Real World Workflow

Hey All, while the rest of the world is geeking out on the new iPhone 4 and OS4 update, I’ve been twiddling with the iPad and figuring out how this device might integrate into an everyday tech workflow. I wanted to pass along something that I learned after some trial and error, mainly how to end the maddeningly dropped connection issues between the iPad and the Sprint Overdrive.

I’m constantly on the road, and for me the Sprint Overdrive is a godsend. Often times I need to be in touch with a client and the iPhone just isn’t enough. With the Overdrive I can get on pretty much anywhere there’s coverage and I don’t have to hassle with free networks that can be so overloaded with traffic that they barely crawl along. With the the iPad+Overdrive, I’ve been experimenting with leaving the ten pound MBP+adapter+case setup behind and traveling a little lighter. I already had the Overdrive, and AT&T gets enough of my money as it is, so I was looking forward to the dynamic duo helping me save some weight while still being productive on the road, until the Pad and Overdrive started taking lessons from the hippee generation and dropping out all over the place.

(I so hate hippees.)

For those of you that haven’t experienced this hopefully rare form of frustration, consider yourself blessed. My excitement of have the iPad for presentations and the such was squarely knocked on the head when, after firing up my Sprint Overdrive and entering my password I would find the iPad prompting me again after about two minutes to reenter my password again.

And so on. And on. Ad Nauseam.

Now the first clue that it was an Overdrive issue was that this did not occur with other wireless networks, ruling out the “Bad iPad WiFi” diagnosis. A further clue was an Apple support doc detailing that the iPad prefers WPA encription (newer) to WEP (older) for security. A further support doc called “Tips and Tricks for the iPad” on the Sierra Wireless support page. Sierra, the Overdrive mfr. again highlighted this setting, but after that I was still having no luck, and just about to reset the Overdrive when it dawned on me to reset the iPad’s Network Preferences, and viola! No more dropped/password issues. A relatively simple fix, really, but still annoying all the same. Here’s to hoping you can resolve this quicker.

Oh, a few screenshots to speed things along:

First off, go to your browser and type in the address of the Overdrive’s homepage, which will be something like “192.168.0.1″ Enter your admin password and go to “Advanced Settings” then to the “WiFi” tab. Enable “WPA/WPA 2 Personal security and enter a password. Save the settings. The Overdrive will reboot and you can move on to step two below.

Now pick up the iPad and go to Settings. You’ll get a page like this:

Navigate to “General” then “Reset” which will get you here:

Reset the “Network Settings” and you should be good to go. If not, a general reset on the ‘Pad or resetting the Overdrive may be in order.

Hope this helps you out techs, and I’ll post later how the stylist’s brain exploded when I placed the iPad on set with a screen showing her the set she was working on in almost real time. No more getting up and walking over to the monitor, or me stringing up a separate screen just for on set work!!!

Get out and enjoy the summer rays, and if anyone else is Pad playin’ on set, be sure to write in let us know.

Hmmm, very interesting tidbit: By way of the British Journal of Photography, we’ve learned that Sinar is now opening their P3 and Artec systems to other MFDB’s. They’re releasing adapters in various mounts and I think this is a smart move for them. View and plate cameras have never had anywhere near the lens/body communication of DSLR’s, so what really is the end difference to using another mfr’s back? It’s kind of like using another brand of film, really, and if this allows Sinar to survive, then maybe they can keep doing what they do so well: make kick ass view cameras.

British Journal of Photography

Hey Techs, I just got back from another location shoot and wanted to pass this along. I know I’ve been on a bit of ThinkTank worship here, but their Pixel Sunscreen v2.0 kicks major stray light butt. I think I’ve tried just about every shade combo under the sun (!) and they always seem to have some kind of drawback. The fit on bellows type is awesome for one person, but try to have an AD or two look over your shoulder and it’s damn near impossible. Laptop case/shade combos are handy for getup and go work, but they are a bit tight on the port access now that everything is FW800. On location it can be a bit tricky holding an connection while moving around, mainly due to that clunky huge FW800 connector. I usually resort to gaff taping where the FW800 connector meets the lappie, which is not pretty but works. Btw, Rick Allen has a more elegant solution using the Ethernet port and a stubby cable to hold the FW800 in. If I can find that link I’ll post it as it’s a quite brilliant solution.

This latest version 2.0 of TT’s sunscreen has some awesome features, such as side and rear access to ports with super easy access and setup and breakdown is super quick once you get the hang of it. There’s a side circle/doughnut that holds the shade in collapsed mode that also doubles as a handy stash pocket for cables, power supplies etc. Inside there’s two more pockets plus a clip to hold notes or your drink tab depending where on location you are. The bottom of the shade has non-skid stuff inside and out so the lappie and shade won’t slip and slide. Don’t even get me started about the construction. It’s first class all the way, and worth every bit of it’s 69.00 price tag. (Oh yeah, you and the AD also can edit while holding Mai Tai’s on the beach and both be able to see what’s going on.) TT says the fabric is not waterproof, but I’ve used it in some rain squally conditions and it’s definitely water repellent with some kind of hydrophobic coating. Honestly if it’s getting that wet outside, you might want to move indoors or have a pop-up tent handy.

