StefB

Center the jumpers in the picture frame and avoid to cut their body parts. In video the viewer tends to tolerate off-center images and partly hidden parts more than on still pictures. You can adjust the newton sight, you can use a wider angle lens (and crop the picture laster), you can fly more precise, you can hide the cropped and of-center pictures and show the real gems only.... The colors are nice! Stefan

17 EUR is not that bad. Many connectors are a lot more expensive when ordered as single part and from overseas...

You can get one from a cheapo compatible remote control! I think the connector is proprietary and not an industrial spare part. But the images on the net are not so detailed. Maybe you can make more detailed images of the part and some electronic geek recognizes this connector.

The regular remote cable from Nikon for the D70s and the D80 is the MC-DC1. It has a 4-pin connector and this indicates that there is more than a simple on-off switch. I have another camera (Ricoh Caplio GX8) with remote cable and there is a two stage trigger - stage one = get exposure and autofocus, stage two = trigger shutter. I have seen a off-brand remote compatible with MC-DC1 which has a two stage mechanism too http://jjc.en.alibaba.com/product/50180899/51031788/Camera_Remote_Shutters/JJC_MA_G_Remote_Switch_for_Nikon_D70S_Replace_MC_DC1.html Maybe this multistage mechanism is used in the MC-DC1 too and the D80 is more sensible when the 1st stage is not available (stages shortened in tongue switch modification) or the time delay between 1st stage and 2nd stage is too short (too fast pressing with tongue). Both causes might be solved by an electronic repairman.

Here is one of my favorite pics this year. It's Peter H. watching the second airplane in a Do28+Skyvan formation load in a 16-way competition (August 2006, Eisenach/Germany).

Unfortunately one jumper of our team had bad luck with a downplane formation and harmed his arm. So he could not jump with us in our training camp and we did CF3 jumps only. Some photos of our training camp jumps are on http://www.stefb.de/fsvsaar/schw06/index.htm In photo #76 you can see Gerd, one of 4 brave belly jumpers (Sunny, Jan, Steffen, Gerd) which we could talk into their first crew jumps ;-) Steffen is in photo #72 to #75 Next event is CF2 competition at the 3th DFV-Cup in Gransee/Berlin... Enjoy Stefan

No. But i see two locations where damage is possible 1/ interference with a mechanical flaps crank and its usage when the videot sits on a high copilot seat 2/ hits on the flaps aileron when the videot exits the door in order to climb to the video step/video handle. Both situations can be handled by careful videots and proper briefing. Stefan

What about your local DZ? No videots available who can give you some raw video footage to play with? I think that on all DZs i was before you can find someone who gives you some footage. But try to provide all tools required in order to make footage transfer as easy and as fast as possible. And remember: Cold beer can be used as lubricant ;-) BTW. which kind of footage can you handle? DV PAL on MiniDV tapes? Stefan

Ralf send me the drawings of the World Cup 2005 in Eloy too. The scans are to big for an attachment. Practise-Round-1: D C A D B Practise-Round-2: B B A E F Competition-Round-1: A F A C A Competition-Round-2: F D C F B Competition-Round-3: D A F F B Competition-Round-4: C D D E C Competition-Round-5: E B D E A Competition-Round-6: C B C A D Competition-Round-7: F B C D E Competition-Round-8: A B A A C Scores are on http://www.omniskore.com/comp/2005/World_Cup/teams_pics/results55.htm Stefan

Caren, nice idea with the bulletcams. I hope we see these videos soon. Even when the judges don't accept these, it's a nice video angle for the spectators and perhaps we can get some from the bellyflyers to the beauty of the "dark side of skydiving" with new video ideas ;-) I liked your 3D video too. When you are looking for competition events: There is a CF2 competition DFV-Cup beginning of september in berlin (DZ gransee). The CF2 event has a good time schedule from friday to sunday and its an open competition. http://www.skydive.de/index.php?area=springer&f=contest&id=20 Stefan

Ralf Stolzenberg (Team 3-D Das Dynamische Duo) send me a scan of the drawings from the German nationals 2005 in Soest. See attachment. The scores are on http://www.skydive-soest.de/dm2005/ergebnisse_cf2.htm. There was a harsh discussion about busts and video angles too http://www.canopy-formation.de/info/24a6bc96b21248b05.htm I was video for team HOPE and i learned that a wide angle lens is not a good choice for CF2. Normal lens gives video which is better judgable. And: Use the training jumps and talk with the judges. They tell you what they want to see... How were the Dutch nationals? Stefan Add: Old (effective before 1 March 2006 e.g. at German nationals 2005) Scoring: The working time and scoring begins with the first 2-way formation whether correct or not, or 30 seconds after exit of the first team member, excluding the team's videographer, whichever is first. Teams will be awarded one point for the first formation and each subsequent formation correctly completed within the working time. Teams will not be awarded points for incorrect formations. There will be no penalty. New: (effective since 1 March 2006) ftp://www.fai.org/parachuting/competition_rules/cf_2006.zip Scoring: The working time (Remark: 60s) and scoring begins at the moment of the first separation of a grip from the first 2-way formation whether correct or not, or 30 seconds after exit of the first team member, including the team’s videographer, whichever is first. Teams will be awarded one point for the first correct formation and each subsequent correct formations that are preceded by total separation within the working time. Teams will not be awarded points for incorrect formations. There will be no penalty

Whow what a story! Add: There are some more pictures from the Cumulus Convention 2006 in the photos section / personal galleries / StefB / Cumulus Convention 2006 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/gallery/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Personal_Galleries/StefB/Cumulus_Convention_2006 Our next "event" is our 4way training week 07/29-08/06 in Schweighofen/Germany. Perhaps some 2-way team wants to join us and do some practice for the DFV-Cup in september? Stefan

