No worries about heat or power draw that will blow out house breakers. The 600 and 900 LED versions come with Sony V Mounts, so you can also invest in batteries to take them off the grid and portable. You can see placement of lights in the first frame grab. Not the best test here, but hopefully you get an idea about power output, throw, and diffusion. [Thanks Olivia for sitting in.]
If you're wondering about what the 128GB Lexar SDXC card is good for, there's a number of things. Besides throwing it into bitrate hungry high end cameras, another good purpose is doubling the disk space on my MacBook Air. The new Macbook Air can't be upgraded internally, so by using a very generic SDHC card reader, i'm able to double my storage with a solid state drive that can transfer 100MB files in less than 7 seconds. There's no limit to individual 4GB file sizes with exFAT format and the card works both on Mac and PC. It's the smallest and lightest storage media I can carry in my backpack. If you're looking at 128GB USB thumb drives with equivalent speeds and you'll find yourself coughing up about twice the price of this single Lexar.
So, since the Lexar 128GB card is based on exFAT file system with no 4GB limit, what happens if you place it into a Canon 60D? Will the video stop automatically? The answer is yes it will stop at just around a 4GB file size - so DSLRs won't be taking advantage of SDXC and larger file sizes (for now). The Canon 60D and Panasonic GH2 can see the entire 128GB and can record video without any buffering issues, but for now the card is a bit overkill. For other things like being able to dump files to the editor, run backups in Time Machine, or use it for additional storage it's pretty quick and has a feather weight footprint in the bag...
With the new Sunpak Carbon Monopod and Velbon Ultra stick in the house, it's time to add a little tilt swag. I opted to try this small tilt head (no pan) to still keep things short and tight. It's pretty much the same design you'll find on certain Manfrotto monopods, but a third the price for the off-brand. I'm also going to try to use this on the Korean version SpiderTrax dolly to see if it keeps low and stable. You can find it in the link below and by searching for 'Tilt Head'.
If you don't find yourself in a rush to move the camera off the monopod, you might not require the quick release function. For this you'll find cheaper heads that use an underside clamp knob such as the Manfrotto 234 (below).
Vimeo member Derek Mellott appears to be refining his DIY motion controlled Timelapse Slider. This time he's added some clever upgrades such as a folding rail system, and end to end kill switches. He's also using the Ryobi 12V battery packs that I suggested a few weeks ago (glad to see that tip helped out). It looks like there's a POT in between to control voltage for slow or fast movements? Curious what the max speed is for consistent Video Dolly shots? [Thanks Derek]
Well here's another article that will probably get quickly outdated. Remember those 240 LED Bi-Color (Color Changing) on camera LED lights from here: http://cheesycam.com/color-changing-dimmable-240-led-video-light/? Well, I was lucky to grab a set and then they were gone, never to be seen again. Apparently there might be some type of exclusive distribution that won't allow them to be sold on eBay, but if you really really wanted them, you can find them for almost twice the price at some retail locations.
So for on camera lighting that adjusts to the ambient, you've got a choice on the 312 Bi-Color LED lights which 'totally rock' BTW (I have a set and will do a video tomorrow), but those are still running about $230-$499. Here's an interesting one that just showed up and comes in a bit cheaper with 277 LEDs from maker Socanland with the same color changing features and powered by what looks like Sony style batteries.
States only two available at this time, so this could be one of those times it's here today and gone tomorrow. Apparently Socanland was at NAB and are manufacturers of other large LED video lights. The only video I could find about this company is the one below on some larger 1x1 sized light panels.
So for now, only a few of these smaller 277 Bi-Color Changing Dimmable LED Video lights from Socanland are available along with a 310 Bi-Color version. Personally the 310 version looks overkill on the whole digital display and I feel it's overpriced. You would be better off with the 312 Dimmable Bi-Color LEDs if you wanted to go that big.
Not sure how long this company has been around, but it looks like in the near future we could be seeing a line of Socanland products competing in the LED Video light market.
What is Eye-Fi? It's an SDHC card with built in wireless capabilities to send the photos or videos directly to a computer or uploaded to the Internet (originally). Well with Eye-Fi's new Direct Mode on the Mobile X2 SDHC card, your camera will automatically send the image from your camera directly to your Tablet or SmartPhone via an Ad Hoc network (directly). This includes iPads, iPhones, and Android devices. You'll need to configure the card's wireless settings (just one time), and then from there it's all gravy. The new Mobile X2 is available now, and older X2 cards might get this feature via a firmware update. This totally simplifies the workflow for Photographers that often use this wireless tethering technique to view images with their iPads for a full blown view on Exposure and Color Balance. Heck, might be a good way to dial in your video exposure settings too.
Yeah I know what you're thinking. Only cameras with SDHC so what about Compact Flash shooters? From what I remember, the cards even work with Compact Flash to SDHC adapters. Keep in mind that by using this technique you'll be dropping the speed rating down enough that the camera might not be able to shoot HD video. Of course still photos should hold up pretty well. Check out some of the adapters below.
If you caught the video showing some of our ideas for setting up a cage during NAB, you might have caught a small double bracket holding the wireless receivers on top. This bracket is slightly expensive on it's own, but proved to be really functional. Here's another option for anyone looking to mount several accessories to the top of your camera, or to some sort of light stand. From CamCaddie, this 'Flashner' is available from 4", 8" and 16" lengths giving you plenty of rail for as many accessories as you can think of.
With up to 16" of hot shoe mountable rail, it would be pretty sweet to use these for an entire top and bottom section of a DIY DSLR cage. If you want to know what other options are available, click here. Otherwise the version below is a bit cheaper for getting several accessories mounted in one place.
Nothing compares to a 'lightweight traveling camera stabilizer' like a portable Monopod. Whether it be for Photography or for Video, a Monopod can truly add stabilization on the fly. I wanted to travel light over to NAB, but still have some type of stabilization if needed. I ordered this Velbon Ultra Stick monopod, probably more out of curiosity about it's 'patented twist & release leg locking system'. After my first tests, I'm pretty surprised about how well it works, how sturdy it feels under the camera, and more impressed about how small this thing collapses.
If you caught me over at NAB2011, this was what I used under my 5D Mark II + 24-70mm F/2.8L + Rode VideoMic Pro. Often used just as a solid handle under the camera body, but for longer takes, I was able to extend it to carry all the camera weight. Collapsed, this thing is very very very small. Sets up super fast, breaks down even faster. The small size not only fits in my backpack, but it fits in the smallest outer pocket of my backpack. Collapses down to about 12.5" inches and weighs next to nothing.
This thing lives in my bag now, and it will be the first thing I grab for quick stabilization or when I want to travel extra light. I think i'll grab one of those Monopod belt pouches which should add more functionality..
Just answered a question about those power friction arms I was using on the JuicedLink Bracket (DSLR Cage) during NAB. Happened to find this today. Looks like some sort of limited time 'Super Deal Blast' where they are selling 100pcs only at a discount price and sale starts ...... wait for it..... ok now! Cheapest i've ever seen them, and everyone is definitely in love with these things, so won't last long (not after this post). Oh and umm...better make that 96 pcs, cause I just had to grab me a few extra ones at this price.
[Update] Sorry guys, seems like you wiped them out. No longer available on sale, just regular price ones found here:Variable Position Power Friction Arms
900 LED Dimmable Photography Video Light Panel
