Advice solicited: Newbie camera flyer

[popsjumper 2]

OK... I waited a longtime to start flying a camera (I'm the conservative type). I finally got one and started jumping it with considerable input from experienced camera flyers on safety and EP issues.

I'm sorry to say that I've made many of the rookie mistakes.
1. Forgot to turn it on.
2. Forgot to hit the record button.
3. Jumped with a low battery that quit in freefall.
4. Took a few jumps to get anything reasonable in frame.
5. Banged the thing on the ceiling of a C-182 and broke it (top mount)
6. To cheap to buy a decent side mount (although this will be corrected soon.

So, WTF? You got anything for a newbie to get over the hump? Did you have similar issues and if so, how did you get past them and move on to productive camera flying? Or am I just too stupid to fly camera?



Thanks in advance.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

OK... I waited a longtime to start flying a camera (I'm the conservative type). I finally got one and started jumping it with considerable input from experienced camera flyers on safety and EP issues.

I'm sorry to say that I've made many of the rookie mistakes.

1. Forgot to turn it on.
everybody has done it, try an indicator light, you'll stop refrencing it as you get more experience, but it does help at first.
2. Forgot to hit the record button.
see #1 and know that's one reason some profresional competitive camera flyers wear two cameras
3. Jumped with a low battery that quit in freefall.
teach yourself to check the status alot, on the ground, on the way to altitude, just befor putting the helmet on. keep a spar battery in your jumpsuit
4. Took a few jumps to get anything reasonable in frame.
practice
5. Banged the thing on the ceiling of a C-182 and broke it (top mount)
you could try a box, but I think it's just part of the learning curve, you'll get way more aware of where your helpet ends soon.
6. To cheap to buy a decent side mount (although this will be corrected soon.
don't waste your money, stick with top mount.

So, WTF? You got anything for a newbie to get over the hump? Did you have similar issues and if so, how did you get past them and move on to productive camera flying? Or am I just too stupid to fly camera?



Thanks in advance.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[jtval 0]

This should be required reading for new video flyers.

My photos

My Videos

[VideoFly 0]

So what is your concern? I had the same problems and so do most new camera flyers. It wouldn’t seem like a big change, but adding a camera is very distracting. For tandems and AFF videos, I’d keep the top mount. Also, leave it plugged in on the ground and your battery will stay charged. Keep an extra battery in a jumpsuit pocket just in case you need it. Use a cam-eye if you have a lanc connection or a small mirror to see if your camera is on. Be careful of ceilings, ribs, doors and your camera height. It will eventually become second nature. As far as keeping subjects in frame, that will come in time. It is great that you got a camera after honing your flying skills. Practice a bunch, fly your slot, and have fun.

[DSE 5]

Quote

Also, leave it plugged in on the ground and your battery will stay charged. Keep an extra battery in a jumpsuit pocket just in case you need it. .

Small commentary, this is a fast way to kill a battery, if you're suggesting that it be plugged in after every jump. LI-ON or NiCad, batteries like to be drained, or near drained before seeing a charge, otherwise they'll gain a memory. LI-ON batteries are advertised as not having memories, but anyone who works with them much will tell you that they indeed, do.

[sinjin 0]

one nylon nut and/or screw and a ring site will help with # 4 alot if you want great footage.. use quade's site to help with getting it aligned properly..

good luck pops

dont let life pass you by

[Zee 0]

Quote

Quote

Also, leave it plugged in on the ground and your battery will stay charged. Keep an extra battery in a jumpsuit pocket just in case you need it. .

Small commentary, this is a fast way to kill a battery, if you're suggesting that it be plugged in after every jump. LI-ON or NiCad, batteries like to be drained, or near drained before seeing a charge, otherwise they'll gain a memory. LI-ON batteries are advertised as not having memories, but anyone who works with them much will tell you that they indeed, do.

+1 Always good to drain LI_ON and NiCad batteries completely before recharging them. That goes for the batteries in your DSLR as well.

I keep two good batteries and alternate between the two. So far they've lasted a good 4 years and still hold a decent charge.

Action©Sports

[popsjumper 2]

OK! Good stuff! Keep it coming, guys!

What I've taken away from this so far:
1. I bought the cam-eye. I didn't get one at first because I'm a cheap bastard. *G* But i'm getting over it.

2. I am carrying a spare battery with me now. (Why I didn't think of this myself and why nobody locally mentioned it to me, I don't know.)

