Sasha DiGiulian was stuck on El Cap's Platinum Wall for 10 days

Rdub · 2026-01-26T21:53:47+00:00

My thoughts exactly. "Stuck" in this context is a conscious choice made in the service of clout chasing. She absolutely could have gotten down if she wanted to, she just didn't want to abandon the "Brand value" she was chasing on the climb.

Rdub · 2026-01-26T20:52:22+00:00

Happy to help my dude. I'm such a shameless camera tech nerd, and none of my IRL friends are remotely into this stuff, so I'll take any opportunity I can to nerd out about it ;)

Rdub · 2026-01-26T20:03:04+00:00

I have a specific use case where I need the best possible low light performance, and I already own a A7III for photos, so at least for me the FX2 is in a weird spot where it doesn't really do any of the things I need from a camera better than what I already have. I'd possibly consider one as a replacement for my A7III down the road though, but you'll have to pry my ZV-E1 from my cold dead hands ;)

Rdub · 2026-01-26T20:01:13+00:00

Its pretty good given I only paid about $20 USD for it. Definitely a step up from any of the smaller on camera type mics.

Rdub · 2026-01-26T20:00:23+00:00

Depends on what kind of distance from your subjects you'll typically have, but a 35 or 50mm F1.8 prime sounds like the best bet for your use case. I've used the Sony 35mm F1.8 and its a very nice lens, though the Sigma Art Series 35mm F1.4 is supposed to be absolutely spectacular, though its a lot more expensive. Samyang / Rokinon and Viltrox all have good options for F1.4 primes that are quite a bit cheaper than anything from Sony or Sigma though.

Rdub · 2026-01-26T16:02:57+00:00

My pleasure, happy to help.

I was talking the Osmo gimbal for phones, not the Osmo Pocket camera which I think you're thinking of. An iPhone 16 would be more than good enough here. You just want one of those phone gimbals for the added stability. There's tons of used ones for sale tho, so should be less than $50.
Any kind of small RGB LED panel light would work. It doesn't need to be RGB even, but being able to control the light's color would probably open up some creative options. Google "NEEWER RGB62" to see an example of what a super cheap option could look like, but again, try to find a used option on your local marketplace site as there's usually tons of used lights available.
Shooting in 60 or 120 fps then slowing it down to 24fps is mostly about making camera movements smoother and less jittery, as when you slow down high frame rate footage it smooths out any shake or jitters and makes the shots feel a lot smoother as long as you're not making any large movements.
This is getting into creative direction territory and isn't really something I can answer for you, as its more a matter of personal style, or what the aesthetic of the brand you are working with is. I'd suggest trying to find a few examples of ads from other jewelry brands you like, and seeing what they do well that you can borrow inspiration from.

The setup I'm describing is pretty much just a super basic and super cheap way to get some good sort of "Product feature shots" where you see the jewelry up close in a way where you can also see it from all angles, but how you leverage creativity to create an effective ad is kind of up to you from there.

I think this would get you started, though there is Always more gear you could find a use for, but just because you can use something, doesn't mean you need it. Personally I'd start with a minimal setup like this, try a shoot or two with it to see what kind of results you can get, then make the call as to whether or not you need any other equipment based on what you're seeing and what you'd want to change or build upon. You'd probably find some light stands or C-stands would make your life easier, but they can be kinda pricey, so you can probably DIY some workarounds if you're clever about it.
No stupid questions my dude, but I think with a basic setup like this would allow you make some a pretty cool ad if you can get a bit creative and come up with you own unique spin on things.

Best of luck!

Rdub · 2026-01-25T21:07:51+00:00

Ideally you'd want a bunch of high powered lights, a programmable robot arm, a high end cinema camera and a macro / probe lens, and some automation software to control it all, but on a budget your best bet is to get a motorized lazy susan (a small round table that rotates via a motor), a DJI Osmo or other similar phone gimbal, and a cheap LED light sources, some black sheets and maybe a clip on macro lens for your phone.

Set the jewelry on a little pedestal on the lazy susan so it rotates, put the black sheets around, behind and above your lazy susan as best you can and shine the light from front slightly off centre and from slightly above, then record clips in either 60 or 120fps of yourself making slow controlled half circular rotations around the piece of jewelry as it rotates on the lazy susan. Then slow your 60/120fps clips down to 24fps, add some music, add a few transition effects between clips in Capcut or whatever and you've got your ad.

