Neutral density filters are a necessary evil: fiddly, expensive, a royal pain. And critically important. I say: enough already -- it's time to put them INSIDE hybrid cameras...
Read moreAll My GH5 Videos in One Post!
Well, this is one way to play catch up: put all the videos I've done on the Panasonic GH5 and related lenses over the last couple of months in one post. Enjoy -- and if you like what you've seen here, please remember to give a thumbs up, subscribe to our YouTube channel and consider using our affiliate links or even directly supporting us with a contribution via PayPal in the "MORE" section below each video on YouTube. Thanks!
Read moreFujinon MK 50-135 T2.9 on Sony a6300 with Zacuto Scissors: Killer Combo
Along with its wider brother (MK 18-55 T2.9), Fujinon's 50-135 T2.9 cine zoom has just gorgeous image quality -- especially when paired with Sony's little a6300. The key is to truly lock the lens down on such a small body, and for that Zacuto's Scissors is fantastic: it locks the lens in place on your rail system by literally screwing into the lens itself, so you don't get flexing in either direction. If you have a Sony e-mount camera, you'll want to take a look at this pair. You may also want to look at the rig I used to hold it all together, the Sachtler Ace Baseplate; SmallRig 15 carbon fiber rods; Really Right Stuff L-bracket; and the edelkrone FocusOne.
Read morePRomptBox ONE: Best Teleprompter Under $150, Maybe a Whole Lot More
At the end of the day, a teleprompter is a pellicle mirror reflecting scrolling text from one side, allowing you to shoot through it from the other to give the illusion that the on-camera talent isn't reading. It works well, and you can even build one yourself for a few dollars. But the first high-quality, well-designed prompter and inexpensive prompter I've seen (for use with tablets and smartphones) is called the PRomptBox. At $139 (B&H), it's not only inexpensive -- it's brilliant.
Read moreWe're Giving Away a CAME TV Argo 3-Axis Gimbal. Winner Will be Announced October 14th!
I missed the spring cleaning completely. Now it's fall and I'm still working on cleaning house, but you're in luck - I'm looking to give away the CAME-TV Argo review unit I tested back in June. The winner will be announced end of day U.S. East Coast Time October 14th
Read moreIt's Time for Summer Cleanup, So I'm Giving Away an Aputure DEC LensRegain!
Too much gear, not enough time to use it all, and its kind of nice to just give it away. This time it's Aputure's DEC LensRegain
Read moreThree Days with a Pile of E-Mount Lenses, an a6300, an a6000, an RX10 III, an iPhone 6s+, and a Couple of Bags: What Better Way to Stress Gear than at a Presidential Nominating Convention?
It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, but this time (unlike in April) I wasn’t official press. Forget about a tripod or monopod - Secret Service rules prohibited even selfie-sticks. Forget about a lot of glass, especially long, fast glass: not only would everything have to be hand-held, but those same rules stipulated no backpacks and no bags bigger than 18” x 13” x 7.” And then there were the closed-door meetings where even if I had been press, no press were allowed. Traveling small, light and unobtrusive were the orders of the week. Heads-up: this is a post about gear -- not politics -- but if you don’t want to see photographs from the Democratic National Convention in Philly (along with protests) you’d better stop reading here.
Read moreZacuto: Bullet-Proof but Evolving
When I received a demo unit from Convergent Design of their RAW-enabled Odyssey 7q+ 4k recorder/monitor combo, I finally had the basic pieces -- along with the Sony FS5 and RAW upgrade -- to do a long-awaited review. But when I thought through the test scenarios and other gear I might need, I reached out to Zacuto, a highly regarded "Made in America" filmmaking accessories manufacturer founded by working pros to help me pull it all together. The RAW review is still in the works, but I thought I'd take time in the interim to review the Zacuto gear used in the project. It quickly became a reflection on broader industry trends and how small U.S. manufacturers can respond.
Read moreSmartSLIDER Reflex S: True Fluid Drag in a Robust Yet Light Slider
I wonder if sliders for some of us are like gear bags for others: we keep looking for the perfect one. The SmartSlider Reflex S is the first slider I've used which has a separate variable drag control. The slider is robust, and the drag control works. It's a fascinating and worthy alternative to the sliders I have: Cinevate's Duzi, and Syrp's Magic Carpet.
