Owning Canon DSLR's make it pretty expensive to get into some decent Tilt Shift lenses, but for Micro Four Third cameras there's more options and come a bit cheaper. Looking to get some Tilt Shift action going on the GH2 there's a few inexpensive lenses I've been following. These lenses mostly shop themselves around under the name Photex, Arax, Big, Fotex, and Arsat names. Commonly found in an 80mm F/2.8, but for Micro 4/3 systems they have a 50mm F/2. Plenty of still images via Flicker with these popular tilts, but nothing I could track down for videos or Timelapse. Anyone got links to samples of these Micro Four Thirds Tilt Shift lenses in use?
With the Canon EOS T3i / 600D out in the marketplace, this marks Canon's second Vari-Angle LCD DSLR. Thinking of a different way to mount a View Finder to cameras similar to the Canon 60D's swivel out monitor, I tinkered around with the idea of using the some cheap hot shoe adapters.
In this configuration you'd be able to lock in a view finder while still maintaining a hot shoe to mount other accessories. By slotting the flat bar, you'd still have a quick release way of detaching the view finder without dismounting your hot shoe accessory 'i.e. Microphone'. By using Velcro to attach a View Finder, this type of adapter would pretty much be 'Universal'. Somebody needs to refine this idea....
So it was very last minute for me to get a 14v battery pack thrown together for my 352 Ring Light Steadicam project here: http://cheesycam.com/last-minute-glidecam-mods/. Now that I have a bit of time, i'm going to get off these non-pro looking RC batteries and rig up my 2 year old LP-E6 generic non-decoded batteries.
Gutting out some dirt cheap battery chargers and using them as dummy plates, i'll be able to wire two of them together and get a 14.4V power source that looks pretty snazzy. Other people have done this with just one battery to power up LCD monitors that only require 7volts. As you can see my 183 LED light normally powered from a 12V source was easily lit up with just 7V. Now setting them up together for 14.4V should suffice for many of my small items.
Since the guts are ripped out, you can use OEM Canon batteries, no need for Generic stuff, but the Generics run super super cheap too. I think i'll purchase more generic battery chargers + non-decoded batteries and have like 20 of them on hand to power up all kinds of stuff including my Ring Light and Z96 LED's.
It's been a while since we've seen the ol' DIY Cage in use, but this one turned out pretty cool. He's got a few enhancements over the very basic design which you can find more about it over at Vimeo member Ben Sheriff's page. [Thanks Ben Turned out Great]
Ok, so you got your DSLR and fancy new Rode VideoMic Pro with +20db feature. If you've got AGC on the T2i (without ML) or Canon 7D, then you need a way to disable AGC. Or maybe you don't? Maybe you've got a Canon 5D Mark II or 60D with Manual audio levels - no AGC to worry about. You're still short of a way to monitor the audio levels via headphones.
There's been different ways of trying to get clean audio into your camera, but it normally came at a hefty price. Here's where this new JuicedLink DS214 comes in. Just recently announced as available for purchase for under $145 bucks, this little black box provides all the missing features of running a stereo jacked microphone into your camera. The DS214 provides you with Audio meters, a Low-Noise Preamp, Headphone monitoring, and even AGC Disable if needed (everything that sucks for a DSLR). Ok, yes you can use an MP3 player with constant tone to 'tame' the AGC, but still no way to adjust levels from the Mic, or give a little low-noise preamp boost to the signal. Any way you cut it, this thing was thought out to include all the different 'workarounds'. For the price and convenience, it can't be beat.
This version doesn't have inputs to support XLR Microphones, but there's a swamping new audience using the Rode VideoMic Pro that sure could use something like this. For XLR phantom power you'll want to check out the DT454. Only 1 stereo input? The DS214 also has seperate L/R potentiometers which makes it possible to run a splitter to two different mics and capture mono on each channel.
As of now the new JuicedLink DS214 is only available on the JL site with a bunch of information which I suggest you checkout to see if this will work for you. There's also some different Audio Samples from a variety of possible Audio setups with the Rode Mic + Zoom H4n you can listen to.
Wow, the store front really expanded for this tiny eBay seller. I've had my eye on them for a while now as they had a few interesting items. Today they just really loaded up with a bunch of new items. Two of them are some serious clones. First most interesting item is the 'mysterious' clone of a Cinevate Carbon system. I posted the article here: http://cheesycam.com/indias-got-a-carbon-camera-dolly/ and not more than a few hours later, they removed all postings. Looks like 'The Man' got to them. Well it's back so we'll see how long it can stay online this time around (i'm betting the Man will shut them down after this post)
Second on the list. Well well well..here's a Clone after my own design, another SpiderTrax dolly. This one doesn't look very good and shipping makes it more expensive than the Konova clone. Konova's design seems to be more polished, and this one looks exactly like another home made overpriced knock-off. Yeah get yourself a Konova dolly if you really need one.
Third up, this one goes out to the boys in Blue. It's been said that the Blue accented Follow Focus was based on a Huco gearbox, and so is this one. This DSLR Follow Focus clone for standard Rail mounts come with flex gear, speed crank, whip, yadda yadda yadda. You can get more info via the links. At this price, you might still be better off going with ikan's latest Follow Focus system.
Remember the batteries I threw together for my Flying Ring Light? Turns out the Z96 uses the same connector as my 352 LED Ring Light. I think i'll stop by Radio Shack to get an exact part number and size on the fitting that's being used so that other people can make a DIY battery pack that will probably run this light for a full day...
Not sure if you can see the thumbnail in the video, but something about that slider doesn't look quite right. Oh yeah it's upside down! Vimeo member phoSumpro! shows a new way to use the Konova slider. Actually seems like a new way to use any camera slider. By mounting the slider upside down with the carrier Tripod, he's actually sliding the entire rail (not the carrier). I'll let the video explain why this was done, but that's one pretty cool trick. Sorry guys, but don't think this would work on a non Roller Bearing type slider. [Thanks phoSumpro!]
Heard of Comer LED Video Lights? It's a damn good LED Video light with a damn good price tag attached of over $300 dollars and doesn't even come with a battery. The design of the Comer lights are also much different than just a flat square panel full of LED bulbs. The second generation of Comer LED lights has a newer design with 10 LEDs on the front panel.
If you wanted a Comer, you had no choice but to buy one. Well, up until now I guess. There's a new LED light floating around recently that looks similar and claims the same 1800 Lumens output, so could this 'other' LED light be a Comer Clone? It sure does look like it through the limited amount of the photos I could compare online. From design, features, position of buttons and switches, it's pretty close. This 'other Comer-like is coming in about half the price and unlike Comer, comes with a Sony style Rechargeable battery + charger. Anyone sporting a Comer now, or experience with these Comer-like lights?
Micro Four Thirds 4/3 Tilt Shift 50mm F/2
JuicedLink DS214 Low Noise PreAmp with Headphone Monitoring Audio Meters
