czechbase 0 #26 December 22, 2003 I don't think jump numbers are that important. I think what's more important is awareness in the air, being able to fly stable and stay where you are supposed to be. To also be able to get out of the way if anything funky happens and of course altitude awareness is very important. Certain people get it faster than others and the jump numbers are there in the best interest of safety for everyone in the air. Then again, I've seen people with hundreds and thousands of jumps and I wonder how they get certain ratings and can't even hover in the windtunnel!!! Just me! www.motavi.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #27 December 22, 2003 ***but simply wearing a camera during freefall, without concentrating at all on filming, -------------------------------------------------- This is far easier said than done. The camera will always provide an additional distraction in the plane. Focusing atttention toward making sure the camera is on and ready will subtract from the time you need to check your gear, and keep a keen eye out for gear problems with other jumpers. These are habits you need to develop in order to be a safe skydiver, and adding other tasks will impede this process. In freefall, you may be able to not think about the camera for a jump or two, but after reviewing the video, you will be hard pressed not to analyze, and think of ways to improve the quality of your next video (which in turn will have you thinking about your camera flying performance, both in the plane and in freefall, whcih again will take away from the time you need to be focusing on developing good habits and safe procedures). The size of the camera is not related to the size of the distraction it will provide. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chachi 0 #28 December 23, 2003 I agree with the people that say 200 is a good starting number. Notice we all say starting number. If you think that when you strap a camera on your head you will simply be doing the exact same thing as everyone else on the skydive you are wrong. The first factor is the inflight crap you have to deal with. Getting camera on, sighting it, turning it on and hitting record. Doesn't seem like much yet. Climbout, need to be awarre of the camera at all times, exit, oohh gotta get the exit shot, oh look, Billy's geeking the camera, I better get a good shot of him. Oh ok focus, fly to slot, keep them in frame, oh forgot about flying, how do I side slide again, oh yeah, breakoffs, always look cool on video, ooops I forgot to track, pull, oh gotta watch some stuff around pull time like head position or something???? oops real camera guy to the centre now we are dumping on top of each other. This is not to say that you would make a habit of doing anything I just mentioned. Lets think of it this way though. Better to be skilled at simply piloting your body, before you add other potential dangers. Listen to the experience of literally hundreds and hundreds of camera flyers that will tell you their experiences and say that just having a camera on your head will be a major distraction. Or don't, and risk maybe mroe than you think. Hey, maybe you will give us a current statistic to point out to the next guy. You will become a better skydiver without it at the start, making you a way better camera man later in your career, after you have the basics nailed. Just an FYI from guys around you that care even though we don't know you. ~Rob (Chachi) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #29 December 23, 2003 "Surely I don't need 200 jumps for this? " You probably don't, I'm glad I don't make the BPA rules.And I seriously doubt that the rules will be changed to be model specific. I understand your frustrations, we have all been there. Why would anyone 'just wear a camera'? From the moment you gear up, a camera represents a hazard to yourself and to others on the load, regardless of your ability to fly it around, or its size. In managing this hazard you accept an element of risk. If you are accepting this risk with little or no reward (your implying that you will not be framing shots, positioning yourself for the sunset break off etc, etc), in this instance your reward for your risk exposure would be a watchable shot. But at the end of the day, its not me or anyone else on this forum that you need to convince of your case, its your local CCI (Brit equiv. to S&TA). Some CCIs are more amenable to 'bending' rules than others on this sort of thing, some may even put a case at council for an exemption on your behalf. However as I outlined in my response further up the thread, its unlikely that any CCI would risk his ratings and livelihood to let you wear a camera before you are ready, in the eyes of the BPA. Some rules exist for a reason, sometimes that reason is an outdated concept, just deal with it. Meantime learn everything there is to know about cameras, moving and still image capture, teach yourself editing, framing, composure, use of light, etc. Learn the difference between a dutch tilt and a pan, and where or when you might use them. Apprentice yourself to an experienced cam flier. Find out what shots look great and work out why. When your jump numbers catch up with our outdated, prescriptive based regulations, you'll be ready to start capturing great images, and you'll be ahead of the game in terms of knowledge, and technique. For example, Jarno (Mccordia) made a great wee movie recently. It looked professional, was well planned out, filmed and 'acted'. It had no freefall footage in it, but it would have been well received at say a Flyboyz Film Festival.-------------------- 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
