Laszloimage

Matt, I took me weeks (!!!) of research to find a right parts for an affordable price. I can tell you it's not easy... So as Sonic siad please check this: http://ranchproshop.com/accessories.php?brand=26#193 -Laszlo-

I use ULEAD's DVD Workshop-2. Yes it supports both -/+ formats wheter they are R or RW. Now the only question is what format your actual DVD burner suppors. This is from the actual DVD Workshop help: DVD book version Select the type of media to use for DVD mastering. Read-only disc or DVD-ROM is the default setting. Select Rewritable disc to record on DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. Select Recordable disc to record on DVD-R and DVD+R. To make DVD not as simple as to make VHS... So before you start make your home work about data rate and compression (DVD uses MPEG-2 video), video TS, disk image, and etc. Also read the soft ware's help. Good luck! -Laszlo- www.laszloimage.com

That’s the point CANOPY CONTROL. The only rating I don’t have is the AFF but I’ve got everything else. But I remember when I was getting my 1st instructional rating which was “Static Line Jump Master” in 1997 beside the ground prep. , the actual skydive and the emergency procedures we had to perform canopy stuff as well. We had to DIRT DIVE the canopy part of the jump not only the free fall. In fact each candidate had to act as a student while another radioed him/her down front of an evaluator!!! We had people had to repeat the course because they failed the “canopy control teaching” part of it. I don’t see these things these days. No candidate required at any course to prove the ability to teach canopy control or do actually radio. The result of that is I’ve seen (heard) a very experienced instructors telling to the student on the radio like “make a turn towards to me” like the 1st time jumper knew where the instructor was standing on the ground with the radio. And this is only one of the million examples. I remember when candidates after a course (AFF, S/L, or IAD) went home without the rating because they weren’t ready for it. Now…. everybody gets it, pay the fee, sit through the course, and jump until you get it… The most ridiculous is a D license holder can go and jump with a AFF level-7 graduate these days without even holding a coach rating! Yes these days it’s getting lot easier. -Laszlo- www.laszloimage.com

I've got two of them for two differnt DZ's. check these links: http://www.laszloimage.com/Z-hillsLeader_web.wmv http://www.laszloimage.com/RanchLeader_web.wmv -Laszlo-

Years ago I had a similar expirince, except I was able to release the drouge eventualy. In my case they sent me out for a back-to-back jump (while I was doing video that day) to make a tandem jump. My student was a heavy set (220lbs) lady. Both the tandem rig and and the student were waing for me at the boarding area. I checked the rig wich was packed by one of our packer (poorly trained with my opinion...). and I noticed all the fabric of the main was in the centre of the rig putting more tention on the closing loop. Further more the two ripcords of the straight pin were twisted 4-5 times and pinched between the groumet and the head of the pin. So I was expecting a harder pull. But it wasn't only harder, it was f$%^n' hard!!! I almost ended up deploying the reserve into the trailing droug 'cause I hit the 4500' hard deck after 7-8seconds trying to pull. But in the very last moment the drouge finally released while I was pulling both handels (altering each side, hard jerks). The nightmare wasn't over just yet...When I went for the brakes it released one side but didn't on the other side. The 220lbs 65yrs old lady wasn't gonna help either. So I had to let go the toggle on the released side, go into a spiral, and free the other brake with my two hands. (that brake wasn't set properly either) After that I made a new rule: If it's not my pack job or not pack job supervised by me NO JUMP! No back to backs! Period! I can imagine something similar happaned to you as well. The other thing could have been if the tip of the closing pin wasn't placed under the ritainer tape. This can result the pin rotate and when you trying to pull it actually the pin "getting pulled back into the loop" It's very hard to imagine that the safety pin stock, but I'm pretty sure someone can make it happen... In the other hand I think the Sigma tandem system is the best and the safest on the market, but unfurtunately isn't idiot proof. Every prolem I've seen occured with it because of the chaine (more than one) screw ups. I glad you're alive, obviously you did a great job dealing with the emergency! -Laszlo- (I have over 2000 tandems, 1000+ with Sigma 99% of them packed by me)

As others avised already. Go to B&H. I bought my 5D from JK cameras on e-bay. Thay make you to call them, and the next thing is thay want you to sell a bunch of usless junk and service packages. In the case of the XTi I don't think it's worth the headache to try to save 30-50 Bucks, which could actually end up to spend that much more. www.bhphotovideo.com Try to get better lenses too. If you can afford them of course. -Laszlo-

If I want to take a nice skydiving photo I prefer to use a flash. Exeption is the large formation during day light, just because I cant carry enough flash power for that. but every thing else when I can fly within 15-20 feet I like to use a flash. So if I was using 1/650 shutter speed that would require the high-speed sync setting on the flash, it would lose a lot from its power. The other thing about the 1/650 speed at ISO100 is even during a bright day your F stop is going to be low (5-7 I would say) so the DOF will be more difficult to achive. If it gets darker DOF and proper focusing will be almost impossible. I don't know where is this "have to use a high shutter speed" misbelieve come from to skydiving... We relative fly together with our subjects, so there's not a whole lot of movment needs to be compensated with the fast Tv. For freeflying and exit shots from the door I use 1/320 the fastest, taking picture of the good belly group I can go with 1/125 easily. If you have motion blur problems faster than 1/320 maybe there's a vibration problem with your camera mounting. Of course all these with wide angle lenses (view of the 28mm or wider) I hope I helped. -Laszlo-

Thank you Jeff!

Manual exposure and flash power, but I used AF. Camera: 5D, 1/320shutter (normally I don't go any faster), F6.3, ISO160, and of course RAW. EX-580 flash set to 14mm and 1/2 power (no high speed sync!). Sigma 15mm lens. -Laszlo- ps.: I don't use this camera set up for tandems too often... It's way too heavy for what we earn on those jumps.

