dslrfilmnoobhttp://amzn.to/2fXhr1D There are a lot of field recorders on the market and the vast majority of them are big. Those that aren't, generally don't support XLR audio inputs, and the few that do, don't provide Phantom power. That is where the Saramaonic SR-VRM1 is in a class of its own. This thing is small, easy to use and has decent battery life, plus a headphone output.
All these features combined means you could basically use it as a remote boom mic filed recorder without any other devices needed. Or if you wanted to, you could feed the 3.5mm output directly into your camera.
On the plus side: - Audio quality - Phantom power - positive spring lock XLR input - Size - Price
On the downside: - the menu system is a little clunky - it takes a long press to stop recording (short press just pauses it) - would be nice if it captured the channel and two different volumes for safety
Despite a few minor complaints, there really isn't any competition for this thing. Even the few devices that are similar are lacking phantom power or headphone monitoring. I which someone would have made something like this years ago!
Saramonic SR-VRM1 XLR field recorder reviewdslrfilmnoob2016-11-17 | http://amzn.to/2fXhr1D There are a lot of field recorders on the market and the vast majority of them are big. Those that aren't, generally don't support XLR audio inputs, and the few that do, don't provide Phantom power. That is where the Saramaonic SR-VRM1 is in a class of its own. This thing is small, easy to use and has decent battery life, plus a headphone output.
All these features combined means you could basically use it as a remote boom mic filed recorder without any other devices needed. Or if you wanted to, you could feed the 3.5mm output directly into your camera.
On the plus side: - Audio quality - Phantom power - positive spring lock XLR input - Size - Price
On the downside: - the menu system is a little clunky - it takes a long press to stop recording (short press just pauses it) - would be nice if it captured the channel and two different volumes for safety
Despite a few minor complaints, there really isn't any competition for this thing. Even the few devices that are similar are lacking phantom power or headphone monitoring. I which someone would have made something like this years ago!J.B. Wood Grip for Panasonic GX85 - Quick reviewdslrfilmnoob2016-10-20 | http://amzn.to/2eacWoj Most of Panasonic's smaller line of cameras offer many features in a tiny package, and therein lies the problem. If you are like me with large hands, it can be difficult to maintain a grip on such tiny little cameras. Which means that you are likely in the market for a hand grip adapter of some kind.
There are plenty of plastic and Faux leather grips out there for far less than $85. The question you have to ask yourself is would you prefer form and function or just function. If you choose that latter, you may be happier with some of the 15 to 20 dollar offerings out there, if you want a little style with your function, this might be the grip adapter for you.
Is it over priced? I suppose that depends on how attractive you find with wood grip. If this is the style you want like, then this is probably the grip for you. If you find it "Just ok" or "ugly," then, I would look elsewhere, there is no sense buying a sports car if you'll be just as happy with a sedan.Smallrig Sony a7s II camera cage setup and overviewdslrfilmnoob2016-05-09 | http://amzn.to/1NoH0HE Smallrig has done a nice job with the a7s II cage. It's small and useful but it also stays out of the way. The upgraded hand grip on the a7s II is left wide open and there are no problems getting to controls and the rig itself doesn't get in the way of using the camera for stills or video.
Build quality is as expected and you can deck this out with all kinds of options or keep it minimal.
Shot on: Panasonic LX100 http://amzn.to/24Hl5j6 Zoom h1 http://amzn.to/1OkNyBVArca-Type Quick Release Plate Reviewdslrfilmnoob2016-05-09 | http://amzn.to/24H3oAh For a long time, i've been using standard 501PL QR plates, but as my cameras keep getting smaller and smaller the 501PL plates are starting to feel too large. So I've decided to start trying out the Arca-type plates that are pretty common in photography but a bit less in video production.
For small cameras like the E1 Z-cam and Sony a7s II, this style of adapter tends to be a much more reasonable size.Gramovox Floating Record first time ondslrfilmnoob2016-02-19 | I just got the Gramovox Floating Recorder player and felt like it deserved a quick first play video.
I grabbed a Audio-Technica System Lav kit while they were on sale at the end of December ($229), but up until now I haven't had a lot of time to test it.
While I still haven't put it into regular use, I figured it was about time I put some batteries in and tested it out.