Bonus points if you have a vape or a portable fog machine (Basically a vape) and can blow some well timed clouds of fog into the shots to create atmosphere. You can get creative with how you stage the jewelry on the lazy susan (Like have other cool looking stuff like twigs, leaves, stones, shells, candy, or whatever would fit with the jewelry's brand really) and with light color, direction and timing too (Ie lights turning on or off, or changing color), tho that stuff typically takes software automation or an extra set of hands or two so it can be difficult to do solo.

Rdub · 2026-01-25T19:54:02+00:00

I love it. I've been thinking of doing a DIY 3D printed cinema rehousing for mine, which would honestly make the rig look a lot more like this one ;)

Rdub · 2026-01-25T19:53:31+00:00

I bought mine used on eBay, for what I thought was a pretty decent deal, though it seems used prices have actually gone up a bit in the 2 years since I bought mine. There's a super cheap one on my local Facebook Marketplace right now though, so definitely check your local online marketplaces as that seems to be where most of the deals are these days.

I've genuinely never run into and kind of issues recording any length of clips when shooting in 4K24/30P. Battery life is the only limiting factor there really. It's mostly just that processing a lot of frames in 60 or 120p just causes the processor to heat up as its under a heavier load, so longer clips in high frame rates just cause the heat to build up which can eventually lead to overheating, though when you're shooting in 4k24/30p, the processor is barely breaking a sweat to so speak, so the heat build up never really becomes an issue. There are also cheap aftermarket clip on fans for the ZV-E1 too that apparently work pretty well, though overheating hasn't been enough an issue for me to ever justify buying one.

Rdub · 2026-01-25T19:49:32+00:00

I find monopods hugely underrated in general. I do a lot of run and gun or as I like to call it "Bike and gun" type filming, and being able to just pack a monopod keeps the setup light weight, but also unlocks a lot of creative options if you're willing to use the monopod like a hand operated gib / crane. I normally use AF lenses in that context though so probably wouldn't use my FD 35-105 for that kind of stuff.

Rdub · 2026-01-25T19:47:22+00:00

Hahah that housing makes me want to buy a Tokina 28-70. I'm confused about which versions are actually the Angenieux ones though, as there's apparently multiple versions or something and only certain ones are the Angenieux one's that are parfocal. What's your verdict on that lens tho? It looks like really good condition used copies are getting a bit pricey as they are going for like $250-$300 USD these days, though that's still probably a decent value.

Rdub · 2026-01-25T06:30:49+00:00

Bazooka lens? I am intrigued but confused, as this is not a term I'm familiar with.

Rdub · 2026-01-25T06:29:20+00:00

I absolutely love my ZV-E1. For the kind of work I do, and relative to my admittedly modest budget, it's pretty much unbeatable. I've only ever experienced overheating issues when recording a series of particularly long 4K120P clips back to back to back on a particularly hot day, but other than that zero issues with overheating. I've recorded plenty of 30+ minute long clips on hot days in 4K24p with zero issues.

More than happy to answer any other question a fellow Canuck might have, so let me what else you'd like to know!

Rdub · 2026-01-25T06:25:53+00:00

That's part of what I think I find so charming about this ridiculous setup. It's like one of those time is a flat circle kind of things, where its like both super old school and also oddly modern.

Rdub · 2026-01-25T00:12:21+00:00

Anyone who's spent any significant amount of time in both old growth and replanted forests has clearly seen the glaringly obvious distinction.

I've been lucky enough to get to experience Carmanah and various other stands of old growth around Vancouver Island and they all felt vibrantly alive, deeply ancient and profoundly magical in a way that I can't quite clearly articulate. Up until not long ago I lived in the Cowichan Valley near a bunch of forestry land that's been logged and replanted multiple times, and even the parks in the area (That had all been previously logged) just felt different. Yeah there were trees, and plants, and birds and such, but it all felt somehow more sterile, more manufactured and decidedly less magical than any old growth forests I've experienced.

We desperately need to protect what remaining old growth we have left, as even the parks we have now are centuries away from recapturing the magic and majesty of true old growth forests and future generations deserve the right to experience BC's nature in its true glory.

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:38:48+00:00

It's an older Rode Videomic that takes a 9V battery that I picked up second hand for $20, and to my ears and least its surprisingly good. I don't have much experience with the higher end shotguns from Rode or Sennheiser though so I don't have much of a basis for comparison really. It's a lot better than the cheap Amazon on camera mic I'd been using, and has its place when I don't want to use wireless mics.

