I ditched my camera setup to use a iPhone instead. (Part 2: The scenari-mount™ system)

January 5, 2018 Cozy

Anyone can use lights, microphones, and other camera equipment on a smartphone. But to have a versatile camera setup on your phone without a mess of cables and adaptors, you may need to improvise. On that note, I introduce the Cozy Productions Scenari-Mount™ system, version 2:

Yes, This is just Velcro on the back of your smartphone. Yes, this has been done before. The purpose of the system is to allow you to use specific attachments to extend the usefulness of the phone. For the purposes of this project, I have added velcro to a small a LED light (not shown because my original light broke). In the future I hope to add a adapter to allow me to use a microphone in order to use a microphone AND charge my phone at the same time (since you know, no headphone jack).

The whole point of the system is to provide you options for putting stuff on the back of your phone. Even the most professional of handheld monopods or gimbals will become a mess of adaptors and cables if they are left to the fate of gravity. by mounting every adaptor or device to the back of the phone, you can buy shorter, more specialized cables to clean things up. But I did not stop there. I wanted to make my phone as versatile as a creative device as I possibly could, even more than what Scenari-Mount gives me the options to do. Which leads me to the case I have slapped Velcro on the back of:

This is the Moment photographer case. While it looks like a normal soft touch phone case at first glance, It actually has a important function for my project. The case supports a variety of lenses made by Moment that range from telephoto lenses (redundant for me since I already have one built into the 7 Plus) to fisheye and wide angle lenses. Even though I do not have the lenses at the moment, having the option to upgrade to use these lenses in the future is always a plus. I also feel as if it gives me back the flexibility of having specific lenses in different situations, which is what I loved about the NEX-7 while being even lighter than the NEX-7.

The versatility of Scenari-Mount doesn't end with creators. You can also attach more practical, everyday items such as lighters:

Or headphone cases:

Or high capacity battery packs for unlimited battery life (at the expense of obtaining a 1980's era cell phone):

Or…you get the point. The possibilities are endless. I will be offering this system as a service for your smartphone case and accessories. Over time I hope to make it more refined and able to fit a variety of cases and (once I am able to precision cut it) directly on the back of phones. If you are interested in this service, please email cozy@cozy.productions. On the next post, I will show the traditional camera equipment I use in conjunction with this system to turn this phone into a video making machine. If you like the Moment Photographer case, please consider using this link to buy it on amazon

Cozy Productions is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I ditched my camera setup to use a iPhone instead. (Part 1: why I did it)

January 3, 2018 Cozy

As time goes on, the powerful camera in our pocket is starting to become our smartphones. Every year, there seems to be new heights that are achieved by smartphone cameras and they inch closer and closer to DSLR quality. Combined with portability that even the lightest, smallest mirrorless cameras cant match, This makes smartphones a great alternative for the normal consumer to a point and shoot. But how about for the semi-pro/pro photographer? In the past, I have felt that the cameras and the software were not up to the task of handling workloads such as shooting music videos or just simple documentaries. I can now say as of 2017, this is starting to change. I have decided to capitalize on this change and challenge myself to ditch my Sony NEX-7 mirrorless camera in order to switch to a iPhone 7 Plus as my primary camera for Cozy Productions. This series will highlight the conversion as well as my thoughts on the differences between the two. It will consist of four parts:

Rationale behind why I am switching (this post)
The Scenari-Mount™ system
Getting the gear
Comparison between DSLR and final thoughts

This will either be a great success, or a failure that I will come to regret deeply. Lets find out.

So, you want to start streaming? Part 4D (Hard Drives and Routers)

April 6, 2017 Cozy

In this post, I will discuss Recommendations for routers and Hard Drives for your production. There are many, many routers to choose from, and it can be hard to find out which one is right for you. The two things that should matter to you is the amount of Ethernet ports you get on the router, as well as the WiFi speed. Normally most routers come with either 2-4 Ethernet ports. There are many different WiFi Speeds available, from 802.11 b/g/n or AC. You should aim for a AC wireless router whenever possible due to the benefit of having great wireless connectivity for your devices (remember you should still be wired whenever possible, but it doesn’t hurt to have good connectivity). Other than those two things, it doesn’t really matter what router you buy. Find a router with great reviews on amazon, and just go for it!

Hard drives are going to be your main storage option for your videos, as they have superior capacity when compared to SSD’s. One thing you should be aware of while shopping is the hard drive speed. Most hard drives are either rated at a speed of either 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM. This determines how many revolutions a hard drive platter will make, which in turn will determine how fast data can be read and written to it. Because 5400 and 7200 RPM hard drives do not have much difference in pricing, you should just go for 7200 RPM hard drives whenever possible. You also want to look for what gives you the best options for space. Even though a 1 Terabyte hard drive will suffice, you will very quickly run out of space. I recommend a 4TB or above Hard Drive to make sure you have a comfortable amount of space. As I said with routers, just find the most reliable hard drive out there and go for it! Depending on whether you have a desktop computer or a laptop, you should choose the appropriate type of hard drive for it.

So, you want to start streaming? Part 4C (How to sound great)

April 1, 2017 Cozy

This will not be a guide on what microphone to use or how they work. There are better places to go to learn about the basics of microphones. I will only discuss how to get the best possible microphone setup. Microphones come in many shapes and sizes. You can buy a microphone with a dedicated stand such as a Blue Snowball or Yeti, or something like the CAD U37 microphone which would require something like a boom arm for optimal use. This allows you to adjust where the microphone is placed and allow you to get the best sound for your room. Regardless of which type of microphone you choose, I would also suggest using a pop filter. Pop filters removes the hissing sounds that are caused when air is moving fast (like when you use the letters “p” or “s”). it will also remove background noises to an extent if the noise is going in the same direction as your voice (like a fan blowing behind you). There are many other things to improve the acoustics of the room you are streaming in but these require a lot of investment and something as simple as a $7 pop filter can really improve the quality of your voice. In the next post, I will discuss what to look for in routers and hard drives that I have and explain my reasoning behind each one.

*Disclaimer*

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