Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
Manfrotto busted out several new products and product lines earlier this week at Photokina 2010. The new products fit neatly into Manfrotto’s new “brand evolution” with its Imagine More slogan.
The bread and butter Manfrotto products fall into the broad photo support category and, from there, Manfrotto has subdivided 4 product families based on the type of photographer – professional, advanced amateur, amateur and social recorders. [Read more…]
The Joby Gorillapod Video is, as the name implies, a new Gorillapod for video cameras – mini-camcorders to be precise. The Gorillapod Video has a pan/tilt head with an arm for controlling camera angles and movement. It’s geared toward use with the likes of the Flip UltraHD, Kodak Zi8 and other lightweight camcorders.
The Gorillapod Video has powerful magnetic feet like those found on the Gorillapod Magnetic, which I love. The Gorillapod Video runs $29.99 and should be available soon at B&H Photo and Amazon.com.
More details in the press release below. [Read more…]
A little while back, I put a Canon 5D Mark II and a 70-200mm lens on a tiny little Gorillapod Magnetic – and it held the combo upside down using only magnets for grip. That was a little extreme for that little tripod though.
While Joby didn’t necessarily approve of that use (nor when I stuck my camera to a car), they must have felt sorry for me and my 5D Mark II because they sent me a heavy-duty Gorillapod Focus and Ballhead X to play with . . . and abuse a bit. [Read more…]
When Joby developed the Gorillatorch, which is a combination of a Gorillapod, flashlight and ordinary magnets, Joby fans immediately started asking for a similar device to hold their cameras. Earlier this year, Joby delivered on that request with the Gorillapod Magnetic.
Every year, there are maybe a handful of products that really “wow” me. The new Gorillapod Magnetic is officially on the list for 2010.
It’s quite simple, really. It’s a Gorillapod with magnetic feet. [Read more…]
While perusing Adobe TV tonight, I ran across this nice tutorial on using the Merge to HDR Pro feature in Photoshop CS5. In the 10-minute video, Julieanne Kost provides a pretty basic overview of HDR and then digs into the meat of the Merge to HDR Pro feature. In the last couple of minutes of the video, she shows off the power of HDR Toning if you just have a single image to work with. If you’ve been thinking about trying HDR with CS5, this should get you up to speed rather quickly.
If the embedded video above isn’t working for some reason, you can also find the video over at Adobe TV.
The Manfrotto 501HDV is a dedicated video fluid head. As camera manufacturers add more and more DSLRs with HD video capture, photographers’ interest in video seems to be growing at an exponential rate. I know my interest has been piqued since I picked up a 5D Mark II roughly a year and a half ago. One thing we’re learning though, is that good photo equipment doesn’t necessarily make good video equipment as well. [Read more…]
Remember the Gorillapod Magnetic from PMA 2010? Well, it’s finally available for purchase, and should begin shipping immediately. [Read more…]
The Vanguard SBH-250 is a lightweight, yet very robust tripod head. To give you an idea of just how sturdy the SBH-250 is, it’s rated to hold up to 44 lbs. The magnesium alloy construction and matte black finish aid in the robust feel of this head. The best thing about the Vanguard SBH-250 though, is its price – $80.
Tripod heads are very much a personal preference item for photographers. Some folks like their pan/tilt heads and others won’t use anything but a ball head. To each his own; however, if you are looking at ball heads, you owe it to yourself to take a long hard look at the Vanguard SBH-250. [Read more…]
The Slik Pro 700DX is a solid aluminum tripod at an affordable price. At under $100, you might not expect a whole lot of professional feel from a tripod; however, Slik has managed to put together a top notch tripod for those of us on a budget. [Read more…]
The Manfrotto 190XDB tripod is a 3-section aluminum tripod that runs about $105. The Manfrotto 190XDB tripod legs are essentially a more basic version of the 190XB and 190XBPRO tripod legs. The biggest difference is the use of twist-lock legs instead of the flip-lock legs found on the more expensive versions. [Read more…]