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The Zhiyun Crane 3 LAB is the best gimbal I’ve laid my hands on

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If the Zhiyun WEEBILL was not ad boy enough for you, how about the bigger brother, the Zhiyun Crane 3 LAB? We took this gimbal through the paces, and if you only have ten seconds for this review, here is the verdict: it’s the best gimbal we’ve used to date. Is it perfect, no? but it currently has a set of features that no other gimbal at this price point (or probably higher) provides.

As always, if you have any questions about the Crane 3, let me know in the comments and I will answer ASAP.

The Crane 3 is probably the best Gimbal you can buy for $899.00 (basic) or $1,199.00 (Creator Package). If you want a quick overview of what you’ll get with the box, here is a video to look at, but if you came here for function and performance, read on!

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How to create Facebook 3D photos in Photoshop

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You know those Facebook photos where you move your phone or your mouse and they move. Kinda like making you feel you are in the photo? Well, Unmesh Dinda totally nails it in explaining to to create those photo directly from your PC (ok, ok, or Mac) and upload them to photoshop.

The trick is done using depth maps. And as you may guess, those are maps that tell Facebook what is the depth of each part in the photo.

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The SYRP Genie II is the perfect motorized slider (just give us the full app already)

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The SYRP Genie is a motor/wire driven motorized slider. This means that it uses a cable to push it forward. You can choose the length of the cable which makes it virtually endless in length. (You can even use hockey sticks to build a sling-cam)

DIYP reviewed the first Genie way back and the next iteration is nicer, more versatile and now runs on 3 Axis

We are taking a look at the Genie II 3-Axis Epic Kit which includes the: Magic Carpet carbon Slider, Genie II Linear, and Genie II Pan Tilt head.

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Unboxing and first look of the Zhiyun Crane 3 LAB

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During IBC last year we caught a glimpse of the oddly shaped Zhiyun Crane 3 LAB. It’s Zhiyun’s new flagship 3-Axis gimbal. With a price tag of $899.00, 1.8kg weight, and 4.54kg load capacity it’s not a gimbal for everyone. But if you need a gimbal for a heavy rig, this is a gimbal you’d want to consider.

Even before balancing and running the gimbal, you can see that it’s oddly shaped. Well, oddly by 2018 standards, I think that this form factor is going to become the norm soon enough. Our initial tests proved that it’s more comfortable that the “stick” configuration and allows holding the gimbal and camera closer to the body, as well as better distribute weight on both hands.

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Get a ring flash for only $14.99

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Almost eight years ago we set out a lofty goal, put a ring flash in the hands of every hot-shoe-strobe photographer in the world. This is why we made the best DIY ring flash in existence and sold it for a low price of $35 (including a flash bracket).

Alas, all good things must end, and once the current batch of rings lights runs out, we will not make another. On the other hand, I see that many photographers still do not have a ring flash. This is your opportunity to score a ring flash for $14.99 only.

Why am I telling you this? Because this will be your chance to try out a ring flash for $14.99 (both ring and bracket). All you need is a hot shoe flash and a way to trigger the flash off camera.

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Atomos Shinobi goes head to head with SmallHD FOCUS 5″ at $75 less

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For me, the separation between SmallHD and Atomos was pretty clear. Atomos made recording monitors (mostly) and SmallHD made monitors that do not record. This is changing with Atomos latest Announcement, the Atomos Shinobi. The Atomos Shinobi is a 5.2″ on camera monitor that has (give or take) all the fancy features that the Atomos Ninja V has, sans internal recording and $300.

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How I prevented a Godox speedlight from setting my studio on fire

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Yup, is a harsh title, clickbaity even. Sadly, it’s true. I do think that this story (and lesson) could have ended up very differently. Luckily, no one is hurt and no harm as done to my studio aside one dead battery.

I am a big Godox fan. I shoot quite a bit with the AD600, AD200 and the V860II for Sony. Well, mostly with the AD600 and AD200. The 860II is many times waiting in the drawer for when we need an extra light. Since it is rarely used, I don’t top off the battery. It usually stays in the drawer next to the strobe. I charge it before a shoot and sometimes after a shoot as well. Now, before I talk about exploding homes, let’s take a look at the tech that powers the V860II.

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The Rhino Motion Kit is not cheap, but it’s one heck of a motorized slider

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We are a small crew, this is why it’s handy to have one moving camera that needs no attention when we shoot. It means one less crew person while getting top notch B cam footage. And our slider package of choice for that is the Rhino Ultimate Slider (Amazon | B&H).

Having an automated motorized slider is a powerful tool to have in your box. It allows the same camera moves that your typical slider will allow. But it also adds an array of abilities to the team that a normal slider does not:

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