Monthly Archives: May 2010

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So if it weren't for the gear, this post wouldn't make much sense on this web blog. This is the first day using the Cricut Cake cutter. Wifey received it a while back, but never had the chance to break it out. The Cricut Cake Cutter is a cool little machine that can cut Fondant and Gum Paste to decorate cakes and goodies. She thinks she's the new 'Cake Boss'. JK!

Wifey volunteers to make a few cupcakes and decorate a cake sheet for a friends Baby Shower, so I sit back and capture all the action testing out the 550D /T2i with a combination of lenses all handheld. Hey this Cricut Cake Cutter is pretty cool, and she's starting a blog about it @ https://cricutcakecutter.com.

Gear:
Canon 550D / T2i
Canon 24-70mm F/2.8
Canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro USM IS
LCDVF lcd viewfinder

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Updated: Here's the new link for a seller that's selling the exact same batteries I use.

I talked about these batteries a little while back when I placed my order on them. I've been using China shipped aftermarket batteries for years on my Canon 5D Mark II & Canon 7D (same batteries). I use aftermarket battery grips for both of those cameras also. Since i've been using them with absolutely no problems, it was a very easy decision for me to try out the 550D / T2i batteries coming out of China. I'm very happy with them. They work like normal Canon OEM batteries. They seem to last just as long, and unlike my other batteries, I can charge these on the Canon OEM charger. They also display the battery life indicator on the Canon EOS 550D / T2i. With shipping you can get them for as little as $10 bucks each. I was a little skeptical at first, but the T2i videos seem to blend in seamlessly along with the other cameras and is now seeing just as much, if not more, use during the gigs. It's never been used for any photography, but as a third video camera, it rocks! These batteries are a big help on long jobs. These aftermarket batteries for the Canon EOS 550D / T2i rock! You can purchase the batteries by clicking here.

Updated: Here's the new link for a seller that's selling the exact same batteries I use.
click image to purchase aftermarket batteries for the Canon EOS 550D / T2i
t2i-battery-updated

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click image to buy


click image to buy

I've gotten alot of questions about these Canon Coffee mugs that were first released for promotional items during the Winter Olympics in Canada (hence the french on the box). Through my long long long research i've found that there is only 1 manufacturer in China who produces these 1:1 replica Coffee Mugs of a 70-200mm F/4 IS lens. Since this company is in contract with Canon to only sell through Licensed Canon Sales Channels, it's not likely you'll be getting them by bulk into the US. Yeah tough, because I wanted to grab a wholesale bunch of these things for the Cheesycam audience.

Fortunately there are some grey - black market mugs for sale via eBay and other websites. I've been following many blogs about other guys who have already received their limited edition mugs, so it's obviously shipping from the source somehow. Doing some research on eBay for sellers + feedback + member since + etc. etc., I decided to take the plunge and order one of these items. I'm not suggesting that everyone go out and grab one right now, but i'll let you know if I get scammed. Fortunately I'm pretty good at sniffing a legit sale or not on eBay and payment is via Paypal. I'm taking one for the team on this, so that the rest of you who might want to follow up on a purchase can feel a bit safer knowing the item was actually received or not. Besides, Paypal has always had my back on any type of dispute.

If you're part of the daring group of hard core Canon fanatics who feel this is a much needed collector piece, you can find them on sale by clicking here, or any of the images above.

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Part of the workflow for me that's been a real pain is memory card backups. After an all day shoot it's about leaving your Compact flash or SDHC cards with the editor to do his data dumps so he can get straight to work. Otherwise it means you have to find a way to dump about 200 gigs of video to an external, and then find the time to get it back to the editor in a timely fashion.

I've been on the fence for a while about getting one of these portable Memory Backup devices, and it seems like it could really help in speeding up data hand-offs. The idea is to purchase at least two and just rotate / switch each time we do a job. Sure we can always drag around a laptop and a couple of USB drives, but transfering from card to laptop and back to external drive seems like more gear to carry and slower transfer times. Sure there are different and maybe cheaper versions of these type of devices, but so far the Hyperdrive has always been the one recommended to me by professionals. You can find prices of the Hyperdrive Memory Backup on eBay by Clicking Here.

Or you can always check out Amazon

Holy cow, check out this expensive version too:

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OK, this is pretty cool. Not that we all haven't thought about using our backpacks as the weight needed to support a tripod or lightstand, but ClikElite has actually integrated the two. With an adjustable frame built in to the backpack, now you won't even be without your Tripod or a Lightstand. Not to mention that the frame can also support the weight better and protect your gear. Since it's rocking a simple 1/4x20 adapter, may even be cool for that DIY Slider.

You know, this would be pretty cool for those wedding gigs when you need to setup a tripod fast and want to keep your gear nearby. I may be looking into a DIY version of this in my near future. Check out the photos and it's even available at Amazon for a decent price.

