The Opteka X-GRIP handle can be used by both a professional or amateur user. This incredible support offers stability and control. The hot shoe attachment enables you to add a video light or flash. Extremely useful product for skateboarding and other extreme sports.
Product Details
- Brand: Opteka
- Model: X-GRIP
Features
- Provides stabilization for action video shoots
- Fits most compact camcorders, digital cameras, and entry SLRs
- Hot shoe allows attachment of a flash or video light
- Foam padded handle alleviates the stress of lengthy filming
- 1 Year Opteka Warranty
Customer Reviews
Not bad
At first glance, this looks like it can only be used for filming skate videos, although that is not the case. It's advertised as a great way to keep skate footage stable, but it also works great for stabilizing your every day shots. What I do is put my camcorder on (Any consumer camcorder size will fit, I use a Canon VIXIA HG20) and then I push the x-grip against my shoulder and hold the camcorder like you usually would. This way, you have full control over the zoom and record buttons, and you get a stable shot. It's like holding a professional camcorder (the ones that go over your shoulder)
Holding the x-grip the way it was meant to be held... well... it's alright. Still a bit shakiness here and there but it definitely is a lot better than just holding the cam itself. Since you're holding the grip, you dont have the option to zoom. I haven't used it for any skateboaring videos yet, but I plan on doing it in the near future, and I can imagine that it'll prove to be quite helpful.
One problem I'm currently have with the x-grip though is the fact that my mic is always getting into my shots (whenever the mic is connected to the hot shoe). I use an Azden SGM-2X. Great mic but it's quite long. I have a fuzzy windscreen on the mic to reduce wind, but it's hard holding the x-grip in a way that doesn't have my mic's windscreen creeping in from the top. If you have a long shotgun mic and plan on using it on the x-grip, keep that in mind. And I'm fully aware that the SGM-2X can be made shorter if you remove the long barrel, but then the mic's range wont be as good/it'll look sort of odd.
Overall, great product. Stabilizes my shots quite well. No real problems, I just need to spend more time working with it.
Relocates the center of gravity - and adds a real hotshoe
Today's AVCHD cameras are going pro. Pros realize that the advantage of inserting a memory card over reading hours of tape into a nonlinear editing system can mean the difference in making a deadline or just a wasted effort. As such, AVCHD cams are being used in production. I've used the Modosteady and this unit, and personally I like this better.
First off, shots from a a low angle with a medium zoom are dramatic. Using a lanc remote and this mount with a 14oz camera you can take some very nice shots on the move from a low angle making the subject appear taller and more a part of the framed shot.
Secondly, the new small form factor cameras LACK the normal (or what I would call normal) hot shoe. The canon series has gone to a very powerful mini-shoe that will NOT accept all of our old goodies for on camera lights, wireless receivers, and shotgun mics. This fixes the problem giving you one dead shoe to mount accessories close to the camera, almost where they would be on a normal camera. If your camera is fortunate enough to have a regular hot shoe, then this gives you mounting for those valuable accessories and keeps it neat. If you have a min-s shoe, you can put a shotgun mike on the camera and put a light on the grip, giving you two accessories where only one would have gone before.
My overall impressions using this were that I could be more artistic with it without breaking my back for the best angle. Tripods are great for podiums, but going mobile for baby steps or bicycle rides dictates a new way to hold your camera. With 1920x1080 AVCHD 24Mbps cameras weighing in at a comfortable 14 oz, this is an excellent tool. Both the camera and the accessory (if used) can be moved forward and rearward for optimal balance - you'll know when you it the sweet spot and trips through the garden will be effortless like a cat on the prowl. Of course, it's made to the high quality standards set by opteka which makes it doubtful anyone will be disappointed.
Incredibly useful.
The video description doesn't do it justice. This is useful for way more than just skateboarding/biking videos. Put it up to your chest or shoulder, it functions like a full-sized camera mount. Swap out external microphones and lights without fingering the camera itself. Put it on a mobile/rolling platform, interesting shots. I can even attach the entire thing to my tripod, and it is way easier to use the big oversized grip to maneuver the camera than to use the tiny tripod handle.
The curved form of the grip makes it really fun/easy to manipulate in any direction. Over your head, upside down, at your shoetops, etc. With a compact microphone, nothing intruded into the shot. I completely did not understand how cumbersome and awkward it is to shoot with a camcorder hand-grip or with two hands on a DSLR until I tried this.
Plus, it's small enough that you don't like a complete and utter dork using it. Well ... maybe not quite that small. But it's fairly unobtrusive.
No comments:
Post a Comment