16 Comments

Here's a great deal on the Sandisk 64GB SDXC media going on today. This makes it even cheaper than what Transcend has to offer. Definitely a good buy for those who need the 64GB space or SDXC file format. (click here to compare some prices on SDXC via B&H).

Remember that all the new cameras are starting to move towards the SDXC format including the new 5D Mark III, and it's way cheaper than getting compact flash media (as seen here). SDXC is backwards compatible so it will work on your cameras and portable recorders that are using 'SDHC' today.

The same 64GB in Compact Flash will run you a minimum of $140 dollars +, and with SDXC it will run you just under $49 bucks (today), which is almost three times cheaper. I've been successfully using SDHC and SDXC media in my 5D Mark III for several hours of video, so I highly recommend investing in SDHC or SDXC if your cameras can take it.

On sale today, Find it here (click here)

Sandisk-SDXC-64GB
find-price-button Sandisk 64GB SDXC Media

16 Comments

iLogos LCD DSLR Monitor

Branded as iLogos, it's another LCD Monitor showing up online which includes a few popular features such as Peaking, False Color, etc. 7" Screen, 1024x600 resolution (pretty good), with HDMI, Component & Composite inputs. False Color - Adjustable Under Luminance & Over, Luminance Warning, Clip Guide - Adjustable Threshold, Peaking – Red outline, Under Scan, Movable Pixel to Pixel Color, Side-By-Side Freeze Frame, Image Mirror/Flip, DSLR Scaling, 1/4"-20 mounts on all sides. Sounds good on paper so far, has anyone had experience with such LCD?

Available on eBay from same seller who offers the small 5" LCD (click here)

iLogos LCD HDMI MonitoriLogos Monitor LCD
find-price-button 7" LCD HDMI Monitor with Peaking Focus Assist False Color

4 Comments

One camera that's putting out good reviews on the Micro Four Thirds side is the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 (see it here on Amazon). A nice upgrade for PEN shooters. The in camera stabilization is a big plus for people who want to use older or aftermarket lenses. If you're looking to get one sooner than later, there's one OM-D (Black) with 14-42mm available for normal retail price via eBay, but ends in 50 minutes. Find it here.

Olympus OM-D
find-price-button Olympus OM-D E-M5 Black with 14-42mm Lens

[Update] If you missed it, you might be able to find a few here: Olympus OM-D E-M5 16MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3.0-Inch Tilting OLED Touchscreen and 14-42mm Lens (Black)

9 Comments

Most of the editors I know work off the MacBook pro laptops, so I thought some people might find this information useful. Apple has patented and has been very protective about their MagSafe connector and has even sued a company for using it with an external battery back. Even though the company was purchasing the cables directly from Apple and then modifying it. Instead the company now offers a 'magic box' that splices into your existing MagSafe cable to work with their HyperJuice batteries (found here).

We recently took a trip out to NAB2012 and wanted to make sure we had enough mobile juice for our editor, and found that there was a cable available to work with our Tekkeon MP3450i battery packs that we have so many of. With all the Tekkeon batteries we have, this cable has been working perfectly and would provide us with many, many, many hours of run time for our MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and of course USB power to all of our iPhones, iPads, and other camera accessories. I'm not sure if Apple is going to try and step in again and shut the operation down, but Tekkeon uses a 'recycled' modified cable to connect with select Tekkeon batteries. Hope some of you find this tip useful if you're looking to get some additional run time on your MagSafe powered MacBook Laptops.

The MagSafe cable can be found on the Tekkeon website (click here), and the Tekkeon batteries we are using are available via B&H (click here).

tekkeon-battery-packtekkeon-mp3450i-snap
find-price-button Tekkeon MyPower All Battery for 600 / 900 LED Panels

2 Comments

Video on the iPhone is not perfect, but it's the most convenient camera most of us seem to always have available and readily on hand. Just for kicks, we even covered MACWorld this year entirely on just iPhones and it was a fun experience. Here's an interesting product for those who share the same enthusiasm - the Fostex AR-4i Audio Interface. [Thanks Olphus] B&H has even dedicated an entire 7 minutes of video showcasing features of the Fostex which has two microphones, headphone monitoring, LED audio meters, Low Cut filters, and limiters through the software. Comes with it's own handle, a thumb wheel gain control and even cold shoe to mount other camera accessories like an LED video light. I personally know several mobile bloggers that would find this type of accessory quite useful. The video is worth a look even if you don't shoot video with the iPhone and maybe just use it as a portable audio recorder. Available via B&H following the link (click here).

