07Mar StarTech Universal USB 3.0 4K Laptop Docking Station Review
I’ve been using the MSI GS60 for the last 4 or 5 months as a high powered editing laptop. Lately I’ve been wondering if it could end up being a desktop replacement, so I started searching for some kind of docking station. After a bit of research I came across the Startech Universal 4k docking station.
The docking station has a lot of extra ports and manages to provide 4k video via a single USB 3.0 port connected to the MSI GS60. There aren’t a lot of other docking station options to choose from so I thought I’d give this one a try.
One of the disappointing things about the docking station is that it’s limited to 30 hz in 4k mode. While this docking station does allow for a 4k output via the displayport output, it isn’t something you’ll probably want to game with. The Startech Universal 4k docking station is probably fine for productivity applications like video editing and spreadsheet work but gaming is likely off the table.
Over all, the Startech Universal 4k docking station isn’t a bad buy, but i’m a little disappointed in the 4k refresh rates. I’m already limited by the 48hz screen on the MSI GS60, I think I’ll end up using the displayport output with my Samsung 4k panel and using the docking station for it’s assortment of usb ports.
06Mar Smallrig EVF arm slips under pressure, here’s a quick fix
I’ve been testing out the Smallrig 1422 EVF Nato mount arm a little more this week and I ran into a bit of a problem. The setup above (MustHD 5.6 inch panel on the Smallrig EVF mount) seems to be a dangerous combination. I’ll admit that the MustHD is one of the heaviest monitors in this form factor with it’s dual battery mount, and thick plastic body, but it was surprising to me that it had enough weight to defeat the holding power of the Smallrig EVF mount.
Thinking it was simply a matter of tightness, I decided to snug the tensioning thumbscrew all the way down. Turns out that doesn’t actually fix anything. In fact, after looking over the design, it’s probably a bad idea. While the normal urge is to tighten things down as tight as you can with this sort of device, that’s not really a good idea with Smallrig’s design as you’ll see in a second.
Since the Smallrig EVF mount wasn’t really functioning correctly, i decided to take it apart. Basically what’s inside is a plastic spacer. In the right position it’ll snug up the clamp against the rotating portion and lock it into place. However if it gets into the position above, it wont clamp down anything.
While I had the Smallrig 1422 EVF Nato mount apart, I decided to take a closer look at the plastic spacer. It appears to be a cut off piece from a very large zip tie. If you look close, you can actually see the uneven cut marks on either side of this little “spacer”.
In order to fix the problem, I had to rotate the spacer on the Smallrig EVF mount to the position above. Once that was done the locking power of the clamp seems return.
While this is a pretty easy fix and probably not the end of the world, it’s still a problem worth noting. If the spacer were a bit longer, there wouldn’t be the opportunity for the spacer to slip into a position that disables the clamp. As is if the Smallrig EVF mount’s spacer ring slips into the wrong spot, the clamp will provide almost no holding power.
After making this change, I was able to get the MustHD 5.6 inch panel to stay in place. If you are having experiencing this problem with your adapter, you might want to give this a try. Hopefully Smallrig will address this problem in the future.
05Mar DSLR FILM NOOB Podcast Episode 13
Episode 13 of the DFN podcast, Jonathan fills in for Devin this week to discuss the Nikon D7200, new Panasonic lenses, wide angle lens filters, CCD sensors, Sony a7s smallrig layout, Litro, and more.
You can find the show notes here. You can find the show on itunes here, Soundcloud, or under the podcast tab above. You can also leave questions on reddit at r/dslr.
05Mar Aputure VS-3 IPS monitor Firmware update
If you are an Aputure VS-3 monitor owner, there’s a new firmware update out. Version 1.3 corrects the menu system when using the monitor flip mode. If you are running a firmware version prior to 1.1 it will also correct the focus peaking issue that basically made the menu unreadable while enabled.
I’ve been using the Aputure VS-3 monitor monitor since it’s release and it’s done a great job even after being dropped a few times. It now suffers from a little bit of light bleed on the bottom right hand corner, but I still use it in the studio on a regular bases. It isn’t as durable as some of the smaller monitors I use, but it hasn’t failed me yet.
You can find the Aputure VS-3 review here, if you’re interested in finding out more about this little work horse monitor.
