dslr video

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About a year and a half ago, DJI Released it's first Phantom Quadcopter capable of mounting a GoPro. At the time it was an amazing value for a ready-to-fly quadcopter that was both easy to fly and loaded with features for the beginner, but it also had several issues that needed additional add-ons for camera use.

The GoPro mount caused severe Jello effects in video, which meant adding on various mounts or an aftermarket 3 axis gimbal. Without an FPV (first person view) Video stream you basically maneuvered the quad in hopes the camera was positioned for framing correctly. Without the FPV stream the operator needed to maintain a visual on the unit to steer the copter. This would limit the distance you could fly. Even if you could add an FPV stream, with all of the extra gear your flight time dropped below 10 minutes.

Fast forward today, DJI has released several new products catering to the Phantom Quadcopter line including the Phantom 2, a new 3 Axis Gimbal for the GoPro, the Phantom Vision (built in camera), and now the Phantom 2 Vision+ (built in camera with 3 Axis Gimbal).

DJI Phantom Vision Plus Quadcopter
find-price-button DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ Plus Quadcopter + Hard Case + Extra Battery + microSD

My top pick for the best and easiest Ready-To-Fly off the shelf quadcopter for imaging is the new DJI Phantom Vision+! The new Vision+ is now a joy to fly with up to 25 minutes in the air, comes with a built in camera on a super stable 3 Axis Gimbal that streams live video back to your Smartphone. For beginners looking to dive into Quadcopters capable of incredibly smooth, incredibly stable aerial photos and videos, I highly recommend the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+. Here's a look at how easy it is to get setup for it's first flight.

The streaming video app takes all the guess work out of flying and shows important information like altitude, distance, and battery levels. Even if the unit is out sight, you can still fly through the video stream and tilt the camera through the smartphone. Without touching the remote the Phantom Vision hovers in the same spot. Stable enough they've also included a Timelapse setting in the app.

DJI Pahntom Vision Plus App GPS Fail Safe
DJI Vision App for Phantom 2 Vision+ Plus Quadcopter

In case you dare to fly too far, the DJI Phantom will switch into Fail Safe and fly back to the location of it's original launch (just make sure you have a clear path back). While I can't say the quality of the Vision+ camera is comparable to a GoPro, the entire Ready-To-Fly system is built to work seamlessly together offering longer flight times, stable imaging, and live video streaming.

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ Plus Quadcopter can be akward to travel with, so I highly recommend a hard case, an extra battery for more play time, and you'll need a microSDHC card to store the videos and photos. The best bundle I have found comes as a complete kit with all of these extras and is available via B&H (click here).

DJI Phantom Kit hard case travel bag extra battery sd card
find-price-button DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ Plus Quadcopter + Hard Case + Extra Battery + microSD

[Important Note: The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ is not a toy. It is a serious flying machine. Consider your safety and the safety of others. Extreme care should be taken, and all rules, regulations, and laws should be considered at whatever location you choose to fly. ]

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For those familiar with the 18" CFL Ring Light (especially those of you who have used it in production), you'll get a kick out this recent product. This new ePhoto R-640 LED Light takes the familiar form factor of the 18" CFL but replaces it with 640 High CRI LED Bulbs.

While I'm a big fan of the 18" CFL (compact fluorescent) version, it always needed to be plugged in to an AC wall outlet (no DC battery option). Also the fragile CFL bulb made it queestionable to travel with and use on location. This new R-640 LED Ring Light solves those issues by offering up long lasting durable LED bulbs and a 14V-15V DC input for optional battery power.

R640 LED Ring Light Test2 R640 LED Ring Light Test1 R640 LED Ring Light Test3
LED tests courtesy of Allied Scientific Pro Lighting Passport

The R-640 claims to use high quality LED bulbs, and our tests with the AlliedScientific Lighting Passport LED Light Meter showed excellent results. Tested at a distance of 3 Feet the R640 delivered a CRI rating of 95 / over 1670 LUX [155 FC] / and a color temp of 5400K. Not just a unique form factor that will allow for creative use, but also a great light at a great price, and for more information visit the product page (click here).

cn-r640-ringlight-for-dslr-filmmaking-1ePhoto r640 cn640 led video lightephoto led video ring light
find-price-button ePhoto R-640 18" LED Video Continous Ring LIght

If it's out of stock, here's a second link available on eBay (click here)

ePhoto R640 LED Video Lightcn-r640-ringlight-for-dslr-filmmaking-1ePhoto r640 cn640 led video light
find-price-button ePhoto R640 LED Video Ring Light

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Over the years i've attended and recorded several ceremonies (i.e. weddings), live performances (i.e. concerts), and sporting events. In order to get a camera at a more elevated position above the crowds, i've decided on using this inexpensive 12' Tripod.

