We’re getting ready for some summertime fun with features to inspire video producers to get outdoors and shoot.  I thought you might like a look behind the scenes at our car mounts photo shoot.

From car mounts to citizen journalists, shooting video is becoming more mobile and easier to share. This summer Videomaker has several features showing you how to take action and get in the video producing game.

This is our Art Director, Susan Schmierer taking a picture of the Matthews PRO Car Mount System that we’re reviewing for the July issue.

Assisting Susan with reflectors and scrims is our Associate Tech Editor, Jackson Wong, and local reviewer Adam Vesely.

Usually we just shoot a picture of the product we review with a neutral white background, but for this review we thought it would be fun to show it in action.

So of course we had to get a cool car to shoot it with and there’s few cooler than a red Mini Cooper Countryman, courtesy of Adam Vesley.

The June issue is already finding it’s way into subscribers’ mailboxes and will be on sale at bookstores across the U.S. next week. We’re shipping the July issue, with the Matthews PRO Mount System reviewed, to the printer’s today… and it should be making it’s way to you by the end of June.

What else is in store for the summer time issues?

June has a 2-part series on your rights in public as a videographer – the first is on Citizen Journalism and how you can get your video on the news, and a second feature is on Copyright Registration, how to protect your copyrighted video once it’s “out there” in the Wild World of Web chaos.

We continue the look at your rights in public in the July issue with a continuing look at the very current actions in courts of ordinary citizens being arrested for recording public officials with our feature: Filming Police and Your First Amendment Rights. Are you protected?

Also, to continue look at protecting your assets, our August issue will have a feature on Watermarking your Video so you know when someone is using it online without your consent. Still shooters use watermarking tricks all the time, but how do video shooters do it? With metadata – we’ll show you how.

Finally, we’re looking at many ways you can profit with your video production, whether you are already in the video business or are a weekend hobbyist with our popular Profit Making column. June features profiting through the largely expanding Action and Extreme Video market, July takes a look at How to Find Clients and August examines the Real Estate Video Market – while the Real Estate market is dismal, marketing videos to the RE market is finally getting some acceptance, now is the time to jump into the game!

All that and more, stay tuned – it’s all inside!

Spotlight: AJA’s T-TAP

For a little device, the T-TAP will be a very important adapter. It will not only support 10-bit uncompressed video files up to 2K and 3D, but it can transfer those plus 8-channel audio through the HDMI or SDI outputs. The incredibly simple, single input is Thunderbolt, which  will draw power from your Mac. This makes for a grand total of three ports on the T-TAP, input on one side, outputs on the other, and the if you set a one-inch-thick smartphone on your desk, that’s about the size of this puppy.

AJA brings its name in the market of quality I/O in the form of the T-TAP ($249.)

Best Support – Zacuto Recoil Stabilizer

The support is only as good as the operator, and in this case it is you, the idea with the Recoil is that the camera will rest on your shoulder. It combines the Gorilla Baseplate which uses both 3/8 and 1/4-inch screws.

What’s special about the Recoil is mounting the camera directly on top of the shoulder, to do this you need the Q-Release. You won’t find this on any other support, and it has the ability to shift the center of balance and will work best with camera packages measuring up to three feet.

With simple quality, Zacuto has charmed us again with the Recoil, and for $1,375, this support will help you get the job done.

Sennheiser SKP 300 G3 plug-on transmitter is a very handy accessory to just about any audio kit. The transmitter allows those top-notch microphones to become wireless, saving space by eliminating cables which also provides freedom. No wireless signal is complete without a receiver, and the EK 100 G3 is welcome match here.

The applications are numerous, for news reporters, this allows more freedom in the mics to chose, as well as the liberty to move from place to place without being dragged down by cables. Event video companies should be able to provide emcees or other speakers with mic very quickly with the SKP 300 G3. Narrative film makers can get creative with a full compliment of mics.

