I've built a few rigs over the last few months, and I got tired of swapping my 501PL plates around. Frustrated, today I decided to grab a few more spares so I don't need to rotate them (and I always seem to lose them). Here's a listing for generic 501PL plates for just $9 dollars + FREE SHIPPING in case you guys need some.
dslr video
DJI X5 Camera Gimbal In Stock
So many people have already received the new DJI Osmo, and it has been getting really positive results. A breeze to use out of the box, but with GoPro HERO4 4K cameras mounted to a gimbal, it's too close to be considered a real game changer. But if you were to attach the new DJI X5 4K Mirrorless M43 camera on the OSMO handle, that combination is easily considered a game changer in small handheld stabilizers.
If you're an existing DJI Inspire1 owner, the X5 4K Camera gimbal is a the next obvious upgrade for better aerial footage without having to buy an entirely new Quadcopter. And when paired with the OSMO handle, you should have a killer set of tools to capture smooth professional quality 4K Video footage. The X5 camera is in stock now via B&H (here).
BUILD A DIY GIMBAL SUPPORT STABILIZER FOR UNDER $100
If you've ever had a chance to work with a medium to large size Gimbal Stabilizer, you'll know how difficult it could be shooting for more than a few minutes holding the camera at eye level. About one year ago, I presented a basic idea for a DIY Gimbal Support Backpack (read my article here) that could help operators carry the heavy load more comfortably.
Over the past year, there have been many iterations of this idea, and here's the latest (most detailed) build from Rik at RunPlayBack.com. There's so much information presented in the video and in the written article, that I recommend visiting the link for a step by step build process: https://runplayback.com/build-a-diy-gimbal-support-stabilizer-for-under-100.
Runplayback.com - DIY Gimbal Stabilizer Support BackPack
DJI Inspire 1 Case (or Ronin-M case) Backpack Adapter
With the popularity of drones, we're finding many projects are planned heavily around the use of aerial footage. So as a fail safe, we find it's a good idea to always bring a backup drone with extra batteries, extra remotes, and props, otherwise the entire project could be scrapped.
Our go to system these days is the DJI Inspire 1 4K Quadcopters, that comes with an excellent lightweight ABS case, but carrying it around on long hikes can be a pain - especially if you have to carry other equipment as well. Investing in a different case means more money, and most hard cases add-on an aditional 6 lbs. I really love the DJI Inspire1 lightweight ABS Case, but just needed a better way to transport them.
I decided to pick up two of these DJI Inspire1 Case BackPack Adapters. Four straps wrap around the standard case, and buckle in the center. The straps can be adjusted and holds the system very tight. There are a few extra pockets around the backpack to hold small items, and water bottle holders on each side. A waist and chest support strap also distribute the weight so it's very comfortable.
DJI Inspire 1 Backpack Adapter
At first glance it looks a bit odd, but ask any Inspire 1 owner to try it out, and they'll be sold at how practical it is. And for DJI Ronin-M owners, don't forget the new ABS Ronin-M Hard Shell Case which looks very similar to the Inspire 1 case. This backpack adapter could work just as well when you have to travel with your gimbal.
Azden Pro-XD 2.4 GHz Wireless Lavalier Microphone System just $199
The PRO-XD is Azden's first 2.4GHz digital wireless lavalier microphone system available at just under $200 USD. The lightweight compact kit uses rechargeable batteries that can be charged over USB with a run time of up to 11 hours.
The Pro-XD kit is designed to work directly with cameras and comes with additional cables to be used with Smart Devices that require a TRRS connection (phones, tablets, computers). A great affordable tool for those looking to capture better audio on popular services such as Meerkat or Periscope when live streaming video from smartphones.
The transmitter accepts either line-in or mic input, and has the option of transmitting both simultaneously. A single transmitter can also be synced to multiple receivers, which is a great option for sending audio to multiple cameras for multi-angle shoots. The receiver also offers a headphone output for monitoring audio which is helpful when using some cameras that don't offer a headphone out (such as Canon 6D
The audio is will not be as high quality as systems that costs several hundred dollars more, but for just $199 the Pro-XD Wireless Lav Mic system sounds better than trying to work with the in-camera microphone, and is far more convenient than trying to sync audio in post.
With the growing number of people working with smaller point-shoot systems or smartphones for video, I see this a great wireless kit option to consider. The ability to sync to multiple receivers means you can even shoot Multi-Cam angle interviews when covering events with clear audio using just iPhones.
