Best Video Studio Equipment
Full-Featured VAVA Dash Cam Mobile App Gone are the days when you were required to take out the SD card to access your dash camera’s media! The VAVA Car DVR comes with a full-featured app for iOS and Android that lets you share photos, videos, and your travel journey over social media or with an insurance company. Full-Featured VAVA Dash Cam Mobile App: Share photos and videos over social media or with an insurance company without taking out the SD card; includes live video feed and GPS tracking, travel journal, and photo filtering functions. If you want to use your phone’s data network, simply connect to the VAVA Dash Cam’s Wi-Fi when you need to watch the recorded videos only.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There is a little plastic pry bar included in the box to help get the wire in the cracks and seams of the car, which is a heck of a lot easier than just using my thumb. Once I got my 32GB class 10 micro SD card I put it in and was able to connect via the dash cam's built-in wi-fi network and see the video feed on my phone, but in order to have internet access I had to disconnect from it so I can't be connected to the dash cam and have internet access at the same time. There is a wireless snapshot button which will take a photo when clicked, and that initially can be a bit addictive as it makes a satisfying camera shutter sound. I took the memory card out after a couple days to look at the videos, and while I had it out we had to drive somewhere and the dash cam wouldn't stop playing it's chime sound effect. One thing I really didn't like is the misleading video they have on this Amazon listing which shows various ways the cam can help prove something when it would otherwise be your word against the offender, such as somebody backing into you, a copy thinking that you were on a cellphone, and someone keying your car."
"However, I highly recommend NOT leaving the VAVA dash cam in the car if it will get really hot inside because of this battery. Since the dash cam detaches very easy (magnetic, another neat feature), this is not a big deal."
"After I turned off my car, it can still record the video for long time (over one hour in my test). I installed the App in my Android phone without any problem."
"As you can see from the product picture it comes with the following; Camera, mount, plastic tool to hide the cables, the usb cable, dual USB cigarette lighter attachment, stick on cable routing should you choose that, and bluetooth button for controlling the camera. It also comes with an easy to download app (look for VAVA Dash). In the car you select the app and then you have to pair it via WIFI on your phone. I couldn't seem to make the snapshot button work so I consulted the app and found under settings USER GUIDES!!!! This was really handy because in there I learned about pairing the bluetooth button for using snapshot (1 push, and you can hear a shutter sound when it takes the snap) or recording if you hold longer."
And cotton backdrops do have issues – frustrating wrinkles, background light bleeding through the weave pattern, staining, dust collection, etc. The Flocked surface reflects significantly less light and gives a softer look when photographed. Flocked cotton will collect dust more easily and the fibers can shed or “pearl” in little balls. Prism backdrops use premium dyes for whiter whites, blacker blacks, and true colors. The sides of the backdrops are stitched to avoid unravelling and a 3.4" rod pocket is sewn into the top. Bright and True Colors, Single Piece Seamless Design, 3.4” Rod Pocket, Stitched Edges.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"With some additional clips I purchased, I was able to keep the backdrop taught enough to remove most of the wrinkles."
"This is a nice low-cost background that I use with a backdrop stand I built out of 1" PVC pipe."
"Yes, rolled Muslin saves you the trouble of removing wrinkles - however I believe one of the best and most affordable investments you can make for your studio be it your first one or professional is a portable garment steamer. Professional dry cleaner steamers are available as well but run well over $150 and unless you're pressing shirts on the side in my opinion would be overkill. The quality of stitching on the backdrop is impressive and the sleeve is double stitched for extra security and will fir over any support pole without a single problem."
"I purchased this with the understanding that it would include a black pouch for storage."
"Wrinkle removing trick- Hang it up and stretch it with 3-4 muslin clamps to your frame (each side). I discovered this with a REALLY heavy green screen muslin and could not believe how easy this east to get "wrinkle free"."
"I fixed that by looking up homemade de-wrinkler and I found a "Recipe" that included a cup of hot water, a tablespoon of fabric softener and rubbing alcohol (This made it dry faster), but I sprayed it on and used my hand to "pet" the fabric outwards."
