Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,800 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

So I started to look around for a solution to this.  One reason I shied away from committing to the DSLR HD video direction is all the scaffolding that is required to bolt on to the DSLR in an effort to make it easier to work with.  I crave simplicity.  I steer away from clutter.  And so adding more clutter to my main camera had to be achieved in the neatest way.

One of the first solutions that I explored was this:

Basically this is a piece of metal with two hot shoe mounts, bolted to a hot shoe plate.  It is horrendous.  Not only does it leave you with an unsightly piece of metal sticking out at all angles above the camera, but when you add any accessories to the hot shoes, it becomes distinctly top-heavy and unstable.  Even without mounting accessories, the single screw mount on to the hot shoe plate (the bit that slots in to the camera hot shoe) is fragile at best, and I quickly turned this contraption the wrong way only to have the hot shoe plate twist off.  The metal it was mounted in to was soft aluminum and the mounting rivet penetrated less than 1/8 inch.  Pathetic.

So I continued my search for neat alternatives, again, with a mind to simplicity and clean lines.  I take my camera in to some pretty hairy situations, often when I need to move fast, and often in unfriendly crowds.  I need to know that all the pieces on the camera can remain intact and working.

Scanning the pages of B&H Photo Video, I came across the J-Cube from J-Rod.  This small piece of equipment appeared to be expensive for its size and purpose but, not finding anything better, I placed my order.  Within a few days, this arrived:

The J-Cube feels substantial in your hand – this is a serious piece of equipment. It is very solidly built, uses high quality components, and adds just the right amount of additional shoes to my camera.  The spacing of the added shoes on the J-Cube is just right to mount equipment without any encroachment. And because the J-Cube is very compact, it does not add much height to the camera. It also offers a far more secure mounting platform that does not wobble around and has a low center of gravity.

If you have accessories with rectangular hot shoe plates, you will be stuck with mounting them vertically on the side shoes.  I had this problem.  So I contacted Jeff at J-Rod and he made me a new J-Cube with the side mounts turned through 90 degrees.  Now I can mount accessories with rectangular hot shoe plates so that they point forward or backward along the top of the camera, and not straight up.  A lot of accessories come with square hot shoe plates which will slide in to the standard J-Cube.  But just to let you know that if you need a J-Cube with the side mounts rotated 90 degrees, all you need to do is ask.

Before I contacted Jeff about the modified J-Cube, I tried to dismantle the one I had bought from B&H to see if I could rotate the mounts myself.  I am not too bad with a screwdriver and a pair of mole grips but I have to admit that without some serious physical force (that I did not apply), those mounts are not going anywhere.  They are so solidly embedded in the metal mount that there is little fear of them breaking free.

This is not my camera but this is what the standard J-Cube looks like with accessories attached:

As you can see, it attaches nice and close to the camera, keeping accessories close to the main body and reducing the risk of anything getting torn off.

At $80.00, this piece of equipment is not the least expensive option by any means.  But once you buy it, you can be pretty sure that you will not need anything else for some time to come.  You can also be far more confident that once mounted, and with equipment attached, the J-Cube is not going to let you down.

It might be an old saying but it is very true that you get what you pay for – and the customer service is terrific!

I am currently working with GoPro on a sponsorship deal for the One Life Project which should allow me to get my hands on two of the Hero POV cameras that GoPro is well-known for.  In the meantime, I have been using a Contour ROAM camera which is somewhat more sleek and elegant than the GoPro.  The Contour ROAM comes with a tripod mounting hole (standard 1/4″), a micro SD card slot (amazing that you can get 32Gb on one of these tiny cards) and 170 degree wide angle lens.  The 32Gb card will allow up to 8 hours of 1080p HD video recording.

The Contour ROAM is easily switched on and off by sliding the broad switch on the top of the unit.  The large switch allows for easy activation even with cold, numb hands, or when wearing gloves.  The lens can be rotated allowing you to capture video at the angle you prefer, or to simply keep horizons level.  One drawback is that, with the Contour ROAM, you cannot see what you are shooting.  The wide angle is very forgiving in this way, but I am considering the purchase of the GPS-enabled Contour which includes a Bluetooth function that connects to Bluetooth-enabled iPad and iPhone apps.  A convenient, Contour-supplied app then allows you to see what your camera is viewing on  your iPad or iPhone – pretty cool.

As well as holding the Contour by hand, it comes with a variety of mounts for attaching to helmets or other hard, clean surfaces.  The mount slides conveniently in to the grooves seen on the base of the Contour in the picture above.  I have also tried attaching the Contour to a long pole, such as those available from Home Depot that are light and extend to 18 feet.  These are great for getting interesting, wide-angle overhead shots, or for extending the camera in to or over areas that are otherwise hard to reach.  The sound pick-up from the on-board microphone is poor although a recent firmware upgrade, meant to help with the audio quality, is yet to be tested.

Recorded files are saved in .mov format for immediate access via QuickTime, and easy importing in to most NLE systems.

