Host: Kerry Garrison

Sponsors: GoPro, Blackbelt Lighting

Originally called L7 Foto (the L and 7 looking like an open box for ‘think outside the box) and renamed Camera Dojo in 2008 since so many people had issues with the F instead of PH.

I think I really innovated the photography podcast with almost 100 conversations with industry leaders. The first iteration of the podcast was completely unscripted and was never a simple Q&A session. After a hiatus to try to figure out how to re-invent the show, the GoCast was created with just myself as I drive to and from clients, shoots, or other locations sharing my thoughts on a particular topic.

In November of 2010 we launched Blackbelt Lighting Products as a sister site to Camera Dojo to sell good quality lighting equipment at the best prices we could. Blackbelt Lighting grew from just two products to a complete lineup in a very short period of time and continues to evolve and grow.

Looking back, I think I have done a pretty good job of keeping the content fresh, relative, and educational while striving to be as interesting and entertaining as possible. Over the years it has not been the love of the site, a competitive issue, and certainly not money that has kept Camera Dojo alive…it has been the readers. The emails I receive from some of you that something I said or wrote made a huge difference for you, that it changed your photography, or helped your business. Just knowing that I have made even a small difference in some people’s lives has meant everything to me and I very much appreciate hearing from everyone that has ever written in.

Now on to you…what would you like to see? What type of content do you need? Camera Dojo was not intended to be all about me spouting whatever I felt like every week. It has always, and will continue to be driven by the needs and requirements of its readers so let me know what you would like. Feel free to comment below or shoot me an email.

I want to thank all of you for being here, supporting the website, and giving me feedback. I also have to thank all of the sponsors who have graciously given of equipment, resources, and time to help me create content for you. Please support the sponsors of the site as they are some of the best companies in the industry and I couldn’t have done what I have done without them.

So what is in store for The Dojo? You have seen some articles lately relating to video, so look for that to be a big influencer not just on the content, but also in how the content is going to be presented. In 2012 we are going to launch some completely new concepts in photography education, maybe some of the ideas will work, maybe some won’t, but I have never been the type of person to not try something for fear it won’t work. In the end, it will be you, the Camera Dojo audience that will decide what works and what doesn’t. Maybe some of the ideas will need to be tweaked to work properly, but rest assured, I will continue to strive to provide the best content I possibly can and make it as entertaining as possible,

Features

Before we get into the one feature I really bought the DS214 for (yes, I bought it, full price from B&H, this is how much I wanted it) let’s go through some of the other features that make this unit such a cool device:

• 2 mic channels via the stereo minijack input
• Audio Input Meters
• AGC Disable (to get better SNR from cameras without manual control)
• 30dB typ max gain
• Headphone Amplifier
• Low-noise preamp
• Enclosure fabricated from Aluminum, Approx 3.5″ x 3″ x 1.7″

If you are not an audio expert, you might not know what most of that means, fear not reader, I will do my best to explain it as I understand it.

Our current video DSLR cameras have a single stereo microphone input but usually our microphones only feed in the audio in a single channel (left or right, sometimes combined). Sometimes, we want to use two mics for real stereo input but the difficulty is getting the audio levels to be level between the two channels. With the DS214 (and a specific cable) you can feed two channels into the amp and adjust the input levels with dials on the front of the unit and use the audio level meters to help adjust the levels. Thanks to a headset jack, you can also monitor the audio stream to make sure it is sounding good as well. By integrating a low-noise pre-amp, you can boost the input levels to ensure a goof quality recording.

That is about as technical as I can get without risking the possibility of being completely wrong, so if someone wants to chime in in the comments to help clarify this, please do.

The final feature is the AGC disable (much more on this latter) which rather effectively disables the aforementioned AGC in the camera to allow the camera to record good clean audio.

AGC Disable

There are plenty of amps available with a plethora of features but the DS214 has a feature specific to what I wanted, and this is AGC disable. When you turn on the AGC Disable feature the DS214 mixes both of the left and right channels into a single track that is fed into the left channel while a tone generator feeds a signal into the right channel. The generated tone tricks the AGC system in the camera into thinking there is a lot of noise coming in which causes the AGC to essentially shut off.

While your camera ends up with a really clean audio track on one channel, you also get an unusable right channel that you need to delete in post production. If you are using Sony Vegas or Final Cut, JuicedLink has some instructions for removing the right channel. If you are using Adobe Premiere Pro 5.5, I have come up with the following instructions:

Right click on video clip in the timeline and select ‘Edit Clip in Adobe Audition’
In Audition, right click on sound file in file bin and select ‘Extract Channels to Mono Files’
This will create a file for each channel
Delete the original file and the <filename>_R file
Double-click on the <filename>_L file
Do any processing you want
Save file
Imported new sound file back into Premiere
Right click on video clip in timeline and select Unlink
Delete the audio track
Add new audio track into timeline and align with video track (should snap into position)

How Well Does It Work

To be sure that I was going to get the best results I actually read the DS214 Manual which includes a section on tuning the AGC Disable for the 7D. Once all setup, it was time to try out the new system. I connected an Audio-Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Microphone ($21) and pinned it up near my collar like normal. The resulting audio was so good you could hear every breath I took. I actually ended up having to move the mic from my collar to about mid-chest and turn down the input gain a little. The result was crystal clear audio at a great volume.

Is It Worth It?

If you are planning on doing a good amount of video work and you really want to save time in post production by not having to sync audio that you recorded to a secondary audio device, the $144 may end up paying for itself in very short order. If I only did occasional video, I probably wouldn’t spend the money, but since I do a large amount of video for different client projects and have a huge amount of video work planned for next year, even saving a few minutes per project will pay for itself many times over.

Built-In Obsolescence?

For me, the DS214 was purchased to overcome a shortcoming in the Canon 7D audio system. That being said, the Canon 5D Mk II had the exact same limitation which was eventually overcome with both a firmware update as well as the Magic Lantern firmware mod. The current firmware on the 7D is not allowing the Magic Lantern team to create a package for the 7D. This could literally change overnight if Canon releases a firmware with the ability to disable AGC or allow a Magic Lantern modification. The question is, does the DS214 becoming nothing but an expensive paperweight when this day finally comes. The answer is….no.