The Pro-XD is available now and you can see more specs over at the product page at B&H (found here).
Azden Pro-XD 2.4 GHz Wireless Lavalier Microphone System
Varavon Grand Opening New Website Sale up to 50% OFF
Varavon has recently re-designed their entire website, and for the new launch they are offering up to 50% OFF select products. I'm sure a lot of you have cut over to some of the new Sony cameras, so it's probably a good time to take a look at their Sony A7 series external battery options so that you can run at least 6x longer. They also just released the Zeus Cage for the new Sony A7RII/A7sII cameras. Varavon is also a popular brand for Video Sliders (also motorized sliders), DLSR cages, and rigs so take a look before the sale ends.
Weird 60p HDMI Output on Sony A7sII and Sony A7rII to BlackMagic Video Assist Recorder Monitor
Someone commented earlier about a problem with the BlackMagic Video Assist Recorder/Monitor stuck capturing only 1080/60p. This is actually a problem I ran into a while ago even on the Atomos Shogun
Even if you set your HDMI output to 1080/24, it will only output 60p 'if' you have your camera recording set to 4K/24. In order to fix (more like workaround) this issue, you have to change your camera recording to 1080/24, and then your HDMI will output properly.
It's annoying, but not a big deal if you know how to work around the issue. So I just wanted to clarify that the issue is not with the BlackMagic Video Assist Monitor.
The monitor has been great over the last few days, and i'm excited to use it more but my SDXC cards aren't fast enough. I'm getting dropped frames when recording 60p footage. Anyone have suggestions on what you're using for 60p footage?
DIY Prototype for 4th Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
Just an idea we threw together for a 4th Axis stabilizer that could dampen the 'Up/Down' movement from a gimbal when walking. Using 3D printed parts, the oil filled coil over shocks dampen both up and down movements. An inverted gimbal sits above the cheese plate and the operator holds the stabilizer using the outside handles.
The current setup with spring rating and oil viscosity currently can dampen around 5lbs. This can be changed by using different springs, adding spring clips, and or changing oil viscosity in the shocks. If you look very carefully, the design inspiration comes from a double wishbone-like upper and lower control arms found on sports cars (in this case large scale RC cars).
Some of you who follow know that i've been mounting my GoPro on one of my RC Cars, and I was truly surprised at how much movement could be dampened from this type of suspension.
It's already been proven that this type of suspension works to dampen movement even with large gimbals, as it's already in use with RC Gimbal Cars such as the FreeFly Tero RC Gimbal Car. We basically took the same idea and designed it into a handheld system.
Just for fun we wanted to see this idea in action, so we 3D printed all the parts and made this little prototype. In two days we went from sketch to prototype. We'll keep experimenting with this idea trying to tweak it and make a final metal version, but it would be interesting to see if this simple design is evolved by other people or companies in the near future.
Sony A7s II Extreme High ISO Tests 20,000 – 409,600
We recently shot for a few days with the new Sony A7s II camera in SLOG3, and although we already knew it was a top performer in low light situations, we didn't need to go past ISO 3200. But just in case, I wanted to run my own personal tests to see how far this new camera can be pushed.
WARNING: This next video is boring, nothing scientific. I also looped the video 4 times (basically same video) but seen in 4 different ways. It was something I was doing for myself, but thought I would just share it anyways.
The video was shot in 1080/24p and recorded via HDMI to the BlackMagic Video Assist Recorder
I ran the footage through Davinci Resolve using the built in Sony SLOG3 to 709 LUT, applied noise reduction, sharpened it back, and then purposely overly saturated the image. Normally I wouldn't push the saturation this much, but I wanted to see how much color info could be recovered. The footage was shot in near darkness so it was surprising to see any color come back at all.
So anyways, nothing scientific or fancy. This was just a personal test to see how comfortable I would be in using these extreme ISO settings on projects if I really had to, and just how well they may hold up with some post processing. I really don't see myself going past ISO 6400, but it's pretty amazing to see even ISO 128,000 still hanging in there.
I'm seeing more and more people scooping this camera up right now, with all the confirmations about just how good it is. While out of stock in most big retailers, there's still about a dozen left via Amazon. (click here).
Sony A7s II 4K Video Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera
I've already sold my original Sony A7s. Besides 4K internal recording, better Slow Motion, and a more manageable SLOG3 profile, it was worth the upgrade. If you're an existing A7s owner, check out this article on a few reasons why you may want to upgrade (read article).