Videography Gadgets

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nate-horowitz-diy-dslr-rig

nate-diy-dslr-stabilizer

Nate Horowitz writes in with a kick ass DIY DSLR stabilizer rig. A bike mechanic and film maker, Nate used parts from a Titanium bike frame, aluminum seat posts, and aluminum bar stock. I'm hoping Nate will fill us all in with more information about the exact parts used and how much modification was needed, as this looks like one sweet DIY project. You can find more detailed photos over at his Flickr gallery here https://www.flickr.com/photos/54515193@N05/5049491205/in/photostream/, and feel free to leave some comments on this article. [Thanks Nate]

[Update from Nate] Here's the breakdown of parts in this rig.
The BIKE PARTS:
I hacked off the seat stays and a chain stay off a crashed $1000+
Titanium road bike frame. FREE
I used a bolt on axle on the rear to connect the chain-stay to the two
rails. FREE
The grips are two seat posts with BMX Oury grips slid over them. $10

The HOME DEPOT PARTS:
Aluminum bar stock. $!5
Nuts and bolts. $4
PVC cap and toilet O-ring. (used as a compression ring) $5
Plumbing clamps? (for the rear shoulder). $5

The AMAZON PARTS:
Manfrotto Quick Release Plate $45
USPS Shoulder Strap $7

The PAINT:
Grey Primer $5
Matte Black Spraypaint $5

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John Lo over at John-Lo.com decided to try the Cheesycam DSLR Cage / Fig Rig as first DIY project. He's submitted some behind the scenes footage of how it can be used to provide some extra stability to your video shots, while still adding a mounting point for accessories such as the Z96 LED video light. Looks pretty good, and definitely a huge improvement over traditional hand held shots. He's also posted his own writeup on the DIY over at his website John-Lo.com, or you can find the original DIY article I posted here if you're interested in building your own: http://cheesycam.com/cheesycam-exclusive-diy-dslr-cage-stabilizer/

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After posting up my BTS footage of the Glidecam HD4000 with the Steadicam Merlin vest found here: http://cheesycam.com/glidecam-hd4000-bts-with-canon-60d-steadicam-vest/, I've been getting quite a bit of emails on how these two different products 'mate'. I'm sure this blog is quite cluttered with random articles, so here's the DIY video dug up from the archives posted 8 months ago. The reason I have this setup is because I used to fly a Merlin, so I had the vest already. I found the Glidecam design to be more flexible and the HD4000 can also carry a heavier load. The Glidecam was very heavy and I didn't want to invest into another Vest. It turned out to be a great cost saving idea since you have a 'dual arm' (two spring things) vest for about $1499 + Glidecam HD4000 for about $600. If you were shopping for a Glidecam Vest, the Dual arm for Glidecam runs more than the Dual Arm of the Steadicam Merlin. Some also argue that the Steadicam Merlin vest is a better design, much more slim profile, and of course cheaper cost. That's all opinion, and I just want to make it clear that I was just trying to make products I already owned work together. So even though it wasn't pre-meditated, there's a bit of cash savings using this method and as you can tell i've been very very happy with my whole system for a very very long time. You'll catch my reference to 'mating' the Steadicam Merlin arm with the Glidecam HD4000 Handle in this video..... Enjoy.

glidecam-hd4000
find-price-button Tiffen Steadicam Arm and Vest

Steadicam Merlin-Vest Glidecam Hybrid DIY adapter
find-price-button Glidecam HD-4000 Hand-Held Stabilizer

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canon-eos-7d

I saw this a few times today, but was reminded again by Kevin about the new Canon Instant Rebates. There's plenty of rebates for Canon gear, but the ones to be excited about are the DSLR bodies. The 7D kit, 7D Body, and T2i are on the list. No mention about the 5D Mark II. You can find more information here: Canon Instant Rebates BHPhotovideo.com

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RedRock Micro adds in another feature for HDMI Pass Through, and claims the estimated price (under $600) still remains. With the HDMI pass through, not only can you still retain use of your ViewFinder, but you can split the feed to external monitors. After this type of announcement with pricing and feature set, and no additional Loupes required, what more could you need in a remote EVF at a higher price? Looks like a winner that I hope to add someday to my tool list. More specs from their website below, when available find it here: https://store.redrockmicro.com/EVF

redrock-micro-evf-pass-through

The microEVF is the first electronic viewfinder designed from the ground up specifically for HDSLR cameras. The microEVF is not just a bulky repurposed LCD monitor: It is designed specifically for the needs of HDSLR emphasizing compact lightweight design, superior power consumption, and incredible affordability.

The popularity of HDSLRs such as the Canon 5D MKII for video and motion photography has skyrocketed in recent years, but the camera body is not ideal for video. The first generation of solutions for monitoring currently available –attaching an optical viewfinder to the back of the camera’s LCD screen –severely limit placement of the viewfinder and camera body and eliminate possibility of using additional monitors for camera assistants or directors. The new Redrock microEVF is an external electronic viewfinder that connects to the camera body and can be placed anywhere for maximum comfort and stability, and can be part of a multi-monitoring solution. The microEVF uses a custom made state-of-the-art backlit LED fitted in an attractive, ergonomic housing.

