KitPlus | Articles

Sennheiser MKE 400 hands on review and test

Looking to buy? Click here. Sennheiser have just released two products aimed at simplifying audio on the move, the MKE400 shotgun microphone and the XS Lav Mic, in this review we’re looking at the MKE400. If you scroll down there is a video review where you can hear the actual MKE 400 sound so worth a watch. The MKE400 is the second generation with...

Submitted by Simon Tillyer

Published 29 April 2021

The University of the Third Age

Here's a cliché - "We all get to be old one day - if we're lucky". There comes a point when things like ".... mastered in Dolby Vision Domestic and SDR Rec 709.....\" become just a touch unimportant (and actually I never really understood that stuff in the first place). I retired for the third time last year - BBC producer, and before that camerama...

Submitted by Bernard Newnham

Published 10 September 2019

Bringing creative ideas to life

While the start of a new year is all about looking forward to the new possibilities and exciting opportunities ahead, indulge me for a moment in looking back to this time last year. CVP had just completed a management buyout and were planning how to take the company forward. We had an excellent foundation, a great team with the right skillsets and...

Submitted by Jon Fry

Published 24 January 2019

DJI Ronin-S Review

Any self respecting filmmaker starts their edits with their best shots, so let me try to do the same in my writing:My top tip when buying a DJI product is to buy from a local and reputable dealer rather than direct from DJI; sending any faulty item back to Holland at your own expense can be costly. That’s not to say much has gone wrong over the yea...

Submitted by Tim Bearder

Published 08 September 2018

Libec HFMP out of the box review

Just before we all broke up for Christmas we took delivery of a new \'thing\' at KitPlus HQ. Our first reaction was surprise and a little curious as to how it was going to make itself useful. What\'s the point? The innovative new HFMP (Hands Free Mono Pod) certainly got us thinking. Where other monopods fall over, this one stands strong! It was spe...

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 15 March 2017

Libec TH-X Tripod review

It is worth highlighting that I am primarily an Editor. Like many of us, over the years I have regularly been involved in the entire creative process in some capacity but increasingly I am asked to go out and film the simpler corporate jobs such as exhibition stands or a \'piece to camera\' for YouTube, Vimeo etc. and embedded into the customer\'s...

Submitted by Nick Robbins

Published 15 March 2017

Getting to grip with it with Mark Scotton

By Mark Scotton, sales manager for Cameragrip. Getting the right equipment to ensure you add value to your production can be difficult, especially when there are so many products available that all seem to be offering different solutions. Creating moving shots can be done in a variety of ways by using products such as jibs, cranes, tracking dollies...

Submitted by Mark Scotton

Published 01 March 2013

Getting back to basics on HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR GRIP AND SUP...

When looking to purchase grip and support systems there are now a variety of different options available to the dedicated cameraman and this potential minefield of different equipment, at varying prices, can seem daunting and confusing at first. What’s the difference between a shoulder support, steady mount and a stabilizer? Are slide rail systems...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 March 2012

Review on the Autocue SSP17 Starter Series

The time has come. My home made “autocue”, although working well, needed to be upgraded. It had served me well for a couple of years, but I needed something a bit higher quality and slightly bigger. So Autocue kindly loaned me one of their SSP17 Starter Package prompters. Their Starter Series of prompters is exactly that, it’s their lower end promp...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 February 2012

As a Videographer do I need a tripod and head

As you know, video has changed radically over the past few years, with even lighter and more compact cameras producing broadcast-quality HD footage. With new equipment opening up new ways to film and encouraging film-makers, videographers and former photographers to cross over their outdated boundaries, comes a need for new supports to match these...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 December 2010

Manfrotto 504HD tripod first hands on review

Well we’ve just got our grubby hands on the beautiful shiny new Manfrotto 504HD tripod system.... I believe this to be the replacement for the 503 head that we have many of and tend to use for cameras like the Sony EX1 and EX3 in our fleet. Couple of things straight from the box.. Its light – even though the legs are metal. Comes with the usual pad...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2010

Eye to Eye: Getting a grip

Getting a gripCameras and camcorders are shrinking at such a rapid rate that a lot of today's established support devices are looking completely out of scale. In some aisles of the NAB 2010 Central Hall, visitors were at perpetual risk of colliding with excited demonstrators nipping hither and yon with hand-held stabilisers for DSLRs. Most were onl...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 June 2010

The filming of Lands End to John OGroats

I’ve been here for several minutes now. Standing in the pouring rain with a camera pointing at the road sign for Somerset, the drops of rain tapping on the camera rain cover add a certain atmosphere to the wild track. I stood trying to work out who was the madder, the two cyclists I was waiting for, or me. Here they come, 10 seconds on the tape, ba...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 August 2009

Lighting and Grip.

Lighting and Grip are often spoken as if they are one item, inseparable and complete. However the clue is in the phrase lighting AND grip. So let’s start by separating them. Lighting covers the instruments that provide the light. Grip covers the instruments we use to hold and control the light. LightingThere is a huge range of lights, luminaires, p...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 January 2009