"First, the color is much much lighter than the one shown on the picture (and it has a horrible denim look to it); second, this is a thin cotton fabric and not your normal muslin; third, the size is much smaller than what they tell you."
Contents: 6 x 9 ft. Green Muslin Backdrop / Ring Metal Holding Clip.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"That was great, because I can reuse those clips for my white backdrop that didn't come with those clips."
"Arrived perfectly fine, and quickly, I cut some PVC and use it behind my computer chair as a pulldown screen for when I stream blogs/videos."
"This does a great job of being green all over, appropriate lighting will be required for some people to avoid shadows."
"This contained little to no wrinkles."
"Super cool green screen....I love the little alligator clip rings that came with it."
"I was hoping to use the hanging clips to hang them from my ceiling but that didn't give me much flexibility so I got a stand instead, now it works much better."
"Very good, just what i wanted."
"My grandson loves it and it works perfectly."
Best Photographic Studio Photo Backgrounds
And cotton backdrops do have issues – frustrating wrinkles, background light bleeding through the weave pattern, staining, dust collection, etc. The Flocked surface reflects significantly less light and gives a softer look when photographed. Flocked cotton will collect dust more easily and the fibers can shed or “pearl” in little balls. Prism backdrops use premium dyes for whiter whites, blacker blacks, and true colors. The sides of the backdrops are stitched to avoid unravelling and a 3.4" rod pocket is sewn into the top. Bright and True Colors, Single Piece Seamless Design, 3.4” Rod Pocket, Stitched Edges.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"With some additional clips I purchased, I was able to keep the backdrop taught enough to remove most of the wrinkles."
"This is a nice low-cost background that I use with a backdrop stand I built out of 1" PVC pipe."
"Yes, rolled Muslin saves you the trouble of removing wrinkles - however I believe one of the best and most affordable investments you can make for your studio be it your first one or professional is a portable garment steamer. Professional dry cleaner steamers are available as well but run well over $150 and unless you're pressing shirts on the side in my opinion would be overkill. The quality of stitching on the backdrop is impressive and the sleeve is double stitched for extra security and will fir over any support pole without a single problem."
"I purchased this with the understanding that it would include a black pouch for storage."
"Wrinkle removing trick- Hang it up and stretch it with 3-4 muslin clamps to your frame (each side). I discovered this with a REALLY heavy green screen muslin and could not believe how easy this east to get "wrinkle free"."
"I fixed that by looking up homemade de-wrinkler and I found a "Recipe" that included a cup of hot water, a tablespoon of fabric softener and rubbing alcohol (This made it dry faster), but I sprayed it on and used my hand to "pet" the fabric outwards."
"First, the color is much much lighter than the one shown on the picture (and it has a horrible denim look to it); second, this is a thin cotton fabric and not your normal muslin; third, the size is much smaller than what they tell you."
Best Teleprompters
A teleprompter it the easiest way to make high quality videos whether you’re a beginner or a professional photographer. (max size 12” x 9” even fits the iPad Pro ) No need to memorize lines and the custom cover makes it easily viewable 12 ft away. Compatible with Video Cameras, DSLR, Phone, Prosumer cameras up to 9 lbs. Includes: Teleprompter, black background cloth, phone adapter (For using phone as recording camera) Will mount to any camera tripod (¼-20 threads.).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The construction of the Interact is pretty basic - and so there are screw heads popping out in bad places, or nuts that make it hard to mount to certain tripods. And the mounting plate is too large - it makes it hard to get the battery out of my Canon DSLR (although it is possible - but usually involves removing the battery door."
"Additionally, while the tray will hold an iPad Pro (12.9" big one), the glass is not wide enough to view it."
"For the money this is an excellent entry-level teleprompter."
"I have searched teleprompter for our host recording for a long time. The rods are pretty strong, made of metal, not plastic. I don't even need to take out the lens hood, though I do need to take out the protruding shot gun mic."
"I used Promtsmart Pro which cost $20 which Caddie Buddy recommends which was a little frustrating, a lot of times it scrolled to fast."
"Affordable, easy to use and it works."
"The velcro is a little annoying as it's only stuck on with a tacky substance, but it's not enough to discourage me from recommending it to everyone I know who works with scripts on video."
