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Review: Polaroid Battery grip

August 4, 2011 By

Since I used to use my 5DMrkII mostly to shoot video or take architectural pictures, I did not feel like I needed to buy a battery grip. Especially since the one sold by Canon has a prohibitive price. But now that I have resumed shooting stills in a semi-serious way and most of my shots are portraits, I decided I needed one before damaging my wrist.

The product

After some googling, I bought the Polaroid grip on Amazon. Note that it is also available for the 7D.

I used to use a Canon battery grip with all my previous cameras and I really appreciated its texture and built quality. The Palaroid grip feels pretty much the same. The finish is not as great at what you can find on a Canon grip but it is close enough for me.

Trigger

The one big difference, and that is something you notice as soon as you take you first shot, is the different feel of the trigger button. It does not feel Canonish at all. You really have to press it hard to take the picture. Is this a bad thing? Not really, you get use to it after a few minutes but it could be an issue for people who put the AF and trigger on the same button (which is a bad idea anyways)

Handling

The handling is excellent. It does not feel slippery at all and the added weight really improve the balance of the camera.

Comfort

As you can see in the pictures, the grip texture is very similar to the one on the camera body and it not just a textured hard plastic like some other grips.

Batteries

While the grip can use 2 standard Canon batteries, you can also use an adapter to use standard AA batteries which is a great thing when you are travelling.

The features

Canon grip only provide additional battery capacity and better handling. Polaroid grip on the other hand is going the extra mile to add value, such as…

Intevalometer

The key feature of the grip (and the reason I picked it) is that it comes with a built-in intervalometer. It means you have one less piece of gear to put in your bag. From now on, whenever you are shooting, if you see an opportunity for a time lapse, you can do it. This is something Canon should put in all they camera bodies, like Nikon, until then I will use Polaroid grips.

Clock

When the intervalometer is not used, it shows the time.

Remote IR trigger

To top it off, Polaroid added an IR sensor on the grip and gives a remote trigger. While this is a great addition, I think they should have put the sensor somewhere else because there is not much room for it to see the emitter.

The bad

I have used the grip for around 10 hours of shooting so far and it performs great but some things could be improved:

  • The documentation about how to use the intervalometer is erroneous! I am probably going to post a tutorial on this soon to save you all some time!
  • The grip texture attracts more dirt than the one on the body (as you can see on my pictures). Nothing problematic but if you are a neat freak, you should be aware of this!
  • I had some random issues with the back LCD/intervalometer. The screen did not lit up. The solution was easy and worked every time: pull the battery off and push them back in.

Conclusion

At 80$, the Polaroid grip is a steal. I know there are some cheaper grips on the market but this is the best I have found in terms of built quality and features. I can hardly see how this could be a bad purchase. Even if you dont think you need a grip, you will appreciate this one for its additional features.

Where to buy

It seems like only Amazon has these right now. And remember, by clicking the following link before making your purchase, you help support this site and help me convince my wife that I should be doing this for a living!

Polaroid Battery grip for Canon 5DMrkII

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Selling (or trading) some stuff (400L & Zacuto rig)

April 3, 2011 By

I need retool for my summer gigs so I decided to sell some of my stuff.

First on the list is my Zacuto Striker kit. You can see pictures on RigsEnvy, note that I am only selling the Striker, not the rest! I may throw in a Z-Finder (first version) too if you are interested.  Price: 750$. This is mostly a deal for  Canadian buyers since you wont have to pay the ridiculous custom (I had to pay over 250$ in customs fees when I ordered my kit!)

I am also selling my Canon 400L5.6. Old but still in very good conditions. 1100$

I am looking for a 90mm tilt-shift or 85L1.2. If you have one of these two for trade, lets talk!

As I am cleaning up my basement, I may add more gear to the list.

I would rather deal with people form the Montreal area but will ship (at buyer expense) pretty much anywhere.

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RigWheels – the missing part for your DIY Slider project

March 14, 2011 By

I just received this video from Lance, one of our reader.

Aren’t these cools? And you want to know the best part? They are actually quite affordable! At 115$ for a set for 4 wheels, they are within the budget of pretty much all videographers.

Here is a sample footage clip.

Slider based on wheels are better than those on rails for various reasons and I can’t wait to get my set to give these a proper review! You can order yours on the official website.

Edit: link to mode RW info about pricing

Edit: added the sample footage clip.

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Introducing RigsEnvy.com!

March 11, 2011 By

After a small delay, here comes my first release for 2011: RigsEnvy!

RigsEnvy.com

What is it?

RigsEnvy is like Flickr but it replaces dogs and flowers pictures with HDSLR rigs. I wanted to create a microsite for HDSLR users to showcase and talk about their rigs.

The site is still in beta, but I invite you to check it out now and tell me what you think.

Dont be shy, whatever the rig you got, publish it! The goal is not to showcase the cream of the crop but to show the rest of the world what people are actually using to get the job done.