With an ultra wide lens, you could further exaggerate the appearance of height. When using a GoPro camera's widest setting you could capture large crowds, or easily show off large spaces.

With a camera placed so high, it's important to choose one that can be operated remotely. Most new cameras offer WiFi apps that allow you to see the video feed, start/stop video, and also change camera settings. Cameras like the new GH4, Sony RX100, or GoPro. Without a WiFi App, you could also drop an HDMI cable from the camera down to a remote monitor, and control start/stop with either an infrared, tethered, or wireless shutter remote.

Often found as a 'Laser Tripod', 'Constuction Tripod', 'Contractors Tripod', or 'Elevator (elevation) Tripod', it's an inexpensive way to place a lightweight camera up high. By adding a small remote motorized Pan/Tilt head you could further add an interesting dynamic camera angle.

Unfortunately the 12' foot version that I have is currently out of stock. I'll share the link in case you want to take a look (click here).

12 foot laser tripod elevator tripod contractor construction tripodTPI 12 foot tripod 12 foot laser tripod elevator tripod contractor construction tripod
find-price-button 12 Foot Elevator Aluminum Laser Level Tripod

Otherwise there seems to be a good number of 9' foot (or taller) versions that can be found on eBay (check products here).

96-196-296-396
find-price-button Contractor Construction Laser Tripods via eBay

Here's that important Panning Base to drop it from a 5/8" to a 1/4"-20.
Laser Level Tripod Panning Base 12 Foot Super Tall Constuction Lase Contractor Tripod
find-price-button Laser Tripod 5/8-11 by 1/4-20 Threaded Female to Male Tripod Adapter


Quick Tip:
This Special Tripod Leveling Adapter Can save you hours and speed up your workflow.

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Now that the Birdycam has started shipping, i'm hearing a few questions and comments about tuning the PID settings to work better with a lightweight camera. I myself found the system oscillating when my setup was too light weight. Here's a video showing you a few simple settings you can change to get it working better.

Now just from experience I know what to sort of look for, but there's no exact magic number. All I could tell was that I needed to reduce my PID settings and those are numbers that seemed to work. In fact I tested my 12-35mm F/2.8 OIS with my new profile and it still worked just fine.

After making changes to your system you should take it out and use it as you normally would, and then decide if you need to make further changes. Always make changes to one area at a time instead of making large blanket changes across every tab. Most importantly always make a backup or document your prior settings before you make any changes. If you have any other questions, you can leave a comment below.

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Yesterday I met up with SatoStudios to check out the new DJI Ronin Gimbal, so I decided to bring out the Varavon Birdycam as well to shoot a few BTS clips. This footage is shot with a GH4 camera and although I find this footage to be incredibly smooth, I believe that I will have to tune up some of the PID settings to get best results on this super lightweight setup.

What you see in the video is still using the existing profile that was shipped with the unit, but it may be time to dig a little deeper. Since the Varavon uses the same Alexmos 32 bit software as the other gimbals, I can create my own custom settings. [BTW, you should not attempt this unless you know what you are doing].


varavon birdycam pre-order
find-price-button Varavon BirdyCam 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer

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Here's my first look at the new Varavon Birdycam (RTR) 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer. This stabilizer was popularized over other stabilizers in it's price range, mainly because of it's unique design which takes away the most tedious part about working with Gimbals - balancing your camera! So how easy was it? Well in real time (nothing sped up), I walk you through the exact steps on obtaining perfect balance with the Varavon BirdyCam Stabilizer.

Anyone who chooses to receive the Birdycam will first recognize the quality of parts and craftsmanship that went into the design. Almost every inch of the Birdycam is metal including thumb screws and clamp knobs.

Birdycam GH4 Birdycam Sony A7s
Birdycam shown with GH4 and Sony A7s

The next thing you'll immediately notice is the ease of use. The folding handle design is quick to setup, tilt and roll locks are super handy during balancing or when placing the gimbal down. The most impressive feature of course (sure to blow away even MOVI users) is a frame surrounded by tool-less fine tuning adjustment knobs that allow for super accurate incremental adjustments for perfect balance.

Birdycam BMCC Wireless Transmitter Receiver
Birdycam shown w/ BlackMagic Design Camera and Optional Wireless Video System

Testing out my Canon 5D Mark III + Sigma 20mm the profile installed on the gimbal worked incredibly smooth right out of the box. No PID tuning required (yet). So far my expectations has been exceeded from what I originally thought I knew about this gimbal. For the price, it's hard to beat the convenience and feature set. For more information about the product, check out the Birdycam 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer product page (click here).

varavon birdycam pre-orderpreorder birdycam varavon 3 axis gimbal stabilizer
find-price-button Varavon BirdyCam 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer

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Having come back from a recent project where I needed to place Lav microphones on three subjects, it's always a good idea that you have some type of backup plan. Here's an audio tip I thought i'd share using the new Alzo 3.5 mini stereo to XLR adapter.

