Monday, March 21, 2011

Knights Templar Before & After


Recently I spent six hours filming during one of the rainiest days in Los Angeles's history. The cast and crew were awesome and did an amazing job. Here is a little secret, if you want to film without a permit, do it during a torrential downpour. The police will most likely leave you alone since the don't want to get out of their car:)

Here is a look at the original blue screen plate, and a quick and dirty comp of what the final shot might look like.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

iWatch - LunaTik


What happens when you combine a 6th generation iPod nano, with a LunaTik watch band? An iWatch of course. Until Steve Jobs and Apple finally wise up and decide to make their own watches, we will have to create our own.

Scott Wilson and his TikTok and LunaTik watch kits were the most succesfully funded projects in KickStarter history.

You can buy your own at lunatik.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Carry Speed V-Shoulder Support


Tim over at Carry Speed sent me some pictures of their upcoming V-Shoulder Support rigs. Looks like they are going to be priced just right for the ever expanding DSLR universe. Tim assures me that these rigs will be very light and strong, being that they are primarily composed of carbon fiber. These rigs should be available for purchase later this month.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Carry Speed LVF-32 V Finder Review



One of the most difficult things about shooting with a DSLR is trying to achieve critical focus in bright daylight. The LCD screens on the back of the camera are notorious for washing out and becoming useless under the glare of the sun.

To combat this problem, pro shooters and amateurs alike, have turned to accessory LCD viewfinders. One of the first, and arguably still the best, is the Zacuto Z Finder. The Z Finder brought critical focus to thousands of shooters. The only downside to the Z Finder, is it's high sticker price, which is typical of Zacuto's professional level products. If you can afford a Z Finder, I highly recommend it.

For those of us with smaller wallets, there is the LCDVF, which is a cheaper alternative to the higher end Z Finder. The LCDVF design has become extremely popular and has been knocked off by countless companies.

Carry Speed is one of those companies, but with a big difference. Their version, known as the V Finder, features a couple of improvements. It has a larger eyepiece the cups the eye and keeps out any external light. More importantly, their LCD frame is thicker and heavier than the competitors, and features notched grooves that provide a much stronger connection.

Carry Speed V Finder Specs:
4:3 or 3:2 Aspect Ratio
2.5 X Magnification
2 Metal Frames
Neck Strap
Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

Pros: Notched Frame, Large Eyepiece, Less Expensive.

Cons: No Diopter, No Anti-Fog.

List Price: $59.99