The Soonwell PH70 is now available for pre-order: The Shenzhen (China) based manufacturer Soonwell has just announced their new PH70 top handle battery grip for DSLR and DSLM cameras. Let’s take a look at the available information on this newly introduced piece of gear. Soonwell PH70 – Top Handle with inbuilt Battery (Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema 4k) Soonwell PH70 – Features and Powering Options Soonwell introduces this battery top handle to be compatible with all sorts of DSLR and DSLM cages in the market. The company claims that it matches with most of the available cages. The handle has a 1/4 20″ screw to connect to those cages. As a top handle, it will provide DSLR shooters with features that often lack in their standard setups. These options include two D-Tap (14.8V, 5A each), one USB (5V, 2.1A) and two DC (12V and 8V with 3A each) connectors, just mounted on top of their camera setup. Thus, this top handle could be attractive to take a closer look at for a lot of people. Overload: The product comes with a safety “Overload” indicator on the handle which lights up when the power draw on the dual D-Tap port exceeds 10A. This enables the user to reduce the power draw. These powering options can help users to power their camera and other attached accessories such as lights, audio gear, small monitors or audio/video transmitters. All of these pieces of equipment can be powered at the same time if they are in line with the prerequisites of the battery grip. Users can provide power for other types of devices with this as well, of course. Aside from these features, the PH70 has long standby times and stays operable at low heat for long hours of operation. They also say that it’s resistant to powering problems and outages. In addition to that, the grip is covered at least partially with anti-slip rubber. Five LEDs with a “Check” button to display the actual battery charge level helps the user to prevent a sudden power outage. Another handy feature is that the manufacturer has included a cold shoe on top of the device to attach further accessories to the top handle. Soonwell PH70 – Top Handle with inbuilt battery and accessories by Tilta First Ideas and Impressions First of all, it is great to have such a device as a possible option for DSLR or mirrorless shooters with their respective camera setups and the constant needs for such powering options. With a weight of 623 grams however, the top handle is almost as heavy as a lot of the smaller DSLR cameras. With a size of 72mm x 183 mm x 41 mm (H x L x W) and from the first impressions of photos available, the handle seems to be a bit bulky. This detail is understandable though since there is a battery pack and connectivity options available inbuilt into the handle. It is reasonable to assume that if the user powers multiple devices with the 70 Wh battery, the battery won’t last that long. Another challenging question arises at the same time. If the MSDS qualified Class A rechargeable lithium battery cells are inbuilt: What do you do, when you run out of power during a shoot? Do you detach your handle to recharge? What do you do without a top handle? There is another critical side note regarding sturdiness. Needless to say this explicitly: You’d always want to prevent batteries from falling! In their product description text, the manufacturer asks its customers to please “use it carefully and avoid falling”. All of us filmmakers know that products need to be firm and sturdy for all the types of productions that we do daily. From covering motorbiking events with dust, dirt and sudden shocks, to field documentary, to independent cinematic work, we usually want gear without a “handle with care” label. Maybe the manufacturer only wants to be on the safe side here. To my mind, a top handle shouldn’t only be lightweight, anti-slip covered and ergonomic. I would also want to use it safely under intense pressure. In addition to that, I often work in difficult environmental situations and harsh conditions. Thus I would like my gear to meet the needs and expectations of such projects. Since we’ve not tested the handle yet, these are only first thoughts and impressions, of course. The product is available for $380 on pre-order now. Customers can currently get 20% off with the “soonwell2019” coupon code in their store. What do you think about Soonwell’s last announcement? Are you also interested in testing the product? Let us know in the comments below the article!

Every now and then we stumble over an interesting Kickstarter campaign worth reporting about. The one we’re discussing here is no exception since the Alotech camera backpack seems to combine several well-thought out concepts and design approaches in one nifty product. Let’s take a closer look, shall we? Gear. We all love it, don’t we? I do, for sure but it has to be worth the cash. Shopping around for bargains might be cool at that moment but once your cheapo gear falls apart while out and about on a job might change one’s mind… Another important aspect is how to get your precious gear safely and comfortably from A to B. At this point this new Alotech Backpack comes into play. At first glance, this camera backpack seems to tick quite a few boxes and a lot of thought from the so-called Alotech design board (basically a community approach of discussing several aspects of the final design of the backpack) went into this. The Alotech Camera Backpack The above video is fun to watch, at least if you’re into slightly silly jokes – and goats. But, and this is more valuable than being funny, it shows off the vast features of the backpack which are the meat and potatoes of any travel backpack, of course. Let’s break down the major ones of the Alotech bag: Ergonomic hip belt & back panel that follow your back’s natural curve. Deep