REAL ANSWERS Answers from REAL people with REAL experience (not from A.I.) How do I set up lights for FOOD photos? < Back to ANSWERS Setting Up Lights for Food Photography 1. Select the Appropriate Lighting Source Natural Light: Opt for diffused natural light from a window to achieve soft and flattering illumination. Artificial Light: Choose continuous lights or strobes if natural light is inadequate. 2. Arrange Your Lights Key Light: Position your main light source at a 45-degree angle to the food to add depth. Fill Light: Use a secondary light or a reflector on the opposite side to reduce shadows. 3. Implement Diffusers Softboxes: These are useful for creating soft, even lighting. White Sheets or Curtains: Employ these to diffuse intense sunlight or artificial light. 4. Manage Shadows Reflectors: Utilize reflectors to bounce light onto the food and minimize shadows. Black Cards: Use these to absorb excess light and manage highlights. 5. Experiment with Different Angles Top-Down Shots: Ideal for flat lays and displaying multiple dishes. Side Angles: Excellent for emphasizing texture and layers in food. 6. Adjust White Balance Ensure your camera's white balance is correctly set to prevent unnatural color tones in your photographs. 7. Test and Fine-Tune Capture test shots and modify your lighting setup based on the results to achieve the desired effect.

UPDATE: Nice! I have super good news...I figured out how to remove the RFI from this combo. All you have to do is TURN OFF the wireless RECEIVER! That's right, if it's off there's no problem with RFI, but if it's ON, there is constant static from RFI, especially when it's closer than 3 feet. I'm going to test this some more, but for now this is a quick and easy fix, if you don't need to use the wireless receiver, that is. There is a TINY amount of RFI noise when I turn the MIC. BOOST all of the way down (to "0") on the dial, but when you have it at a normal level, this noise is not noticeable. PREVIOUS NOTE: I'm just starting this test, and I'm not sure if the RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) will render this microphone/audio recorder combination useless or not. The reason I don't know yet, is that I have identified that if the wireless RECEIVER is too close to the cable that attaches the microphone to the TRANSMITTER/Recorder, there is a ton of RFI. However, when I move the RECEIVER further away, it lessens considerably...and when I turn it OFF, the RFI MIGHT BE LOW ENOUGH to not cause a problem...so I'm still testing... As noted before, the shock mount that is included with this mic doesn't do a very good job of protecting it from the sound of bumps and/or wiggles, so you'll have to hold it steady in that case. (If I can find an affordable, aftermarket shock mount, I will update this review). "CLOSE" Proximity [3.5 inches / 8.89 cm] 7RYMS iRAY DW30 (Recorder) (NO AUX. Amplifier) Comica CVM-VM20 (Shotgun) Windscreen: FOAM + FURRY (Stock) 48k 24-bit REC. SETTINGS N/A REC. LOWCUT N/A REC. LIMITER ? REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS N/A AUX. BASS N/A AUX. HIGH-LOW N/A AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS 75 Hz MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS @3 MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: February 22, 2023 at 4:10:19 PM REAL RATINGS After testing each microphone, I like to know if it sounds realistic (accurate lows/bass, mids, highs/treble) in combination with the recorder and/or AUX. amplifier, to see if it needs EQ. LOWS/BASS DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: UPDATE: Nice! I have super good news...I figured out how to remove the RFI from this combo. All you have to do is TURN OFF the wireless RECEIVER! That's right, if it's off there's no problem with RFI, but if it's ON, there is constant static from RFI, especially when it's closer than 3 feet. I'm going to test this some more, but for now this is a quick and easy fix, if you don't need to use the wireless receiver, that is. There is a TINY amount of RFI noise when I turn the MIC. BOOST all of the way down (to "0") on the dial, but when you have it at a normal level, this noise is not noticeable. PREVIOUS NOTE: I'm just starting this test, and I'm not sure if the RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) will render this microphone/audio recorder combination useless or not. The reason I don't know yet, is that I have identified that if the wireless RECEIVER is too close to the cable that attaches the microphone to the TRANSMITTER/Recorder, there is a ton of RFI. However, when I move the RECEIVER further away, it lessens considerably...and when I turn it OFF, the RFI MIGHT BE LOW ENOUGH to not cause a problem...so I'm still testing... As noted before, the shock mount that is included with this mic doesn't do a very good job of protecting it from the sound of bumps and/or wiggles, so you'll have to hold it steady in that case. (If I can find an affordable, aftermarket shock mount, I will update this review). Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

