If you're gathering up quite a bit of gear and looking to upgrade your camera bag, check out the Tamrac 5788 Evolution 8
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Zoom H1 Battery Drain?
Forums are opening up with complaints about the new Zoom H1 having some serious battery drain issues. Just thought i'd post an article here to see what comments pour in. Supposedly there could be a bad batch of Zoom H1's floating around with problem capacitors that will drain brand new batteries to almost nothing just overnight. By habit I always recharge my Eneloop batteries and use a fresh set in all my gear before a shoot. So this is something i've never noticed. I'll have to grab a fresh pack of non-rechargeables to test this out myself on my units. I'm digging around to see what Samson or Zoom might have to say about this, and if it's true, what will be done for consumers. If you've got any more information, fill us in with your comments below.
NeoPrene DSLR Covers get the Logo
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Somehow a swarm of these NeoPrene DSLR covers are suddenly showing up. Nifty little protectors that can help prevent scuff, scratches, and dust to your cameras while packing things up. Usually found for around $6.00 dollars, they are now sporting a variety of popular logos, coming in different sizes, and a few different colors. Link: NeoPrene Camera Case Cover for DSLR's.
Another? E-image Ningbo DSLR Rigs
Wow, when it rains it pours. All i've been talking about is new DSLR rigs for most of the day, but it's good to know our options. Thanks to a tip from 'John', here's another company trying to get their lineup into the DSLR market. I have to say that these model closer to the 'blue guys' than the other company. There's a ton of different accessories already listed from basic rods, clamps, handle bars, follow focus, and shoulder pad. I haven't dug deep enough to find out pricing, but after all the previous posts, i'm not going to get overly excited. Even if they aren't rock bottom, dirt cheap prices, like we've been accustomed to with overseas products, the benefit of having more DSLR accessories in the market is compatibility. All of the accessories from different companies should play nicely together. Your follow focus from blue guys, will mount on a base rig from the orange guys, as well as handlebars from the purple guys. (I sure hope no cinema company is using purple.....) I'm a bit lazy to grab more images, so if you want to take a peek here's the link: https://www.eimagevideo.com/enproduct_largerimage.asp?id=972&cpfl=187
New DSLR Rigs Want to Come out and Play – Prototyping
Just got wind of a new company looking to play in the ever popular DSLR game. Above are a few photos, showing some new gear currently being 'prototyped'. That's about all I can say right now, as I don't have much more information (yet). Whether we'll see this on the market soon would be interesting as well, but looks like when they are ready to go they'll be offering quite a bit. Check out the gear that's in the works...
Canon Powershot G12 now in stock
Canon G12 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.8 inch Vari-Angle LCD
Just a few days ago these were only available for pre-order. Looks like Amazon has them in stock and available for Prime shipping. Means it's actually shipping from an Amazon warehouse, and not from a third party seller. This camera is a nice upgrade from the already popular G11, with new features like HD Video recording and in camera HDR photo processing. 5x Optical Zoom with Image Stabilization, flash hot shoe, swivel out LCD (like 60D), can be triggered remotely, lots of manual controls, and RAW photo capture. It's about as DSLR as you can get without going full DSLR. One question that's been on my mind is 'will there be some manual controls in video mode'? Also mentioned is that it could already be compatible with the Canon WP-DC34 Underwater Housing
Canon DSLR ‘Bullet Time’ with Rip Curl
This video is pretty sick! Using 52 Canon Cameras to create the Bullet Time effect similar to the movie The Matrix. I'm actually drawing up my own Bullet time rig and I figured out how to fire off as many cameras as needed with a single remote and no software. I just need to find enough cameras, which i'm currently looking at the G series Powershots. Hopefully i'll have more to show about that rig soon, because i'd love to try this out.
Details from YouTube:
In collaboration with Timeslice Films, Rip Curl took on an ambitious bullet-time campaign shoot in Malaysia's Sunway Lagoon Wavepool with lead surfers Mick Fanning, Stephanie Gilmore, Owen Wright and Matt Wilkinson.
