Photography Gadgets

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Just received the Nature brand Neutral Density filter today. It's possibly the cheapest Fader ND on the market right now, so I wanted to see what the quality was like. I picked one up to test on the Canon 85mm F/1.2 which requires a 72mm filter. The Canon 85mm F/1.2L is one of Canon's sharpest lenses in it's lineup. With the lens at 85mm on a Canon cropped camera, you're looking at quite a distance. I was expecting to see extreme softness, which some Variable ND filters can cause, especially over 50mm. This wasn't the case with this Variable ND filter.

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Nature Fader-ND Variable Neutral Density Filters

There is some noticeable difference in sharpness, but not very noticeable unless you're really trying to nitpick, so not bad at all. It's definitely not as soft as my other Fader Filter which is very noticeable when zooming into a subject. Again, i'm asking alot since i'm putting it on an 85mm F/1.2L, but for any wide lens under 50mm, definitely a solid product that will yield excellent results. I'll be posting up some samples of the lens with and without the filter soon for you guys to check out, but i'm very happy with it and will be planning to get a few more. For now the Nature brand Fader ND can be found at this link: Nature Brand Fader ND Variable Neutral Density Filter

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find-price-button Nature Fader ND Variable Filter

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If you've got plans to keep your Canon T2i powered up longer than the normal battery can provide, here's a cheap AC wall adapter. Great power source for taking those super long day to day timelapse photography shots. If you're the daring type like myself, the battery adapter provided is perfect to hack up into a DIY Power pack, perhaps connecting it to something like a Radio Controlled toy car rechargeable battery. You can find several aftermarket AC wall adapters here: Canon T2i / 550D AC Wall Adapter Power Plug

For those running the LP-E6 battery type like the Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 7D, or Canon 60D the AC wall adapter can be found here: http://cheesycam.com/a-diy-canon-dslr-power-pack/

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Chris writes in about a Letus Hawk VF DSLR ViewFinder purchased not long ago, and then recently received the new Letus Hawk VF quick release adapter. The new quick release adapter was a great addition, making the Letus Hawk much more flexible to work with.

If you've made your purchase through LetusDirect.com for a Letus Hawk that did not come with the QR adapter, make sure to check in with Letus. It's supposed to be a free upgrade for LetusDirect.com customers that purchased a Hawk VF, but this offer may only be for a limited time. Here's the link to the LetusDirect.com website: https://www.letusdirect.com/cart/letus-hawk.html

Another bit of news in the rumor mill is that Letus is designing a Hawk VF for the Canon T2i LCD (which is the same for Canon 60D). I'm rocking the Letus Hawk VF on the Canon 60 now with just a bit of crop, which I don't mind.
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find-price-button Letus Hawk VF DSLR ViewFinder

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Jordan M. writes in and shares a clever DIY timelapse panning rig using a simple Kitchen timer for the motor. I've seen many different DIY Egg Timer timelapse panning rigs, but I haven't seen one coupled with a Lazy Susan spinning tray before. It's a simple design and appears every single part of this DIY rig can be purchased at Walmart, so it's within everyone's budget and everyone's skill set. For those who might want to spend a bit more cash, i'm sure you can polish it up into something more fancy looking. I think it's great the way it is, and seems to get the job done just fine for very little coin. [Thanks Jordan!]

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Spinning Kitchen Tray with Kitchen Timer motor - DIY Motion Timelapse Panning Rig

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Hoodman H-WS1 WristShot Camera Support System

This bowling brace looking camera support is called the Hoodman WristShot, and it's used to transfer the weight to the forearm while still allowing you to control the camera. It looks crazy, but If you think about it, it makes a tad bit of sense. For DSLR shooters, one arm is usually holding the camera weight while the other is maintaining focus. In that situation, it would be difficult to try and keep the camera stabilized. It may even aid in keeping the Horizon level on the camera and reduce vibrations from wrist movements. For those renegades who shoot solely hand held, and can't stand the restrictions of large stabilizers, this might be a helpful solution. Cost wise? I'll let you decide, following the link here: Hoodman H-WS1 WristShot Camera Support System

Or via Amazon

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I bet you guys didn't know I had a Varavon Profinder Low Angle DSLR View Finder for the Canon 5D Mark II. I've actually had this on the shelf for several months, and haven't had the chance to use it. I got it shortly after posting this article here: http://cheesycam.com/varavon-profinder-angled-lcd-view-finder/

