AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY ADVICE
View of cranberry bogs Wareham, Ma.
The following advice pertains to aerial photography using camcorders
CHOOSING A CAMCORDER
- If you are in the market for a new camcorder to use for aerial photography,
the following features are recommended.
- Buy a camcorder with a wired remote control for the basic camera functions
such as on-off, zoom control , etc. An infrared remote control won't do you much
good because most only work when you are facing the front of the camcorder.
- A remote monitor is recommended if you desire to accurately track your
intended video targets.
- It is important to find a camcorder with audio and video patch cord
outlets if you plan on utilizing a remotely mounted monitor.
- Due to the vibrations from your aircraft and buffeting from the wind it is
very helpful to buy a camcorder with image stabilization.
CAMCORDER HELPFUL HINTS
- These hints are universally helpful, but are of particular benefit when
used in combination with Sky Eye. They are listed here with the permission of
Bill Catalina, one of our early customers.
- Bill Catalina has produced several aerial videos. Maybe you have seen his
tapes advertized in the video section of ULTRALIGHT FLYING MAGAZINE. One is
named "LETS FLY FLOATS" and another is called "INSTRUCTORS
VIEWPOINT".
- The first hint for successful videography is to use the widest angle lens
setting on your camcorder. This will dampen vibration visual effects noticeably.
The vibrations are still there but the wider view area hides their existence.
- Most consumer camcorders have 8mm as their widest angle setting. This is
not wide enough! Raynox and Azden sell wide angle adaptors for most video
cameras. These go down to 0.5x. My 3.5mm lens picks up 3/4 of my Maxair from 7
ft. away! Snap-on ones are available for those of you without lens threads.
These wide angle lens adaptors range in price from $79.95 to $109.95 retail.
They can be purchased cheaper at video mail order houses. Check camcorder or
videomaker magazines.
- Be sure to tape with electrical tape any adaptors of external equipment.
Wind and vibration can cause the lens to fly off, come unscrewed, come out of
adjustment, etc. After focusing, turn off your video or still camera's auto
focus devices and tape the focus ring with electrical tape. This will keep it
from moving out of adjustment. Setting auto focus to "off" keeps your
camera from "hunt focusing". That is, constantly trying to find the
best focus. Some cameras are worse than others. This can be very annoying as the
image moves in and out of focus just slightly. An example of this effect is when
as you are panning your camera and the camera tries to focus on guy wires or
struts in the foreground as they come in front of the camera.
- Don't taxi or fly in dirt, dust or smoke. This can play havoc with your
sensitive video heads. Consider taping up the gaps in the cassette bin. Wind
entering here can cause tape fluttering and slippage. These produce tracking
errors, those annoying white streaks on the top and bottom of your television
screen.
- Remember, a video and audio head write a signal only a micron wide. It
doesn't take much abuse in a flight environment to produce tracking errors and
the resulting disrupted signal.
- Try using 1/500 shutter speed if your camcorder is capable. This will
produce a slightly sharper image and reduce the blurring effect of vibration.
Remember, you'll have to open your iris to compensate for the shorter exposure
time on your camcorder's CCD chip.
- Finally , try mounting the camera in a turbulence free area such as the
front of the wing. Consider a mounting pole and cable bracing. The video "LETS
FLY FLOATS" vividly demonstrates what cable bracing can do for stable
mounting of a video camera.
- Safety concerns: Keep all mountings and cable bracing away from any control
surfaces and moving parts. A test flight on a long grass runway would be an
ideal test area. Do two or three crow hops and check your equipment after each
short flight. If satisfied, do a pattern flight. Remember, the further out on a
wing the camera is mounted, the more the correctional control which will be
needed. Expect this. A small safety cable of rope can save you a lot of money if
the whole setup decides to part company with your aircraft!
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