centering target

[darrenspooner 0]

Sorry for being clueless here. I've just started jumping video. Done a few two-ways and solo shoots now. Everything I shoot is in the top third of the screen even when I think I'm spot on. Some of it is off the top. I'm flying well enough but the target is not in the centre. My helmet (RAWA) fits tight and the camera is held solid by the box. What do I need to do to get it in the middle?

Any help greatly appreciated

[PharmerPhil 0]

Simple. Get a sight, and sight in your helmet.

[stratostar 5]

Sight in your camera, say with a sight and it's best to hook it up to a tv and look at something above the tv and make the image centered on the tv at the sametime it's centered in your sight.

Or guess.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[monkycndo 0]

A ring site is one way to go, but if you are using a wide angle lens on the video camera, a simple dot or paper reinforcer on the goggles works and isn't a snag hazard. Once you start shooting stills, then a ring site would be in order.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[DSE 5]

Quote

A ring site is one way to go, but if you are using a wide angle lens on the video camera, a simple dot or paper reinforcer on the goggles works and isn't a snag hazard. Once you start shooting stills, then a ring site would be in order.

Otherwise known as "a paper asshole" for purposes of searching.

[monkycndo 0]

I was trying to take the high road about the paper asshole. I shoulda known better.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[vdschoor 0]

Quote

What do I need to do to get it in the middle?

Any help greatly appreciated

Have a good sit down talk with the people you are filming, and tell them they should really focus on flying closer to the center of the frame..

Sorry.. I had to do it :P

Like the other guys said, put a dot or "paper asshole" on your goggles, or a ringsight on your helmet..

Have fun learning and be safe!

[DSE 5]

Quote

I was trying to take the high road about the paper asshole. I shoulda known better.

"High road?" Skydivers??

[stratostar 5]

Oh come on now king shit that wasn't near as funny as....

Quote

Have a good sit down talk with the people you are filming, and tell them they should really focus on flying closer to the center of the frame..

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[DSE 5]

Quote

Oh come on now king shit that wasn't near as funny as....

Quote

Have a good sit down talk with the people you are filming, and tell them they should really focus on flying closer to the center of the frame..

True enough, but I was more focused on Monkey's comment relating to skydivers in general.
side note, no one is allowed to call me "king shit" unless they're my bitch.
I didn't get the notice that you're on that list

I wonder...if you took a stick, shoved it down your back beneath the rig, had the stick long enough that it went past your eye....it could point at the tandem student. Maybe they could even do RW with it. That might be cool! Paint the stick green, so it can be keyed out later.

To the OP, not only with a ringsite, dot, or paper reinforcer help when getting started, it'll help you learn to move your whole head, rather than moving your eyes.
Norman Kent teaches this very nicely in his video and his live classes. he's doing one at Summerfest, BTW.

[stratostar 5]

Hee Hee, I heard it on the radio......So you got a list of bitches eh? Might need to change that to king pimp.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[tillamookjohn 0]

Center up some shots in a standing position like when you're about to launch and then center some shots on your belly, it does make a difference at least in my case. I do use a "paper asshole" (clear type thats colored with a red marking pen making it translucent.). I have to look low in the standing position, but other than that it's centered. I prefer to not have a fixed site as I make a lot of fun jumps with camera and it can get funnelishis at times.

I'd like to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my ass.

[darrenspooner 0]

Thanks guys. I'll check out the paper asshole. Hooking up to a TV seems like a brilliant idea.

[mircan 0]

If you want to try something else besides TV, you can try the laser-diode key-chain. You know, the cheap Chinese ones that kids play with.
- Mount it on a helmet near camera with some duct tape.
- Turn it on and center it so that the red dot is in the center of your camera display.
- Put the helmet on.
- Adjust the "sight" that it points at the red dot..
- Take the helmet off.
- Take the laser off.
My2c.
blues!

dudeist skydiver #42

[jimmytavino 16]

if you're flying in a comfortable position,,,
and the attitude of your head feels "normal".....then just adjust the base of the camera "uphill" by small increments,,, ( shims) til you're more centered...

i.e. adjust the camera to the helmet attachment,,,instead of having to "lift your head" all the time.

