I have been a huge fan of the DJI Mic 2 for a variety of reasons. 32bit float, recording onto the transmitter as a back-up, ability to add a lavalier mic.

And you will see that infamous fuzzy cat on top of the mics in many many vids.  Like all gear, the right tool for the right situation.

To be honest, on my last coverage of a few art fairs, the ubiquitous mic, was starting to annoy me. And when I wanted to get some audio from those being interviewed, it became a real eye catcher, in the wrong way. Don’t need the logos

As I sometimes struggle with getting a high quality compact system of doing interviews and overviews, the gear has been changing, and evolving.

I recently picked up the Hollyland Lark M2S system, with the most discreet Bluetooth mic system.

This compact system had the right elements: the kit has a USB-C receiver to plug into the phone, or Osmo Pocket 3, and you get a receiver for your camera as well complete with all the needed cables.

To be clear, when speed is the mandate, this tiny mic system is perfect. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of their other mics, but it is the right tool for the job.

Plus, when putting out time sensitive content that honestly has a certain short shelf life, recording on the phone , editing in CapCut, and posting, this is a tool that fits my needs.

In a previous post, I wrote about recording Pro Res Raw on the iPhone, and this set-up works great for that as well.

You still need an external SSD to capture those large files, and here is the rig I came up with:

Planck 2 TB SSD

Planck Creator hub

Ulanzi magsafe with a ¼-20 7 Cold Shoe

BlackMagic Camera App

And of course, the Hollyland Lark M2S

As you can see, the whole rig can be built, sit in your bag, and be ready to go in an instant

The pairing on the Lark M2S is immediate and visually cues you to the connection.

Blue is ready, and green means it’s live.

The reason all these parts were chosen was the design of each element, and the way it all integrated.

Fast, small, and quality.

Now, one part that is still to be worked out is a battery to keep the phone charged.

I do have one from a Anker that is slim enough to fit in the spring-loaded part of the Ulanzi and can plug into the Planck hub. looking for a battery that can fit on the magsafe mount.

All in all, very happy with this rig.

Check out the video and let me know what you think!

And here is a video using the Lark MS2 in a real world situation.

Yep, the straps that you all know from Peak Design have those now classic Anchors that lock and keep you strap secure to your camera, are adding a new product into the line-up.

They have now brought out a line of Mobile Straps that are geared more to the point and shoot and mobile market. There is a general spec chart at the end of the post so you can see if your camera will work.

Built around a brand new intuitive and very secure Micro Anchor™ connection system, these straps are quick-adjusting, low profile, comfy, and durable.

Here is a video walking you through it all.

These straps are compatible with any Peak Design phone case, including the Apple iPhone 17 case, and with the included adapter, any third-party case. So, if you want to carry your phone with a strap, or even with their mobile cuff, which is a smaller version, you are covered.

One of the dual straps also has a carabiner with 3 connectors so you can add whatever configuration you want to a shoulder carry set-up.

The Micro Anchor™ quality is solid and the rope braids are as well. Admittedly, the anchors on the orginal are easier to get in and out, although the tight fit on these made them feel more secure.

Personally, I’m using the mobile cuff on my Fuji X-100V, as a wrist strap or a cuff are my fave carry modes for cameras.

My Fuji feels like an extension of me, and the cuff puts the camera in my hand always at the ready.

Here are the 3 versions:

And the prices with details:

• Mobile Crossbody Multi-Strap ($59.95)
  • A versatile strap that securely carries your phone, keys, and small essentials with quick, tangle-free Micro Anchor™ connections and a durable adjustable rope

• Mobile Crossbody Strap ($49.95)
  • A sleek 2-point carry collusion
  • Offers secure, tangle-free convenience with the intuitive Micro Anchor™ system and an ultra-comfortable adjustable rope

• Mobile Cuff ($29.95)
  • A simple, durable wrist strap that provides secure, drop-proof carry for your phone, camera, or small device
  • Features effortless Micro Anchor™ attachment, a self-cinching hardware, and ultra-durable woven rope

With spring on the way, it’s time for fresh start and an upgrade!

For many years, I would interview photographers at various venues to shed additional light on their work. In this video interview of Lauren Greenfield at Annenberg Space for Photography from  2011, she discusses her brilliant exhibit “Beauty CULTure”.

From the link you can discover a lot of older vids, and some new ones.

A little bit of storytime here:

Going back through the archives, one of my most interesting shoots was photographing Bobby Beausoleil, a member of the Manson Family, in maximum security prison. There is an earlier post about this here.

