Best Products of the Year (page 3)

Steadicam Merlin $849

It's aesthetic magic when a good Steadicam operator executes complicated camera moves. The Steadicam Merlin magic lies in its ability to give you the freedom to move about while minimizing the disturbing shake. The Merlin adds that support through high quality manufacturing and years of experience in Steadicam research and development. We think this is an exciting stabilization tool that delivers great results.

Tapco Mix.120 $120

If you're like most of us, you've got too many devices going in and out of each other. The Tapco Mix.120 is the type of device that simplifies your editing workstation, giving you much more control than you've ever had. Also, mix in the potential of using it to record live productions, and you've got a useful production tool as well. All this functionality, good manufacturing quality and more than reasonable price and we've got a clear winner.

AKG Perception 100 $200

The world of podcasting and hobbyist video production ushered in the AKG Perception 100. We were very pleased with this studio mic's performance, even when we compared it to top-end professional studio microphones. If you're doing a lot of voiceover work or podcasting, this is an inexpensive mic that won't disappoint your ears. We couldn't find an equal mic at this great a value or performance.

LaCie 1TB External Hard Drive $799

When it comes to stylish looks, LaCie has always been a leader. But they're also a leading brand because of their trusted performance. The 1TB Big Disk Extreme with triple interface (FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0), high data throughput and a mix match of disk utilities, made installation and operation a snap. When it comes to adding storage to your video editing system, it's nice to have something that's this low maintenance. And it's sexy. There, we said it.

Focus Enhancements FS-100 DTE Recorder $1,800

Who's got the trademark on DTE? Focus Enhancements, that's who. They've also got a reliable product with a user interface that gives added control to the drive. When it comes to hard drive recorders, those are two things that will help you feel like you can shoot more confidently.

Primera Bravo SE $1,495

"Hands-off" disc publishing is a good thing for those of you who have to fulfill medium to large disc runs. The Primera Bravo SE is just the machine to do all the routine work for you, while still keeping the overall cost of production down. We were impressed with its performance, speed and small size, making it manageable for most computer desks. Not long after the release, Primera swapped out the DVD burner for a Blu-ray burner, which we were quite surprised to see. Of course, you'll have to pay more for that option, but we like that Primera is staying competitive and raising the bar.

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