This is an awesome sale for a tool that can add high production value to your videos. While other sliders might be too heavy and are overkill for smaller cameras, here’s one to be considered. Varavon makes the lightest roller bearing sliders available on the market complete with bag, and adjustable legs / feet. Two versions are available from 24″ to 32″. You can find them on sale right now following the link

Varavon Slim Video Camera Slider SaleVaravon Lightweight Roller Bearing Slim Slider

This Belkin 300w DC/AC inverter is going for 74% off right now on Amazon . What is an inverter, you ask? This device allows you to plug your AC electronics in and power them up while in a vehicle. Perfect for charging batteries on the go, charing up your cellular phone, portable computer, electric shaver, tv, or virtually any device while traveling. The inverter features fuse protection along with an audible alarm that sounds if the vehicle battery becomes too low.

Belkin 300w DC/AC Inverter

A lot of readers ask me about the portability of the Manfrotto 561BHDV-1. Here is a common question from OTech reader, Ryan:

“Hi, I just ordered the Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 and noticed on the specs that the minimum height is 2.5′ is this with the head or without? My main concern is that I am traveling and was hoping to bring this with in my pack. I am a little worried about the length and overall size. What do you think? We will be backpacking a little and on the move. Maybe not worth lugging that thing around? Oh, and is it easy to take the head off? Everyone seems to love this thing, but not sure how well it travels. Thanks for your insight and your hard work!”

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Ryan, the Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 is 2.5′ WITH the head and just above 26″ without the head attached. My suggestion for traveling is this, if you don’t mind detaching and packing the head separately, it’s a relatively compact monopod for the quality and versatility you will get with it. The only real downside is the speed of setup. The head only adds a few inches, but this certainly is something to consider when you’re traveling. With those few inches comes the pan bar! Here is a full review of the Manfrotto 560 and 561 monopods.

Manfrotto 560B-1 Fluid Video Monopod

Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 Fluid Monopod w/ Head

Just a few days ago, the web was hyped up with discounts for Adobe Lightroom 3 for just $80 dollars. I missed out in sharing that information with you guys, but it turned out to be a good thing. Today Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 (for Mac and Windows) and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Adobe Premiere Elements 10 are BOTH going for only $69.95 today only at B&H. There is a limit of one of one each SKU number per person. That means you get $200 off of the retail price for Lightroom 3 and $60 off retail cost for Photoshop and Premiere Elements 10. Awesome deal if you’re looking to buy! You can put that money towards other toys.. like iPhone apps and an Ollo lens. lol

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Software for Mac & Windows

Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 & Premiere Elements 10 for Mac & Windows

Bloggers out there often times are recording themselves in a room.. all alone. One aspect of videos that I cannot stress enough is solid audio. Your viewers are more likely to sit through a crappy shower curtain backdrop than they are to willing to suffer through screeching peaks or inaudible words. You can get a lavalier microphone to plug into a Zoom H1 for around $20 these days. They’re good enough to get the job done. I would know, I use them from time to time for OTech videos. If you want to keep your setup to a minimum and cut back on as many costs as possible, how about recording directly into your external recorder? Booming a microphone from below might be easier but can totally ruin a shot. Booming the mic from above is going to give you nice sound but, wait.. that’s right, you’re alone. No boom operator. A simple and really inexpensive solution (cheaper than light stands) that I blogged about back last summer is a mic stand with a 1/4″ thread adaptor. Mic stands typically have a 5/8″ male thread, while photo and video gear commonly houses a 1/4″ female thread.

I wanted to breathe some new life into this old video as we used this technique today in the studio and it worked- wonderfully! Hope this helps someone out!

Mic Stand Adapters

Microphone Boom Stand

Snapseed is my absolute FAVORITE photo editing app at the moment. Today, as a sweet treat to you all, Snapseed is sharing the love by offering iOS users the regularly $4.99 app for FREE! And the Apple desktop version that retails for $19.99 is 50% off! Saweet. Happy Valentine’s Day <3

iOS App CLICK HERE
Apple Desktop App CLICK HERE

Normally a kit like this will cost you This same kit will cost you $1599 (see here) and that’s even with the Instant rebate going on, but right now there’s a deal blast going on for a few minutes for $1299. Great Deal!

