New member and Pole Photography

[lefturn99]

Hello, all. I just joined and it looks like I'm a junior member. At my age I'll take that as a compliment.

Last summer I became interested in Kite Aerial Photography (KAP). I found it on the net and was fascinated. I bought a large kite and started practicing. It kept crashing to the ground, so I switched to Pole Aerial Photography (PAP). I built a 30' pole out of five 6' bull float handles screwed together and a cheezy rig for my Canon A80. It used a string to release the shutter. No video downlink, just turn the pole a little and pull the string again and agian. For $130, I think it took some amazing shots.

http://www.racercity.com/members/racerpages/spivey/PoleRig.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/lefturn99/pole_pix
Needless to say, the delete-to-save ratio was quite high.

It was fun but it left me wanting more. Now I have a proper 40' telescoping pole and a G6 on a pan/tilt unit with linked USB cables going to the laptop running Breeze PSR Remote. I've got almost all the parts and should be up and running shortly.

My criteria for the new camera was the nicest camera possible that could use remote capture AND live preview. That meant no dSLR. Most shots will be in daylight (relatively fast shutter to keep pole vibrations from becoming an issue) at wide angle - but not necessarily too wide. It came down to the G6 or Pro1. Some of the reviews dissed the Pro1, although most of those issues have been addressed by the firmware upgrade. Of course,a week after I paid for it the price crashed for both. Oh, well...... I love the G6 so far.

Anyone out there have similar interests? Remote Capture, Aerial (of any kind) photography?

Glad to see ScottK over here. He imparts his great knowledge to the Powershot A forum.

[Ballen Photo]

Anyone out there have similar interests? Remote Capture, Aerial (of any kind) photography?


NOPE! No interest whatsoever. ;)
http://www.fototime.com/25D8A3DD7F906AF/standard.jpg
Just kidding! Welcome to the forum. :D
That's an interesting aparatus you've come up with.
-Bruce (soon to be known as "The Joker" if I keep these sort of stunts up)

[Nabil-A]

I just prefer to jump in a hot air balloon

[Ballen Photo]

I just prefer to jump in a hot air balloon

Now THAT looks like a nice platform to shoot from. ;)
-Bruce

[lefturn99]

That first rig was pretty rinky-dink but I was just trying to figure out if it was viable. The new one will be ALMOST professional.

Want to see something professional?

http://www.elevatedphotos.com/

Be sure to watch the video.

Nice shots, guys. I was thinking of something maybe a LITTLE less aerial:lol:

[lefturn99]

Nabil, that's nice, but it looks just a little hinkey.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Nabil-A]

I just watched that video.... impressive piece of equipment, although the bottom securing bolt (supporting the weight of the pnuematic rod + camera and pole) scares me.

[Ballen Photo]

I just prefer to jump in a hot air balloon

Nabil, Why did you take the photo down? I thought it was pretty cool. :rolleyes:
-Bruce

[Raj]

Nabil, Why did you take the photo down? I thought it was pretty cool. :rolleyes:
-Bruce

Yes, i thoght same, you can probably repost it in "show your face" thread :-)

[Nabil-A]

Okay Okay,

Hinkey> not sure i know what that means...

[lefturn99]

It's very interesting but none of their stuff is propietary. Even their custom software is Breeze's PSR Remote. Notice they cropped the title bar off the top of the screen shot? The tipoff is the little button that says "onion skinning". That is something Chris Breeze put in to help do stop motion animations - clearly nothing to do with aerial remote control.

[lefturn99]

Hey, I thought it was pretty cool too. No offense, you even got the lighting coming from the same direction.

[Nabil-A]

Okay, for all you funny fellows, pic is back

[Ballen Photo]

It's very interesting but none of their stuff is propietary. Even their custom software is Breeze's PSR Remote.