ventilation channels & breathable material that run down your back Instantly access your batteries, memory cards and converters Instantly access any camera or lens with the Arca Swiss compatible lens and camera holster requiring no adapter plates Expandable to fit both camera gear and non-photographic gear including extra clothing, sleeping bags, food… Fits airline carry-on standards (when compressed) Dedicated waterproof compartment for a hydration bladder Here’s another video demonstrating the capacity and compressed/expanded setups of this backpack: What I find interesting is that the Alotech is not a camera-gear-only backpack but follows a versatile do-it-all approach. You can haul your gear and your camping stuff all in one bag. Still, the Alotech is designed with close attention to camera related needs. Multiple full-size DSLR bodies, giant lenses, adapters, it all fits effortlessly into the dedicated camera compartment which comes with a bunch of adjustable dividers. Another design feature is the (optional) arca-swiss compatible mounting holster which distributes the weight of the attached camera and/or lens to your hips. The backpack’s back panel matches the curvature of your spine. And this, combined with Alotech’s own contouring suspension system and ventilation approach, is supposed to be much more comfortable to carry around. Furthermore, the Alotech backpack comes in three different sizes which you can micro adjust to perfectly match your body. Alternative straps for female shooters are available, too. To me, the Alotech ticks the most important boxes: Comfort, versatility, ruggedness. These aspects should be the main design goal for any backpack before thinking about further tweaking its feature set. Other Features The outer shell of the Alotech is made of waterproof fabric and so are the seamed YKK zippers. On the bottom you can find a compartment for storing a rainfly and built into the straps themselves there a two meshed, yet waterproof, pockets for storing small items such as spare batteries or memory cards. The main camera compartment takes a good amount of the available space of the backpack and you can use the supplied dividers to build your very own bag. The compartment on top of that camera/lens space is dedicated to non-gear items such as clothing and/or camping gear. A drone or tripod head will fit too, of course. Note: When using the backpack in its fully expanded form (camera compartment plus top compartment), the Alotech bag won’t comply with carry-on specifications. It does in “compressed” form, though. Two water bottle compartments can be found on both sides of the backpack and a tripod can be mounted on various locations around the backpack. Pricing and Availability The Kickstarter campaign is live and it’s running until August, 28th. At time of writing, the funding already reached 2/3 of its goal so it’s likely that this project becomes a reality. Early bird pricing is $299, regular Kickstarter pricing is $399. After the campaign ends, the official retail price will be $450. Additional camera or lens holsters can be added for $84 ($134 after the campaign). The guys at Alotech seem to love goats! As always, please be aware that this is a Kickstarter campaign, not a retail store! You pay in advance and hope for the best everything progresses smoothly. If not, your pledge might be lost. If everything does work out, you’re getting a great looking backpack at a pretty cool price. Your choice. Shipping is scheduled for Feb 2020. Link: Kickstarter campaign What do you think? Could this be your next camera backpack? What are your specific needs when it comes to backpacks? Let us know in the comments below!

There are a couple of new, interesting deals for filmmakers available. We have selected the best offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week – including cameras from Panasonic, Nikon, Canon, and GoPro, tripod from Benro, Tascam audio recorder and more. I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America and then there are a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: Panasonic Lumix G85 with 12-60mm & 45-200mm Lenses Kit – $648 Discount I need to start this week’s selection with this very nice deal for the Lumix G85 mirrorless camera. It is a versatile Micro Four Thirds camera capable of UHD 4K video recording at up to 30fps (100Mbps in H.264). Its 16MP MOS sensor features 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization. This IS system pairs with select lens image stabilization systems for Dual I.S. For this price you will get the camera body plus two lenses – Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 and Lumix G Vario 45-200mm f/4-5.6 II POWER O.I.S lens. As a bonus within this accessory kit you will also get a SanDisk 32GB SDHC memory card, Lowepro shoulder bag, and a spare battery from Watson. Buy link: Panasonic Lumix G85 with 12-60mm & 45-200mm Lenses Kit Was: $1,445.98  Now: $797.99 (Savings: $647.99) B&H: Nikon Z 6 with FTZ Mount Adapter and Bag Kit – $447 Discount Nikon Z 6 is the first full-frame mirrorless camera from Nikon – it is the “all-arounder” within the new Z system. It features 24.5MP CMOS sensor and can record UHD 4K video at up to 30fps and full HD at up to 120fps – all in H.264. The camera can also output RAW signal via HDMI, so this could be the perfect camera to use with the Ninja V to capture in ProRes RAW. As a bonus within this accessory kit you will also get the FTZ Mount adapter to use with exsiting Nikon F lenses, Sony 32GB XQD G Series memory card, and DSLR shoulder bag. Buy link: Nikon Z 6 with FTZ Mount Adapter and Bag Kit Was: $2,243.90  Now: $1,796.95 (Savings: $446.95) B&H: GoPro Fusion – $300 Discount The GoPro Fusion is a 360 VR camera which supports 5.2K (up to 30fps) and 3K (up to 60fps) spherical video, and 18MP spherical