There are eight frequencies available, and three variants to the model that reach different portions of the spectrum, SKP 300 G3-A is 516-558MHz, SKP 300 G3-G is 566-608MHz, and SKP 300 G3-B is 626-668MHz. Each of these maintains the same overall price of $530. Power is provided to both the transmitter and condenser mics by a pair of AA batteries. Being able to provide phantom power only furthers the versatility that this box represents. If you don’t want the power to be shared from one source, opt for a sensible accessory, the rechargable battery pack, SK2015-G2. As for physical presence, the SKP 300 G3 measures nearly 14-inches on its longest side, then about 3×5-inches for the rest of the round edged 24oz. box.

Our team at NAB 2012 was rather impressed with the universal capabilities of the SKP 300 G3, so they saw it fit to check out, snap a pic and make sure anyone that’s interested can find it for themselves. We like the fact that it’ll reduce our dependence on a single complete wireless system and will make it simpler to swap wireless mics.

Please discuss in the Videomaker forums.

Camera operators throughout the video industry are using more DSLRs, and smaller cameras, what that also means is more attachments are being called upon – Manfrotto seeks to fulfill that need. The Sympla is a physical solution to camera operators needing to carry lights, batteries, accessories and get a handheld shot.

In Las Vegas Manfrotto has the Sympla Shoulder Support System (MVA511WK, $1,150), Flexible Mattebox (MVA512WK, $1,150) and Long Lens Support (MVA513WK $1,050.)

The Sympla Shoulder Support System as the name suggests, supports the camera equipment on the camera operator’s shoulder. It has swivel-joint handles to aid control, but still allow flexibility. The rig is best utilized to keeps controls nearby with an optional remote control that lets the operator continue to aim steady with two hands.

The Flexible Mattebox is set to hold 4×4-inch filters directly in front of the lens, but also protects against stray light. The box lets the operator change lenses easily, and has a variable plate and two-plane micro-adjusters for precision alignment.

As for the Long Lens Support, special attention is given to the reduction of vibrations that can occur when shooting with long lenses. This lengthy support provides a solid platform for even the longest lens and is compatible with all Manfrotto Video Heads.

The components to each of these systems are really the highlight, each system starts with: a) a pair of 300mm (about one foot) rods have screw junctions and are the standard 15mm (.59-inch) diameter b) a variable plate which supports the camera along three axes, uses a repostionable ratchet and quick-lock along each axis then has fingertip-geared control for vertical and lateral adjustment. Then there’s c) clips to hold attachments onto the rails, and there are no tools required when adjusting the plate.

This has all gone without mention of the Fig Rig (MVA522W, $380) which essentially puts the operator in the driver’s seat and can be fitted with either the Flexible Mattebox or Long Lens Support.

And most importantly, these peices may be built and rebuilt in the configuration that works best for a specific need.

Please discuss in the Videomaker forums…

We all know the important place that DSLRs now have in the world of video production. The versatility of these cameras, the ability to alternate between still photography and video at a shoot, the interchangeable lenses, large processors, and more, have all meant that DSLRs are an attractive option for shooting video. At Videomaker we’ve written about a large number of these cameras and we continue to be impressed. But there has also always been a number of significant and important distinctions between prosumer camcorders and DSLRs and at the top of that list is… audio. Without an XLR input for recording sound, DLSRs depend on add-on accessories and/or separate audio recorders which then can, of course, complicate the work in post.

That’s where companies like Azden step into the picture.

Azden has just announced their professional low noise audio mixer designed specifically for DSLR cameras, the FMX-DSLR. We at Videomaker are looking forward to taking a closer look at this audio mixer and pairing it with the DSLR cameras we shoot with here. For now we can report that this small device can be mounted directly between the tripod and camera and is powered by four “AA” batteries. The FMX-DSLR includes a switchable AGC circuit for noiseless operation, 2 XLR microphone inputs with individual level controls and switchable phantom power, stereo mini jack microphone input, mini jack line level input, stereo mini plug microphone output and headphone output with level control. LED peak level indicators, input return function (RTN) to monitor camera audio and a power switch with power on/low battery LED. Azden indicates that this device has an MSRP of $400.

As audio solutions like the FMX-DSLR continue to come along, they will certainly work to further blur the line between cameras best suited for still shooting and those able to straddle the line between the photographer and videographer.