Canon 7D with 18-135mm Lens Deal Blast

With all of these incredible Micro Four Thirds cameras surfacing, I’ve been feeling a bit blue over the lack of lenses available to accomodate this growing market. The smaller size of mirrorless cameras makes for great action shooting. Researching tonight I delved into fisheyes. A fisheye lens is an ultra wide angle lens that gives a spherical view of the environment you’re shooting. The 180º field of view is responsible for the curvature at the edges of the outer corners that gives this lens its distinct look. Fisheye lenses are capable of allowing you to get in close to your subject. This perspective can really exaggerate the fisheye and look very cool for video.

I like YouTube user, JardannM’s usage of his Rokinon 8mm fisheye in the video above. It’s a simple clip but notice how he bends lines and changes up the perspective to emphasize the ultra wide angle. Using a wide angle lens will also reduce the appearance of micro vibrations and hand shake, which is why it’s common to find it camera footage that requires the operator to move around quickly.

Quick Specs
180 degrees angle of view
Aperture range of F/3.5 ~ 22
180 degree angle of view
Built-in petal type hood

The Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye is also available for other popular camera companies like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, and Olympus.

Rokinon 8mm for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus

Another very popular lens is the 7.5mm Fisheye found for smaller Micro Four Thirds cameras (found here).

Rokinon 7.5mm Fisheye for MFT

The desktop software version for SnapSeed was announced at PMA in Las Vegas, and originally released for $19.99. Today I noticed that it’s currently on sale for just $9.99! You can find SnapSeed for the desktop on the App Store or a link to their website at www.snapseed.com.

Pretty sweet (71% off) deal + Free Shipping if you want to mount a display for editing, watching videos or conference in an office (as we do often). This Cheetah Flat Screen TV Mount provides Articulating Full Motion on a Dual Arm Wall Mount Bracket. Supports 32-65″ Displays Up To 165LBS and comes with a 10′ High Speed HDMI Cable With Ethernet. It also fits up to 24″ Studs.

Quick Amazon Specs:
Powder coat finish
Hole Pattern Coverage: Up To 28″ Horizontal by 19″ Vertical or
VESA 100×100, 200×200, 300×300, 400×400 and 400×600
Unit Weight: Net: 28 LBS Gross: 30 LBS
Unit Materials: Arms, Wall Plate and TV Plate: 100% High Grade Steel
Tilt Range: +/- 50°
Total Rotation: 130°
Arm Extension/Collapsed Distance: Fully Extended: 21″
Wall Plate Dimensions: 27.5 x 9.7″
Cable Management: 4.9 x 7″
TV Arm Dimensions: 19.75″ x 1.75″

Cheetah Mounts Plasma LCD Flat Screen TV Articulating Full Motion Dual Arm Wall Mount Bracket For 32-65″ Displays Up To 165LBS Black With 10′ High Speed HDMI Cable With Ethernet Fits Up To 24″ Studs

March is right around the corner. Do you know what that means? If you bothered to read the title of this post, I’m pretty sure you have a hunch. GoPro’s highly anticipated Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote Combo Kit are promised to be released in March 2012 for $99, according to GoPro.
What exactly does this mean for your GoPro? You can Wi-Fi enable your HD HERO2 or original HD HERO camera with the Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote. The Wi-Fi BacPac attaches to your HD HERO2 camera to give your GoPro long range video remote control via the Wi-Fi Remote.
One of the coolest and super convenient specs on this setup is that you can also remote in with a smartphone, tablet, or computer running a FREE GoPro App (compatible with both iOS and Android). Waterproof and just as rugged as the BacPac, the Wi-Fi Remote enables complete control of up to 50 HD HERO2 cameras at a time. Okay, GoPro, so what you’re saying is that I now have a logical reason to purchase 50 HD HERO2s?

Paired with the Wi-Fi BacPac, the HD HERO2 also supports live video streaming and remote control via smart-devices, computers and the Web. So long as Wi-Fi or a mobile hotspot is present. Basically, this means that you can record to your HD HERO2′s SD card while sending a second video stream via Wi-Fi to your smart-device, computer or the Web. This is just getting crazy.

As stated, the original HD HERO is compatible with the Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote. However, the HD HERO only supports Wi-Fi Remote control functions and live video streaming is not available on the original HD HERO camera. Translation = it’s time for an upgrade.
So, do you guys think this is worth the purchase?

Here is a video review I did when the GoPro HD HERO2 was released back in October 2011. Full specs can be found HERE.

GoPro Camera HD HERO2 Motorsports Edition CHDMH-002

Olympus’ newest micro four thirds camera is currently available on Amazon for preorder. Let’s take a look at the most impressive specs first:

Viewfinder