Audio quality sound excellent, build quality is plastic. Setup was simple, but the included screwdriver for audio level adjustment is primitive.
Currently, the System 10 is back up to $310 http://amzn.to/1SPRYY2 At that price, there are UHF systems out there that likely provide more bang for the buck, but if it dips back down to the low 200's it is probably worth considering.
If I get a chance, I'll slap together a full review on the main channel. Glad I'm finally getting some time to start doing this sort of thing again.Z camera E1 camera speedbooster Z-log sRGB test firmware .20dslrfilmnoob2015-11-08 | Here's another test of the E1 camera using a Metabones speedbooster with a Canon 16-35mm f2.8 lens attached. Tests were shot on version .20 firmware in both Z-log and sRGB. It's currently raining outside, so i'm stuck inside shooting a bookshelf full of junk with a slider. This was shot at 640 ISO 180 degree shutter and auto WB.
Looking at the footage, the only change I see going from sRGB to Z-log is a slight reduction in saturation and an overall darker image. Other than that no major change to speak of.
I've had the camera for less than a day and took some time this afternoon to take it out for some quick random shooting about town. Currently there are no exposure meters on the E1 so there are some exposure issues in a few of these shots.
Two big things to note about this camera. First moire is as bad as the Canon 5d mark II, so stay away from brick walls. Second, Jello cam is very strong, so quick pans are very tough.
Firmware also needs a lot of work. No audio level meters, no exposure indication, AF is as good as a sony a7s (sucks), and battery life is about an hour.
I'll post a full review when I get some more time, but for now, enjoy the test shots.
The J.B. Camera Wood grip is a bit too stylish for my normally bland lifestyle, and $85 is a bit spendy. However, the handle makes enough room for battery access and a QR plate while providing a very nice handle grip.
Overall, looks nice, feels nice and build quality is good. Now can we get a version made out of machined aluminum?
Audio quality on the SR-AX107 recorded into the Hero 4 sounds surprisingly good. I'll be testing this out more with GH4 and Canon 6d when I get the chance. Right now I'm about to head back out for some more motel living.
So far the Smallrig setup has been working pretty well and It's nice that the cage takes up so little space on the a7s. I'm still buying a few more parts and upgrading, so I'll post more once it's all the way together. Thank again to everybody that's posted their smallrig builds I've gotten a lot of great ideas from you guys!SmallRig DLSR Rig cold shoe adapter plate - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2015-02-21 | http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2015/02/20/smallrig-low-profile-14-20-cold-shoe-adapter If you are looking for a low profile cold shoe adapter for your camera RIG the Smallrig cold show adapter is well worth taking a look at.
I thought the best way to test this guy out was to actually attempt to push air through it and it looks like it holds up with this lighter test. I think the Stedman actually is worth the $44 price tag for what it does.
NOTE: Make sure you use the included MSI utility to create a windows insulation thumb drive before you remove any hard drives. If you don't, you might have trouble getting the included copy of windows back on to the laptop.
Also a few of the shots are out of focus. Nothing I can do about it after the fact. However I am aware.Samsung 28 Inch 4k U28D590D next an 2560x1440 IPS paneldslrfilmnoob2014-06-16 | http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2014/05/02/samsung-4k-monitor-u28d590d-first-impressions I've been using this monitor for about 4 weeks now and it's been a very enjoyable experience. For a TN panel this looks surprisingly good, though you do get a bit of color shifting as you shift off axis from the screen.
Next to an IPS panel its pretty easy to see, but if you color calibrate the monitor and get it setup in a comfortable spot at your desk, it's good enough for most things.
The down side is that 3840x2160 is a lot of pixels to cram into a 28 inch screen and I've had to crank windows up to 110% so that I can read text from a normal working distance. Also the stand on the Samsung U28D590D isn't great, if you can spend the extra $50 on the Asus version of this panel for a much better stand and VESA mount.Chargercity DSLR Smartphone Hot Shoe Mount - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-05-23 | http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2014/05/22/dslr-smartphone-hot-shoe-mount-first-impressions If you are looking for an easy way to mount your smartphone or something about that size to your camera the Chargercity DSLR Smartphone adapter fits the bill. At around $15 it's a pretty decent adapter for the price.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875Panasonic GH4 4k High ISO testing, 1600 ISO through 6400 ISO - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-04-13 | dslrfilmnoob.com One of the things I really wanted to know about the Panasonic GH4 is how well it handles 4k footage at high ISO. While the GH4 doesn't beat out many new cameras in terms of ISO range, at 4k I found the ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 to be pretty decent.
