July Aerial Demo Reel at DVinfo.net

Tabb Firchau · July 8th, 2009, 11:38 AM

Here is some footage from various recent projects that I have been involved with:

http://www.aerialpan.com/upload/6-9-2009_reel.264.mov

Best,

Tabb Firchau

Andrew Farrell · July 8th, 2009, 09:18 PM

WOW!! Love that shot of the wave! Great video

Ofer Levy · July 9th, 2009, 02:11 AM

Hi Tabb, some of the shots are fantastic and the image quality looks awesome to me. Would you mind to share what RC heli do you use and what camera?
I recently bought a flight simulator as I am keen to be able to do similar stuff in my wildlife documentaries. I realise it take a long time to acquire the skills but I am going to try.
Cheers,
Ofer Levy Photography

Tabb Firchau · July 9th, 2009, 01:48 PM

Thanks guys for the kind words!

Ofer: Helicopter is a maxi joker 2 electric heli from minicopter ® - RC-Helikopter und Zubehör and I am using the copterworks 3 axis gimbal and lower frame conversion from Copterworks > Home. It takes a long time to learn to fly these birds but the process was a lot of fun for me!

Cameras used were: HVX200, EX1, and Canon 5Dmk2

Best,

Tabb

Ofer Levy · July 9th, 2009, 03:24 PM

Thanks Tabb, much appreciated!
Cheers,
Ofer Levy Photography

Matt Abramson · July 10th, 2009, 08:48 AM

Awesome work. Do you have any control over the zoom/focus/etc when it's in air or do you plan it out before it goes up? Really impressive!

Tabb Firchau · July 10th, 2009, 03:21 PM

Thanks Matt!

We have the ability to control zoom/focus but I find in practice we never use it as it is too difficult to make focus decisions over the SD downlink signal. Works better to setup the shot before hand. As for zoom we usually fly prime lenses or lock down the zoom and if needed fly closer to the subject.

Best,

Tabb

Chris Barcellos · July 10th, 2009, 05:28 PM

Very nice stuff, Tabb ! How is the the 5D to fly ?

Tony Davies-Patrick · July 14th, 2009, 02:43 PM

There is some really fab footage in that project, Tab!

Are you also using some kind of IS or Gyro with the rigs?

I would have thought that using the Canon 5D, apart from the advantages of compact and lightweight form, would often prove difficult to use due to the very short amount of footage you can shoot on each flight before needing to bring back the heli rig.

By the way, the Kings of Leon music blends well as a soundtrack with each clip, especially to the seashore fly-overs.

The best aerial footage I've seen lately is the BBC wildlife Planet Earth footage where they follow a swimming polar bear out to sea (that was filmed using a Sony heligimbal gyro-cam with 40X lens, fixed to the nose-cone of a helicopter and controlled by remote operation using a joystick from inside the cab).

Kevin Duffey · July 14th, 2009, 09:39 PM

Wow..that is impressive!! How much does a helicopter fully set up run you? Minus the cost of the camera of course. What cameras can go in it? Do you basically hit record on the camera, shut the case around it and fly? Or is there remote control of the camera from within the air?
It doesn't send the video feed wirelessly back does it?

July 8th, 2009, 11:38 AM	#1
Tabb Firchau New Boot Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 14	July Aerial Demo Reel Here is some footage from various recent projects that I have been involved with: http://www.aerialpan.com/upload/6-9-2009_reel.264.mov Best, Tabb Firchau

July 10th, 2009, 08:48 AM	#6
Matt Abramson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 42	Wow Awesome work. Do you have any control over the zoom/focus/etc when it's in air or do you plan it out before it goes up? Really impressive!

July 10th, 2009, 05:28 PM	#8
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Very nice stuff, Tabb ! How is the the 5D to fly ? __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

July 14th, 2009, 02:43 PM	#9
Tony Davies-Patrick Trustee Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Worldwide Posts: 1,589	There is some really fab footage in that project, Tab! Are you also using some kind of IS or Gyro with the rigs? I would have thought that using the Canon 5D, apart from the advantages of compact and lightweight form, would often prove difficult to use due to the very short amount of footage you can shoot on each flight before needing to bring back the heli rig. By the way, the Kings of Leon music blends well as a soundtrack with each clip, especially to the seashore fly-overs. The best aerial footage I've seen lately is the BBC wildlife Planet Earth footage where they follow a swimming polar bear out to sea (that was filmed using a Sony heligimbal gyro-cam with 40X lens, fixed to the nose-cone of a helicopter and controlled by remote operation using a joystick from inside the cab). __________________ www.WILDCARP.com www.NIKON.me.uk

July 8th, 2009, 09:18 PM	#2
Andrew Farrell Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Penrith, NSW, AUSTRALIA Posts: 41	WOW!! Love that shot of the wave! Great video

July 9th, 2009, 02:11 AM	#3
Ofer Levy Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney-Australia Posts: 443	Hi Tabb, some of the shots are fantastic and the image quality looks awesome to me. Would you mind to share what RC heli do you use and what camera? I recently bought a flight simulator as I am keen to be able to do similar stuff in my wildlife documentaries. I realise it take a long time to acquire the skills but I am going to try. Cheers, Ofer Levy Photography

July 9th, 2009, 01:48 PM	#4
Tabb Firchau New Boot Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 14	Thanks guys for the kind words! Ofer: Helicopter is a maxi joker 2 electric heli from minicopter ® - RC-Helikopter und Zubehör and I am using the copterworks 3 axis gimbal and lower frame conversion from Copterworks > Home. It takes a long time to learn to fly these birds but the process was a lot of fun for me! Cameras used were: HVX200, EX1, and Canon 5Dmk2 Best, Tabb

July 9th, 2009, 03:24 PM	#5
Ofer Levy Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney-Australia Posts: 443	Thanks Tabb, much appreciated! Cheers, Ofer Levy Photography

July 10th, 2009, 03:21 PM	#7
Tabb Firchau New Boot Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 14	Thanks Matt! We have the ability to control zoom/focus but I find in practice we never use it as it is too difficult to make focus decisions over the SD downlink signal. Works better to setup the shot before hand. As for zoom we usually fly prime lenses or lock down the zoom and if needed fly closer to the subject. Best, Tabb

July 14th, 2009, 09:39 PM	#10
Kevin Duffey Major Player Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: California Posts: 206	Wow..that is impressive!! How much does a helicopter fully set up run you? Minus the cost of the camera of course. What cameras can go in it? Do you basically hit record on the camera, shut the case around it and fly? Or is there remote control of the camera from within the air? It doesn't send the video feed wirelessly back does it?