The microEVF is not limited to HDSLR cameras: it can be used on any video camera that provides HDMI output.

microEVF Features

* Compact, lightweight electronic viewfinder
* High resolution full-color display – greater resolution than the rear LCD on Canon EOS camera bodies
* Fully coated optics
* Adjustable focusing diopter
* Built-in HDMI passthrough for supporting additional monitors
* Oversized soft rubber cinema-style eyecup
* standard HDMI input connector
* Industry-standard 15mm rod pin: Viewfinder positioning infinitely configurable with Redrock support accessories
* Lightweight design requires minimal support - can be mounted from lower rails, top rails, or shoe-mounted rails
* Compatible with any HDSLR or videocamera that provides HDMI out (5D MKII, 7D, T2i, 1D MKIV, Nikon D3s, Nikon D3100, Nikon D7000, Panasonic AF100, etc.)

microEVF Advanced Electronic Assist Features*

* additional features to be announced

microEVF Technical Specifications*

* HDMI connection
* 1.2m total dots
* Backlit LED, very low power requirements
* Internal battery lasts 10+ continuous hours of operation
* Weight: less than 6 ounces

Pricing and availability

* Estimated $595 for the complete EVF - unlike other solutions with hidden costs, does not require additional viewfinder loupe.
* Availability to be announced

*all pricing, specfications, and features are draft and are subject to change without notice

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Q3HD-zoom-camcorder

When Zoom released the first Q3 portable 'video' recorder with X/Y stereo sound, musicians swept it up playing to their YouTube audience. The video quality wasn't great, but the audio was what really stood out compared to similar Flip, Kodak, and Creative models. Well Zoom recently announced the Q3HD version that has quite a bit of upgrades over the previous model, but also throws a serious blow to other Pocket HD recorders. The Q3HD not only has some of the best audio for a pocket video recorder, but even includes a 'line in' and headphone monitoring. More Audio features are the ability to set different gains or manually set the audio levels with on screen metering. No mention on the unit's ability to do regular still photography, but there's a long list of Video Framerates including 720@60fps - (No 24fps). There's built in 4x optical zoom, HDMI out for playback, and even works with a Windscreen for better outdoor audio recording.

windscreen-q3hd

I've blogged in the most random places, but getting good quality audio and video on the run is always a task. With the 'Line In' and Manual audio levels on this Portable recorder, it sounds like the perfect tool for Bloggers and event coverage use. Maybe add-on a small camera L Bracket with LED Light too. There's a long list of fun features for this new pocket HD Video recorder, and you can read more of the specs here: https://samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=2062

q3hd-inputs

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Fortytwobmx_Sporthandle_01

Mike over at https://FortyTwobmx.blogspot.com wasn't looking to pay the high prices for a handle mount rig for the Canon 550D to shoot BMX and Skate films, so he whipped up his own DIY called the '550D Extreme Sports Handle'. With some extra square tubing, old BMX handlebar, a couple of Grips, old bar ends, and a quick release adapter from a cheap tripod here's the end result. Another goal was to make the handle rig as small as possible. Some future upgrades will be a start / stop record button on the top handle, small monitor, and possible LED lighting. You can find more about his project over at his blog here.

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I posted a short sample of some BTS footage with a Glidecam HD4000 Stabilizer about a week ago. The reference to this project can be found here: http://cheesycam.com/3-canon-60ds-music-video/. There were some weird movements and I even flipped the Glidecam upside down. (I don't recommend doing this, but I do it all the time). Some people were asking if the footage was actually usable. I'll leave that up to the editors to decide if a few seconds of this footage would be used, but here's some side by side samples.

On the left is the movement of the Glidecam HD4000 Stabilizer on a Steadicam Merlin Stabilizer Arm and Vest with a Canon EOS 60D flying. On the right is an uncut look at what this RAW footage will look like. Again, we'll just be looking at quick cuts and a few seconds here and there. We'll be mixing it up with other hand held, Crane shots, dolly / slider shots, as well as very static Tripod shots. From what I understand, this music video will be cut in with actual footage from a new movie being released soon. So the movie will be more of the narration and we'll just be highlighting the band periodically. BTW, this is not my usual flying setup and I just rented this lens. So without practicing on this setup, these are the results I got.

glidecam-hd-4000
find-price-button Glidecam HD4000 Video Camera Stabilizer

merlin-vest
find-price-button Steadicam Merlin Arm and Vest

canon-60D
find-price-button Canon 60D Digital SLR Body

Related Articles:
http://cheesycam.com/canon-60d-video-stabilizer-first-flight-glidecam-hd4000/
http://cheesycam.com/3-canon-60ds-music-video/

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timelapse-dynamic-perceptions-slider

Dynamic Perceptions generated quite some excitement after showcasing their 'Stage Zero' motion controlled Timelapse camera slider. You can find that video here: http://cheesycam.com/dynamic-perceptions-motion-controlled-timelapse-rig/. Unfortunately at the time the video was released, the Stage Zero Timelapse rig was unavailable for order, and no prices had been released. Well, wait no more. Just yesterday there was an announcement opening up the flood gates for pre-orders on a 4ft and 6ft rig. You can find more information and prices over at the Dynamic Perceptions website https://www.dynamicperception.com/.

dynamic-perceptions-motion-controlled-slider6-foot-stage-zero