dslr video

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One of the biggest complaint on Sony A7 (A7s/A7rII,etc) camera bodies is placement of the Video Start/Stop Button. Even though on the new Sony A7RII (and Sony A7sII) the Video Button can be reprogrammed, it's still in a very inconvenient place. Especially if you're working with a gimbal stabilizer, or shoulder rig. To solve this problem, you can add one of these Remotes. Here's a short video about the Fotga Remote for Sony Cameras (found here).

This Fotga Remote will not only make your life a lot easier, but make you more efficient. Being able to Start and Stop video means that each video clip will have a perfect beginning and end, so you don't have to trim out those unwanted sections in post. It means keeping your hands on your shoulder rig or on your Gimbal Stabilizer so you don't get off balance. You can also mount the remote to the handle of your Video Tripod!
fotga remote sony a7rii a7s a7sII video

There is both a 1/4-20 thread in the remote as well as an area for elastic strap, giving you endless mounting options.
fotga start video remote sony a7s a7sii a7rii

It plugs directly into your Sony's multi-port (usb), so no worries about IR or line of sight issues. If you're using a Shogun recorder with your Sony camera, you can even configure your camera to auto trigger recording on the Atomos Shogun. One more thing I failed to mention in the video, there's also an ON/BUTTON Slider on the side of the remote. It works perfectly with my Sony A7RII and kicks the camera on/off instantly with no lag! Perfect addition for conserving battery power and keeping the camera from overheating without taking your hands off a gimbal or shoulder rig.
fotga on off sony a7 a7s a7rII remote

The Fotga remote is half the price of the OEM Sony version (seen here), but works just as well and build quality is excellent - a must have for any Sony A7 shooter.

Fotga Remote for Sony A7sII A7RII A7s A7 camera bodies start stop video cheesycam
VIEW-ITEM Fotga Start Stop Video Shutter Remote Sony A7sII A7RII RX10MKII


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CAME-TV today has listed another new gimbal on their website today. At first glance it looks like many GoPro HandHeld Gimbals on the market today, but this version is far more advanced. This new gimbal features 'Encoder' technology much like what is found in the high end FreeFly MOVI, DJI Ronin, or in the popular CAME-SINGLE gimbals.

gopro-gimbal-enocder

When Encoders are used, gimbals are several times more stable, motors are tracked more accurately, and battery life is several times more efficient. On this GoPro gimbal, you might expect to get up to 6 hours of battery life between charges.

came-gimbal gopro 3 axis

Many small GoPro gimbals run their own software which means you can't modify or tune the settings. I'm not sure if 'tweaking' will be encouraged by CAME-TV, but this new Gopro gimbal operates on the latest 32 bit SBGC. So someone like me can easily customize profiles, service modes, etc.

The new 3 Axis GoPro Gimbal with Encoders is available now over at the CAME-TV website.

came-tv action came-action gimbal encoders
VIEW-ITEM CAME-TV GoPro 3-Axis Gimbal with Encoders

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Rokinon is offering up some major discounts on their new XEEN Cinema Prime lenses. (I myself already have a set and sold off a bunch of my expensive Canon L lenses). These lenses have had a lot of press and lots of interest with an amazing $2495 price tag - almost half the cost of other Cine Primes.

But In order to entice more 'early adopters', Rokinon has slashed -$300 OFF retail price (Now Just $2195 Each) for a limited time right now. These deals end officially on September 24th, 2015. I've seen a lot of people contemplating the purchase, and maybe this offer could finally set them in motion.

Rokinon Samyang Xeen 24mm Cine LensRokinon Samyang Xeen 50mm Cine LensRokinon Samyang Xeen 85mm Cine Lens
find-price-button Rokinon XEEN Cinema Prime Lenses 24mm T1.5 | 50mm T1.5 | 85mm T1.5

But wait, there's more. You can save an extra -$1500 OFF the entire 3pc bundle over on eBay (found here).