"You have to have in mind that someone will have to help holding the black cloth or you'll have to clamp it down somehow so it doesn't get into the shot especially if using an iPhone or a small camera with it."
Best Video Monitors
Description: This item is suitable for professional cameras such as Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Panasonic. The brilliant IPS panel, high HD resolution and complex squared segmentation will serve you with qualified watching and recording enjoyment. Besides, a fashion design with thickness of 17mm and weight of 370g （including the sunshade）will meet your portable recording and shooting. Moreover, you can capture a clear screen view with the installation of an optional sunshade when under sunlight. Install Way: 1/4 inch - 20 Thread Socket (bottom side). High Contrast: 1200:1; High Resolution: Full HD 1920x1200; High Brightness: 450cd/m2; 0.07875 x 0.07875 (mm) dot pitch offers you brilliant visual experience; 160°wide viewing angles IPS Panel; Ultra thin design 17mm thickness.Marker Type(16:9,4:3,2.35:1,1.85:1); Marker Color(Red,Green,Blue,White,Black,Cyan,Purple,Yellow); Check Field (Gray/Red/Green/Blue); Image Flip (H, V, H/V); Image Freeze; Color Tepm. Applies to cameras which both support HDMI interface and the output format of 4K resolution UHD 3840*2160p (30/29.97/25/24/23.98), Panasonic GH4 GH5 SONY AS7II A6500 A6300 CANON 5D MARK IV.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Wasn't thrilled that they don't all come with a battery but it makes shooting video so much easier!"
"My main reason for getting this was because I have a Nikon D5200 and there is no headphone output on it to listen to whats being recorded with an External mic. Admittedly I didn't fiddle with settings much so I may be able to correct that."
"the small screen on my camera just doesn't offer enough feedback on small bumps and jarring of the camera to cause me to be more careful in my panning and zooming."
"If you press the power button it will turn off for a second and then turns right back on. I know there are better monitors out there but this allows me to get perfect focus every time and that's why I got it."
"Great product for the money."
"Surprisingly clear and very bright."
"Picture is clear and near perfect for what you are getting here."
"Have been running the monitor on an NP-F960 battery and the weight must have just finally got to the screen."
Best Photo Studio Equipment
NIX Advance Frames: Plug & Play to display Photo and Video Memories with ease. With over 8 years of experience and a dedicated full time customer service team, we are committed to delivering high quality frames and services that allow you to display digital memories in a sophisticated way. Perfect gift for a loved one: This frame is perfect for everyone; from professionals, to parents and grandparents, they all deserve a frame that works and lets them enjoy all the memories. USB & SD/SDHC Ports: Plug and play to Instantly display all your digital photos.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wanted superb picture quality, and I needed a frame that would recognize portrait orientation and adjust accordingly."
"Yes my five star review for the NIX X12D Digital Photo Frame is for the product itself BUT more importantly it is for the AMAZING customer service assistance my wife and I received from Daryl. Thank you NIX for not only building a capable, sturdy system (our grandson is not always gentle with electronics - so far so good) but more importantly for hiring support personnel such as Daryl who go the extra mile."
"A couple of screws in the luan mount the digital frames. The frame fits over the power supplies for the digital frames and rests on a couple of deck screws that are screwed into the studs."
"Sometimes nothing played with one flash drive, while another flash drive kept repeating photos or froze photos for up to a minute, even though I set it for 3 seconds. I did not do that because I never had to do it with the older frames, and several people wrote reviews on Amazon that they tried doing that, but it did not help at all. The remote and the software are newly designed and more user friendly. Needless to say, none of that silly photo resizing is necessary, as it was not necessary with my older frames."
Best Camera & Photo Lighting
33" Translucent White Umbrella Reflector. - Made of high quality nylon construction. - Works well to diffuse the light from any. flash/strobe light or continuous light. - Reflects and spreads light stream evenly. - Eliminates glare and spots. Contents: [3 pcs] 45W CFL Bulb / [3 pcs] Bulb Socket / [2 pcs] 33-inch Umbrella Reflector / [2 pcs] 86-inch Light Stand.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The bulbs have their own night case and Styrofoam to keep them safe and the stands and umbrellas also have their own bag."