When the prison doors close, it’s hard sound like you’ve never experienced. Walking the line for real was nothing like the Johnny Cash song.

I was ready with a tightly packed camera bag.

I took 3 cameras with me to the shoot: Nikon F3, Nikon FM, and a Nikon F which was my insurance. As a fully manual, non-metered film camera, this would always be my go-to. You could hammer nails with it all day, and it would still shoot straight, as the expression goes.

Plus a changing bag, a Vivitar 283 flash with batteries, and plenty of Kodak Tri-X, and Ektachrome.

I asked Bobby to tell me his side of the story, while photographing him for this assignment. Yes, I had a guard and a social worker with me at all times.

Hearing the details of a murder was chilling, and photographing the person who committed that murder was another level.

In this video, I briefly go over some of the details, including the basics of how i got the assignment.

If you would like more details of this shoot,  you can find those here.

More stories in the archives.

The latest addition to the Wacom family of tablets, the MovinkPad 11 is a super slim, stand-alone Android tablet, and a Wacom pen based drawing surface, with the heritage of the celebrated Cintiq series. A mouthful, right?

I will never forget visiting a feature film post production studio, where an artist was working on one of the earliest full size Cintiq monitors. You know the one where you are actually working on the image with a Wacom pen on the screen. Not the usual working surface, where your hand eye coordination must be fluid and organic.
Making adjustments directly on the image on the screen.

Since then, I have been tracking the genesis of this product, and honestly, this latest iteration does everything I hoped for. And with the added advantage of being a standalone tablet.

You can load up the MovinkPad 11 with programs and content when wired, then take the tablet and work conveniently with the Wacom pen and no wires. The Movink is sitting in a Twelve South adjustable tablet stand for the photos but a great item to pack for travel.

My fave program to work on is Lightroom, and once loaded and content added, I was able to do all my normal work on a couch using the touch sensitive pen. Here are some examples of my photos on the MovinkPad 11 in Lightroom.

And each subsequent screen has samples of the LR tools coupled with an image.

To get the images off the tablet, you can wi-fi it to a computer, or phone, or wait till you wire it to your main workstation.

Wacom Pro Pen 3 is battery-free, supports and has 3 side buttons. It allows for customized weight, grip, and nibs (3 are included)

How thin is this tablet?

Although currently in BETA, You can use the tablet wired to your computer as an additional screen with the include USB-C cable, when needed. A bit of a process to set up, which is probably why it’s in BETA.  Have a look at the video in the link, here. It’s called the Instant Pen Display .

Plus once you are working with your main computer, you connect MovinkPad 11 with 1 USB-C cable (included) and edit directly onto your images like the original Cintiq.

BTW, My normal desktop workflow always includes a secondary screen.

I know what you are thinking: doesn’t an iPad do the same? 
Well yes, and no. Both are standalone tablets, but some major differences are:
A: the pen- Apple pen needs to be charged, Wacom pen doesn’t. If you have ever been using the Apple pen and it runs out of juice, you will love the Wacom!
B: They both use apps available in the Google Play Store,
C: Wacom is designed for Android, but worked when wired into my MAC laptop.
D: Price – Movink is about ½ the cost depending on model, it could be more.
E: iPad lets you add an SSD for additional storage, Movink is locked at 128GB.
F: Movink has a matte screen, and iPad is super glossy

You still get all the features of most stand-alone tablets like web access, search engines, app store, built in speakers, etc.. At about 1/2 the cost of an iPad.

As an extremely light tablet, the MovinkPad 11 is an easy choice to put into my camera bag, and with the optional protective case it travels well.

This has been primarily marketed to illustrators, and I totally get that.  With an included drawing program, a sketch artist is up and running fast. My goal has been to see how this works with photos.

To be clear, this is an Android OS, although I was able to use the Adobe programs , with no problem.

Is this tablet for you? With all the comparison features, check your personal workflow for your decision.

For me, being able to sit with a tablet, not think about a charged pen, and use my daily programs is a winner.

Pretty darn good IMHO. I hope next gen allows for additional storage using an external SSD.

Specs & Key Features

• MediaTek G99 CPU
• 8GB RAM | 128GB Storage
• 11.5″ 2200 x 1440 IPS Touchscreen
• 9.6 x 6.3″ Active Area
• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Bluetooth 5.2
• 1 x USB-C 2.0 Port
• 8192 Levels of Pen Pressure Sensitivity
• 5MP Front Camera | 4.7MP Rear Camera
• Includes Wacom Pro Pen 3 & Nibs
• Android 14 OS