....providing that the helmet seats itself the SAME,,,, on your head,,, all the time...

jmy

[darrenspooner 0]

This seems like the most obvious solution, but the camera is a very tight fit in the box. No sure if its movable but I'll give it a go. Thanks

[Fast 0]

Have you considered that what you think is "spot" on is not really? The paper on the gogles thing will work well but otherwise, just try moving your head angle up and your eye angle down.

You need to learn to look where "center" is rather than just keep on thinking that where you are looking is center. When shooting camera the first few things you have to learn is to hold your eyes still and move the camera around to look at the target. (This teaches getting your subject in frame) and then you have to learn how to keep your subject in frame and move your eyes so that you can see things other than what you are shooting video of. Sounds like these things are totally opposite of one another, and they kinda are, but both are really important skills.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[pilot-one 0]

Quote

Norman Kent teaches this very nicely in his video and his live classes.

You mean the video where Kent is kind of interviewed by some guy with a pony tail? I can't remember that guy's name right off hand....

I don't remember that part of the video. I guess I'll have to go back and watch it again.

[darrenspooner 0]

Yep, have considered this and I'm sure its the main cause of the problem. I guess its just learning how to get it right. The last camera jump I did was on a solo doing freestyle for IS1 qualification. He was all over the place, but it felt like I had him in the centre of my visual field for most of it. The video said otherwise. Which means that somehow I need to be pointing the camera higher than I am, or tilting the camera higher than it is in the box. What I am sure of is that the helmet is solid on my head and not in a different position each jump. All these tips are helpful, thanks.

[DSE 5]

Try looking at the tandem instructor instead. See if that helps you. Chances are, your eyeballs are rolling up rather than looking straight ahead. It's a common thing when you're first getting started. I struggled with it for a while.
Walk around with your camera on your head. You'll look goofy, but get used to locking your eyes in one plane, and moving your head to see what's going on around you vs moving your eyes. That'll help you learn eye/head coordination. In the sky, you need to get that down, and at the same time, be able to roll your eyes around (eyes on a swivel) without moving your head.
HTH?

[pilotdave 0]

Quote

Try looking at the tandem instructor instead. See if that helps you. Chances are, your eyeballs are rolling up rather than looking straight ahead. It's a common thing when you're first getting started. I struggled with it for a while.

Hopefully he's not practicing on tandems like some people do.

This thread is heading in directions that scare me... luckily the original poster is scaring me less than the people giving suggestions this time...
Dave

[DSE 5]

While I agree with what I suspect is your point, the reality of it is that at a small DZ, he's probably practicing on tandems. UK is pretty stringent on how they do things, or so it seems?
Anyway...if he's paying his own freight, and it's a small DZ, I'd expect he's practicing on tandems.
I'd bet that most every person posting in this forum was jumping with tandems well before the manufacturer-required 500 jumps. Rightfully or wrongfully,I think that's the reality.
Even if not...the advice holds true;
Paper asshole
Look with your head with eyes on a fixed plane rather than rolling eyes upwards.
Watch out for "king shit" and "DSE's bitch" (sorry inside joke)

[Bill_K 0]

Quote

Thanks guys. I'll check out the paper asshole. Hooking up to a TV seems like a brilliant idea.

I put the paper azz hole on my goggles, threw the helmet on my head and used my wifes azz to center mine. Worked well too... hehe, I still have that video around somewhere I think.

[darrenspooner 0]

Jeez, I' glad to hear that. No, I'm not practicing on tandems. Willing participants and following them out rather than floating. That way I'm never on top of them on exit and I have reasonable control over how close I get. At the moment all of the targets are dots on the screen, all be it at the top of the screen. Safety first, everything else last

[darrenspooner 0]

Hey, I asked my wife if I could wear wear my gear in bed. I'm not sure its the camera that puts her off, I think its my camera pants with flames down the side.

TO RE-ITERATE, I DON'T PRACTICE ON TANDEMS