Camera Jumping "Do's and Don'ts"

[iam 0]

When the snow stops falling and the temperature rises above -20 i'm hoping to start camera jumping with my new DV and Helmet. I was hoping that all you experts out there could start to compile a list/thread with all your favorite do's and dont's. This could cover anything from safety tips to rigging up a camera. Anything goes basically.

Thanks in advance

Ian.

"Don't ever knock on deaths door, just ring the bell and run away - it really pisses him off"

[YahooLV 0]

Do have the ability to NOT collide with your subjects.
Don't chew gum while using a blow switch!

http://www.curtisglennphotography.com

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Ian, search this forum, there's loads of tips for newbies.

Happy snapping

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[PhreeZone 20]

Do take the time to learn from your mistakes
Do have others critique you constantly
Do pay your dues and become a good flyer before asking for money
Do make time for jumps other then video
Do watch the group on the dirtdive to figure out their fall rate changes so you can predict and move before them
Do get wings if you are anything other then a tiny light person


Don't be the type of person that only shows up if he'll get free slots from someone else
Don't rush things, if it feels wrong it probally is
Don't get to far straight above unless you like crashing burbles
Don't crash through many formations
Don't strap on more then you can do right away, stills are great after you master the video aspect.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[iam 0]

Thanks Phree, thats the sort of stuff i'm looking for.....

Ian

"Don't ever knock on deaths door, just ring the bell and run away - it really pisses him off"

[Deuce 1]

Well, are you shooting souvenirs or do you want to be good enough to ask for slots and money?

Please go to Quade's site and check out his advice for new 4 way fliers. It was a very thorough answer to a post from me, and I sent the Q dog a case for taking so much time to boil down his expertise into a beginner's primer.

I shoot tandems and RW stuff for money and slots. As soon as you are getting compensation, you better be able to deliver the goods. I think tandem video is the most challenging, because you don't know how fast they're falling until they get out, and you have to figure it out like RIGHT NOW. You gotta be able to fly with your feet on your ass and your elbows collapsing your wings, and next time you gotta have everything out cause the pair's not even barely breaking 100mph.

Have a goal in mind when you put the rig on. If you want to film souvenirs of your skydives, you'll be shooting from inside, and can use a wider lens. You also don't need a wingsuit. If you want to do tandems and RW ways, check out Quade's site.

Be proficient in RW before you start.

Good luck, and be safe.

[Danger 0]

You should be wary about jumping your DV camera in the cold. If it is below 0C on the ground don't take your camera up. Check out the specs in your manual.

Danger

[AndyMan 7]

I've used my camera frequently below freezing on the ground.

I THINK the only problem with cold is related to moisture. You don't want moisture building up inside the unit, then freezing at altitude. I think the only danger is when you have it in a very humid environment on the ground, then take it up to a very cold altitude.

I haven't had problems. Yet.

Oh, one tip: BUY the extended waranty. You will need it.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[garywainwright 0]

Use the time between now and when you jump to totally familiarise yourself with your new camera. Don't have to ask others how YOUR camera works on the way to altitude! Practice turning it off & on with helmet on, on the ground until its automatic.

btw, never had a problem with my cameras at down to minus 25 (i jump in the UK!)

I agree about the extended waranty

keep your head still!!

Have fun!

http://www.garywainwright.co.uk

Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

[chachi 0]

My tips to new camera people.

-Do learn to fly
-Do not rush into anything that is beyond your skill
-Do buy camera people on your dz beer and pick there brains
-Do not get discouraged
-Do get a proper ringsight for any FS
-Do expect to spend a whole lot of money before getting payed
-Do have FUN!
-Do be safe for yourself and others around you(do not focus on video so much you forget your own gear safety).
-Do practice getting your helmet off as part of emergency procedures.

~Chachi

[skreamer 1]

Quote

I think tandem video is the most challenging,

Most of the hardcore 4-way cameramen I speak to reckon filming tandems is boring, that filming FS is way tougher.

As for the original question, I'd recommend getting a second audible.
Also, keep spare batteries for your audibles - there might not be a gear shop open the day/place your batteries die.
Buy a spare battery for your camera and keep it in a jumpsuit pocket (charged).
Also keep a soft cloth in your pocket to give the lens a wipe.
Check before you get in the plane how much film you have left.
Also check that you haven't left the camera zoomed in by accident.
Make turning the camera off as soon as you are safely under canopy a routine.
Most importantly, ask experienced professional cameraflyers at your DZ questions, not freeflyers like myself with limited cameraflying experience.

Will

[Deuce 1]

Quote

Most of the hardcore 4-way cameramen I speak to reckon filming tandems is boring, that filming FS is way tougher.

I agree. If you miss an expression on a customer's face it's not the same as missing a grip. And the teams are in competition, and you can feed off that. But getting the close up face shot of some leadbelly with a stout tandem master who's sqirming around can be just as tough as getting a clean exit with a four way team. And the teams WANT you to get thier grips. It's fundamentally different, one being recreation and one being competition. If I had a choice, I'd shoot 4 way for sure.

My original point is for a new shooter to have a goal in mind. If he wants to work into 4 way video, many of those skills will be developed shooting tandems, and shooting tandem video of folks who might buy it is a thrifty way to get camera jump numbers up.

[PhreeZone 20]

>My original point is for a new shooter to have a goal in mind. If he wants to work into 4 way video, many of those skills will be developed shooting tandems, and shooting tandem video of folks who might buy it is a thrifty way to get camera jump numbers up.

Best way to do 4 way video is to do 4 way video. I had to pay for all my slots for the privlage of doing RW video this year (all 40-50 jumps), and a few freebie tandems, but if you want to do 4 way/ 10 way anything... do that genere, all the tandems in the world won't make you a good 4 way video guy.

