af100 for aerial shooting on heli

S

Stelvium

Well-known member
Hi guys,

do you guys have experience with helicopter shooting with the AF100 on helicopter?
Any suggestion? iìll be using a shoulder rig, no gyro unfortunately.....
On other flights i've used the fx1 and...was easyer. My shots were wide and i had the chance to stabilyze in post. Thinking to bring a foam to tie to my legs to let rest the elbows. I should fly a small r44
I'm on doubt if shot the images with the Tamron 28-75 or Nikon 10-24. What would you guys suggest considering the crop factor?
Many thanks guys
 
I have shot from heli's but now with the AF100 but I am no expert Others on this forum have used an AF and one guy in particular posted his video showing some pretty impressive results.
Do you have access to the Panasonic lumix 14-140 lens. Its built in stabiliser may help iron out some vibrations.

from what I have read some people use bungie cords to suspect the camera and help iron out vibration or indeed set the camera on your knees or a large cushion affair.
When I shoot using my old quad copter and a GoPro I set the camera to 60fps it helps give a smoother video.
Re the shoulder rig, I should image that to be awkward given the confines of a R44, once I was up in an R44 doing my Video journalism bit with a news camera guy in the back with a Betacam (SX200 I think).
My VJ issue HDV Sony Z1 with image stabiliser on provided superior footage to that of my colleagues, I'm not sure how he held his Betacam but I held my camera at stomach level using my arms to help damp out the vibrations and yes keep it wide.
My stuff was used for the news.

If you have time please experiment, i.e. different frame rates 30 or 60 etc stabilisation on/off if you can get the lumix lens and post the vids.
 
Vultch first of all thanks!
i have the 7-14 panasonic; would you suggest it? I think it's too wide... Don't you think? Positive things i could control the iris and shutter manually!don't you remeber the guy Who you are talking about?
 
Hi Stelvium

Sadly no, the panasonic 7-14 is a great lens (I have one) but it does not have the stabilisation system known as OIS (optical image stab).
On the 14-140 lens with OIS there is a large switch on the lens barrel to toggle it on or off.

There are so many variables vibration wise in a heli, I did a few tests with a Sony Z1 when we were flying to the scene of a story, as you might expect despite the system being optimised for hand held vibration and not that of a chopper "stabilisation on" makes a noticeable difference.

I do remember know i did shoot from a heli with the AF100, it was hand held and wide, I overcranked the camera to 50fps and the results were quite acceptable.

Without knowing what your shooting i would suggest if you can do film it twice do so with slightly different settings, i.e. if its a landscape get the pilot to fly around twice shoot once normally and then quickly switch on overcranking and shoot it again. But I appreciate this may not be possible.
If time permits perhaps you could also play with the shutter speed, a slightly faster speed 100th/sec or 200 th sec might eliminate any blur due to vibration but the look of the video will be slightly different.

Try to isolate the camera from the helicopter frame, I used my arms holding the camera away from me to try to dampen the vibrations, others have used bungie cords or a large padded cushion on your knee's
Don't forget a safety cord, should the unthinkable happen and you drop the camera a little rope tied to the heli and the top handle of the camera is piece of mind.

I can't remember the post I refered to, a chap in the UK flying over mountain roads in Yorkshire I think for a caravan commercial, his stuff looked good.

lots of good advice here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...o-or-no-Which-lens&highlight=af100+helicopter
 
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TThank you so Much. My doubt is: using the FX1 would record a lot less of resolution....
Talking about the pillow tecnique: is it useful to make the elbows rest or just to Lay the camera on?
 
Stelvium said:
TThank you so Much. My doubt is: using the FX1 would record a lot less of resolution....
Talking about the pillow tecnique: is it useful to make the elbows rest or just to Lay the camera on?
Click to expand...

If thats the Sony FX1 yes your correct it is HDV and thus less "real" definition but it does have an optical stabiliser.

See if you can borrow/hire/buy second hand an Lumix 14-140 lens. The pillow technique, I think you will find what suits you when your up.
 
Hallo Vultch...no unfortunately i can't borrow rent 14 -140 lens :(
Bringing the FX1 instead of Af makes me feel unconfortable as nowaday it's Archeology but.....as you say has the optical stabilizer...
 
My gut feeling would be to shoot with the AF100, set the shutter speed to 100th sec and shoot with over cranking "ON".

Have you played with over cranking? If not I suggest you do to get a feel for the look of the slow motion video.

Keep the shots wide, perhaps in post production you may be able to apply some stabilisation if needed, you find your own camera hold position thats comfortable and dampens out any bouncing around.

With overcranking there is no audio so strip off your mics, keep everything as small, I assume your flying with the heli doors off, if you lean out into the slipstream you'll get a lot of buffeting so stay inside.
Bring a coat, it can get chilly.
 
Ok Vutch so my last doubts:

keep the AF with the optics even if not stabilyzed ones? No prob for the audio.....i don't need it
So what lens should i mount? Nnikon 10-24 or Tamron 28-75? i'm excluding the Pana 7-14
Never tryed overcrank on! Tomorrow i'll test it! Somebody suggested me to go with 17500 th shutter speed, what do you think about that shutter speed and overcrank?
Thank you buddy
 
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I would go with the Nikon, the zoom with the Tamron will be useless with the amount of shake and vibration.
Overcranking increases the recording frame rate and on playback (at normal frame rates) gives a very smooth dreamy look. But it really smooths out vibration as would increasing the shutter speed.

17500th sec, i don't think the AF100 can go to that.

Do some tests to see for your self.
My suggestion go into the menus increase the frame rate (overcranking) and set the shutter angle (speed) to 180 degrees.
But if you are doing some slowmo or smoothing/stabilisation in post production set the shutter speed to anything from 100th sec to 2500th sec, it helps the software.

Perhaps its best to play safe and shoot overcranked with a 180 degree shutter, too fast a shutter speed could perhaps give a strange look and ruin you footage, I can only offer advice Stelvum I don't want to steer you wrong.

What are you filming?
 
I meant 1/500 th:) sorry for typing.
i'm filming landacapes and costs from above.... No sports just nature!
thank you for your advice
 
Question:
where is the overcrank function?
sorry for asking but i don t have the camera with me.... Never used that function
 
Its called VFR variable frame rate, once you switch it on you have no audio.

In the menu settings - select a scene file - scroil down until you hit VFR mode - switch it on
Then jump back in the scene file menu - just below VFR mode on menu item you'll find - frame rate, crank it up as required.
 
Thx a lot but, isn't there a button VFR that increase even the red borders for the focus? I remember this next to the audio buttons....
i don 't have the camera with me now
 
I suspect a user defined button has been assigned to peaking - focus assist, as soon as you press it a red border appears.

I don't think 'VFR On' can be assigned to a user defined button.
 
Ah...I think VFR mode is only allowed on progressive...if you have the camera in interlaced its a no go.

In your scene file settings... progressive or interlaced.
 
Hallo guys,

i did the flight. For the first time i flyed reverse with the seat next to the pilot mounted trough the back.....I shot the footage with the tamron as the nikon was too wide and part of the door were inside the frame. I tryed to stabilyze with a pillow under the elbows. I shot with 1/500 th in 25p but i couldn't set the overcrank on. I have a question:
Would be a good choice to bring the D5200 in the next flight with the stabilyzed optics by nikon? Wanted to see the differences from the Pana but i was scared of issues (moire, rolling shutter)during the lateral shots from Heli with Nikon D5200 (mounted on a shoulder mount).
thank you guys
 
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