The site is voluntarily feature limited right now. Before committing more time to the project, I want to get some feedback from you, the users. I have some great ideas for the site but, in the end, it is your participation, that will turn this into a success.

Feel free to contact me if you have any ideas/suggestions/what ever.

What is next?

RigsEnvy was just a small first step. I am currently working on two other web applications (!), much bigger in scope and impact. And guess what is the best way to be informed about these? Joining the mailing list! (look in the column at your right).

So dont be shy and visit us at www.rigsenvy.com

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Jag35 EFF vs Okii USB Follow Focus controller

January 31, 2011 By

Since the announcement/release of the USB Follow Focus, a few people asked me my opinion on how it would compare to the Jag35 Electronic Follow Focus.

Unfortunately, I have not played with the USD FF yet so all my comments are based on what I saw in the published material and their website.

The Okii USB controller

Usability

Easy to use and setup (once you learn how to use it). No need to setup the camera on rails and put gears on the lenses. This is a big plus!

Flexibility

The controller does not just control the focus, it can be used to control many other camera settings without having to touch the camera which is a must when doing remote shooting. This is so useful!

Range

Since this is an USB product, range is limited to a few feet. It is unclear if it would work with USB extenders/chained hubs.

Focus control

While marks on a focus disk are good, having the controller store the exact position of the various focus point is even better.

What about the Jag35 EFF then?

Range

It can send its signal over a much longer range than what is possible with an USB cable.

Flexibility

The Jag35 EFF can change the zoom range of the lens, not only the focus. This is not something I see myself doing often, unless the camera is set in a remote location and I have two motors: one of the zoom wheel and another for the focus. Still, it is possible.

Rack Focus speed control

The Jag35 EFF gives you total control over the speed at which the focus should change. This is a blessing and a curse since it means someone has to be in charge for rotating the focus wheel at a constant speed.

Conclusion

To me, it is clear the USB FF Controller has the upper hand. The only people who should go with the Jag35 EFF are those who need range, zoom control or don’t like having a controller telling them at which speed the focus should move.

If anyone is interested, I would gladly trade my Jag35 EFF for one of these!

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Very cool stop motion of a 5DMrkII Rig

January 29, 2011 By

Lance just sent me this video.

That is one nice rig and the video clearly shows all of its components. Lance managed to do something I have not done yet: have a rig made out of parts from various manufacturer that does not look like a Christmas tree! Good job.

The only thing missing would be a cool soundtrack.

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Review: Jag35 Electronic Remote Follow Focus system

January 26, 2011 By

Finally! I have had some time to experiment with my latest gadget: the Jag35 Electronic Remote Follow Focus. I have not done any paying gigs with it yet, only tests but here are some of my initial impressions.

Pros

It is more precise than what I expected. I never had an issue to get critical focus. All you need is an external monitor and you will be set.

You can use it either to change focus or zoom level which make it quite flexible. Get two and you have total control!

I tested the unit from a distance of a few meters using a standard cable without any issues. And with the upcoming wireless controller, this will only get better.

Cons

1) It is noisy. Enough to make you forget about using the camera audio. As you can see in the video, the amount of noise depends of the motor rotation speed but even at the slowest speed, it is too much for the internal mic.

2) Since the motor does not rotate 360 degrees, it will eventually hit its limit and when it does, it will give a small kick to the gear which will create a small bump in the video. This is very easy to manage: never turn the wheel until the very end! To better illustrate this, I marked these spots in the video (near the end). Using a very heavy tripod can minimize this issue.

3) The motor is not rotating in real time. There is a small delay between the moment you start rotating the control and the moment the gear starts to move. From my limited experience, this is not a big issue since it only happens when doing rack focus. But here is a video to show it (I put a mark on the wheel to have a reference point).

It is also worth noting that I installed the rig on top of a piece of foam to exaggerate the motor generated shake. When installed on a tripod, this is much less of an issue.

4) As the battery is wearing out, the motor speed will decrease so make sure to always use fresh batteries.

Construction

If you take into account that it is not a pro level gear, you wont be disappointed. All the metal parts are well machined and my only real issue is with the cable connectors. They look like the weakest part of the system and I expect them to fail eventually. I am probable going to fill this spot with putty to protect it.

The other thing that looks like a design flaw is that it is impossible to install a marking disk on the focus wheel without doing some serious DIY. It would have been very easy for Jag35 to tap the hole so we could screw in a disk but they did not.

Oh also the color… Orange is not really pro looking. Please make the next batch black! I know branding is important but I dont want my rig to look like a Christmas tree!

Who needs this?

The Jag35 Electronic Remote Follow Focus has a very limited range of uses. But, as long as you are working within this range, it is the only product able to satisfy your needs at a reasonable cost.

Typical use cases are: installing on a crane or any other impossible to reach spot, … Ehh.. I could not find more uses. The promo video shows it on a shoulder rig but, when I tried, I could not get satisfactory results.

