photos of my mindwarp w PC1

[fields 0]

I recently put a Sony PC1 on my helmet for memory enhancement and to show my whuffo grrrlFriend what I saw. It seems to work fine for me. I wanted to run it by you all, to see if there is anything noticeably wrong.

I have been using a .43 mm wide angle lense (Kenko SGW-043), but the pictures show my new .5mm (Kenko KGW-05Hi) with a Hoya cir-polarizing filter, which I haven't tried out yet because of rain here.

I have been using the camera with infinity focus (mountain symbol) and the steady-shot off (I was told with a wide angle lense steady-shot was not necessary and would degrade the image).

"And the sky is blue and righteous in every direction" Survivor Chuck Palahniuk

[JayhawkJumper 0]

The helmet setup look pretty good, just make sure to reduce all snag points possible. I don't think that polarizer is going to do you any good though, probably just cause problems. Polarizers only work when you are able to place them in a certain relation to the sun, then you have to rotate the elements to get the desired effect. You can't do this in freefall so it really won't do much good.

[Squeak 17]

not only will the circular poleriser not be all that effective, but laso the more glass you put in front of your lens the more trouble you will have with relected light, the fewer the better.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[davelepka 4]

The quality of your 'look at my helmet' photos is fantastic.

[fields 0]

Thanks JayhawkJumper and Squeak. That was helpful. Since I haven't used the polarizer, I can return it.

I was told a polarized lense would make the sky bluer and the clouds white, more contrast. Sometimes the most beautiful sunset loads look gray and washed out on video. What do you recommend? Or is this to be expected with video?

"And the sky is blue and righteous in every direction" Survivor Chuck Palahniuk

[AndyMan 7]

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What do you recommend? Or is this to be expected with video?

To a large degree, you should expect a lot of washed out colors with "one chip" consumer grade camcorders.

This is the one reason that I've got a Sony VX2100 on my long term shopping list. The VX2100 is a "3-chip" camera, and the colors are absolutely stunning.

What is all this 1-chip, 3-chip crap? All digital cameras and camcorders use a special type of chip to pick up the images they're presented with. These chips are either known as CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxyde Semiconductor), or CCD (charged coupled device). All of the Sony camcorders use CCD chips. The consumer grade cameras use a single CCD that is specially designed to pick up 3 different colors: red, green, and blue. A 3-chip camera has 3 separate CCD's, each CCD specializing in one color. Why are 3-chip cameras better? Personally, I think its just a matter of size - the overall size of the 3 CCD's are bigger then the single CCD found in smaller cameras, but regardless - all cameras with 3 CCD's have will present a much improved picture with stronger colors than cameras with a single CCD.

3-chip cameras are also a hell of a lot bigger, and a hell of a lot more expensive then a single-chip camera.

As someone mentioned, polarizing lenses do need to be physically adjusted so that a certain part of the lens is twisted towards the direction of the sun. I supose its possible that if you know the direction of jumprun to set this up on the ground prior to EVERY jump, but it sounds like a pain in the ass to me. You may find it useful on the ground, though. I'm not sure what kind of effect it would have on a one-chip camera.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[fields 0]

Quote

The quality of your 'look at my helmet' photos is fantastic.

Thanks. My grrrlFriend and digital camera (Olympus C3030) get the credit. She is a photographer. She sometimes borrows my digital camera to get quick views of her picture ideas. She was photographing hands and a plant that day. I stuck my helmet under and snapped off the pictures, while she was out of the house. I used b&w because she did and it looked cool. She also did sepia.

The camera, which was set up on a tripod, was hooked up to the television set. The flash was disabled and the remote was used to fire off the picture, whenever the picture look good on TV screen. I just used automatic mode. She had a couple photographer lamps one above the table and one below (the table is glass). The last picture only the light below the table was on.

She said I needed to use a "diffuser flat" next time. I had no clue what she was talking about.

[fields 0]

AndyMan,
Thanks for taking the time to explain the difference and explaining why the filter isn't that useful. I had been wondering about the chip references. I didn't equate chips with detectors (CMOS,CCD), till you explained it.

After seeing the price and size of the VX2100, I'm content with my 2nd hand PC1 and its quality.

"And the sky is blue and righteous in every direction" Survivor Chuck Palahniuk

[jalisco 0]

A polarizer can indeed intensify the blues in skies in your images.

If it's a circular polarizer, there's no need to adjust its orientation. However, circular polarizers don't have as noticable an effect.

Linear polarizers can have a much more marked effect on sky color. However, as others have indicated, this depends on both the orientation of the filter (normally, the filter mount allows you to spin the filter) and the portion of the sky (relative to the sun) you're aiming at. I agree that this sounds like a lot of trouble in a skydiving environment. ALso, note that linear polarizers often confuse auto-focus mechanisms.