REAL ANSWERS Answers from REAL people with REAL experience (not from A.I.) What lenses are good for the GoPro ILS? There are lots of lenses that can be used with version 1 of the GoPro ILS (Interchangeable Lens System). First, the lens needs to have a Micro Four Thirds lens mount, or be adapted to it. Then, the lens must have manual aperture and focus (electronic, native-mount Micro Four Thirds lenses will not work). The good news is, most cinema lenses have manual aperture and focus controls, as well as many older photography lenses, though some older photo lenses won't be sharp enough for this little sensor. PODCAST < Back to ANSWERS Good Lenses for the GoPro ILS (Version 1) When selecting lenses for version 1 of the GoPro Interchangeable Lens System (ILS), it is essential to consider the following criteria: Mount Type: The lens must have a Micro Four Thirds lens mount (or be adapted to it). Manual Controls: The lens should feature manual aperture and focus controls. Note that electronic, native-mount Micro Four Thirds lenses are not compatible. Lens Options The good news is that many lenses fit these requirements: Cinema Lenses: Most cinema lenses come equipped with manual aperture and focus controls. Older Photography Lenses: Many older photography lenses also have the necessary manual controls (though some of these aren't sharp enough for this sensor).

Okay, I like this. Starting out, this was a lot different than figuring out the settings for this same combination with the BPM18 (Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8) but after a few hours of work, I am liking the results. This will need a LUT for sure, but I think the settings are a good starting point. Any links below are affiliate links. FILTER: Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/4 Panasonic 25 1.7 ADAPTER: None (Native Mount) Panasonic G85 Natural "PHOTO STYLE" LENS-SENSOR LUT CONTRAST -1 SHARPNESS +2 NOISE +5 SATURATION +1 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW -3+4 iDYNAMIC OFF LUMINANCE LEVEL 16-255 Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD Blur / Sharpen DAVINCI RESOLVE POST-PRODUCTION LENS @FULL WIDE LENS @MID-ZOOM LENS @FULL TELE REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST A IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS B IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE A IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR A IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). NOTES: Okay, I like this. Starting out, this was a lot different than figuring out the settings for this same combination with the BPM18 (Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8) but after a few hours of work, I am liking the results. This will need a LUT for sure, but I think the settings are a good starting point. The goal of our camera settings is to improve what we call the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color to create an image that looks less digital and more organic (more like film, etc). Therefore, the first step is to apply the custom settings while shooting, and the second is to add a lens-sensor LUT, to finalize the image.

RFI WARNING: The Zoom H1 (v1) has noticeable RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) when used at less than 5 FEET from an iPhone 13 Pro max. This is a major limitation, especially for LAV use, because if the recorder is in the pocket of a groom, and they have an iPhone somewhere in their coat, this is going to cause RFI. This newer, and smaller mic from Takstar is outputting a higher signal level than the older SGC-598. The only negatives are that this newer unit needs the LOW CUT filter turned on for this proximity, and no FURRY windscreen is available for this model (the older SGC-598 has a very affordable FURRY windscreen option, which is sometimes necessary for OUTDOOR vlogging). "BOOM" Proximity [35 inches / 88.8 cm] Zoom H1 (NO AUX. Amplifier) Takstar SGC-600 + Foam (Stock) WAV 24-bit/96kHz REC. SETTINGS Off REC. LOWCUT Off REC. LIMITER 50 REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS AUX. BASS AUX. HIGH-LOW AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS On MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS +10 MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: April 30, 2022 at 12:04:24 PM REAL RATINGS After testing each microphone, I like to know if it sounds realistic (accurate lows/bass, mids, highs/treble) in combination with the recorder and/or AUX. amplifier, to see if it needs EQ. LOWS/BASS DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: RFI WARNING: The Zoom H1 (v1) has noticeable RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) when used at less than 5 FEET from an iPhone 13 Pro max. This is a major limitation, especially for LAV use, because if the recorder is in the pocket of a groom, and they have an iPhone somewhere in their coat, this is going to cause RFI. This newer, and smaller mic from Takstar is outputting a higher signal level than the older SGC-598. The only negatives are that this newer unit needs the LOW CUT filter turned on for this proximity, and no FURRY windscreen is available for this model (the older SGC-598 has a very affordable FURRY windscreen option, which is sometimes necessary for OUTDOOR vlogging). Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Viltrox EF-M2II This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK No Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 196 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 100 **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