Interesting stuff, but no hint of price? And the shipping from the UK would have to drive the cost way up. A friend in London sent a couple magazines to me a few years back, and if memory serves, it cost well over $10 US. :shock:
-Bruce

[lefturn99]

Interesting stuff, but no hint of price? And the shipping from the UK would have to drive the cost way up. A friend in London sent a couple magazines to me a few years back, and if memory serves, it cost well over $10 US. :shock:
-Bruce

I will have under $800 in it - less camera and laptop. I did save some money on the pole by buying it on eBay. The seller goofed and set the auction to end 45 minutes into the Super Bowl. :lol::lol::lol:

Aside from the mast, the camera, pan/tilt unit, and I think even the linked USB cables will be the same. I'm going to try to get it going this weekend. The holdup is the mount. I want to build it off a receiver hitch on my car but I got rear-ended and the car has been in the body shop a month. :cry:

[lefturn99]

Okay, for all you funny fellows, pic is back

Hey, Nabil - here's my mug shot.

http://www.racercity.com/members/racerpages/spivey/FromThePole.jpg
(http://www.racercity.com/members/racerpages/spivey/FromThePole.jpg)

[zzpza]

i've always fancied having a go at kap, but pap sounds very interesting too. i've done a sort of pap - pole automotive photography. ;) attaching my camera to a custom mount sticking out the front of my car...

:)

j.

[Brentford]

I just watched that video.... impressive piece of equipment, although the bottom securing bolt (supporting the weight of the pnuematic rod + camera and pole) scares me.


Hi new member so probably doing this all wrong . . .

but the pole that Elevated Photos are selling is not manufactured by them, it comes from a long established company called Clark Masts based on the Isle of Whight in England and retails for just £1,200 with the tripod cables and accesories. I know because I bought one . . .

[Jon]

Outdoor Photographer has had acouple of articles (http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/content/2006/mar/custom_photo.shtml) on their "Ultimate Photo Vehicle", which includes a power mast they mount an EOS 1D something onto. First article was in the Dec. 2005 issue.

[piltdog]

This is the setup i bought on ebay a few months ago and i love it all in all i got 6,000 in it with laptop and 5d with all the lenses and stuff
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/Budgetaerialimages/d4de096c.jpg

[sando]

How do you use a 5D with live preview? :)

[Jon]

How do you use a 5D with live preview? :)You can't. Shoot a test frame, then adjust until you have what you want. Or spring for a ZigView add-on finder. Sometimes I really miss the interchangeable finders of the old F-1s; a digital remote viewfinder would be a piece of cake with them!

[juliajothika]

Hai ballen the photographs posted by you are realy superb.Than that of colour photographs the black & white pictures will express the deep feelings.What are you feeling if you see the following Black and white photographs
http://www.pixiport.com/Gallery-C/GC72-13-s.jpg

http://www.pixiport.com/Gallery-C/GC19-01-s.jpg

http://www.pixiport.com/art-photography-1/bogdan-zwir/black-and-white/black-and-white-2-s.jpg

http://www.pixiport.com/art-photography-1/dominic-rouse/black-and-white/surreal-black-and-white-4-s.jpg

[somewhereinusa]

Jon,
I just found this forum, and this looks like something I can get into.
I am working on remote view using a wireless spycam to look through the
viewfinder of my 1d and 10D. Everything is battery powered and works quite well. Just working out some of the kinks. It would work well on your 5D.

[lefturn99]

Great, let us know how it works and post some pictures.

[Photolistic]

If anyone is interested I have a pole camera system for sale for $2000. This includes a remote to pan and tilt the camera. Goes up 40'

[lefturn99]

Describe it please. Any pictures?

[Photolistic]

Comes with

8' to 40' pole (Fits in a small car) that weighs less than 15 pounds

Car pole mount that goes under your tire

camera mount with pan and tilt that will fit any size still and most video cameras comes with hitec HS-325HB for geared pan and hitec HS-81 for geared tilt.

Down-link with RCA wires (200mw)

5.6" LCD screen that operates of batteries

Hitec 7CH receiver (- and + shift)

2 4 cell receiver packs to run gears and DL

Mini antenna



All is brand new and has been used once (accept the 4 cell packs)



http://f10.putfile.com/main/7/20501164173.jpg
http://f10.putfile.com/main/7/20501165734.jpg
http://www.askmanap.com/photos/polecam7.jpg