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Posts Tagged ‘Nikon D7000’


quick look at a small wonder…the smallHD Dp4 EVF

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20110728_smallhd_dp4-2_015It’s no secret that I love my smallHD Dp6 monitor…for the last year it’s made my HDslr shooting so much more efficient that I couldn’t find many situations where I wouldn’t use it. For those few times (action, sports) I had my Zacuto Z-finder Pro3 to fall back on. Granted the Z-finder magnification of the cameras LCD screen image quality was nowhere near the Dp6’s and it had none of the other features that I’ve become so dependent on (focus assist, false colors etc) but it still did an admirable job with it’s ease of daylight viewing and the added contact point stability that the it gave me while shooting with a shoulder rig.

Well smallHD has just changed the game for me with the release of their new monitor/EVF (Electronic View Finder) the Dp4. Now, not only do I have the smallHD image quality and features coupled with the advantages of a loupe style viewfinder, but I also have a monitor with a bright crisp image that has twice the real estate of my cameras LCD for those times when I when I need to quickly share what I’ve shot. Continue Reading →

HDslr gear on a budget: indiGo Jib review (part 2)

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Longer lengths and Outside:

Back in part one of the review/test of the indiGo I mentioned having to pay more attention at its longer lengths to achieve fluid movements…After playing with it a bit more I find myself needing to humbly retract that statement.

20110608_indigo_hoh_stills_068-editMuch to my delight this jib seems to get easier to use and floats/controls even more effortlessly at it’s 7 & 8’ extensions. Now this could just be my growing familiarity with it, but I now find myself easily directing/guiding it exactly where I want it with just a few fingers. This is nice. Continue Reading →

Glidecam HD2000 setup videos

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For the past few months I’ve been a new Glidecam user looking for info and self-training assistance on the HD2000 system. Scouring the web led to very few useful sources of information so I decided to take matters into my own hands by corralling Tom Howie Glidecams VP of Sales and Marketing at NAB this year. Continue Reading →

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 →

Rigging for Travel: One-Bag Convergence

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

20101122_karin_japan_185Not 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 →

Making your HDslr fly…

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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 →