Should you get it?

Unless you have a crane or know exactly what you want to do with it right away, wait. This is not an investment I would do. I got mine and will probably put it on my gear renting list.

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Very cool timelapse from NY

January 8, 2011 By

I love timelapse and when they are coupled with good cinematography, they are even better. Here is a great one from New York I just stumbled upon (as in I click on every single Vimeo clip I see with nice poster frame).

I was really intrigued by the smooth transition between day and night. Looking at the comments on the Vimeo page, I found out about a little device called The Little Bramper. It is a little gizmo used to ramp exposure over a number of shots with great precision.

Guess what? I will order one and tell you about it very soon…

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IndiSLIDER Mini Review

December 9, 2010 By

This is a post from our contributor Jeremy. Regarding my slider, well.. I am still working on it. Getting my electronic slider working has to be my longest project ever! Stay tuned!

I have recently purchased an IndiSYSTEM – IndiSLIDER Mini and as much as I want to say I am in seventh heaven with the thing, it has its fall backs. I know that to go truly “pro” you have to dish out some major money to get a rig that feels like it is solid and worth every penny. Being on a tight budget, and watching other reviews online I went ahead and purchased the deluxe version for under $200. It is a pretty solid piece of equipment. I purchased this piece before purchasing a full blown video tripod and that is a mistake. It nearly tipped my Targus tripod over, and getting a smooth slide was impossible. So for a while I was left with using the legs that came with the slider to get some of the shots I needed.

Usage

Sliders are really made for one purpose, and the IndiSlider Mini does it relatively well. It glides the full 24″ with ease. It has the slightest amount of give when it comes to wiggling on the track that I found cumbersome. The handle that comes with the deluxe model is a must for HDLSR users. Without it, it would be hard to brace your camera and your slide would be choppy. The thing I really dislike about the IndiSlider Mini is that it is loud. When experimenting with a faster revile focus there is a distinct and prominent sliding sound that occurs. If the shot you are making has no audio, or will be dubbed in later, there is no problem at all.

With the handle it is easy to steady the camera and make your shot look awesome, but if you do want to include audio along with the shot, you are better off keeping the sliding motion slow and keeping your ears open to get the shot done effectively. I ended up shooting a scene 5 times before I was happy with the sound quality.

It’s not that I think IndiSystems are bad, in fact I love their whole concept of being affordable to the budget minded film guru. I am still looking online for a way to quite the system down without the use of grease or lubricant, only because I don’t want the residue getting on my other equipment.

I would give the system a solid 3 stars out of 5. Affordability is awesome, it truly does what it was meant to do – if you decide to purchase it, go with the deluxe version – the handle alone is worth the extra money. The professional in me finds the loudness of faster revile shots annoying and it takes up time looking online for ways to get around it.

Pros

Affordable. I like the legs that come with the slider. It allows it to be set on a solid surface (ex: ground floor, table, etc).

Cons

Wiggles a bit and is loud when being slid at a higher speed.

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OSCT bracket [EXCLUSIVE] Pre-order now and save!

December 2, 2010 By

I am very happy to announce that I am ready to take pre-orders for the OSCT!

What is it? It is a L shapped bracket that you insert between the camera and the camera plate. You can then attach a cable trigger to the camera to press the SET button to start/stop video recording. This is mostly useful when working with shoulder rigs. Here is a video to explain the whole thing.

Why do you need this?

If you dont own a shoulder rig you dont really need this. On the other hand, if you do own a rig, this is the most useful piece of gear ever! As I say in the video above, it:

  • Saves time when editing/reviewing clips since the first frame of the video is perfectly framed
  • Allow you to start/stop video much faster. Resulting in shorter clips => increase CF card capacity
  • Allow you to react faster when something is happening and needs to be shot. No fumbling with the camera, just press the trigger and voila!

Seriously, this is the kind of thing you dont know you were missing until you see it! And I am not saying this because I am trying to sell them, it is true!

How much?

35$+shipping

This is the first batch of the product. As such, I am selling it a a minimum price. In exchange, I am not painting/coating the bracket. Next version will probably sell for around 50-60$ but will be black and better looking. Well, if I manage to sell the initial batch first!

35$ for a piece of metal? Are you crazy?

Nope! I talked about the cost of creating new pieces of gear in a previous post. This thing is way more complicated to build than what you think. My initial prototypes used thin folded metal plate and lets just say that it was not a success. While the OSCT is not indestructible, it is solid. Very solid.

Also, 35$ if pretty cheap when you take into account the amount of time it takes to build these little thing. I know because I did 7 versions before my final prototype!

When?

As soon as I get enough pre-orders, I will start production and should get the products within a week.

How?

If you are interested, please contact me at: boss @ canon5dtips .com and I will give you instructions. I will have to work this way until I have an order form up.

Edit: there was a bug that screwed up the display of the video. Now it is fixed. Thanks Michel for the notice!

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