I am pretty sure this is a Sigma lens (based on the identical physical design, with minor differences in the rubber grip design...and the bright green lens identification lettering). This is only my second test with the LUMIX S9, and I must say these results are really good, especially for a lens that is not well spoken of, thanks to people judging the lens by the reviews people wrote a long time ago, when the lens was used mostly on film cameras. Any links below are affiliate links. FILTER: None Quantaray 35-70 3.5-4.5 ADAPTER: Minolta AF (Sony A) to L Panasonic S9 Natural "PHOTO STYLE" LENS-SENSOR LUT CONTRAST -1 SHARPNESS -1 NOISE +0.5 SATURATION +2 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW -4+1 iDYNAMIC OFF LUMINANCE LEVEL 0-1023 Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD Blur / Sharpen DAVINCI RESOLVE POST-PRODUCTION LENS @FULL WIDE LENS @MID-ZOOM LENS @FULL TELE REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST A IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS B IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE A IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR C IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). NOTES: I am pretty sure this is a Sigma lens (based on the identical physical design, with minor differences in the rubber grip design...and the bright green lens identification lettering). This is only my second test with the LUMIX S9, and I must say these results are really good, especially for a lens that is not well spoken of, thanks to people judging the lens by the reviews people wrote a long time ago, when the lens was used mostly on film cameras. The goal of our camera settings is to improve what we call the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color to create an image that looks less digital and more organic (more like film, etc). Therefore, the first step is to apply the custom settings while shooting, and the second is to add a lens-sensor LUT, to finalize the image.

NOTE: For use with ATEM Mini, I'm adjusting the settings slightly: CONTRAST: -5 SHARPNESS: -5 NOISE: +3 COLOR: -0 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW: OFF Any links below are affiliate links. FILTER: None Nikon 18-55 ADAPTER: Nikon F/G to M43 (SHIFT) Panasonic GX85 Natural "PHOTO STYLE" LENS-SENSOR LUT CONTRAST -3 SHARPNESS -5 NOISE +2 SATURATION -2 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF LUMINANCE LEVEL 16-255 Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD Blur / Sharpen DAVINCI RESOLVE POST-PRODUCTION LENS @FULL WIDE LENS @MID-ZOOM LENS @FULL TELE DEFAULT Nikon 18-55 Panasonic GX85 NATURAL -0-0-0-0 HS -0-0 CUSTOM Nikon 18-55 Panasonic GX85 NATURAL -3-5+2-2 HS -0-0 REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST C IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS B IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE D IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR B IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). NOTES: NOTE: For use with ATEM Mini, I'm adjusting the settings slightly: CONTRAST: -5 SHARPNESS: -5 NOISE: +3 COLOR: -0 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW: OFF The goal of our camera settings is to improve what we call the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color to create an image that looks less digital and more organic (more like film, etc). Therefore, the first step is to apply the custom settings while shooting, and the second is to add a lens-sensor LUT, to finalize the image.

