I saw this a few times today, but was reminded again by Kevin about the new Canon Instant Rebates. There's plenty of rebates for Canon gear, but the ones to be excited about are the DSLR bodies. The 7D kit, 7D Body, and T2i are on the list. No mention about the 5D Mark II. You can find more information here: Canon Instant Rebates BHPhotovideo.com
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Thanks to a few people for leaving some comments on this item. It's a new view finder loupe on the market that is said to fit the aspect ratio of the Canon 550D / T2i perfectly with no crop. Looks like a similar design we've seen before but now with a custom fit and no signs of 'infringement' here. There's currently only one other view finder that claims to be designed specifically for this Canon 550D, so this opens up another option for T2i owners. For those who are daring enough to attach the magnet frame onto the Canon 60D, it should be the exact same fit. Here's the link: View Finder 4 Canon 550D / T2i
kaydawgy snatched up a Flycam Nano DSLR stabilizer for approx. $120 dollars and threw up an awesome video demo for us to see the results. Using a Canon 550D / T2i and Tokina 11-16mm lens, the Flycam Nano performed pretty well. Of course, for more people we wanted to see more more more about the gear itself, so kaydawgy was kind enough to shoot this excellent gear review.
Here you'll see what the Flycam Nano looks like and it's relative size to the camera. A quick release adapter was added, and if i'm not mistaken it looks like a Bogen RC-2 quick release adapter. With this setup, the Flycam Nano looks like it's just about at it's limit, in fact kaydawgy purchased two additional washers to get things fine tuned. This is a good video showing the size of the Nano sized handle. I'm wondering if at least a foam bike grip can slip over somehow to add a bit more comfort. I guess if it were any longer, it would just be banging against the lower sled. Thanks kaydawgy for taking time out for the review. Check out the video for more about the $120.00 Cheap Flycam Nano DSLR camera stabilizer.
Flycam Nano DSLR Video Camera Stabilizer
Tokina 11-16MM F/2.8 ATX 116 Lens for Canon EOS AF Digital – Tokina ATX116PRODXC
Flycam Nano test run from kaydawgy on Vimeo.
There's quite a few things I find that can be useful with the DSLR community, but haven't had the chance to test it out myself. Vimeo member kayDawgy checked out the FlyCam Nano stabilizer article I posted and decided to test it out. The design looks pretty familiar copying the Glidecam setup, and with the right experience looks like it can pull off some really nice stabilizer footage. Unfortunately, there was little information and even less 'good' video samples of the unit's ability. I think things worked out quite well, and personally this is the best video so far done with the Flycam Nano. It might not be perfect, but from my own experience, it's quite difficult to shoot with a stabilizer chasing a running subject around 2-3 ft. tall. LOL
From the tags of the video, looks like kaydawgy used a Canon 550D / T2i and Tokina 11-16mm lens, which is a killer combination on any stabilizer. I especially love how wide this lens is on the Canon 550D / T2i without having much barrel distortion around the edges. Sometimes that barrel distortion is not so flattering with people. If you have any further questions, you may want to give kaydawgy a comment at the video link here. https://vimeo.com/14534884
Tokina 11-16MM F/2.8 ATX 116 Lens for Canon EOS AF Digital - Tokina ATX116PRODXC
Wow, I forget there's two delivery times here. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. This afternoon, these items just arrived for me to talk about. First up is the DSLR Glass LCD Screen protector for the Canon 550D first introduced in this article here. Wow this thing is nice! The fit is very OEM like with beveled edges to keep the smooth look and feel. Quality is superb.
Available for 5D Mark II, 7D, and yes people even the 550D / T2i click images
Next up is the LCDVF 'Clone' or 'Replica'. Wow..Literally..WOW. I couldn't stop smiling when I opened the box. This is crazy..this is dead on exactly the same, I seriously could not find a casting flaw, an imperfect finish, or anything unusual about this item. I'd swear it was the real deal. If this isn't coming out of the same manufacturer, it's quite impressive how much this item has replicated every little detail of the real LCDVF.
Here's the link to the LCDVF Clone Viewfinders for DSLRs.
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Here's a pretty cool interesting tip!:
I received a comment earlier from someone else who had received the Glass LCD protector + LCDVF clone. They mentioned that when these two new items used together, it actually improved the viewable areas of the Canon 550D LCD without using a 3/2 version of an LCD Viewfinder. Now that I received mine, I had to test that theory out. The original 3" LCDVF design cropped a bit of the 550D LCD view by 1mm each side. You think you need a 3/2 version LCD Viewfinder? Think again. This odd combination seemed to work out and improves on correcting that 1mm crop on each side to just about a perfect view of the entire LCD.
View of LCDVF Clone + Glass LCD Protector on Canon 550D / T2i
LoupeTalk DIY Adapter for Hoodman Loupe from emmagination on Vimeo.
A couple of people have commented about how their LCD Viewfinders can lose adhesion from the metal frame to the LCD glass. Just wanted to remind everyone about an old video I posted a while back that might be a good solution by permanently (epoxy) attaching the LCD Viewfinder to an LCD Hood Shade. Originally this video was for the Hoodman since I thought the LCDVF had a decent solution, but appears even the LCDVF sticky frame can cause problems. There's even a shade available now for the Canon 550D / T2i so that you can quickly mount and dismount the LCD Viewfinders. You can find the LCD Shades for the Canon 550D / T2i for as low as $12.50 + Free Shipping here.
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Shown (left) is the IndieHardware Stabilizer and (right) is the Hague MMC - Mini Motion Cam Stabilizer. As you might know, i've showcased the Hague MMC a few times and the most popular video of mine is the T2i Demo on the Hague MMC. Well I do mention that it's just about at it's limits with the stock kit lens 18-55mm and wouldn't be able to balance anything more. I've seen the IndieHardware Stabilizer many many times, but obviously both designs look similar, so I put it off as just another replica. Looking more carefully at the information within the auctions on eBay for the Indiehardware stabilizer, details claim it's beefier and can carry much more weight. So of course an actual smack down review between the two was necessary.
After receiving the item today, the first thing I noticed was it was indeed beefy. It looks to be a 1/4" thick aluminum with a very clean bend. The handle doesn't have the range of a Steadicam Merlin, but it does attach via a retaining clip (unlike Hague), so it appears there's no way this handle is coming apart. A big problem with the Hague handle if you pull it hard enough it just pops right off. Another big difference is the double weight stack (seen in my images above). Wow, this thing looks like it's going to balance double the weight compared to the Hague MMC. The price also lists for similar if not 'Cheaper' than the Hague MMC and for us USA guys, the IndieHardware ships from the United States so it's less shipping costs and faster to receive. So far IndieHardware doesn't just marginally beat out the Hague, it should be in a class of it's own 'above' the Hague MMC.
I'm not a fan of the raw polished aluminum (i'd rather black) but I guess something has to differentiate this from a Hague. Also an anodized coating or powder coating of black can run up product costs quickly. I can always put a coating of flat black myself and still save a ton of dollars rather than stepping into a Steadicam Merlin (approx 6 times the price). I'll get some video footage up soon with a couple of different cameras, and let you all know how that goes. You can find the IndieHardware DSLR Camera Stabilizer and prices through this link here.
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The LCDVF 3/2... from Terry Gray on Vimeo.
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
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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.
The Hoodman Crane for LCD Loupe
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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
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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.
