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I've been working a bit on my hands-on video recording setup again. It's a simple mod, but every little change helps refine how well it works in practice. Let's take a look!  Check out the video on YouTube : The 3-pack of USB 2.0 extension cables:  https://amzn.to/3XNWDzP   The powered microphone:  https://amzn.to/4iGnGFe   Atomos Ninja V recorders:  https://bhpho.to/3R5FH48 https://amzn.to/4bLJlcS As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  The packaging for three USB extension cables. The package included five hook-and-loop straps, which is always handy for cable management. There are three cables in total. You'd think 3 or 6 ties would make more sense than 5, but whatever. The hook-and-loop straps. I've been using a shorter USB extension cable to power a AA to USB battery power adapter for a microphone that I use with my camera setup.  My camera setup with a microphone, monitor, and various accessories. The connector on m...

In this article I set up my desk with a new overhead camera mount rig from Neewer, the NK002. I’ve been using a standard monitor arm with additional mounting hardware to hold my camera for years, but I wanted to see how this mount works in my creative computer workspace instead. Keep in mind that they sent me this mount at no cost with the expectation that I produce a few videos about it based on my standard collaboration terms . The were not allowed to give me talking points or preview anything that I created.  Check out the full video on YouTube :  Check it out on Neewer's official shop (not affiliated).   Or through my links:  Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4g3I2GI B&H Photo: https://bhpho.to/3Ce6I1u   As an affiliate of Amazon and B&H, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Unboxing and First Impressions The main box with accessories. The NK002 comes in a big, solid box. It was shipped with dense foam support around the rails to keep everything prote...

I’m writing all of this down in case sources disappear and I want to reference M6ii HDMI-out information in the future.  Selecting clean HDMI from the settings. So this is not by any means a definitive source but rather a jumble of information I’m putting together in the moment. The “HDMI info disp” setting to select clean output mode. This camera's 4K isn't really that size internally, but better than 1080p at least. There is one webpage I know about that mentioned the Canon EOS M6 Mark II supports clean HDMI output in 10-bit 4:2:2. I don’t think the page exists any longer on Canon USA’s website because the old link no longer works after a redesign. https://youtu.be/_UT9u0XVn5U However it does currently exist on the Internet Archive .   A screen capture from the  Internet Archive  webpage copy. Here’s the important quote from that webpage:  HDMI recording: Menu-selected user choices for HDMI output with info (images recorded to the SD card); Clean 4K output, or...

Weeylite, a division of Viltrox, sent me this bi-color constant LED light to check out and make a video on. I’ll be talking about it in this article and I have a long detailed video on YouTube as well. Viltrox Ninja 400 Get the Weeylite Bi-Color LED Video Light through my links: Amazon , B&H Photo Video , and eBay . As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Ethics Statement: Keep in mind throughout this article and related video that Weeylite sent me this video at no cost and I will be keeping the light. They had no say in the content of the video.  Weeylite is part of Viltrox. The company is popular for lenses and adapters such as the 0.71x EF to EF-M speed booster that I have.  Specifications from their website: Model: ninja 400 Dimming method: Host control/iphoneAPP/Bluetooth/DMX Color temperature: 2500K-8500K t 300(fixed) Brightness: 20% ~ 100% (Adjustable) Max.Brightness: 12750 LM Max.illuminance: 3570 Lux / 2m, 16700 LUX/1m. (Use the ma...

Using a computer screen or TV as a backdrop is a fun way to spice up your indoor photography and videography work. In the related video I experiment with using a 19″ IPS LCD screen as the background in a few situations like miniature diorama photography with Legos, as a backdrop for a book, and adding interest to photos of  Karuta playing cards . I also filmed a few quick video sequences using a “Lazy Susan” to spin around a product for b-roll clips.  Links are potentially affiliated in this article, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Even a small 19" screen can work alright. My related YouTube video about this project. For equipment I was using a Canon EOS M5 with a Sigma 56mm f1.4 DC DN lens. That focal length gave me enough of a narrow field-of-view that I could work with such a small computer monitor. If you try this out and use a larger screen you should have more flexibility in focal lengths. Here are a few examples of what can be achieved… If you want your own se...

In this linked video I talk about using the right camera for the task at hand. I made it mostly on a whim with the help of two older average specification smartphones. There are a few similar videos on the channel .  Use what camera makes sense in the moment. The related video on YouTube. I get a lot of questions like: “What is the best camera?” without any context about what the person is trying to do. Without knowing, I can rarely give any type of useful answer because most gear these days can work well enough. The line between what can work fine and what can work really well is thin.  Using a smartphone for photography. It’s the details and subtle features, or ways a feature is implemented, that can make a world of difference in a photographic tool. The topic is important and I was also able to give everyone that watched it a better idea of what I’m trying to do with this channel. Here is my slightly enhanced list on that… To be a facilitator of photography and videograph...

This is probably a few years in the making. Since getting the Boya microphones and the Canon EOS M50 camera bodies, I’ve been looking for a shorter 3.5mm cable that connects them together. The cable that comes with the microphone is okay, but I’m now on my third potential replacement in a quest for a shorter, less fiddly, cable. The cables being tested. Links are potentially affiliated in this article, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Here is my related video on the subject. I haven’t had a ton of time with the latest cable purchase, but so far so good using it in a previous video and this related video. I bought two of them and used one for the filming camera. The main goal here was finding a cable that was short enough to not get in the way and have a 90 degree right angle bend on each end of the cable. I also didn’t want it to interfere with the camera or microphone in any way. I found out with a previous cable that I needed the cable’s camera connection to come back a decen...