21Jan DSLR FILM NOOB Podcast Episode 2
This Episode Richard and I discuss Rumors of a Sony APS-C camera with image stabilization, the soon to be released Olympus E-M5II, todays Windows 10 pricing announcement, the FAA Drone agreement with CNN, why Sony continues to keep 4k internal recording out of the Sony a7s (original rant here), and more. You can find the show notes here, you can subscribe to the RSS show feed here, and you can find all previous episodes here. A video version of the show will be coming soon.
Post show discussion on editing with PNY thumbdrives and the ultra compact USB 3.0 SSD drives from Transcend and Samsung. Also I finally managed to get my hands on a RODE Procaster mic setup and this is the first show I’ve tested it out on, so let me know what you think of the audio compared to the previous shows done on the Audio-technica 4073 boom mic.
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20Jan $89 monoprice 2.4Ghz Wireless mic system just showed up
Just made it back home from Pittsburgh last night and had a chance to grab the mail this morning. Among other things, the $89 Monoprice wireless system showed up for review. I have a few lav mics laying around and I’ll try and get some test audio up towards the middle of the week. Very interested to get some more samples.
In typical Monoprice fashion, the box is just large enough to safely ship the transmitter and receiver. The rest of the included cables are crammed underneath and there is a small leaflet of an instruction manual included.
I’m interested to find out if the mic jack provides power for condenser lav mics and how much of a difference that might make in audio quality. If the weather holds up, i’ll also attempt to test transmit distance as well as the battery life. Might even try and test audio quality against a VHF lav system in the same price range (the old 88w).
20Jan Logitech C930e webcam
The few times i’ve actually needed a webcam, i’ve ended up using my laptop. So the Logitech C930e is kind of a first for me. I own a lot of cameras, but a professional webcam was not one of them.
In my hunt for the C930e I wandered around the internet, looked at a few reviews and sort of perused the webcam market. I know that back in the early 2000’s Logitech was well known for their keyboards and low end webcams, but it was kind of a surprise to me that they still dominate the same market.
There are three basic versions of Logitech’s 900 series webcams, the 910, 920, and 930. These three cameras represent the “consumer” grade version, “advanced user”, and “business class” models. From what I’ve gathered, the major differences appear to be in the lens angle (78 degree versus 90 degree field of view), ability to “video call” at 720p versus 1080p, and the 1/4 20 threaded tripod mount.
There are less obvious differences like the UVC 1.5/SVC (H.264) compliant codec in the 930, consumer “fun” features in the 910 and 920 , auto white balance, and linux support. While those are probably important things to consider for some, the only thing that really swayed me over to the Logitech C930e was the 90 degree field of view and the 1/4 20 mount.
These webcams are pretty light and my monitor is very tall so the 1/4 mount seemed like a good idea. After all i don’t want the webcam up a few feet above, looking down at me like some kind of disapproving parental figure from the top of a 27 inch monitor. Having the 1/4 mount gives me the option of attaching a weight or small tripod stand to hold the thing in place at chest or eye level.
You’ll probably start seeing the Logitech C930e in action in a few more weeks as I move the podcast from audio only to video/audio on google hangouts. Should be interesting to see how well a $110 webcam actually works.
On a side note, if any of you guys have any tips or tricks to setting one of these up (ie settings and so on), let me know. I am new when it comes to webcams, so I’ll be learning as I go.
17Jan Used Gear Watch: Audio Technica 4073 boom mic $270
I’ve been a fan of the Audio-technica 4073 boom mic for years and it’s often overlooked by filmmakers. The 4073 has a very strong signal, a lot of reach, and a very crisp clear sound. It’s popularity in ENG work has made it so common that you can usually get the mic for a good price on the used market. New, the Audio Technica 4073 will set you back around $700, but right now there are three 4073 boom mics on ebay with a buy it now price of $270. They look a little beat up but the 4073 is a work horse even with a few bumps and bruises. I’d buy one right now if I didn’t already own two.
15Jan Matin Neoprene Soft Lens Bags
While M4/3 lenses are generally very small, most of them aren’t very tough. With large lenses I tend to use a camera bag with a large storage area and I separate lenses with multiple compartments velcroed together inside the bag. Instead of attempting to use the same method for M4/3 lenses I use these very affordable Neoprene Soft Lens Bags from Matin.
The padding on the bag is about a 1/4 inch thick which is more than enough to keep lenses from knocking together inside a camera bag. Each lens bag includes a drawstring and fastener to keep the lens secure. I generally toss two or three M4/3 lenses, depending on the size, in the same compartment i’d use for a full frame lens.