Rokinon XEEN Cinema Lenses
find-price-button Rokinon XEEN 3pc Cinema Lens Bundle - via eBay

This same $1500 OFF XEEN Bundle Deal Discount can also be found via Adorama (found here).
rokinon xeen bundle deal discount
find-price-button Rokinon XEEN 3pc Cinema Lens Bundle - via Adorama

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Today retailers have opened up official pre-orders for the new Sony A7sII Camera. This camera is more than a mere upgrade from the previous A7s now with 4K internal recording, new SLOG3 profile, 120FPS 1080p, better ISO in low light, and 5-Axis In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) - just to name a few. For still photographers, it will also have 14 bit RAW. I'm pretty sure this camera will be a tough one to get your hands on after it sells out.

Sony A7s II A7sII Mark II
VIEW-ITEM Sony A7s II Full Frame Mirrorless 4K SLOG3 - via B&H Photo Video

Sony A7s II A7sII Mark II
VIEW-ITEM Sony A7s II Full Frame Mirrorless 4K SLOG3 - via Adorama

- 12.2MP Full-Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor
- Internal UHD 4K30 & 1080p120 Recording
- S-Log3 Gamma and Display Assist Function
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- 0.5" 2.36m-Dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF
- 3.0" 1,228,800-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
- Up to 5 fps Shooting and ISO 409600
- Fast Intelligent AF, 169 AF Points
- Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC

In related news, if you're looking for a Cage system for the new Sony A7sII, the brand new Varavon Zeus Cage has been confirmed to fit perfectly and was displayed at IBC 2015.
varavon zeus cage with a7s IIzeus a7sII cage varavon ibc
sony a7s II camera cage video varavon ibc show
Find the Varavon Zeus Cage for Sony A7sII (here).
varavon video cage sony a7RII sony a7s IIvaravon zeus cage a7sII
VIEW-ITEM Varavon Zeus Cage for Sony A7RII and Sony A7sII

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Panasonic recently announced they will have a firmware update with a new VLog-L Profile for the Panasonic GH4. I loaded up a 'sample' of this for a test drive. Unfortunately it was slightly overcast on the day I went out. so I did not get to simulate many high contrast scenes, but I did what I could trying to shoot random scenes that shared both bright and dark areas.

The 'sample' VLOG-L that was installed is not the official release, so there seems to be some bugs. Especially problems with the histogram meter, so it was very hard to gauge how to properly expose. In any case here's a few samples of my first day out with the new VLOG-L on the GH4 + 12-35mm.

The base ISO for VLog-L is ISO 400. So outdoors on a bright day, you'll need to either stop down the aperture, crank up your shutter speed, or carry around an ND Filter. To make life easier I used the XUME Magnetic Filter Adapters paired with a set of Tiffen Static ND Filters.

I only had a few hours of practice, but from what I can tell, it might be good to keep your ISO under 1600 whenever possible. To add some color and contrast back to the VLOG-L footage, I started by applying the Varicam 35 LUT and then fine tuning the exposure from there. You can download the Panasonic Varicam LUT (here).

From just my early tests, I can say that when the new VLOG-L update is officially released, it's worth the $99 dollar upgrade. By then, hopefully they will fix some of the bugs with the histogram.

I know that the results would be much different on a bright sunny day, so i'm going to go out and try again this week when I have some free time. So far though, it does feel like the camera has added dynamic range and will be a great addition to all GH4 shooters.

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You may have seen a short product review on the DigiSlider Motorized Carbon Fiber Mini Jib, and now DigiSlider is offering up a complete system to one lucky person! Remember the Mini Jib can be used with or without the Motor, and this kit will include the advanced Dynamic Perception MX3 controller.

Digislider Motorized Carbon Fiber Jib Giveaway
enter-digislider-jib-giveaway

Specifications
The Digislider Motorised Carbon Fibre Jib is a super portable and extendable mini crane. It has a compacted length of 75cm (in bag) and can be extended to 240cm easily with the quick lock system. Perfect for DSLR cameras or any system under 5kg. Has a maximum Radius of 120cm, and a minimum of 50cm from centre to camera platform.

The platform stays level when the jib is moved up and down. If you mount a video tripod head on the front you can get smooth pan and tilt shots without altering the counter balance. Alternatively you can tilt the platform the jib is attached to to get the same effect, but the counter balance will be slightly off as the centre of gravity is shifted.