photos. It has a ruggedized body, which is waterproof to 16′ depth. The Fusion can be controlled via mobile app and uses standard GoPro mounts. Flat and curved adhesive mounts, as well as extendable grip with fold-out legs are included in the package. Buy link: GoPro Fusion Was: $599.99  Now: $299.99 (Savings: $300.00) B&H: Panasonic Lumix GX85 with 12-32mm and 45-150mm Lenses Kit – $500 Discount Similar to the Lumix G85, there is now also a nice deal for the Lumix GX85 mirrorless camera. It is a versatile Micro Four Thirds camera capable of UHD 4K video recording at up to 30fps (100Mbps in H.264). Its 16MP MOS sensor features 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization. For this price you will get the camera body plus two lenses – Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH lens, and Lumix G Vario 45-150mm f/4-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. lens. As a bonus within this accessory kit you will also get a SanDisk 32GB SDHC memory card, Lowepro shoulder bag, and Chiaro 37mm 95-UVAT UV filter. Buy link: Panasonic Lumix GX85 with 12-32mm and 45-150mm Lenses Kit Was: $997.99  Now: $497.99 (Savings: $500.00) B&H: Canon EOS R Camera Body with Accessories Kit – $300 Discount The EOS R is the first full-frame mirrorless camera from Canon. It features the new RF lens mount, and 30.3MP CMOS sensor along with a DIGIC 8 image processor. It tops at UHD 4K30 for video recording and the sensor also facilitates Canon’s great Dual Pixel AF system – probably the best autofocus system for video right now. The camera can shoot in Canon Log gamma for higher dynamic range and it can output 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 over HDMI. To know more about the video capabilities of this camera, you can take a look at our Canon EOS R review. If you would like to use the EOS R as a B-camera to the Canon C200, check our article on the topic. As a bonus within this accessory kit you will also get a SanDisk 32GB SDHC memory card, and Lowepro shoulder bag. Buy link: Canon EOS R Camera Body with Accessories Kit Was: $2,299.00  Now: $1,999.00 (Savings: $300.00) B&H: Lexar 64GB Professional 1667x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card – $8 Discount   There can never be enough fast memory cards when it comes to video recording. This card from Lexar offers UHS-II standard (two rows of pins) and it is rated at V60, which means the minimum write speed is 60 MB/s (480Mbps). Maximum read speed is 250 MB/s. The 128GB and 256GB versions of the card are also discounted right now. Buy link: Lexar 64GB Professional 1667x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Was: $27.99  Now: $19.99 (Savings: $8.00) B&H: Benro C474T Carbon Fiber Video Tripod (100mm Bowl) – $170 Discount These video legs from Benro offer 100mm bowl for high end video heads. Its maximum height is 59.0″ and minimum height is 6″. The maximum load capacity is 77 lb and it folds down to 26″. Thanks to carbon fiber the legs weigh only 8.2 lb. Additional features are integrated bubble level, and interchangeable rubber/spiked feet. The legs come with padded carrying case. Buy link: Benro C474T Carbon Fiber Video Tripod (100mm Bowl) Was: $549.00  Now: $379.00 (Savings: $170.00) B&H: ASUS ProArt PA32UC 32″ 16:9 Wide Gamut IPS Monitor – $400 Discount This professional monitor from ASUS has an anti-glare 32″ panel featuring a native resolution of 3840 x 2160 with a 60 Hz refresh rate. It also features In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology, support for 1.07 billion colors (10-bit depth) and HDR10, a static contrast ratio of 1000:1, an ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio of 100,000,000:1, 1000 cd/m2 brightness, 138 pixels per inch, and a 5 ms (GtG) response time. This display has two Thunderbolt 3 ports (one upstream, one downstream), one DisplayPort 1.2 port, and four HDMI 2.0b ports, as well as an upstream USB 3.0 Type-B port, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, and a USB 3.0 Type-C port. The HDMI ports also support audio input and audio can be output using the dual integrated 3W stereo speakers. Buy link: ASUS ProArt PA32UC 32″ 16:9 Wide Gamut IPS Monitor Was: $1,999.00  Now: $1,599.00 (Savings: $400.00) B&H: Tascam DR-05X 2-Track Audio Recorder – $20 Discount This portable audio recorder from Tascam has onboard omni microphones, built-in speaker, 3.5mm mic/line input w/ plug-in power, and 3.5mm line/headphone output. It records in WAV up to 96 kHz and support microSDXC memory cards up to 128GB. Battery life is up to 17.5 hours. It offers a couple of improvements over its competition, like Zoom H1n for very similar price. Buy link: Tascam DR-05X 2-Track Audio Recorder Was: $119.99  Now: $99.99 (Savings: $20.00) CVP: Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 zoom lens – over €666 Discount (+ free servo grip) The Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 is a compact cine-servo cinema EOS lens for EF Mount which covers sensors up to super 35 size. With this offer you will also get a free ZSG-C10 servo grip for this lens. Buy link: Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 zoom lens Was: €3,604.73  Now: €2,938.22 (Savings: €666.51) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