Having a formation slide a piece under you is something a tandem video guy never experiences as is piece seperation, funnels and filming the results of one, holing a heading as something under you is trying to slide every which way to lose you. Granted, tandem filming teaches a lot of different skills like getting low for the shot, light is more of a factor as is shadows, exit timing is less critical as well.

Lots of differences.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[prost 0]

Only if you want to do a crappy tandem video. You will get a lot of seperation and have less face time. If all you do is 4 way, that does not make you a good tandem videographer. You need to practice shooting whatever you want to shoot.

William

[skreamer 1]

Quote

If all you do is 4 way, that does not make you a good tandem videographer.

Doesn't make you a money-whore either...

[freeflyerno 0]

A couple of other things I'd recommend that haven't been mentioned yet:
Do get some kind of light indicator. I use a CamEye II and it's been a dear friend right after exit
Do relax your neck. If you tighten up the neck-muscles your image is more likely to shake
Do make sure you get an appropriate mount for the camera.
Do get a chin cup if you're gonna use an open-face helmet (ie. mindwarp, N-vertigo). It will make it a lot easier to aim, as the helmet is always in the same position after putting it on. I just use an adhesive circle ("hole-protector" thingie) inside my goggles, while my buddy uses a laser, adjusts, uses a laser again, adjusts again, etc etc
DON'T let the camera be the main focus on your first jumps with it. Just have it along for the ride to get used to it (having it on without actually turning it on is a good way of ensuring this in the beginning)

Have fun!

---
Unanswered questions are far less dangerous than unquestioned answers

[mark135 0]

Do
have your extra battery on a charger. check your zoom, constantly. deploy stable. buy the extended warrenty. learn where your ponting that thing instinctively, move your eyes not your head. you should be able to look at other stuff (student altimeter on a tandem, the shadows on tandem to make sure of lighting,other traffic,ie. second camera person) all while getting a tight face shot on the tandem student.

dont
buy a floor model (trust me). take your cam up in heavy moisture or rain.

_______________


"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

[tictoc 0]

There are a lot of good suggestions by people here. The only thing I would add is pick a sequence that you are going to use from now on. There are a lot of things yo do between before, affter the door opens and you get out. If you have a sequence you are less like to forget something

--------------------------------------------------------
Some one must go to the edge for others to be able to find it. But if you go be sure you can make it back.

[skreamer 1]

Quote

I use a CamEye II and it's been a dear friend right after exit

So you can then know to turn the camera back on in freefall? OK if you are just freeflying I suppose - but you'd probably be a bit stuffed if you were filming FS or a tandem.

[freeflyerno 0]

Quote

Quote

I use a CamEye II and it's been a dear friend right after exit

So you can then know to turn the camera back on in freefall? OK if you are just freeflying I suppose - but you'd probably be a bit stuffed if you were filming FS or a tandem.

Yeah, still haven't forgotten while filming FS or tandems. Knock on wood!

---
Unanswered questions are far less dangerous than unquestioned answers

[AndyMan 7]

One twelve way I was filming last week, I turned it on literally on 'set'. Oops!

Now I really understand why cam-eye's pay for themselves real quick...

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[pringles 0]

Some people may think that this goes with out saying, but I will say it anyway. I am not familiar with the tear drop rig that you are jumping but if it comes with an RSL, unhook it or have it removed at your next repack. No matter how snag proof you think your camera set up is, lines will find something to snag if they want. You just don't want to cut away with an RSL and have it fire your reserve off into the canopy thats trailing from your head. Also you need to stay very current with your emergency procedures.

One last note. Non-jumpers don't want to see all of your video. So don't take it home and show it to your friends every time they stop by. Although my old room-mate and I would pull out our camera's and start playing video if someone had over stayed their welcome. You would be surprised how fast they would leave.


Have Fun!
Matt

Matt Davies

[iam 0]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question, there is a lot to learn, and i'm at the very bottom of my learning curve. I did my first freefall camera jump on Saturday(I have already videoed CReW).
And to be honest I was quite excited, on the way up i had my helmet on and of and on again and of again...and so on and so on.... checking everything was ok. You get the picture i'm sure. Done a final pin check, got my mate to turn my camera on, filmed him giving me the thumbs up, filmed getting in the door......then nothing until I turned it back on again when i landed. I thought I was turning the F****ng thing of.

What happened ?

As i said the camera was on when i exited onto the camera step, then for some reason it switched of. Could it have been the weather....it was -25 at altitude.

Anyhow i've now jumped with a camera on my head and i really appreciate you guys taking the time to help.

Ian

"Don't ever knock on deaths door, just ring the bell and run away - it really pisses him off"

[freekflyguy 0]

Quote

Done a final pin check, got my mate to turn my camera on, filmed him giving me the thumbs up, filmed getting in the door......then nothing until I turned it back on again when i landed. I thought I was turning the F****ng thing of.

A Cam Eye could have prevented this incident

Seriously though, what camera do you have?

My mate has a PC8 mounted on the right side of his Gath, and had a problem with it switching off on a dive exit. He remedied it by making a wind shield for the standbye switch.

I have jumped the same camera with it mounted on the left hand side and had no problem without a shield.

I could also be the cold and moisture at altitude.

If you had a cam eye you would have see the light go out and may have been able to do something about it.

Buzz

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

[tictoc 0]

freekflyguy is right. You may never know what happened. But $60 for a cameye can save your ass.

--------------------------------------------------------
Some one must go to the edge for others to be able to find it. But if you go be sure you can make it back.