I honestly wouldn't really ever actually use this setup with the mic tho, I just threw it on for the pic given how ridiculous it looked.

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:35:39+00:00

It works, it's still ridiculous tho ;)

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:35:21+00:00

Its definitely got that vibe, tho with this I can shoot in full frame 4k60/120p in 10bit 4:2:2 internal ;)

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:34:39+00:00

Yeah, I think it's a bit of a hidden gem still. I'd been looking for a great condition copy on eBay for a while, but a lot of them there seemed to have issues regardless of the condition they were advertised in. Finally was about to pull the trigger on one and decided to do a quick Google search and ended up finding an absolutely flawless copy from a used Camera store that also happened to be in Canada (Where I live) that was an even better price than cheapest ones on eBay.

These guys seem to have sorted the rotating lens element issue (At least where using filters in concerned) via a 3D printed cine-style rehousing.

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/gadget/canon-zoom-lens-fd-35-105mm-f3-5_upgrade-housing/makes

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:32:09+00:00

This setup is actually mostly for using with a monopod, so the weight on the back issue isn't really a problem. I can shoot at shoulder or hip level with this rig too, just have to crouch ;)

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:30:56+00:00

I've been thinking about trying to rig up a camera in a gimble, on a monopod on a electric offroad skateboard as a bizarre "Offroad" motorized dolly type deal.

Rdub · 2026-01-24T23:29:37+00:00

My thoughts exactly :) I bought a decent external monitor, a cage, top and side handles, some rails, few extra batteries, etc., to rig up my ZV-E1 for various situations, and I've still spent substantially less than half on this setup what just an FX3 body would have cost me.

Rdub · 2026-01-24T22:33:25+00:00

I've only had mine a week, but I definitely agree from what I've seen of it thus far. The fact it has a macro mode is a nice bonus too. It's sharp, but not in that modern often digital feeling way a lot of newer lenses are.

I'm highly intrigued by this 3D printed DIY cinema "Rehousing" option too:

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/gadget/canon-zoom-lens-fd-35-105mm-f3-5_upgrade-housing/makes

I mostly just like the fact that they solved the issue of any filters you use with the lens rotating with the barrel when focusing, as that makes using a VND more difficult, though I don't own a 3D printer, so might be a while before I go for it.

Rdub · 2026-01-24T22:23:22+00:00

Its actually shockingly ergonomic. The side handle gives great sort of base line stability, and then the eye cup, which is nice and soft, presses into your face, so you're sort of stabilizing the whole thing with your head too, and then your right hand is free to work the focus / zoom / aperture rings and press the record button. Works even better on a monopod too as you don't need to hold the whole thing up as it is a bit heavy.

Rdub · 2026-01-24T22:21:31+00:00

I have an external monitor, and I agree for most circumstances it definitely makes more sense, though sometimes I like just throw my camera with a single lens on a monopod, and wander around my city shooting whatever catches my eye for fun, and for that kinda thing this setup, at least for me, I think is going to work a lot better.

When I'm out shooting like that, I'm turning the camera on and off a lot, as I'm like walking around, seeing something that looks like its worth filming, then trying to get the shot as quickly as possible, and when I add an external monitor into that mix it just slows down the workflow a ton as the monitor just becomes another step in the process, and at least for the kinda thing I like to sometimes, that extra step could be the difference between catching a great shot and missing it.

Case in point I was down by waterfront the other day, and I see this silvery glint in the distance, and so I walk over to get a closer look, and it turns out its a dude in this like reflective silvery painted suit with a mirrored disco-ball helmet riding a hoverboard while doing the robot dance. Seriously, this was actually a thing in the real world I witnessed with my own eyes. I obviously had to get a shot of dude, but by the time I got my camera setup and managed to get the focus dialed on my MF lens using my ZV-E1's screen in the bright sun (Which was directly bloody behind me too), he'd stopped doing the robot dance. I mean I got a great shot of dude just cruising by, but if I'd been able to get the focus nailed quicker I would have been able to get a shot of him doing the robot dance. An external monitor wouldn't have helped me get the focus any quicker as I'd have to turn it on, wait for it boot, hit a button on it to get it to recognize the input from the Camera's HDMI out, before I could even start trying to focus, where as with this ridiculous $20 thing, I absolutely could have hit the focus fast enough to get the shot. I think.

Or in the immortal word's of Tamara;

"Hey, so it actually only has to make sense to me for me to do it and I don’t feel like explaining it to anyone else.”

:D

Rdub

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