Aerial Shoot - DVX settings?

Timzilla

Timzilla

Member
Hi folks,

I'm shooting an aerial tomorrow with a DVX100a. The last time I did this the results were barely useable...

I've rented a DV MultiRig to absorb some of the vibration coming from the Cessna 180 - the hope is I we can go low and slow enough to get something useable and hopefully beautiful.

I'm either shooting out the window or with door removed (if possible?) and I'll strap myself and camera / rig to the plane for sure.

So my question is:

Any pointers or tips for getting the best shot possible and what settings would you use to minimize strobing and all that junk that is the bane of my existence.

Thanks in advance,

Tim
 
Without a proper stabilization, aka Tyler Mount, you'll need to shoot as wide as possible to keep the shot steady. And a Tyler requires a chopper, not a plane. The more you zoom in, the more the jitter from the small plane will show.
 
It is also my understanding that to get a Tyler mount in the air you have to obtain certifications that the install was to spec and so on.

It isn't nearly as easy as calling up a buddy that owns a plane or something like that.
 
AIR work should be done early in the AM, typically before 7:00AM. You will notice HAZE after 7:00AM on the horizon. Also a Polorizer can control your image quality.
 
I had a 12in long pipe from home depot. On one end i had it threaded to attach a screw for my camera's mount on the other I had a 2 1/2lb weight attached. I then took a bun-gee cord from one side of the door frame, wrapped it around the pipe and then connected the other end to the opposite side of the door. This pretty much took out all of the vibration from the helo. I still had pretty good movement of my camera as well. Good luck
steve
 
NoNoob said:
• Just what I want to hear; some jury-rigged contraption, 2 pound weight on one end, 4 pound camera on the other, hanging outside an aircraft overhead!
(Chicken Little says, "the sky really IS falling!!")

Probably already too late to help the original poster. Tisk.
Oh well.
Click to expand...

:-) Actually in my case it was inside the helicopter. Not ideal but you have to deal with what you got.

and i was over water....
 
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I was in 2 Cessna 206's and 1 Cessna 208 in July. I am not so sure about the 180, but with both the 206 and 208 it was really really bumpy. I found on the 206's that the middle row (first passenger row) was the most stable being in the middle of the plane.
 
Bumpiness is often associated with thermals caused by solar heating so best to fly in the early morning. For handheld shots one or two gyros may help stabilize your shots. Bungees attached to the airframe may help support the weight. There is also an internal mount that uses a pair of gyros. http://www.ken-lab.com/

There is no external mount STC'd camera mount that I'm aware of for a 180. Some pilots in Alaska use an external load permit for mounting cameras externally, not sure if that's a legal option in Canada.
 
I did some aerial work about a year ago, had some soldiers on a battlefield (Civil War Re-Enactment). It was a 4 seater Cesna, this is what I learned.

1) Zooming - Don't go all the way, half is about it for most shots.

2) Direct Pilot to get your side on the same side as the shot you want, eaiser to go through the passenger glass next to you than the front glass.

3) Throttle down, the faster the plane is going, well you get the idea. Expect some shots to be pretty bumpy.

4) Shoot on a turn - when the plane was turning, my shots were easier to get.

5) Keep in mind, space is minimal. It was good for me to sit in the plane and determine the placement for the camera well before take off time.
 
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