When I was making the Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010, I had a lot of trouble properly lighting my on-camera talent. Even though I own three Arri 650plus lights, it was still really difficult to keep light on the presenter’s face, as she stepped forward and backward across the room, testing the range of each microphone. The whole time I was setting up I was thinking… Man, if I only had one more little light to stick somewhere…
I decided to buy an on-camera light. This, of course, meant that I spent several hours, days, even weeks researching the best option (for the least amount of money). Picking an on-camera light wasn’t as simple as I had hoped, but I eventually zeroed in on the Z96. Continue reading “Thoughts on the Z96 On-Camera (and Off-Camera) LED Light”
I’ve spent much of the past year writing posts for the B&H’s Insights blog, and as much as I love the written word, I’m just as smitten with visual end of the spectrum.
Writing for a such a well known company certainly has its challenges. You don’t want to sound boring, but at the same time you need to respect the conservative angle required to run a successful business. So, when I felt something that I couldn’t accurately or appropriately express in words, I often tried to communicate it with the thumbnails of my blog posts. Continue reading “My Name is Sam, and I Love Thumbnails”
When I think about backing up my work, I’m always reminded of a Navy Seals saying:
“One is none and two is one.”
Ain’t that the truth? If you only have one microphone in the field and it breaks, then you have none. If you brought two, then you have one. Deep down inside, I think we all need to think like the Navy Seals, no matter how dainty our work can be.
This is the question that every gear-obsessed dork must ask themselves. There are a few things that the MKE 400 does really well, but it isn’t the silver bullet to all of your audio-for-video needs. Silver bullets do not exist. Don’t let the marketing behind watered-down domestic beer fool you. Continue reading “More thoughts on the Sennheiser MKE 400”
Step 1) Pull your hair out and jump out the window
Step 2) Wait until December
I’ve been paying close attention to the HD video-enabled DSLR market for the past couple of years. I need to buy a new video camera, and these photo/video hybrids appeal to me more than traditional camcorders. However, after all of the time I’ve spent scrutinizing my options, I’ve decided that pulling the trigger before December is a really bad idea. Continue reading “How to Choose an HD Video-Enabled DSLR in 2010”
I tested out seven different microphones on a Nikon D300s shooting 720p 24p HD video. I pitted consumer microphones with mini-plug connectors against professional location microphones going through a juicedLink DT454 adapter. These are the microphones involved in the test:
I wrote about using the Pro-24Cm with the Windtech MM1 extensively in my blog post at B&H Insights entitled Why and When to Use a Stereo Microphone on a Camera. Some people who read that article and went out and bought the Pro-24CM and the Windtech MM1 complained that the windscreen didn’t fit on the microphone very well. So I made this video to show you how easy it is to use these two products together.
Keep an eye out for The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010 post! It should be going online any day now. You’re going to get to hear the Pro24-Cm in action along side several other consumer and professional microphones. Check back often, or better yet, subscribe to my RSS feed.
The following video is the first in a series of videos leading up to The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010. What the heck is that, you ask? Well, I wanted to test out all of the most popular on-camera microphones that are used with DSLR cameras, so I could hear them and decide which one I liked best. I wanted to hear how good they sounded compared to a DSLR with a juicedLink adapter and a professional mic. Welp, that’s exactly what I did! I documented the whole thing so I could share my findings with you.
In this first video, I open up a new Rode Stereo VideoMic. I explain all of the switches on the mic itself, and explain when you should use the Rode Stereo VideoMic — and when it would be better to use the shotgun-style Rode VideoMic. Check it out:
If you have any questions about this mic, I encourage you to post it in the comments section below.
Stay tuned for more posts like this, and then the big momma of them all…. THE GREAT ON-CAMERA MIC SHOOTOUT 2010! It. Will. Blow. Your. Mind.
I finally did it! I upgraded to a real tripod and head! Last week I accidentally broke my crappy old $14 tripod. In the following video I bust open my new Manfrotto 501HDV head and my new Slik Pro 700DX tripod legs. I go over some tips on how to set this stuff up and use it:
This system was recommended to me by David Flores, a New York based photographer and film maker. This isn’t a blog post by someone who has tried every tripod and head under the sun, and slowly come to the realization that this is the best combo in the world for under $300. I was simply lucky enough to pick the brains of some experienced people who pointed me in the right direction.
Thanks David! I totally love this set up! This gear is really solid. I’ve already done two shoots with it and my quality of life has vastly improved. That’s the thing about buying good equipment. It really does make your life better. Shooting instantly becomes easier and more enjoyable. This is the kind of purchase that gets you these perks.
One of the reasons I needed a quality tripod is that I’ve been putting together a video about using on-camera external microphones with video-enabled DSLR cameras. It’s called The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010. In the video I use a Nikon DLSR with a big ole’ honking lens on it. The camera was a loner, so there was no way I was going to stick it on a cheap $14 tripod. That’s just asking for trouble. The Manfrotto 501HDV head with the Slik Pro 700DX tripod legs handled the weight of the camera, mic, and big lens wonderfully. I highly recommend this combo. Plus it just looks legit. That’s important too for some reason. :)
I recently tested out the new HP Envy Laptop with a Beats sound system. As a long time Apple user, I was a little worried that my opinion would be skewed. But, as soon as I started messing around with the HP MediaSmart webcam software, I forgot all about the ease of OS X and concentrated on acting like a total idiot:
