sunnyape

Yes, I am able to record in XAVC format, but I haven't been using that format day-to-day as it adds an extra step to my editing / viewing process. MP4 is preferable for me at the moment. I'm using a 32Gb SanDisk Ultra class 10 card. This is the same type I use in the GoPro. So far, haven't had a problem with them.

Okay, I can see what you mean. It's only mild, but it is there from time to time. I did a comparison with footage from my AS30 and it too has very mild jello effect in the background from time to time; about as much as your footage. I used it in the waterproof case which was mounted to the top of the helmet with the Sony provided mouting clips, so between all the bits that can move a little, that might account for the vibration that causes that. This weekend I'm jumping the new AZ1 which is not in a case and bolted directly to the top of the helmet. I'll see how much difference that makes.

Nope, not getting any jello effect, as the wind induced vibrations on the helmet aren't high enough. Still get the normal shakey video that the GoPros all have. It's less obvious when you use them in the wider modes. This is one of the downsides of the very light camera helmet setups we have now. Less mass means less inertia damping, so they are more succeptible to higher frequency vibrations. The Sony ActionCams have an anti-shake capability, just like their bigger HandyCam brothers, which smoothes things out very nicely, but the field of view is fixed at 120 degrees. It's a pity they don't have as many resolution / angle mode selections as the GoPros.

I forgot to provide some samples. Here are some grabs from a GoPro 3 in 720p medium mode filming 4 way a few weeks ago. I use a Sony Action Cam as my primary and the GoPro is backup. I put the GoPro into wide mode for comp, just in case something goes off the frame in the Sony, so that I can submit the other footage.

Did exact same injury with exact same plating / screws about 6 years ago. I think I went jumping again about one or two months after I got the cast off and wasn't using crutches. Did you do it on a hard landing or fast landing? Mine was fast and my foot clipped something while skimming along the ground doing a swoooopy landing. Sigh!

You'll find that as you get more experience filming RW and if you know the blocks and randoms, you'll get better at flying a lot closer and using the gaps between the team members for your clean air and which sub-groups in the blocks will steal it. Seriously, don't be afraid to push it until you start bouncing off them to know what your limit is. As long as you tell the team in advance that you're going to try, the wings are there to pull your arse out of the fire or soften the blow. You'll get used to riding the burble behind the team and keep the wings tucked away the rest of the time. I've found that experienced teams don't mind the occasional close encounter during training in exchange for really super-duper close footage. Naturally, just back it off for comp. You'll be revieing your footage in a few years and find yourself mumbling "What are you afraid of? GET IN THERE!"

Yes, the camera has an image flip option.

My new HDR-AZ1 has just arrived to replace my existing HDR-AS30. I top mount my cameras and video mostly RW teams and the occasional AFF. I use a GoPro 3 Silver as a backup and to take stills. I'll be taking it jumping this weekend, so have yet to put it to the acid rain test, but everything else has been great from my point of view. Pros - Can be mounted directly and doesn't need to be in case. (No more taking the camera in and out of the case to charge it or get data via USB). - Splash proof. Mounting it 'naked' will allow it to stay cool and not cause the fogging issue when in the water proof case. - Ports are all at the back, not underneath (No need to dismount it to get to the ports). - Brighter recording LED on top allows the use of a repeater LED above my ringsight (The AS30's rec LED is too dim to reliably trigger a light sensitive resistor) - Can use the clip-on hard lens protector. - Tiny. Ooooh, it's just so cute! Cons - Can't change settings via the camera. Need the remote or a mobile phone. - If you push record, then lock it so that it can't be pushed again, pushing the on / off button stops recording and turns the camera off, effectively bypassing the lock. - Tiny LCD screen. Not that easy to see the icons, but at least only two of them are of real importance. - No 'off' noise. Doesn't make the 'bing-boing' noise when you turn it off, only when you turn it on. That audible feedback can be useful when you turn it off under canopy, but now that I have repeater LED, that will let me know when it is on or off. - Uselss instructions. The paper based instructions are awful. Get the ones off the internet. Once you configure the camera's setting via wi-fi, you can turn the wi-fi off, as that is a big drain on the battery. I guess I'll find out tomorrow how the battery life compares to the prior models. I'm expecting no change in the video quality.

You didn't say which AFF stage you are attempting to use handcam for, but I assume you mean Stage 1 or 2. We gave it a go for a while at our DZ, but the results weren't very good. Since you are holding on to the the student all the time, the point of view is very limited. We prefer to offer outside camera for AFF stage 1 or 2. For the higher stages, 3 to 8, where a JM is in front of the student, a conventional head mounted camera is fine.

