Nikon D70

[GeorgeKat 0]

Has anyone successfully used the D70 in freefall? I’ve searched the forum but can’t a review. Sorry if this subject has been covered. I’d really like to see some examples and an account of how the remote issues were resolved.

I’m stuck between the Rebel and the D70. I’m not jumping camera right now, and I like the spec on the D70 better, but I don’t want to buy something I can’t jump when I start again.

G

[quade 4]

Are you jumping at all right now?

Haven't seen you in months.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[GeorgeKat 0]

Good observation ;-)

When I can land there IMC I'm coming back. I reckon around Oct.

I am missing it :-|

[diablopilot 2]

While I love Canon, and jump the 10D myself, I'm not too keen on the Digital Rebel. I've heard of countless numbers of snafus with the Digital Rebel. From random shutoff's to freezing up in freefall, to setting changes, or white balance issues. Most of the time the seem to be working fine, but I've NEVER had a problem with the 10D.



That said I wish I could aford a Canon 1DS MK2.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Chivo 0]

Based on different reviews, it seems that the D70 has good features for skydiving, like in the link...

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond70/page4.asp

scroll down to the Shutter Release Sound, and you'll see a comparison of fps for the D70 vs the Digital Rebel.

I'm more concerned about being able to find a tongue switch for it, or having to make one yourself. You might even need to open the camera, which isn't a good idea if you don't know what you're doing.

~Chivo

[kevin922 0]

Quote

Based on different reviews, it seems that the D70 has good features for skydiving, like in the link...

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond70/page4.asp

scroll down to the Shutter Release Sound, and you'll see a comparison of fps for the D70 vs the Digital Rebel.

I'm more concerned about being able to find a tongue switch for it, or having to make one yourself. You might even need to open the camera, which isn't a good idea if you don't know what you're doing.

~Chivo

Once you get the harbortronics mod done to it, it'll accept the popular tounge / bite switches.

[ffejdraga 0]

Yep.

I jsut bought one the other week, sent it to harbortronics, and got the mod done. The mod is $225 ytotal (195+30 shipping ) but it works flawlessly. However, it is not the same plug that comes with the conceptus tongue switch, it is bigger.
It is the same type of plug for a pair of headphones that fit in a walkman.
Harbortronics was great (even though it is a very high price...IMHO) they turned my camera around the same day they got it, and now I am all set.

I flew it this weekend, and got some great pics. There seems to be an issue with the remote release and the camera going into some type of standby mode. Not sure if it is the way we wired up the remote or if it is inherent in the camera, and needs to be adjusted. Kevin, jump in anytime if you know about this. But I found myself having to 'refresh' the camera every once in a while. So to make sure, i turned it on as i climbed out and took a shot right away...that kept it going for all of freefall.

the pics are sweet.
very hi quality.
attached is one that i took, but is very much 'dumbed down' to fit here.

jeff D-16906

[kevin922 0]

Hey ffejdraga,

I haven't modded mine yet b/c I was waiting on someone else to do it and post the results... what switch are you using if the conceptus doesn't work?


BTW what lens are you using ?

Kevin

[ffejdraga 0]

Kevin,

It is a homemade switch, radio shack submini lever.

I have a 16mm lens from Nikon, and so now it is a 24mm. I am working on picking up the new 10.5mm so i can have 15.75mm fullframe fisheye.

I also have an 8mm lens from MCPeleng that I will be using, which is a full frame 12mm i guess.

But the mod works sweet, but i gotta check and see if there is a way to make the standby deal not happen.
It could be the way the switch is wired, but not sure...the mod accepts a stereo plug, but i have it going to a mono connection (two conductor ) it bybasses the auto focus and auto metering.

gotta do some experimenting with the plug. I will wire another one in a different way, or get a multimeter to see what is happening.

jeff D-16906

[kevin922 0]

Do you have one of the conceptious switches ? They do make ones with stereo connections - would that fit in there or not?

[ffejdraga 0]

yes i do,
and that plug is smaller than the d70 mod.

On a regular pair of headphones for a walkman is the exact connector i used...
I don't know what size that is.

I am still trying to figure out the remote wiring deal. It appears that I have to turn the camera on, and then push the buton on the camera itself either halfway or all the way to take a shot, and then the tongue switch (which is homemade) will work. New routine I will have to remember....
it seems weird, but maybe if I wire the remote release differntly it will work without that little trick...

time will tell
jeff D-16906

[mojoman 0]

I jump the D70 with an IR solution. No mods in the camera and it works pretty good. I bought the IR-remote and did a bypass operation. the IR sensor is mounted on the helmet and i built my own tounge switch. Quite easy and cheap. The only problem is that I have to "release" my tounge to take a new picture. I got a fast tounge so that is not a major problem ;-)

Use the fastest CompactFlash card you can find on the market and the camera is ready whenever you want to take a picture.

Some D70 photos:
http://mail.gfk.se/gallery/godis

The goal this winter is to construct an USB remote. It should be possible. My programmer friend is on the case...