04Mar Smallrig Sony a7s custom camera cage
I’ve been looking for a small mounting frame for the Sony a7s and a few of you recommended I check out Smallrig’s offering. Smallrig sells a lot of bits and pieces so it can be a little confusing when you are trying to figure out what parts you need/want for a rig. It took me a little time trying to visualize the layout I was looking for on the Sony a7s and this is what I came up with:
- Sony a7s 1518 smallrig cage
- 2x 1437 Smallrig Nato rail
- Smallrig 1422 EVF Nato mount
- Smallrig 1558 v7 handle
The handle I selected has a vertical Nato clamp instead of a horizontal Nato clamp and includes a cold shoe adapter. Most of Smallrig’s handles have horizontal Nato clamps. I’m guessing this is because they were intended to slide across the top of the camera in order to balance things out, but I wanted to use the handle in a slightly different manner.
I was also looking for a compact monitor mounting option and the Smallrig 1422 EVF Nato mount seemed like a decent solution. While it is intended for an EVF, it’s also perfect for a small 5 inch monitor.
For those of you not familiar with Nato rails, they’re simply a plate with ridges on either side that allow you to clamp on extra gear. These rails were originally developed as a method for gun mounting flashlights and scopes, but companies like Smallrig and Wooden Camera have started to use them on camera rigs.
I used the Nato rails on the top and side of the sony cage. In one configuration I can hold the Sony a7s hand grip in my right hand and the handle in my left hand for an easy two handed minimalist rig.
Slide the handle off the side and move it to the top of the unit, then slide on the Smallrig 1422 EVF Nato mount and you have a nice setup for a slider or tripod. Strip the handle and EVF mount off and you are basically back to the form factor of the Sony a7s with a few extra mounting options.
Overall i’m pretty impressed with Smallrig’s system. All the parts and pieces set me back about $165 plus shipping which is a little pricy for a minimalist rig but far less than Wooden Camera’s small dslr cage system.
If I were to place this order again I think I would trade out the Nato rails I picked for the Smallrig 1409 rail or Smallrig quick release Nato rail. While the 1437 Smallrig Nato rail I choose works well on the side of the unit, I was only really able to get two of the three screws in on the top of the unit. I don’t think it’s a problem, but if you are looking to duplicate my setup, those two options are worth looking into.
I’ll post a review video on this when I get some more time this weekend. It’s not quite perfect yet, but i’m still pretty happy with how it turned out.
02Mar Canon 5d mark III price drop, 5d mark IV on the way?
Canon announced official $300 price cuts on retail 5d mark III and Canon 6d bodies over the weekend and it seems to fall in line with the extremely low 5d mark III ebay prices we’ve been seeing over the last few weeks. There were a lot of grumblings about the Canon 5ds possibly being the only new 5d branded camera coming this year, but I wonder if Canon simply wanted to give each camera it’s own time in the spotlight. After all the 5ds won’t actually start shipping until the end of june.
Canon could have waited until NAB to announce the 5ds if it were the only new camera they had coming. Instead, they decided to announce it at the beginning February. I’ve talked with Mitch from planet5D quite a bit on the podcast and he seems to be leaning towards a video oriented 5d body coming sooner rather than later.
Canon Rumors has already started posting some possible specs for the next 5d body:
- 18mp Full Frame CMOS
- ISO 100-204,800
- 61 AF Points (all crosstype)
- 12fps
- Dual CFast
- 4K Video Capture
There are a few things to note in this possible spec list. First and probably the most interesting for me is an 18mp Full frame sensor. A smaller megapixel count means larger pixel units, which means better low light performance. This seems to be reflected in the expanded ISO range. The second point is 4k video capture. I find myself shooting 4k video more and more on the Panasonic GH4, but when I need to shoot in a low light setting I end up moving to the 5d mark III or Sony a7s which are both limited to 1080p. While I don’t “need” 4k low light shooting, I kind of want it to round out my kit and i’m already knee deep in Canon lenses.
I think we’ll definitely be seeing a 4k 5d offering from Canon and hopefully the price isn’t as extreme as the 1dc. I think my threshold for a new Canon body is $4000, any more than that and I’ll stick with what I have.
27Feb DSLR FILM NOOB Podcast Episode 12
Episode 12 of the DFN podcast, Mitch from planet5D joins me to discuss Azden’s 330LT wireless audio system, Saramonic audio adapters, Transcend memory cards, Canon 5d mark IV rumors and more.
You can find the show notes here. You can find the show on itunes here, Soundcloud, or under the podcast tab above. You can also leave questions on reddit at r/dslr.
26Feb Aspen Lav and JK MIC-J 044 lav are basically the same
On the left we have the JK MIC-J lav mic and on the right we have the Aspen lav mic. They both look very similar and from a distance it’s hard to tell them apart. The included foam filters are the same for both, as are the tie clips, but there are slight physical differences between the two. I’ll start with those before we get to the audio tests.