Thank you Arvel! -Laszlo-

...my two latest favorites. -Laszlo- www.laszloimage.com

Focusing 20-30feet away? If you're focusing for example to 20' with the relative high F stop like 8 the closest thing will be in focus about 13'. Also there's another factor, the size of the chip... But still hard to belive it will be still in focus only from 3-5feet (avarege distance on tandem videos) if you're setting manally to 20-30feet. He didn't have the problem with focusing anyway... Otherwise it worked the same on all my cameras the, zoom out and use the manual focus set to infinity. -Laszlo-

Go to the menu and find "Program AE", after selecting that find the little palm tree symbol or the window says "Beach&Ski". Choosing that AE setting will help. It won't make a miracle though, but it will deffinetly make a differece. The colors will be a bit strange too, but at least the face will be more recognizable. I use this in the light conditions what you described. Of course a powerfull camera light would be the real solution, but this a tandem video not a movie production... -There's no camera setting which always works!- -Laszlo- www.laszloimage.com

Actually Parachutis does pay for the printed photos. Doesn't pay a lot but something. The other important thing is when they wanted to use my submited pictures "outside" of the USPA they asked me if they could do it, and what would be conditions are. -Laszlo-

So according with the license agreement if Apple selects someone's photo they don't have to pay for it. I think it's totally fair since iPods and music down loads are free too from Apple... I guess this is wrong. They trying to take advantage of those who don't know about the value of their photoraphs. Poor Apple... they can't afford to pay someones work...fuck'em! -Laszlo-

Those are who dead... -Laszlo-

You're absolutley right. I'm really sorry I forgot to mention that option. I was thinking only about the DVD recorders without HDD (like mine)... Another way could be if the camera staff pre-record disks for themselves on the rainy and windy days either onto an RW disk using R (+ or -) without finalizing. This will create a different menu (window) on the disk, but as far as I know it could set up as auto-play, so the promo video will start to roll without the possibility to skip it. Also these pre-recorded disks need to be used again on the same kind of machine (even if you use +/-RW still recommended). The other thing is I never really tested it with unfinalized +R disks, but I did tested it with +RW. I've been using this format lately, so I can save a few minutes with the finalization. No complain so far from the costumers... -Laszlo-

I took girl about 3'8" on the Sigma with no problem at all. But at least she had the "thickness" to make the harness perfectly tide and safe. She was just standing at the door of the OTTER while I was kneeling behind her at the exit... -Laszlo-

1k is very very low for the tandem, even if you deploy the reserve as you leave the plane. But I'm pretty sure there could be a scenario when I would choose the very little chance from 1k rather than a no chance at all staying in the plane. I really really hope I (and nobody else either) never have to make such a decision. -Laszlo-

What is your purpose with it? Do you want pre-recorded DZ promo for tandem videos as some DZ's use to do with VHS? If that's the goal probably just better off if all the camera staff has a same promotioanl video availble at their station and they can pre-record it. If it's going in linear as you said they can just pause recording and switch source before they start recording the tandem or aff video. It requires an extra DVD player (only $40) Of course it can become more headache if that DZ promo is few minutes long, and the staff have to deal with that every single time (deffinetly when it's gets real busy....) -Laszlo-

If it's in AU$ sounds lot better but still a bit high. But if you're in AU and don't have to pay for international shipping and costums, then probably it isn't bad anymore. I would still look around on the market. I found e-bay pretty good for computers (but don't buy a parachute there... ha-ha-ha) -Laszlo-

If I was buying something for video editing 6-7yrs ago there would be no doubt about the MAC. But I have to agree with you now days you just pay more money for the Apple and don't get any more for it. My best example my girlfriend just got a brand new Intel processor PowerBook with all the extras for mobil video editing (She's a producer) but she can't use her Avid Express Pro on it because the doungle dosen't work with those machines yet. At the mean time my PC laptop has no problem running the same soft ware in HD! There's only one proplem with Windows, unfortunately they write lot more viruses for it>>> keep your system updated, don't open junk e-mail w. attachment, then everything is fine. -Laszlo-

I think they ask way to much money for what this machine can really offer. The processor isn't everything! If you wan to use PC (thre's nothing wrong with that) for videos and photos you'll need the following: Windows XP Pro SP2 instead of Media Centre crap 2 Gig RAM For video editing you need an extra hard drive where you store your video files. This drive has to be a separated drive from your local disc (it's valid with MAC too) ...and of course 7200RPM. What the resolution of that screen? 22" just a size but I recommend at least 1050x1680 resolution or higher. I have a similar specs I just listed above in my LAPTOP(!) what I bought 18months ago for $1750. (P4 3.4Ghz, 7200RPM 60G HD, XP pro SP2, 17" 1050x1680 screen, 2GB RAM at 533MHz, 800Mhz FSB, and etc.) So you shold be able to get a lot better deal for that price. (deffinetly if you are buying a desk top) Good luck! -Laszlo-

Hey Ass Holes, These are Johnny's memorial jump photos. Muff, muff, muff... -Laszlo- Muff#:2770

...this is kinda funny we answering instead of DSE. But trust me guys he is a PRO. He's the pro on the level where he can lecture other pros! He wrote books, holds seminars, traing courses, and etc... I don't think he has a sales problem on the level what we call sale. I don't think he depends on DZ individuals or tandems whether they hiring him or not. He plays on a bit biger market...if you know what I mean. As far as I know (I met him personally) he's building up expirince jumping wise. But let him to answer to this question above! One thing is sure, we're all SHOULD appricite DSE's input, and endless help about all aspects of video!!! -Laszlo-