Videography Gadgets

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Not too happy with the Fluid Head that comes attached with this $99.00 dollar slider from IndiSystems, but the rail and carrier work pretty well. It looks thicker than other Camera Slider rails out there, but it's actually hollow and very lightweight. This 2 foot version of a silder is easier for my type of workflow compared to the 4 ft. slider I show in this video. This $99 dollar video camera slider mounts well directly to the Tripod or to a Quick release plate.

I had to drill out the old fluid head mount (plastic) and make room for a 1/4 x 20 flat headed screw. I wanted to keep it at 1/4 x 20 so I still have the option of mounting a camera directly to the carrier plate. In order to mount the Bogen 701HDV Fluid head, 1/4 to 3/8 adapter like this one. I don't do a whole bunch of sliding, but now maybe I will since this is a lighter and smaller version compared to the other Igus Rail. This is the mini slider from https://indisystem.com/products/indislider_mini

You can also get the same slider for a bit more here:

Did I mention I got my new 100mm Macro IS USM lens in also?? It's awesome...Here's a few samples below I took outside in the parking lot.
100mm Macro IS USM Canon Lens

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Cruising the Vimeo website looking for NAB postings, (yeah I didn't make it out there), I ran across this video clip demo (shot by DSLRNewsShooter.com) of the Kata bag for Video DSLR rigs. I'm a huge fan of bags that don't look like you got a million dollars locked away. Those bright chrome polished metallic aluminum flashy hard cases are sometimes just asking for trouble if anyone sees you walking the streets. So this Kata bag looks like a softcase, but is said to be able to hold up with someone standing on top of it, that translates to protection. Lots of room for the rig and pockets to stay organized. A quick search on eBay turns up the price for this bag listed here.

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Wow, it's been a struggle trying to get a hold of one of these Battery Grips for the Canon EOS 550D a.k.a. T2i. This is the OEM Canon BG-E8 part number which I could not find in stock on Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo Video. Much props to the guys at Calumet San Francisco for tracking one down in their San Diego store and having it shipped. This grip definitely makes holding the Canon EOS 550D alot easier, especially since it's front heavy from a lens.

A must have piece of equipment if you own a T2i, not just for double the battery life, not just for the flexibility of using Eneloop batteries, but for the stability it can add to your shots. (Not to mention making it look a bit more like it's bigger siblings...). The problem is even on eBay you won't find USA sellers carrying this item. The best bet on eBay is to order the OEM versions from overseas. You can find the BG-E8 battery grip for the Canon EOS 550D / T2i available through this link - Click Here.

Canon EOS 550D T2i Battery Grip BG-E8

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Canon released a firmware update for the 5D Mark II and then pulled it off from the website because of some problems. Yeah scary stuff if it bricks your camera.
Canon fixed the problem and released a new firmware 2.0.4. I've been hesitating for a long time, because if I needed 24p I would shoot with the 7D or the 550D / T2i. If my 5D ain't broke why fix it??

Lately though, for some reason, people love to shoot with the 5DM2 and even pay to rent them. It seems that the gigs i'm being hired to do require me to update the camera for at least correcting the 30fps to a true 29.97. Since people are still considering buying the Canon 5D Mark II, maybe even some buying it used, I thought I would share the update experience. So here's my Canon EOS 5D Mark II firmware update 2.0.4 adventure. Firmware can be downloaded from Canon's website here.

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Update!! You Can Find the Popular 126 LED DSLR Video Light Kit Here!!

This video was created by Dereck Willis about the Cheap LED lights everyone is buying, but is causing some controversy about the Whining noise at the end of his video.

I love these lights, and so do all my friends who have purchased them after me. Because of all the controversy, Here is my official test showing my results.

First test: I'm using (3) Three LED lights next to a Zoom H4n
Second test: was with the light mounted to the hot shoe using the on Board microphone on the 7D.

Not sure how Dereck ended up with a whining noise, but I did not get anything at all. The only thing I can think of is that towards the end of his video, he was standing next to the light. He was using a Lav Microphone that may have picked up 'Electrical Interferance'. The lights themselves don't emit any noise. I did not get any interferance in my results.

Check out MY video review below to dispell any myths. I think these lights are great, and I'd love to hear comments from others out there regarding these lights. If you're interested in purchasing these awesome LED lights, you can grab them from this article here: http://cheesycam.com/?p=523

Update!! You Can Find the Popular 126 LED DSLR Video Light Kit Here!!

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So i'm getting calls from all the non-techies in the family asking me about 3D televisions. I guess Samsung made their big announcement to be the first LCD with the guts to display real time 3D Video (with the glasses of course), and now everyone wants the latest gadgets. Well DIY 3D photographers or videographers is nothing new. There's plenty of tutorials on setting up two cameras side by side a few inches apart to get that 'stereoscopic' view. Even YouTube is hosting tons of 3D Videos online made from DIY'ers.


If you're a one camera kinda person, you can probably get away with some of the special Stereoscopic lenses designed for DSLR's. They've been around for a while and normally it was used for photographs, but times are changing and DSLR's can now shoot video. Should be a fun thing to look into as a project. You can grab a DSLR 3D Lens cap for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Minolta here.

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126 LED Video light

Update!! You Can Find the Popular 126 LED DSLR Video Light Kit Here!!

I have a long drive to work everyday, about 2.5 hours (one way). So it's nice to see something sitting on my desk when I get in. I'm lovin' these LED lights I posted up about a while back and am finding more and more use for them. Although it was cheap, shipping from Hong Kong was a bit of a turn off.

Today I just received 2 more from a USA seller I found. Awesome seller & fast shipping too, thanks eBay guy. You're getting positive feedback from me. Here's a link to these DSLR LED Video Lights from the guy I bought it from if you're interested.

Update!! You Can Find the Popular 126 LED DSLR Video Light Kit Here!!

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Update!! You Can Find the Popular 126 LED DSLR Video Light Kit Here!!

Holy moly. I posted about a 126 LED DSLR Video light not so long ago, and everyone's been thanking me for that tip. The only problem was if you wanted a great price, you had to deal with Hong Kong shipping which is umm..let's just say VERY SLOW. Today i'm ordering a few more for some friends, and I found this awesome USA seller. (Means faster shipping!). This USA seller has sold several, has gotten awesome feedback, and sells it for cheaper than the Hong Kong one I bought before. Grab a 126 LED Dimmable DSLR Video light from USA seller now! Awesome!!

Update!! You Can Find the Popular 126 LED DSLR Video Light Kit Here!!

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Me running with my Hybrid Steadicam Vest + Glidecam HD 4000

So even though i'm a DIY guy and make some really (bad) and Cheesy stuff, i'm still a buyer of expensive video and photography equipment. I had this tour set to private, but recently just made it public. You can see what i'm rockin' in one of the Videos, just so you know, i'm not all broomsticks and duct tape....

This was a test with the GoPro HD mounted onto my rig. The extreme fisheye shot simultaneously helped me get a better view of the smaller rooms. So basically I was flying two cameras at one time with two different perceptions. For the audio we used a wireless Sennheisser Lav + Body Pack transmitting into a Zoom H4n.

Here's a quick result of that tour