08Mar In search of a new Laptop.
It takes a lot of computer power to edit DSLR footage natively. I normally do most of my editing back home on my desktop, but I finished up early today, so I though I might head back to the motel, startup CS4 on my laptop, and do a little bit of editing. My laptop was a force of nature only a few years ago, but now it’s beginning to show its age. An Intel dual core, with 4 GB of ram, and GeForce 7950 GTX graphics card just doesn’t cut it. Those specs wont keep up with native editing, so i’m trans-coding to mpeg-2 and at my current pace I probably wont be doing any actual work tonight.
Even with GPU assisted trans-coding, the progress bar is saying 1 more hour. I think it might be time to buy a new laptop. My current desktop is running a first gen i7 (2.66GHz) Processor with 12 GB of ram and an NVIDIA GTX 285 2 GB graphics card and it cuts through DSLR footage like butter. The GTX 285 allows me to take full advantage of CS5’s mercury playback engine, which probably helps speed things up. It looks like there is now a very simple script hack that allows you to add pretty much any NVIDIA card with 1 GB of DDR3 ram and CUDA support to CS5.
With that in mind it looks like the top items on my laptop “buy list” should be an i7 processor, an NVIDIA graphics card, and 6 GB of ram. I’m also tired of carrying around an 18 inch laptop and I’ve noticed that you can now get 1080p resolution in a 15 inch form factor. The new generation of laptops also look to be about 4.5 pounds lighter then the monster I currently carry around. Battery life will probably always be a joke on a monster laptop, so I’ve given up on that, but it might be nice to get one of those 9 cell batteries so I can stay unplugged for at least an hour.
All of this day dreaming about laptops has got me convinced. I think this weeks work might disappear into a new laptop. If any of you out there have already made an upgrade in this department let me know what you ended up with. I’ll probably have a little time to decide since these guys only send out checks every two weeks.
07Mar Want to travel light?
I’m spending this week out of town and since I only have interviews to film I decided to travel light. One zoom lens (canon 16-35mm f2.8), one prime lens (sigma 30mm f1.4), the t2i, Zoom h4n, and my trusty Sennheiser G2 wireless mic. I did pack a few extra memory cards and a few extra batteries, but I’m going to be on my feet for most of the week and I didn’t want to be loaded down with equipment.
The only complaint I have about bags this size is the price. At a quarter the size of my larger camera bags this little Case Logic bag is close to $40. That seems a little high for something that only has room for 2 lenses. But this small bag is enough to carry my equipment and inconspicuous enough to stay off the radar.
One of the great things about filming with a DSLR is that I can walk into a coffee shop, order two coffees, and film over by their fireplace without being noticed. Then I can drop into the lobby of an unnamed hotel and take care of 4 or 5 shots in their glass elevator. If I had a full camera Rig or anything else that stood out, i’m sure security would have asked me to leave, or at the very least I would have met the owner of that coffee shop.
I also don’t have to worry as much about lighting, or logos. By shooting at around f1.8 or f2.0 most of my background disappears and the large windows across the front of the shop provide enough light for me to shoot at ISO 400 without much problem. Since people passing by think i’m taking pictures, they politely stay out of the camera’s view, making the shots that much more personal.
I dread the day that people start to realize what’s going on and demand permits.
06Mar Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 Review
It seems like people always want me to name one lens. Then they set a dollar amount and through in the words “best”, and “low light”. I’m often left with one lens in mind by the time I get done reading the e-mail.
Enter the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens. At around $400 I would consider the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens to be the best bang for your buck. If you are new to DSLR cameras and some store clerk has got you cornered while trying to talk you into a kit lens, STOP, take a step back and run. Because that kit lens wont help anybody.
The Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 on the other hand will help you a lot. First of all 17-50mm is a very good range for a crop sensor camera. Second the lens is f2.8 across all focal lengths, so you wont get the dreaded darkening effect caused by kit lenses. Lastly the lens is fairly sharp wide open, even in the corners, so it’s good for video and photography.
Tamron did have to cut a few corners to get the price tag down this low. For one this is a “digital lens”, which basically means that it’s only designed for crop sensor cameras. The Focusing motor on the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 is also quit loud, so you probably wont be sneaking up on anyone. You can forget full time manual focus, and of course the lens is made out of plastic.
These problems aren’t as bad as you might think. Many of the mid range lenses on the market suffer from similar problems but lack the sharp picture and image quality. At a 3rd the price of Canon’s 17-55mm f2.8 lens you are probably able to over look Tamron’s faults.
As a first lens, or as a first Zoom lens in the mid to low budget category, I would definitely take a close look at the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens.
