What to start with

[alti2ude2002 0]

I have been wanting to get a video helmet set up but don't know where to start. I have not received much help through my dropzone so I hope someone can help guide me. I'm not sure what type of camcorder to get, nor do I know what accessories to purchase. I want to be able to edit and ad music.

SEAN

[Canuck 0]

I'd say the first thing you should get is a few hundred more jumps, but that's just me.

Canuck

[quade 4]

You might need more experience in flying before strapping the camera on, but you might be just about right experience-wise to start figuring out what it is you want.

Here's the deal -- not all set ups are ideal for all types of camera flying. There's a lot of leeway, but what's ideal for fun freefly is probably not going to be the same things as what is ideal for hard core tandem work.

So, the first question is, whaddayawannado?

Ask yourself the hard question of -why- you want to get into camera flying and what it is you ultimately want to get out of it.

You can save yourself a lot of time, money and effort if you go into this knowing ahead of time. You can maybe buy ONE helmet instead of buying something that "sort of" works just to learn and then buying another one when you figure out it's not going to really work. Same deal with your video and still camera, ring sight and on and on.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Deuce 1]

Adding on to what Quade said, get a site. If you want to do really good video and eventually stills, you will want the accuracy that a site will give you.

It's easier to give up a site once you have it figured out, than to be guessing pending review of the tape.

[skyboyblue 0]

start by getting current, sean....

[riggerrob 643]

Start by "dialing in" your main packing for consistently soft openings.
On ever skydive work on exit timing until you consistently leave within a tenth of a second of everyone else.
Push your self to "know" exact altitude without needing to glance at an altimeter.
Once saving your self becomes second nature, then you can consider strapping on a camera.
Then you can start asking whether you plan to video mostly freefly, or mostly tandems, etc.

[YahooLV 0]

Just keep jumpin' for awhile. If your jump numbers are correct, you should be focusing on survival and building your flying skills. You've made it past 160 jumps hopefully without any mishaps and most likely still learning stable flying. PLEASE work on you skills, muscle memory, and cut-a-way procedures for about 250-300 more jumps before thinking about adding something that is asking for trouble! Enjoy skydiving for the fun it gives you and the friends you have. There is probably a reason you haven't gotten much help from your dz..... they might think you're rushing things a bit. If you were truly ready for video flying, you wouldn't have asked for the type of camcorder or other accessories. If you have been in the sport long enough, you would have had at the very least, an idea of what you want.

Don't be in such a hurry, your time will come!

Just my 2 cents.

http://www.curtisglennphotography.com

[aerialcameraman 0]

Keep jumping with other is the best why to get started. Go out and work with a person you know and fly close or even follow some tandems out. You need to make more jumps and keep working the skills. A lot of dropzones require a number of jumps before allowing you to jump camera for tandems and aff. If thats what your going for. Plus its a regulation for vector you have to have 500 to jump and video a tandem. I only have 300 but i started under a very good photographer and worked my way up the hard way. Take it from me I make a living off of videos take you time and study all aspects of this before jumping in to it. You may be a natural but you can always learn from other, i found that out.