June 24, 2010

“Polorizer” Actually Works

Posted by travelomo under digital video, Gear | Tags: , , |
[4] Comments 

Shifting back to digital video from a few days of analog lusting, I finally found time to make a test video of the Jelly Lens “Polorizer,” quotation marks because I do know how to spell polarizer.

Surprisingly, this thing does actually work. Surprising because even el cheapo screw- on polarizing filters for SLRs and DSLRs are typically pricey. This one cost me less than a small Starbucks latte. I tested the polo on two monitors and a leather handbag to see how much the filter could cut down on reflections. The monitor tests show significant effect.

I’d like to see how this filter works with blue skies and color, but I’ll save that for a future video.

 

June 12, 2010

Two Dollar Dream Sequence

Posted by travelomo under Gear | Tags: , , |
Leave a Comment 

As promised, here is the second of my sample videos using Jelly Lens filters with a Kodak Playsport, this time with the delightful “Starburst” filter.

There’s a sweet spot near the center of the filter (but not dead on) where the image is clear. Radiating from it are etched rays, which gives this filter its distinct effect. I call it my “dream sequence” filter. My colleague calls it the “stalker” lens.

Apologies to Jason (the bald dude at the end) for including him here, but not really. Your thumbs-up was too good to pass up, even though it was shot in poor light.

To edit these videos, I use Picasa , which doesn’t natively process .mov files in its movie editor mode. I have to do a bit of file conversion using FormatFactory, from .mov to .wmv. Crossing my fingers this thing dosn’t have spyware, heh.

 

June 11, 2010

Ten Dollar Playsport Lens Upgrade

Posted by travelomo under Gear | Tags: , , , , |
[9] Comments 

During my lunch break the other day, I made a dash to a nearby department store to purchase something I knew would add a cool dimension to my already cool Kodak Playsport.

Near the Ladies’ Lingerie section, at the bottom of a rack displaying bangles and bracelets was a row of Jelly Lens phone camera filters. These are el cheapo plastic filters from China designed to attach to the lens of most phone cams via a non-permanent adhesive jelly ring (hence the name). I’d spotted them a month ago while shopping there with my wife.

At about 2 US dollars a pop, these are criminally inexpensive upgrades to mobile imaging devices such as the Kodak Playsport and most likely the Flip cameras, which have small fixed lenses, like phone cams. There’s about a dozen in the series, and you can find them at http://www.jelly-lens.com.

I immediately bought five of the most useful ones: closeup, vignette, soft, starburst and “polorizer.” Ripped them outta the packaging and immediately started trying them out while walking out of the mall.

Best damn upgrade you can get for ten bucks.

Here’s a sample using the closeup lens and shot in 720p.  I’ll post more in the next few days.

BONUS: Here’s a clip I found of the Playsport’s water resistance being put to the test.

 

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 31 other followers