repairing old Sony PC100

[snakeeater 0]

I'm just starting to jump with a camera and have an old Sony PC100 with a broken zoom. I think by disabling the zoom and leaving it on "zoomed out" it will still make a good enough camera for my first freefall filming attempts. That right? Or do you guys use that zoom often while filming in the plane or on the ground? Or do you zoom it in slightly before jumprun and leave it set to that during the jump? As mentioned, I have no experience with filming anything skydiving related.

Does anyone have experience with repairing those pc... cameras? Any chance I can fix this thing easily? I think I'll manage to disable the zoom button somehow and then put it on zoomed out via a lanc remote. But fixing it.. no idea.

Thanx for advice..

"He tried to kill me! He tried to f***ing kill me!"

[freefalle 0]

exactly whats wrong with the camera, it may be an easy fix. I think I still have an old PC 100 around here that could be used for parts. I know someone who can work on them. If you are interested, drop me a PM. I got alot of use out of my pc 100. its a good camera.

[snakeeater 0]

Thanks a lot for your offer. The problem is that the camera is here in switzerland and shipping cameras or parts between europe and the states is easily exceeds the camera's worth.

The exact problem: the device that the zoom button is connected to (don't know the word for it in english, in german it's called a "potentiometer", sort of an adjustable resistor) doesn't seem to work anymore. At first, when ever I used the zoom, it went straight to fully zoomed in. Using the reset button put it back to normal. However, now the camera stays zoomed in, even after a reset.

"He tried to kill me! He tried to f***ing kill me!"

[parachutist 2]

Quote

do you guys use that zoom often while filming in the plane or on the ground?

You don't need a zoom feature for skydiving video. Most jumper videos use a wide angle lens anyway, which would be like zooming out even further. Zoom can be useful when filming landings if your subject is far away, but just encourage them to land closer & it'll solve that

[PharmerPhil 0]

I use my zoom all the time when videoing tandems (landings, ground shots, in plane), and won't live without it. But I never use it in freefall (and don't recommend it), so if that's all you want the camera for, go for it. It's a great camera.

[pilotdave 0]

I can't remember the last time I used zoom on my camera. I don't have a "zoom-through" wide angle lens, so my zoom range is very limited anyway (and I don't take the lens off very often unless there's some specific reason). Unless you know of a specific reason why you need to zoom, you'll probably do just fine without it.

Dave

[skyjump11 0]

My fellow camera jumper,
If you can profit from my mistake I would like to
help you save some money. Over the years I have
purchased and worn out three different PC100's.
I always kept trying to have them 'fixed.'
The Authorized Sony repair store in Memphis
loved to see me walk in the door. They would
take parts from one camera to 'fix' the other.
I finally got a Sony DCR-HC32 & a Sony DCR-HC42.
(One of them is for 'back up' in case one goes
down.) They are 'lighter' and work great and both
have the LANC (local area net command.)
Also, please remember the reason
as to 'why' there are always cameramen that
bounce.....it is 'very' easy to get distracted when
you are after that perfect video or 35mm shot
with those clouds in the background of those
jumpers. Good Luck & Success.
(I still use a .5 wide angle on the video because
it matches well with a 28mm on the 35mm.)
(The CH is by far, one of my most favorite places
of all....lucky you get to live there!)