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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
As with my fears for the new Zoom H1 selling out quickly, the LCDVF 3:2 for the Canon 550D / T2i is already listing as sold out. Luckily I grabbed mine a bit early, even though I haven't even mounted it yet. Obviously the Canon T2i was trending in sales much more than the 7D and the 5D Mark II, so I doubt a smaller company like LCDVF could have met those demands. Hopefully they'll have more inventory in short time, but it's interesting to see that nobody has tried to capitalize on grabbing a large inventory and then reselling it at higher prices on eBay. Double the price, much like people are already doing with Apple iPhones and iPads.
It does show that there's a huge demand for these things, so I'm wondering why another player in the LCDVF 3:2 aspect isn't already on the market.
This appears to be the problem I first experienced with my Canon 5D Mark II and they are getting around to updating the other cameras. Not a huge deal, I've mainly experienced this with my original 100mm Macro USM F/2.8 lens and i'm assuming it's the same. If you're using the new Hybrid 100mm Macro 2.8 with IS, you'd probably never know. Doesn't seem to be a 'must have' firmware fix unless you're doing lots of Macro work with the older Macro lenses.
Thanks to a tip, I was pointed out to these NEW weird looking grips. Appears to have infrared built into the grip, for what? This unit does come with a remote for just $29.95 + Free Shipping (no batteries), my only guess is that the Remote is using that Infrared area on the grip. If that were the case, they should have just designed the infrared to the 'Rear' of the grip allowing users to shoot from front or back with a standard infrared remote. Thanks for 'NOT' thinking that one through people.
You can find these grips starting as low as $29.95 + Remote + Free shipping, or at $49.95 + Remote + 4 Batteries + Free shipping. I'll try to find more information on these, because they do sound too good to be true at those prices, but the seller has incredible feedback on eBay, so all can't be bad. Check out the new T2i / 550D Battery Grip surfacing on eBay, click here.
Ok, Terry over at LocalTVHero.com beat me to the punch in getting a quick review out on the LCDVF 3:2 for the Canon 550D / T2i. (I need to up my game). Mine may have already arrived, I just haven't been home to check the mail. It's ok though, he did a great job, much better than a review I was going to do. I realize this might seem very similar in steps to mount the original LCDVF, and for current owners nothing new to see, but this post is for those who have yet to pull the trigger on a loupe. If you don't have one, get one. Once you start using it outdoors on a bright sunny day, or need to focus on that 1.4 aperture, you'll never be without one. Remember that these are perfect for photographers also, as you get a clear image of what your photo looks like when it's very bright outdoors. Thanks Terry, great job on the video.
The Hoodman Cinema Kit click image
By the way, I checked out the Hoodman loupe on a Canon T2i and it fits nicely being able to see the entire LCD screen with excellent magnification. The only problem you'll run into is mounting options. Hoodman now has a 'crane' for their loupe to attach to the Hotshoe. This seems to work great for many cameras, but doesn't quite nail the fit for the T2i. Something you guys might want to look into in case your ever at a store that carries it. Of course, it's a seperate cost for this item. Prices and availability through this link.
Reader Jeff M. wanted to share this Glass LCD screen protector. I'm a fan of LCD screen protectors, but trimming those flimsy plastic ones to size, and getting all the air bubbles out is a pain. They definitely help prevent small light scuffs, but if you're looking for a screen protector that can take more abuse, check out the Glass models available. Glass LCD Screen Protectors are available for a variety of Canon (including 550D), Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, and more.