Even when the AGC disable feature is no longer needed, I will still have a great pre-amp with separate audio input controls, visual audio indicator meters, and a headphone jack for live monitoring. With these extra features, the JuicedLink DS214 will continue to serve multiple purposes for my video recording purposes.

What Could Be Improved?

The only real issue I have is dealing with how to mount the DS214 to the camera. For me, almost all of my video work is done in a studio with the camera on a tripod. With a simple adapter, I can put the DS214 on the camera’s hot shoe making it very conveniently placed to plug into the camera’s mic port. What would be ideal (in my opinion) would be a way to mount it under the camera and then attach a tripod quick mount to the bottom of the DS214. This would be more convenient when using the camera off the tripod. If you are using some kind of cage for your camera than you probably have more flexibility in your mounting options.

If you are using the 7D and want to use in-camera audio then you really have no choice right now. Until the 7D has a means of disabling the AGC system, there simply isn’t a way to get really good quality audio into the camera.

Juicedlink: http://juicedlink.com/
B&H: juicedLink DS214 $144
Amazon: JuicedLink DS214 $144

GoPro Announces Wi-Fi Remote Control and Video Streaming

2x More Powerful in Every Way, The HD HERO2 Democratizes Professional Image Capture and Broadcast with Support for Remote Control and Live Video Streaming from Virtually Anywhere to the Web.

GoPro today announced the release of its new HD HERO2® camera. Twice as powerful as GoPro’s original HD HERO camera, the HD HERO2 enables consumers and professionals to capture and broadcast their lives’ most exciting moments in professional quality 1080p HD video and 11 megapixel photos. The new HD HERO2 is now available at GoPro.com, specialty retailers around the world, and at Best Buy for MSRP $299.99

• 2x Sharper lens
• Megapixels: 11, 8, 5 MP wide (170º) FOV, medium (127º) FOV, narrow (90º) FOV
• 10 photos in 1 sec
• TimeLapse every 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 30,60
• LED Lights: 4 (on all sides)
• Inputs: Mini-HDMI port, Composite port, USB, SD, HERO port, 3.5mm External Stereo Mic port

WiFi BacPac

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/662757342

IMG_2058	IMG_2059
IMG_2080	IMG_2082RV
3I8O3658	3I8O3711
IMG_5385	IMG_4844RV
30	IMG_4326RV
IMG_2031C	IMG_2031RV
IMG_0208	IMG_0209
IMG_0209RV

Be sure and check out Roberto’s website at: http://www.robertovalenzuelaphotography.com
Follow Roberto on twitter at @robertophoto

Show Host: Kerry Garrison

Images discussed during the show

Christina

Lips Blow Cue

Sylvianne's Vineyard

Renée Robyn floor

Dave Burns Hawaii

Dave Montizambert’s Website: http://www.montizambert.com

Dramatic Lighting Workshop May 15-16: http://www.wix.com/sarahreid/lightingworkshop

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com

Book Mention: How to Get Ideas – Jack Foster

Upcoming Workshop
http://photonortheast.com/

4 day fusion workshop
http://www.niagaraschool.com/

Be sure and check out Jason’s work at http://jasongroupp.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com
Twitter / Facebook

Later in the show Kerry and Robert discuss the current Fusion trend of mixing still images and video.

Be sure and check out Robert’s sites at:

• http://www.robertevans.com
• http://www.celebrityweddingphotographer.com
• http://www.photofusionworkshops.com
• Engage Video

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Syl Arena

• Syl’s Blog: http://pixsylated.com/
• Speedliting.com
• OCFGear.com
• Speedliter’s Handbook

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

In this podcast episode episode Kerry sits down with Troy to discuss how Troy gets such vivid and dynamic images in the middle of the night.

Be sure and check out Troy’s work at http://lostamerica.com

You can also subscribe to Troy’s Flickr and Facebook profiles to see a new image almost every day.

We both hope this encourages you to go out and try some different techniques and see if you will enjoy doing something a little different.

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com

Chris’ work can be seen at http://chrisdset.com and his blog is at http://chrisdiset.net

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com

Features

These are four channel wireless flash triggers for using off-camera flash with either speedlites or studio lights. The transmitter can be triggered either by having it on the hot shoe of your camera or via a PC Sync cable connected to your camera body. The receivers can fire a flash either from the hot shoe or via PC Sync as well. Unlike many similar products available, these also include a built-in umbrella holder.

Specifications

• 4 channels with hot shoe connector for external flashes
• Transmitter Power: 23A 12V battery
• Receiver Power: 2 AAA Battery (Not included)
• Maximum Working Distance: 30m (open area, without interference)
• Operates on Frequency: 433MHz
• Sync speed up to 1/320s (depending on camera)
• Standby time: one year
• Triggering life: up to 20,000 times

Compatible with

Canon SpeedLite 580EX II, 580EX, 550EX, 540EZ, 520EZ, 430EZ,430EX, 430EX II, 420EX, 420EZ, 380EX
Nikon SpeedLite SB900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-28, SB-27, SB-26, SB-25, SB-24
Olympus FL-50R, FL-50, FL-36R, FL-36
Pentax AF-540 FGZ, AF-360 FGZ, AF-400 FT, AF-240 FT
Sigma EF-530 DG Super, EF-500 DG Super, EF-430
Sunpak Auto 2000DZ, 622 Pro, 433AF, 433D, 383, 355AF, 344D, 333D
Vivitar 285HV, DF-400MZ, DF-340MZ, 2700
Other flash models with a trigger voltage of 12V or lower

Setup

The only real setup you need to do is to make sure the switches on the transmitter and the receiver are set to the same channel. Press the test button and make sure the LED on the receiver flashes. If the two are talking you are good to connect your flash to the receiver and put the transmitter on the camera.

In my tests I can reliably get 90 feet of range, any more than that and reliability starts dropping fast with almost no firing occurring at 100’.