I actually like the older H1 better, but this recorder is also small and lightweight and can be a good budget filmmaking audio tool as well. Most of the time, I use this as a "passthrough" to back up audio coming from an external microphone (on the way to the camera) but its stereo mics are good for capturing "ambient" nat. sound too. AUDIO Zoom H1n (Remember, these settings are specific to this audio recorder, paired to each microphone listed below.) I actually like the older H1 (because of the numerical gain and the "lock" switch) but this recorder is small and lightweight and can be a good tool as well. Most of the time I use this as a "passthrough" to back up audio coming from an external microphone (on the way to the camera) but its stereo mics can be good for capturing "ambient" nat. sound (just make sure to use a furry windscreen). (BUILT-IN MIC) COMICA RODE SARAMONIC SENNHEISER SHURE ZOOM OTHER (BUILT-IN MIC) (Built-In Mic) CLOS E AFAR Zoom H1n (XY M i cs) COMICA Comica CLOSE VLOG Comica VM20 (Shotgun) Comica VM30 (Wireless Shotgun) Comica VM40 ( Wireless Shotgun) Comica CVM-M-O1 (Lavalier) RODE Rode Rode Lavalier ii Rode Lavalier Go (Not Reco mmended) Rode VideoMic Pro (Not Recommended) CLO SE VLOG BOOM Rode VideoMic Pro R Rode VideoMic Pro+ CLOS E Rode Vide oMicro SARAMONIC Saramonic LAV Saramonic SR-M1W (for Blin k 500) C LOSE VLOG BOOM Saramonic SR-VM4 Saramonic VMIC SENNHEISER Sennheiser Sennheiser Professional MKE 400 SHURE Shure CLOS E VLOG BOOM Shure VP83 LensHopper ZOOM Zoom Zoom LMF-1 (Lavalier) Zoom LMF-2 (Lavalier) OTHER Other LAV 7RYMS Lavalier (for iRAY DW30) LAV JK MIC-J 017 (La valier) LAV JK MIC-J 055 (Not Recommended) C LOSE VLOG BOOM Takstar SGC-598 CLOSE VLOG BOOM Takstar SGC-600 Xvive LV1 (Lavalier) Xvive LV2 (Lavalier) GAFFER TAPE SUPPLIED BY REMEMBER TO "REFRESH" PAGE TO SEE NEW DATA

My main focus is BUDGET filmmaking, so the most affordable road (up until this point) has been using a lot of somewhat vintage lenses on M43 (Micro Four Thirds) bodies (see the list of CAMERAS ). One of the neat things that makes this work, is that the "flange distance" of M43 cameras allows almost ANY lens mount to be adapted to it, and sometimes even boosted (i.e. using a speedbooster/focal reducer to increase the light input)! These are the adapters I have tested so far. Budget Filmmaking LENS ADAPTERS & CUSTOM SETTINGS *ABOVE: My main focus is BUDGET filmmaking, so the most affordable road (up until this point) has been using a lot of somewhat vintage lenses on M43 (Micro Four Thirds) bodies (see the list of CAMERAS ). One of the neat things that makes this work, is that the "flange distance" of M43 cameras allows almost ANY lens mount to be adapted to it, and sometimes even boosted (i.e. using a speedbooster/focal reducer to increase the light input)! These are the adapters I have tested so far. BUDGET FILMMAKING LENS ADAPTERS Viltrox NF-M43x (for Nikon F, G Lenses) This is currently my favorite adapter (though I love the shift and tilt/shift adapters a lot). The reason I like this one is because it's both affordable and it turns an affordable 50mm 1.8 into an AMAZING 35mm F/1.2! I don't recommend the Canon-mount version of this adapter, because after lots of testing (and having the electronic Canon-mount version fail...ruining a camera) I now only recommend the Nikon-mount version. I also had trouble with the Canon mount version in AF mode (it doesn't allow switching to MF). VIDEO Amazon AFFILIATE LINK B&H N/A Ebay N/A OfferUp SEARCH BUDGET FILMMAKING LENS ADAPTERS Fotodiox Shift (to Nikon F, G) This adapter is one of the biggest discoveries I ever made regarding Micro Four Thirds. This can turn almost any (Nikon mount) lens into a shift (perspective control) lens! What's amazing, is that this allows you to create a variable focal length (i.e. "zoom") shift lens, which is not available in any other way. You can also get a "tilt/shift" version, but I would recommend starting with shift only, to learn first. VIDEO Amazon AFFILIATE LINK B&H N/A Ebay N/A OfferUp N/A ALWAYS CHECK THE "USED" MARKET!

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Wisdompro Credit Card Holder (with Memory Card Slots) This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 9 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .