You post a few DIY sliders on here and it opens up a whole can of worms. I've received lots of DIY slider ideas, but if it's too similar to what we've seen before, then i'm not going to get too redundant showing it again. Here of course is another DIY slider version with great results and all based on a platform of furniture sliders. Yeah same little low friction smooth plastic stuff you place under your chairs and table legs. The key to this design is the very wide rail that is used to support the width of the fluid head and wide platform. Lots of area for stabilizing movement. [Thanks SkaliTV]
Budget Slider Back Online – Next Batch
Good News. Bad News. Good News. First Good news, the budget camera slider is back online found here: Konova video Camera DSLR Slider
Bad News (well not really bad), this is a Pre-Order listing for the next batch. According to the details, it won't ship until the end of the month. How many will be counted for in this next batch? Who knows, but the first listing was taken down in the same day of my last post. Other good news is that it's come back online for the most recent price we saw it at. Now I know several people missed out on the auction listing and are getting eager about this camera slider and going to buy direct from manufacturer. You could throw some money down, but those are still pre-orders with nothing in stock to ship out. If you want to make sure you're playing it safe on a purchase, eBay is the way to go - Paypal has got you covered. Hopefully a few of them will start coming in from previous shipments so we can get a review online, but here's the new listing if you're already convinced.
DIY Video Stuff with PVC
Using aluminum broom sticks and some PVC T connectors, Vimeo member Jorge comes up with a simple $5.00 dollar slider solution. Inside the PVC T connectors is a bit of felt to reduce friction and allow some smoother slides. There is a bit of movement during some of the video footage, but I think that's from the cheaper Tripod head mounted to only one set of PVC T connectors. You might get better results using 4 connectors, a wider flat base plate, and a solid Tripod head. Of course, that might run up the bill to about $15.00 dollars. I might have to say this could have more potential than the $99 dollar slider....
The good fellas over at DVRebellion.com shows how it's done using four PVC T connectors on steel rods. Check out the video below.
Interesting DSLR Rig w/ Follow Focus Hard Stops
Moving focus from point A to point B perfectly is a trick. A follow focus system with marking disc will help you pinpoint that, but then the dollars start adding up. The old Hose Clamp with a Bolt trick is the dirt cheap way to move a lens, but never seemed like a perfect solution.
How about adding that idea to a rig with hard stops? Here's an interesting rig someone is selling online with a DIY take on getting perfect focus points dialed in for that shot. Not a bad price online either, but a pretty cool idea which i'm sure someone else out there will be able to work with. This throws in some new ideas for that DIY follow focus you've been working on, doesn't it?
Found here:
DSLR Rig with Follow Focus Hard Stops
The 312 Dimmable Portable LED Video Light
Thinking back not long ago LED video lights were outside the normal budget. Bigger and better designs plus affordable prices make LED video lights the new standard. I don't know anyone using anything else these days for portable on-camera lighting. These 312 Portable LED Video lights aren't very new. People have sent in links to this LED light but it wasn't something I was very interested in. There is however one version of this that's fairly new, which recently caught my attention again. So check carefully and don't get confused between them if you're shopping for one.
Relative Size on Camera
The first version of this LED video light comes in with 312 LEDs with Variable 'Color Temp'. If you've seen how this technology works, you'll basically be ending up with about 1/2 the light output. Here's an old article I posted about the larger color changing LEDs http://cheesycam.com/latest-led-color-changing-video-light/
Although color changing features make for a great LED light, you'd be carrying around a fairly large form factor for just 1/2 the power. Not something I was interested in for this type of portable on camera video light. The latest version of this LED light is much more interesting. It seems as if they've removed the color changing feature and just added 312 bright 5400K LEDs.
Above - Color Changing with two Dimmers
Above - Non-Color Changing with only Brightness Dimmer
Why is this more appealing to me now? Well for people like me looking to stack portable LED video lights like the Z96, this might be the better and cheaper route. If you purchased (3) Z96 LED lights at current price, you'd end up paying more, come in with less LEDs, and have to deal with more batteries and more pieces. The 312 LED video light is a good size to still be considered portable with very little pieces to muck around with. There are two versions of the 312 LED video light, but all come with 2 Batteries, Battery Charger, a diffusing panel, and hot shoe adapter. Not only a better deal on the total number of LED's compared to the Z96, but throw in the rechargeable batteries (looks like Sony) + charger, the price is looking pretty sweet. It's a very clean professional looking form factor with obvious dimmer knob(s) on the back and a nice battery meter to show you how much power you have left.
312 Dimmable (or Color Changing) LED Video Light, Batteries + Charger included
Comments in for cheap Polaroid Variable ND
If you haven't been keeping up, a few comments have already come in about the Polaroid Variable ND filters. Looks good, and at 1/3 price of relative Variable ND filters. Not every filter size is available, but the popular 72mm is back in stock. http://cheesycam.com/polaroid-new-variable-nd-filters/. Don't get this confused with a 'Circular Polarizer'. This is the 'Variable ND filter' which serves a different purpose in cutting out light. If you can't score the size you need through the Polaroid's, the Nature brand is still an excellent buy as well http://cheesycam.com/nature-fader-nd-variable-neutral-density-filters/
New Rode VideoMic (Pro)
The Rode VideoMic is the most popular microphone in my bunch. When I needed something that would work well at CES in Vegas - worry free, I used the Rode VideoMic. Well Rode's got a 'new' VideoMic called the Rode VideoMic Pro. I don't think it's available for sale just yet, but it's been officially announced today. Definitely lots of enhancements in the exterior design, making it smaller and with a different shock mount design. They've made it easier to change a few settings with an exterior switch for high pass filter, and a seperate switch for -10dB , 0, and +20dB Levels. Want more? Check out the Microphone introduction here: https://www.rodemic.com/vmp/
I'd really love to check one of these out, and if you'd like to help (me), here's what you can do. Click here to send a Tweet to RodeMicrophones. Maybe a tweets could help hook a brotha up..
LED Video Light Panels
Well they've been available for a while, and it seems like the shortage has been cleared up. More LED Video light panels are available again. Just noticed there are a few auctions thrown up starting at $0.01 US. Yeah that's a penny, but you need to account for the $20 dollar shipping. Never know what you can walk away with, if you're dying for an LED Video panel.
DIY Game changing idea?
Minimal, Functional, Versatile, Practical, completely original. I might be a bit distracted lately, not sure if anyone can tell. I've been busy testing out a new prototype I've been working on for several months (6 months ago). I just picked it up yesterday and only a handful of people know what i'm talking about. It's interesting to see their expressions when I show it off, and they all agree that it's going to change the way people think about.......umm...ok said too much. Sorry guys, just a few more tweaks to go and you'll see what it's all about.