Whenever possible i'm still a big fan of capturing audio from a subject using just a Zoom H1 portable audio recorder
But just in case you don't happen to have a Zoom H1
Keep in mind that not every Lav microphone will work when plugged directly into an iPhone. Some microphones will need a special TRRS adapter (or other). But if you happen to have a compatible lav mic for your iPhone such as the Rode SmartLav+
(source) https://AspenMics.com
Sliders are great, but track systems will offer you more travel. Gimbals are great systems to move the camera long distances, but is not ideal when your movement has to be repeated. Using a track dolly system will let you take advantage of long lenses and shallow depth of field without having to worry about your subject falling out of frame or out of focus. It's a more controllable and predictable tool that offers high production value that any operator can use without much practice or experience. Every shooter should have access to a good tripod track dolly system.
Recently we were able to try on CAME-TV's new Tripod Track Dolly system that allows you to perform curved tracking shots or straight linear tracking shots. The system is unique as it uses strong Magnets to combine the rails together making it fast and easy to setup - no tools.
Anytime you join tracks, you have to worry about the seams not aligning and causing a bump in tracking. But the Magnetic rails matched up perfectly, and the tripod dolly with 3 swiveling casters and a total of 12 smooth bearing wheels gave us extremely smooth footage.
The kit comes packed neat in a carrying case and is extremely lightweight. The base kit comes with a set of curved rails and straight rails. You can combine all of the the tracks in the kit and even purchase additional tracks to make up more variety. This system can work on slightly textured surfaces, but works best on level ground.
The CAME-TV Tripod Dolly and Magnetic Track System is made with quality, and definitely affordable compared to other similar systems. The fact that it comes with both curved and linear rails allows you to get creative right out of the base package. For more information, check out the product page at https://CAME-TV.com (here).
There's a ton of new gimbal stabilizers that have come around in 2015, and Varavon themselves have got a brand new gimbal dedicated for small cameras. The new Varavon Birdycam Lite is one that stands out as it is just one of few to start incorporating newly supported Encoder hardware, is designed slightly bigger than the pistol grip gimbals, yet still smaller and lighter than even the DJI Ronin-M.
Varavon Birdycam Lite 32 Bit Gimbal Stabilizer w/ Encoders
It's a gimbal I think many of been looking for as they want the smallest possible system to work with mirrorless cameras and Speedbooster Lens Adapters. A system still able to work with the Aputure DEC wireless follow focus adapter and easy access to HDMI and Audio ports for adding an External Monitor (recorder) and Wireless Audio systems. All of this would be impossible to do on a system like the CAME-SINGLE or PilotFly H1+, and the Birdycam Lite allows you to do this with ease while still being 33% lighter and smaller than the DJI Ronin-M - filling a void in the market.
Another excellent design feature is that the Varavon Birdycam Lite can be used without it's top handles and can even work in Inverted mode. The gimbal can attach to standard Arca Swiss Quick Release Systems, so you could mount it on top of a Video Monopod, or hang it at the end of a Jib/Crane. And the wireless remote allows you to control Pan and Tilt if you wanted to use it in that manner.
Even as the DJI Ronin-M exists in the marketplace, and it's certainly a worthy gimbal to get, many people are still trying to find smaller gimbal stabilizer systems for light duty work, travel, or when they want to be more discreet. The new Varavon Birdycam Lite fills the gap perfectly between a system that could be too big or too small for mirrorless cameras with lens adapters - offering the user more lens choices and freedom to attach external monitor/recorders and audio devices.
For more information about the new Varavon Birdycam Lite Gimbal with Enocders, check out the Product Page (here).
Varavon Birdycam Lite 32 Bit Gimbal Stabilizer w/ Encoders
For additional videos about the Varavon Birdycam Lite, check out these Unboxing, Balancing Tutorial, and Demo videos provided by Rik Cordero of RunPlayBack.com.
Since many people are jumping over to Sony here's a collection put together via B&H on Sony Lenses that include an Instant Savings and up to 10% Rewards back. I'm more of a Manual lens shooter these days, but there's a few native Sony lenses I like when I need the camera to be compact, lightweight, or take advantage of the autofocus. You can find a variety of lenses from A Mount, E-Mount, FE Mount following the link (found here).
Sliders are great tools, but there are certain moves that can be limited when your camera is simply mounted over a ball head or video head. For instance a forward push or pull will often show the rails of your slider. Below is a screen grab from one of my attempts at a push which ended up showing the rails on the Cinevate Duzi V3 Slider
Slider in shot during push / pull movement
If I were able to position my camera slightly higher and forward past the tracks, I would have been able to accomplish this reveal shot. Instead I had to find a different option. Even something as simple as a side dolly directly over an object (i.e. slide over wedding rings) usually ends up just tilting down towards the object because there just isn't enough reach.
I've tried Magic Arms and other ways to reposition my cameras, but most are hardly sturdy ways of doing it. For these situations Cinevate has introduced the 'Grip Reacher'. A custom designed versatile camera positioning system that works on any video slider to allow for more creative camera movements.
Cinevate Grip Reacher Product Details
The Grip Reacher is an incredibly strong and versatile grip arm that enables you to mount and articulate your camera in countless configurations. Use the Grip Reacher on a slider to achieve ‘ground-scraping’ slides or pushes.
Cinevate Grip Reacher Versatile Camera Mount for Slidrs
Looking to capture an overhead photo or video? The Grip Reacher is the affordable and lightweight solution. The toolless adjustments make changing positions effortless. The Grip Reacher works on any slider or tripod that offers a 3/8" mount.
