In my every day carry bag, I choose between the Godox IT30pro, and the IT32.

Both small, although the IT32 has a bigger footprint and a little more weight. They are used for simple portraits or fill flash.

They both have some power, and added extras on the IT32- especially the capability to remove the hot shoe trigger and shoot the flash off camera, my fave.

The odd deal is that the IT30pro can also be triggered by that same piece, but you need the one to use on the other.

Anyway, I felt the light was a bit harsh for me, so I began the hunt for a suitable diffuser. Sure, there is one on board of the IT32, but not enough for me.

I found one on EBAY, and waited  for the delivery from China.

While waiting I figured I’d see what was in my many bits of kit and lo and behold, the MagMod system was a workable choice!

The silicon magnetic adaptor fit nice and tight over the IT32 head and the diffusers connected!

Sure, there were holes where the fit wasn’t right, but the flight would still get modified. Success.

Truth be told, they are bigger than I want to carry in my bag, so the EBAY unit was a perfect solution.

The point is, you never know what you may have purchased in the past that can solve a current puzzle.

As a follow up to my “What’s In My Bag – Walkaround”  video

I’m now expanding to what I bring when I’m going to shoot some video.

It could be interviews on the street, or perhaps at a fair, like an art fair.

Keeping it simple with an ear to the quality of the recoding is key.

It could be a recording on an iPhone, which in my case is an iPhone 17 Pro, or simple as in a Fuji X-100V

On the phone you can shoot 4K ProRes RAW, but you do need a few things The phone setup goes like this:

A Shiftcam Hub

Ulanzi MagSafe base 

The BlackMagic Camera App= free. and the best video app for recording on your phone

A USB-C SSD, available as a SanDisk Extreme Fit.(the one in the video is now longer made, so the SanDisk is a great option. To record with the highest available codec, the external SSD is required, plus it save space on your phone if you decide not to go as high end as the ProRes Raw

And then the heart of it all is the HollyLand Lark M2S

The kit comes with 2x 24 bit mics, a receiver that plugs directly into the phone, or in this case, ShiftCam Hub.

You also get a receiver that plugs into your camera, if that is your recorder of choice.

These mics deliver, and although they don’t have a 32bit float, nor record onto the mic them selves like some other options, the simplicity works.

Because using you phone for the Hi-Res east the battery, the Anker battery listed fits perfect in the Ulanzi. It’s a little more like a block than a slim line, although that is what fits best into the rig.

As you can see in the vid, it can be prebuilt and stached i you bag, and for me, that’s a Peak Design Everyday Sling

Here is a sample video:

Coming up are more vids expanding the different carry items/

Real world, and no BS. These are the tools that I really use.

We all have subjects that we are hired to photograph, or just get pleasure from it.

Whether you are a birder, shoot sports, large events, or just want to get the reach with a fast telephoto.

Personally, I shoot in large cathedrals and am always on the lookout for a lens that has the reach and the speed.

Fuji is introducing a new lens that may get that “just right” position.

I’ve tried the a few telephoto options :100-400mm, but it was too slow, I tried the 500mm, and it was sharp as a tack, but slow and heavy, this new FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR may be just right!

Of course, until I shoot with it, i can’t give an accurate reveiw, but i will once that happens.

It’ll cost about $3200., and will be available mid-September.

Here is the official word:

Fujifilm Introduces FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR Lens

Compact, lightweight super-telephoto lens design supports powerful handheld mobility and reach in challenging outdoor scenarios

Continue Reading »

Saturday was a full one.

After leaving the house with the camera bag set, a walkabout in NYC is what I call going to visual gym. Be advised, these are not all the best images but…

BTW, There is a coming video on What’s In My Bag, a series I started 20 years ago, and now I guess it’s my turn! You will see what my everyday carry is, and then I’ll share what I take to  to events, and assignments in more videos

Met this incredible happy couple who brightened the whole day but : how did I get here?

BTW, There is a coming video on What’s In My Bag, a series I started 20 years ago, and now I guess it’s my turn! You will see what my everyday carry is, and then I’ll share what I take to events, and assignments in more videos

The day began with a walk over to Rockefeller Center. Nothing spectacular going on so the walk continued. Continue Reading »

This is not animated. This is a documentary of a lion cub ascending to becoming king of the pride.

A real life Lion King.

From Nat Geo, Disney+, and Hulu a series simply entitled “Lion” from director Jon Favreau with his first documentary. Starts airing Aug. 19th.on Nat Geo and Aug 20th on the Disney+, and Hulu channels.

It was abit of putting the band back together as he also brought Hans Zimmer into the project, as they both worked on the previous “Lion King ” movie from 2019.  Zimmer won an Oscar for his instrumental music for the 1994 version.

In the series, a 4 year long tracing the growth of a lion cub, Kio, and his brothers, as they navigate, learn, and overcome obstacles to lead a new family of lions.

To start, a 4 year commitment to filming the journey is a feat in itself. Continue Reading »