Expanding into DSLR video shooting, I realized that focusing on “live view” can be very tricky. Accurately focusing using a 3-inch monitor is problematic. I found the solution to that in the “Hoodman cinema kit pro“.
Today’s technology, allows pro photographers to produce high-quality videos, with the equipment they already have, and feel comfortable using. The attachments that will transform your DSLR into a movie-making machine are many, and choosing the right product was not easy. While searching, I found that many of the magnifying viewfinders required gluing an attachment to the camera’s body. I don’t like gluing things to my camera, These glues have a tendency to soften in hot weather and leave a sticky residue. Another solution offered is a fancy rubber band, It may be the cheapest solution but it didn’t feel very solid and may get in the way.
What first attracted me to the Hoodman cinema kit Pro was the concept. It’s a solid rail system that’s attached to your camera’s hot-shoe and allows you to accurately place the rubberized viewfinder over the LCD panel, in seconds. Focusing the viewfinder on the screen took a slight rotation of the eye-piece. As soon as you’ve aligned the viewfinder, You’re free to move it up and out of the way, and then back in place, It’s consistent, fast and easy.
This kit can be moved to another camera as fast as you can move a Speedlight flash from one camera to another. It took about 5 seconds to remove from the package, and about 30 seconds to set-up and master!
I really appreciate solidly build, modular equipment, not to mention great German optics, It looks like this unit will serve me for a long time.
Have you heard of Lytro? This new consumer camera is, In my view, the most dramatic innovation in photography, since adding a lens to the camera-obscura*. It’s the first one to capture a Light Field by measuring the amount of light traveling in every direction through every point in space and by that expanding dynamically the range of focus. if you haven’t seen it yet, take a pick at the sample pictures in this link, on the linked page, click the area of the picture you’d like to focus on: http://lytro.com It is a true revolution.
This is not an ad nor a recommendation to buy this product, It doesn’t seem to be ready for the professional print market yet, and still, I would love to play with one.
(*pin-hole camera)
*Update*
I just found out that the company removed the servers for the Lytro camera, You can still watch the video below to see what’s it all about.
