Videography Gadgets

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sick-dslr-rig-diy

Above is the famous little photo sent in by Johan about his DIY DSLR rig using Automotive Plug Wire Clamps. I originally posted this article: http://cheesycam.com/diy-dslr-rig-four-thirds-rig/. I really liked the look of this thing, but couldn't decide if it were going to be beefy enough to support an actual DSLR. It's hard to visualize the support rods actual dimensions.Well I got a chance to find some rods and Yes, they are very beefy indeed.

While cruising around random aisles in my local Walmart (searching for items for another DIY), I happened upon the Camping aisle and found an awesome set of Black Fiberglass Tent Poles! For just $6.88 a set, one set can complete a simple DIY DSLR rig. Especially for something as simple as a Canon 550D, T2i, Sony NEX-3 / NEX-5, and other Four-Thirds cameras.

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So I grabbed a set of these black Fiberglass tent rods from the Walmart camping aisle and immediately placed an order on the plug wire clamps. They just came in today so I'm very curious as to what I can come up with for a fun little support rod rig.

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got my clamps in...

Stay tuned, oh and more information on Johan's DIY DSLR rig and where to buy the clamps can be found at this article: http://cheesycam.com/diy-dslr-rig-four-thirds-rig/

more photos from Johan's rig

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click image to buy WindTech

The Zoom H1 is the hottest talked about Portable Audio recorder since the Zoom H4n. I posted an article about it here. It's small, simple to use, high quality, and best of all 'Dirt Cheap'. Although it's not available yet, WindTech isn't holding out until last minute. There's already a 'Mic-Muff' available to help tone down some of that wind noise, should you decide to use the onboard microphones. I've heard the term 'Dead Cat' for the larger ones, 'Dead Kitten' for the smaller ones, and i'm personally going to coin this 'Dead Hamster'. Check out the new WindTech Mic-Muff for the Zoom H1 by clicking here.

Using this as a handheld microphone is quite handy, but you know, it does remind me of something. I just can't quite put my finger on it.....
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No word on if Zoom H1 is going to include a Wind Screen of their own, but i'm guessing it will be the standard black foam type. The one product that's made the most impact in this Wind Dampening area for the Zoom H4n product is the RedHead Windscreen.

redhead-windscreens
click image to find RedHead WindScreens

I've seen several test videos with the RedHead (by the way they aren't all red in color) and it's a must have for anyone planning on using the on board Zoom Microphones in breezy conditions. You can find video samples in any of his listings and prices by clicking here.

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Wow, thanks Serge! This is a cool looking little gadget that Serge sent in for me to look at. It's not HD, but i'm assuming it's close to the resolution on the DSLR itself. A bit smaller in size at 2.5", but with some type of magnification this would be the solution that I mentioned LCD ViewFinders would be heading towards. With this type of simple setup offset shoulder rigs would be a thing of the past. The camera can remain mounted anywhere and the LCD + LCD View Finder can be moved into eye position by a simple articulating arm.

Depending on how long the cord is, this would work as a lightweight monitor for smaller Jibs / Crane type setups for 'framing' (not sure about focus pulling). It has it's own rechargeable battery pack too, but can accept DC power. A very cool function is that it acts like a Remote Shutter!(shutter function may only be for photography) Wow this is an excellent addition to the Palo Alto adapter for those low aerial shots. I can totally use this for framing shots while the camera is 10' feet high!. Very cool small lightweight product that i'm excited to get my hands on and the price is ridiculous! Oh, before posting this I did place my order in case they run out. Check out the new Remote LCD for DSLR video by clicking here.

Update:: They emailed me asking what Canon camera I have. They mentioned they have cables to support the Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, and T2i. I hope they ship fast, i'm interested in showing what this looks like with a video review.

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glidecam-hd1000-t2i

Hopefully the Glidecam HD1000 will be showing up next week. As many of you might know, I currently fly the HD4000 (big boy) and I love it. But in order for me to get smooth results with such a big stabilizer I have to load it up quite a bit, otherwise it's just way to loose. It gets heavy with all the gear loaded up (hence the vest) but flies really really smooth. There's times when I need to fly without a vest, so in my head I think I can get the HD1000 to fly some of these lighter DSLR's such as the Canon 550D / T2i or Sony NEX. It should be in sometime next week. If anyone currently uses the HD1000, please let me know what camera + lens you have balanced and possibly some sample videos. Thanks!

Here's the prices for the Glidecam HD1000 over at bhphotovideo.com.

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sony-nex-camcorder

sony-nex-interchangeable-lens-camcorder

Ok, so i'm sitting here playing with the Sony NEX-3 Interchangeable lens camera trying to figure out better ways to make this shoot like a real video camera. Next I get an email from Alex Cahiz pointing me to the latest Engadget article about Sony's latest Video Camera announcement. A 3" Swivel LCD, Still Photos, 1080p, 24 frames, and SDHC storage are some of the terminology being dropped, oh and also an estimated street price of $2,000 US. It should be bundled with an 18-200mm lens, so it's not a terrible price for something that acts more like a Video Camera should. Check out the full write up over at Engadget.