Cinevate Grip Reacher Versatile Camera Mount for Slidrs
Crafted from solid aluminum and carbon fibre, the Grip Reacher is durable and strong, and weighs in at just 1.8 lbs. The Grip Reacher includes both a 3/4" and 1/4"-20 camera mount, and can handle loads up to 7 lbs. - See more at: https://www.cinevate.com/store2/grip-reacher.html#sthash.QCiQtyU2.dpuf
Now that we have the option of using interchangeable lenses on the Inspire1 with X5 camera gimbal, the decision is which lenses would work best. Here's a few examples shown in the video below by INSTAR Films
The video shows off the following lenses
Olympus M.ZUIKO 12mm f2.0 (Link)
Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f1.8 (Link)
Olympus M.ZUIKO 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 EZ (Link)
DJI MFT 15mm f1.7 (Link)
The samples are great not only on the Inspire1 Pro Quadcopter, but should give you an idea on which lenses would work when the X5 is mounted to the DJI Osmo Hand Held gimbal too.
The Sony A7sII and Sony A7rII cameras have been really taking a big market share in the small mirrorless video market. But like most hybrid cameras, you may want to mount additional accessories for shooting video. This will require a rig of some sort, or at least a surrounding cage. With that in mind, here's a closer look at SHAPE's latest Cage system for the Sony A7sII / A7rII cameras with Top Handle and 15mm Base.
SHAPE Product Overview
Designed for the Alpha series from Sony: Sony A7SII, Sony A7R II and Sony A7 II.
By leaving access open to the hot shoe on top of the camera, you can mount different accessories. This cage is compatible with the Sony XLR-K2M audio unit, so you can have great sound for your videos. To install it, simply turn the top handle towards the front of the cage.
Integrated in the cage, we designed a Metabones® adapter support bracket. When there is no Metabones® adapter, the ¼-20 screw is captive so you don’t have to remove it from the cage and simply slide the bracket from under the cage.
The SHAPE Cage is easy to assemble and disassemble; you don’t need to remove any parts of it when you want to install the camera, it’s easy and fast. The camera is fixed with a ¼-20 screw with the threaded hole under it, and the position is secured with the back and the sides of the cage so it will not move forward when equipped with a heavier lens.
In addition to having access to all camera controls, you also have easy access to the lens release button. The support between the lens and the camera grip is designed to anticipate a clearing for the fingers when the camera is handheld, for an ergonomic grip. The cage features several ¼-20 and 3/8-16 threaded holes for attachments and is made from CNC machined aluminium.
As with all our other products, we also included in the design our red push button technology with 360 degree rotation where you can make adjustments by one press of your thumb. The simplest way to adjust handle! When you release the button, the handle locks in place. It’s solid and durable. You can remove the top handle from the cage to reveal a hot shoe adapter for other accessory attachments.
We proudly make our products in Canada, and we offer a lifetime warranty on all CNC machined parts. Our products are solid and durable.
For more information about various options and accessories for the SHAPE A7sII / A7RII / A7II CAGE, visit their product catalog (LINK).
Exciting news! The latest Gimbal stabilizer from Varavon is finally available today. We've been teased about this product over the last few weeks, and heard rumors earlier from the NAB2015 show. The new Birdycam Lite may be around 1/3rd lighter than the larger original Birdycam2 and is designed to work with today's ever shrinking cameras. Without the top handle, the Birdycam Lite gimbal frame itself is probably just around 3lbs.
VARAVON BIRDYCAM LITE 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
They have a small list of suggested cameras that will work well such as the Sony alpha 7, Sony a6000, Panasonic GH3, Panasonic GH4, Canon 70D, Canon XC10, Nikon D3300, Samsung NX1, so you'll get an idea if your camera system will work well on the new Birdycam Lite. There's some really cool stand out features on this new gimbal such as a wireless joystick (included), and the ability to use it with the handles detached. This means mounting the gimbal to a Jib for remote PT (pan/tilt) operation should be a breeze.
VARAVON BIRDYCAM LITE 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
The camera mount is also Manfrotto plate compatible so that you can quickly move your camera off the gimbal to your favorite Manfrotto accessory. This is something a lot of people have been asking for, and most will try to add a Manfrotto QR base if possible.
Probably the most stand out features for the Birdycam Lite Gimbal is the newly added Encoder hardware. This was a newly supported feature for SBGC gimbals, and is a night and day difference when it comes to efficiency and stabilization. We're starting to see that pretty much every new gimbal will start to incorporate this. Another stand out feature that some will get really excited about is the single arm design that leaves the (left) side of the camera's ports available for adding HDMI cables, Audio, and power cables.
There's a ton of info and specs over at the Varavon Birdycam Lite product page, so make sure to take a look (LINK).
The Alzo Video Smoothy Radius and Linear Video Slider was first shown at NAB 2015, and they wanted to send one out for me to test drive. The slider can track in a straight line (linear) and then can be reassembled into a curved (radius) track for keeping a subject in frame and in center. Here's a little overview.
Riding on a track of this design requires careful hands to prevent any micro jitters. In some cases my shaky hands transferred slight vibrations, but after running a bit of post image stabilization the footage was fine.
Alzo Smoothy Radius and Linear Video Slider
The Alzo Radius Linear Slider is limited to small lightweight camera and lens combinations, and also requires you to be at least 6 feet away from your subject to use the Radius effectively. At 4 feet long it might be a bit too long for constant travelers. Overall I think it's certainly a unique design, and we were able to get some decent results. But what do you guys think about the new Alzo Smoothy Radius and Linear video slider? Leave your comments below.