At $199 for the Contour ROAM, it is a worthwhile addition to any camera kit that offers a new way of looking at common subjects.

ReelDirector

ReelDirector is the 1st and the most feature rich, powerful video editor for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

✩ APPLE’s Rewind 2010 – Hot Trends in Apps
✩ APPLE’s Rewind 2009 – BEST APP

If you really dig video editing and want to take full control, you should get ReelDirector:

☑ High quality HD output, only re-compress when necessary, quality loss due to editing is minimal.
☑ Highly customizable text treatment – where you want it, how you want it.
☑ Unique transitions: out of focus fade, white out – 28 in total.
☑ Use your own intro and splash videos that were not recorded with iPhone.
☑ Real multitasking, renders in the background and no need to restart the whole export if interrupted.

DSLR Slate

DSLR Slate is the perfect companion for the DSLR Filmmaker. As a Universal App, DSLR Slate runs natively on iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Designed for all needs from student to hollywood, DSLR Slate will be just as useful as the traditional film slate, if not more. “Slating” shots has become standard practice on set and helps streamline shot logging and post production.

Along with a color chart and selectable running timecode, DSLR Slate has all the traditional items for input such as Scene, Take, Framerate, Director, etc. DLSR Slate also provides unique items aimed specifically for DSLR cameras such as ISO Speed, Aperture, Shutter Speed, White Balance, Lens, Filter, and more. While being invaluable on set, these items also prove useful when shooting tests in varying lighting conditions.

Movie*Slate

“Movie★Slate is the the Rolls-Royce of slates” says HandHeldHollywood.com. This convenient, all-in-one digital slate, clapper board, shot log, and notepad is used for film, TV, documentaries, music videos, and interviews. This professional production tool is the easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot— saving you valuable time later when capturing/editing footage, and creating reports. All at a mere fraction of a bulky digital clapperboard’s cost.

DIGITAL SLATE

Tap a field to edit production info. Choose info from default/custom snippets, contacts, or saved history. Enter new info from the keyboard. Use the optimized keypad to quickly enter numeric info like: roll, scene, take, timecode. Or swipe up/down on fields to increment/decrement numbers.

TIMECODE

Setting timecode is simple and fast using our specialized keypad. Sync timecode to the clock, or between multiple iOS Devices (iPad/iPhone/iPod touch) via Bluetooth– or with a song from your iTunes music library (for use in “Music Video” mode).

Rehearsal 2

Want to learn your lines? This is the app for that. Rehearsal 2, featured in the Times, Fast Company, LA Magazine and BACKSTAGE, is the entertainment industry standard for cast and crew to organize their scripts for auditions and working on set. Battle tested in Hollywood and around the world by actors on shows like Heroes, LOST, Psych, Human Target, Castle, CSI, Dexter, Outlaw, Body of Proof and more.

Rehearsal 2 is a brand new update that
- is extremely easy to use, solid and reliable
- is intuitive and obvious: it reminds you of what you do with physical scripts
- works with any iDevice
- NEW: costs one low price for unlimited usage – no more in-app purchases

Cinemek Storyboard Composer

Cinemek Storyboard Composer for iPhone and iPod Touch is a mobile storyboard and pre-visualization composer designed for Directors, Directors of Photography, Producers, Writers, Animators, Art Directors, film students and anyone who wants to be able to visualize their story.

It is the world’s first mobile storyboarding application which allows you to acquire photos with your phone or by Artemis Directors Finder for iPhone, then add traditional storyboarding markups such as dolly, track, zoom and pan. You can even add your own stand-ins. The user can set a duration for each storyboard panel and then play it back to get real time feedback on pacing and framing.

Storyboard Composer Features:
* Add and arrange images in an intuitive GUI interface.
* Re-Arrange panels in any order you choose.
* Auto-Save feature keeps your board always up to date.
* Set user defined “duration” for each panel in Minutes/Seconds/Frames.
* Intuitive Multi-touch interface allows for smooth markups for camera moves.
* Add Audio Clips to each panel for dialogue or audio notes.
* Add notes and scene description to panels.
* Shot and Scene picker wheels.
* Realtime playback of Storyboards.
* Export and email a PDF of the storyboard for distribution.
* Export QuickTime Movie of Storyboard

pCAM Film & Digital Calculator

• Imitated, but never duplicated! Originally developed in 1998 for the Palm device, this award-winning app has become a time-tested industry standard.

• A Cinematography and Still Photography calculator for Photographers, Directors of Photography, Camera Operators, Camera Assistants, VFX Supervisors, Script Supervisors, Gaffers, Grips, Motion Picture Editors, Production Designers, Art Directors, Film and Photography Students.

• Calculates: Depth of Field – Hyperfocal – Image Circle – Splits/Aperture Finder – Field of View (Picture Sizes) – Field of View Preview (with images to size shots) – Angle of View – Focal Length (lens) Matching – Triangulate – Exposure – Running Time to Length – Shooting to Screen Time – HMI Flicker-free – Color Correction (choosing color correction filters) – Diopter – Macro – Time Lapse – Underwater Distance – Scene Illumination (beam intensity) – Light Coverage (width/distance) – Mired Shift (with suggested color correction gels) – Conversion calculator – Siemens Star (Focus chart) – Insert Slate.