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It's a larger LCD View finder because of it's niche ability to get low angle shots via a sliding cover and a series of mirrors. Something I don't really use very much, so I decided not to mount it after all this time. After receiving the Gini Rig, I wanted an LCD View Finder that wasn't held on with magnetic frames. I wanted it to stay put when I told it to, but yet still be able to remove it when I wanted. The larger form factor of this design actually works out in my favor and is quite nice when using it on a shoulder rig. The base plate on this LCD View Finder is fat, and made completely out of machined aluminum. I can mount a QR Adapter to the Varavon view finder base and quickly connect the camera to the shoulder rig. It also has an LCD View Finder quick release knob on the base plate if I wanted to take the view finder off of the camera. This thing will probably have a permanent life on my new Gini Rig that i'll be building around the Canon 5D Mark II.

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The Letus Hawk VF also has a fat base plate and a quick release system for anyone looking to get a solid mounting LCD View Finder that doesn't use the magnetic sticky frames. The Letus Hawk VF can serve the same purpose for all my needs, but currently it's the only LCD View Finder that's working on the Canon 60D. Let's get back on track about the Varavon DSLR Low Angle LCD View Finder. It's something that I already had here and is now working nicely into the new Gini Rig configuration i'm building out. Varavon's ProFinder is not at all a copy of any other DSLR view finder design on the market. It's their own innovation and every piece of it is well made, showing that as a company they could have a bright future.

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Two things to point out about the Varavon View Finder product. First the mounting is very solid, but can't be adjusted. It fits perfectly for the camera you purchase it for, and that's it. There is a different base plate to attach to the Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, and Canon T2i so it's not very versatile. Another thing to point out is the "Low Angle" feature. This feature definitely plays a role in the entire form factor design making it larger and possibly adding to the cost of manufacturing. Whether there's a market for this particular unique 'Low Angle' View Finder, that remains to be seen.

Should Varavon continue in the DSLR accessories market, they should at least have another View Finder without the low angle feature, and something more adjustable to different DSLR bodies. This would open up a whole new audience to a single product. They are definitely a company to watch for if they decide to continue in the DSLR market, as their current ProFinder shows attention to detail and well manufactured with quality materials. Unless you've fallen in love with the Low Angle feature of this LCD View Finder, there are other options on the market. You can find some of the Varavon products following this link: Varavon LCD Viewfinder for Canon EOS 5DMK2 with Loupe

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find-price-button Varavon Viewfinders, Cages, Sliders

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Who doesn't get a kick out of a video streaming Wifi controlled flying toy? A friend of mine recently picked one of these Parrot AR. Drones up and I had the chance to fly it around. It's really tons of fun! Kids can easily learn to fly these things. The Parrot AR Drone is a remote controlled Quadricopter that streams real time video to it's controller so you can see where you're flying. The Wifi controller can be an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad (the iPad is really cool with it's large screen). It's easy to sync up once you've downloaded the Free remote application from the Apps Store. First turn on the AR Drone, and then turn on the Wifi on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. Connect to the AR Drone (it will appear as a WiFi hotspot). Once you've connected, go and launch the application and it will connect. Very simple and fast.

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The AR Drone Quadricopter is super stable and will automatically level itself out and stays in one place if the unit loses connection to the remote, or if you remove your hands from the controller. If you lose connection, just walk closer and then you'll be back in control. If the unit is too high and loses connection, it will return itself to a manageable height so you can walk over and get back in control. I believe it can scan the floor somehow to see what's below so it doesn't just fly off into space.

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Flying outdoors with Training Foam Cage

Since the unit can level out and maintain a stable position, you can easily rotate turns in 360 degrees. The video stream is super fast, and as real time as can be. The video streams in amazing quality and very clear even in low light. The item comes with two different bodies. One is a foam cage that protects the units from rookie pilots. I'm sorry to admit, I crashed my friends unit into walls and it took a dive from 20 ft. several times. The drop was no problem with the foam cage, it's designed to protect the unit for training. If you should need some replacement parts, practically every piece of the Drone is for sale and looks to be easily replaceable too. This thing really takes a beating for sure. Once you're pretty good, you can swap out the foam cage for a more streamlined aerodynamic body. I think a few flights is all it takes to get the hang of it.

