Thanks to Joel from HDSLRNOW for adding the P&C Swiss Rod as one of his video quick tips. With it's industry standard threading, you can see how Joel attached the Swiss Rod directly to his rig without any additional modification, and immediately opened up several new mounting options for accessories. The Swiss Rod is also a standard 15mm rail, so it can be attached using a variety of straight clamps, or 90 degree rig clamps. If Joel had added the rail to a clamp instead of in-line, you can see how All of his accessories would be on a Quick Release system by just un-clamping the rod. You can find some additional information about the Swiss Rods in my old video (click here).
Jag35 NAB Products
NAB is just around the corner, and some companies are already releasing some product information before the event. Jag35 is one such company and has a dedicated page showing a few new small products they'll be adding to their lineup (found here).
Falcon Eyes 240 LED Ring Light
Previously the only LED Ring light available on eBay and Amazon was the 352 LED Ring light (as seen here)
PRO 352 LED Studio Video Ring Light
Now the Falcon Eyes 240 LED ring light is available on eBay. Of course a bit cheaper than the 352 with it's smaller size, but it does come with a few extra items the 352 doesn't have. First off the 240 looks like it has a better mounting bracket. I threw the 352 bracket away, it was pretty useless. It also looks like a much better form factor and casing than the 352. The 240 also comes with a tungsten colored filter, a battery pack which can be powered with (12) AA batteries OR (2) Sony NP-F750 camcorder batteries, and a travel bag.
I know this light has been around for a while, but this is the first time i've seen it on eBay. I can't seem to locate any reviews to see how well it dims down. If you've got some information on this light leave some comments. You can find the new 240 LED ring light available here.
FalconEyes 240 LED Ring Continuous Video Light
Canon 5DMKIII vs Nikon D800 Audio – New RM333 Preamp
Robert from Juicedlink just uploaded a video showing some of the Canon 5D Mark III audio features along with the Nikon D800 audio features. Towards the second half, he introduces a new Juicedlink RM333 low noise pre-amp. We've run a few audio tests running a microphone into the Canon 5DM3 and there's no doubt using an external preamp will still yield better results. The internal amps of the Canon DSLR aren't very good.
The new Juicedlink RM333 preamp looks like a good small solution, and it was pretty smart to add in the backup audio that had been attenuated (reduced volume). There's times when your subject gets a bit excited and starts talking a little louder than expected, so a lower recording can save you from clipping. When the RM333 becomes available, you'll be able to find it over at Juicedlink's Website (click here).
Pro As Arri 650W Light vs Arri 650W
Realizing LED lights won't solve every solution (yet), I decided to see if there's any recent reviews on the 'As Arri' lights. Here's a recent video post from Vimeo member Black Raven Films showing the As Arri 650W vs the Arri 650W. There seems to be some slight improvments compared to when they were first released.
If you're not up to scoop with the As Arri lights, these are supposed to be so close in design to the Arri with a construction of corrosion resistant extruded and die cast aluminium, they can use the same bulbs, glass, barndoors, diffusers, ballast, scrims, etc. There are several people using these lights, and if you have a set, leave some comments on how they are working out for you. The As Arri lights are available in small 150W to larger 1000W models (found here).
As Arri 150W 300W 500W 650W 1000W Fresnel Lighting
Flycam Carbon Stabilizers CF3 and CF5
Just a few months ago Flycam introduced a Carbon Fiber stabilizer called the C5. (here). To confuse the market even more, they've recently released another set of Flycam Carbon Fiber stabilizers called the CF3 and CF5. Although these look much better than the original C5, I still can't get over the ugly counterweights and painted blue accents. I personally would rather just have plain metal washers in place of those plastic tubs.
The CF5 is a larger and longer stabilizer for heavier cameras, and the CF3 is the smaller version at a max height of 25". These new carbon fiber stabilizers use a quick release lock to adjust the telescoping post up or down (better than original Nano), comes with it's own quick release plate, foam padded Carry Bag, and comes in cheaper than the original C5 Carbon.
VizTools HandiZoom ENG Style for DSLR
Thanks to LJ for pointing this interesting little product that brings ENG style zooming to standard DSLR lenses. Most people might be familiar with these controls from consumer camcorders, but for some high end ENG video cameras, you can purchase various focal length lenses that come with built in zoom controls (as seen here).
Looks like it connects via USB to control some of the Canon functions like start / stop video recording, and zoom in/out to magnify the video. These are the same functions already found in those USB Follow Focus devices (as seen here on eBay). No word on pricing and availability yet. The finish of the product in the video looks like an early prototype. I can see benefits to having smooth zooms, but price will determine if it's a Go or No-Go. [Thanks LJ]
7″ LCD Bag and Sun Shade Combo
Shooting outdoors in the bright sun pretty much sucks without an LCD View Finder, but come time to pan and tilt, it's not very comfortable when you're in a low position. That's where all those flip out LCDs come in handy but even the 5D Mark III falls short in that feature. This is where an external LCD comes in handy, but without a proper sunshade, you might be fighting that glare. Here's a $16 dollar little baggy that works as a protective case to transport your 7" LCD, at the same time unzips and doubles as a sun shade. How I plan to fit the SmallHD DP6 in here I won't know until it arrives. There's a rear access door as well, so hopefully i'll still be able to access all the controls on the top of the DP6.
Canon 5D Mark III + Sigma 20mm on Skyler MiniCam
Today I decided to try and balance the Canon 5D Mark III with a Sigma 20mm F/1.8 lens on the Skyler MiniCam. Sorry I don't have any interesting test footage right now, but i'll be shooting something later on today (which is why i'm balancing it). Still very happy I was able to find one of these units used at an affordable price. The form factor is much smaller (and better looking) than the Glidecam HD1000 or even Flycam Nano. Still it can fly just as much weight as either of them. The fine tuning knobs makes it easy to balance, and the tripod design lets you set it down on a flat surface. Can't do that with a Merlin.
You don't need this particular stabilizer to get good results, and i'm able to achieve just as good results from the Flycam Nano or any Glidecam Stabilizer. The benefits to this Skyler MiniCam is it's sex appeal, small form factor, and fine tuning knobs. I personally think it looks 100 times better than the Nano. If it were priced more competitively, this could really sweep the market. Unfortunately at a retail price of $600 dollars, it's targeted to the audience that might be shopping for something as compact as the $800 dollar Steadicam Merlin.
It's not all about running around fast. We use stabilizers to add slow camera movements and eliminate handheld shakes. It's a fast way to get some dynamic camera footage without having to setup sliders and cranes. Here's a few seconds or raw footage from the Canon 5D Mark III with Sigma 20mm on the Skyler MiniCam.
The guys did a good job using very cheap household flood lights for the back lighting, and in the front we used a very cheap DJ Pinspot LED light and balanced the cameras at 6000K (it was very blue). The 100 watt flood light bulbs run about $5 dollars each and were put on a dimmer switch. The DJ Pinspot LED light is used to create a very tight spotlight and we got it on sale for about $35 dollars.