fostex-ar-4ifostex-ar-4i-iphone
find-price-button Fostex AR-4i Audio Interface for iPhone 4

9 Comments

Express35-Inline-Shoulder-RigExpress35 shoulder rig

Express35 knocks $100 dollars off the Inline Shoulder Rig today. The inline rig gives you room to work with a monitor or EVF off to the side while keeping the majority of the weight closer to your shoulder instead of way out in front of you (which can wear out your arms). The 8" rods on this rig will give you room to work with a Follow Focus or Matte Box. I believe there may be some discounts available for the optional top handle and tripod mount if you're looking to build up a bit. [Thanks Chris] Find more information about Express35 products at https://express35.com.

Express35 Inline Shoulder Rig
Click image to visit Express35.com

22 Comments

Petapixel posted up an article about a cheap way to create a Rolling Camera Bag through a padded insert and it's something I use for one of my cases. You can find a variety of padded inserts that you can 'modify' to fit into standard rolling luggage cases found at your outlet centers. In the USA we have places like Ross and Marshalls that sell rolling bags at discount prices. One of the cheaper padded dividers mentioned is the Calumet padded divider showing up for about $40 dollars via Calumet (click here).

Calumet Insert DividersCalumet Roller Bag Insert
find-price-button Calumet Padded Roller Insert Dividers

Other slightly more expensive adjustable padded dividers that come with a top padded cover can be found from Pelican and Nanuk. You can find more of those padded dividers via eBay following the link below (click here).

Nanuk-Padded-DividerPadded-Pelican-Divider
find-price-button Padded Camera Equipment Dividers

66 Comments

This video is complete rambling about different feature sets of a few 'Small Camera stabilizers' I use. I have quite a few very large ones as well, but for now i'm just touching on these specifically because they are so close in what audience they are intended for. The three small stabilizers i'm showing are the Flycam Nano, the Glidecam HD1000, and the Skyler MiniCam (new and old). If you're not interested in knowing about the differences of such products, I suggests you skip this video since it's quite lengthy.

I'll start by saying that it's possible to get excellent results from ALL of these stabilizers. Don't be fooled to thinking you'll be achieving excellent results on the first day, even if you wanted to spend thousands of dollars on high end gear. With any stabilizer, it will require practice, practice, and even more practice. This video will probably generate more questions, but hopefully it's an insight of the different things to look for when shopping for a stabilizer.

Flycam:
The Flycam Nano does not have the best fit and finish as the other stabilizers, so obviously it will be much cheaper. It also does not carry the fine tuning knobs of a Glidecam HD series stabilizer. The Flycam Nano does not come with any type of Quick release system to make packing up and re-balancing more convenient.

Flycam-Nano
find-price-button Flycam Nano Video Camera Stabilizer

Glidecam: The Glidecam HD1000 has a quick release system, fine tuning knobs, and has better overall build quality and aesthetics. The quick release system will help you remove your camera from the stabilizer when you need to pack up, and makes it easy to get the camera back in the right spot for rebalancing. The fine tuning knobs help get very accurate alignment.
Note: Recently Glidecam released an XR version of their stabilizers which is cheaper, but will lack the QR plate and fine tuning knobs. (click here to see Glidecam XR-1000 via eBay)

Glidecam-HD-1000
find-price-button Glidecam HD1000 Small Video Camera Stabilizer

Skyler MiniCam: The Skyler MiniCam is the most expensive of these three small stabilizers. It's also the smallest and lightest, but yet can still fly just as much weight. You can remove all of the parts from the Skyler for travel and set it back up without having to rebalance. Everything falls perfectly in alignment. It also offers a quick release stage - not only for packing up, but it can be used to move your camera to a tripod, slider, cage, rig, etc with the included 'mounting base plate'. The design of the lower sled makes it easy to adjust up and down for weight compensation, and does not have the same potential to shift (like the Glidecam and Flycam models). Build quality is top notch.

Skyler-MiniCam
find-price-button Skyler MiniCam Video Camera Stabilizer Kit

If you're just starting out, doing it as a hobby, or just curious about flying camera movements you could start on the lower end. The actual practice of flying a stabilizer is more important than the stabilizer itself. Sell it off later when you're ready to upgrade or try renting one for a weekend to see if it's something you're interested in, and how often you think you'll be using it. If you're already flying a stabilizer and need more of the convenience of fine tuning knobs, quick release plates, compact for travel, and ease of rebalance, then look for the higher end models that offer some of those features like the Glidecam HD or Skyler Minicam.