According to Amazon's list of Top Selling DSLR cameras, Nikon's D5100 has been numero uno for about a month and a half. I'm pretty sure these sales aren't for hard core DSLR video shooters, but possibly more for Photographers. Nikon is excellent when it comes to still image qualities. The #2 spot belongs to the Nikon D7000. Don't rule Canon out just yet. Among Amazon's 'Top Ten' DSLRs being sold, (in mixed order) 5 are from Nikon and the other 5 are from Canon (no 7D, 5D Mark II, or 60D in the top ten). Sony or Olympus cameras aren't mentioned until you get further down the list. You can find the entire list here: Top DSLR's On Amazon
Amazon's List of Best Selling DSLR CamerasDuracell Compact Flash 600x Review ?
Looks like Duracell's found a Compact Flash manufacturer to slap their name onto. These are newly released 600x speed cards, which the real company 'Dane Elec' doesn't appear to have had before Duracell. One article stated the true speeds are actually closer to 500x, not sure if that's true, but that's still quite a bit of speed. A Duracell 32GB 600x Compact Flash card can run close to $90 US over on eBay, while on Amazon they're currently about $60 US, making them the cheapest 600x on the market.
Now i've been using Kingston 32GB 133x early on which I still have for light video and light Photography, then switched over to Transcend 32GB 400x cards. I've been using all Transcend cards since in both CF and SDHC formats with no issues. I'm not ready to try anything new, but maybe a brave soul has already tested these out. Anyone have any real information or link to a review on these new Dane Elec / Duracell 600x's?
Duracell 32GB 600x Compact Flash Cards
Memorial Day Weekend Auctions
What's the best part about an extended Memorial 3 Day weekend here in the US? Everyone has travel and vacation plans. It's time to just hang out, lounge, and enjoy the time off. Since everyone is out and about, another good thing is the lack of Internet traffic and sales. A bad thing if you're a retailer, a good thing if you're trying to get a good deal on some auctions that hardly anyone is paying attention to. A reminder to check out some of the DSLR rig auctions that end today while nobody is around to bid.
News for Nikon’ians Popular DSLRs Inventory
Good news for your Nikon fans, seems like all of those popular Nikon models that were 'out of stock' for the last several months has a fresh inventory in at B&H. If you've been waiting patiently, here's your chance. Hopefully they weren't out of stock sooo long that they went outdated. It's been a downfall for popular Nikon cameras to not be able to supply the demands. I feel sometimes people get impatient and end up with other brands like Canon because of the hard to get inventory. The models now available below. [Update]D3s already sold out...
Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera
LED Light Panel Carry Bags
LED Video Light Panel Carry Case
Chris writes in and shares this find. Apparently there's travel bags available for the 1200 LED video lights. It definitely makes it easier to get a handle on and keeps the barndoors and switches from snagging, but doesn't look super duper padded. The size of the bag is 19"L x 16"H x 3"W, so if you've got other LED panels in that range, it would be a good fit. Chris also mentions there's a price drop on the 1200 LED video lights. I like either the 600 or 900 only because it can be optionally powered via Battery. But if you want something larger like the 1200, those can be found below. [Thanks Chris]
DIY PVC Shoulder Rig – Revisited
Vimeo member Josh Donnelly revisits the DIY PVC shoulder rig article. A reminder that if you're not mounting accessories that require 15mm rails, this is a good start for DSLR Video stabilization. This has to be one of the best DIY PVC shoulder rig designs providing a wide enough area to rest over the shoulder, can be counterweighted in the rear, and have wide handles. If you're not permanently gluing the PVC together, the rig can break down for traveling. There's some additional information following the details of Josh's Vimeo video description and an older article featured in this blog here: http://cheesycam.com/pvc-camera-shoulder-support/. [Thanks Josh]
HOT – 240 LED Bi-Color LED Video Lights
Not sure how many people remember the 240 Bi-Color Dimmable LED Video light I posted about a short while back. It was a mysterious 240 LED light that showed up on eBay, and the moment I posted about it, it disappeared. Never to be heard from again. Well these 240 LED lights are back online
This time the 240 LED light comes with
I've never posted such an adapter thing on this blog, but damn I sure did need something like this! A battery case like this can be used to power any other NPF accessory like some external monitors, the 277, the 312 LED, and more. To my knowledge (and i've seen quite a bit), these are the cheapest color changing LED video lights today. As usual, it's on the blog today, we'll see how long they last..
240 Dimmable Color Changing LED Video Light with Barndoors
240 Dimmable Color Changing LED Video Light without Barndoors
SmallHD DP6 HDMI LCD
The SmallHD DP6 is a serious monitor with some seriously cool features. The price tag may not hit home for the starting shooter, but if you're shopping for a monitor around the 5" mark, the SmallHD puts most others to shame. We're not talking your average 800x480 resolution (yes check those LCD specs carefully), we're talking about a true HD display at 1280x800. The housing is milled aluminum, much like how a MacBook pro is built. It's solid, but at the same time lightweight. Especially if you're shooting with Canon, the DP6 monitor has special features designed to scale video signals for Canon DSLRs which don't usually output in Full HD.
Don't be afraid to step into something that could get outdated quickly. SmallHD has put some forward thinking into their products with a USB port and 2GB thumb drive to make sure you can download and install any new firmware updates. Two features you won't find in cheaper monitors include False Color to help you check for clipping blacks or blown highlights, Peaking to help you ensure things are in focus. If you rely heavily on external monitoring from your video camera, you'll need something better than good, and the SmallHD is a great solid product. SmallHD will also be releasing a new DP4 - 4" LCD specifically designed to be used with a ViewFinder Loupe entering the EVF market. More about SmallHD products can be found at https://smallhd.com
Steadicam Merlin – Quick Overview
No matter how many Honda Civics are out on the road, there will always be the other guy who'd rather drive the more expensive Porsche. Sure it's apples to oranges, but if you just need to make a trip to the grocery store, the end result is the same. My point being that a flying camera movement is a flying camera movement. In any case, here's a quick look at the Steadicam Merlin, the more expensive DSLR Video camera stabilizer that still draws a premium audience. This video is dedicated to that group of people looking for more information on flying a luxury model.
The Steadicam Merlin packs small, trimmed down as light as possible without any extra junk. It's quick to set up, quick to break down, and fast to dial in your camera's center of balance. Just because it does all these things very well, don't be fooled into thinking that it's any easier to fly. As with any stabilizer it's all about practice, practice, and a little bit more practice. The Steadicam Merlin has the option to accept the Merlin vest - possibly the most popular vest in use. The Vest can be purchased separately, or you'll receive a small discount if you decide to dish out for both items in a bundled package. The Vest doesn't really add any additional 'balance', but it will allow you to shoot for longer periods of time. I'll probably be shooting a later video on actually balancing a Steadicam Merlin setup, and If you have any questions so far, leave some comments.
