Here's a Motorized Rotating Product Table that was shared to me a short while ago. I decided to try this one out mainly because of the option to vary the speed. It's much more expensive, but this is another great option that will appeal to some people. Here's a video with the product in use rotating the Fuji X100s.
Now if you just want to save money and don't mind using a table that only offers one speed, you should check out my previous article (found here). The cheaper single-speed version can be purchased for under $50 dollars, while this variable speed product table can run up to three times the price (found here via Amazon).
I purchased a Skyler MiniCam about a year ago. At the time I was looking for a very small stabilizer that was easy to travel with, offered a quick release system, fine tuning knobs, and can fly at least the Canon 5D Mark III camera. I personally felt the price was very good for the build quality, convenience, and features it had to offer, but at approx $500 dollars it wasn't something everyone wanted to dive into. Now we are seeing more affordable versions available, and here is one overview of the XCAM 2013 FL vs the original Skyler MiniCam Mini hand held stabilizer.
The XCAM no doubt shares the same design as the original Skyler MiniCam, and the 2013 XCAM version now offers a folding leg design. For the XCAM, this means you don't have to remove the legs when it's time to pack up. The XCAM is also half the price of the Skyler MiniCam for those who were looking to get into a similar stabilizer.
The tripod style legs from these two stabilizers are not just for design aesthetics, it also allows you to confidently set your stabilizer down without fear of tipping over. Not something you can do with a Merlin, and you may not be as confident doing this with a Glidecam. The spread legs also give clearance for a center mount, used to thread a monopod underneath when you want to be stationary and not have to carry the weight.
Kamerar.com will be giving away a FREE Video MAX-1 Matte Box this Friday (5/11/13). One person will be selected randomly, contacted via email, and the chosen person will be announced at the Kamerar.com Blog.
Until you have it in your hands, it's hard to really grasp the concept of the Motorroid Universal Motorized Kit. Typically it is designed to motorize just about any Video Camera Slider on the market. Now, the more I use it, the more random ideas I have of how to incorporate it into simple dynamic camera movements.
Here's a couple of DIY projects (video below) using the Varavon Motorroid Kit in ways it was never intended to be used. Don't take the build quality on these DIY projects too seriously, it was something I whipped up in a matter of minutes to show proof of concept of what can be achieved.
The basic parts comprise of a strong motor and a pulley on the opposite side that can be attached with one bolt (or screw). When used with a cog belt, the system is strong enough to lift a good amount of weight completely vertically. For use with projects that don't need to pull heavy weights like my DIY Motorized Track Dolly or DIY Motorized Jib Crane, simple twine or rope will work just as well. I'm exaggerating with this large Jib, but don't forget about all those Carbon Fiber Mini Video Jibs (found here) which would be fun to motorize for travel projects.
Finally when the Time Lapse Control unit becomes available for this Motorroid kit, it will really open up some interesting possibilities for very smooth and consistent motion control projects. Even on my best day, I don't think I can perform a very slow Crane up movement for several minutes straight with one consistent speed.
Now i'm sure some of you will ask about the track dolly, so if you're looking for a Video Tripod Track Dolly, the only thing I can suggest is GO with the FAT WHEELS -not those thin roller blade type wheels.
Typcially all the high end professional tripod track dolly systems always use the fat skate wheels NOT the thin rollerblade wheels, and there is a performance difference. Here's a link to a bunch of Video Tripod Track Dollies over on eBay (found here)
Video Tripod Track Dolly Caster Wheels
So what's next? Maybe pull a wheeled dolly (Pico Dolly) across the garage floor instead of laying down tracks, or pull a GoPro on a cable cam setup across the park (I may try this one). Hopefully this opens up some ideas for what these new tools can do to add interesting movement to your footage. You can find the Varavon Motorroid Kits following via eBay (click here)
Here's some footage shot with the Aviator Travel Jib. As far as mini video jibs / cranes go, this is THE MOST Compact Crane i've ever personally had the chance to use. The aluminum version (available in carbon fiber also) is very lightweight and sets up very quickly. No nonsense, and no fiddling around when it's time to set up for a shot. It is just as fast to break it down when it's time to move. I really feel these mini jibs will appeal to the event videographer who needs to travel light and work in confined areas, or to the traveling videographer who wants to recreate these specialty camera movements on location. There's nothing to complain about as far as build quality for this price, and the built in panning base of the Aviator is a HUGE advantage over other systems that require you to bring a strong fluid head.
