Yet another instant rebate is here. I have been considering picking up a Canon 70-200mm F4 for a while now and this would be the time to do it. Check out the lenses that are available with rebates from the link below.

Canon Instant Rebates

New Canon Instant rebates are here. Click on the image above for savings on 60D, 7D, 5D, T2i, T3i and a ton of other lenses!

]]> http://dslrvideoshooter.com/instant-rebates-on-canon-cameras-and-lenses/feed/ 0 http://dslrvideoshooter.com/3-areas-to-save-big-money-on-hdslr-gear/ http://dslrvideoshooter.com/3-areas-to-save-big-money-on-hdslr-gear/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:36:30 +0000 Caleb Pike http://dslrvideoshooter.com/?p=3496

There is so much gear out there for the DSLR shooter to choose from these days, and over the past year I have found 3 areas where you can save a ton of money and not compromise on quality. And yes there are other things to save money on but the items I want to talk about are necessities to every DSLR video shooter.

1. DSLR Batteries

Everyone needs power. And the brand name batteries aren’t cheap. Right now the Canon brand LP-E6 battery for the 60D/7D/5D is $60. Thats a tall order when you need 6 of them. But there is a different brand I have been buying from and their battery is only $16. The Maxtek LP-E6v batteries have performed great for me. Big savings. Now for the price of 1 Canon LP-E6 battery I can buy almost 4 off brand ones.

The same good news goes for T2i/T3i batteries. $40 for the Canon’s and only $9 for 2 off brand ones. Apparently there are fakes out there. Check out this comment for more.

Now that you can actually afford to buy several batteries you should consider grabbing a dual charger (T2i version here). Has Saved me tons of time and works with pretty much every brand.

2. CF and SD Cards

Everyone also needs a couple cards, some times 2 types of cards. There are so many different brands out there its difficult to figure out which ones are affordable AND reliable.

Quick disclaimer: With EVERY card brand there is a chance the card will die. Not every card brand is safe. I only work with 8GB and 16GB cards and I back them up all the time. So don’t come crying and cursing at me if your card dies. It sucks, and it happens. One brand I have found to be working great for me is the Transcend brand. $50 for a 16GB 400x CF card is a great deal. Same with the SD only $22 for a class 10 16GB SD. These prices are around half or more the price of compatible cards.

I have 2 of these CF cards and 2 of the SD cards and none of them have failed me which doesn’t mean they will never fail, but I would still recommend them. And don’t forget a good card reader.

3. Prime Lenses

This one is a little more subjective. I get emails all the time from people looking for a prime lens for shooting video on their DSLR. Its seems most people only consider Canon lenses for Canon DSLRs. Or Sony lenses for Sony cameras. But there is a whole world of other options out there, my favorite being manual Nikkor lenses. I get all my lenses from KEH.com they have a great rating system and fantastic warranties.

With Nikkor primes you have 3 levels. Non-AI (Cheapest) AI (Middle) and AIS (Higher). And for killer savings check out the older Non-AI “Nippon Kogaku” Nikkor lenses like this 50mm F1.4 for under $100.

All 3 types work well with an adaptor to Canon cameras. If you are a Nikon shooter check out this Nikon chart to see what your compatibility will be. I have a set of AIS primes and I LOVE them. They all match in color, very sharp, and they are affordable. If you’re low on cash grab a set of the Non-AI and upgrade down the road.

To attach all these magical lenses to your camera you will need an adaptor which will only set you back around 15 bucks.

Conclusion

So there you have it. 3 areas you can save some serious cash especially if you are getting started. So for $200 you could get a fast 50mm, a card or two and some batteries.

Have you got some money saving tips? I’d love to hear what gear you guys have found to save you some money.

Help Me Out

I Don’t charge any subscription fees, nor do I sell DVD tutorials so if you found this article helpful you can really help me out by purchasing gear from one of the links in this article, donating, or by purchasing from one of the links below. Thank you!

There are many great tools out there, but every now and then you come across one that changes how you shoot. Well, today I am sharing a review of one of those tools. Xume Adapters have changed the way I use filtration on my projects. What use to be a hassle when working with filters and multiple lenses, is now an effortless task.

Ethics Statement: I did not pay for this review unit. I am not being paid for this review.

UPDATE:

The guys from Xume contacted me and shared a solution to the lens cap issue:

We’ve already solved the lens cap issue: Pop your lens cap into a holder and it works great. We’re offering additional holders at discount with our kits so you can dedicate a holder or two to your lens cap(s).

Xume Team

Xume Adaptors

I’ve always enjoyed Vincent’s training. He is a very good teacher While most of the time he is pretty intense, in this series on lenses he lets loose a little bit, hangs out at vimeo and dresses up in a viking costume…

Check it out:

Over the past 2 years I’ve come up with a couple tips for making using photography lenses for video easier. I would love to hear what you do to prep your lenses for video production.

Show Notes

• Zip Tie Gears.
• Step up rings.
• Rear Lens Caps:

49mm, 52mm, 55mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm

• Rear EOS Caps.

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Quicktime File: DSLR Video Shooter Episode #023

As more camera manufacturers develop larger sensor cameras, camera mounts, and lens systems I believe its wise to consider what mount type you invest in. I explain my plan in this episode.

Show Notes:

• Tokina Lenses.
• Canon USM Lenses.
• Nikon to EOS WITH Focus Confirmation.

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QuickTime File: DSLR Video Shooter Episode #019

For anyone who has not invested in a DSLR for video, now is the time to jump in. When I bought my Canon 7D in 2009, there were only 3 HDSLRs available. The 5D, 7D, and GH1. Not being able to afford the 5D I chose the 7D. But today there are over 10 different cameras available to us that shoot HD on a large sensor.

And to help kick off 2011, Canon and Nikon are having several rebates on their cameras. So if you are looking to start shooting with DSLRs, now is a great time to invest. Below is a list of available rebates through B&H.

Note: Canon Rebates only avalible until 01/08/2011 and Nikon rebates are running till the end of the month.

]]> http://dslrvideoshooter.com/dont-have-a-dslr-now-is-the-best-time-to-grab-one/feed/ 0 http://dslrvideoshooter.com/fd-lenses-for-hdslr-use/ http://dslrvideoshooter.com/fd-lenses-for-hdslr-use/#comments Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:48:08 +0000 Caleb Pike http://dslrvideoshooter.com/?p=1868

FD lenses are old manual Canon lenses that became almost completely obsolete by the EOS mount Canon cameras. What is so great about these lenses is their crazy low price. I picked up 3 lenses (50mm F1.8, 135mm F2.8, 80-200mm F3.9) for $50 on ebay.

To use these lenses with your Canon EOS camera you will need an adaptor. I had heard bad things about the cheapo adaptors so I picked up the Fotodiox FD to EOS for $30 which works great. I have already dropped it and it took it well.

Cons:

• Soft image when wide open
• Loss of .6 stops of light
• Crop factor of 1.26
• Manual Lens

Pros:

• Quality of lens body
• Crop factor (can be useful)
• Price of lenses

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QuickTime File: DSLR Video Shooter Episode #011.