in freefall that you're shooting clean. Canuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #9 January 23, 2006 Quotea ringsight is the ONLY way to know in freefall that you're shooting clean. Rubbish......experience with your setup and its sighting can be just as clean....with experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 0 #10 January 23, 2006 I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this. I know, for a fact, that my helmet goes on slightly differently every time I put it on (I can tell this by where the rings appear in my sight). I also know that every camera helmet I've jumped (FTP, FF2, and Hawkeye) shifts a little in freefall, especially in certain positions, no matter how tight it's cranked down. Sighting with your nose, a paper rienforcement ring, or anything else other than a fixed sight simply cannot alert you to this. A half an inch on your head makes a big difference 10 feet out. Don't get me wrong. I've seen lots of very good video shot with no sight, but I stand behing my comment that a sight is the only way to know for sure you're shooting clean - unless, of course, your sight has been bumbed Canuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmcd308 0 #11 January 24, 2006 That would be like a free flyer who did not have a video camera...impossible to imagine. ---------------------------------- www.jumpelvis.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #12 January 25, 2006 I guess my customers were all blind then... No ring, no shit on my goggles. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattjw916 2 #13 January 25, 2006 One other thing I like about a ring site is that I don't have to use a super-uber-wide-angle like a .3 when I fly because I can use the ring site to keep the relatively smaller FOV of a .6 adapter dead-on-balls-centered without any guesswork. Personally I think a ringsite is an invaluable tool and well worth the time it took to get it set up properly. While a dot on the goggles might help, the goggles and your helmet's relative position will be constantly, if only very slightly variable. I'd never tell anyone they have to use one though, esp since they are potential snag hazards and expensive. This is just is just my impression after trying both ways and choosing which one worked better for me.NSCR-2376, SCR-15080 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AiRpollUtiOn 0 #14 January 26, 2006 I usually jump with a little ring on my goggles, forgot it one weekend and had to go up quickly so I couldn't prepare new goggles, worked fine. At a certain moment you just know what the frame is, even without ringsights or other aids. Wouldn't recommend it to start out with though. (Unless you only want to "document your jumps" )"Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