05Mar Affordable camera bag by APE.
Camera bags are like pizza, everyone likes something different. I’ve tried 3 or 4 flavors and found that I currently like Ape Cases. For around $40 you get yourself a case that has room enough for 6 lenses, 2 camera bodies, and random extra hardware. The case is also water resistant and has plenty zippers and snaps to close the main compartment. I’ve been giving this the road test for over a year and it has held up quit well. No broken zippers or snaps and all the netting and Velcro still works great.
I originally started out with one of those big Lowepro Backpacks, but I soon realized that a backpack doesn’t really work well for me. I now carry 2 of these Ape Cases, one for audio and miscellaneous gear, the other for lenses Cameras and batteries. The lowepro Backpack probably had more space but by the time I loaded it all up, I found myself having to unpack it to get to random bits i needed that had settled to the bottom of the pack. I also find that having 2 smaller bags, makes me think more about what equipment I really need to bring with me.
After more then a year of use, I’m still very happy with this bag. The price is right the build is good and the inside is brightly colored yellow. Those are all pluses in my opinion.
A point of caution I will mention if you’re in the market for a bag, is that a huge bag that holds all of your lenses and gear might seem like a good idea. But if you stop and think about it, you might consider the fact that all of your equipment is in one place. That means if the bag is lost, stolen, dropped, or ripped open while in transport, you’ve effectively reset your camera equipment list of things to buy. Also, if your collection is large enough, you’ll end up lugging around a 30 or 40 pound bag of camera gear.
I’ve always felt like traveling with the minimum makes me think more creatively about the equipment I have. Plus less time spent loading and unloading will give you more time to do what you came to do in the first place, film.
04Mar Zeikos T2i Battery Grip.
I’ve always enjoyed my Zeikos battery grip for the Canon 7d, so I went back to them for my Canon t2i Battery Grip. The price is a little bit higher then some of the other brands but it’s still quit a bit lower then the Canon brand battery grip. The buttons feel very nice and solid, the click wheel feels very close to the one on the camera, and the rubberized grip and build match the T2i quit well.
In use the battery grip adds extra space for my large hands and provides the extra battery life I need. The only thing I’ve found to complain about this grip is that the battery compartment isn’t spring loaded. So when you twist the little release handle, you actually have to give it a gentle tug to remove the battery compartment from the grip. This could be a negative for some or a positive for others. I don’t mind it but I could picture someone taking a star off for it.
The Canon t2i batteries fit securely into the battery holder and each battery snaps into place firmly with a small clicking motion. As you can see from the picture I’m currently testing the Power2000 generic LP-E8 batteries (so far so good for $8.99, but I’ll give them a few more months). Besides that there really isn’t much else to say. The main thing to look for in a generic battery grip is build and button quality and this unit has both.
A few of you have recommended I give one of these Leather hand grips a try with the t2i, so I have one on order and I’ll let you know how it turns out.
04Mar Understanding focal Lengths on a Crop sensor.
I always seem to get questions asking if I think a focal length will “work” well for filming. This is sort of a subjective question. I have no idea what is a good focal length to you or what focal length will make you happy on your next film project. So instead of me using hard to define terms like “kind of wide” or “zoomed in” I’ve put together this video to demonstrate focal lengths on a corp sensor camera. Starting with 11mm and working my way up to 85mm. The focal lengths listed are the actual focal lengths listed on the lenses I used, not the crop sensor multiplier number.
The camera was placed 10 feet from the subject matter. I find that 10 feet is about the max distance your camera will be able to achieve in most standard size houses or living spaces. This also gives you an easy reference distance when thinking about each of these focal lengths. I recommend 3 prime lenses for people starting out and I made sure to hit each of these focal lengths in the demo.
Sometimes I have to take a brake from the fun stuff and do something useful like this. So I hope this helps those of you still trying to decide what focal length lenses you need or want for your next project.
03Mar Nady SGM-12 the lowest price boom Mic on the market.
It seems like people are always looking for the lowest price. So here today for your consideration is the Nady SGM-12 boom microphone. As far as I know, this is the lowest price boom mic on the market. At between $22 and $30 the Nady SGM-12 performance isn’t amazing, but it’s probably good enough for many applications.
The Nady SGM-12 runs on a single AA battery and provides a switch that is supposed to change its pickup pattern from Cardioid and Super Cardioid. I’ve recorded a few samples of the Nady SGM-12 in both Cardioid and Super Cardioid along with the on board mic’s from the Zoom h4n so that you can get an idea of its performance. You can download the Nady SGM-12 test sample here .
I won’t tell you that the Nady SGM-12 is an amazing microphone, but listen to the sample and you shouldn’t have any trouble deciding if its worth the $20 to $30 price tag.