"I did also buy a separate light that attaches to the top of the camera as well, to help further light up my face specifically, but that is just a personal preference...certainly not a necessity! Excuse my pajamas, messy hair, and complete lack of makeup (I didn't realize I'd want to share these with anybody!"
"I am an amateur photographer and needed a basic light kit to take yearbook photos for our homeschooling co-op. I changed the white balance settings on my Sony DSLR to compensate for the blue lighting in the flourescent light bulbs."
"For the price and for someone trying to start out small in building a studio these things are amazing!"
"These photos were shot with the light kit set up (key light, fill light, hair/highlight light) and an overhead light on in the room. It was near a window, however the day I shot these photos it was dark and gray and pouring down buckets of rain, so natural light wasn't really a factor at all for these shots."
"My thoughts: - Items arrived beautifully packaged with care. - Everything seems to be of high quality. - You get a carrying case (bag) and two plastic sleeves for the umbrellas. - The light bulbs are very bright and very white. - Absolutely perfect for someone that does YouTube videos. - For $40 this is an absolute steal!"
"I am brand new to photography lighting like this, but the instructions were very easy to follow and the design is intuitive."
"The umbrellas make little to no difference and ducking the hard pieces sticking out is too much for a product at this price range."
Best Camera Light Meters & Accessories
Advanced color accuracy solution, with room lighting settings for optimal monitor brightness, to help you get true colors on screen and in print. Avanced color accuracy solution for all of your laptop and desktop displays - See, share and print your images just as you intended with confidence. Room light monitoring determines optimal monitor brightness so you see fine shadow detail and highlights in your photos, ensuring your edited images match your prints.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But, if you are an advanced user, you can get fantastic results with the free Argyll and DispcalGUI calibration bundle. The official calibration software from Datacolor does an inaccurate and inconsistent job between monitors (i.e. if you have two monitors side by side, they will very likely be calibrated into different colors), and it asks you to jump through hoops verifying which tier you have bought (express, pro, or elite)."
"You must go online to register the device and download datacolor's measuring software. There is nothing wrong with the calibration device, only the results when used with datacolor's software."
"Calibrating your monitor does matter, using a calibration device matters, but MOST IMPORTANTLY the calibration software matters, and the Argyll + dispcalGUI is FAR SUPERIOR to the OEM Datacolor software provided for the Spyder 4 Express and Spyder 5 Express. 1) Do not install OEM software. 2) Download Argyll (http://www.argyllcms.com/) and dispcalGUI standalone version (http://dispcalgui.hoech.net/#download). 3) Set C:/ path for Argyll folder. 4) Install Sypder4 usb driver (http://www.argyllcms.com/doc/Installing_MSWindows.html#WIN8). 5) Run dispcalGUI then Menu > File > Locate Argyll CMS executables > point to c:/Argyll/bin. 6) Menu > Options > enable Show advanced calibration options. 7) Configure Advance options like this (http://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/870355/1#post17806610). 8) Run measurement tests and adjustment settings. 9) Run calibration (in High speed since Medium speed took 1.5 hrs) then save and apply profile. *** ORIGINAL REVIEW 4/16/2015***. I have never calibrated my laptop's monitor in the approximately 2 years I've had it. 5) Lastly, but not as important as the previous steps, you can try to print a hard proof on your home printer that will attempt to simulate the final product from your commercial printer, (File > Print > Color Management: Photoshop manages colors; Printer profile = your home printer > Change Normal Printing to Hard Proofing: Proof Setup = appropriate ICC profile). If you'd still like to get a calibration device then I'd say go for the Spyder 4 since it's less than half the price and the results probably won't be much different. *** Resources ***. Download Argyll. http://www.argyllcms.com/. Download dispcalGUI. http://dispcalgui.hoech.net/. Setup Argyll + dispcalGUI. http://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/870355/1#post17806610. ICC Profiles. http://www.drycreekphoto.com/icc/. http://forums.adoramapix.com/entries/228224-Color-calibration-and-custom-correction."