Manfrotto MVH500AH Tripod Head with 190XPROB Legs

Manfrotto MVH500AH Tripod Head with 190XPROB Aluminum Legs

First off, this head is amazing for the price. It is the entry level and cheapest fluid video head they make and it holds its own against the MVH502 in my opinion. This head has Manfrottos Bridging Technology and is definitely the most affordable in that line of heads. The head uses actual ball bearings and fluid cartridges to give you a very smooth pan and tilt. The new quick plate release system clips in from the side and is tightened down to make it easier to take out your DSLR or when working with video rigs. I was worried about the plate slipping out the front or back if not tightened all the way but there are guards that prevent this from happening. The head also features a counterbalance mechanism which is a spring inside the head that helps balance your DSLR or rig when it awkward positions.  This is a super nice feature when working with larger lens or un-proportional rigs. The positioning of the drag knob is in the back so you do not have to reach around to the front like the MVH502. But the MVH500 does not have drag settings like the MVH502. But the knob to tighten the amount of drag you would like works very well. 

This head comes in a standard flat base head which can be put on basically any Manfrotto tripod legs, I went the cheaper route and put it on the 190XPROB legs and it works great. You could also get any legs with a 3/8th thread. 

The legs are a sleek 3 section design. This is an aluminum tripod and feels very sturdy with the MVH500AH head on it. I even put my battery pack on my DSLR with my Sigma 70-200mm lens and it carried the load wonderfully. The top column that hold the head is able to be put in a horizontal position allowing the tripod to reach extremely low positions. The leg angle design is a huge bonus for versatility with ranges of angles at 25,46,66, 88 degrees. This gives you such a wide range positions to set your tripod in. The top column extends and the highest working postion is 57 inches and can carry a load of 11lbs. This will handle most large DSLR rigs. 

Best Professional LCD Display Viewer

Looking for the best LCD Screen Viewer for you DSLR? 

The HoodMan HoodLoupe Professional LCD Screen Loupe for 3 inch displays.

The purpose Hoodman Hoodloupe is to give you the ability to see your LCD screen at its full potential.  It lets you closely inspect the screen in bright sunlight outdoors and to hide the screen from ambient light. With this cover you will not get distracted by other sources of light and you will be able to adjust your exposure, ISO, and shutter for the maximum performance without having to guess because you are having trouble viewing the screen. The hoodloupe lets you quickly focus on the screen by spinning the eyepiece for the best image. It gives a 4:3 ratio of the 3 inch screen like most standard hoods. 

Is this piece of DSLR equipment right for me, you ask? Well if you shoot outdoor sporting events or any other events that take place in bright sunlight without the cover of shade you should consider this hood. No more trying to cover the LCD screen with one hand and adjust settings with the other while trying to balance the camera on your knee cause you only have 2 hands (hopefully). If you are getting into DSLR video with your camera and want to add stability and professionalism to your camera there are a lot of accessories for this hood. Just buying the Hoodman Hoodloupe gives you the eye piece but it does not attach to your camera. You will need to press your eye against it or hold it onto the screen. Which can be a pain but it does have a neck strap so you can hang it around your neck.

If you are looking for more stability for cinematography, Hoodman makes a cinema strap which is the cheap way to keep the hood stuck onto your screen. This is nice if your looking for a cheap option but when you would like to take the hood off, its not as fast as the Hoodman Crane. The Hoodman Crane is the more expensive but more stable way to mount the hood on your DSLR. The crane mounts in your hot shoe on your DSLR and has a spring loaded latch that you can move the crane up and down. This gives it more stability for video and allows you to quickly flip up the hood to show your friends the shots on your LCD screen. The crane does have a cold shoe on it but sadly it uses up the hot shoe on your camera. This means you will not be able to power a flash from the cold shoe on the mount. But most likely you will not be using a LCD hood if you need a flash anyway. 

Personally I have the Hoodman Hoodloupe now and love it, I use it all the time when I am filming outdoor activities. Since shooting video on a DSLR you only use your live view for settings, it makes it a million times easier to accomplish this. If you shoot video I would recommend spending just getting the HoodCrane if you can spend the extra bucks. It makes it so much faster and easier to operate the hood than the straps. Enjoy. Post your experiences with the hood in the comments below or alternatives hoods to look into. 

Amazon Links to these products. 

Hoodman Hoodloupe

Hoodman Cinema Straps

Hoodman Crane

Hoodman EyeCup

Do you need a Battery Pack for your DSLR? ProMaster Vertical Power Grip

Review for the ProMaster Vertical Battery Grip for Canon Rebel T2i, T3i, and T4i.

Looking for the next accessory to buy for your DSLR? Well lets look at a pretty essential piece of equipment for your photography and especially video. A battery grip on your camera provides extra battery life to your camera. It holds 2 batteries in the pack and provides double the length of battery life for DSLR. This comes in handy if your shooting a lot of continues video or out on a long photography shoot. This is also nice if you have your camera on some type of mount, you won't have to take your camera off the mount or rig to change batteries. These battery packs also give the impression of professionalism and make your camera larger. 

Another great feature about this battery pack is it has an alternate shutter release on the side of the battery pack. So when you move your camera to a vertical position for vertical images you will not have to tilt your hand and put your arm in an awkward position. This gives you more stability in a shoot. 

Great feature to this specific battery pack is it gives you a battery tray for AA batteries. It takes 6 of them and is a huge lifesaver if you are out on a shoot and can't charge your LP-E8 batteries. 

Some cons to think about if you actually need a battery pack are that they do make your DSLR larger and this can cause problems in your camera bag or heavier when walking around (even though you could take it off). Also if you do not have an extra battery for your canon, your might want to this about getting that first. 

Do I need the Canon or will the ProMaster work just as well you ask? Personally I have tried both. The Canon Battery Grip retails for about $220 and the ProMaster for $100. You can even get it on Amazon for $79.99. Personally I notice little to no difference between the two. They both do exactly the same thing and have the same features. The material feels a little more solid on the canon but its definitely not worth 100 dollars for the Canon name. Even though I am a Canon lover, I have found that the ProMaster is a way better deal. 

Comment your experiences with the battery pack or your thoughts on the product.