I don’t generally use it from anything, but each lens bag comes with a small attachment clip as well as a reinforcement strap that runs along the side of the bag. The bags are around $3 to $7 a piece, depending on the size you need, so the included clip isn’t anything amazing, but it’s good enough to organise your lenses along a threaded loop or something like that in your camera bag.
Build quality is pretty decent for the price. This particular lens bag has been rolling around in my camera bag for almost a year and it’s still in good shape. The stitching has held up well and the neoprene padding still does its job. Over all I think these lens bags have been a pretty decent buy for the price.
Not sure what others do to keep their M4/3 lenses safe, but the Neoprene Soft Lens Bags from Matin have been a very decent option for the price. It’s the best method I’ve found so far for storing multiple M4/3 lenses in the same space, but i’m always open to new ideas. If any of you have a better way to pack up your M4/3 lenses, let me know.
14Jan DSLR FILM NOOB Podcast Episode 1
I ran out decimal places so i’m going to call this Episode 1. I’m still getting a few more things into place and hope to go live with video and a standard 2 day a week formate by the end of the month. This episode is pretty long (2 hours) so no bonus ending. Jon and I wandered all over the place on this show, but we did cover most of the show notes which can be found here. Still waiting on itunes, but for now you can find all the previous episodes here or under the podcast tab above.
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13Jan Senal SHM-1000 headphones on sale $49
I have a couple of pairs of the SMH-1000 headphones and I think I paid $75 or $80 a piece for them (review here). Looks like B&H has them on sale for the next 7 hours for $49 with free shipping. If you are looking for a decent pair of headphones at a really good price, you might want to pick up a pair before the sales over.
UPDATE: Hopefully if you were in need of a good set of headphones you grabbed some of these. I ended up ordering 2 more pair for my collection. Turns out B&H was also including a nice little protective bag to go along with the SMH-1000’s. Even at the original price I paid for them, they’re great headphones. For those of you really into headphones you’ll probably recognize the design. These are almost identical to the old Sony 7506 headphones I use to buy back in the late 90’s and the Sony V6’s are very similar in design as well if you have $95 to spend.
12Jan Canon 5d mark III new $2279
Despite what people say, the Canon 5d mark III is still a very good camera for filmmakers and photographers alike. Originally released at a price of $3400, the 5d mark III has bounced up and down in price since it’s release thanks in large part to the Magic lantern hack. Right now it’s as low as I’ve seen it in almost 2 years with a buy it now price $2279 with free shipping on ebay.
I’ve bought a number of cameras from these ebay sales. Most of the time they come from lens/camera kits where the camera and lens are sold separately. You end up with a slightly large kit box and a very good deal on a great camera. Not sure how long this will last, so if you are looking to upgrade, now is probably as good of a time as any.
12Jan DSLR FILM NOOB Podcast Episode 0.9
New episode of DSLR FILM NOOB podcast is up. Devin joins me to discuss Samyang lenses, raid drives, Dell’s Ultrasharp 27 inch monitors, the Mitakon 50mm f0.95 full frame lens, the Nikon D5500 release, and more. You can find the show notes here.
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11Jan Sony a7s LA-EA4 A-mount adapter
You might have heard on the podcast that I’ve been hitting the pawn shops and playing around with older AF Minolta glass on the Sony a7s. The thing that makes it possible is the Sony LA-EA4 E-mount to A-mount adapter. Sony A99 owners have been enjoying older Minolta glass for a while now and with this adapter, a7s owners can do the same. There are a lot of great Minolta lenses out there and the used price makes them an attractive option.
Like any flange adapter, the Sony LA-EA4 takes advantage of the short flange distance. In this case that extra space is used to cram in a driver motor, an SLT mirror, and an upgraded AF system. The adapter will set you back about $325 and provides support for all of Sony’s A-mount lenses as well as older Minolta and Minolta/Konica lenses that require a camera body based focus motor.
Build quality on the Sony LA-EA4 is so so. The lens and body flange are metal, but everything else is made out of plastic and you have be very careful not to touch the SLT mirror when you are attaching it to your camera. Sony has included a case with the adapter and you’ll probably want to store it in that if the adapter is rattling around in your camera bag. It really doesn’t feel like it’s a very tough item.
In practice, it seemed to work pretty well with the Minolta lens I’ve tried at pawnshop counters. The Minolta 50mm f1.4 was very responsive, as was the Minolta 28-70mm f2.8
. The adapter is a bit on the loud side and some people have reported that the adapter’s focus speed is noticeably slower than native e-mount lenses. I haven’t had a chance to play with any E-mount glass yet, but the Minolta lenses I’ve tried using this adapter much faster AF speeds than adapted Canon glass I’ve tried on the a7s.
I ordered a few sub $200 lenses on ebay. When they show up, i’ll let you know how they work out.
