Canon EOS 550D T2i

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Update: You can now buy the LCDVF 3/2 from BHPHOTOVIDEO.com.
Grab yourself the LCDVF 3/2 from BHPHOTOVIDEO.com

Thanks to a tip from a reader, I was able to get an early jump on the 'NEW' LCDVF viewfinder for the Canon T2i / 550D. The first available LCDVF's for the 3:2 aspect ratio such as the Canon T2i is available now at Glidetrack.com. After US conversion through Paypal, it ended up at roughly $144.00 dollars. Still much cheaper than Zacuto brands, and with the new aspect ratio custom fit, LCDVF is ahead of the game. Let's just hope Canon doesn't throw us another random LCD size. We'll see how fast shipping is, and I'll share the review once it gets in my hands. Thanks Gerry!

New LCDVF 3:2 for Canon T2i / 550D
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Original LCDVF still available.
original-lcdvf
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Here's a quick run through of what to expect from the Aputure Timer Remote when getting the Intervalometer ( Timelapse ) feature started. This timelapse remote is for the Canon 550D / T2i and will not work with the Canon 7D or 5D Mark II. The connection to the camera is similar to a mini stereo headphone jack. The other cameras use a different round connection type with several pins. This Timelapse is remote pretty straight forward once you do a quick run through on the user manual. There are much more features for this remote that I haven't dived into yet, but that will be posted up soon. There is no option to start and stop video (I get alot of those questions). It's a great little remote for the price of $22.00 dollars.

canon 550d timelapse timer remote
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For Canon 7D & 5D Mark II owners, here's the proper remote (works on both).

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video from YouTube by rattusvulpes

This Golden Oldie (literally Gold) looks very very familiar. If i'm correct, I remember seeing the transformations of this thing while it was coming out of DIY progress on the Internet. I think it was called Pegasus. It looks like it's a pretty finished project now that's gone into mass manufacturing under Wondlan as the 'Ares'. (Doesn't Ares mean 'A$$' in some languages?)

Because of it's entry level price for a Gimbal style stabilizer, I'm finding more and more people doing reviews on the Ares. Although it looks like a Steadicam Merlin, it doesn't have a full functioning Gimbal as the Merlin. The Merlin has much more travel in it's design. Then again it's not priced like a Steadicam Merlin, and it appears that this Ares stabilizer can handle much much more weight than the Merlin can, so it's not ALL bad.

I'm not a fan of the Gold color scheme, it looks like something Austin Powers might have carried in his last movie, or a prop designed for the next Marvel Comic movie. Hey, you can't knock the awesome smooth results this bad boy is putting out though. You can find the decently priced Stabilizer here if Gold is your thing.

Update: Good news, you can send an email to the seller and specifically ask for 'Black', and that should solve that Gold color issue.

gimbal-stabilizerwonlan-stabilizer-merlin-stylewonlan-ares-camera-stabilizer

click images to find Wondlan Ares

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Update: You can now buy the LCDVF 3/2 from BHPHOTOVIDEO.com.
Grab yourself the LCDVF 3/2 from BHPHOTOVIDEO.com

Here it is folks, just got a message from the man himself. The LCDVF for the Canon EOS 550D / T2i is real and it's almost ready. Check out the video of the installation process and fit. Very very nicely designed. No rumors here, Glidetrack.com will have 100 of them very soon. Make sure to Twitter, Digg, or Facebook this article to spread the word using the links below.

lcdvf-bhphoto
The LCDVF

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Cheesycam reader MJM just dropped a bomb on me. I've listed some information on the aftermarket battery grips and batteries on this blog before, but i've been hearing that the prices have gone up since. MJM sends a comment about a seller who's got the aftermarket grips as low as $65.95 just grip, or $89.95 which comes with 4 batteries too. That's a great deal right now especially with the demand still growing quickly on the 550D / T2i. I've done my usual (gut) inspection about the seller whos received 100% feedback and seems to push 100's of items daily. That's a tough job keeping eBay buyers happy, so this one looks totally legit. Grab 'em now while it's still decently priced for the 4 battery package.


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Another Bomb dropped was the Amazon grip with 2 batteries for approx $60 dollars + $4.99 shipping. Supposedly they might be shipping this guy out of New Jersey so the wait might be shorter. Check it out below.

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Update: You can now buy the LCDVF 3/2 from BHPHOTOVIDEO.com.
Grab yourself the LCDVF 3/2 from BHPHOTOVIDEO.com

There's word on the streets that the new LCDVF for the Canon 550D / T2i will begin shipping soon to distributors. The original LCDVF for most 3" LCD's did not fit exactly on the new LCD design from Canon. I haven't heard of anything else different about magnification, diopters, or mounting options, so I expect it to be very similar in design, just a bit wider. The original LCDVF's for most Canon, Nikon, and other cameras with a standard 3" LCD can still be bought here.

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VisualRebel picked up on one of my earlier posts found here about cheap ways to shoot Macro. I'm not sure if anyone really believed the quality you can get from flipping a lens backwards, but the proof is in the pudding. This video was shot by VisualRebel using a standard 18-55mm on a 550D / T2i, and handheld used the cheap $99 dollar 50mm F/1.8 in reverse. This awesome little video does a good job in showing the quality of Macro with equipment you probably already have. Now take this setup outdoors with more light, and get in on those creepy crawlies like National Geographic.

Here's a tip folks, if you want to use the exact same setup as VisualRebel, the filter on the 18-55mm is 58mm and the 50mm filter is 52mm. You can buy this special adapter for less than $4.00 dollars + Free shipping to 'mate' the two together (one in reverse) so you don't have to do any handholding. Save yourself the headache. For less than $4.00 + Free shipping, you can get this adapter to hold the lens for you.

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I'm not sure what's the best combination of lenses to do this reverse trick, it's more trial and error. Apparently this video shows superb quality and definitely sounds like the cheapest (and lightest) combination for reverse macro. You can find other Rings here to match different size lenses against other size lenses by clicking here.

If you've already got two lenses to do reverse Macro, then the adapter is cheap. If you're looking to simply work with 1 lens, especially the 18-55mm, remember to check out my review on the cheap Macro Bellow found here:

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I recently posted a review on the aftermarket Battery + Grip for the 550D / T2i. Someone asked me how I would be doing my test comparing the battery life. Since I can't shoot continuous video until the battery dies, I thought doing a Timelapse test could possibly show if the photo count would be significantly more or less. For this test i'll be using the Intervalometer (timer remote) purchased for just $23.00 dollars + free shipping. One important thing to remember when buying an Intervalometer is the maximum number of pictures it can take. Some are limited, not sure why, but the one here had a 00 mode for unlimited shooting.

I won't be using the grip because that will take forever for the batteries to die. I'll just be comparing one battery against the other trying to figure out how many photos it can take before the camera batteries run out of juice. I'll let you know how the test goes when I can find a full day to run the timelapse (and something interesting to shoot too). You can purchase this Timer remote for as little as $23.00 + Free Shipping.

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You're pretty much required to grab a Class 6 SDHC card for the 550D / T2i. For an awesome name brand you're paying around $130, and that's an awesome deal for that huge 32gb storage. Compact flash cards on the other hand, if you wanted speeds of 60MBS, you'd be paying several hundreds. Although Canon says you're not required to use 400x cards to shoot video, they say it will help with RAW read / writes + dumping that data down will be faster than ever. Right now Sandisk is running some rebates if you've got the cash to buy a couple of cards, or you can grab those same Rebate prices simply off eBay without having to mail anything in and waiting.