For the 4th of July (Independence Day in the USA) there are always many interesting deals for filmmakers available. We have selected the best offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this occasion – including Canon C200 and C300 Mark II cinema cameras, FUJIFILM X-T3, GoPro HERO7, Sony a6500, SmallHD monitor, lenses, and more. Watch out – There is one deal in this article which expires tonight, July 2nd, at 11:59 PM EST! I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are 4th of July B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America and then there are a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: Zacuto Store 4th of July Offer – Up To 25% Discounts Zacuto has an interesting offer for the 4th of July. You can get up to 25% discount on all Zacuto gear from their online shop: 10% discount when you spend up to $499 US (with the code SAVEMORE10) 20% discount when you spend between $500 and $999 US (with the code SAVEMORE20) 25% discount when you spend over $1,000 US (with the code SAVEMORE25) The offer is valid only in Zacuto online shop till July 8th 10am CST. With this deal you can get for example the excelent Zacuto Gratical Eye EVF or the Zacuto Kameleon OLED EVF with almost $500 off. B&H: Canon EOS C200 Cinema Camera – $1,000 Discount I need to start this 4th of July selection with this very nice deal for the Canon C200 super35 cinema camera. In fact, this deal is so good, that we published an article just about this exact price drop. The camera is capable to record 8-bit compressed footage and 12-bit RAW footage with resolutions at up to C4K (4096 x 2160) at 50fps. It also utilises the great dual-pixel autofocus technology, which is one of the few really usable autofocus solutions for video recording. For more information about the camera, please refer to our Canon C200 review video & article. The discounted package is a standard bundle, which includes all the important accessories for the C200 to just grab it and shoot. Only the recording media and the lens need to be purchased separately. Buy link: Canon EOS C200 Cinema Camera Was: $7,499.00  Now: $6,499.00 (Savings: $1,000.00) B&H: Canon EOS C300 Mark II Cinema Camera – $1,000 Discount Another great deal is the old-but-gold Canon C300 Mark II. When this camera came out in 2015, its price tag was $16,000 US. After couple of price drops it is now almost half of that amount. It is still fairly popular and widely used in many segments of filmmaking industry. Even today, the C300 mark II is considered to be a good investment and a true workhorse. This camera can record various resolutions and framerates up to C4K and it offers all possible inputs and outputs. For further information about the camera, check our review, pros and cons article, and lab test. Buy link: Canon EOS C300 Mark II Cinema Camera Was: $9,999.00  Now: $8,999.00 (Savings: $1,000.00) B&H: FUJIFILM X-T3 Camera with 18-55mm Lens and Accessories Kit – $200 Discount FUJIFILM X-T3 is also available for an interesting price in a bundle with the XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS lens, SanDisk 32GB memory card, and Ruggard Hunter 25 DSLR holster bag. The X-T3 is current top-of-the-line APS-C body from FUJIFILM and it is overall a very capable filmmaking device. After all, it won our award for the best mirrorless camera of 2018. For more information about the camera, please check our FUJIFILM X-T3 review. Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T3 Camera with 18-55mm Lens and Accessories Kit Was: $1,899.00  Now: $1,699.00 (Savings: $200.00) B&H: SmallHD FOCUS Sony NP-FZ100 Bundle – $200 Discount This 5″ FOCUS on-camera monitor from SmallHD features 1280 x 720 resolution with 800 cd/m2 (nits) brightness and 10-bit colors. It can display SD, HD, and UHD 4K and it features SmallHD’s Swipe OS for easy navigation and image adjustment. This discounted set includes the accessory arm, NP-FZ100 adapter, L-series battery and charger, micro-HDMI cable, micro-USB cable, micro-HDMI to HDMI type A cable, screen protector, and four cable clips. Watch out – This deal expires tonight, July 2nd, at 11:59 PM EST! Buy link: SmallHD FOCUS Sony NP-FZ100 Bundle Was: $599.00  Now: $399.00 (Savings: $200.00) B&H: GoPro HERO7 Black – $50 Discount Another nice deal is this GoPro HERO7 black action camera offer. In terms of image quality, this camera still remains on the throne, even after the release of the DJI Osmo Action (which has other advantages – more on this in our head-to-head comparison). The HERO7 black features the awesome HyperSmooth stabilization and can film in various resolutions and frame rates, all the way up to UHD 4K in 60fps in H.265 or 1080p in 240fps. Buy link: GoPro HERO7 Black Was: $399.00  Now: $349.00 (Savings: $50.00) B&H: Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter (Sigma EF-Mount Lenses to Sony E) – $100 Discount The Sigma MC-11 is one of the most reliable solutions for using Sigma EF lenses on a Sony E-mount body. The adapter works best with Sigma lenses, but it also supports some EF lenses from other manufacturers. The adapter maintains autofocus and auto-exposure and it even supports in-camera correction features. There is no glass element in the adapter (it is not a speed booster). Buy link: Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter (Sigma EF-Mount Lenses to Sony E) Was: $249.00  Now: $149.00 (Savings: $100.00) B&H: Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF – $250 Discount This EF-mount lens covers full-frame sensors and offers aperture range of f/1.4 to f/16. For high image quality it includes two aspherical elements and multi-layer coating. There is a 67mm thread for the front filters. Sigma lenses are known for being very sharp wide open and I think this lens would be a great choice for interview setups for example. Buy link: Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon EF Was: $899.00  Now: $649.00 (Savings: $250.00) B&H: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO Lens – $150 Discount The 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens from Olympus is one of the best all-rounder lenses for M4/3 cameras. The full-frame equivalent of the lens is 24-80mm. I have this lens and use it very often with my GH5. It is not stabilized, but the camera’s own stabilizer (IBIS) does a good job. The focal lengths are perfect for quick run-n-gun type of