Suggestions for videotaping?

[Diana]

We just got a new video camera. Tom tried to film me while I was doing aerobatics over the farm. I flew my heart out for over half an hour, and he got maybe 6 seconds of a roll and the rest was sky and grass.

Any suggestions?

 

[wsuffa]

We just got a new video camera. Tom tried to film me while I was doing aerobatics over the farm. I flew my heart out for over half an hour, and he got maybe 6 seconds of a roll and the rest was sky and grass.

Any suggestions?

Don't take the camera in the plane????

 

[Bones]

Wide Angle Lens....?

 

[Diana]

Don't take the camera in the plane????

Oh, did I neglect to say he was on the ground?

 

[wsuffa]

Oh, did I neglect to say he was on the ground?

You may need a new cameraman. I hear Bruce is looking for a HD camera.....

 

[Iceman]

Are you saying he needed more zoom (lens)? Or that he could not hold the camera still?

 

[Diana]

Wide Angle Lens....?

Never thought of that. They make those for video cameras? Is it obvious we don't know much about this?

 

[Diana]

Are you saying he needed more zoom (lens)? Or that he could not hold the camera still?

The 6 seconds of my roll looked great, and close up. We got 25X optical zoom. He couldn't figure out how to keep the Citabria in site and whether to zoom in or zoom out to keep it in sight.

 

[Diana]

You may need a new cameraman.

Bill are you volunteering?

 

[wsuffa]

Bill are you volunteering?

Well, I'm looking at a trip back east later this month... it's not far out of the way to go through Missouri. I've been known to make fuel stops at KFYV.

 

[Iceman]

Normal video cameras do not need/can not use additonal lenses. The hard part of shooting high action sports is being very fluid while still moving the camera very fast. Until Tom gets some more experience with the new camera have him zoom out a little more (making your plane look smaller) so that the picture is more stable.

 

[Diana]

Well, I'm looking at a trip back east later this month... it's not far out of the way to go through Missouri. I've been known to make fuel stops at KFYV.

Bill, I hope you stop in and see us! You're welcome to stay, too. And you can man the camera.

 

[Diana]

The hard part of shooting high action sports is being very fluid while still moving the camera very fast. Until Tom gets some more experience with the new camera have him zoom out a little more (making your plane look smaller) so that the picture is more stable.

OK, sounds like a good plan. Thanks Chris!

 

[Iceman]

I'm currently putting together a helmet cam that I will use for kart racing and I'm thinking of using it for aviation too. It is made up from a bullet high res color camera that attaches to the helmet (or headset) and a remote mount high gain microphone that can be used for engine noise or placed inside the headset for ATC/conversation. This information is sent via RCA outputs to a remote video camera that does the actual recording.

This way whatever you look at the camera sees and it is a lot less to worry about. It would also be perfect for training because you can observe your input and aircraft reactions.

If you are interested I can send you some information after I test the unit in the next week or so.

 

[Diana]

If you are interested I can send you some information after I test the unit in the next week or so.

Sure, that would be great! Thanks.

 

[gibbons]

I'm currently putting together a helmet cam that I will use for kart racing...

What kind of kart racing???

 

[Iceman]

What kind of kart racing???

For the wild side of me I have a racing gokart. It is a Trackmagic 125 shifter. Basically think of it this way. You sit in a plastic seat an inch off the ground, between your legs is two gal of 110 low lead racing fuel, to your left touching the edge of your seat is the cooling system, to your right is a honda 125cc engine tuned up to produce around 50hp.

The performance is fairly good 0-100mph in about 6-7 sec and a top speed of 120-130mph depending on gearing. In the turns you pull about 2.5 g's which for a plane is not much but keep in mind most cars can pull from .7-1g max.

I was at a racetrack in Grand Rapids, MI a few weeks ago and had a great time. I keep trying to get my skills up to the level of the kart while trying to keep the kart on the road .

 

[Diana]

For the wild side of me I have a racing gokart. It is a Trackmagic 125 shifter. Basically think of it this way. You sit in a plastic seat an inch off the ground, between your legs is two gal of 110 low lead racing fuel, to your left touching the edge of your seat is the cooling system, to your right is a honda 125cc engine tuned up to produce around 50hp.

