Videography Gadgets

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nextwavedv-training
NextWaveDV.com HDSLR 101 Training Videos

Some good people over at NextWaveDV.com have been working hard putting together some very informative training videos around DSLR's titled 'HDSLR 101'. So thanks to them for putting in all the effort in those very well produced videos. Looks like some good stuff, and I requested they give something to offer the good people who read this blog. See how I got your back? I'll let them tell you a bit more about HDSLR 101 with the information from their website below:

[From NextWaveDV.com]
After over 4 months of work, we are excited to announce the launch of HDSLR 101, a complete training guide for people new to DSLR video. Whether you have shot stills for years and are new to video, or have been shooting video for years and have never picked up a DSLR…we will cover all the basics of DSLR video workflow and have you comfortable shooting video on your own HDSLR.

We will be releasing HDSLR 101 every 2 weeks for the next 6 months for a total of 12 episodes and over 2 hours of training.  For those who don’t want to wait that long, they can download the entire HDSLR 101 series on our website for only $19.99.  Not only does this help support our continued training resources, but you will also have access to a special BONUS episode.

And as a thank you to your [Cheesycam.com] readers, we would like to offer a special 20% off discount code valid through This can be used on HDSLR 101 and our NextWave Tracks royalty free music packs.

Discount code: cheesycam
Savings: 20% off any order
Link: https://store.nextwavedv.com
Valid thru: 12/25/2010

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visit-button Express35.com DSLR Shoulder Rigs, Follow Focus, and other Accessories

For anyone who's ever asked me about a good inexpensive starter DSLR rig taken right off the shelf and ready-to-go, I would have to say my first response was 'Express35.com'. Today news dropped in about Express35's new DSLR Shoulder Rig Lite. Ideal for small camera setups like the Canon T2i, Panasonic GH1, GH2 + follow focus. It's a simple combination of important features with high quality parts that make this an excellent rig for light weight camera work. Of course this is also a good starter foundation for later upgrading and adding additional parts - should your gear list grow. Earlier Lite Rig versions from Express35 did not include the more expensive HD Handles (which i'm a big fan of) but is now available in this setup. Check it out here: https://express35.com/category/rigs/.

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OK, the first part of the video is me testing out the Sony SLTA55 and it's Auto Focus and Auto Exposure features. I'm not a fan of 'Auto Exposure', but as you can see the 'Auto Focus' kicks butt and works pretty fast. Not ideal for every situation, and with lots of movement happening in front of the camera, it might be a bit distracting. If you wanted to compare, I would say that it does work very very well though (much better than Nikons Auto Focus in Video).

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Second part, which is really the main point of this video is to show the changes that Meike has undergone in it's LCD Viewfinder product. They released an updated 'look' of their popular viewfinders, but pretty much kept the same quality. If you find the original version of their LCDVF look-alike version, that might be old inventory. Here's the new stuff which they've released to address any design copy issues.

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Glass feels the same, still works great, and the body is of the same weight and aspect ratio. The eyepiece cup has changed a bit as to be slightly different from it's Evil brother, and i'm not sure if it's just me, but the magnets seem to be much stronger against the metal frames. These are the new products, a bit pricier than their first product release, but still nice to see they are cheaper than the big time stuff out there.


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find-price-button New Meike LCD View Finder for 3" DSLR LCD's

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Above is the only example I know of showcasing a Hollywood Lite Camera Stabilizer. When I first mentioned the stabilizer on this blog, the auction sold lighting fast from this article: http://cheesycam.com/hollywood-lite-video-camera-stabilizer/. This is a discontinued type of stabilizer that is designed to support cameras up to 4 lbs. I can't imagine it was very useful in the old days of heavy cameras, but with all the new lightweight Canon T2i's, Sony Alphas, and Panasonic GH2's coming around, it's seems to be relevant once again. Now i'm not saying it will fly a 7D, but for those GoPro Video makers, or iPhone Video junkies this might be an inexpensive solution. Cody left a comment and wanted to share that another thought to be extinct Hollywood Lite stabilizer shows up online again. On auction now and up for another day.

hollywood-lite-vs1
find-price-button Hollywood Lite VS1 Video Camera Stabilizer

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G.I. Joe always told me 'knowledge is half the battle'. So for the newbies in the hiz-ouse - If you're still shopping for a microphone to suit your DSLR audio needs, you'll probably already find that the Rode VideoMic is a very popular one. I've run my own tests and found that it does perform much better than some microphones going for twice it's price. But before you start throwing down a solid buck, you can read up some other interesting suggestions through the B&H Insights blog that might help you get a bit more 'knowledge' - Go Joe!.


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visit-button B&H Photo Video Insights Blog for DSLR Microphone Options

So a microphone will help you focus in on a little better sound than just the onboard microphone, but for the best sound processing, you'll want to shop for a portable audio recorder. The in camera audio of the DSLR's are just not up to par for the true audiophile. The link below jumps you to another B&H Insights article about different Portable Audio recorder solutions.

