RandySwallows

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Everything posted by RandySwallows

  1. RandySwallows

    Recovery Arc

    RandySwallows posted a gallery image in Swooping

    Recovery Arc
  2. RandySwallows
    Hey Mike, Feel free to reach out to me if you need to get sorted out with a coach to learn to freefly with. I learned myself in Z-Hills when I started and got involved with a tunnel/jump package that got me in medium sized groups after just an hour in the tunnel and 10 coach jumps. We look forward to seeing you down here to enjoy the 70 degree weather! Don't hesitate to contact me if you need help getting plugged in either before you get here or after. See ya soon! Randy "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  3. RandySwallows
    I'm not sure I would jump that thing. Even without the flash, how do your videos not vignette off the lens from your still? If you need something really wide, then perhaps the GoPro is an option. You could also visit a fabricator and have them make you an aluminum box for your camera that is flat on top to mount your flash to. In these few pictures I mounted Bonehead Goldmember on top of my camera box and had a bracket made for my flash that gets mounted to that. I will work on getting a picture up for you in the next few days or so of just the bracket. Hope these help! Randy "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  4. RandySwallows
    +1 What spice does the chef cook with? What socket does the mechanic use. Some things you have to go push a lot of buttons and waste a bunch of time ruining a whole bunch of images just to look back in time and realize none of the time was wasted at all :) Go out and play with your camera and enjoy your time doing it. Hope to see your images making their way into the public's eye soon! "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  5. RandySwallows
    I've seen a lot of videographers getting away from ring sights as they are using increasingly wider FOV for their videos and simply "pointing their head" the the general direction of the subject will probably frame it "correctly". I say "correctly" because Ultrawide lenes and fisheyes aren't meant to "get everything in the frame", they are used to exaggerate the perception of near/far for more dramatic angles and lines. To each their own in the push play "Am I recording?" world :) Juan Mayer had a great example of using an Ultrawide in the "Featured training phote" in the August Parachutist. I still use a sight when jumping wide lenses. If I were shooting dual Go-Pros I might not need one then. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  6. RandySwallows
    I'm just considering the questions/statements made: - "Some one in Colorado...than say some one in Maine" - "Differences between setup altitudes...for each jumper" - "Assuming they both are wingloaded exactly the same and make the same exact wingload change" ***I'm not an expert**** Shouldn't the question be "what if I were on X wing jumping at X dropzone or if I was on Y wing and then jumped at Y dropzone"? One can't sit down, have a beer with a buddy and figure out what my initiation point should be. Some start their 90's at 650-750. Others would do their 270 from the top of that spectrum. Right or wrong, everyone's turn is a bit different and that is personal to them. I just think it is a grave mistake to mirror one's "Altitudes" from some one elses'. Nothing wrong with referencing them, I will agree. Go air it out and see what your canopy does for your turn at your given DZ. Stay safe! "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  7. RandySwallows
    I'll have to go with Lazlo on this one. I love the sophisticated, sterile feel of the video. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  8. RandySwallows
    I use RRS brackts and I went with the 80mm clamp because it had more of a footprint to mount the L Brackets on. I can put a FF and a heavy prime lens on top with the bracket only being inserted in the clame 1/2 way with no worries. Depending on what I'm jumping, I need that flexibility. The 60mm just isn't that wide but has less of a weight penalty. (No biggie) To the end of the sight, I would HIGHLY recommend using your articulating bracket. Will a line ever get caught on those posts that protrude from the forehead? Who knows but I would hate to hear about it in another posting in this forum. The articulating brackets are great and get that ringsight out of the way under canopy. Also, it allows you to take the ringsite off any time you want and not worry about knocking it out of sight during travel. You have a good setup, take advantage of it
  9. RandySwallows
    I agree, but firing 8fps at whatever happens to come across one's lens never seemed deliberate to me. I find that waiting for the shot that was in my head before boarding the plane has served me better :) I can be guilty of chasing things from 1.4 :) +1...2 for that matter I agree with that, to an extent. I jump a 7d with my 5d II so I'm not taking a sides. I was never a fan of full auto or three round bursts either :) I don't shoot weddings like that and I have always enjoyed being deliberate about the shot I have in my head before getting on the airplane. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  10. RandySwallows
    *Unless ultra shallow depth of field is what you are seeking in your shot. You don't have to come down with more than 10-20 images for it to be a successful shoot. I've learned shooting less is much more :) "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  11. RandySwallows
    I have about 1,100 jumps on both of mine. I immediately noticed that from pulltime to inflation is faster (not to mention much, much smoother). "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  12. RandySwallows
    SD Dallas is using some variant of the same. One takes their camera/cards to a USB station after the jump and it assigns a file name. The video is immediately available for debrief via AC Ryan all around the DZ. The sophistication of the VASST system, however, is just remarkable. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  13. RandySwallows
    Have you looked on Amazon? Lazlo it pretty ingenious with his custom applications but if you need to put something together in the meantime, a marriage between Radioshack and Amazon should work. Reminds me, I need to get ahold of Lazlo for something of my own :) "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  14. RandySwallows
    Forgive me for taking this off topic but isn't the problem that you are seeking to solve with a NAS, etc what has contributed to the fact that "the days of DZ's covering slots for camera flyers". I guess that I am struggling to see why it is the duty of the paying customer to provide open source videos for advertisement purposes to a business that charged one full price for the service in the first place, regardless of the industry. Lets say I go to Chili's and pay menu price for my meal and standard gratuity like anyone else there that day. I think that my cheeseburger would be a great image and I whip out my camera to capture that. Do I now give that to Brinker, Inc for use on their website for marketing purposes? Just an observation. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  15. RandySwallows
    What color does a painter use? What kind of chisel does a sculptor use? What kind of lens should you get? Depends on what shot you are trying to get. If you want a lens that is good at a lot but masters none, look at the 17-40. It focuses fast and is pretty sharp. F4 isn't exactly fast but it should cover a good range of shots in the air until you figure out what angles you enjoy shooting. Hell, you might stick with it even if you go to a full frame. There is really no simple answer to what lens one "should" get but if there was one all around piece of glass for the sky, that would be one of them I would recommend :) "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  16. RandySwallows
    You could certainly add a wider plate after the fact but I would recommend doing it right out of the gate if you plan on it. Changing Mounts, ETC can be a PIA. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  17. RandySwallows
    I don't know, Matt, I've been considering getting my hands on an SL1 to replace my CX100. The Sonys aren't forever and their IS isn't all that great. I'm wondering what a IS lens would look like and to be able to have complete manual control of my videos. I think it is worth looking at :) "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  18. RandySwallows
    +1 on what Douglas said. I have a FF on the front and it provides much more balance. I also have 2X RRS mounts on top with a 7d and I use the 1/4" on the L bracket which works great. You could also put a GoPro on the front if you wanted backup for competition, etc. If you are going to start putting weight on the L Bracket, I might recommend anchoring it with an additional 2-3 bolts right through the forehead of the camera so it doesn't rotate. Just another thought as well, if you really want real estate up top, make sure to order the wide plate. Good luck and email me if you have any other questions I might help with. Randy "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  19. RandySwallows
    Congrats on your new body! The 7d is a great weapon to have. Sure it has been around for a few years but one could shoot with that thing for many years to come and be quite content. Good on you for reading and trying to learn. Keep that up. Read and then apply what you have learned practically. Then re-read it again. Experiment often and try all focal lengths until you come into your own style. But just like the gentleman said previously, the more you shoot, the less it is about the body :) Good luck and congrats on your new camera! "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  20. RandySwallows
    The colors from a FF leave little to be desired
  21. RandySwallows
    Agreed. If you are taking your lenes from the A/C to the plane, you are asking for fogging under canopy. I can't recall a time, however, that I have experienced this with my Canon 15 2.8 in all of my jumping in Florida. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com
  22. RandySwallows
    I have heard a lot of great things about the 10-22. I preferred the 17-40 myself for my style of flying but you shouldn't be disappointed with either. "The eyes must learn to listen before they learn to see". randyswallows.com