The revolutionary campaign captures surfing in a way never seen before, with the final visuals baring more resemblance to a fight scene from the famous Matrix movies than a promotional surfing video.
The two-day rental of Sunway Lagoon Wavepool allowed Rip Curl and Timeslice to operate in a more stable environment than the open ocean offers. The Rip Curl surfers were repeatedly towed into the machine-controlled waves by Jetski and their operational space was determined by the 52-camera rig set up in the pool. Original Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlZPmABrLu8&feature=player_embedded
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New DSLR Rigs Get Pricing
After posting up information that the overseas photography equipment company Fancier is getting into the DSLR rig and DSLR support game, everyone was searching for news on pricing. These rigs by the way were shown at Photokina, so they aren't trying to come in as some sneaky blatant knock-off. I'm sure they had a bit of 'inspiration' from other DSLR rig makers, but this lineup is all theirs.
A few reliable comments have come in with some pricing that were received from Fancier themselves. Although it looks good for what you get, the fact that you can get it cheaper in the USA is really going to slow their pace. Here's the prices that are leaking now, and i'm not too optimistic about it hitting the US market. Hopefully these expected prices will change after this post.
First up is the basic DSLR cage labeled as the FTV-100D. This unit is estimated to com in at $505.94 dollars. Outside of the Follow Focus, you can find pretty much the exact same DSLR cage over at IndiSystems for $129 - top handle and all. Hey, you can even find a popular decent DIY for under $30 bucks.
Next up is your basic DSLR shoulder support with gearless follow focus, labeled the FTV-110A and coming in at expected $491.65. Just in the last few months there have been several US companies offering a base shoulder rig for under $300 dollars.
Third on the list is the FTV-110B, which pretty much looks like a bigger version of their FTV-110A (minus follow focus). This rig is expected to come in at $571.02. Wow, that's a pretty penny considering you can already get several nice basic support rigs for half the price. There's definitely room for more companies, but if you're late in the game, you'll have to bring something more original (or cheaper) to grab some attention.
Fourth configuration is labeled as the FTV-200D coming in at a price of $1,553.15. This adds a matte box, their micro follow focus, and top handle to the base rig. Coming in at a price similar to a Redrock EyeSpy Deluxe bundle which I really love shooting with, at this price, it's going to be hard to penetrate the US market. Sorry Fancier, I really like your (other) products, but if this is really the prices you're heading for in DSLR stabilizers, you have a tough road ahead. Any comments on these 'possible' prices?
You can find more information about their rigs here: https://www.chinafancier.com/enShoulder-Bracket.html
DIY Titanium DSLR Rig
Nate Horowitz writes in with a kick ass DIY DSLR stabilizer rig. A bike mechanic and film maker, Nate used parts from a Titanium bike frame, aluminum seat posts, and aluminum bar stock. I'm hoping Nate will fill us all in with more information about the exact parts used and how much modification was needed, as this looks like one sweet DIY project. You can find more detailed photos over at his Flickr gallery here https://www.flickr.com/photos/54515193@N05/5049491205/in/photostream/, and feel free to leave some comments on this article. [Thanks Nate]
[Update from Nate] Here's the breakdown of parts in this rig.
The BIKE PARTS:
I hacked off the seat stays and a chain stay off a crashed $1000+
Titanium road bike frame. FREE
I used a bolt on axle on the rear to connect the chain-stay to the two
rails. FREE
The grips are two seat posts with BMX Oury grips slid over them. $10
The HOME DEPOT PARTS:
Aluminum bar stock. $!5
Nuts and bolts. $4
PVC cap and toilet O-ring. (used as a compression ring) $5
Plumbing clamps? (for the rear shoulder). $5
The AMAZON PARTS:
Manfrotto Quick Release Plate $45
USPS Shoulder Strap $7
The PAINT:
Grey Primer $5
Matte Black Spraypaint $5