canon 60d

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redrock-micro-evf

Cinema5D's got the scoop on a new Redrock Micro 'Electronic View Finder' specifically designed for HD Video DSLR's. We all new this day was coming, but what I totally didn't expect was the expected price point. Wow, I really hope they can meet those goals, that's just ridiculous pricing for anything RedRock Micro. It looks very functional and I can see myself using that quite a bit. Today we had a crane shot on a roof of a building in broad daylight. It's was about 90 degrees out on a clear day, and we couldn't see crap on the monitor. Having a remote EVF like this running down a jib would have been a perfect solution. This design in remote View Finders via HDMI also means it would be cross brand compatible. Regardless of camera make and model, this should be fairly future proof. Zacuto has also admitted to be working on a new EVF, but so far nothing tangible has hit the web. Even if Zacuto does release an EVF, it would be interesting to see if pricing will be competitive with the new RedRock Micro Electronic Viewfinder. Check out the Cinema5D Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZYW1VwFdHk

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official-lcd-view-finder-canon-550D
click image

Thanks to a few people for leaving some comments on this item. It's a new view finder loupe on the market that is said to fit the aspect ratio of the Canon 550D / T2i perfectly with no crop. Looks like a similar design we've seen before but now with a custom fit and no signs of 'infringement' here. There's currently only one other view finder that claims to be designed specifically for this Canon 550D, so this opens up another option for T2i owners. For those who are daring enough to attach the magnet frame onto the Canon 60D, it should be the exact same fit. Here's the link: View Finder 4 Canon 550D / T2i

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cheesycam-mailbag

There it is, the 2nd Canon EOS 60D DSLR has arrived in time for the Sunday Music video shoot project. With my friend's, we'll have a total of three on set. Also another exciting item I get to use for a different project is of course the JuicedLink DT454 4-Channel DSLR Camera Microphone Preamplifier. You've heard me mention it quite a bit in the past few days, and I wasn't name dropping for nothing! I was just waiting for it...but I think you guys got the subtle clues. I'll hook it up and run a few tests, but in order to complete this audio setup, I'm still waiting on the Audio-Technica AT875 Short Condenser Shotgun Microphone to come in. ( Oh crap my wife reads this blog..doesn't know about this one yet...damn too late to hide it....).

juicedlink-dt454
JuicedLink DT454

audio-technica-at875
Audio-Technica AT875 Shotgun Microphone

The AT875 is a Short Shotgun powered by 12v Phantom giving you a bit of extra run time on your batteries over a 24v Phantom powered mic. Suggested by JuicedLink.com as a decent cheap pair for the DT454. If you can't trust them, who can you trust? Reviews and samples coming soon....

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DSLR BTS Behind the Scenes

Yeah there I go, second member of the DSLR BTS (Behind the Scenes) group over at Vimeo immediately after the man of Zacuto himself, Steve Weiss. Another top DSLR gear maker as a member is Cinevate, which BTW I am patiently awaiting the release of their new and more affordable Atlas 10 Camera Slider (hurry up guys! or send me a Beta!). It's a new group started by the dudes at DSLRUniversity.com dedicated to behind the scenes work with DSLR's, and that's where you'll always find the latest gear, tips, tricks, and techniques. If you guys are interested in that kinda stuff (which if you're on this blog, i'm sure you are), check it out and join in. After my music video shoot with the 3 Canon 60D's, i'm hoping to add a BTS video there too.

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canon-60d-lcd-screen
Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 18-135mm

I keep talking about the manual audio levels being a big plus for the Canon 60D right now, and I think some people are still wondering what the big deal is. Currently only the 5D Mark II has this option and hopefully there will be new firmware for the other cameras. The in camera audio for the Canon 7D and T2i use AGC - automatic gain control that can't be disabled. The camera boosts the microphone signal pretty high that it has a constant hissing noise. If you're in a loud busy environment, you won't really notice this due to all the distracting sounds, but put these cameras into a quiet environment and you'll notice the difference big time. If you think Magic Lantern will be your solution, check out the comment I left in this article: http://cheesycam.com/canon-7d-vs-60d-vs-550d-t2i/

