Submitted by one of our readers in the comments section [Thanks Jerry]. Here's an interesting video on a DIY Lego follow focus from YouTube member havok2. Small, Lightweight and stable. It is attached directly to the lens, and variable sizing helps to adjust for other lenses. Taking it even further, there's a complete 3D Rendered video tutorial on how to put everything together. Additional photos can be found via slideshow https://slideshow.havok2.imageloop.com/en/index.htm. To help you get a better idea, you can check out the video description, questions, and additional comments at the video page.
[Update] Sorry guys, company isn't cool with the original post. States they have a completely original product designed from the ground up. You can contact them directly for more technical information about their product and all references (and comments) will be removed. If you don't know what i'm talking about, you're in good shape.
So instead here's another DIY video solely on the UFO camping light. In this video he's only showing off the 24 LED version, but there's another version with 48 LEDs. This thing has been around the block for years and has been used in DIY Macro photography lights to Cheap Video lighting. The video showed a 24 LED in use, but there's a 48 LED version too for under $5 dollars shipped. Useable? I'll leave that up to you.. Hey if you're in a pinch, i've seen more random stuff being used for lighting like say.... several iPads? You know where i'm going with that...
YouTube member kimandcris shares a DIY DSLR Shoulder rig build using an IKEA cutting board and some Aluminum tubing. Cutting, sanding, and bending sounds like a tough DIY, but the materials seem to be easy enough to work with. Cutting board approx. $7 dollars. We've got some interesting DIY'ers out there with quite an imagination. [Thanks Cris]
Looking to add a bit of color to your Photos? Throwing colored gels over a flash is the easiest way to add interest into what would normally be a boring photo. This DIY tip may not be color accurate to industry standards, but at least you can create an entire lineup of colored faux gels on the cheap. Using transparency film which is fairly heat resistant and durable (for overhead projectors) sent to a printer at your local Kinkos, you can print any color you need, in any size you need, and in any amount needed. Could be great to add a splash of color to your videos too. Check out more information over at Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Photography-Gels/.
My other DIY project:
One thing that i've actually been experimenting with and am finding excellent results have been the color changing LED light bulbs.
There's different versions of these high powered LED lights, but you'll want to go with at least a 5W for the most amount of power. Another thing to look for is the 120 degree beam angle so that it doesn't look too narrow. What i've found was that you need to use a few of these to really spread into a full background. For a talking head shot a single or two LED bulbs would work great in adding a bit of color. So far the 1 that I have is kick-ass for adding colored backgrounds to small product shots.
Here's a video from someone's YouTube using a 3 watt version.
The throw on these LED's are pretty far, and i'm seeing the color from even 10ft away. These are standard light sockets (E27), so building a 4 light head with the LED bulbs slightly spread apart is not a problem. I'll be using these twin E27 light socket heads stacked one on top of the other with a single light stand.
With my new DIY LED head using (4) 5 watt color changing LEDs i'll be able to carry around a fairly small, durable, low power, low heat, no gels, multi-colored backdrop to any location. These bulbs can not only adjust color, but are also dimmable in brightness. It's a bit of cost up front, but if you consider what a multipack of Gels + Lights would run you, the convenience for adding color is well worth it (for me). Hopefully i'll get around to showing what my version would be like soon.
YouTube member TheAussieInLA puts together his DIY version of the SpiderTrax rotational dolly and gets some pretty cool results. Looks like some basic skateboard trucks, skate wheels, and flat steel. [Thanks Alex]
The original version sold at PhotographyandCinema.com is no longer available, but if you're not the DIY type the next best version for the cheapest price is made through Konova. The Konova rotational dolly is well built with an anodized plating and a few fancy graphics. Although they opted to use roller blade type wheels, they flipped the axles upside down and shaved them flat, bringing it closer to the ground for low shots. You can find them following the link below.
YouTube member dalecampbellextras shows that a large mechanical kitchen timer can rotate more than just a small GoPro camera. Here he's showing use with a Canon DSLR and the timer still seems to rotate pretty well. I notice that in the video, there's talk about Center of Balance. If you've already picked up a Macro Rail Slider this could help center the weight. These mechanical timers are great for DIY panning rigs, but with a bit of string i'm guessing it can pull a camera across the Konova slider (no batteries required). [Thanks Dale]
Dale has some links to the products through his YouTube video, for eBay and Amazon the closest thing I could find similar would be the Large Kitchen Timers. Large Mechanical Kitchen Timer
The traditional Egg Timer has always been used as a Panning Rig, but curious if anyone has taken that Rotisserie motor and used it for this same purpose?
The Apple iPhone 4 quickly took to video hobbyists with shorts and music videos being completely shot on the device. This time YouTube member Kyle Roberts shoots an entire music video on a Nokia N8. Aside from the N8 itself, there's some serious Tripods and Sliders going on in this BTS video. There's also some DIY gear involved to work with the small form factor of the device. Sure it might just be another cell phone music video but it's been shot, edited, and uploaded which is more than what most people can do with even the fanciest of gear. It's all for the love and the fun, and it's a way to get out and shoot - No excuses. You can catch the final color graded and edited music video at the end of the BTS clip. [Thanks Kyle]
Wow just caught this video from IndyMogul a few minutes ago, and believe it or not, I feel like i've just been nominated for an Academy award. In this video they touch on a few ideas for budget stabilizers (one or two from this website) with all of the web links in the description of their YouTube video found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9d93j4jf5M.
Seriously though, i'm a huge fan of IndyMogul. If you love anything about movies - making movies, watching movies, DIY gear, and low budget ways to get special effects into your filmmaking, check out all of the videos they've produced over the years. With over 80 million upload views on YouTube alone, they're hard to miss. If you're not on the ball, you can subscribe to all the content they produce over at their YouTube channel, or set up a subscription to their FREE podcasts via iTunes. This way you can carry all the episodes in your fancy iPods, iPhones, and iPads.
Aside from pure voyeurism, you can always send in your comments and ideas to IndyMogul as they're pretty active in the filmmaking community. [Thanks for the kind words guys, Keep on Keepin' On]
48 LED UFO Camping Lights
