Zee

Yep, the shot from inside is pretty sweet - I'm kinda diggin' on the shot of the two flags as well. Peace, Z Action©Sports

I know what you mean. But hey, why listen to that kind of advice when you can freely experiment and discover what works best for you? Personally, I'll never understand why someone would pay the big bucks for a nice SLR and then limit themselves by using all manual settings just so they can say "I only use manual mode". I look at it this way: People pay me to document their skydive with (what hopefully turns out to be) a wide array of cool, sharply focused, and accurately exposed pictures. Preferably from a variety of distances and angles. I'm blind as a fuckin' bat - Even with my contacts and my years of experience, there just ain't NFW that I can compete with the modern metering and focusing systems in any of my cameras - be it digital or otherwise. To limit myself to manual settings alone would be a great disservice to my customers. Manual settings are great for artistic expression and specific situations - they just ain't that great when it comes to getting the most out of your equipment on each skydive. Nice shot, Andy. Quite appropriate to the discussion too as I've found that shooting at night with a flash is one of the few situations that works better when I set up the shot manually Peace, Z Action©Sports

Excellent point - The Hyperfocal Distance of a given lens at a given aperture size is most often used in landscape photography in order to achieve extremely sharp and accurate focus with an extreme DOF. It's a great way to keep both subjects near and far in focus at the same time. One thing that jumps out at me about using this technique in freefall is that there usually isn't anything between you and your subject to keep in focus (it's rather difficult to keep open air in focus anyway). Another problem with using Hyperfocal Distances in freefall is that they vary depending upon the chosen aperture. In other words, you're still limiting yourself to a set distance (and beyond since you're basically changing the infinity setting of your lens) from your subject but now you're forced to use the same aperture for the duration of the skydive as well. In addition, you also need to take in to consideration that you'll need a fairly high shutter speed to eliminate motion blur from flapping cheeks and jumpsuits - That leaves you with only the ISO setting to adjust for accurate exposure. Will it work? - Absolutely. Is it practical? Uhhh, don't think so. Again, why not just utilize the good stuff that's already mounted on your head? Auto Focus works just fine in freefall if you just keep your subject framed long enough for the camera to work it's magic. Just my 2 cents.... Peace, Z Action©Sports

Auto Focus works just fine on the Canon 300D in freefall. The reason your camera is searching for focus lock is because it has nothing to focus on. Use a good sight and dial in your SLR so you know exactly where it's pointed at all times and you'll have no problem using auto focus in freefall. As far as using all manual settings - very outdated theory. Does it work? Sure it does. If you intend on flying either above OR below the clouds facing exactly the same direction exactly the same distance away from your subject at exactly the same angle the entire skydive, sure, it'll work just fine. You only have so much exposure latitude to work with - as you move around your subject in freefall, the lighting conditions change - in order to achieve correct exposure, your camera settings need to change too. The same goes for focus settings - sure, you can set it up for Infinity and then spend the entire skydive at least 12 feet away - doesn't make for very dynamic or interesting photos though. Or, you can set it up for 3.541 feet and fly your body exactly 3.541 feet away and you might get a few good shots - or you could simply choose to take advantage of the millions in R&D that are already mounted on your head, and fly around your subject - get above, get below, move in, move out, and odds are, you'll have some pretty interesting shots when pull time comes around. Peace, Z Action©Sports

Thanks, Luza. I used a 15mm Fisheye and ISO 50 slide film for that shot. Peace, Z Action©Sports

A few of my favorites.... Peace, Z Action©Sports

I can't find it right now but I was sent a pic of the same kid on the hood of a car passing one of those radar boxes at 99 mph. Little bastard gets around, doesn't he Action©Sports

That'll be $85.00 please Action©Sports

Good for you, dude! I love it when the little guy comes out ahead. Peace, Z Action©Sports

What were you screamin' from your balcony, hot stuff? Let me know and I'll start yellin' from the opposite side of the country - Perhaps our obscenities will meet somewhere in middle - Look out Kansas, the shit storm is headin' your way Z Action©Sports

Good for you - I can't freakin' stand Sprint either. I have a $200 Sprint Flip Phone (they fucked me on the $100 mail in rebate those assholes ) I'd be willing to sacrifice in the name of good video. Next time I hit an outdoor range I'll toss a few .45 hollow points at it and film it for ya. Peace, Z Action©Sports

That's one of the reasons I stick with B&H - They have an actual store ( a rather huge one at that ). I know several people who have been there and they all say it's like Fry's Electronics for photo buffs. I made a mistake and placed an order with some shit-hole in Brooklyn once but, I found out shortly thereafter that it had the same address as several other shady sites so I called and canceled. They wouldn't allow me to cancel so I called Mastercard and they canceled it for me. B&H has both Gray Market and US Market stuff but, all of the Gray Market stuff is marked Imported right next to it - including film. I've found other sites with slightly lower prices but I've been dealing with B&H for a good 5 years now and I think that the peace of mind is worth the extra $10. Peace, Z Action©Sports

How's this? B&H PhotoVideo $599.95 includes a 1-Year Sony USA warranty. I've personally purchased 2 video cameras, 3 SLR film cameras, 1 Digital SLR, plus various lenses, slide film, batteries, other stuff and I've always been happy with their service. Oh yeah, all the stuff I've purchased from them has come with the original USA Warranty Cards in the box. Give them a buzz - Z Action©Sports

Thanks, Arvel. Kevin "Kevlar" Mitchell took that shot a few years back when I was doing a tandem video for friend of mine. I stay in front of them until the tandem opens and then I stretch out - That way I can see if something goes wrong and take action accordingly. Peace, Z Action©Sports

Nice shot, Arvel! I like filming the openings on my back as well - I just flip around the opposite way. Peace, Z Action©Sports

Man, you were draggin', weren't you? Action©Sports

The word "Progression" comes to mind when I read this thread. You have to learn to walk before you run, Chief. At this point in the game you should be concentrating on toggle inputs, not riser inputs. Learn the basics of accuracy, canopy control, and the flight characteristics of your particular canopy before you start pushing yourself. It's all part of the progression. Patience is a huge part of the game - If you lose your patience, you are going to get hurt, guaranteed. Mr. Canuck makes some very good points, listen to them. Seeking advice on the internet concerning something as dangerous as swooping with 31 jumps is like asking advice on high performance motorcycle riding techniques after 31 miles on your first scooter. You simply don't have enough experience to translate the advice in to real world performance. Get professional instruction where a qualified instructor can observe your actions first hand and adjust the instruction accordingly. There's plenty of time to learn - use it wisely and you'll be swooping soon enough. Peace, Z Action©Sports

Good luck, D! Action©Sports

Really? I thought Kingwood was Pig Latin for "Mayberry" Action©Sports

Fuck it - I'm movin' back to San Marcos Clicky Action©Sports

This is by far and away my favorite - Can I get a print of this one? Peace, Z Action©Sports

I know, I know. It just doesn't quite fit, does it? Maybe I should just stick with bat-hangin' the Otter? Action©Sports

I just figured if the cows in the Chick-fil-A Calendar could do it, so could I Action©Sports

Try these - Oakley Plates Action©Sports

Just bat-hang dude Action©Sports