Messages

1

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Zinc reported on 60d yet?

« on: August 20, 2012, 08:12:21 PM »

The problem with 60Ds seems more to do with the adhesive coming undone and the grip coming off. It's happening on mine and it's pretty irritating.

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Pricewatch Deals / Re: Sandisk Memory Card Sale - Today Only at B&H

« on: June 19, 2012, 05:08:28 PM »

Not necessarily true, though it's always best to comparison shop. B&H memory card prices often beat most everybody else when they offer free shipping with it. Especially the multiple card deals. In this case, not so great.



>In other words, ignore the huge discounts they list.  The sale prices are still a good deal, but the are less than 10% off what others are charging for the same items, and are probably not that different from what B&H will charge tomorrow.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Video & Audio

« on: June 04, 2012, 07:13:38 PM »

I think running dual system is useful for DSLR video because you can keep the sound running when you have to restart video every 15 minutes. That can allow you to make clean cuts or drop in something if you missed something important on the video. Also, you can monitor your sound more easily and make adjustments without having to fumble with the camera. That can create noticeable vibration and noise. I run a separate recorder all the time as a one man operation. I have the recorder attached to a tripod leg using a Manfrotto Superclamp or on a small lightstand if I do interviews with the LCD turned towards me. Works great. No need to stop and start. Just leave the recorder running and clapboard.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Outdoor lighting solutions for video - help.

« on: May 31, 2012, 09:04:31 PM »

You'd have to really hike up the ISO to get torches to work. They don't put out that much light, even a lot of them. One thing you can do outside and in daylight is to use reflectors. You can pretty much get a lot of what you need by redirecting sunlight. There are some pretty cheap LED light panels available online in the 600/900/1200 led range that can be run off v-mount batteries. The light quality isn't the best but if you have matched lighting or use gels you can do a custom white balance.

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Lighting / Re: Which Phottix RF trigger?

« on: May 16, 2012, 02:37:54 PM »

I have the older Stratto triggers that Phottix still sells. Not much difference and cheaper than the newer II. I haven't been using them lately since getting my TTL triggers. But they're a reliable product and have decent range. I haven't had any problems with them and I've owned them for years. The hot shoe passthrough is actually pretty useful as is the shutter release.

By the way, I hear that the Pixel King TTL triggers are supposed to be a good budget option. I don't have any first hand experience. Maybe somebody can chime in on if they're worth buying. You can get a transmitter and two receivers for something like $200.

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EOS Bodies / Re: Is video raising cost of bodies? Is it wasted for many shooters?

« on: May 12, 2012, 02:45:05 AM »

Other than adding a mic, I doubt it adds significantly to the price. You can add Magic Lantern to a 50D which will add video function to a camera that was never offered with it. Besides, many professional still photographers use the video capability because it's often requested by clients. All of the editorial photographers that I've worked with do some video as well as stills when covering news and events.

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Lenses / Re: 24-70 2.8L price jump? (not MM II)

« on: May 11, 2012, 08:19:24 PM »

Makes it a little easier for anybody that's considering the new Tamron 24-70 VC. Sounds like it's getting some decent reviews and that VC will be nice for video.

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Lighting / Re: Interview lighting kit

« on: May 07, 2012, 07:09:18 PM »

LeGreve, you're a mind reader. My friend had mentioned that he has a couple of Arri 300s as well. The only thing I worried about with those is how much light you lose to gel them to daylight or to scrim them, if you want to soften the light, and having to pack them after done since they get so hot. I think I might even have a few left over sheets of 1/2 CTB. The LED I have is battery operated so easy to set up. The only time I'd think of getting more LEDs is for a field kit. I have one of those 312 LED lights and I figured two or three more of them would probably be a quick run and gun type kit.

9

Lighting / Re: Interview lighting kit

« on: May 06, 2012, 09:44:28 PM »

Thanks for the replies. All the lights he's offering are Kinos so it would be a matched set. I've only been using the LED as a hair light and it seems okay. I have a minus green gel on it and it's fairly well matched. I definitely wouldn't use an LED with a flo for key and fill.

I'm just wondering if three Kino 200's would be more flexible than a single Diva 400 and a 200. I've seen the Cool lights and like them, a bargain really, but I'm getting a great deal on the Kino's. What do you think? I'd prefer the 4x4 but it's big and expensive. 

10

Lighting / Interview lighting kit

« on: May 06, 2012, 12:59:06 PM »

I have a friend that's selling off a bunch of his equipment and he'd cut me a deal on a set of Kino's. Since I'm setting up a kit to do video interviews with my 60D, I was thinking of picking up a 4 bank panel for key and a 2 bank for fill with an LED light as a hair light. But he'd sell me 3 Kino 2 bank lights for the same price. Would the latter setup be more flexible? Seems like I could use two of the 2 bank lights (one over the other) like a 4 foot light to get more even waist up coverage when the interview subject is sitting. Or use the third 2 bank as a rim light when the shot is tighter.  Or would a more conventional 4 bank/2 bank set up still work best? Thanks for any advice.

11

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Which external mic for Canon DSLR?

« on: April 16, 2012, 06:08:16 PM »

The problem is probably due to your gain being too high and the lousy preamp in the camera. Most cameras have lousy, hissy preamps which is why some people buy external preamp boxes that boost mic sensitivity without raising the sound floor. Others use external recorders and mics and then sync the sound in a video editor. But neither will work unless you have a mic right up close to your subjects. As close to their mouths as possible. You can't do that with a mic mounted on a camera sitting at the back of the room. Otherwise you'll need either a wireless lapel mic or a mic on a boom. You can sub the expensive Sennheiser G3 with a lapel mic connected to a digital recorder on your subject. Of course you can't monitor sound that way but if the setting is simple, you'll probably get clean sound. Don't use straight camera sound. Audio Technica makes some decent shotgun mics and lower priced lapel mics.

12

Software & Accessories / Re: Best Place for buying memory

« on: March 22, 2012, 12:19:44 AM »

I think B&H has the best deals when you buy their combo packs so two or three cards at a time. You'll probably want multiple cards anyways. I only buy SanDisk or Lexar. Video guys swear by Transcend cards but I've never had any serious issues with my SanDisk cards, and the Lexar cards will sometimes dip below the Transcend prices. I mostly stick with 8 gig cards but do have a few ultra high speed 16 gig cards for video. I prefer to spread out risk over multiple smaller cards.

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Lenses / Re: advice on lens for evening events

« on: March 18, 2012, 10:47:59 PM »

If you can't get another body, you can work with a single body if you use a lens changer bag. Think Tank has a nice 3 lens (actually two lens and one for the changed lens) shoulder bag that works great. The sections are big enough to hold a 70-200 with hood forward. I'd recommend you put that one in the center since it would be pretty tall. I wish Think Tank would make a 4 lens bag.  Tokina 11-16 makes a nice fast wide on a crop.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: ND Filter for video - how to use?

« on: February 26, 2012, 04:20:58 AM »

Actually, all cfl's do flicker or strobe. You can really see it on the cheaper lights and if your power source isn't good or your batteries are low. It also depends on the ballast they use.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: ND Filter for video - how to use?

« on: February 25, 2012, 03:30:24 PM »

Not sure what you're saying here. Are you having problems with flicker from the cfl's? The ND filter just allows you to keep your aperture wide open typically when shooting in very bright light like a sunny day. The variable NDs allow you to dial in how much light reduction you need. I've never used the Arri lights so don't know what kind of ballast they use. I've never had flicker issues with Kinos. Just drop your shutter speed.