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Posts Tagged ‘equipment’


HDslr Gear on a Budget: indiGo Jib from indiSystems (part 1)

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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 →

It’s a small(HD) world after all…

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20110405_pegasus_overhead_010For 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 →

Review: The Ultimate Light box

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Ultimate Light box by Harbor Digital Design

(no…it’s not your mom’s recipe box ;-)

Bottom Line:
20090313_trio_ultimatte_037If I’m tight on space and only traveling with one camera bag this is the modifier I take with me. But even when I’m not tight on space I reach for this unique little “lighting system” much more often than I would have thought when first seeing it. At around $100.00 for the “Pro Kit” it’s relatively inexpensive when you consider it’s utility and wide range of uses…a definite must have… Continue Reading →