Made from 6 layered carbon fibre tubes and aircraft grade aluminium connectors for maximum strength and lightness. Only weighs 1.5kg (3.4lbs) and comes in a nice padded 80cm x 10cm x 16cm full length zip bag.

Easy mounting points for tripod with the 1/4" and 3/8" threaded holes. Comes with a bowl head adaptor and quick release plate in a nice compact padded bag.

For more information about the DigiSlider Motorized Carbon Mini Jib Giveaway, visit the contest page.

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When Sony originally released the A7 / A7r / and A7s cameras, they shared the same body. So specialty cages that were designed for one camera could be used on the others.

Now that Sony has changed the body style on the Sony A7RII with a larger beefier grip, older A7s custom fit cages will no longer work. So here's a look at a new Cage System from CAME-TV designed specifically for the new Sony A7RII camera body.

Recently Sony has made an announcement for the new Sony A7s II. So far from the photos and videos, the body looks exactly the same as on the new A7RII which means that this new CAME-TV Cage may be able to work as well. You can find more information about the new CAME-TV Sony A7RII Cage (maybe A7sII also) at the product page (Click Here).

1_came-tv_sony_a7ri_camera_rig3_came-tv_sony_a7ri_camera_rig_kit3
VIEW-ITEM CAME-TV Cage for new Sony A7RII Camera

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The original Sony A7s is still an outstanding little camera, but with the announcement of the new Sony A7s II, i'm sure existing Sony A7s owners might be thinking about upgrading. I'm a Sony A7s owner, and here's a few reasons why I think it's worth the upgrade.

First, you now have the option of 4K internal recording. We don't have enough information just yet about how long it can record or if it will overheat like the A7RII, but either way 4K internal is a damn good option to have when you need it.

Next there's 5-Axis In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS). I have been using this in the new Sony A7RII and I can't tell you enough how much this new feature can help with your footage. If you move around a lot, work with a shoulder rig, hand held, or just like older lenses with no IS, the 5-Axis IBIS will be your best friend.

The new Sony A7sII also has the option of SLOG3, which offers up a flatter profile than SLOG2 while offering more detail and information in the shadows. The new A7sII also has a base ISO of just 1600 instead of 3200 which is way more manageable if you have to shoot outdoors on a bright day.

For slow motion there's the new addition of 120FPS in full 1080p. Previous cameras (including the A7RII) can only shoot 120fps in 720.

The new Sony A7sII also has faster AF for movie mode over the original A7s.

Even though the A7s was known for being the low light king, the new A7sII is even more improved for low light shooting.

So that's just a short list of new features that I think should sway many A7s owners to go for the upgrade to the new A7sII. I myself have been convinced already to go for the upgrade. Any other existing A7s owners looking to do the same? Leave a comment below.

sony a7s II camera 4K internal
VIEW-ITEM Sony Alpha a7S II 4K Video Mirrorless Digital Camera

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DJI has announced two new gimbal ready 4K cameras that can be used on existing Inspire1 quadcopters. Unlike the original 4K camera, the X5 and X5R are new 4K Micro Four Third (MFT) interchangeable lens cameras. Even though it appears to be a standard MFT mount, only a few lenses have been announced to be truly compatible. The main difference between the two cameras is that the X5R is capable of shooting 4K RAW.

While I'm already quite happy with the results of the existing Inspire1 camera, the new X5 and X5R are incredibly impressive. DJI has really raised the bar for other companies to follow. Unfortunately the announced pricing is $2199 (X5) and $4999 I feel will keep many from upgrading. But keep in mind DJI has been known to inflate prices when new products are announced, and typically is much less when it finally becomes available. Let's hope they do the same with these new cameras. For more information visit the product pages below.

DJI X5DJI X5R
VIEW-ITEM DJI X5 and X5R RAW Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal

Or you can buy the complete kit with Inspire1 Quadcopter. The new Inspire1 'Pro' comes with the new Zenmuse X5 gimbal for just $4999.

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VIEW-ITEM DJI Inspire1 Pro 4K Mirrorless MFT Zenmuse Gimbal