Aerial shoot with hpx-300, anybody done?

R

retohalme

Member
Preparing for an aerial shoot with 301, using a small plane type Cesnna or piper, maybe smaller special plane, but without anything special for shooting purposes.
Going to use 720p50/60.
There is going to be enough light, wonder if faster shutter speed is for good or bad.
Subject matter is a city, flight height lowest premitted, sometimes even below that.
Wonder if anybody has done similiar with 300 and if there is something specific to say about it. Going to shoot hand held so that the camera is not touching the frame of the plane but my body.
 
I have shot aerials from a small plane like
the one you are describing and a helicopter. Both
situations I shot off the shoulder and the camera
performed well no skew at all. I shot 720 50p
so 1080p might be a different story. I tried
with the camera on a cinesaddle but that seemed
to transfer vibration, off the shoulder was best.
Actually I shot a bit wider than normal and
applied smoothcam in fcp and the end result
looked like I had used a gyro mount.

The 300 is fine for aerial work in 720p
 
ryaninoz said:
I have shot aerials from a small plane like
the one you are describing and a helicopter. Both
situations I shot off the shoulder and the camera
performed well no skew at all. I shot 720 50p
so 1080p might be a different story. I tried
with the camera on a cinesaddle but that seemed
to transfer vibration, off the shoulder was best.
Actually I shot a bit wider than normal and
applied smoothcam in fcp and the end result
looked like I had used a gyro mount.

The 300 is fine for aerial work in 720p
Click to expand...
Must be doing something wrong, I have used the cinesaddle on planes, helicopters, motorcycles, boats, etc. for over 20 years and it always worked perfectly getting rid of vibration.
 
If you are going for fast pans, better go with higher shutter speed. If not, motion blur is a problem. I got quite a bit of problem with a shoot in 720p50 without changing the default shutter speed. And of cos skewing comes with fast pans for hpx300.
 
I own a cinesaddle and I love it as a tripod
in tight spots or for low angle shots but I found
that the vibration particularly in choppers
gets transfered. I've used the cinesaddle on
motorbikes and had the same experience. I tend to
shoot aerials as wide as possible. A lot of people
have suggested this camera is no good for aerials
and I can honestly say that is not the case.

The only time I notice skew is in the kind of movements
ie repos that I would never use anyway. In 720p
skew is a non issue for me.
 
Is it possible that you have the mounting kit or some other item inside the pouch WHEN SHOOTING? Other than that I cannot understand why you are not getting vibration free shots.
 
All good advice above but...The challenge is not using the 301 for a plane shot, the problem is using a plane. I've taught many young shooters aerials so here's my two cents:

Ask what model of plane and look it up online. If the wing is high you may have a problem of getting the strut out of your shot. If the wing is low then you need the pilot to bank in order to get the shot. Figure out how wide the window slides open and if it's not enough ask if the door can be taken off. If they agree ask the pilot if he has ever flown with the door off since it changes dynamics and the plane may "crab". If you can shoot with the door off use an elastic bungie cord, not the thick black kind, the round kind, and fasten it to the top of the door frame and through your camera's top handle and then just use your hands to "guide" the camera. I also do that with helicopters and it looks really smooth. A small monitor on your lap may be better than trying to keep your eye to the viewfinder, using the swing out viewfinder will be affected by the jetstream.

If you do get the door removed put gaffer tape around the seat belt release so you don't inadvertently open it but leave a tab so you can escape quickly. Have a snug baseball cap so you can keep the sun out of your eyes. Tape the PTT (press to talk) switch in the open position so you can keep both hands on the camera but the pilot has to put up with wind noise from your headset mic.

If possible talk them into a helicopter which may be just another $200-$300 for the hour. Or at least go to the airport the day before and check out the plane, and while you're there ask if there's any reasonably priced helicopters. Learn which way the prevailing wind is going and ask the pilot which direction your flight will be the smoothest, which direction is the bumpiest and figure out if the shot is even doable before take off. Ask the pilot what altitude is the smoothest, it may not jive with what the client requests. I have gone up in planes and returned without a shot, that's why I prefer helicopters. Don't shoot against the sun because of haze, which is hard to see at ground level but 800 feet up it suddenly looks very dusty. Keep a protective UV Haze filter on because the prop wash will sand blast your lens with runway dirt.

Remove the on camera mic, sunshade, really tighten the viewfinder. If you do talk them into taking the door off (dress warm) have a safety rope on the handle. Ear plugs.

The reason I no longer accept small plane shots, unless we're in the middle of nowhere and they need wide shots, as in a mountain range or skyline, is that the clients tend to want something smaller like a shopping center. This means the plane is LOW and doing very slow, lazy circles. The plane is brought close to what's called stalling speed. That's no big deal IF the plane stalls and you're way up there. But it is a really really big deal if you are above a developed environment and it stalls at 1000 feet. So find out who the pilot is and if they're freelance in a rental plane or is he a REAL pilot in a privately owned, pampered plane. I have often had to go up in the local aviation school's rental plane which is akin to a trail horse. Go with someone older, preferably an instructor (grey sideburns), who knows how to instantly handle a stall. When I was a young DP the pilots were all fresh from Vietnam so I never had to worry. Nowadays you do. Student pilots have to get certification hours and you don't want them doing it on your aerial shoot, especially if you have a family.

If a client is asking you to go up in a small rental plane, or home made, low and slow, with a young pilot, you have the responsibility to your family to ask a lot of questions. Planes aren't ideal going slow and low. that's why God made helicopters. I have more tips if you need to PM me. Good luck! And don't drink coffee that morning...
 
Result was good

Result was good

So there was no problem with the footage: 720p50, avc intra50.
I held the camera on lap, halfway out of the plane, flight speed 60mph, holding of front rails, as the wind was strong. Door of plane taken off.
Full to halfway wide angle great, tighter zooms get shaky, but more cause of the plane shake in wind, then camera problem.
 
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