OK, DSE, I understand your response and logic, but... You say 'standard on at least 5 DZs'. Standard for what? Filming Tandems and AFF? Sure... they don't care about lens flare or fringing, which the plastic lens cover of the ActionCam's case will happily provide. RW teams and formation skydivers are not so tolerant. You say 'Audio is useless in a skydive' - of course, who wants to listen to wind noise.... but when was the last time you were asked to film a skydive in slow motion only? Being able to record 720p at 60 or 120fps on a GoPro or Sony CX series means the playback speed is normal BUT you have the excess frame rate available to use video editing or the playback application to turn it into slow-mo at 30fps AS WELL. You choose instead of have Sony choose for you. You say 'the color is better'... better than what? If you like having a noticeable blue tint, a lack of shadow detail and no choice of spot or averaged metering, then it I guess that might constitute better than a CX 115, 125 or GoPro 3. Also, here some more dumb things about it: - When using the menu, if you change a setting, it takes you out of the menu and you have to re-enter it again to make another change. - When taking it in and out of the case, you have to pull it out by the lens and it's impossible not to get finger prints on the lens. - It can't stand up by itself because it has a curved base. You can only lie it on its side once out of the case and you want to plug in cables. - Can only erase the whole card, not the choice of whole or last video / picture. Sure, AS100V version is a big step forward since the AS10V (which I have) and AS30V, but since then, the competition has made just as many improvements and added features. Take a look at Toshiba's new Camileo X-Sports. For the same form factor as a GoPro and the same price range as the AS100V, it has: - Image stabilisation - A built-in LCD screen - Digital zoom capabilities - Lots of mounts supplied - Comes with a remote control - Has a LED bright enough for relay It comes down to what you've used before. I've used a range of Sony cameras down through the years in a range of cases and mounting scenarios, living with each combination's idosyncracies. Their ActionCams come across as product that they don't seem to have made much effort testing or comparing to the competition in the same price range. Or, if they have, the features they've come up with don't do me any favours.

The HDR-AS100V is revamp of the earlier AS-15 and AS-30, but it still has all the same flaws that make it of little use to filming RW and other skydiving. You have no way to know if it's on apart from turn it on during jump run, then lock the switch at the back, so you end up with lots of wasted battery and excess footage. You can top mount it using the tripod screw, but that process covers all the ports to charge it or get the video out via USB. The video modes are very limited and 720p in 60 or 120fps is still in a forced slow motion with no audio. Get a GoPro Hero 3+ in a skeleton case, or stick with a Sony CX series with a lens if you need anti-shake capabilities. PS. I make a little powered circuit that I use to relay the flashing LEDs of my GoPro to a LED on my ring sight. Works like a charm.

This camera is basically the same as the AS-15, except it has GPS tagging and a revised case that is lighter thinner.... neither of which has any bearing to use for filming skydiving. Read my review of the AS-15 to know more why you should not choose this for filming RW teams.

I usually film RW teams and the occasional AFF. I wanted something compact and light to replace my CX115 with a .3 lens. I've tried the GoPro Hero 3 for a while, but lack of image stabilisation is an issue. Sure, the ActionCam's SteadyShot smooths out the footage, but that's about all its has going for it. The silly shape means that you MUST put it in the case to mount it, then take it out of the case all the time to charge, get footage, change settings. The case can only be top mounted with no tilt adjustment. When you film in 720p and use 60 or 120 fps, you end up with fixed slow motion footage, so you are forced to choose from 720p in 30fps or 1080 in 30 or 60fps. The SteadyShot only works with the 120 degree view, not 170. I normally add a powered light relay to my GoPro to flash an LED on my ring sight to know when it is on, a bit like a Hypeye does for a CX. But the light on the rear of the ActionCam is too weak to trigger a light sensitive resistor, so the only way to make sure you have it turned on is to start recording on jump run, then lock the button at the back to ensure you don't bump it on climb out etc. You end up wasting lots of battery and have tons of excess footage. The ActionCam has so many other silly design and usage flaws that makes it more like an original GoPo Hero 1 to operate. Yuck!

Our DZ tried using hand cam for AFF Stage 1 jumps for JM2 on left side of the student. The footage wasn't that good as the angle to the student's face was too acute, as well as containing too many views of the student's arm / gripper. Outside camera is still best for AFF S1 as it tells 'the full story' and lets the JMs concentrate on more important things. We use helmet cams for the higher stages when JM needs to debrief student on body position or specific skills.

