Reviews on gear and software

SmallHD monitor

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Today a review/user opinion for the SmallHD DP4 monitor I’m using for my video work at the moment.

Although I’m mainly a photographer I love video, always have and always will probably.
When I started video it was mainly because I wanted something else than photography, I was raised in a family where photography and video were practice on every possible locations, my memories of my grandfather for example often included a camera (and light meter), but also video, they started using video very early on and so our family was also on of the first with a “real” Betamax recorder for home use.

 

So first of all it was not strange that I started with photography but also video.
When I started with video it was tape based (but already the smaller kind), capturing to the PC was all with FAST AV cards and it was SLOOOOOW, it was normal to render a night for a video to find out you did not like a look and start over again. Although I picked up photography again when digital became affordable (my first digital was a Kodak without memory card and half a megapixel) but I always kept filming.
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Edelkrone

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As many of you may already know I’ve been doing some video the last year.
In the mean time we shot 3 music videos and of course some instructional DVDs and videos.
When the 5DMKII came out I ran to the store to get one due to the options for video, and man has it been a journey, over time it has become better and better. At first it was really awkward to handheld the camera because there was just too much movement, however first there was the amazing Zacuto viewfinder attachment and later many more products caught my eyes. Today however I want to introduce you to a brand I really think you should check out because I think they make some of the most amazing rigs out there…… Edelkrone. In the Netherlands you can find them at several dealers but the distributor is www.mamiya.nl (really nice guys so drop them a mail if you’re interested)

edelkrone – modula rigs – comprehensive demonstration from edelkrone on Vimeo.

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Polaroid

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Yesterday I talked about the guestbook and I mentioned we are putting polaroids into the book, well today I will give you a second tip in the form of a mini review of the new Polaroid Z340 Instant Digital Camera

Polaroid Z340 Instant Digital Camera

The Z340 is a new Polaroid camera with a twist.
The moment I saw the news of it’s release I wanted to own one, and of course not for the great image quality, well ok it has a 14 MP sensor, and it’s ISO goes to a reasonable height and it shoots video. But you buy the Polaroid for something else. Well at least when you love the old form of the Polaroids and I do. It’s just fun to hold a camera with a build in strobe, aim it at your subject, press a shutter and hold the image in your hands in less than a minute.

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Oben AC1410 review

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One of the things I really hate to drag around is a tripod, I think I speak for many of you. It’s not the using the tripod I use but the hassle to bring it with me, the extra weight etc. So most of the times I will just shoot handheld on a slightly (often much) higher ISO than I should, thinking “Oh my I should have brought my tripod”. So a while ago my search began for a very lightweight tripod that was cheap (I don’t use it a lot), sturdy (I also want to use it with my MF camera), Tall (well I’m not small) and most importantly it had to be small enough to flywith and carry with me everywhere.

 

Of course one could go for a carbon tripod but let’s be honest when you don’t use your tripod a lot and just use it occasionally it’s a load of money and I will never really can justify that, but all the tripods I own now I will never carry with me, enter the Oben AC-1410 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with BA-0 Ball Head. Which at $119.95 is a steal I think. (remember this is including the ballhead/quickrelease and case)

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