Sliders
I’ve been looking into getting a “slider.” It seems the three top choices for me are the DP Slider, Glidetrack, and the Kessler Crane Cineslider or Pocket Dolly.
After looking at the different products from all three companies I decided on the Kessler Crane PocketDolly. The primary reason I went with the PocketDolly is that it is has a belt drive system and has the option of adding a motor drive that can be controlled with a remote control. Both the DP Slider and Glidetrack sliders are only controlled by hand which could result in inconsistant results if you’re after repeatable precision. The Kessler products also have a hand crank as another option for moving the camera. I went with the PocketDolly over the CineSlider for one simple reason: cost. While I’m sure the CineSlider is much sturdier than the PocketDolly it’s also nearly twice the price.
read moreGearing Up Part 3 | Monitors & Tripods
Here is another update to what will likely be an unending series documenting my initial costs in starting to shoot video (part 1 and part 2). After talking with Thomas Broening, who also recently started shooting video, I discovered I’d need a floating tripod head since my stills head won’t be of much use to me when shooting video.
I’ve also been looking into external monitors and decided to get the Marshall V-LCD70XP-HDMI after talking to Thomas and reading forums and blogs. The features that I liked on on the Marshall were the peaking filter to aid focusing and the onscreen crop markers. I’ll do a proper review of the monitor once I get it and have a chance to play with it.
read moreGearing Up Part 2 | Camera Gear & Lenses
Yesterday I posted about the costs to upgrading my computer for shooting and editing video. Today I’m going to go over the initial expenses I’ve had on the camera gear side. And what photographer out there doesn’t love the opportunity to buy new photo gear.
First of course is the camera it self. I had a Canon 1DS mark II that in all honesty I didn’t use very much. I primarily shoot a medium format system with a Contax 645 and Phase One digital back. My 1DS mark II was mostly a backup camera so moving to a Canon 5D Mark II was a no brainer. I also really don’t like cropped sensors, so a 7D was never a question. For some photographers this may not even be an extra expense because they’re already shooting a 35mm digital camera that shoots video.
read moreVideo Killed The Radio Star
I’m a commercial and editorial photographer and to date I’ve been apprehensive about jumping on the video bandwagon. My thought was always, why should I start shooting motion just because a stills camera now shoots high def video. If I wanted to do motion I could have been doing it all along with traditional motion cameras.
Well, I’ve finally decided that I do want to start playing around with video so I went ahead and purchased my first motion camera, the Canon 5D MarkII. What will I do with it… I have no idea just yet. That’s what I’m trying to figure out now that I have this video capable camera starting me in the face. For now, as I think about what I want to do with video, I’m laying the educational and technological ground work. Because, as anyone who’s shot video can tell you, just because you have the camera doesn’t mean you’re ready to get out there and do something with it. Video is a bit more complicated that stills. With stills I could walk out and shoot great pictures with a $20 plastic camera and a roll of film. Video is a little more tricky… you can still go out with just the camera and get good footage but there is a lot more to it if you want to do something that doesn’t look like your dad shooting home movies in the back yard.
read moreAbout Me
I'm a San Francisco commercial and editorial photographer who's getting started with video.
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