If you've still got the polarizer and it's a circular polarizer, you might try shooting some with and without it to see if it does anything for you. If you decide it helps and to keep it, you'll probably want to leave it off on late sunset loads, as it will reduce the amount of light getting through your lens some.

If do you decide to try it out, I'd love to hear your experiences.

[jeiber 0]

Hmmm. You might want to check on this. Circular polarizers are actually 'two layer' polarizers. One linear, with a circular behind it (or other way around.... I forget).

I'm pretty sure most, if not all, circular polarizers still require orientation. Circular polarizers help out with metering and focusing TTL on AF cameras. I used a linear on my F100 for a while without problem, but changed to a circular so Murphy wouldn't strike in that once in a lifetime photo.

I imagine it helps ensure accuracy on 'D' lenses as well, but I'm just speculating now.

Jeff

[jalisco 0]

I learn something new every day.
Might be nice if I'd learn it prior to posting, huh?

Oh well.

So, I guess using a polarizer on a skydive might be a hit-or-miss thing. On a still camera, sometimes it would help, and sometimes it wouldn't. I know with a linear polarizer, changing the orientation generally changes the sky color, so a lot a moving around (or relative wind causing the filter to spin ) might lead to some rather weird looking skies on video.

Anyway, apologies all...

[fields 0]

Thanks jalisco and jeiber.

what is a `D' lense?

The filter I have does rotate.

it sounds like I don't need the filter. When you say you use one on your f100 do you mean for freefall photography?

[fields 0]

The filter is this one.

this Tiffen web page covers what you guys have been telling me. I'll paste the text below-

Quote

POLARIZING FILTERS
Polarizers are most useful for increasing general outdoor color saturation and contrast.
Polarizers can darken a blue
sky, a key application, on color as well as on black-and-white film, but there are several
factors to remember when doing this. To deepen a blue sky, it must be blue to start with,
not white or hazy. Polarization is also angle-dependent. A blue sky will not be equally
affected in all directions. The areas of deepest blue are determined by the following
"rule of thumb." When setting up an exterior shot, make a right angle between thumb and
forefinger. Point your forefinger at the sun. The area of deepest blue will be the band
outlined by your thumb as it rotates around the pointing axis of your forefinger, directing
the thumb from horizon to horizon. Generally, as you aim your camera either more into or
away from the sun, the effect will gradually diminish. There is no effect directly at or
away from the sun. Do not pan with a polarizer, without checking to see that the change in
camera angle doesn't create undesirable noticeable changes in color or saturation. Also,
with an extra-wide-angle view, the area of deepest blue may appear as a distinctly darker
band in the sky. Both situations are best avoided. In all cases, the effect of the
polarizer will be visible when viewing through it.

Polarizers need approximately 1-1/2 to 2 stops exposure compensation, usually without
regard to rotational orientation or subject matter. They are also available in combination
with certain standard conversion filters, such as the 85BPOL. In this case, add the
polarizer's compensation to that of the second filter.

Certain camera optical systems employ internal surfaces that themselves polarize light.
Using a standard (linear) polarizer will cause the light to be further absorbed by the
internal optics, depending on the relative orientation. A Circular Polarizer is a linear
one to which has been added,on the side facing the camera, a quarter wave "retarder." This
"corkscrews" the plane of polarization, effectively depolarizing it, eliminating the
problem. The Circular Polarizer otherwise functions in the same manner.

"And the sky is blue and righteous in every direction" Survivor Chuck Palahniuk

[bryce 0]

D lenses refer to a specific type of nikon Lenses. A D Lens will convey focus distance information to the camera body which in turn relays that information to a flash telling it just how much light to pump out based on how close it is focused.

if your lens spins, I find just placing a Large Packing rubber band around it holds it in place nicely. I do this on my focus ring as well. Not as gooey as tape, and always readily available at a DZ.

-Bryce

[jeiber 0]

No, I don't use my F100 for skydiving. IMHO, there's no need to risk an expensive camera with tons of functionality, when none of the features are usefull for skydiving. I use an old N2000, manual focus as a skydiving camera. With a relatively small aperature, everything is in focus anyway, so the AF isn't any issue.

The lens is the piece of equipment that most influences the quality of the picture. Personally, I use a Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AF lens.

In regards to the polarizing filter, I would suggest orienting it on the ground, noting where the sun is, then positioning yourself in the same position in freefall.

If you don't use a polarizing filter, I highly recommend using a UV filter, just to protect the lens itself. Most of today's film doesn't react to UV light, so don't expect colors to look any different.

Good luck!
Jeff

ps- sorry for the delay, been busy!

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!