Read moreSachtler Ace Follow Focus: Exceptionally Straightforward and Complete
In this penultimate episode of our series on Sachtler gear -- our first exposure to this legendary German company's products -- we take a peek at their follow focus unit, available separately or as part of the complete and beautifully integrated Ace accessories kit (which also includes their matte box and base plate). At $630 for the follow focus alone, it's just over three times the price of my edelkrone FOCUS ONE, but spoiler alert: if it fits with the rest of your gear, I think it's worth it.
Read moreSachtler Video 18 S2 Fluid Head: Crazy Good, Crazy Expensive
At just about $5,000 for a fluid head alone, Sachtler's Video 18 S2 costs more than the cameras owned by most people who read this blog (and just about five times my daily shooter, the Sony a6300). But if you want to know why it costs so much -- or how good it is (spoiler alert: incredible) and when it makes sense -- read on.
Read moreBlackmagic 4K Video Assist: Basic 4K Recording Wrapped in a Robust All-Metal Case with Beautiful Screen, Excellent Touch Interface
If you're looking for a 4K recorder/monitor combo unit for your hybrid mirrorless or DSLR, Blackmagic's 4K Video Assist deserves to be on your short list. It has a bug that needs to be addressed (see below), but the price, display, build quality, dual card slots, dual batteries, and dead simple touch interface make it a unique value in the market.
Read moreSachtler vs. Zacuto vs. FOTGA -- or Why the HECK Would Someone Spend Five to Ten Times as Much on a Freakin' Baseplate When You Can Get a Perfectly Usable One for $60? THIS is Why.
This is why it makes sense to find the optimal compromise between price and performance for the core components of your gear (camera and lenses): you're going to need a pile more dough for everything else. But "pile" is a relative term. Welcome to episode 2 of what I'm now calling our Goldilocks series, where this time we look at baseplates - a category I used to think was beyond mundane. I was wrong.
Read moreCAME-TV's Argo 3-Axis Gimbal Reminds Me of 1956's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. Cool!
I'm on a real 1950s sci-fi flick tear: everything seems to remind me of one of those movies. Especially the Argo: can you spell INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)? But bear with me, because this analogy may be more apt than you think. Unless you prefer the 1970's TV series THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. And no, this is not going to be a typical gimbal review.
Read moreDeals Up the Whazoo? Yep.
I don't pay much attention to deals, but the folks over at B&H sent me a pile of links (yes, I get coffee money if you use them, thank you) and it looks like there are some big opportunities if what you're looking for is among them.
Read moreSuddenly, in a Crazy World, Anton Bauer Makes Batteries REALLY Interesting
We are creatures of our environment. Same with products: they are a function of the time and circumstances in which they are developed. Have you ever faced the problem of carrying gear to an airport boarding gate, getting hassled about excess baggage and the need to check your gear due to an over-full flight, only for everyone to realize you CAN'T, you're NOT ALLOWED, to do that because they contain Li-ION batteries? Anton Bauer has an app for that. Well, not exactly...
Read moreSony’s FS5 is the Best Get-It-Right, NO FUTZING AROUND Interchangeable Lens Video Camera for the Money Out There Today. Here’s Why.
Those of you who know me will remember that I’ve drooled over the Sony a7S II and again over the a7R II, yet my favorite camera these days is Sony’s a6300. I put it in my bag as I headed to Oaks, PA last month, part of a team covering a Bernie Sanders event (this is not a political post, don’t worry). I got some great footage with it. But the camera I chose as my primary was Sony’s FS5 with their Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS lens. Here’s why.
Read moreWildlife Photographer and Videographer Bertie Gregory - and the Sachtler Video 18 S2 [NAB 2016, Episode 7]
Vegas + NAB = one of the largest gear porn fests on the planet, but it's ultimately about the people. Meet Bertie Gregory, a 22-year-old wildlife photographer and videographer phenom working with National Geographic and Sachtler in pursuit of his dream job. And while you're at it, meet Sachtler's just-announced 18 S2, an update to their highly regarded 18 S1 fluid head.
Read moreThis is the Most Inexpensive Way into GoPro-based VR I've Seen: 360Heros Starts at $199
360Heroes was early to the VR game, and at NAB 2016 they offered the lowest entry point into GoPro-based systems I could find -- a 4-camera rig which relies on you to supply the GoPros in their waterproof cases is $199 excluding cameras. But that truly is just the beginning.
Read moreHate the Foam in Your Pelican Case? Meet MyCaseBuilder's Custom Foam Inserts
I love my Pelican 1510. The pinch foam inside? Not so much. I met Steve Holand of MyCaseBuilder.com at NAB 2016 and was so enamored of his custom inserts that I'm going to try one myself. While I'm waiting, I thought I'd pass the find along.
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