3. I'm holding off on the ring sight as yet although I will get one in the future, I'm sure. Another potential snag point that I don't think I'm ready to deal with right now. I'm aiming it on the ground and putting a little piece of tape on my goggles to show me center-of-screen.

4. I may not be as stupid as I think because it seems that many camera flyers had similar issues when first starting out.

5. I read the "required reading thread" and I'm still digesting what I found there.

6. I see that a couple of you recommend keeping the top-mount for AFF and tandem video. Hmmmmm...I'm just not clear on why...not rejecting the idea...just not clear. Although I will eventually want to do AFF and tandem video, I was thinking that a side mount will help me now for the following reasons:
- Prevent more camera damage from bumping the ceiling.
- I'm only doing belly fun jump video while I practice and learn to get comfortable with a camera on my head.

7. More practice and more situational awareness will help minimize damage and screw-ups.

Thanks again.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[stratostar 5]

Quote

I was thinking that a side mount will help me now for the following reasons:
- Prevent more camera damage from bumping the ceiling.

Not really, cuz if your to stupid to try and stand up in a C-182 knowing you have a camera on top of your head, then you'll be to stupid to not bash the side of your head on the door on climbout.

Now that you learned the hard way and it cost your old cheap ass money to fix your camera, you won't do that again, now will you......unless your stupid!

At your age it would be best to keep the weight centered on your spine anyway, learn to use the tools you already have and stop wasting money getting additional equipment because you didn't spend the amount of time needed to learn to use what you have.

Get the eye sight and use it, it's way better then a paper asshole on your goggles (ever notice all the pro's use them and not paper assholes), your goggles aren't always in the same place on your face, also if your using a protect the helmet will shift around on your head too and throw off your paper asshole. Site in your cameras on the ground with the sight, use a tv and a photo on the wall, so you can do it yourself and not depend on someone else's idea of "centered".

And duck your head dumbass!

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[popsjumper 2]

Good point about spine-centered.



Stupid is still out for debate. But I DO have a Rawa!

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[stratostar 5]

Quote

But I DO have a Rawa!

In that case I can't blame you for using it if your camera fits.
With that said, the spine issue is to be considered at ones age Ask your spine doctor, not a chiro (I'm lucky Hans refused to work on me according to the MRI/doctors), but any good hard opening(S) can do damage top mounted or side mounted, you have to ask yourself how you want to be damaged should that happen, I guess having your head hang to the left side wouldn't be all that bad, beat's look down at your shoes all the time.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[davelepka 4]

Top mount vs side mount should have nothing to do with what you are shooting. Nothing.

As far as weight distribution goes, the further away the weight is from the pivot point (your neck) the more stress it will apply in a hard opening. For this reason, the side mount is a better choice. Also, if you use a PC style camera, they are often times lighter than a top mount model. So you end up with less weight closer in to your neck - good and good.

Forget the ring sight. If you can put your helmet on the same way evrey time, and put your goggles on the same way every time, you don't need it.

Using tape is not a great idea because your covering what you want to be looking at. I use a Sharpie marker to draw a box around the center of the frame so you see through it and see what you're doing.

Maybe experiment making a box out of thin strips of tape until you get it right, then draw the box becuase those Sharpies really are permanent.

[PharmerPhil 0]

Quote

Small commentary, this is a fast way to kill a battery, if you're suggesting that it be plugged in after every jump. LI-ON or NiCad, batteries like to be drained, or near drained before seeing a charge, otherwise they'll gain a memory. LI-ON batteries are advertised as not having memories, but anyone who works with them much will tell you that they indeed, do.

I know this is supposed to be true, but my own experience has shown me otherwise. It may be the batteries I use (Sony NP-QM71D, I think they may have some sort of logic in them, but I am not sure). Anyway, I always leave my helmet plugged in while on the ground at my home DZ. That can mean for weeks at a time when we have weather days. I never drain them completely (intentionally or otherwise), and never have dead batteries when I want to jump.

The closest I come to draining them is when I go to a boogie or event at another drop zone. At those times, I can use my helmet for days on end without having to re-charge. If it is longer than a weekend event, I try to plug my helmet in overnight every night, but can't always do that. For what it it's worth, I've never had a problem with my two batteries that I treat like this. I bought them new in June 2003 for my TRV-38 and now use them on that and my A1U. I know it is only anecdotal, but it has worked so far...