AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY ADVICE

• 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.

• 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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