This test was run on beta firmware so I was limited to 6400 ISO for the test. Still even 6400 doesn't look to bad if you are planning to scale down to 1080p or 2k.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875Big Balance Mustang gopro Stabilizer - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-04-12 | dslrfilmnoob.com Big Balance had one of the nicest Hero 3/smart phone stablizer designes I saw on the NAB showfloor this year. I apologize for the video length, I ended up with some corrupted memory cards and ended up with far less footage than we actually shot.
You can find out more about all of the Big Balance stabilizers here: http://bigbalance.com These units are expected to start shipping in the next 2 to 3 months.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875Varavon Bird 3 axis brushless gimbal stabilizer - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-04-09 | dslrfilmnoob.com I spoke the the guys from Varavon and their 3 axis brushless gimbal looks like it might hit my sweet spot. At an estimated street price of $2000 it's a pretty nice design. Build quality was top notch and the thumbstick control design was very well thought out.
This is expected to be coming out some time in the next two or three months. Hopefully this isn't more NAB vapor wear.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875OwlDolly stabilizer first look - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-04-09 | dslrfilmnoob.com Had a chance to swing by the owldolly booth. In the next month or so they'll be releasing a $800 2 axis stabilized as well as a $1200 3 axis version. Both use the same battery grip configuration as well as dual bearing design.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875Que Audio Q 210 Hybrid Boom mic audio kitdslrfilmnoob2014-04-08 | dslrfilmnoob.com We used the audio directly from the Q 210 to shoot this video and for $349 it's a pretty decent little kit. This isn't going to replace larger more expensive booms in your kit, but it's nice an compact and seems pretty decent for travel. I've added this to my list of things to review this year so look forward to that coming up in the next month or so.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875DSLR FILM NOOB Travel log for NAB 2014dslrfilmnoob2014-04-08 | dslrfilmnoob.com Ian and I made it to NAB yesterday afternoon. There were a few hiccups in our travel plans but things went pretty well overall. I'll keep you posted as the adventure continues.
It seemed like most of you were split between the Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 and the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 lens. With that in mind, I'll be borrowing a GH3 body and the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 for testing. If the Olympus real was a mistake I'll be able to trade it in for the Panasonic before the GH4 shows up. I'll keep you posted on how it works out.
As a long time Canon user, it's amazing to me how small micro 4/3 lenses are. This Olympus is tiny compared to my Tamron 24-70 f2.8. I'm very interested to see how the GH4 works out.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875Tascam DR-60d neck strap option - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-03-20 | A few of you were asking about the straps I used on the Tascam DR-60d, so here's a quick overview. The quick release makes it easy to transition the DR-60d from neck or shoulder mount to a tripod without causing problems.
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/DSLR-FILM-NOOB/141394582677875DSLR battery management on your film project - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-03-14 | Batteries and battery management isn't a sexy topic, but it's good to have a plan for your power needs before you head out for a long day of shooting. As a general rule I make sure that 100% of my batteries are charged with in two days of a shoot. Every battery is marked with either a orange battery plate or a rubber band in order to indicate that the battery has been charged. I place each type of battery in it's own colored bag with a label on it. This makes it easier for others who don't know much about your kit to find the batteries you need fast. Always bring at least 2 chargers of each type with you (more if you have room) and be sure to cycle your batteries through the chargers as they are removed from your camera. There is nothing worse than stopping a shoot because you've run out of power.
Pretty impressive for a sub $50 thumb drive.Filming cheap LED lights, is there any flicker? - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-02-28 | http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2014/02/27/nice-bokeh-cheap-led-lights I posted that quick overview of those cheap LED christmas lights yesterday and a few of you asked if I had any issues with flicker. I haven't seen any problems, but I went ahead and shot this quick demo so you can see how well they work for video.100 Led Light String - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-02-27 | http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2014/02/27/nice-bokeh-cheap-led-lights This 100 LED light string is only $6.80 and all though its cheap, these lights are a good source of bokeh and a decent source of interior Christmas lights.Manfrotto 501PL plate disappointment - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-02-20 | I picked up a new 501PL plate off of Amazon and i'm pretty disappointed with the quality. For a $20 Quick release plate, this isn't as good as the older models.