workflow, but also for shooting interviews. The focus ring has an autofocus mode and manual focus mode with fixed distance marks, which is essential for follow focus. Overall a great lens for a great price. Buy link: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO Lens Was: $999.99  Now: $849.99 (Savings: $150.00) CVP: Sony a6500 Camera Body – over €279 Discount (Cashback) The Sony a6500 is currently still the best camera from Sony with an APS-C sized sensor. With its 24.2 megapixel sensor it offers internal 4K UHD recording with up to 30fps and S-log flat profiles. You can check Johnnie’s a6500 review to know more about the camera. This discount is in form of a cashback. That means you need to pay the full price and then get the cashback. Please read the conditions before buying the camera to make sure your purchase qualifies for the cashback. Buy link: Sony a6500 Camera Body Was: €1,191.66  Now: €912.14 (Cashback: €279.52) CVP: Sony FS5 MK2 Camera – over €335 Discount (Cashback) Another current cashback offer from Sony on CVP includes the Super35 cinema camera FS5 MK2. Despite being the entry-level Super35 cinema camera from Sony, it offers some very cool features, like the electronic variable ND filter. It records in 4K UHD at up to 30fps and it can output RAW signal in 4K 60fps 10-bit over SDI. Certainly a nice deal to consider. This discount is in form of a cashback. That means you need to pay the full price and then get the cashback. Please read the conditions before buying the camera to make sure your purchase qualifies for the cashback. Buy link: Sony FS5 MK2 Camera Was: €4,556.21  Now: €4,220.79 (Cashback: €335.42) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

There are a couple of new, interesting deals available for filmmakers. We have selected the best offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week – including the Atomos SUMO, a Zhiyun-Tech gimbal, an SLR Magic cine lens, a FeelWorld monitor, a Zoom recorder, a Vari ND filter and more. Watch out – All of the deals within this week’s article expire on June 20th, at 11:59 PM EST! I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. This week I chose to include only deals from B&H, as they have special time-limited offers, which might be worth a look. Primarily, these offers are for our readers based in North and South America, yet B&H also offers worldwide shipping. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Watch out – All of the deals within this week’s article expire on June 20th, at 11:59 PM EST! Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: Atomos SUMO19M 19″ HDR Monitor – $1,000 Discount We have already featured this particular deal in May. It is back again, so I’ve decided to include it once more, as it really is a great price. The SUMO19M from Atomos is a 19″ production monitor with 1920 x 1080 resolution and a 1200 cd/m² (nits) bright touchscreen display. It features 10-bit FRC processing and has HDMI 2.0 and 12G-SDI inputs/outputs with cross conversion, plus it can import LUTs from master caddy media. Thanks to the high brightness, it has a HDR mode with 10-stop Dynamic Range and also a high-bright mode for REC. 709 viewing. Buy link: Atomos SUMO19M 19″ HDR Monitor Was: $1,995.00  Now: $995.00 (Savings: $1,000.00) B&H: FeelWorld FH7 7″ On-Camera HDMI Monitor – $60 Discount This modestly priced 7″ on-camera monitor from FeelWorld now got an even friendlier price tag. It offers a 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD display with a 160º viewing angle, HDMI input-output, 450 cd/m² brightness and 1200:1 contrast ratio. It features functions like focus peaking, false color and 1:1 pixel mapping. The monitor accepts SD, HD and UHD 4K video and comes with a battery plate and HDMI cable. Buy link: FeelWorld FH7 7″ On-Camera HDMI Monitor Was: $199.00  Now: $139.00 (Savings: $60.00) B&H: Zoom H1n Audio Recorder with X/Y Microphone – $40 Discount This small audio recorder from Zoom is one of the most affordable ones in the market. It has onboard stereo X/Y oriented microphones, a built-in speaker, 3.5mm mic/line input with plug-in power and 3.5mm line/headphone output for monitoring. It can record in WAV at up to 96 kHz to microSDHC cards (up to 32GB). The battery lasts for up to 10 hours. The Zoom H1n supports functions like auto-record & pre-record, auto-level, limiter & low-cut filter. Buy link: Zoom H1n Audio Recorder with X/Y Microphone Was: $119.99  Now: $79.99 (Savings: $40.00) B&H: SLR Magic Cine 35mm f/1.2 FE Lens for Sony E-Mount – $220 Discount The 35mm cine lens from SLR Magic covers full-frame sensors and offers an aperture range from f/1.2 to f/16 with a click-less IRIS ring. Both, the focus and IRIS ring are cine geared and click-less. The lens features a 13-blade circular aperture, 52mm filter thread diameter, 9 optical elements in 8 groups and a non-rotating front. Buy link: SLR Magic Cine 35mm f/1.2 FE Lens for Sony E-Mount Was: $499.00  Now: $279.00 (Savings: $220.00) B&H: Zhiyun-Tech WEEBILL LAB Handheld Stabilizer – $100 Discount The WEEBILL LAB gimbal features the new Zhiyun-Tech grip design known from the Crane 3, which makes it easier for two-handed operation and “underslung mode”. It can take payloads of up to 6.6 lb and features a mini tripod mount on top and bottom. The gimbal offers 360° pan, tilt and roll rotation, a zoom/focus hand-wheel and servo support, dual quick release plates and axis locks for saving balance positions. Buy link: Zhiyun-Tech WEEBILL LAB Handheld Stabilizer Was: $599.00  Now: $499.00 (Savings: $100.00) B&H: Lumu Power Light & Color Meter for iOS – $180 Discount A light meter is a useful device to help determine the ideal exposure settings for a scene. This compact light meter from Lumu Power can measure exposure, illuminance and color. It supports ambient and flash lighting and