juicedlink-dt454
JuicedLink DT454 4-Channel DSLR Camera Microphone Preamplifier

The workaround right now for cameras with AGC on all the time, is to use a separate audio recorder and record directly to that. Next you'll sync that audio in post. For shooting in 24p that gets a little tricky getting long audio to sync. For anyone shooting hundreds of short clips throughout the day, that also adds post processing hours trying to match everything up. If you want to shave some time on recording to a separate device, you can use devices like the JuicedLink DT454 or similar that will send a constant tone to one channel of the audio tricking the AGC. I have to say though that these Audiophile guys who build these preamp boxes weren't very happy with the Nikon DSLR's. Nikon have a different way of setting the audio and still didn't produce as nice results as the Canon's. Don't quote 'me' on that, but that's the scoop I got. We'll just have to wait and see if that's been improved on the newer Nikon DSLR's.

If you've got a few minutes to spare, great tutorials about AGC and the hissing noise can be found here: https://www.juicedlink.com/reducing-camera-hiss/chapter/0

Here's a very old example of a test I did when Magic Lantern was first released for the Canon 5D Mark II to allow manual audio levels. This should give you a better idea of what the new Manual Audio Levels in the Canon 60D are capable of. Not the best of the best, but much better quality can be captured if your camera allows you to manually set the amount of gain.

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10-22mm

So my second Canon 60D arrives this morning and another friend just grabbed one yesterday over at Best Buy in Redwood City. Can you believe just walking into a store and finding the last one? I like online over retail mainly because of taxes, but with local retail you can always resolve your issues quickly on these very expensive items. We were scheduled for a Music Video shoot this Sunday, but for fun we thought we'd do everything in just the new Canon 60D. We'll have a total of three on set, so it will be a nice way of getting used to learning the menu and dials.

I woke up this morning and realized I don't have the widest lens for these cropped cameras. Many of the really nice wide lenses for cropped cameras are EF-S mounts, and the EF-S mount does not work with Full Frame cameras. Of course ALL EF mounts will work on ALL cameras, so all my lenses are cross compatible amongst all my gear. For cropped camera shooters, this is something to keep in mind when investing in lenses, if you believe you'll one day go to a Full Frame camera. Normally if I wanted to get a wide shot, I switched to my Canon 5D Mark II full frame and used some of my wide EF mounts. Soooooo...since I wanted this to be an all Canon 60D shoot, my EF lenses weren't as wide as i'd hope. Luckily Borrowlenses.com had the Canon 10-22mm in stock ready to pick up by 10am this morning. My first option was the Tokina 11-16mm, but that little guy seems to be sold out all the time, proving to be all the lens hype that everyone keeps raving about.

Again, if you guys aren't into renting, you should definitely try it out. Most rental places will ask for a huge deposit on gear, but that's what makes BorrowLenses.com different. Easiest rental place i've worked with and they do lots of mailing. It's like the NetFlix for Camera Gear. Check them out here: Borrowlenses.com

Camera Gear Rental

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canon-60d-intervalometer

Well questions about a Canon 60D Timer Remote / Intervalometer are coming in. The camera is a hybrid of T2i and 7D bits and pieces. The Canon 60D uses the same battery as the 7D but uses the connection type for the Timer Remote as the T2i. Shown in this video: http://cheesycam.com/canon-t2i-550d-timer-remote-timelapse/, this mini jack connection appears to be exact same one to be used as a simple remote shutter cord or get you started on your Canon 60D Timelapse Photography. When I get home from my drive i'll test it out to confirm with a video, but i'm pretty sure it's the right one. In fact if you click on the image below, the seller is already posting compatibility with the 60D.

canon 550d timelapse timer remote
find-price-button Canon TimeLapse Timer Remote Intervalometer for Canon 60D / 550D / T2i / G12

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Now that Canon is throwing everyone for a loop releasing every 'in between' type of camera, I just thought i'd throw up a video about a few differences in the Canon 7D vs 60D vs T2i. I too was quite disappointed that Canon didn't release any earth shattering news about new video features on their latest camera. For 5DM2 and 7D owners, the announcement of the 60D was nothing to get too overly excited about. When it was between the T2i and 7D I advised all my friends starting in DSLR video to go with the T2i, save the extra $1000 dollars and buy yourself some better glass. Now the 60D is coming in at just $300 dollars more than the T2i, I'm going to change my tune. For Canon T2i owners who said they wouldn't, I think once you've used it and seen what it can do, you'll make a decision to upgrade.

There are some really nice features for videographers that will instantly improve what you're already doing with the T2i. For one, the White balance settings on the 60D are way easier to control than the T2i, and adds the option for manual Kelvin settings. The Flip out LCD you might be able to live without (I think it's really nice), but the Manual Audio levels are well worth the extra $300 dollars alone. Why bother with an external Audio recorder when you can connect a microphone directly and manually adjust audio levels in the camera? You shoot hundreds of tiny little clips throughout the day and when you come home, you have nothing to sync. You change your settings to 24p to get that cinema look, and instead of running hundreds of clips through Plural Eyes, all that work is already done. This already will save you hours and hours of post work. Sure you can defeat AGC on the other cameras, but in doing so, you'll already be spending a few hundred dollars on a decent device. The upgraded body already puts the 60D in a different class. It's no longer a lightweight Rebel camera, the 60D feels sturdy with a bit more weather proofing. We're not even talking about all the Photography upgrades, so for beginner Hybrid shooters the decision should be easy regarding the $300 dollar price difference.

canon-eos-family-1

I was surprised that Canon didn't release any new video features like 120fps or at least 1080@60fps, but not surprised Canon released another camera with obvious Video dedicated ergonomic upgrades. Having spent an extra $1000 dollars for their first 1080 DSLR Video camera, there were thousands of Canon 7D owners who were shocked when the Canon T2i was first announced. I think the announcement of the 60D for just a few hundred dollars more appeals to T2i owners in the same way. Overall the Canon 60D is indeed a great camera at a great price, and Canon has made great strides in adding more professional video features, audio features, photography features, and body upgrades into a more affordable camera.

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Yeah, they rock! Was a bit worried about the size, type of material, and how much weight these things would carry, but I totally under estimated the quality. It's all metal in every segment. Lots of different mounting options from Male thread, to Female Threaded insert, to Hot shoe. Very cool highly positionable little arms that carry a crap load of weight. In the video above i'm showing these things carrying my other DSLR's while mounted to a Letus Talon DSLR Camera Cage. If you're looking to bring that Z96 LED video light a bit higher, move your Shotgun Microphone further away from the camera, add an HDMI LCD Monitor, or position your Portable Audio recorder into view so you can control it faster, these are the things that will help get your rig customized. If used with the Nano clamps, they become more versatile to mount onto Lightstands, onto the Rods of your rig, or clip onto the legs of your Tripod. In the past these types of arms ran well over $90 dollars for everything included, but here's a seller pawning them off for half that price: Link >> DSLR Variable Position Flexible Power Arm for Accessory Mounting

power-arm-led-video-light
find-price-button Lightweight Variable Friction Power Arm For DSLR

manfrotto-mini-clamp
find-price-button Manfrotto Nano Clamp

[Update] There was a comment in one of the earlier posts, that this item looks similar to the arms sold from Vibesta. Shortly after posting this article, I get an email from Mark of Vibesta. Here's a little bit more information from the man of Vibesta himself...

Hi all,
This is Mark from Vibesta and I can shed some light on this.
We are the manufacturer of these arms so if you find the identical arm somewhere it is from us (or a copy of it). It is right that we produce it in china to be able to offer it at the lowest price possible and we take great care of quality control to offer arms that are of the same or better quality compared to the best arms on the market.

We sell the arms to manufacturers, retailers and final customers so it is possible to get it through different sources but we try to offer Vibesta arms locally in as many countries as possible so that customers don’t have to pay high shipping costs or wait a longer time for their order – for example within the USA you can order Vibesta arms from Express35.com or Cory Easom, for europe we have local stock in Germany and we are constantly adding retailers within other countries to our network. We will very soon update our website so that it gives you more information where you can order our products locally.

As prices don’t differ a lot I would encourage you to order from a local source if possible to support your local dealers and also for better and more direct customer service.

Best regards,
Mark

Well i'm not sure how to follow up on this one. Obviously, If you're looking for these types of products in the US, check out the suggested retailers. If you're in Germany, Vibesta has the products locally. As far as the overseas sales, i'm guessing it's not going to be around very long....