First it's missing the spring loaded clip, and what do they replace it with? A crappy plastic numb. Also as an end user you are required to assemble the thing yourself, no instructions, no info, no nothing. Thanks manfrotto for providing a sub par unfinished product for the same price as the old decent version.
If you want to pick up one of these unfinished units you can find them here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017U0BRE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0017U0BRE&linkCode=as2&tag=dfn0c-20Wasabi Canon BP-970G 8500 mAh replacement battery - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-02-13 | The Canon c100 batteries like all Canon batteries are over priced. For $150 you can buy a Canon OEM BP-955 battery which is 5200 mAh, or for $25 you can buy this Wasabi BP-970 equivalent 8500 mAh battery. The Wasabi battery works with the Canon OEM charger and is detected by the camera while also providing 4 to 5 hours of use. The $150 Canon BP-955 battery will give you 2 to 3 hours of use and work in the charger and the camera. The price difference makes the Wasabi a no brainer.
I wanted to upgrade my Asus Zenbook with a new Samsung 840 EVO SSD, but I couldn't find any torx bits in my collection that were small enough. For $8 this little kit provides enough to get you through a few small quick projects. The plastic handle is cheap and the case everything comes in isn't amazing, but for $8 it's made it through 2 laptop upgrades and camera flash repair.
If you plan to do that sort of work day in and day out, you should probably invest in something nicer like the ifixit kits, but for a few random jobs here and there this will do the trick. For $8 I'd put it in the harbor freight level of tools, good for occasional use. I wasn't expecting a lot of value for $8, but I would say this set meets and exceeds expectations. Not amazing, but not as horrible as some have described it.Transcend USB 3.0 card reader - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-01-30 | Quick overview of the Transcend USB 3.0 card reader: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JINI5G/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006JINI5G&linkCode=as2&tag=dfn0c-20
For whatever reason you can pick up the white units for $4 to $5 less on amazon then the back units. No idea why this is the case, but I have 3 or 4 of the black units floating around and they've worked great for the last 8 or 9 months. This one will be a permanent installation on my desktop for footage loading.Cold Shoe Mount to ¼ 20 male threaded adapter from JJC - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2014-01-23 | You can find out more about this adapter here: http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2014/01/23/cold-shoe-thumb-screw-14-20-rig-mount-hands
Received the replacement for my broken Nexus 7 tablet. This is just a quick unboxing and basic over view. Full review to follow. You can find more pictures and first impressions via the link above.
I've only done a few tests with it so far. The menu's are easy to use and it seems doesn't have any problem commanding the 580EX II. Also the "Flash C.Fn settings" feature on the 6d seems to full support the flash head which is a nice plus.
Just a little behind the scenes covering one of the projects I've been working on. Basically just a few death scenes with our special effects time. Shooting lasted to around 5 in the morning.Broken Nexus 7 tabletdslrfilmnoob2013-09-04 | http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2013/09/04/cracked-nexus-7-screen-excuse-upgrade I just finished complaining about storing tablets and laptops in the back compartment of camera bag and this is why. I slipped my Nexus 7 into my big travel bag and while in transport the bag most of taken a hit. The Nexus 7 must have caught the impact, because it now has a nice sized crack.Tamrac Rally 6 3446 bag Over view - DSLR FILM NOOBdslrfilmnoob2013-09-03 | Find the full review here: http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/2013/09/03/tamrac-rally-6-3446-camera-bag
I recently canceled my pre-order for the Black magic pocket camera and moved to the Canon 6d as my travel camera of choice. I wanted a bag that looked less like a camera bag and more like a messenger bag, but with enough room to carry a few lenses as well as a camera body and still have room to spare. The Tamrac Rally 6 works out pretty well for that.
Tamrac's camera bags are well made and the stitching is top notch. The design and feel is great. The only thing I wish they'd upgrade is the flap. It would be nice if there were more then one way to secure the flap to the camera bag, Velcro and a buckle don't seem like enough.
Sorry for the noise and look of the video. I was in a hurry and just grabbed a gopro hero 3 and a mic. Turns out the mic was one of the units that had noise issues.
Other then that it's a great travel bag for the price.