What if you could mount a Canon 5D Mark II, 7D or T2i on an aerial platform to shoot unique above ground POV shots?

You can!

DJ Vegh has mastered the use of radio controlled electric-powered helicopters as an aerial platform for photography and video. If you take a look at some of DJ demo videos on Vimeo and his websites, you will be amazed by what can be accomplished with these aerial platforms. DJ is an accomplished photographer, videographer and post-production editor. He also holds a fixed-wing pilot license. With over ten years of experience in aerial video and still photography, it was only natural that he would make good use of his practical mechanical design and aviation experience to concoct an amazing platform for shooting HD and HD DSLR video. His aerial platform was recently used to shoot aerial scenes for Discovery channel's popular TV show Mythbusters.

DJ talks about how he developed the PhotoShipOne system. What does it take to learn how to fly these RC copters? How long does it take to learn? How do you setup the camera for taking video? What lens is best? How do you achieve smooth fluid motion? How do you line and monitor the shot in-flight? How do you determine proper exposure? Who are using these platforms today? DJ talks about future plans for new "ships" that are much easier to fly, and the development of an iPad app to help a camera operator control the camera while it is in flight. This episode will appeal to the uber-geek in any video DSLR shooter.

DJ Vegh at work on location with Mythbusters' hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman (photo from Emmy magazine) 

Get Your Audio Bits Here:

Download (iTunes AAC): Digital Convergence Episode 22 - iTunes/AAC

Download (MP3 version): Digital Convergence Episode 22 - MP3 

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Links from the podcast:

DJ Vegh's PhotoShipOne company on the web: http://www.photoshipone.com/

DJ Vegh's AZChopperCam aerial photography company on the web: http://www.azchoppercam.com/

DJ Vegh on Twitter: http://twitter.com/PhotoshipOne

PhotoShip One HALO Helicopter with Helicommand Profi/GPS from PhotoShip One on Vimeo.

Shot some video from a HALO today equipped with Profi/GPS and our Panasonic HMC150 camera. Near the end we place the HALO in position and altitude hold and shoot the helicopter from the ground as well as show the in flight footage. The in flight hold footage is amazing. The HALO never translates more than 1 meter in any direction. Rock solid hold.

The HALO as configured for flight with HMC150, 10s5500 battery, Profi/GPS is 18.6 lb. Main rotorhead speed about 1100rpm. Xera 4035 motor on 10s5500. Ultra stable platform.

We'll be testing the HMC150 in the Meridian II 3 axis very soon.

ABC's "Wipeout" TV show - Aerial Clip 2 from PhotoShip One on Vimeo.

Some aerial video we shot for the show on ABC, "Wipeout".

Prescott Nat'l Forest - Panasonic LX3 video test from PhotoShip One on Vimeo.

HD video test with the Panasonic DMC-LX3 digital camera. Shot using PhotoShip One 2 axis camera gimbal mounted to a Mikado Logo helicopter.

HexaKopter - First Test Flight from PhotoShip One on Vimeo.

First test flight with our HexaKopter and 2 axis camera mount. The camera stabilization was not active yet but we did run the footage though SmoothCam with a setting of 0.7.

Falcon/Halo from PhotoShip One on Vimeo.

Some ground footage of the Falcon/Halo in flight

The following video is by a customer of DJ Vegh who has shot some amazing video with his PhotoShipOne products.

Aerial video with a Canon 5D , 7D helivideo.com from Eric AUSTIN on Vimeo.

I shoot low altitude HD video anywhere in the world...If you have a project that needs HD aerials, contact me.

Featuring Canon 5D or 7D DSLR's shooting 1920x1080 30p