I’ve had some bad experiences with buying stabilizers directly from manufacturers in China. In a previous post (see sidebar) I commented on the problems I had trying to order a stabilizer from CAME. I eventually canceled that order and purchased a Pilotfly H1+. After receiving that unit I posted about the vagaries of balancing it and in another post I …
Android or iOS?
Over the years, I’ve owned several Apple products starting with the Apple II. But I’m not an Apple fanboy. I believe in using the right tool for the job. Later, I needed to run CP/M so I bought a Franklin and have since had a number of Windows PCs. In 2004 I decided that the iPod was the right music …
Panasonic GH4 Special Microphone Needs Special Extension Cable
I wanted to use my Panasonic GH4 microphone, the DMW-MS2, as a boom mike so I did a little test recently, attaching it to a boom on a light stand. This mike is designed to be mounted on the GH4 hot shoe and I’ve used it that way numerous times. But I had a situation calling for a boom mike …
Matching Color Temperature Using the Panasonic GH4
Grumpy wizards make toxic brew for the evil Queen and Jack.
Pilotfly H1+ Gimbal Stabilizer Demo Footage
Here’s some test footage I shot in Laguna Beach, CA with my Pilotfly H1+ stabilizer. The camera is a Panasonic Lumix GH4 with the Panasonic 12-35 mm lens at 12 mm. Optical stabilization in the lens was turned on. I shot in 4K and in a couple of clips I zoomed out to full HD in post (i.e., started at …
Bad Parameters Can Disable Pilotfly H1+ Gimbal Stabilizer
To fully utilize the Pilotfly H1+ 3-axis stabilizer you really have to invest some effort in learning its features as well as its support software. And, in the process you have to read between the lines and take care not to break anything. As I delved into my H1+ I discovered that it’s all too easy to make a change …
Panasonic Warranty Woes
I love my Lumix GH4 but I hate Panasonic’s customer support. I recently discovered a very noticeable spot that appears in some images & videos. After an initial phone conversation a Panasonic support technician recommended that I send the camera in for warranty repair work. I did that and, after nearly a month, I received my camera back this week. …
Pilotfly H1+ Gimbal Stabilizer
The Pilotfly H1+ is a small, lightweight gimbal stabilizer which provides the ability to hold & move a small video camera with one hand while still getting smooth footage. The low cost of this and similar devices is bringing Steadicam-like footage to the low-budget filmmaker and the small size is providing opportunities for getting smooth footage in tight situations where …
Shooting with the ikan VH7i-2 Video Monitor
I’ve been shooting a lot of live performances recently and have been having some trouble maintaining good focus. It’s tough keeping up with performers who are frequently moving around the stage and changing their distance to the camera. With my Panasonic GH4’s small LED screen it’s impossible to accurately determine whether a shot is in focus. (Focus assist auto-zooming doesn’t …
Audio Level Padding to Prevent Distortion
Recently, I shot a live performance and, afterwards when reviewing the footage, I found that I had audio overload problems. I had used my Lumix GH4 with the Panasonic DMW-MS2 microphone and this simple setup just wasn’t equal to the task. The problem was the great dynamic range of the show which included actors and a singer. It was a …
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