First, look at the capsules. You can see that the Aspen lav mic on the right has a slight pinch in the capsule before it tapers off and the mic is slightly longer than the JK MIC-J lav mic. The Aspen lav mic has a slightly thicker cable which makes sense, as it’s wired up a bit differently.
The JK MIC-J lav mic comes with a Sennheiser style “screw in” sleeve adapter, while the Aspen lav mic comes with a plain jane 3.5mm connector. The cable that comes with the JK MIC-J lav mic is a bit longer, but feels slightly cheaper than the Aspen lav mic.
Most of these are minor differences, but the wiring is notable. The Aspen lav mic and JK MIC-J lav mic are both equipped with a stereo plug, but the Aspen lav is wired so that the audio is fed to both the tip and the ring (left and right channels), while the JK MIC-J lav mic only feeds audio to the tip (left channel).
This isn’t an issue when using a wireless system like the Sennheiser G3, but if does mean that if you are recording audio directly into a Zoom h1, the JK will only supply audio on a single channel, while the Aspen will provide audio to both channels. On the flip side, the Aspen lav has a slightly weaker signal than the JK MIC-J lav mic. I suspect that the slight difference in output level is due to the wiring difference.
Above is the recording from the Aspen lav mic fed directly into the Zoom h1.
And this is the JK MIC-J lav mic fed directly into the Zoom h1.
I’ve listened to these two mics numerous times and other than the slightly weaker output from the Aspen lav mic, they sound basically identical to my ear. The JK is $29 and the Aspen is $54, other than the tin case and wiring difference, these mic’s are pretty much the same.
So if you want the tin case and find the wiring difference beneficial, spend an extra $25 on the Aspen lav mic, otherwise you may as well by the cheaper JK MIC-J lav mic for $29. Take a listen to the audio samples above and let me know if you disagree/agree with my conclusion. My ears are a bit older so I could be missing something, but I doubt it.
25Feb Transcend 128GB SDXC card speed test
Right now the Transcend 128GB UHS-3 SDXC cards are down to $69. That makes them a pretty decent price for that capacity and claimed speed. The prominently displayed “ULTIMATE” logo on the package proclaims greatness and the “UHS-3” label is supposed to guarantee a minimum continuous speed of 30MB/s. While Sandisk has taught me to distrust overly enthusiastic adjectives, I still felt the Transcend 128GB SDXC card was worth a look.
First let’s take a look at the competition. This is the test result in CrystalDiskmark from the Sandisk 32GB “extreme pro” SDHC card. At $39.95 a piece the extreme pro’s cost per about $1.25 a GB, which makes them substantially more expensive than Transcend’s 55 cents a GB pricing. For that price you end up with Sequential read speeds of 78MB/s and write speeds of 71MB/s. While it’s not the 90MB/s and 95MB/s that’s advertised, Sandisk does use the modifier “up to” in the description. Even though it’s a ways off from the mark, these read/write speeds are still very respectable.
Looking at the Transcend 128GB UHS-3 SDXC cards, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the write speed hit 63MB/s. That’s actually higher than the advertised 60MB/s label and the 86MB/s read speed is closer to the advertised speed than the Sandisk card.
The Transcend 128GB UHS-3 SDXC cards might actually be the first card i’ve tested that surpased it’s write speed label. It doesn’t write as fast as the extreme pro, but it also doesn’t make the claim of 95MB/s writes.
I think I’ll be sliding this card into my regular rotation. If the Transcend 128GB SDXC card doesn’t fail or drop out after a few months, I might even buy a couple more. I’ve had pretty good luck with Transcend cards in the past, but I have heard a few horror stories from others. That might be why Transcend is now offering “lifetime warranties” and “free recovery software”. With these speeds, it might be time to give Transcend a second chance.
25Feb Saramonic SR-AX107 XLR DSLR audio inteface
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a new audio interface on the market so the Saramonic SR-AX107 is a refreshing site. The built in +20dB of gain is a little more than Beachtek’s DXA-SLR and a bit less than the gain provided by the Riggy RM333. It’s interesting that they’ve included an isolation transformer into the design and of course the XLR inputs can supply phantom power.
The Saramonic SR-AX107 design also looks pretty interesting. Large volume knobs on the front, cold shoe mounts on either side, Beachtek style thumb screw, and all of the switches in an easy to get to location.
At a retail price of $199 the Saramonic SR-AX107 seems to be offering a pretty good bargain. This is the first XLR audio adapter interfaces i’ve actually been excited about since the release of Tascam’s DR-60D. I might have to get one of these in for a review.
