mickhardy

Just for clarification, it's Swoopware. The timeline is hidden for normal use but available if needed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64O1Bzk27Fo Mick

Just for clarification. Swoopware 270 Flash Vids does not in any way breach the copyright of Sony Production Assistant and I have used my sole intellectual property to design and build the Swoopware 270 Flash Vids software application from the ground up. I have no agents. I built the software in my spare time while holding down a full time job and working the dropzone on the weekends. I have no affiliation with any other companies or individuals in regards to this software. I'm hugely surprised Sony think my software is a threat as it actively produces sales for their flagship product. I designed and built 270 Flash Vids because at the time there were no other applications available to meet our requirements. I notified Sony about my application and requested a reseller license for Sony Vegas more than six months ago. To date, I know every single person who has downloaded a copy of 270 Flash Vids. I suggest downloading and installing my software to see it has very little in common with Production Assistant before claiming they are identical. We both populate empty events in a Vegas Template with source media from digital cameras and that is where any similarity ends. Mick Hardy

Speedracer7 has jumped the gun as I haven't yet completed the help and configuration documentation and I'm not actively promoting my software. I'm the developer behind 270 Flash Vids available from swoopware.com. I'm confused as you switch between RealXTreme and my software but I assume you're talking about my software as RXT is a stand alone product and mine is a plugin for Vegas as per Production Assistant. To suggest I've ripped off Production Assistant with an identical product is not fair. The only similarity is that we both populate empty events in a Vegas template with source media. I've created a product that removes the need for any end user editing and automates the entire production process. Production Assistant does not provide what my software does. If it did, I never would have started down this very busy crazy year. I've been trying to get a reseller license from Sony without any luck so I would be surprised if Sony would start discussions with a small one-man start up in a niche market actively selling their flagship product. Why not download and try the freeware version before suggesting the products are identical? You'll quickly see it's a vastly different product from Production Assistant. Yes, anything Sony Vegas supports. I know Mike well and although the products are similar, my direction came from the presentation given by DSE in 2009. I've shared many beers with Mike and we've talked about cross product integration. RXT is far easier to setup and configure. My software is more customisable as it's template driven but it also requires Sony Vegas Pro and video editing knowledge. Our markets are different. Mick Hardy

Are these hand tacks the only thing stopping the bendix from sliding through the keeper?

Zarhy's third photo is pretty scary. On the accident rig, it looks like the entire housing is free to slide before emplaning. Zarhy does have a valid point about out how this failure can be accelerated.

I tried to implement the same concept in Australia quite a few years ago but I stopped at 500 jumps and described it as follows. Exact same concept but possibly easier to remember, which was half the attraction. This solution is so easy to enforce and plus or minus 0.1 gives some reasonable leeway. < 100 < 1.1 < 200 < 1.2 < 300 < 1.3 < 400 < 1.4 < 500 < 1.5 If this had been implemented world-wide a few years ago, how many broken bones would it have prevented? Sure, it may restrict a few highly skilled jumpers but they can always keep jumping and they will always keep learning. I still think its a damn good solution and use it as my basis for recommendations. My concept was largely ignored, and quickly forgotten but we don't seem to have the problem at such a high level in Australia. I'm sure its coming though. I don't think the glamour of swooping is a bad thing. It can be a kind of carrot dangling for the young jumpers who stick around. I dread to think how many times I would have died if the current technology had been available when I was young.

Jeez, $45USD to look at it? You did get ripped off. I paid $20AUD ($15USD) for them to tell me it was screwed. Still, it has done a lot of service in some not so nice environments. It's about 10 years old. The rubber band is nothing special. Its about 15mm wide and fits fairly snugly around the lens. I have no idea where I originally got it from. I didn't want to use tape and risk any residue on the lens.

Yep, you're right. Not sure what I was thinking. I didn't have my camera with me as it was at the repair shop. The cost of repair is not much less than a new film EOS, which is what started this whole adventure. I decided to scrap the repair and buy a new film EOS but then realised the time has come for digital. Hence the EOS 300D and 12-24mm lens - I'm still going with the original plan for many reasons, some of which were discussed elsewhere. When I was talking about securing the lens, my memory confused me. On AutoFocus the focus is locked. I jump manual focus but I only need one wide rubber band to secure it as the focus and zoom rotate in opposite directions. The rubber band overlaps the focus and the zoom mechanisms and lock both. My mistake. My self-payouts were exaggerated and from a long time ago when digital video was new. I'll keep the tips on gearing up close at hand.

Thanks again for all your replies - you're not making it easy for me. I guess fixed lenses are worth the extra bucks. Rather than taping my current 28-80, I have a big lucky band, which slides over the zoom. On manual focus, you don't have to tape the focus as it's locked inside the lens. Is the 12-24 similar? I live in a smallish town so I can't try before I buy. I'll have to buy over the Internet. Zooming on exit is pretty cool - I guess he must be over the sensory overload thing. In the few still jumps I've done, I've forgotten to take any photos, forgotten to turn the camera on, forgotten to set the focus, and forgotten to fix the zoom. Early video was even better. I'm getting two video lenses from Way Cool, the new Black Eye (

Thanks heaps for your replies. The Sigma 12-24mm review was particularly useful. The fixed lenses such as the Sigma 14mm 2.8 would be nice for low light jumps but I'm usually drinking beer by then.

Will the Canon EOS 300D with Sigma 12-24mm Lens, which has a fairly high maximum aperture of 4.5-5.6, still take reasonable freefall shots in low light? If you bump the ASA speed up to 400 at max aperture, what shutter speeds will you get on sunset or near sunset loads? I'm about to buy this combination. I'm relatively new to freefall photography but OK with video. I didn't realise zoom lenses had such a high max aperture compared with fixed lenses. I think I need the range and two fixed lenses is a tad expensive at this stage. Does 12-24mm equate to 19-38mm on the 300D? I'm trying to match the Red Eye (.3) and Blue Eye (.45) Way Cool video lenses. My Sony (.6) matches my 28mm film EOS pretty much perfectly but I'd prefer slightly wider. I'm guessing the (.45) would be about 22mm? Can you make the 300D go as wide as the .3 video lens?

Randolf, How do you know the http://www.flyers-pit.com/ .3 lens is the same as the http://www.royal-lens.com/paymentinfo.html .3 lens? There is a reasonable price difference ($45USD) and I'm about to buy one of them.

I manage fairly well on a PIII 450 (not overclocked), ADS Pyro & Sony PC101 with zero dropped frames but I have to capture with premier 6.0 and edit with Premier 6.5. I have a separate 7200RPM hard drive for capturing. I shut down every other application and tread carefully but it can be done. I wouldn't bother with anything slower than mine but any newer machine should be very straight forward. Search in Google groups ("rec.video.desktop" is a good start) for "dropped frames" and you'll have better luck.