Equipment Reviews

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BG-E9-Canon-60D-Aftermarket-Grip
find-price-button Canon BG-E9 60D Aftermarket Battery Grip

Thanks to Chris S. for his swift notification on a recently released and much anticipated item. It appears that the first BG-E9 Canon 60D Aftermarket Battery Grips are rolling out the door and coming in at about a quarter price of OEM. Looks like the pretty standard design compared to the other aftermarket grips, which I have on all my cameras (except one 60D). I wouldn't be surprised if it was all being made out of the same factory. Some auctions include a few un-decoded batteries, which I suggest you skip out on. You're still better off trying out the ones I received that show the battery meter, can be charged with the OEM charger, and even carry the Canon stamp found here: http://cheesycam.com/canon-lp-e6-oem-for-cheap/

with-grip
Image of my OEM BG-E9 on Canon 60D

Chris has his on order, and hopefully he'll throw up a nice review on it. I'll probably be doing my own review as well. I have two Canon 60D's and one already has the the expensive OEM BG-E9. With a second grip-less Canon 60D on hand, I guess that would make me the perfect candidate to do a side by side review OEM vs. Aftermarket. Yup - already on order. I'll be doing a side by side comparison with close up detail photos of each, but knowing how overseas shipping goes, it won't be until next year (that sounds so far..).

[Update] A few people have mentioned they received emails from the seller that items can't be shipped due to damage. Might be something going on, and everyone should hold off.

find-price-button Canon BG-E9 60D Aftermarket Battery Grip

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yongnuo-135
Yongnuo DSLR LED Video Light Dimmable

Ok, so a long time ago I posted something called the CN-126 LED video light which became a huge hit with DSLR videographers on a budget. That's still a very popular LED light in use today, but even though it's a reliable performer, the form factor and build quality is nothing to write home about. Next big thing on the blog was the Z96 LED Video light. Still a top performer with better build quality than the 126, but she's since turned Diva and only caters to high price buyers. Inflation, greed, and demand from a growing audience of needy DSLR shooters has consumed her. So what's next? We've been waiting for quite some time for a new player, and I think we might be seeing it today.

Yongnuo is a company well known amongst Photographers, and runs a fairly tight ship of products. Not much going on for the Video accessories. Yongnuo is not one of those over seas companies that just rebrands products. They are best known for their own unique innovation, with less than 10 products showcased on their website. Quality of products are always raved about (especially for their prices), in fact Yongnuo flashes are often considered the next best option compared to Canon OEM Speedlites. You'll find a few articles around Yongnuo on this blog, and I own plenty of Yonguo products.

yongnuo-led-video-light
AA Battery Compatible

Well i'm excited to see that Yongnuo has released an LED Video Light with all the features I crave. 135 LEDs, Dimmable, AA Battery Compatible, claiming 5500K color temp, stackable to create larger light panels, and get this - support or NB3-L Lithium Rechargeable Batteries. Say what? If i'm not mistaken, that's Canon's battery. With a special adapter placed in the AA compartment (included), you can throw in two NB3-L batteries and charge the light via it's own USB interface. Aftermarket NB3-L Canon Batteries can be had for about $3 dollars each these days. The Yongnuo light does not appear to come with a Tungsten colored filter, but I wouldn't call it a deal breaker. The other LED light filters really weren't spot on to begin with. Every kit does come with a hotshot mount, flat flash bracket, and little baggy.

yongnuo-135-video-LED
NB3-L Li-ion Rechargeable Battery Compatible with Built in USB Charging

So is this new LED Video light going to be a big deal? Well I just rolled my Magic Eight ball and the message returned with 'All signs point to Yes'. I think it will be a hit for a few reasons. First, it's Yongnuo. I'm thinking the quality is going to be pretty good if they build it like their other products. Second, it's got 135 LED's which is more than the Z96 or the CN126 and still has all the dimmable, stackable, with AA battery compatible features that make the other lights popular. Third, it's cheaper than the Z96 (right now that is). The popularity of the Z96 and the inflated prices have people turning to other light sources with few options. This may be that new one to think about, and hopefully i'll have my hands on one soon to see what the quality is really like.

yongnuo-led-video-light-kit
find-price-button Yongnuo DSLR Dimmable Stackable LED Video Light