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Joel C. posted a couple of photos @Facebook on his version of the Cheesycam $20.00 dollar DIY shoulder rig I posted a short while back. I have to admit it came out pretty nice. Of course Joel had to up one on me by adding an LED video light to camera right and a Zoom H4n on camera left. Nice job Joel, thanks for reading the blog and supporting the ideas.

Here's some more useful information for you DIY'ers out there looking to add accessories to your rigs. Most items use a standard 1/4" x 20 thread to mount such as the Zoom H4n. Sometimes they use a Hot Shoe type mount like the LED video lights. Well if you want to add some functionality to make your accessories more modular you can pick up Cold Shoe adapters, 1/4" x 20 threaded cold shoes, or swiveling cold shoe mounts for dirt cheap. Add this to your rig or to your accessories for that super fast on /off action, or to add that finished look to your DIY rigs.

Below are some of my favorite items to use on my DIY projects. Click any of the images to buy them on eBay for about 3-4 dollars.
This item below can be mounted to any of DIY rigs to hold accessories that use a Hot Shoe type mount such as your LED video lights, external monitor, or Video microphones.
Click here to purchase the Cold Shoe Adapters.

This next item (below) can be used to turn most accessories into a quick HotShoe mountable item. This is a perfect little add-on for the Zoom H4n since it only uses a threaded insert. Now you can make it HotShoe mountable to mount on top of your 5DM2 or 7D camera (not recommended for 550D or T2i because of the lack of metal body frame). Or use it with the Cold Shoe adapter (above) to mount it anywhere else.
Click here to purchase the Tripod Shoe Adapters.

Although this next adapter (below) is mainly used as a Flash holder with Umbrella Bracket, this item can be used to add height to a Rode Video mic on your shoulder rig, or possibly your LED video light. It's also adjustable with it's ball head, so you can get some better angles with your accessories.
Click here to purchase the Ball Head Swivel Adapters.

If you're on the super super cheap, you can always grab a Flash Shoe Stand for about $2.00 dollars. These have a cold shoe type mount on top, but also have a 1/4" x 20 thread insert underneath to mount to a Tripod, Light Stand, or any your DIY rig with a simple 1/4" x 20 bolt.
Click here to purchase Flash Shoe Stand Adapters.

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Not everyone can or wants to pay the price on a Full Frame camera. So if you need to go extra wide on a cropped camera like the 7D or 550D / T2i, there's a few lenses that can help get you there. Most of which can run you somewhere around $800-$1000.00 bucks for a 16-35mm or maybe even a 17-55mm. Even the 10-22mm is a nice lens, but Sigma's got that beat with an incredible 8-16mm! Most of the time around that range you're talking Fisheye which isn't always so flattering for portraits, but this Sigma doesn't go there. New from Sigma and available for pre-order, It's possibly the widest lens available that isn't a Fisheye. Although it's not super fast sitting at F/4.5-5.6, but with Sigma's HSM built in, that range, and at this price point who are we to complain? Thanks Sigma. Not a bad price for this wide angle lens. Click here for prices on eBay.

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The Flip HD camera changed portable video cameras when it was first released. The convenience, quality, and price point made it very popular for Video bloggers and consumers who wanted a more portable solution to HD quality video. One of the things that I really didn't like was the tiny screen for playback. It sucked, but at least it has a screen. The GoPro HD Hero doesn't even have an LCD, but I still use it quite a bit for it's durability. Well Flip introduces it's newest HD camera called the Flip Side which opens up somewhat like a Nokia cell phone to playback and share your videos with a larger Touchscreen. (Yes, I did say TouchScreen). You can find the new Flip Side HD camera at Amazon or eBay at these prices.

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As many of you know I recently traveled over to Maui for some fun in the sun. I did take quite a bit of Photography and Videography equipment along with me, and I knew I needed to stay organized. Since many of these items had to be checked in with my luggage, I wanted to make sure my equipment was protected and organized. My solution required a trip to the local Walmart into the Fishing section. There I found a variety of Tackle / Lure organizers that worked perfectly for all my Eneloop batteries, Camera Batteries, Battery Chargers, Compact Flash Cards, Black Rapids Camera Straps, Radio Poppers, iPhone / iPad Charger, USB cables, USB drives, LCDVF, Shutter Remotes, Canon ST-E2, Rode Video Mic, Zoom H4n, Dead Cat Wind Screen, laptop power adapter, all my mounting hardware, lens cleaning solution, micro fiber cloths, and even had room for an extra Power Surge strip. You can see in the background I packed 4 Canon Chargers and 4 Sanyo Eneloop chargers into one box. There was a ton of things that packed nicely and neatly with these boxes that ran from $2.00 - $5.00 dollars.

I even found use with a Dry Eraser Marker by marking the inside of the cases, I could easily mark if my Compact flash cards are used or unused, or if my Batteries were charged or uncharged. Much cheaper than buying anything off the shelf from a camera store and keeps my small pieces well organized. I might start using a small Labeling machine to make sure things end up back where they started. If you found this helpful, holla back in the Comments section.