Reviews

Alps Mountain Biking Bliss at The White Room

Alps Mountain Biking Bliss at The White Room

A review of The White Room, Sainte Foy, France – July 2nd to July 9th 2011

The guys I ride with around the Manchester/NW area had for the last few years entered the PPDS which takes place late June each year. I’d always been keen to ride in the Alps since I started mountain biking properly but the strands of other adventures had always got in the way. That was until 2011. Steve, the internet overlord and general organiser for our disparate group piped up saying he was thinking about an Alps trip and after a few hasty conversation with the missus we decided we were also in. Read more on Alps Mountain Biking Bliss at The White Room…

Hilleberg Kaitum 2GT - Kit Review

Hilleberg Kaitum 2GT – Kit Review

 

A couple of years ago Hannah and I were looking for a new tent.  We had some very specific ideas about the tent so we went looking for options.  Being a manager of an outdoor store has it’s advantages, firstly we had a fair amount of tents in stock I was familiar with and I was aware of most of the major manufacturers available in the UK.   So began a long trawl through the wonder that is the internet.

Read more on Hilleberg Kaitum 2GT – Kit Review…

Kessler Crane review: Mountain bike filmmaking

Kessler Crane review: Mountain bike filmmaking

Our very own 8ft Kessler Crane Lite arrived in the post last week. We’ve made time to play with it so here’s the low down on what we think. Why buy a crane?
The affordability and quality of footage produced by many HDSLR’s has really opened up the filmmaking playing field over the last few years. Back in May 2010 I bought my first Panasonic GH1 and have been a HDSLR convert ever since.


Cyclocross outing for my Manfrotto 561BHDV Monopod

Cyclocross outing for my Manfrotto 561BHDV Monopod

I wanted to test out my new Christmas present, a Manfrotto 561BHDV Monopod, and what better place to experiment than Todmorden Cyclocross race.

As a videographer that enjoys that enjoys using DSLR’s I wanted a light weight, low fuss, support solution when filming. I haven’t been completely sold on the various shoulder mount options made by the likes of Zacuto and others because whilst they do get some good reviews they are ridiculously expensive and cumbersome. They seem to over compensate for DSLR’s not being standard video cameras and forget about the unique features of DSLR’s themselves. So after a little research on the internet I bought the Manfrotto 561BHDV Monopod and I am chuffed with my decision.

Read more on Cyclocross outing for my Manfrotto 561BHDV Monopod…

Slow Motion Bike Film using Twixtor

Slow Motion Bike Film using Twixtor

Here’s a sweet little slow mo bike film that has used Twixtor to slow the video down to 10% or less.  Everything was shot on the Canon 7D in 720p 60fps. Twixtor has had some mixed reviews but this little video is  smooth..

Read more on Slow Motion Bike Film using Twixtor…

Glimpse of worlds 1st professional HD Camera Recorder with Four Thirds optical system

Glimpse of worlds 1st professional HD Camera Recorder with Four Thirds optical system

The AG-AF100 is the worlds first professional HD Camera Recorder equipped with the micro Four Thirds optical system used in DSLR’s. It is capable of recording up to 12 hours of video using its two SDXC compatible slots. It offers AVCHD 1080 and 720 video recording in frame rates of 59.94, 50, 29.97, 25 or 23.98p with the top two rates interlaced in 1080 mode. The camcorder also features industry-standard HD SDI and XLR connectors.

Read more on Glimpse of worlds 1st professional HD Camera Recorder with Four Thirds optical system…


My Videography Kit List for India

My Videography Kit List for India

I will very shortly be on my travels to India as a videographer with Raleigh International.  I’ll be away over the summer for over 10 weeks and will no doubt face a number of physical, technological and emotional challenges. Eeeeek! It will be monsoon season for a start and I’m not entirely sure what to expect.

Read more on My Videography Kit List for India…

My thoughts on the Panasonic Lumix GH1

In May 2010 I finally dug deep into my pockets and purchased the Panasonic Lumix GH1.  Panasonic’s reputation for making outstanding video cameras is very well known. I personally got into videography using the Panasonic DVX-100 of which I’m still very fond. However I’ve recently noticed a positive boom in the number of videos created with DSLR’s and I love the depth of field and aesthetics displayed by many of the videos.

Read more on My thoughts on the Panasonic Lumix GH1…

Cragg Quarry trail - mini review

Cragg Quarry trail – mini review

Cragg Quarry trail, the mini review – the latest addittion to the Adrenalin Gateway project, I believe, is completed and being ridden.

How to get there;

Cragg Quarry can be accessed from either:

Read more on Cragg Quarry trail – mini review…


Ragley Mmmbop bike review

Ragley Mmmbop bike review

Ragley Mmmbop bike review from a lover of full suspension bikes.

So I killed a Trek Remedy a few months ago which was a case of  ‘user is an idiot’ rather than defective product. This put me in the situation of needing a frame of some sort in a hurry. I had some very specific requirements;

Read more on Ragley Mmmbop bike review…

Lee Quarry, trial by Quarrymen.

Lee Quarry, trial by Quarrymen.

Lee Quarry, Bacup….a dissused quarry doing nothing, with lots of steep banks and loose rocks, what could we do with that they thought?  As part of the Pennine Lancashire Adrenalin Gateway, they turned part of it into mtb course and a really intersting one too.  A visit was well over due after numerous friends have waxed lyrical about the place.  Time to pack the motor and get ourselves over there quick smart. Sunday saw the arrival of Team Pickle at Bacup.

Read more on Lee Quarry, trial by Quarrymen….