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I think the basic rule is, if you can shoot video with it, someone will sell some kind of "grip" system for it.

 

Second that. And advertise it with a couple of (usually blond) chicks who like they've never held a camera before!

 

Cheers, Dave

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I'll bet Michael Mann is playing with himself watching this promo vid.

 

I mean, ok.. whatever... maybe you have iMovie and now you have an "hd" camera (iPhone) for "serious" moviemaking as they say in the promo. This could end up being a toy, but it's such a creative necessity.

 

I love that this is the PRO model.. and there's a CONSUMER one on the way. Talk about marketing. Blech.

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I hate to rain on their parade, but you can adjust the knob like so on that expensive little gizmo to tilt up and down, or...

 

YOU COULD SLIGHTLY BEND YOUR WRIST!!!

As my kids say to me - stop making sense!

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I actually could see cell phone footage being used to enhance the look of portions of a film and to lend realism to certain scenes. There was a guy mentioned here on the forum a while back, relatively known film maker who was planning on shooting a feature on cell phones and there was this:

 

http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive...l-phone-camera/

 

http://www.filmjunk.com/2006/03/15/sms-sug...-phone-cameras/

 

and even this:

 

http://www.asiaone.com/Digital/News/Story/...1207-40143.html

 

I suppose IF I wanted cell phone footage for a feature, I would welcome something like this so the shots would be more controlled and steady, a DEFINITE PLUS when projecting such footage on the big screen. The point is not that the grip costs more than the camera phone, the point is that the grip helps make the authentic footage from the cell phone camera viable for use in a feature film that cost a LOT of money to make regardless of the camera used.

Edited by James Steven Beverly
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I actually could see cell phone footage being used to enhance the look of portions of a film and to lend realism to certain scenes.

True, but this doesn't really mesh with what you said below...

I suppose IF I wanted cell phone footage for a feature, I would welcome something like this so the shots would be more controlled and steady, a DEFINITE PLUS when projecting such footage on the big screen.

So, you want realism, but not realistic?

I'll ignore for the time being that this particular "stabilizer", or whatever they're calling it, won't make anything any smoother. The fact is, if the average person shot video on there cell phone it would look like amateur video. If you want to actually stabilize a camera, you may as well do it right. I can mount an iphone to my steadicam the same way I can mount a Arricam LT. I don't really care what kind of camera I use, but it won't look like cell phone footage shot by an average person, it will look like cell phone video shot by a professional steadicam operator.

Anyway, it's just some stupid thing they built to sell to stupid people. Not you James, just in general. Like I said, a $50 Cardellini is exactly the same thing, except it probably has a firmer and more secure grip on the phone.

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The best part of that video is early on when they say "This is the iPhone ZGrip", and the Zacuto rep made sure to state that this was the "PRO" version, ha ha

 

Good stuff

The "PRO" version offers "angulation", whatever that means. That video is hilarious!

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The promotional video for it is pretty funny... http://vimeo.com/5384225

 

Funny thing is I hadn't even seen the video before I posted my blond girl comment. And for dough you dish out for the grip and iphone you can get a cheap hd camera easily. Hell, you can even get one for the price of the grip alone! :blink: Strange days, these! :unsure:

 

Cheers, Dave

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The days of old school film makers are seemingly over. While we tear apart the noob videographer phenom, some of these guys are seriously making inroads in the industry and its fringes, just look at the Reality TV craze of a few years back, moslty powered by tiny HVX100s.

 

Now even RED seems too old, clunky and, dare I say, outdated for its own good. "Why shoot a feature on RED when I can shoot it on my iPhone, (5DmkII, GH1, etc, etc)?" It is a wild new world of video making out there.

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True, but this doesn't really mesh with what you said below...

 

So, you want realism, but not realistic?

I'll ignore for the time being that this particular "stabilizer", or whatever they're calling it, won't make anything any smoother. The fact is, if the average person shot video on there cell phone it would look like amateur video. If you want to actually stabilize a camera, you may as well do it right. I can mount an iphone to my steadicam the same way I can mount a Arricam LT. I don't really care what kind of camera I use, but it won't look like cell phone footage shot by an average person, it will look like cell phone video shot by a professional steadicam operator.

Anyway, it's just some stupid thing they built to sell to stupid people. Not you James, just in general. Like I said, a $50 Cardellini is exactly the same thing, except it probably has a firmer and more secure grip on the phone.

 

Well, the problem being the question of TOTAL reality vs practicality, very small movement with such a tiny camera translates to sweeping movement on a large screen. No doubt, any footage shot by a professional steadicam operator such as yourself will look much better than your Joe Average guy shooting his family at the beach. I think something like this or your Cardellini would be somewhere between the two, not quite as nauseatingly shaky as amateur footage and not so slick as the perfectly steady work you do so it could pass as amateur footage without having the audience throwing up in the aisles. Did you look at the promotional video? there are SOME features I really like, like the light mount, i can tell you from experience with my Motorola Evoke QA4 that it doesn't like low light situations at all. I do totally agree the price is absurd but they did mention there would be a consumer version that will cost a lot less soon, but of course it will no doubt, cost far more than what it's worth. Zacuto's stuff is high, I guess it's their attempt to make it seem "professional" by making the costs astronomical, the old " if it cost THIS much, it's gotta be worth it" business philosophy.

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Then there's this when you want to change things up...

 

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/25/video-i...ount-we-giggle/

 

I want to know what the follow focus is for - switching from your Jonas Bros MP3 to the latest Lady Ga-Ga track???!!!

 

Gotta love the LED Lite Panel - like fill light is going to be your biggest problem!!!

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