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REVIEW SmallRig RC350 & RC450

These SmallRig RC350B and RC450B lights are professional lights for video makers, but also photographers who are serious about their work.

In the last article we showed the SmallRig Control panel 3980 for controlling these lights, and today we're going to show just the lights that relate to the previous article.

Today we're actually going to look at the Smallrig RC350B and RC450B.

These lights have COB LED in the name, but not everyone knows what that means. COB diodes are LED chips encased in a layer of phosphor. This allows the LED strip to shine not spot by spot with individual diodes, but all over with the same intensity.

Let's start right away with the boxes! Both contain a 55-degree hyper-reflector, protective cap, manual in eight languages, power cord, power adapter, and the RC350B and RC450B lights themselves. The bag is not only a quality material at first touch, but it's also sturdy, nice and the lights won't get hurt in it.

Both of these lights can be controlled remotely with both the app and the SmallRig 3980 control panel that you get free with these lights. Both the RC350B and RC450B have a Kelvin range from 2,700K to 6,500K, plus nine different lighting effects with the ability to change speed via the frequency button. The interface and controls are simple but work very effectively. The two most important knobs we have here are located on the back of the light. We can turn the CCT knob to adjust the color temperature with a very subtle transition. With the INT knob, the intensity knob, we can in turn adjust the brightness.

The effects here have a dedicated button for selecting them, and what's cool is that even when you have the effects on, you can manually change both the brightness intensity and the color temperature using the aforementioned buttons. Both lights operate at 50 and 60 Hz with an input voltage of 100-240 volts from the adapter.

The great thing is that there's a standard Bowens bayonet for mounting third party accessories such as umbrellas and diffusers, which are available from many manufacturers. Like any SmallRig light, these lights can be controlled remotely via SmallRig's SmallGoGo app, which has a range of up to 100m from the light. Both lights are of high quality construction and not just because they are partly made of lightweight but strong aluminium.

The housing feels sturdy even though the top is made of plastic. There are grilles on the top and bottom to give the lights enough room to ventilate and not heat up. The volume for both lights does hover around 30dB at a distance of one metre. The mounting adapter for the light is completely made of aluminum, which is a plus because very often this is the weakest point of many low-budget lights and softboxes that have a plastic adapter and handle. The tightening handle is strong, but at the same time it can be easily loosened for quick adjustment of the light angle, as well as the screw for mounting it on the stand. The CRI, or Color Rendering Index, is 96 on a scale of zero to one hundred, which is very good. And for those who don't know, the standard is around 80.

Now let's quickly tell you the differences. Total weight including accessories and bag for the RC350B is 7.9Kg, while for the RC450B it's 8.5Kg. The noise level of the integrated fan at a distance of 1m is only about 28dB for the RC350B which may sound like noise in an empty room with no people, while for the RC450B it is about 32dB which is roughly like whispering. At 5600K, the maximum intensity at 1m distance for the RC350B is 115,000 lux with the reflector installed, while for the RC450B with the same conditions it is 121,000 lux. S

probably the biggest difference here is in power, because the three hundred and fifty is the smaller brother of the more powerful four hundred and fifty despite the same dimensions.

The last thing in which these two lights differ is the prices.

You can buy theRC350B starting from 24 800 CZK HERE.

RC450B from 30 300 CZK HERE.

REVIEW SMALLRIG CONTROL PANEL FOR RC 350 / RC 450 COB LED VIDEO LIGHT (3980)

Do you have RC 350 and RC 450 professional lights at home and you are missing a control panel to control them? No problem!

We have one for you today, so let's take a look! This is the Smallrig Control Panel for RC lights. The SmallRig 3980 is an alternative way to control the RC 350 and RC 450 LED lights.

In addition to the many switches with which you can control a lot of functions, it features a two-inch LCD display that shows parameters and status in real time to help you adjust brightness, color temperature, built-in special effects, special effects frequency, and reset Bluetooth.

And what's in the box? Of course, there we find the control panel, the Magic arm for mounting the light on a tripod and the user manual can't be missing. A three-meter anti-shutdown cable ensures safe, reliable and efficient control of the lighting in case the light switch control is inconvenient.

For example, when the light is placed at height on a tripod or ceiling mount. The control panel is also equipped with a clamp that belongs to the Magic Arm. On the back we find a magnet for convenient dropping directly onto the light via the Magic Arm. This control panel from SmallRig meets the makers' requirements for simple, practical and efficient lighting control on location or in the studio.

Therefore, if you have your own studio or you are just starting out as a photographer or filmmaker, the panel is definitely worth it because, with quality lighting, you can achieve amazing results even with an older camera or mobile phone. And how does this panel connect to the light? You unpack the panel from the box and attach the arm to the tripod of the light first. Next, you connect the panel to the control panel connecting port on the light and place the magnetic wheel on the back of the arm.