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budget-crane (1 of 1)

Sorry guys, holidays are keeping me busy, so i'll have to leave a Cliff hanger on this one. As many of you have seen, there's already a Crane in the studio. I wasn't very happy with the build or the movements, so instead of DIY'ing my own, I shopped around for a few weeks and grabbed a solid cheap one to upgrade. This crane I purchased was a total of $125 shipped, and it's got a lot of nice features. Right out of the box I was very pleased. A better build than the 'other' crane in the studio and comes with nylon washers and spacers on every moving part (less friction smoother movements). The crane folds in half for easy transport and with it's minimal design, is pretty lightweight. Don't get me wrong, this thing works great right out of the box. Next week i'm going to start a project about why I chose this crane, a few crane shooting tips, and of course add just a few more surprises minor things to really make it my own.... I'll have more tips on how it gets done after XMAS.


budget-crane
find-price-button Affordable DSLR Video Crane

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Shooting on a tripod is the most stable shot you can perform, but moving that Tripod from one place to the next and leveling it out can be tedious depending on the system you're using. Not many people are even aware this adapter exists, so here's the post. You've got that fancy tripod with a long neck to give you a bit of extra height but it comes 'without' a Ball head. Getting that thing lined up to the horizon is a task, especially if you've already got a ton of weight mounted on the fluid head. Instead of locking, unlocking, lowering, and raising each leg to get a perfect level, you can try the Manfrotto 438. It's a hefty fee (very hefty), but for those who feel the pain, the Manfrotto 438 Ball Level adapter sits in between the video tripod and the standard 3/8" threaded fluid head. This little gizmo will give you more flexibility in that final leveling adjustment. It's also a perfect solution for those DIY's that lack any type of leveling adjustments from DIY cranes, to DIY sliders, and compact skate dollies.

ball-level-manfrotto
find-price-button Manfrotto 438 Compact Ball Level Adapter

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Samyang, Rokinon, Bower, or Vivitar. It's believed they are all the same lens, with a slightly modified exterior and sold under various brands. Who knows what these lenses are being sold as, but then again you might not even care. Rumor mill has it that these lenses are being made out of Korea providing images that can be sharp as Nikon. Of course there's no auto focus features, so with zero electronics on this Manual Focus prime lens it's sold cheaper and can be made to be tack sharp.

bower-85mm-1.4
find-price-button Vivitar 85mm F/1.4 Manual Focus Lens

The 85mm F/1.4 is an excellent lens for low light situations, and at the focal length to provide you with that crazy DOF portrait look. The lens may only have been introduced a few years ago, but the Internet is littered with tests/reviews/samples. From Flickr, Vimeo, YouTube, web blogs, and camera forums it's been tried and tested to be a solid performer. With manual only features it might also be an easier lens to pull focus with for full time Video shooters.

vivitar-85mm-1.4
find-price-button Vivitar 85mm F/1.4 Manual Focus Lens

For Nikon shooters considering the Budget 85mm, the Samyang and Bower name is designed with an exterior of the traditional Black w/ Gold Highlights. For Canon shooters, the Vivitar branded lenses are designed in all black with a knock-off Canon-like Red Ring accent. For those who aren't quite into the exterior aesthetics, over at Amazon the 'Rokinon' name will drop the price down another $100 dollars. Not bad for the money considering several reviews tested it to be as sharp as Nikon, and another great option for shooters looking for a lens that works well in low light situations. Anyone out there rockin' one? Leave some comments....

rokinon-85mm-1.4
find-price-button Rokinon 85mm F1.4 Aspherical Lens for Canon (Black)

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cinevate (1 of 4)

Cinevate has been one of those companies constantly surprising everyone with new innovation around DSLR accessories. Their line of Linear Rails a.k.a. 'Camera Sliders', 'Pegasus Carbon table Dolly', and 'Cyclops View Finder', are just a few of those examples.

cinevate (4 of 4)

Building a DSLR rig traditionally starts with a foundation of rods, but the guys over at Cinevate.com are working on something a bit different. Opening up to the more budget conscious audience, a new concept is based around a specially designed "base plate(slash)quick release(slash)cheese plate". Stabilizer handles, articulating arms, positionable clamps, and more will directly attach to this 'basequickcheese' plate using threaded mounts acting as a foundation for a custom fit rig.

cinevate (3 of 4)

Not sure what it's all going to be labeled as, but for further expansion the base plate combines with rails to support items like a follow focus system or matte box. Threaded rotating ball clamps and multi-length clamp rods can be mixed and matched for different purposes.

cinevate (2 of 4)

Lots of new stuff in the pipeline and more will be posted about these things soon. Not sure if any of this is available, or if these ideas will make it out to the storefront, but you might be able to grab some info over at Cinevate.com.