Last weekend was the cumulus convention 2006 at Skydive Hoexter with eleven other jumpers (11 total + 1 video). Being there the week before doing CReW video for a 4way team, i was very happy to practice some real CReW in the scrambled 3way CReW competition. Unfortunately we were short by one jumper and our team was Tom Brand and me only. But Tom wasn't afraid of the newbie and teached me how to do rotations. In the sunset jump three of my team members from the week before invited my to do a 4way stack with rotations 1 (me!)/2 and 3/4 jumpers. Actually this was the first part of the cumulus convention brother membership - jump in a 4way with at least 2 other CCBs. Other formations with current CCBs were formed to build 4way formations with the new CCBs Peter, Olaf (DZO) and Patric. After the dinner (barbeque) the four teams of the competition were called and got presents from Remko. Then the second part for the newbies. This was something difficult - the downunder-beer-drinking. I could manage to drink half a glass before the remaining beer shot out of the nose into my eyes and over my hair.... i am afraid that there are photos from this event somewhere. The third and last part was the spin-and-run test. It might be the rest of beer in my ear or the organizers fumbled me, i think there were more then the usual 10 revolutions before they send me on the track... Howdiehowdiehoo with speed in a curve, fine PLF, stand up and then straight through the finish line... The evening ended in a gathering at the fire place with some beer - a nice end of a long day. Next morning we meet at the breakfast and some decided to do 3way jumps on this wonderful sunday morning. I myself used the chance to make some photos (see attachment). Stefan CCB #217 !!!

OK with that. Riding the burble is a valuable tool in order to stay with fast sinking formations. But... i'm much more comfortable to use a normal lens and have more space between formation and me. Our formation is 4way sequential competition, therefore another aspect is emergency handling. In case of a hard dock/wrap (knock on wood), those twirly canopys come fast... I think when flying that close with a wide lens, my team members have to watch/respect the videots (my) space between their moves and that's not what we/i want. At least not with our current experience level (

Hi, i did some 4 CRW training video last week and these are my experiences from that week - jump a canopy one size smaller than the team helps a lot with fast sinking stacks. My team jumps 160 size Lightnings and i use a 143. But the inceased sinkrate is not too much be stay some seconds with a solo base and/or base/pin. - Video normal lens is much better than wide angle lens. With wide angle lens you will interfere with the jumpers in rotation moves or the team is too far away in the video picture. When you are close and the top canopy and/or the lowest jumper is not visible with normal lens - that's not very critical. - Foto lens 28mm (see picture links of shots with Ricoh Caplio GX8) or 35 mm is good to get "whole" formation shots, even when video is too close(compared to 24x36 format) http://www.stefb.de/fsvsaar/20060507/picture-0028.jpg [url]http://www.stefb.de/fsvsaar/20060507/picture-0007.jpg[/urL] - Stalling the canopy for some seconds can be a usefull technique to go behind and low quickly when you are too high and too close behind the formation (typically the stack problem). CRW is fun! Stefan

Thank you very much. I love this video! Stefan

Maybe they put the LANC control feature in the intelligent accessory shoe?

fps... this is the real problem with these simple digicams and the big advantage of the DSLRs. I havn't measured the time between two shots with the Ricoh Caplio GX8, but i estimate some seconds. This depends from image resolution, image compression, exposure time, storage media... when it is of interest, i'll write more. Stefan

Yes, i saw the flap too ;-) Seems the CA-1 option is for GX8 and GR http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/option/ (conversion lens is wrong entry in table) And for the R2 there exists a firmware update, which adds CA-1 support e.g. http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/r2/mac.html I don't know another GX user and can not try my CA-1 with a GX. Better you ask Ricoh. The CA-1 has a switch, a USB microcontroller, a AAA battery for the µC and a cable/plug. The input from the switch (open, 1. stage trigger AF, 2. stage trigger shutter) is translated by the µC in serial commands and these are transfered to the camera. I shortened the two trigger signals (focus is manual and fixed infinity) and added a blow switch parallel to the original switch. The µC thing is original. The function is nice: Pressing the switch awakens the camera, when it is off.

Nope, i got a Ricoh GX8 (8 Megapixel, "28mm" wide) in August and there is a USB remote cable (CA-1) available which i could "modify" for a blow switch. Attached is a photo from our last club scramble. 12 o'clock Danny, 2 Steffi, 5 Helmut, 8 Michael and 10 Martina. Slightly cropped and very compressed for web usage of course.

Thank you very mucho Wendy!!!

Check the Sony RM VD1 specifications. This remote cable control works at least with some Sony Cybershot Digicams. e.g. http://www.costcentral.com/proddetail/Sony_RM_VD1/RMVD1/D35947/ When you build one for yourself, this might be useful http://www.boehmel.de/protocl.htm http://home.tiscali.cz:8080/~cz056018/lanc_a.htm http://www.keene.co.uk/pages/downloads/dnl_control.htm

http://cfworldrecord.com/2005/ Any other sites? Blogs? Photo albums? Me too... best wishes this weekend!

I'm a boy and I don't want to see gory pictures too. And IMHO people don't learn very well in an environment with negative mood. When the teacher has shown such pictures then the next few hours are wasted - "Teacher my brain is filled up!"

I like the BPA (British Parachute Association) answer on "How safe is sport parachuting /skydiving?". It's on http://www.bpa.org.uk/howsafe.htm.