» Archive for June, 2012

30Jun 4DSLR ZOOM H4N cradle adapter and Manfrotto 15mm rail mount – Video Review

There are two reasons to buy the 4dslr Zoom h4n cradle. The first is if you have stripped out the threads on your Zoom h4n. The second is if you want quick access to the battery compartment. Sure the Zoom h4n has a 1/4 20 mount on the back, but it’s close enough to the battery […]

29Jun New DSLR FILM NOOB youtube channel

Many of you have asked for more videos, so I’ve taken over control of the DSLR FILM NOOB youtube channel. The channel will be used for random comments on equipment that i’m testing, tips on film making, and follow up commentary to questions you post on the site.  The format wont be as refined as my normal videos […]

28Jun Canon 7d Firmware v2 makes it the top of the Crop sensor lineup.

With the official announcement of the firmware update, the Canon 7d will finally move back into the top position in Canon’s crop sensor lineup.  Sure there are a few new features that the 7d is missing compared to the new t4i body, like the touch screen interface, continues live view auto focus in video mode, and the […]

28Jun Canon 40mm f2.8 lens has very strong vignetting (light fall off)

I had a little bit of time last night to capture a few test shots with the Canon 40mm f2.8 lens. Corner and center sharpness look very good for a lens in this price range, however the Vignetting is very strong wide open and doesn’t completely clear up until about f5.6. The focusing speed of […]

28Jun New Canon 7d Firmware official announced!

Check out the Canon press release that came out this morning! Even though the release was officially announced today, we wont be able to get our hands on the new firmware until august. More on this once I’ve had my coffee. Update: Canon has posted a few videos of the new firmware in action. You can find […]

27Jun Canon 40mm f2.8 STM – First impressions

The Canon 40mm f2.8 STM lens showed up on my door step this afternoon. The box is much larger then it needs to be for this tiny little lens and because of that, the lens is swaddled in bubble wrap.  The box is so light that it almost feels empty. The first thing you’ll notice when you […]

27Jun Campro Low Profile Triple Hot shoe Light and Sound Bracket – First impressions

The Campro hot shoe bracket showed up last night. It’s all metal construction and large rubberized thumb screws make the unit feel very solid. Build quality is good and all of the hardware moves smoothly. The camera adapter (bottom) is threaded into the unit with a 3/8 to 1/4 20 bushing adapter making it easy to […]

26Jun Tascam DR-40 Firmware update version 1.20

The Tascam DR-40 just received a firmware update to version 1.20. The previous firmware version 1.10 added independent control of both the left and right audio inputs (more on that here). The newest version of the firmware isn’t anything quit so dramatic. Basically it allows you to flip the instrument tuning display over by pressing a button, which makes it easier to […]

26Jun Used Gear watch: Manfrotto 501HDV fluid head with Tripod

The Manfrotto 501HDV fluid head by itself will set you back around $180, add a decent pair of legs to that and you’re looking at a price of at least $350. I have two 501 heads as well as a 503 head and they’ve all served me well. If you’re in need of a decent fluid […]

24Jun Using a IR remote to focus and start/stop recording on your Canon DSLR

I spent the day filming with Dave Dugdale from learningdslrvideo.com and one of the things he found interesting was my use of the Canon RC-1 IR remote to start/stop recording and refocus shots. Although I posted this video over a year ago, it’s still a very useful trick for DSLR film makers.  One button will take a photo which […]