The performance is fairly good 0-100mph in about 6-7 sec and a top speed of 120-130mph depending on gearing. In the turns you pull about 2.5 g's which for a plane is not much but keep in mind most cars can pull from .7-1g max.
.

Somehow that makes practicing spins seem so tame to me now.

 

[Iceman]

Somehow that makes practicing spins seem so tame to me now.

No WAY, my dream is to be out there flipping around an aircraft some day...ok I do not have nearly enough talent for that so I will pay someone else to work their magic. Basically I'm going to say if I can walk after your done we need to go back up .

 

[ErikU]

Working in the TV business, I can comment on this.


ZOOM OUT! And STAY ZOMED OUT!!

That is a huge problem with amateur video. A tripod with a good fluid head may help, but you don't have a chance if you zoom way in. Zoom should be used to set the framing, then not touched. Also, disable the digital zoom feature.... they are total garbage and should never, ever, be used.

 

[Toby]

An inch off the ground....130 mph....Hey Chris, do you have pictures??

 

[Diana]

When I shoot video at an airshow I keep one eye on the viewfinder and one eye on the airplane(s) to help get the action in frame. After a bit of practice it's easy to do. I keep the camera zoomed out until I center the target then zoom in slowly. I use a tripod, too, so I can use both hands to pan/tilt/zoom/shade the viewfinder simultaneously while following the action. Even an inexpensive tripod will work better than hand holding to track the action smoothly.

Oh, OK, we're going to have to look around for that tripod buried in piles of stuff somewhere around here. We wondered if that would make a difference.

If you want really smooth shots spring for a steadicam...no tripod required.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&pn=1&shs=steadicam&sq=desc&Q=&O=&sb=ps

Steadicam
Price : $ 7,999.95
Availability :
Special Order

You mean this one Steve? Yikes!

 

[Diana]

Working in the TV business, I can comment on this.
ZOOM OUT! And STAY ZOMED OUT!!
That is a huge problem with amateur video. A tripod with a good fluid head may help, but you don't have a chance if you zoom way in. Zoom should be used to set the framing, then not touched. Also, disable the digital zoom feature.... they are total garbage and should never, ever, be used.

Ok, I'm printing this one off for my camerman. Thank you!

 

[gismo]

Oh, OK, we're going to have to look around for that tripod buried in piles of stuff somewhere around here. We wondered if that would make a difference.




Steadicam
Price : $ 7,999.95
Availability :
Special Order

You mean this one Steve? Yikes!

Yeah, they're not cheap although I could swear I saw a "consumer model" for around $1k a couple years ago. Optical image stabilization in the camera can do nearly as well by itself.

If you use a tripod for anything but holding the camera completely still during each shot you need a fluid head. A tripod made for stills will not pan steady enough for video.

 

[gibbons]

For the wild side of me I have a racing gokart. It is a Trackmagic 125 shifter.

Ah, a crazy shifter guy. My son is a huge racing fan and got a chance to try shifters at Bondurant during a driving school out there. He loved it. We have a couple of friends who are very successful at enduro kart racing and have won several national titles.

I've never done the kart thing but it sure looks like fun! 0 to 100 to 0 in about 10 seconds - my kind of performance!

 

[Lawreston]

If you use a tripod for anything but holding the camera completely still during each shot you need a fluid head. A tripod made for stills will not pan steady enough for video.

...... and get a HEAVY tripod. If one is bent to use high-power zoom capability y'all need all the stability you can get. Alternately, with a lighter tripod use 1 or more beanbags draped over the lighter tripod's leg braces.

HR

 

[fgcason]

When I shoot video at an airshow I keep one eye on the viewfinder and one eye on the airplane(s) to help get the action in frame.

The secret bit that Steve implied was that when you do it that way, you get two images of the plane in your head while doing that. One visual, one viewfinder (kind of like crossing your eyes) Simply move the camera so both images merge. Track and zoom as desired.

Have Tom go out and practice on birds in your trees. Track the birds when they take off and fly away. It'll do wonders for tracking skills.