has a measuring range of -4 to 20 EV, a color temperature range of 1500-20,000K, an illuminance range of 0.15-250,000 lux, a chromaticity mode in CIE 1931 Space, and CIE 1931/DIN 5033 color standard. The color meter connects to a lightning port and gets powered directly from the iOS device. It displays the information via the iOS mobile app. Buy link: Lumu Power Light & Color Meter for iOS Was: $299.99  Now: $119.99 (Savings: $180.00) B&H: JarvMobile 10,000mAh Power Bank with Wireless Charging – $13 Discount A power bank can always be useful on set. It can extend the battery life of small lights, GoPros, phones, etc. Many devices can also be powered while operating, so a power bank can sometimes save the situation when a shoot takes longer than expected. This power bank with 10,000mAh capacity can charge up to 2 devices simultaneously. It even has a wireless Qi charging pad. 1 x micro-USB port, 1 x USB type-C port, and 1 x USB type-A port provide basic connectivity. There is a micro-USB cable included. Buy link: JarvMobile 10,000mAh Power Bank with Wireless Charging Was: $29.95  Now: $16.95 (Savings: $13.00) B&H: Tiffen 77mm Variable Neutral Density Filter – $50 Discount ND filters should be in every mirrorless or DSLR filmmaker’s kit. They can limit the light entering the lens and allow keeping the shutter angle close to 180º. Variable ND filters are quicker to work with, but sometimes lack the optical quality and shift the colors of the image. Tiffen is an experienced US filter manufacturer, so their Vari ND should have good quality. This particular one provides 2 to 8 stops of light control with a rotating ring to choose the degree of ND. The discounted offer also includes an 82mm version. Buy link: Tiffen 77mm Variable Neutral Density Filter Was: $129.95  Now: $79.95 (Savings: $50.00) B&H: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi + 4G LTE) – $560 Discount In our video article, we showed you that with a powerful iPad Pro, it is possible to comfortably edit quick turnaround videos with the LumaFusion app. This configuration of the iPad Pro could get the job done. It features the 12.9″ multi-touch retina display with 2732 x 2048 screen resolution (264 ppi), Apple A10X 64-Bit SoC + M10 coprocessor, 512GB SSD, 4G LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and bluetooth 4.2. Buy link: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi + 4G LTE) Was: $1,279.00  Now: $719.00 (Savings: $560.00) B&H: Datacolor Spyder5ELITE Display Calibration System – $110 Discount This system from Datacolor can be used to calibrate monitors, projectors, or laptops. It includes a color probe and offers unlimited calibration settings – user defined and REC. 709. There is a before-and-after evaluation, video and print standards and advanced display analysis. Buy link: Datacolor Spyder5ELITE Display Calibration System Was: $249.95  Now: $139.95 (Savings: $110.00) Watch out – All of the deals within this week’s article expire on June 20th, at 11:59 PM EST! What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

There are a couple of new, interesting deals for filmmakers available. We have selected the best offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week – including a FUJIFILM X-T2 50% off offer, the GoPro HERO7 black, the DJI Ronin-S, the DJI Mavic 2 zoom, the DJI Osmo Mobile 2, the Sony a7 III, the Sony FS5 mk2 and more. I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America and then there are a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: FUJIFILM X-T2 Camera Body with Free Accessory Kit – $801 Discount I need to start this week’s selection with this incredible 50% off deal for the FUJIFILM X-T2 mirrorless camera. It has a 24.3MP APS-C sensor and is capable of recording internal UHD 4K video at up to 30fps in F-Log gamma or the ETERNA film simulation. The X-T2 has an OLED viewfinder, tilting LCD screen at the back and the body is weather-sealed. Although a bit older, this body is still a very capable filmmaking device. For more information about the X-T2, check Johnnie’s initial review and second review after the important firmware update. As a bonus: within this accessory kit you will get a SanDisk 32GB SDHC memory card, a Ruggard Outrigger 45 backpack and an external AC/DC charger for FUJIFILM batteries. Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T2 Camera Body with Free Accessory Kit Was: $1,600.00  Now: $799.00 (Savings: $801.00) B&H: GoPro HERO7 Black – $70 Discount Another nice deal is this GoPro HERO7 black action camera offer. In terms of image quality, this camera still remains on the throne, even after the release of the DJI Osmo Action (which has other advantages – more on this in our head-to-head comparison). The HERO7 black features the awesome HyperSmooth stabilization and can film in various resolutions and frame rates, all the way up to UHD 4K in 60fps in H.265 or 1080p in 240fps. Buy link: GoPro HERO7 Black Was: $399.00  Now: $329.00 (Savings: $70.00) B&H: Luxli Cello 10″ On-Camera RGBAW LED Light Kit with Diffuser – $120 Discount The Luxli Cello LED light offers variable 3,000-10,000K color temperature with adjustable full color light. It can be dimmed from 100-0% brightness and is flicker-free. Color and light effects can be controlled via a phone app and the light can be powered with Sony L-series batteries. This kit comes with a light hood and a diffusion filter. The output is 1500 lumens at a high quality CRI 95 and TLCI 97. Buy link: Luxli Cello 10″ On-Camera RGBAW LED Light Kit with Diffuser Was: $448.99  Now: $328.99 (Savings: $120.00) CVP: DJI Ronin-S Gimbal – over €121 Discount For filmmakers based in Europe, CVP now has great offers on various products from DJI. I decided to start with the popular 3-axis motorized gimbal, the Ronin-S. It can carry cameras up to around 3.6kg