Ric Kasnoff | Photographer | Certified Trainer

DitoGear Omni Slider Servo Review
Part 1 of 3
First look and basic feature tests

After owning and using a lower cost motion control system I was looking to upgrade to a one that had a greater degree of controllability, repeatability and accuracy while not requiring a degree in computer science or physics to understand and operate it.

For the last few weeks I’ve had a chance to play with (err test ;-) the newest addition to the DitoGear line of motion control sliders, the “OmniSlider Servo”.

I first learned about DitoGear and the OmniSlider as I checked the credits after watching the incredible “The Chapel” and “Steel Life” and found that Patryk Kyzny and Robert Paluch, the creators of those movies were also the founders and driving force behind DitoGear. ‘nuff said…I had to check this out.

One of the first things you notice when you see the DitoGear Omni slider is it’s sleek elegance and high degree of fit and finish. From its brushed aluminum extruded rail to it’s stylishly designed accessory pieces it seems like something that could have come from the design shop at Apple.

And much like the toys from Cupertino, that sleek design houses an easy to use, versatile and surprisingly powerful creativity tool.

Continue Reading →

Atlas FLT:

The Cinevate Pegasus Carbon LTS sold me on rod type Linear Tracking Systems (aka: Sliders). The versatility and adaptability of a break down “component” system just happens to work really well for my style of travel packing and shooting. But while I’m waiting for my ultimate lust slider (the Cinevate Atlas 30 DSLR AT with motor/controller ;-) I thought I’d test a few “all-in-one” systems to see if I couldn’t immediately fill my smaller movement needs.

With this in mind I’ve recently been playing with (photographer speak for testing ;-) a few different brands and models of sliders including the Cinevate Atlas 10. It’s ruggedness, versatility and silky smooth slides made it easy to see why it’s Cinevates most popular product. But as great as it is, I still found myself looking for a lighter, more “packable” slider as the 10 was just a little too well made (read: beefy) for me.

While down at NAB this year I mentioned this to Dennis Woods, the CEO of Cinevate, and he immediately lit up with that little grin of his and led me over to their latest product, a scaled down version of the Atlas 10 called the Atlas FLT. Continue Reading →

Always trying to give myself more visual and creative options I knew I needed to add a small portable, travel friendly Jib to my kit. After lots of research I’m torn between the Kessler Crane Pocket Jib, the EZFX Jr Jib and waiting for the Cinevate offering (sure to be great but not available till September) so I thought it might be worthwhile to see if I would be ok with a less full featured version while I figured out what functionality I really needed and would actually use before committing to one of the “Pro” models above.

The big question for me was, are these “budget” alternatives to “Pro” level HDslr accessories at all useful or are they so inexpensively (ok…cheaply ;-) built that they serve little purpose other than to frustrate the user. Will buying a less expensive version allow a shooter to get an idea of whether he/she will actually use the gear on shoots and then justify moving up to Pro quality? Are they functional enough to emulate the “real” version with some added effort and a bit of compromise? Over the next few weeks/months I’ll be testing and reviewing not only Jibs, but Sliders, Rigs and other “budget” accessories in an attempt to answer these questions for myself and hopefully other “convergence” or “crossover” shooters out there struggling with the same decisions.

But a travel friendly location Jib is next on my personal shopping list so let’s start there… Continue Reading →

For years as a professional still photographer I’ve found myself peering at and through many different types of devices in an attempt to accurately frame my shots. From 35mm camera viewfinders to medium format “action” finders and the upside down and backwards ground glass of a 4×5, it seems like I’ve spent countless hours squinting or contorting into awkward positions just to see what I’m trying to shoot.

Never has this crucial part of the image making process been as pleasant and productive as it has been since I acquired my smallHD Dp6 monitor. Continue Reading →

Originally published in PhotoMedia Magazine CURRENT ISSUE, GREAT GEAR, SPRING 2011 — BY RIC KASNOFF ON APRIL 3, 2011 AT 7:11 PM

Not all that long ago, flying with camera gear to a location for a shoot was fairly painless and could even be considered fun most of the time. Flash a business card or a photo organization membership card, and you were easily able to skirt the baggage limits. Slip the curbside baggage handler a $20 bill, and you could get all the bags you wanted on for free. Sadly, those days have disappeared with the advent of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), baggage fees and oversold flights. Continue Reading →

Transform your HDslr…

We’ve all heard stories of how the new crop of HDslrs are making shots possible that were previously too difficult or even impossible because of budgets or the traditional video/film cameras size; tales abound of how shooters are using them in new and creative ways that make these little wonders almost seem magical in their power.

Well what if I told you I could make your camera fly. Really? I’m talking about running circles around your subjects, giving you an eagles perspective  leaping tall objects and tracking effortlessly while emulating an escalator and balancing itself on just about any surface.
. Continue Reading →