Skylark 0 #1 September 23, 2011 Last camera I flew was a small Sony PC5 attached to the side of my head. Now a few years later it's clear things have changed big time with the Go Pro and HD Hero. So which is best? The HD Hero picture looks better in tests. But is there anything else really good on the market? Something with a really good image stabiliser? Also has anyone tried using some of the brilliant image stabiliser software on the market? Check out Adobe Warp on Youtube. "Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zlew 0 #2 September 23, 2011 I had a PC5 too, and you are right things have changed for the better. Today's gear is lighter, smaller, higher resolution, more reliable, and less expensive. There are several great cameras out there, and it really just depends on what you want to do with it. The GoPro, and Contour HD's are very popular for the casual inside camera footage crowd. They are in the $300 range, and output HD video at pretty good quality. Very few controls/options (no screens, menus, ports for cam-eye (hype-eye now) etc). They are great for one touch operation. The Sony CX cameras are also very popular an(cx110,115, 150). They are the modern decedents to your PC5. They are bigger than the GoPro/Contour, but not by much. My cx150 is more narrow than my old PC5, and weighs about half. They have great optics, lots of options (including IS), ports for LEDs/controls etc. They are usually 400-500 bucks. There are some things to watch for. Poke around here and you will read all about them. But most would advise you to avoid a camera with optical image stabilization, or one that records to a hard drive, or DVD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #3 September 23, 2011 Post processing stabilization can't do a good job on electionic stabilzation. The image is so zoomed/soft, it might as well be a DV source on HD content. Cameras are smaller, lighter, and generally higher quality at the expense of higher (yet more efficient) compression. GoPro's and Contours are decent, but whne you start pushing color around, you'll want the CX or similar. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skylark 0 #4 September 25, 2011 What about fixing an HD Hero to my head gear with the camera out on a piece of metal facing back towards me like I've seen some base jumpers do. How dangerous is it for skydiving? "Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keithbar 1 #5 September 25, 2011 it's only dangerous if something snags on it. then it can get real dangerous real quick. depending on a whole world of factors. quick thing be willing to loose the gopro. and make the mount stiff enough to not bend in freefall but flimsy enough to snap right off if a line snags it. i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
velvetjo 0 #6 September 25, 2011 Don't rely on the mount breaking or the helmet's normal release system for any camera helmet. Use a cutaway system. Lance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #7 September 26, 2011 QuoteDon't rely on the mount breaking or the helmet's normal release system for any camera helmet. Use a cutaway system. Lance This bears repeating. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