Usage

There is nothing really magical about using wireless flash triggers, you press the shutter and the flash goes off. What really matters is being able to put your light where you want it, when you want it. Over the years there have been plenty of times when I wanted to set up a quick remote flash but my light stands were out in the car or worse, back at home. However, I always have my tripod with me attached to the side of my camera bag. With the built-in umbrella holder I can now pull out my tripod, put the flash trigger on the tripod, and pop in an umbrella for a quick lighting setup.

If you are expecting complete control of your remote flashes just as if you were using the wireless system built into your Canon or Nikon brand flashes, then your expectations are going to be off a bit. These wireless triggers are designed to fire remote speedlites or studio monolights that have manual output control. Once you manually set the power output on the flash, then these are good to go.

In the Camera Dojo Store we are now selling these wireless flash triggers as a kit with a transmitter and two receivers for $49.95 and additional receivers for $19.95. Until the end of November, get 15% off with discount code Dojo15. Check them out at the online store at http://blackbeltlighting.com. We also have a mini-site for all of the lighting products at http://cameradojo.com/blackbelt.

Trek-Tech

My wife bought a Tech Trek Pod for me last year.  A very versatile monopod/tripod. I have the Trek Pod II which does not break down as far as the TrekPod Go Pro or the TrekPod XL. So this was my second stop of the day.  My  trek pod uses  a MagMount  ball head.  This is ball head is a quick release system. It uses strong earth magnets for use with D-SLR cameras. Unfortunately I lost the pieces which attaches to the camera.

I was talking with the guy at Trek-Tech and explained that I lost the part. He asked me to come back at the end of the day and he would see what he could do for me.  Long story short, I came back around 4PM and he GAVE me a MagMount STAR ball head !!! Can you believe it !!! I have heard of great customer service before but this goes WAY above my expectations. With this type of commitment to a customer, I have no doubt that I will be recommending and buying more of their products in the future.

If you want to travel light with the smallest weight possible check out their full line of Trek Pods at http://www.trek-tech.com/ and rest assured that you are buying from a customer service driven organization.

Nik HDR EFEX PRO

I LOVE high dynamic range photography.  I have been using   PhotoMatrix and happy with the results. Now step in HDR arena with NIK HDR EFEX PRO. I stopped by the NIK booth and they were doing a demo of the HDR software. I was floored by the ability of this software.  NIK is well known  for it’s U-Point technology and this is incorporated in the software. The ability to selectively  control a portion of an image easily is a HUGE time saver and it gives you greater control of the final outcome. The user interface is very intuitive. The learning curve on the software is almost 0!!! The visual presets are a bonus. You can easily and quickly determine the look you are going for in your HDR image. One feature that I love is the ability to export the images in lightroom to NIK without even opening Photoshop. Select your images…Click on export as a preset and NIk software runs all of it’s algorithms. When you are satisfied with the result, click on save and your HDR image appears in lightroom  !!!!  An excellent way to streamline your work flow. NIK is offering a 15 day free trial. I am on my second day with the software. I have to tell you I am very impressed with the results so far.

Spider Camera Holster

How cool is it to sling your camera like a gun? Spider Holster has all of the elements of cool. I bought the system last year at the Photo east show. I have not used it much and it has been residing in my storage case. I am not sure if this is my style or not.  I dropped by the spider booth at PDN and it was packed with people testing out the belt system and buying one. My main reason for stopping by the booth was to return my belt from last year for a new and improved one.  Two of the thousands Spider belt users reported the buckle opening without having to depress the required pressure point.  Spider sent out a notice to all of the Spider Camera Holster users about the potential issue. Spider gladly exchanged my old holster for a new one. I’ll have to place the belt on my camera carrying arsenal this year.

OnOne Software

I dropped by the OnOne booth. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my favorite Photoshop guys doing a demo,Dave Cross!!! Dave was performing a demo of OnOne’s Photoframe 4.6. Dave is always creative and finds alternative editing methods that I would never think of. OnOne user interface is very easy and modifying  a file after the initial processing in OnOne’s software could not be easier. Can you belive that the company gives away stuff for free !!! Right now OnOne is offering 190 FREE lightroom presets. I have downloaded the presets and using them in lightroom. In case you missed it, OnOne has a new upgrade from Plug in Suite 5. It’s called Perfect Photo Suite 5. One of the changes is Genuine Fractals. It’s has been dramatically changed and the new version of Genuine Fractals is called  PERFECT RESIZE 7. The new name REALLY makes a lot of sense to me. There are several new features including more control over structure and smoothness.. New presets and batch processing. It runs as a standalone application, Lightroom, Aperature, or Photoshop plug in. A new product in the suite is called Perfect Layers. Perfect Layers will be coming in December. There are a dozen new effects in Photo Tools 2.6. OnOne has always made innovative products that streamline work flow.

Nations Photo Lab

I dropped by Nations Photo since I do a lot of wedding and event photography. They have an extensive line up of albums for photographers.  I love the look of the lay flat albums. They have a TON of options for their photo albums.  Nations will be announcing a drag and drop album design feature to their website. Also coming is a section for learning photography.  They also have FREE shipping on orders over $50.00. After checking out Nations Photos albums and prints, I had to stop back near the end of the day to see Rick Sammon. Rick is a Canon explorer of light. I have a few of Rick Sammons books and watched his videos on Kelby training. Rick provided the group with an inspirational and educational discussion. He went into detail on how he was able to create some of his art work. It is great to see a company like Nations Photo providing not only providing a quality product but helping photographers improve in their art.

Hahnemuhle

I wanted to pick up the sampler pack for $10 but it was only available at other vendors at the show. I did pick up the SMALL FREE pack. If I was into printing, I would pick up some of this high quality paper. Their stock looks amazing.  I have no desire to print my own work on an inkjet printer.  You have to draw the line somewhere in regards to how you spend your time.

LensBaby

I have the original LensBaby 2.0 and it did take time to be accustomed to using., so I wanted to drop by LensBaby and see what was new. I never heard of the Lens Baby Scout before. I knew there was an attachment for the Composer to go fish eye. What a surprise to see the Scout. The Scout is a fixed 12mm fisheye lens. With a price point of $250 this is a right up my alley. This lens is a niche lens and used too much it can get gimmicky as would any other fish eye.  With the current price point, this is on my buy list of lenses. The Scout is also compatible with the other Lens Baby optics. It offers a creative lens flare when pointed at a bright object and close focusing.  LensBaby is truly an innovative company.