and features a variety of smart functions. For more information about this gimbal, please check Nino’s Ronin-S review. Both, the Standard and the Essentials kit are on sale right now. The Essentials kit lacks a couple of accessories from the Standard kit – the focus wheel, cables for camera control, the accessories box and the AC adapter for charging. Also, the tripod/extended handle is made of plastic (as opposed to the metal one within the Standard kit). If the Essentials kit is enough for you, there is some more cash to be saved on that one. Buy link: DJI Ronin-S Gimbal – Standard Kit Was: €626.35  Now: €504.64 (Savings: €121.71) Buy link: DJI Ronin-S Gimbal – Essentials Kit Was: €429.74  Now: €373.56 (Savings: €56.17) CVP: DJI Osmo Mobile 2 – over €18 Discount If you are looking for a compact gimbal for a smartphone or action camera, you might find this next deal very interesting. The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 can carry phones of up to 85mm width and it offers a handful of useful features. Buy link: DJI Osmo Mobile 2 Was: €120.78  Now: €102.05 (Savings: €18.73) CVP: DJI Mavic 2 Zoom Quadcopter – over €74 Discount Another European DJI deal is the Mavic 2 drone in its Zoom version. It can record video in up to 4K UHD resolution and 30fps frame rate. Its camera module offers an optical zoom with a range equivalent of 24-48mm, which can help you achieve interesting shots. One example would be an aerial dolly zoom. For more information about the DJI Mavic 2 drones, you can check our article from their launch. Buy link: DJI Mavic 2 Zoom Quadcopter Was: €1,028.93  Now: €954.04 (Savings: €74.89) CVP: Sony a7 III Camera Body – over €168 Discount (Cashback) The Sony a7 III is the latest full-frame mirrorless camera from Sony and it has become very popular amongst filmmakers. It offers internal 4K UHD recording with up to 30fps and S-log flat profiles. It is also very capable in low light – you can check Johnnie’s a7 III review to know more about the camera. This discount is in form of a cashback. That means you need to pay the full price and then get the cashback. Please read the conditions before buying the camera to make sure your purchase qualifies for the cashback. Buy link: Sony a7 III Camera Body Was: €1,684.31  Now: €1,543.87 (Cashback: €168.52 incl.VAT) CVP: Sony FS5 MK2 Camera – over €404 Discount (Cashback) Another current cashback offer from Sony on CVP includes the Super35 cinema camera FS5 MK2. Despite being the entry-level Super35 cinema camera from Sony, it offers some very cool features, like the electronic variable ND filter. It records in 4K UHD at up to 30fps and it can output RAW signal in 4K 60fps 10-bit over SDI. Certainly a nice deal to consider. This discount is in form of a cashback. That means you need to pay the full price and then get the cashback. Please read the conditions before buying the camera to make sure your purchase qualifies for the cashback. Buy link: Sony FS5 MK2 Camera Was: €4,578.23  Now: €4,241.18 (Cashback: €404.46 incl.VAT) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

There are a couple of new, interesting deals for filmmakers available. We have selected the best offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week – including the Sony a7R II and a7R III cameras, Panasonic LUMIX GX85 kit, Canon 17-40mm lens, Insta360 Pro, SmallHD monitors and more. I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America and then a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: Sony a7R II and Sony a7R III Cameras with 4TB HDD – Up to $610 Discount We already informed you about this great deal on sunday (article here). Although this deal was supposed to be limited for a day only, it seems to be still ongoing, so make sure to check it out. Both cameras are very capable in both stills photography and filmmaking. Their prices are now the lowest they have ever been. Buy link: Sony Alpha a7R II Camera with Storage Kit Was: $2,008.00  Now: $1,498.00 (Savings: $510.00) Buy link: Sony Alpha a7R III Camera with Storage Kit Was: $3,208.00  Now: $2,598.00 (Savings: $610.00) B&H: Panasonic LUMIX GX85 Camera Kit with Two Lenses – $400 Discount I think this LUMIX GX85 kit is a great value for beginning filmmakers or for more experienced ones as a second camera or lightweight travel setup for both video and stills. The GX85 has 16MP micro four thirds sensor with 5-axis image stabilization and it can record video at up to UHD 4K 24/30fps with 100Mbps. The camera has tilting touchcreen on the back and an electronic viewfinder. Apart from the camera, this discounted kit also includes the LUMIX G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, LUMIX G Vario 45-150mm f/4-5.6 lens, SanDisk 32GB memory card, DSLR shoulder bag, and 37mm UV filter. Buy link: Panasonic LUMIX GX85 Camera Kit with Two Lenses Was: $997.99  Now: $597.99 (Savings: $400.00) B&H: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens – $300 Discount If you don’t really need the extra speed of the 16-35mm Canon lens, but you still want to get ultra-wide angle shots with a full frame sensor, this lens could do the job very well. The aperture range goes from f/4 to f/22 and at 17mm it is very wide on full-frame camera. The lens is weather sealed and features Super Spectra coating to minimize flares. The price point is very competitive. Buy link: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens Was: $799.00  Now: $499.00 (Savings: $300.00) B&H: Insta360 Pro VR 360 8K Camera – $1,000 Discount The Insta360 Pro is a professional VR 360 camera. It can capture up to 8K resolution video and stills. The camera can also live-stream 4K video in H.264 or H.265. It consists of six 200° fisheye lenses, four built-in mics & AUX mic input. The camera has all kinds of special features like optical flow stitching, image