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Simple Body without Training Foam Cage

There are other applications in the Apple Apps Store in which you can control the unit and record the video stream that will be saved to your iPhone, iPod, or iPad. You can choose to use the accelerometer to maneuver the Drone by leaning left or right, forward and back. Since it's a quadricopter it can move in any direction without having to turn around, but you'd want to turn the unit mainly for the video camera to point in the direction you're flying. Check out the video above which gives you an idea on how to fly it with a remote. These AR Drones can be found here: Parrot AR Drone Wifi Remote Controlled Quadricopter

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If you've been looking for DSLR rigs, i'm sure you've heard about the Korean DSLR Rig manufacturer Gini. The photo gallery (above) has two pages, so click the #2 to see more images. If you haven't heard of the DSLR Rig manufacturer from Korea, you can find all the available products here: Korean DSLR Rig, Rods, Clamps, Handles, Stabilizers

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find-price-button Gini DSLR Rigs

I'm about to write an article about a piece of DSLR gear that will sound like it belongs in a Playboy magazine. All the information out there on the web say the Korean DSLR rig manufacturer is just as good as the other guys sporting a Red and Black theme. I'm here to tell you that's all true. Sure the prices aren't dirt cheap, but the quality is outstanding, and keep reading to find out why i'm writing this. I'm sitting here with a huge package of clamps, rods, mounts, handles, and other odd shaped pieces of machined aluminum. Every single piece is carefully detailed, with high quality anodized coloring, and an outstanding flat brushed like finish. If you've ever dealt with manufacturing parts, you'd probably see this more as a fine work of art, than just pieces of equipment. The handles are as large as my hands with a smooth contoured finish that makes it easy and comfortable to grasp. There's nothing cheap on this rig, right down to the tiny bolts.

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find-price-button Gini DSLR Rigs

Sure, these rigs are nothing new and the seller has been out there for years. So why am I talking about this, and why am I currently infatuated with this new rig? I got it for a steal, and I mean literally a steal. I do eBay all the time, but this is the first time i've won an auction for something I thought I wouldn't receive. DSLR Rig sales on eBay have slowed down alot. The market is definitely saturated and everyone is finding new ways to build up custom rigs. Fortunately the seller Gini continues to market solely through eBay with a combination of 'Buy it Now', 'Best Offer', and 'Auction' type listings. There's a slew of different rigs being sold at different prices. I started by throwing in extremely cheap 'Best Offers' at a few different rigs. I was obviously denied, and fairly quickly I might add. Next I moved on to the actual Auctions listings where you throw in a bid, and surprisingly there's no reserve. I went straight for the big $1500 dollar package that offered so many different pieces. There's no denying a bid like the 'Best Offer' listings. Once the bid is in, it's in. The only way to get out of the sale is to be outbid. A few hours later, holy crap, I won the auction.

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find-price-button Gini DSLR Rigs

No communication came in about my payment being received, or any shipping information. Since it's an over seas sale, I decided to give him some time. 10 days after I won the auction, here I am talking about it. There's plenty of options for DSLR rigs, but not many of them offer 'Best Offer' and bid type 'Auctions'. If you've already got a budget set aside for a rig you're saving up for, you might want to throw in a few bids or leave some Best Offers with Gini. You never know what you can end up with, and for what price. I'm not going to talk about what I received my package for, but if you're an avid eBayer, it's an easy look up through the 'Completed Listings' advanced search option. You can easily see what rigs have sold, for what prices, and what offers were accepted. There's no doubt that I got lucky on this auction, but i'm glad Gini stood behind the auction and honored the sale. The item shipped fast, and also included a package labeled 'Gift' with a bunch of extra rods. (shown in the photos).

If you're looking to take a chance, and get lucky, click on any of the images in this article, or check out the new listings for these luxurious DSLR rigs: Click here for Pricing on Korean DSLR Rig, Rods, Clamps, Handles, Stabilizers

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find-price-button Gini DSLR Rigs

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Above - Ted Ramasola's DIY Follow Focus from DVXUser.com

I've seen many versions of a friction based Follow Focus, most of them designed similar to the IDC FF. Above, is a very early example found at the DVXUser.com forum posted by Ted Ramasola. It's been a good foundation for other ideas, and many people have refined it into their own.


Macro Rail available via Amazon

Using the same idea with Canon Lens rear caps and a skate wheel, it looks like DSLRExperiment.com is busy working on a DIY friction based follow focus with a simple way of mounting camera and adjusting the FF to fit different sized lenses. Using an inexpensive Macro sliding rail for XYZ adjustments and a tweaked metal L bracket, this looks like it could be a simple weekend project. Check out the video below from Vimeo member Mathieu Bujold.

These Macro rails are available via Amazon, but if you're looking for something at half that price, you can locate them via eBay. Here's the style Macro Rail that is used in the video: Macro Focus Rail Slider for Canon Nikon Sony Panasonic

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click image for pricing on Macro Rail