I have just done a few dozen jumps on a new Xaos 21 117 after having done 1,000+ on a Velocity 111. Both canopies are loaded to about a 2.2 At last, a cross braced canopy that you can trust to open. Although Velocities open softly, their pig-headed desire to go where you don't want until the slider is down can be a P.I.T.A. In comparison, although the Xaos shakes itself around during opening and the slider stays up longer, nothing untoward actually happens. I had a brake come off during one opening and all that happened was it maintained a stiff turn that I could lean against until I popped the other brake. The same scenario on the Velo would be a catastrophe. (if you ever want to scare yourself silly, jump your Velo with the brakes off!). The Xaos doesn't dive as hard as the Velo and planes out a bit more by itself, but the swoops are still almost as long and just as fun. Not quite as steerable on the rear risers as the Velo and the transition to stall before you need the brakes to flare is a bit more abrupt, but that is a matter of adjusting your technique. If you really must have the extra swoop performance, go for the Xaos 27. If not and you want a more well rounded canopy, the 21 will give you 95% of a Velo's performance without the downsides. My only gripe is the thin HMA lines. Having done 1,000+ jumps on the Velo with Vectran 750 lines before doing a reline, (even though they were still in trim and in fairly good condition), it would be nice if Xaoses (Xaoi?) had an option for a slightly heavier version of the HMA to have longer between relines. ------------ 5 years later ------------ It's been five years living with the Xaos 21 117 and it's been a very good relationship. Over the past hundred jumps, the slider has become more reluctant to come down during opening, causing the 'snivel' stage to last longer. The HMA lines looked in fairly good condition with just mild piling on the surface (I've been using a stowless bag), so I was getting ready to replace them.... when a B line broke (It was perfectly fine to fly and land). Oh, well, the choice was made for me. The slider's got some mild abrasion near the grommets, so I'm getting that replaced during the re-line, but I'm getting one with stainless grommets instead of brass in the hope the openings will be a little more positive as the Xaos can be a bit slow to open.

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I have a Cookie Liquid 2 (0.25) and it is fine for handicam. I also have a Waycool Blackeye. Much the same result. You need to be aware of one specific fact about those two lenses. Both were designed for 4:3 aspect ratio cameras and, when used on a 16:9 ratio camera like the CX100, you will get fringing (vignetting) in the corner of the frame. You won't see the fringing when you look through the LCD, but when you dub down the video to an editing app, like Vegas or iMovie, the black corners are obvious. Not a problem if you are generating SD video / DVD, but an issue if generating HD / BluRay or MP4 files. The amount of zoom need to bypass the fringe is significant and defeats the purpose of having such a wide lens. I also have a Cookie Liquid 3 (0.29) that I use for occasional handcam and general video. I does not have a problem with fringing, but it is not as wide as the .25. This isn't a problem for me doing handicam, as I have long arms :) The Royal Platinum does not have a fringing problem, but the outer edges of the image are badly out of focus. Also, Royals seem to have a problem with condensation in the centre of the lens. This may be due to the convex outer element.

The Waycool gloves for the CX-100 have a nice 'pocket' on the side for the Hypeye D-Pro and are very well built. Pity there's no picture on the website. Just had a look at the Simon gloves online.... urggh!! They look like they're ready to disassemble themselves at any minute. As a side note, how many DZs in the USA do you think are using HandCam? My gloves are very nice and it may be worthwhile for me to mass produce them for sale (I am only making them one at a time right now)

Our DZ uses NZ Aerosport Icarus 330 and 306 Tandems. There are no brake loops or retainers on the risers, so they are pro packed with the brakes off (full drive) and no bands taking any slack. The openings are great, like a big sport canopy.

We use hand-cam at our DZ in Australia. Cookie does make HC gloves, as does Waycool. Waycools are way expensive. Not sure if Cookie has a glove for the CX100/110 yet. If you have a good rigger locally, they can make them. I've been making gloves for the local TMs and they're getting better all the time.

Can any German TMs advise the process for getting an endorsement on a rig type, specifically the Firebird Omega, for doing Tandems in Germany. I've sent emails to the German federation but not gotten any replies. I have Strong and Sigma ratings currently sunnyape@gmail.com

I'm going to Europe next month and jumping in the UK, Ireland, Germany and then a few other places. I want to take my camera helmet over and need to know if there are any 'funky' restrictions on the helmet configuration. IE, the U.K. used to require the helmet have a cut-away system and its own internal drogue :P If you know any EU or nearby countries with similar rules on the helmet configuration, can you please let me know sunnyape@gmail.com