stabilization, etc. Buy link: Insta360 Pro VR 360 8K Camera Was: $3,499.00  Now: $2,499.00 (Savings: $1,000.00) B&H: Samsung 1TB T5 Portable SSD – $30 Discount These portable SSDs from Samsung got very popular lately. They can be used as a quick backup on location and thanks to their speed they can be used for quick editing or even for video recording, like with the BMPCC4K. 1TB storage capacity should be enough for a lot of ProRes or BRAW footage from the Pocket 4K. The SSD offers up to 540 MB/s data transfer rate and it comes with USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A cables. Buy link: Samsung 1TB T5 Portable SSD Was: $197.99  Now: $167.99 (Savings: $30.00) B&H: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi Only) – $450 Discount Apple iPad Pro might even be a capable editing machine for quick turnaround videos. You can check our article about it here. This particular model is on discount and I find the price very interesting. It is mid 2017 model with 512GB memory, 12.9″ retina display (2732 x 2048), and Apple A10X 64-bit SoC + M10 coprocessor. This is a wi-fi only model – without the 4G LTE module. Buy link: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi Only) Was: $1,149.00  Now: $699.00 (Savings: $450.00) CVP: JVC GY-LS300E Super35 4K Camera – Free Atomos Ninja V and Olympus 12-40mm Lens This JVC camera is actually the most affordable camera with super35 sensor on the market. It records 4K UHD video up to 30fps in 8-bit 4:2:2. Interestingly enough, this camera has micro four thirds mount. It seems most MFT lenses do cover super35 sensor, but if they don’t, JVC has a feature for that which can crop the sensor just enough to get rid of vignetting. The camera records to SD cards and it has both HDMI and SDI output and XLR input for audio. Nice bonus for this already very affordable camera is that you now get a free Atomos Ninja V recorder (read our article about it here) and a great Olympus 12-40mm MFT lens. Buy link: JVC GY-LS300E Super35 4K Camera Now: €2,862.22 (Free Atomos Ninja V and Olympus 12-40mm Lens) CVP: SmallHD 503 Directors Kit V-Mount – over €991 Discount CVP now has a great offers on many monitors from SmallHD. I selected this 503 directors kit with a V-mount battery plate, because the discount here is huge. This kit features a 1920 x 1080 5-inch monitor with a bunch of accessories. Buy link: SmallHD 503 Directors Kit V-Mount Was: €2,775.13  Now: €1,784.02 (Savings: €991.12) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

GearEye was supposed to be a gear tracking system based on RFID tags and a tracker in form of a small dongle or smartphone case. Its creators were running a successful crowdfunding campaigns in the end of 2016, but failed to deliver GearEye units till today. GearEye RFID tracking system still not delivered. Already back in November 2016 we informed you about an interesting crowdfunding project called GearEye (link to the article here). GearEye was supposed to be a gear tracking system based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. It was supposed to help filmmakers and photographers manage their gear easily. I am saying “was supposed to”, because till today GearEye creators did not deliver their product. The GearEye crowdfunding campaigns were quite successful – they had two of them running from November 1st 2016 till December 30th 2016. Its creators raised $558,069 US on Kickstarter (their goal was only $60,000 US) and $657,523 on Indiegogo. Together it is slightly over $1.2M US for development and delivery of the GearEye tracking systems. EDIT, 15 Oct 2019: A previous version of this paragraph said that $1.2M were raised in total, this is wrong. We made this mistake because the “Indiegogo on Demand” program is a continuation of Kickstarter and showed the total number. In fact, Geareye raised $550K on Kickstarter and $90K on Indiegogo, so it’s a combined $640K.  The backers were sending between $120 and $600 US for GearEye kits depending on the number of RFID stickers and trackers (dongles or phone cases). The initial estimated delivery time was July 2017. The GearEye creators seem to communicate with the backers – they posted a total of 24 updates since spring 2017. Some of them were talking about passing the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) tests for wireless devices, some of them about changing various components, adjusting the PCB, adjusting the design and so on. This is the latest update from May 19th 2019. Latest photos of the GearEye dongle from May 19th 2019 Since I didn’t back the project, I could not see most of the updates. It seems to me though as if they have only made very little progress with the device in those two years. That raises my concern if the updates can be trusted and if there really is development going on. What’s frustrating for the project’s backers is that GearEye doesn’t seem to be willing to refund any money to anyone. We say this at the end of every crowdfunding-related article: Please be aware of the risks when backing development of a project on crowdfunding platform. Please read Kickstarter’s terms of use – especially Section 5 “How funding works”. Unfortunately not all project creators are honest and even with those who are, some projects can bring unexpected complications in the final stages of development. Those can either significantly postpone the delivery date or kill the project completely. EDIT, 15 Oct 2019: GearEye CEO Julia Lerner got in touch with us and said that they apologize for the massive delays and that they are working hard on meeting delivery in January-February 2020. Did you back GearEye project? Do you think these units will eventually be delivered? Are you aware of all the risks connected with backing a crowdfunding project? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.