From the images above it looks like it has both an LCD and a ViewFinder for sharper focus? It also has a better Stereo microphone position over current DSLR's. The smartest thing Sony can do to really steal back some of the current market is to come out with a Canon Lens adapter right from the start. Hey, Apple went to the Intel platform, supported Windows installations, and now look where they are at. If Sony can adapt for Canon, i'm sure most of the Canon users would love to pick this thing up and test it out with the current gear they are already so much invested in.

Update: Looks like more specs are available and many comments are talking about the correction on 24p. It's actually 24Mbs bitrate which is half the 5D Mark II, and no indication of 24p. This is a big time deal breaker for people who can already afford the T2i with several aftermarket accessories available on the cheap. I don't think Tamron, Sigma, or Tokina are making Sony mount lenses for the NEX? This will definitely put Sony in a niche audience.

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Thanks to a reader submission, here's an unusual LCD View Finder for DSLR's that's even viewable at an angle. Through the description it says it's also magnified. It looks to be similar in design as the Zacuto Z-Finder, but doesn't look to be quite the build quality. Prices are pretty steep, and I haven't seen anyone else talking about this or using it, but it's great to share this information I guess. You can find the unusual Angle Viewfinder for DSLR's at this link.

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I received the $99 Dollar DSLR Shoulder Shooter from Express35.com today. It was late when I got home, and didn't get to test it out with all my Canon cameras, but I did quickly throw on the Sony NEX which seems perfect for it. I have extra clamps which I was able to mount my Rode VideoMic and my Zoom H4n.

This is a great start to an excellent event coverage type rig for me. Very lightweight and very stable when holding it. Some things i'm looking to improve upon this lightweight setup is to replace the Rode Microphone with something hard mounted, not with a shock mount.

Azden-Hard-mounted-shotgun-microphone
Maybe an Azden Self Powered Mini Shotgun Microphone would suffice.

The Azden SGM-X found at BHPHOTOVIDEO.com, looks promising.

I also want to replace the Zoom H4n on this rig with the new Zoom H1 (once it ships). This would make it extremely light. Also I may add a very small LED light if I happen to be shooting in a Night Club scene.

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click image for pre-order

The Sony doesn't allow me to adjust Aperture manually with the current lens. There is a Canon FD mount adapter that will allow me to use those older Canon FD manual lenses on this Sony, so that should fix that problem. I'll see if I can get one of those to finish it off with a nice FD 50mm. Check out the Canon Lens to Sony NEX adapter.

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click image for Canon FD adapter to Sony NEX

Soon i'll get some footage up of a Canon DSLR on this $99 Dollar DSLR Shooter, unless someone beats me to the punch. As of now I love the look of this shoulder rig on this Sony NEX, and the rig seems to be the right size for it.

The Sony NEX interchangeable lens camera is now available at bhphotovideo.com

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Looks like Vimeo member Choon Ean, was doing a bit of research into a handheld stabilizer and chose one I recommended for lightweight cameras. Thanks for the plug on my stabilizer video Choon Ean!

She does an excellent job showing off the capabilites of this stabilizer with lightweight gear such as the Panasonic GH1 + 20mm lens. She also does an impressive job of switching hands several times to show how stable the video can be maintained. I'm not sure how long she's been 'flying' this camera, but she sure looks like a pro. You can find prices for the Hague Mini Camera Stabilizer here.

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click image to buy

Check out the Lensse modeled exactly like the Hague.
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Check out the Stabilizer from IndieHardware. This one brags to be much better than the Hague, possibly in size, and gimbal rotation. It does look pretty beefy.
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This rod may not show up in searching under DSLR stabilizers, that's because it's been around for quite a while. The Tiffen Steady Stick (somtimes found under Davis & Sanford Steady Stick) works similar to the Body Support Rods underneath Shoulder Support rigs, except you don't need to buy the entire rig. This type of stabilizer will give you a nice support contact via belt clip, to support the weight of your DSLR camera, so you can concentrate more of your focus and composition. It also can pack up to travel size to fit in your luggage, and won't even break the bank. Check out the Tiffen Steady Stick prices on eBay..

So why am I posting this information now if it's been around for a while and many people already know about this item? Well, i've had my eye on the thing for quite a while also, and prices normally averaged $99 dollars. Right now you can grab them at just $59.95 + Free Shipping [via Amazon]

Or if you're a B&H Photo Video customer, you can grab the Davis & Sanford Steady Stick over at bhphotovideo.com for the same price [+ shipping charges]

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