Filling an empty bag is a good option when you don't want to travel with an extra 4-5lbs of weight, and you can easily fill it up with extra camera gear, or even water bottles. The telescoping poles can be adjusted so that you don't have to use the full 6 feet of extension. As with any tool, the Aviator Jib moves very smoothly but still requires perfect balance with your counter weight, and practice to get the best no-wobble results. The Aviator is one of the more pricier mini jibs available on the market, but it's compact folding design is unique allowing to be extremely compact and fast. The Aviator Jib can be found in both Carbon Fiber and in Aluminum (click here).
The Aviator Travel Jib Mini Crane Carbon Fiber or Aluminum
Sorry for the long wait, but here is the official announcement about the new MagFilter System . This is the Polarizer i've been using with my Sony RX100 cameras. I was able to help with some ideas on this fast and simple filter solution that can be used with many of today's high end compact cameras, while leaving the camera virtually unaltered.
The MagFilter System uses strong magnets within the Aluminum filter body, and attaches to the front area of high end compact cameras systems with a very thin metal ring that adheres to the camera.
Using high quality coated glass optics from Japan, the Polarizer is the first MagFilters that will be available this week. There are two different sizes that can support a variety of cameras. The 42mm MagFilter works on cameras like the Sony HX9V, HX10V, HX20V, HX30V, and of course the new Sony RX100.
The smaller 36mm MagFilter works on cameras like the Canon S95 and Canon S100. I've been testing the Polarizer for a few weeks, and it works to cut glare from reflective surfaces such as water, glass, leaves, and even helps retain information in the sky.
One thing I noticed is that the Sony RX100 seems to retain more details in the shadows when using the polarizer, possibly because it cuts down on those specular highlights in the scenery. With very bright highlights, the Sony RX100 will try to retain this by slightly underexposing. With the highlights being controlled in the scene, it seems like you can get a more balanced exposure - at least that's what i've experienced in some of my tests.
This time I took my Canon S100 out on a few different Painter Poles with the Palo Alto adapter. One pole is around 16' fully extended, and then I wanted to test out my 30' (30 feet) Unger Pole. These are video examples, but ideally it would be best suited for still photography.
The Palo Alto adapter was something I wanted to make for my own hobbies, but ended up making a small quantity available which sold out in a single day. The next small batch wasn't available until 9 months later (just last week) and again sold out in less than three days. It's such a niche market, that we are still only running them off in small quantities, but they should be available again, so check it out to see if it's something you'd be interested in playing with. You can find the Palo Alto adapters available at https://PhotographyandCinema.com (click here).
Palo Alto Paint Pole Adapter from PhotographyandCinema.com
The GH2 or other small video cameras are very lightweight and the selection for a quality stabilizer are few. Lately, there's been some interest around modifying a Steadicam Smoothee to work with such light cameras. I was able to modify one successfully, but I never got around to showing it's full capabilities. So it's great to see other examples out there, and here's one of the best videos i've seen so far about a modified Smoothee (a.k.a Baby Merlin) with a GH2 camera from Vimeo member MKVideoFilms.
Motorized Rotating Product Table that was shared to me a short while ago. I decided to try this one out mainly because of the option to vary the speed. It's much more expensive, but this is another great option that will appeal to some people. Here's a video with the product in use rotating the Fuji X100s.
Variable Speed Rotating Product Table 1-10RPM