The panel will automatically turn on and you can immediately start controlling the light you bought it for. Simple, right? This panel is not an expensive affair at all, which is why anyone can afford it.

You can buy it from just 2 000 CZK HERE.

REVIEWS HOLLYLAND LARK M1 DUO

TheHOLLYLAND LARK M1 DUO microphone is the perfect sidekick to bring together the world of quality audio and video makers who don't want to break the bank.

Today we're taking a look at the completely wireless HOLLYLAND LARK M1 DUO lapel microphone! This brand comes with a case design similar to Apple Airpods, with one receiver and two transmitters in a rechargeable case. This is a very small and compact system that can fit in your pocket. The integrated microphones with omnidirectional characteristic offer a wide response in the 20Hz-20kHz band and a natural speech presentation; very good intelligibility is guaranteed by HearClear technology to suppress ambient noise.

For your maximum convenience, the transmitter and microphones weigh just 121g. The charging case weighs 80 grams, which charges the whole set in an hour and a half, the receiver 17.5 grams and one microphone 11.8 grams. Furthermore, these microphones boast up to 20 hours of battery life, stable connectivity and compatibility with a range of devices from smartphones to cameras and computers. The entire system has a USB-C port for external charging. You'll also be pleased to know that the microphone is smaller than a typical USB flash drive. The system operates in the 2.4GHz band with a range of up to 200m at a latency of 20ms and a 16-bit digital audio signal or 48kHz if you prefer. The Lark M1 is packed full of features to give you access to professional sounding audio, and that's what makes these microphones so interesting.

The microphone already has preset volumes with high, medium and low intensity. It also has two modes, mono and stereo, which are indicated on the display by blue and green lights on the receiver. Coming back to the packaging, you get a very nice cloth grey case for the system and its accessories.

Inside the case you will find the Lark M1 itself, two transmitters and one receiver. The whole system is made of plastic, but it looks pretty high quality. You will also find two wind screens, a 3.5mm jack for smartphones, a 3.5mm jack for cameras, a usb cable and of course the manuals.

The excellent price/performance ratio makes it an ideal tool for vlogging, interviews, video conferencing, live streaming, podcasting, etc.

TheHollyland Lark M1 is a fantastic, easy to use microphone kit that will be a great asset to any content creator or video producer who is on a budget. So if you want something that's affordable, easy to use and simply works with everything, the Lark M1 should definitely be at the top of your list. A very good idea this kit is not only because of the great battery life, but mainly because of the affordability. You can get this kit starting at just £4,500 HERE.

FOREVALA W60 REVIEWS

Today we're going to take a look not only at the SMALLRIG FOREVALA W60 wireless microphone, but also at what's in the box, how it's constructed, and most importantly, whether the sound is worth it or not.

We've got these supercharged two-channel microphones that are not only useful for presenters and their guests, but also for vloggers.

We'll start right away with the box. Inside it is a charging case and inside it are two transmitters and one receiver. There are also two wind screens, so if you're going to be filming outdoors or in windy conditions, be sure to put these on as it will eliminate the sound of wind in your audio recording. You will also get usb-c and lightning phone connection cables with the set. You'll also get a cable for the cameras with a nice pouch that doubles as an equipment case; a usb-c cable for charging.

A huge benefit, are the magnets to the microphone so you can clip them anywhere on a person or other surfaces. You can charge directly using the USB-C port or charging case, via usb-c or the built-in usb-A cable. The entire set lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge, and takes about an hour and a half to charge.

Looking at the construction; the microphones are very lightweight, composed of plastic, aluminum and LCD displays that are bright, beautifully readable and full of useful information. A huge advantage of this microphone and its display is that the display goes off when you're filming so it doesn't glare into the camera. The microphones have a USB-C port on them that can be used to charge them. We also find an on/off button on it, which you have to hold for a long time to activate it and you can also mutate the microphone with a single press of this button.

The microphone set offers smart plug-and-play pairing, a handy tool that you can use to connect the transmitters to the receiver with a single click when you first set up. The mics have a lapel mount or just the magnets we wrote about above.

Now let's take a look at the receiver. This one also has an LCD display on it, two rotary dials for volume adjustment, a flap system for attachment that you can also put on the flash sled, and a USB-C port for charging. A headphone output lets you control the sound quality of the microphones directly while you're shooting.

Overall, this kit should reach up to 100 meters without obstructions. And how does this set stack up sonically? Our initial feelings were enthusiastic, as the audio without modification sounds very good for microphones in the low budget section. Both transmitter units have a low-cut filter mode that removes low-frequency background noise below 200 Hz, caused for example by rubbing against clothing or wind gusts. You can adjust the volume from 0 to 10 dB using the silver dials on the top of the receiver.