• Differs from other Photography apps because it has a hi-res graphical interface that is both easy to use and helps the user understand how each calculation is applied. It was designed specifically for professional photographers and filmmakers and has the correct Still, HD Video and Motion Picture Camera manufacturer’s specs for Image Size and Circle of Confusion.

• 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, 2010. Won an Engineering Plaque for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

ProPrompter

Developed by professional teleprompter manufacturer Bodelin Technologies, ProPrompter allows you to use your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch as a smooth scrolling professional teleprompter.

Our ProPrompter App features professional settings for fonts, font sizes, background colors, scroll speeds, mirroring, looping, landscape, portrait and automatic orientation modes, adjustable countdown, cue points for fast re-cueing, support for international language fonts, editing, direct script creation, remote control and a complete help menu.

Scrolling is smooth and can be adjusted on-the-fly. Readability is excellent even in bright sunlight. If you have two devices (combination of iPad/iPhone/iPod touch) and each have our ProPrompter app installed, one device can remotely control the other device’s scroll pace via a wireless Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. Perfect for podcasts, field reporting, corporate videos, commercials, steadicams, jib shots, music videos and speeches.

Made in Oregon by Bodelin Technologies, the creators of the award winning and highly mobile ProPrompter teleprompters. Currently there are over 32,000 ProPrompters used by mobile production crews from Podcasts to Live news standups throughout the world. Bodelin created the ProPrompter App with the highest regard to quality and full featured prompting capabilities to serve those professionals who depend upon it.

Scripts Pro

When writing in desktop screenplay programs, you forget about the program all together and are focused entirely on writing your story. The same thing is true with Scripts Pro because there is no cluttered interface or complex solutions to writing. With Scripts Pro you can write your ideas in screenplay format whether you’re on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. Fast element switching using the TAB button, suggestion pop-ups for character names, as well as scene re-ordering, character renaming and more. CELTX and FINAL DRAFT 8 support is included! Since Scripts Pro comes as a package, it will run on both the iPad AND iPhone. No need to purchase two separate versions.

✦FEATURES✦

✔ Supports .FDX and .CELTX files!
✔ TAB Key!
✔ Use external keyboard TAB button (iPad)!
✔ Import via Email! (iPad)!
✔ Hiding Toolbar!
✔ Weekly updates!
✔ Suggestion Pop-ups!
✔ ONLY YOU have access to your files!
✔ Lowercase to Uppercase!
✔ Scene Editing and Re-ordering!
✔ Rename and Edit Characters!
✔ Hiding Keyboard!
✔ Import/Export scripts!
✔ Title Page!
✔ Preview Mode!
✔ Emailing Scripts!

AJA DataCalc

The AJA DataCalc computes storage requirements for professional video and audio media.

Designed for video professionals, this application works with all the most popular industry video formats and compression methods, including Apple ProRes, DVCProHD, HDV, XDCAM, DV, CineForm, REDCODE, Avid DNxHD, Apple Intermediate, 16 bit RGB and RGBA, uncompressed, and more. Video standards supported include NTSC, PAL, 1080i, 1080p, 720p, 2K and 4K.

AJA DataCalc allows you to change settings and calculate storage requirements in a single screen with simple controls and a clear concise display. Media durations can be entered in units of days, hours, seconds, or even as precise as frames using time code mode. Advanced settings allow for more detailed configurations. Summary information obtained by DataCalc can even be optionally emailed.

Easy Release

Easy Release by ApplicationGap replaces inconvenient paper model release and property release forms with a slick, streamlined application designed by professional photographers for professional photographers. Fully supports iPad, iPhone and iPod-Touch.

- Lets you collect all the data and signatures you need right on your iPhone, then mails a PDF and JPEG of the release right to you. For convenience and ease of use: Lets you retrieve model and witness information from your contacts. Get location data from a list of previously used.

- Comes pre-bundled with industry standard model and property releases in 13 languages that are currently in use by leading photo agencies like Getty Images, Alamy and others.

- Use the iPhone, iPad2, or iPod-Touch (4th Gen) camera to shoot and embed an ID photo right into the release PDF.

- Customizable “branding header” for logo image, company name, and contact info can be turned on/off per release or release type.

- Release legal text is now fully customizable. Add your own TFCD, TFP, or any other kind of releases!

- Add as many custom model and property versions as you want.

- Custom releases may contain “field-placeholders” for inserting data into the body of your legal text. Simply prepare your custom releases in an email to yourself then copy/paste into Easy Release!

- Select legal text version to use on a per-release basis.

I will continue to review recommended apps and post new ones in the near future.  In the meantime, here is a list from MovieMaker magazine:

http://www.moviemaker.com/producing/article/best_25_apps_for_moviemakers_iphone_20100630/