Luma Pix

Bar none, this is the most advanced, fastest and light weight album design on the planet. I have designed albums in Photoshop and used web based album design. I have tried free versions of software, I have used trial versions of software, and Luma Pix is the fastest, most versatile software program I have used for album design. The uses for the software are limitless – Business cards, Collages, Seniors, it will even do Auto Collages. The software is user friendly and non destructive. If you do a lot of album design work, do yourself a favor and take this program out for a test drive. The trial version is full featured but it will watermark the output.

Sigma

All I can say about Sigma is WOW. I am a canon user and have been for a long time. I have a few pieces of L glass. I have to say that the current line of Sigma lenses could be considered L killers!! I was able to try out the 85 1.4. What a beautiful piece of glass! The finish looks great and the focus is FAST. I am on Canon forums and all of the pictures I have seen taken with this lens are outstanding.  I have noticed a lot of  Canon 85L 1.2 being sold on the forums. From what I understand the L owners are selling to buy the Sigma 1.4. No doubt, this will be my next lens. I also had a chance to look at the Sigma 8-16, this lens is amazing. The angle of view is 114.5” to 75.7”. It’s lightweight at 19 ounces- 4.2 inches long and a diameter of 2.9 inches. It’s a small lens designed  for APS-c camera’s only. This would be an ideal landscape lens. The exterior finish of the Sigma lens has a nice look and feel. A very nice lens but I am not sure if I am sticking with the APS-c format camera.  Sigma is also announcing a  Scholarship contest. Students can submit images from Nov.15.2010 to Feb 28^th 2011. The winner will receive $5,00 in cash and $1,000 in Sigma equipment. SWEEEETTTTT!! For more information got to HTTP://scholarship.sigmaphoto.com. It’s really nice to see a major corporation give back. It will be very interesting to see the images posted for the contest.

SD1

This camera was under wraps for the most part. I was lucky enough to get the preview of it. The battery was removed and no CF card. There was no way to sneak away with images from this camera. The camera was hooked up to AC power for me. It has a nice grip and feel. I was able to fire the shutter and see them pop up on the back display. This camera is 46 mega pixels! All on an APS-c sensor. The direct image sensor in the SD1 captures all of the primary RGB colors at each and every pixel location. There are 15.3 mega pixels per layer using three layers. This is how a 46 megapixel  image is captured.  The Sigma SD1 uses the Foveon X3 Direct image sensor with a APS-C 1.5 Focal length multiplier. Sigma did have images taken with the SD1 displayed in their booth and the quality is outstanding.

—–

Ed Can be found at http://www.steelcityphotography.com

Features

I want to start off with the negative to get it out of the way. This is a manual flash, it does not talk to the camera to determine the correct amount of flash to fire like the Canon or Nikon flashes do with their associated camera bodies. With the YN560 you set the amount of power the flash is going to put out. Do not panic! Learning to set correct lighting power is fairly simple and there are some basic guidelines to use to get dialed in quickly, more on that is the Usage section.

Enough with the negatives, this flash is otherwise loaded with features. From a power point of view it is virtually identical to a Canon 580 EX II or Nikon SB-800. The head rotates 90 degrees to the right and 180 degrees to the left while being able to tilt just over 90 degrees.

Just like the Canon 580 EX/EX II, the YN560 features a pull-out Wide Angle lens and Catch-light card. The head also allows you to zoom the focus point of the light from 24mm to 105mm. The flash power is fully adjustable from 1/128 power to full power.

One of the big problems with many manual flashes with optical slaves is that any flash will cause them to fire. Canon or Nikon flashes send out a pre-flash to determine exposure and then send out the final flash for the exposure, this pre-flash will fire most manual flashes. The S2 mode on the YN560 will ignore the pre-flash and only fire when the main flash goes off. Along with optical slave firing, the YN560 also has a PC Sync Port and can be used in the hot shoe of your camera.

• Flash zoom from 24mm – 105mm
• GN58 @ ISO100
• Optical Slave
• Hot Shoe Trigger
• PC Sync Port
• External Power Port
• Audible Ready Tone
• Fast Recharge Rate
• Granular control from 1/128 to full power
• Vertical Rotation angle: -7~90 degree
• Horizontal rotation angel: 0~270 degree

Setup

The only thing you need to do in order to start using the YN560 is to install batteries. In “M” mode, the YN560 can be used in your camera’s hot shoe or can be connected to your camera with a PC Sync cable. In “S1” mode the YN560 will use the optical slave and fire when any other flash goes off. This setting is fine when using other YN560’s or studio strobe lights. As mentioned earlier, the “S2” mode will ignore the pre-flash of TTL flashes allowing you to use the YN560 along with those flashes.

Usage

If you have never used a manual flash before it can seem rather intimidating but with just a little knowledge you can learn to use the YN560 as even your main flash in just a few minutes.

If you need to add some light to a scene, unless you have had a ton of experience, it is rather hard to simply know what the flash settings should be. Here is a quick shortcut to getting the right settings within just a few test shots.

1. Power up the flash by holding down the On/Off button until the flash is fully powered up
2. Use the left/right buttons to adjust the power output to the middle position
3. Take a test shot
4. If the scene is too bright, press the left button twice / If the scene is too dark, press the right button twice
5. Fine tune the lighting with single presses left or right
6. If you cant get the scene bright enough, you will need to increase your ISO or open your Aperture up more
7. If the scene is still too bright even on the lowest setting, you will need to lower your ISO or close your Aperture down more

That’s really it. Assuming you are already in the ball park with your aperture and ISO settings, you should generally be able to get the power output dialed in within three test shots.

When using the YN560 off-camera, turning on the audible ready alert is a great way to be sure that the flash is fully charged and ready to fire without being able to see the ready light.