01Mar Cheapest Canon L series lens.
It seems like people are always looking for a deal. It’s also very nice to have a Canon L series lens. Can you have both? It turns out that you can. The lens was the predecessor to the
lens which has now been replaced by the 16-35mm II. Now two generations behind, the
lens can often be found used for between $350 and $700 used. This lens still sports all of the great qualities Canon L glass has to to offer and preforms very close to its younger brother the 16-35mm. 17-35mm is also a sweet spot for a Crop sensor camera like the T2i, 60d, or 7d, and f2.8 is still pretty good as far as low light performance is concerned.
There are a few things to think about when considering an older lens like this. Canon probably wont repair this lens, so if your focus motor fails or the auto manual switch stops working you’ll probably have to use a 3rd party repair shop. Also, a used lens this old could have problems like scratches or mold so it’s a good Idea to buy from a local shop, or a place like ebay, where you can get some kind of buyer protection.
The is still common enough to find used regularly and can be a real bargain if the price is right. If you really want to go back in time the Canon 20-35mm f2.8 could also be an option, however this lens is almost 20 years old and very hard to come by. Canon’s L glass has always been very well built so it’s not surprising that these older lenses preform quit well over time and at these prices it’s a better deal then the Canon 17-40mm f4 lens
28Feb DSLR vs Camcorder, whats best for you?
James from powermultisport.com wrote in. “How would the Canon t2i stack up against a dedicated camcorder like the Canon VIXIA HF M30 Camcorder for roughly half the price?”
Even though cameras like the Canon T2i are a great value, they still might not be the right option for everyone. The first thing to really consider is what you plan to use your new camera for. Will this be a camera for the kids basketball game, or are you planning to shoot your next indie master peace? Many times people are so blown away by the footage they see from DSLR cream dream videos that they over look some of the conveniences of having a dedicated video camera. The camcorder lends itself well to family events, video blogs, and general purpose filming.
The reasons are many, but the most common can be rolled into ease of use. Since a video camera is designed for handheld video, you end up with a nice palm size form factor that sports auto focus, image stabilization, useful zoom range, and a flip out screen. Whether your terrorizing your cat for Youtube or celebrating the kids birthday, do you really want to worry about focusing your shot, changing out your lenses or a 12 minute max clip length?
The other very important thing to consider is cost. If you buy a Camcorder you are pretty much done. Sure you might want to add a Rode VideoMic or a Camera light, maybe even a nice fluid head tripod, but none of these even come close to the money pit that is buying lenses. To add to that you have audio gear, camera rigs, and all the other costly items you’ll soon feel you can’t live without.
So why is everyone flocking to DSLR cameras for video? Well I could through around vague terms like “cinematic” and “film like” but those really don’t tell you very much. The truth is that these DSLR cameras have very large imaging sensors and interchangeable lenses. The larger image sensor provides better low light performance and dynamic range (you can find out more here). The ability to change your lens gives you control over one of the most important parts of filming, the light entering your camera. (very simplified) Think of the glass in your lens as a road and the light that travels through it as your car. The worse the road you’re traveling on, the slower and more hectic the journey. The smoother and cleaner the road, the faster and more enjoyable the drive. The Lens on most prosumer camcorders falls at the lower end of this car/road analogy, but because the lens is interchangeable on DSLR camera the only thing stopping you is your wallet.
To be frank, the beautiful footage that DSLR cameras are capable of often trumps all or most of the downsides. So if you are willing to put up with the downsides listed above and the cost (now and in the future) for shallow depth of field and great low light performance. Then a DSLR is a great way to go.
If you are sold on a DSLR, I’ve got a few lens recommendations for you to consider. James also sent me this $400 amazon printer rebate program link for the Canon T2i.
28Feb Big hands, tiny Cameras.
Even though I do most of my filming on Canon DSLR cameras, I still find it handy to have a small handheld Camera laying around the house. One of the problems I have with smaller cameras like the Canon HF s100 however, is that they’re designed for people with much smaller hands. My fingers are so long that they jut out past the controls and i’m left having to bend my hand uncomfortably.
After playing around with a few different options I finally settled on the Barska Accu-grip handle. The Accu-grip was originally designed to work with binoculars, but I find that it adds almost a Super 8mm camera feel to the ever shrinking size of prosumer camcorders. The 1/4 20 female threads on the bottom of the handle also gives you a handy place to mount a wireless receiver or Rode VideoMic, so you can avoid Canon’s shrunken hot shoe.
The Accu-grip might also be a nice option if you need to add a low price handle to your current DSLR Rig.