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visit-button B&H Photo Video Insights Blog for DSLR Portable Audio Recorders

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If you're looking around for some great fresnel lights the first name anyone usually drops is 'Arri'. Above is featuring a three piece set of 650w Arri Fresnels. I've worked with these lights on a few sets, and they are everything everyone says they are. They do come in at a pretty penny too.

3pc-650w-arri-fresnel
find-price-button 3 Piece Arri 650w Fresnel Kit

Now check out the claims about these lights below. These are a couple of lights that i've been getting questions about, but i'm not familiar with them myself. Sometimes going by Blueline or JieTu, this three piece set of 650w Fresnels is a direct knock-off of the Arri kit going for a third the price. No joke when I say it's a direct knock-off, as it carries the same (looking) housing, and available in all the same sizes from 150-2000 watts Fresnel heads. All descriptions claim to be 'Like Arri', 'As Arri', or 'Perfect Clones to Arri'. Looking at the different retailers and sellers i'm curious as to why there isn't any negative reviews on these items.

There's not too much information about these 'other lights' on the web, but here's a video showing off one that's 'Arri-Like' going under the brand CineLight. I'm not saying CineLight is the same, but looks close enough to me and it definitely isn't an Arri. Has anyone used these, seen these, bought these? Leave a comment and share some info, since I can't answer the questions coming in.

blue-line-jietu-fresnel
find-price-button Tungsten Fresnel Lighting Kits as Arri

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light panel 12 x 12 BI Color
find-price-button LitePanels 1x1 LED Video Light Color Changing Dimmable

If you aren't familiar with Bi-Color LED lights, these are the ones that allow you to change color temperature so you don't have to fully fuss with color correcting Gels to match ambient. Some very low tech tricks by just using two different colored LED's with a dimmer to mix and match. You can find some information about Bi-Color LED lighting here: http://cheesycam.com/color-changing-variable-color-led-video-lights/. Unfortunately, don't bother looking for those lights on Amazon they are only found on eBay since the worldwide shortage I was talking about.

On auction now is a BI-Color LED from LitePanels. Some of you might already be rocking these so it could be a sweet deal to add in to your existing collection. Cheapest you'll find these right now is still over $1500 each. Yeah we all know this 'particular one' won't sell for that starting bid of $100 US, but you still might be able to grab this used piece cheaper than it's retail price of $2500+ US found here on B&H Photo Video. Perhaps play that 'Price is Right' strategy and bid $1 dollar over the next guy...

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clamps (1 of 2)
Super Clamp with Zoom H4n

The Zoom H4n is a great audio recorder and much cleaner floor noise than the H1. Whenever possible (which means when i'm not lazy) I try to break it out as the primary sound recording device. One problem is finding a place to put it. I usually move the microphone off camera and out of frame and run a long microphone cable to the Zoom H4n when doing interviews. With the Zoom H4n close to me, I can monitor sound and adjust levels.

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Super Clamp with Zoom H4n on LightStand

Something I like to carry with me are good accessory clamps. Having good versatile accessory clamps can help you mount much more than audio recorders. One trick I used in Vegas (no tripods allowed and super crowded) was to mount my DSLR camera to a small monopod, Rode VideoMic on top, and then clamp the Zoom H4n onto the Monopod. With the standard 1/4 x 20 thread you can even mount a small Ball Head for some tilt action.

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Clamped to Shoulder Rig

These clamps can mount anything from small cameras, flashes, LED video lights, microphones, and more. I'm using something like the 'Super Clamp' which is fairly large and costs quite a bit of money and is overkill for such light accessories. For a smaller clamp you can opt for the Manfrotto 'Nano Clamps', but those also will run you around $30-$40 dollars.

nano-clamp
Nano clamp

So (below) i've come across these cheap clamps normally used in Photography. It's an all metal construction with a wide clamp area. The V design helps clamps to round poles without slippage, but can be mounted to even flat surfaces. Table tops, chair legs, standing lamps, bike handlebars, you name it it might be possible. With minimal effort you can competely replace the Light Stand adapter with a Tripod Ball head, making it a smaller form factor with more flexibility. Through a retailer, they'll run you a good amount mainly because they are stamped with the scarlet letter word Photography, but at least online they aren't too shabby and can help clamp up a good amount of gear to just about anything.

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find-price-button Cheap C Clamps for Accessory Mounting

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Light Camera Slider - Build from Martin Roberts

Martin Roberts is at it again with his interestingly suspenseful DIY videos. A short while back, he showed us a build video with his light portable DIY Crane, and this time he's back working on a lightweight camera slider. The entire video doesn't just show a budget DIY in the works, but is also shot using some budget techqniques. A bike LED lamp for lighting, a DIY crane for some shots, Canon T2i, the uber cheap Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens, Macro step up filters, and even the Sony NEX-5 was used.

[Thanks Martin]