A cool trick I learned from David Ziser a year or so ago was to use the flash’s zoom feature. A good example for using this is when you shooting a table of people at a reception. Let’s say you are shooting the table with a 100mm focal length, with a Canon 580 EX/EX II the flash will automatically zoom to 100mm to help focus the light, this can cause the people at the back to be lit but the people that are much closer can be too dark. By zooming the flash back to 24mm you get a wide angle of flash to light the entire table evenly. Conversely, you can zoom all the way out to 105mm when shooting a short focal length and the zoomed flash will give you a snooted effect with a natural vignette around the subject.

Results

The light from the YN560 is consistent in power and temperature and the unit recycles nice and fast. It’s actually fairly hard to say anything bad about the YN560 unless you just have to have TTL control in which case this is not the flash for you. For anyone wanting to have a very affordable lighting kit, the YN560 is really a terrific purchase considering you can buy three of them for the cost of a single 580 EX II or SB-800.

The fact is, the YN560 impressed me so much that I bought several hundred of them in order to sell to people wanting to get their lighting kits started. If this batch sells I will continue to bring them in and offer them on CameraDojo.com.

The list price of the YN560 is $120 which includes free shipping. Camera Dojo readers can get an additional $20 off by using the discount code Flash20. To purchase the YN560, please visit http://blackbeltlighting.com.

This week Kerry and David discuss a variety of topics including lighting, business, marketing, and staying in touch with your clients.Show Links

David Ziser
http://digitalprotalk.com

Matt McGraw

http://www.mattmcgrawphotography.com/home.html

Worldwide Photography Webcast
http://kppablog.blogspot.com

Discount code for David’s Captured by the Light Tour: cbldpt10
http://capturedbythelight2010.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com

http://pixsylated.com

http://speedliting.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com

You can follow CameraDojo at http://twitter.com/cameradojo and http://facebook.com/cameradojo

Show Links

Gadget Infinity
http://gadgetinfinity.com

Flash Zebra
http://flashzebra.com

Show Hosts

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com

Jason Anderson
http://canonblogger.com

Here are the apps Thomas mentioned on the show:

Thomas Hawk Links

• ThomasHawk.com
• Thomas Hawk on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/
• Thomas Hawk on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thomashawk

Scott Kelby Photowalk

• http://worldwidephotowalk.com
• Kerry’s Photowalk: http://worldwidephotowalk.com/old-town-tustin-ca-usa

Show Hosts

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kerrygarrison Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/garrisonphotography

Visit Gavin’s site at http://seimstudios.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com
http://twitter.com/kerrygarrison

Jason’s Project is at http://mydroidpics.com which features pictures taken with his Motorola Droid phone. I challenged Jason to post more frequent images to his site.

I was challenged by Jason to work on my photo-a-day project by creating a website dedicated to those images. To hold up my part of the challenge, I launched http://kerrysdroidpics.com and put in the last few days of images that I have been working on.

We also talked about our upcoming Learning Lightroom 3 Workshops that will be held in six cities coming up soon, for more information, check out http://cameradojo.com/workshops.

During the show, we mentioned a few links:

• American Express Faces Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m56F 4EKN9hg
• We also found a very similar Audi commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JklJOfw-1d0
• Andie Smith: http://www.andiesmithphotography.net/index2.php?v=v1#/home/

Call in to leave a question for future shows at (888) 436-8647

Show Hosts

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

Jason Anderson

http://canonblogger.com Twitter

This podcast is available on iTunes.

1. Ask yourself – what do you love?
2. Set aside time and money – and know your limitations.
3. Come up with a few ideas – brainstorm with a few people for an hour two or three -and do it a few times.
4. Choose a visual style.  A few consistent elements, but not too many.  Have room to grow.
5. Keep it possible.  (While the Sunlight and Water work was certainly an investment for me, my other personal projects cost little or nothing at all.  I found the models, and set everything up.  There is nothing keeping you from doing the same thing, except yourself.)
6. Just plan one set – too many creates too much resistance.
7. Find your subjects.
8. Schedule it, just like any other shoot.
9. Edit and finish.
10. Look for points of growth.  Where can you improve?  What repeated?  Where can you step off from?
11. Plan a second set (see 5-8).
12. Think about big ideas.
13. Show the work.

Be sure and check out Mark’s Sunlight and Water project at http://sunlightandwater.com

You can find Mark’s website and info about all of his upcoming workshops at: http://studiomark.com/

You can also check out my wedding shot with a Lensbaby at:
http://kerrygarrison.com/2010/05/11/lensbaby-wedding-project/

Call in to leave a question for future shows at (888) 436-8647

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

General

• On Mac, the ‘hit zone’ for the right scroll bar in the grid view has been expanded so that a closed right hand panel doesn’t automatically open too easily. The automatic panel opening experience has been modified so that it takes a longer amount of time for the panel to open in cases of overshooting the scrollbar. (Mouse towards the white triangle for instant opening) Please provide feedback on this new behavior so that it can be modified or added to the Windows version of Lightroom.
• Images can be sorted by aspect ratio
• The catalog selection dialog has been expanded and improved

Library

• You can backup your catalog when you quit Lightroom instead of on launch
• A volume can be ejected or un-mounted from your system directly from the volume browser in the Library module.
• Collections can be created directly within a collection set by right-clicking on the collection set
• Images can be sorted by aspect ratio
• The name of a collection is displayed when an image is added to a target collection
• Stack badges can now be toggled on or off independently in the filmstrip via an interface preference
• Erasing with the spray paint tool now requires the use of the Alt key
• Select a folder in the Library module and choose a new option “Import to here” to launch the import dialog with that folder preselected as the destination
• The import dialog provides source folder and destination volume capacity information
• The option to include items from subfolders has been included in the primary Folder panel drop down menu
• Choose Library -> Show Missing Images to locate offline or missing files
• A lock icon has been added to the metadata filter bar in the Library module to make filter selections “global” across folders or collections
• An icon has been added to grid thumbnails to indicate that an image is part of a collection. Click on that icon to view and/or visit the collection
• Favorite sources can be added to the filmstrip source pop-up menu for quick access to specific collections or folders
• Flash state is now included as part of the smart collection filter criteria
• When the ‘spray can’ is used to add an image to a collection, the collection name is now displayed upon application
• The optimize catalog feature is now available in the File menu
• Lightroom now imports CMYK files. Any output, with the exception of export original, or adjustments to these images will take place in an RGB color space
• Filters are now longer automatically “sticky” on folders or collections

Develop

• Hitting the X key in crop mode will rotate the aspect ratio
• Crop presets choices have been edited for clarity
• A checkbox has been added to the toolbar to turn on/off overlay visibility
• All adjustment brush and graduated filter sliders can be reset by holding down Option/Alt and clicking on Amount
• The color setting for the adjustment brush and graduated filter clearly display an ‘x’ overlay when no color is selected
• The Collections panel is now available in the Develop Module
• The targeted adjustment tool is deactivated when switching to a new Develop panel
• The local adjustment brush and graduated filter panel have been simplified to a single mode (Previously there was a button and slider ‘mode’)

Slideshow

• The music selection in the Slideshow module has been decoupled from iTunes on the Mac
• Click the track duration to sync the length of the slideshow to the length of the music track

Print

• Black or a custom color can be selected for a print layout background
• The Identity Plate can be moved in small increments by selecting it and using the arrow keys
• Match photo aspect ratio is now a persistent option in the Cell panel

Export

• The file extension case(UPPER/lower) can be selected in the export dialog

Be sure and check out out complete Lightroom 3 Learning Center for lots of other information about Lightroom 3.

To Download a 30 Day trial version of Lightroom 3, please visit: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/

Be sure and check out our Learning Lightroom 3 Workshop coming to a city near you!

Lightroom 3 Quick Links Learning Lightroom Workshop Tour Lightroom 3 Shortcut Keys Podcast with Tom Hogarty, Lightroom 3 Product manager Tom Hogarty’s Lightroom Journal Lightroom 3′s Lesser Known New Features

Kerry Garrison Publisher – CameraDojo.com Welcome to the CameraDojo Lightroom 3.0 Learning Center. We have prepared some of our favorite videos here for you and will be adding more resources to this page as often as we can.

• Enhanced Watermarking
• Performance Improvements
• Exportable Slideshow Videos
• Improved Importing
• Better Noise Reduction
• Improved Sharpening
• Multiple Image Print Layouts

and much much more

Be sure and check out the CameraDojo Lightroom Learning Center for tons of information about Lightroom 3 at http://cameradojo.com/lightroom3

Camera Dojo – Yup, there’s an app for that!

We are thrilled to announce that we have just launched a new application for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad! The new Camera Dojo application will automatically pull in the latest podcasts that feature some of the top photographers and industry leaders in the business.  Coming soon will be bonus material such as tutorial videos and interviews that will be exclusively for Camera Dojo application.

Currently on the iPad it works great but doesn’t yet take advantage of the extra screen real estate, that will be coming in a future version.

If you want your Dojo Mojo as soon as it is available, then you want the Camera Dojo iPhone App!

Itunes: Camera Dojo App

http://studiougly.com/
http://photogzilla.blogspot.com/

http://scottrobertgallery.com
http://speedliting.com

Call in to leave a question for future shows at (888) 436-8647

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

The “Just Do It” features incorporate over 30 different features that address workflow as well as performance issues.

The complete list of JDI features includes:

• Added a Gradient Tool preset for neutral density
• Added the ability to save to unsupported bit depth for JPEGs (down-sampling 16-bit files to 8-bit)
• Enabled easier reversing of clone source
• Included a “Don’t Show this Message Again” checkbox for the “Maximize Compatibility” option
• Lowered the default amount for Shadows/Highlights
• Enabled the ability to move a selection while an active layer is hidden
• Added an option for turning off Mac touch gesture support
• Added a command for deleting all empty layers
• Added straighten image behavior to the existing ruler tool
• Added the ability to close all open images without saving
• Added a preference to always default to the folder you last saved an image to
• Added the ability to drag and drop a file onto an open PSD to create a layer
• Made 7 improvements to Lens Correction along with significant feature work:
  • The grid display is now off by default
  • The show grid, grid size and grid color are now sticky
  • Default grid size has been increased from 16 to 64
  • Decimal point adjustments for the chromatic aberration correction sliders are now allowed
  • Added a third slider to correct the common green/magenta aberrations with one slider instead of two
  • Replaced “Background Color” with “Black Color” and added “White Color” edge fill option in the edge fill type drop-down
  • Reset to reset calibration settings only
• Added tile size control plus presets for setting cache and tile size simultaneously
• In the Adjustments panel, enabled an option to have panel text fields take focus when an adjustment is created or selected
• In the Adjustments panel, enabled a keyboard shortcut (Shift-Enter/Return) to put the focus on the panel text fields
• Increased performance for the OBJ file importer, making it faster to import OBJ files
• Added the ability to adjust the opacity of multiple layers
• Added the ability to adjust the fill of multiple layers
• Added individual layer style defaults (user-configurable)
• Added GPU rule-of-thirds to the crop tool and color picker

Be sure and grab a trial version of Photoshop CS5 at http://adobe.com

• Content Aware Fill/Healing
• Merge to HDR Pro
• Noise Reduction Improvements
• Refine Edges Improvements
• Puppet Warp
• Lens Correction Improvements
• Brush Engine Enhancements
• Mini Bridge

Bryan also mentions some major enhancements to the sharpening tool which hasn’t been mentioned anywhere else before.

Call in to leave a question for future shows at (888) 436-8647

Show Host

Kerry Garrison

http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

• Apple’s iPad – http://apple.com
• New Drobo FS – http://drobo.com
• Zosh.com – http://zosh.com
• OpSound.org – http://opsound.org
• Lightroom 2.7 – http://adobe.com
• Lightroom 3.0 Beta 2 – http://labs.adobe.com
• Adobe CS5 Launch – http://adobe.com
• Selecting a Printer and much more!

Call in to leave a question for future shows at (888) 436-8647

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Neil was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, but emigrated to the USA in 2000. Neil is now a resident of New Jersey, USA, where he lives with his wife and daughter. He has also traveled through parts of Africa and Europe.

You can check out Neil’s website at http://neilvn.com or follow him on twitter at http://twitter.com/neil_vn.

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

CameraDojo listeners can get 10% off of Scott’s products and workshops with discount code: camdojox

Scott’s Website
www.scottrobertgallery.com

Scott’s Current Portfolio
http://gallery.me.com/scottrobertlim#100029

Scott’s Learning Guide
www.scottrobertmasterflash.com

1 day workshops and mentoring program
www.scottrobertworldtour.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

• WPPI – http://www.wppionline.com
• ExpoAperture Discs – http://www.expoimaging.com
• DOFMaster.com – http://dofmaster.com
• Digital Pro Talk – http://digitalprotalk.com
• Digital Wakeup Call: http://digitalwakeupcall.com/
• David’s book
  • Captured by the Light: The Essential Guide to Creating Extraordinary Wedding Photography
  • $34.94 – Available on Amazon.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Syl’s new book LIDLIPS Lessons I Didn’t Learn In Photo School is available on Amazon for only $13.45.

Be sure and check out Syl’s websites: http://pixsylated.com and  http://speedliting.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Roberto talks about composition and gives the following guidelines:

• Choose a selective focusing technique
• Placement and composition of your main subject
• Use converging lines
• Use repetitive elements
• Use Framing techniques

http://www.robertovalenzuelaphotography.com or follow Roberto on twitter at http://twitter.com/robertophoto

Roberto also mentioned the Magic Lantern Guides Camera Books that help your learn your camera and what the controls do.

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Note: While the information contained in this podcast may be useful to you, due to multiple complaints from Camera Dojo readers regarding poor service and lack of communication, we no longer endorse or recommend using Marc Fuller’s consulting services.

Marc Fuller’s Website:
http://marcfuller.com

Marc’s top 20 list of WordPress plugins
http://marcfuller.com/2009/12/top-twenty-plugins-for-using-wordpress-as-a-website-cms/

Don’t forget about Marc’s Try-it, Like-it, Buy-it offer. With “Try it, Like it, Buy it” Marc will place on your server/host a full working demonstration installation of Kertesz II complete with functioning main page, blog page, contact, NextGen gallery etc..  Then you can explore it as much as they want.  If you like it and decide to use it, either as your entire site or as a complement to a Flash site, then you pay for it and Marc will support you in making it custom to your use – including placing it a new folder, importing your current blog (if you have one) etc. And then when ready to go live, revisit your hosting; doing page replacement if needed, WP tweaks, SEO adjustments, etc.  The price for all this remains at just $267.00 but not payable unless you decide they like it and want to use it and Marc’s services.

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

To enter to win a copy of Gary’s book, you need to follow these instructions:

Go to Gary’s blog site at: http://garyfong1.xanga.com/

You may need to go back a little bit, but you need to find the answer to the question “What animal makes a good pet”

Send your answer to contest@cameradojo.com with the subject “Gary Fong Contest”. We will pull several names on Jan 15th 2010.

Be sure and check out all of Gary’s products at http://garyfonginc.com/

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Kerry and Jules also announce their upcoming workshop on Jan 26th. For more information on the Light, Location, and Love workshop, please check out:
http://cameradojo.com/2009/12/09/light-location-love-workshop-with-jules-bianchi-and-kerry-garrison/

Be sure and check out Jules’ website at http://julescafe.com.

Don’t forget about our CameraDojo MediaSmart Server Giveaway

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Jim provides some good insight into current purchasing trends that Pictage is seeing and talks about how to incorporate this information into your business.

Jim also discusses some of the changes going on with Pictage and the upcoming Pictage PartnerCon.

Pictage: http://pictage.com

PartnerCon: http://pro.pictage.com/community/ppc/neworleans/

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Chase’s Links:

Chase on Twitter / Facebook

Chase Jarvis website: http://chasejarvis.com

The Best Camera: http://thebestcamera.com

The Best Camera Is The One That’s With You: iPhone Photography by Chase Jarvis (on Amazon)

Songs for Eating and Drinking: http://www.songsforeatinganddrinking.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

Jamie talks about her techniques, equipment, dealing with animals, and getting great shots.

Be sure and check out Jamie’s work at:

http://cowbelly.com
http://cowbellyblog.com
http://cowbellyworkshops.com

Show Host

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

• Hot Shoe Diaries
  Joe McNally [Amazon $26.39]
  You cannot go wrong with Joe’s tips on lighting, simply superb, a must read
• Fast Track Photographer
  Dane Sanders [Amazon $26.95]
  Run your business, don’t let it run you. Learn how to get your career on the right track
• Digital Photography Book 1, 2, 3
  Scott Kelby [Vol 1 Amazon $16.49] [Vol 2 Amazon $16.49] [Vol 3 Amazon $16.49]
  I am including all three books in the series (hence 17 books), these recipe books help you get the shot you want
• The Moment it Clicks
  Joe McNally [Amazon $34.64]
  Excellent background and stories on different shots. Inspirational and educational
• Light: Science and Magic
  Fil Hunter [Amazon $30.91 ]
  Some consider this to be the ultimate book on lighting
• Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision
  David DuChemin [Amazon $26.39]
  Within the Frame is a book about finding and expressing your photographic vision, specifically where people, places, and cultures are concerned.
• Beaton: Portraits
  Terence Pepper [Amazon $40.50]
  This is an essay of the works of Sir Cecil Beaton who was a major contributor to Vogue and Vanity Fair
• Lighting for Photography: Techniques for Studio and Location Shoots
  Glenn Rand [Amazon $23.07]
  This book shows how to perfect lighting in the studio as well as on location
• Sculpting with Light: Techniques for Portrait Photographers
  Allison Earnest [Amazon $23.07]
  “With tips for working with individuals and groups, indoors and out, this book is not to be missed.”  —ImagingInfo.com
• The Daybooks of Edward Weston
  Beaumont Newhall [Amazon $44.97]
  This book gives an intimate view into the day-to-day trials of a working artist, Edward Weston
• Keith Carter Photographs: Twenty-Five Years
  Keith Carter [Amazon $35.00]
  Be inspired by looking through 25 years of Keith Carter’s work
• Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography
  Kirk Tuck [Amazon $23.07]
  “Pure gold, showing real solutions to real lighting situations and along the way creating some of the most natural-looking on-location portraits.”  —Shutterbug
• Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography
  Kirk Tuck [Amazon $23.07]
  “Richly illuminated with location portraits and a few still lifes, and written in a clean down-to-earth style.”  —ppmag.com
• The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos
  Michael Freeman [Amazon $19.77]
  The Photographer’s Eye shows how anyone can develop the ability to see and shoot great digital photographs.
• Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera – Bryan Peterson [Amazon $17.13]
  For serious amateur photographers who already shoot perfectly focused, accurately exposed images but want to be more creative with a camera, here’s the book to consult.

If you have some favorites that I missed, please post in the comments.

Our main guest for today is Zach and Jody Gray (http://www.grayphotograph.com) from Nashville, TN. The Grays, as in Zach and Jody, not aliens) are Westcott Top Endorsed Pros and I am huge fans of their work. Zach and Jody are doing a presentation at the Pictage PartnerCon November 3-5 in New Orleans so I asked them to come onto the show and talk about running your photography business. Be sure and check out their upcoming workshops and mentoring sessions.

Pictage User Groups: http://www.pro.pictage.com/community/index.html

SmugMug User Groups: http://www.smugmug.com/smugs/info/

Meetup.com: http://www.meetup.com/

Show Hosts

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

Maurice Naragon
http://headcheese.com http://webscience.com

This podcast is also available on iTunes.

The TrekPod XL is adjustable from 39” to 62.5” and can handle camera gear weighing up to 13.5 pounds, making the TrekPod XL an extremely versatile unit.

Summary

The TrekPod is part monopod and part tripod which isn’t really the first of its kind but Trek-Tech has done a pretty good job of creating a really usable hybrid. Like any device that is a hybrid of two other products there are some compromises that need to be made to combine the benefits of each into one new product, the big question is if Trek-Tech was able to bring the strengths of a tripod and monopod together without sacrificing too much.

Features

The TrekPod XL is made from carbon fiber, high strength polymers, and stainless steel to create a high quality, heavy duty, and super ultra lightweight unit. Unlike most monopods, the TrekPod XL breaks down into four pieces that fit nicely into the included travel bag that is small enough to fit into almost any suitcase or carry-on bag.

Specifications

Usage

At first glance I wondered if there was any right or wrong way to assemble the TrekPod but it turns out there is only one way that the system can be put together and it only takes a few seconds to figure out which ends go together. At a little over a pound, the TrekPod XL is exceptionally light which, while great for hiking or traveling, can be a negative since with about half of the leg spread of a medium tripod, stability can be an issue. I wouldn’t put my camera on top of the TrekPod if there is any wind. Secondly, since you can’t adjust the legs like a regular tripod, you cant stand it up straight on an uneven surface. Then again, the TrekPod isn’t a tripod, its more like a monopod with pop-out legs.

The MagMount is a very unique feature of all of the Trek-Tech products The MagMount uses a pair of high-strengh Rare Earth Neodymium Magnets to hold the camera to the ball mount.

Although tests showed that just the magnets would probably be sufficient for almost any setup, the bottom section has a small clamp that swings around to give you a little more piece of mind.

The TrekPod XL comes with two different attachments, the “jagged” version shown in the image here that is tightened down with an included Allen wrench and a smooth version that has a knurled outside for hand-tightening.

The ballhead moves smoothly and locks with a large paddle which also locks down the rotation of the ballhead.

Setup

The TrekPod comes in four pieces that fit together. The leg piece has a threaded top that the first tube (the one with the TrekPod XL logo on it) attaches to. The second piece, the tube with the foam handle on the top, slides into the lower tube. Finally, the top tube section, the piece with the ballhead on it, slides into the top of the tube with the foam handle.

All that’s left is to take one of the attachment points and screw it into the tripod mount on your camera, pop it onto the top of the MagMount and flip the lock into position.

The entire build process takes about 20 seconds so its really quick to setup and start using. This means the TrekPod is useful more more than just your camera. For me, I have been looking for a quick to setup and light-weight light stand for use with my speedlites and the TrekPod is just about perfect for this. If the plastic cap actually had an umbrella hole and a hot shoe mount, it would pretty much be ideal (hint hint Scott and Ken).

Results

As I said earlier, anytime you take two diverse products and create a hybrid, you have to compromise somewhere. On the other hand, if you look at the TrekPod as a monopod with pop-out legs, then it does that job very well and it can be used in some places that you wouldn’t have enough room to setup a tripod. If you have an angled or uneven surface, well, at least you can use it as a tripod. In thinking about this, something like the ballhead to connect the legs to the first tube might allow more varied surfaces but would also negatively impact the price. With the TrekPod XL running around $360 at Amazon ($399.99 list), and a high-end carbon fiber monopod being around $200 with a good ballhead running around $120, you are going to pay a little bit of a premium for the TrekPod XL’s design and tripod legs, not bad when compared to a high-end monopod.

If you want to save some money, you can get the TrekPod Go! PRO which is made of aluminum and is a little heavier, but will only ding you for $179.99 at Amazon ($229.99 list). If the ability to break it down so much isn’t such an issue, you can really save some money with the Trek-Tech TrekPod II for only $74.17 at Amazon ($99.99 list). So regardless of your budget, there is a TrekPod for you. You will be quite happy with a TrekPod if you think of it as a replacement for a monopod instead of a replacement for a tripod. For me, the TrekPod XL fills a need I have had for a lightweight stand that can be used for a camera or a light but takes up less room than a tripod or light stand.

Score Card

Trek-Tech: http://www.trek-tech.com
TrekPod XL: http://www.trek-tech.com/products/trekpods.html

During the show we look at some of the work Mark has done and you can follow along at:

http://markroberthalper.com

If you are interested in any of Mark’s workshops, please visit:

http://studiomark.com/workshops.html

Show Hosts

Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed

This podcast is also available on iTunes.