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Please ask all questions to the seller should you consider this auction. I do not have any more information other than what's listed in the details of the auction. Posted today on eBay - a complete Genus Camera Shoulder Rig with handles, shoulder pad, counter weight, LCD View Finder, and Follow Focus system. Everything you need for a solid shoulder rig and then some. It's all Genus products so it's worth a bit more change than cheaper gear, but might be something to consider for those of you who are familiar with Genus. I looked over all the products and added things up, and the complete kit on eBay has been listed today for about 50% off total retail price.

Here's the direct links to the B&H Photo Video catalog to the products combined together in this single auction (I believe these are the ‘exact’ same products, please contact the seller for any questions).
Genus Camera Shoulder Mount System
Genus GENUS LOUPE LCD VIEWFINDER
Genus Superior Follow Focus System for DSLR Cameras

Auction found here:

genus-dslr-kitgenus-superior-follow-focusgenus-view-finder
find-price-button Genus DSLR Rig, Counter weights, Handles, Shoulder Pad, View Finder, with Follow Focus

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The $24.00 dollar shoulder support with Rod mounts are getting a few questions as well as the recent Quick Release adapter posted on this blog. Here's a look at how i'm using these recently purchased items with my gear.

First a quick look at the cheap Quick Release adapter. It's not a standard QR adapter with a 1/4x20 thread already tapped in. Instead I run a beveled screw through the top of the adapter and place a bolt underneath. To keep the quick release adapter from shifting around I also used thin double sided tape between the adapter and the stage of the flycam nano. To prevent the nut from coming loose, I also have a washer + lock washer.

Flycam QR (1)Flycam QR (2)
Flycam QR (3)Flycam QR (4)

Second common question i've been getting is how to mount rods to the cheap $24 dollar shoulder support. To get the basic foundation setup, you'll need an adapter plate. This type of plate is commonly used under a rod rig so that it can be placed on top of a Tripod of Fluid head. When purchasing a basic set of rods or any rig, find out if one will be provided. If not you can buy one separately here: https://express35.com/tripod-mount/1054/

Gini-Rods (2)Gini-Rods (4)

After mounting the adapter plate to the shoulder support, I can then position any set of handles, build up an offset stage, have support for a follow focus, matte box, etc. You can also find a basic set of rails with DSLR base plate, and Tripod plate here: https://express35.com/rail-system/295/

Gini-Rods (5)Gini-Rods (1)
Gini Rig on $24 Shoulder Support w/ Varavon ViewFinder

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opteka-shoulder-video-stabilizer

I've seen a few cheap DSLR related items spin off into some success. Here's another new stabilizer on the market that I think is going to have a good future. It's coming in at $99 bucks available on Amazon and $99 on eBay with Free Shipping. Although the price is going to help make it popular, it helps to be designed fairly similar to another rig that goes for more than $250 dollars. Designed with aluminum and stainless steel, it can adjust your camera forward/back, left/right for an offset, up/down, and also can be modified for left or right shoulder shooting. A good 1" thick foam shoulder pad with metal shoulder support, i'm thinking it would be a great platform for drilling in accessory mounts. The handle can also be removed for going uber-simple.

single-handle

The description claims a 'hands free' solution, but i'm curious if it really has that ability. If it does, then it's going to give the cheap plastic $24.00 dollar shoulder support a good run for the money. I should have my hands on one soon to be used with my new Sony A55. Looks like it will be an excellent light weight camera stabilizer for other cameras like the Panasonic GH1/GH2, Canon T2i, or Nikon D3100, but it does claim to be able to support up to 20lbs of weight.

opteka-shoulder-stabilizer
find-price-button $99 Video Shoulder Stabilizer Support

Also available via eBay + Free Shipping

find-price-button $99 dollar shoulder support video stabilizer