This microphone is a super choice for vloggers, interviewers, creators who have bigger plans and up-and-coming producers who want a lot of music for little money. The microphone can connect to just about everything from cell phones, laptops, tablets, computers to sports cameras and audio recorders.

The price of this set starts from 5 500 CZK and you can buy it HERE.

REVIEW BLACKMAGIC DESIGN POCKET CINEMA CAMERA 6K PRO

Today we take a look at Blackmagic's pocket cannon!

The Blackmagic 6K Pro, which falls into the Pocket category.

We had the opportunity to test this camera, so here we want to share with you our feelings on how this camera impressed us, who the camera is primarily aimed at, and most importantly what are its main benefits.

Looking at the specs, the 6K Pro looks like the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K at first glance.

Both have a 6K Super 35 sensor which will give a shallower depth of field, native dual ISO 400 and 3200 with the highest ISO here being up to 25,600, the ability to shoot in ProRes and in BRAW, which is BlackMagic's RAW only, in many qualities and frames per second, both also have an EF bayonet and 13 exposure steps of dynamic range. The 6K can only shoot in BRAW as ProRes does not support 6K. The button layout is also the same.

So what has changed from the older models? It's mainly the body. The body on the 6K PRO is bigger than the previous ones, so it's easier to hold, you have more control over it, and there's an extra mini xlr port on the side, with Sony NPF batteries, so we won't have to use the small LPE batteries like the previous models. The advantage is that when you have multiple batteries in the camera with the grip, you can swap them out or charge them straight away and it won't affect the function of the camera when you're shooting. The batteries also give us more time to shoot.

Speaking of outputs and inputs, this camera has the ability to connect a microphone and headphones. There's also HDMI, USB-C, two mini XLRs, and a power supply. You'll be able to use the USB-C for external storage in the form of a disc.The USB-C interface also expands other options by powering phone chargers, laptop power supplies, external batteries, etc. The optional battery grip replaces the internal battery with a pair of batteries for significantly longer battery life. Supported memory cards are CFast, SDUHS-IIand external USB-C 3.1

But you can find out what all this camera supports at www.Syntex.cz

This camera is mainly for experienced videographers who can handle more advanced features and like simple setup. Other manufacturers could learn from BlackMagick how to make nice and clear menus. You don't have autofocus on this camera, precisely because it's a professional camera where you're also expected to have a focuser on hand somewhere to do it for you. The back panel of the device hosts a large, 5" touchscreen display making it easy to compose shots and focus with precision. The monitor displays camera status information, histogram, focus assist function output, levels, guides, and has up to 1,500 nits. And the best thing about the display is that it is finally positionable compared to previous models. As a result, you can now shoot from a perspective or overhead view and see what you're shooting in the first place. The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro also supports the connection of an optional external viewfinder with a high-quality OLED display with a resolution of 1,280 x 960, glass optics consisting of four lenses for diopter correction from -4 to +4 and a viewfinder view sensor. It is adjustable through 70° and comes with three different eyepieces for both left and right eyes. An exclusive feature of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is the integrated, motorised stack of neutral density filters (ND 2, 4 and 6) specifically designed with camera colorimetry in mind.

The ND filter activation buttons are located on the rear panel of the camera, so they can be easily operated with the thumb of the right hand. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras use the standard 10-bit Apple ProRes format, up to 4K resolution, or the 12-bit Blackmagic RAW format, or BRAW, up to 6K without the need for format conversion during post-production. Recording media here are CFast, SD UHS-II and external USB-C 3.1. They can be formatted for both the HFS+ file system on macOS and ExFAT on Windows. The camera still has no IBIS, but we do have a gyro sensor system that can record the camera's position while filming for later video stabilization. The 6K Pro features a pair of Mini XLR connectors for recording two audio tracks without the need for external mixing gear. A quad of integrated microphones with low noise and high immunity to shock and wind gusts ensure quality audio recording without the need for external microphones. There is also a 3.5mm microphone input, headphone output or integrated speaker.The dimensions of the blackmagic Pocket 6K Pro differ significantly from the 6K, as the dimensions of the 6K PRO are 179.8 millimetres × 112 × 122.9 and the weight is 1.2 kg. Compared to most other cameras, the camera has two tripod brackets on the bottom, so it has more of them, which is handy because it means you don't have to rotate the camera on the plate. Image-wise, you won't get more film output from any other camera in this price range than this one. Becauseit shoots 6K you'll need plenty of storage, large drives and a faster computer. You can see the exact bitrates here: https://www.syntex.cz/blackmagic-design-pocket-cinema-camera-6k-pro

We hope we have helped you with your selection and look forward to reviewing it with you again.