The Alzo 3.5 Mini Phone Female to XLR Stereo Adapter Cord is simply advertised as a way to connect a basic stereo microphone into a camera that offers dual XLR mic inputs. One important feature I think they missed in their product description is the ability to use the cable for backup audio recordings. By splitting your signal into separate tracks you can record one at a normal level and one at a lower level in case your original audio becomes distorted from peaking (clipping).

So the next time you place a microphone to a subject, think about making sure you have a backup audio in place. I highly recommend you consider this tip in your future audio setups. You can find this Alzo Stereo to XLR Y Cable (click here)

alzo stereo to xlr cable splitter adapter microphone audio backup
find-price-button ALZO 3.5 Mini Phone Female to XLR Stereo Adapter Cord

It's a good idea to always carry a few of these cables in your audio kit, and if you're working with XLR body packs or microphones, there are also XLR splitters available (found here).
XLR Audio splitter backup audio recording
find-price-button XLR Female To Dual XLR Male Y Cable

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HDSLRnow brings us another excellent overview of an affordable EVF holder along with a clever Manfrotto QR base mounted HDMI lock(found here). I would suggest watching this video review entirely as it shares some clever new products.

For additional gear reviews consider following HDSLRnow via Twitter, and to find more information about these products and more check out the website (click here).

SmallRig-HDMI-Lock-manfrotto-577 Coollcd SmallRig-S-rail-1437-NATO-rail coollcd SmallRig-EVF-Mount-1432-shoe-mount coollcd
find-price-button HDSLR EVF HOLDERS AND HDMI LOCK

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Shortly after you pick up your first video camera, you're shopping for a tripod. The next common piece of equipment for video makers looking to add dynamic camera movements would most likely be a slider. At this point, you may end up finding out the tripod you purchased doesn't quite work well with your new slider, and you may end up still on the hunt for a decent video head to mount 'above the slider'.

Libec Video Tripod Fluid Head Slider ALLEX S Kit
Libec ALLEX S Kit Fluid Head + Slider + Tripod

From my understanding, this is one reason LIBEC has created the ALLEX Kit. This is a combination of popular video equipment designed to work seamlessly together offering you Pan, Tilt, and Slide camera movements. The 'base' ALLEX Kit includes a 75mm Bowl Tripod, 75mm Bowl Video Fluid Head (which can also mount on a 3/8" flat base), and a new 8 roller bearing video slider. The equipment can be mixed and matched or used independently. We had a chance to take these products out to show you how this system comes together.

The ALLEX T aluminum 3 section 75mm bowl tripod comes with a mid-level spreader collapses down to 29.5 and and reaches a max height of 64.5". The tripod has wide rubber foot pads with integrated spikes to prevent sliding on dirt, gravel, or grass. Included is a padded carrying case with shoulder strap.

rubber pads spiked feet allex tripod

The ALLEX H Video Fluid Head is a 'Dual Base' that mounts to both a 75mm bowl or a standard 3/8" flat base. There is a fixed counterbalance, illuminated bubble level, and holds a 9 lb payload. The fluid head also uses a drop-in style quick release plate which can be especially helpful when using rigs (cages, shoulder rigs with handles, 15mm rails, follow focus, matteboxes).

drop in plate allex libec fluid head video

The ALLEX S Slider uses 8 greased ball-bearing wheels (4 top / 4 bottom) and can support a max load of 33 lbs. Tabletop legs allow the slider to be used on the floor and leveled with independent height adjustable feet. The carrier includes a tension adjustment knob, brake knob, and bubble level. The slider shares the same dual-mount as the Video Head which can be placed on a 75mm bowl tripod or directly to a standard flat base with 3/8" thread. A padded carrying case with shoulder strap is also included.

Libec Allex slider 8 bearings

The ALLEX S Kit will especially appeal to early shooters looking to put together a nice combination of sturdy Tripod, smooth pan/tilt Video Head, and smooth roller bearing video Slider. The system offers great quality, travels neatly, easy to assemble, and easy to break down. For more specs on the LIBEC ALLEX S Kit, check out the product page (click here).

Libec Allex Slider Tripod Video Fluid Head Kit System 2
find-price-button LIBEC ALLEX S Tripod + Fluid Head + Video Slider Kit