This shade and my HyperMac external batt make the ideal run and gun combo for me. Many time I just put the batt underneath the lappie and am on my way. About the only thing I would add would be soft velcro strips on the bottom or some kind of quick release cable setup for attaching the shade to a laptop plate. Other than that this thing is just about perfect, and that’s coming from a grumpy tech that can find fault with just about any gear ever created.

Think Tank Pixel Sunscreen 2.0

Edit: To say my solution is elegant is maybe an overstatement but thanks E —- Rick

One of the things I’ve been seriously diggin’ on lately are the Cable Management series of organizer bags from Think Tank Photo. The construction is awesome, with fused zippers that can take a beating and I love how there is a pocket for your business card in case the bag is lost or misplaced. The smaller bags like the Cable 10 are perfect for stowing pocket wizards (remember to turn them off or get a nasty surprise next time you’re on location-see prior post!), and the Cable 30 is awesome for pocket HD’s, cables and basically all that stuff that goes everywhere and is never where you need it. My Cable 30 is set up to be the perfect location backup kit with HD, cables, Sprint Overdrive hotspot, chargers and the Color Checker Passport goes in the back zippered pocket. One case that I can grab and go and have most of my essentials in one bag. Think Tank makes all sizes from the Cable 10 to the Cable 50 and I’m well on my way to having the whole set and more than a few 10’s.

Check them out here:

Think Tank Cable Management

Think Tank also has a new version of their Pixel Shade out, which is awesome in many ways and I’ll try to post more on that in another entry, and if you haven’t had a chance, Erik Hillard over at Running Pixels blog, Talking Pixels has a review here of TT’s Logistic Manager rolling cargo case that is way cool. I think you could make an awesome location rig with the Location Manager as the foundation.

So yeah, I’m pretty jazzed about Think Tank. It’s pretty rare that something comes along that exactly meets or surpasses my Tech/Photo expectations, and these guys/gals seem to do it again and again.

So a photog that I tech for gave me his laptop and asked me why he wasn’t able to play DVD’s on his 2008 17″ MBP.

“Hm?” I replied

(Apparently the person who set up the machine left out unessential things like idvd to trim down the OS. )

Then after light temple scratching and medium to heavy google searching I realized that.  No you can’t fix it without re-installing the OS and having to reformat and have to re-instal all your programs.

Then after less temple scratching and medium to heavy google searching this was discovered.  So I thought i’d share it:

Just an interesting bit of info:

Really? Opening up Phocus to support over 150 cameras???

And RAW support for Leaf?

Wow. I’m aghast. Flummoxed even.

This is a big shot aimed right at Phase’s bow, because one of the major advantages of C1 is that you can capture both your MFDB and DSLR files to one app greatly simplifying the capture/edit and processing of a shoot. Now Hassy is playing the same game and oh, by the way Phocus is Phree!!!

I admit to being a little lackluster on the MFDB scene lately because, well, since Phase bought Leaf and Sinar is barely alive, the industry is basically two players now, which usually means not too much in the way of competition, (ahem, cough cough). Apparently it’s more than I thought.

Way more.

So come on gang, get out there and test this Phocus dslr thing out. I will next week back in SF, but honestly I can’t hardly wait.

Edit: Drat, not available until May 19th, dammit.

Phocus 2.5 press release

Hey Techs, just got back from a shoot in a really remote location where I had the misfortune of finding out that if a regular Pocket Wizard (Plus, not II) is left on until the battery runs out, you may end up with a dead unit. Mine was out cold, and no battery swap or reset or anything would get it to work. We did have a hard wire backup, but I’ve never seen this before and wanted to pass it on. Make sure your PW’s are turned off, or be extra cautious and pull the batts if you know you won’t be using them for awhile or if they might get switched on during transit.

If there is a benefit to flying back and forth across the country a few zillion times, it’s that on occasion, you get some perks, like being seated in first class. Somehow the Gods were on my side yesterday, and I got upgraded to first.

As I settled in to my relatively posh digs, I noticed that the guy next to me had that outdoorsy look and had a really cool vintage bag with a Jansport logo on it. Well turns out he’s Skip Lowell, on of the original founders of Jansport back in the 60’s. I told him how impressed I was that they recently replaced a five year roller I had sent in with a brand new bag. That, my friends is a pretty damn good warranty. We had a really fun conversation about a non-profit he works on that provides outdoor trips to urban youth, and I must say, it’s quite clear why Jansport has a pretty devoted following, myself included.

I mean, could you imagine if a MFDB manufacturer had a similar warranty policy? Yes, I know electronics are much more cost intensive, but to have them say “yes, our product is expensive, but we’ll stand behind it 100% and help you out because you are a customer and we want you to remain one for a long, long time.” I think that would be a major advantage over DSLR’s because you’ve drawn a pretty big line between amateur and professional, and many more might consider such a major investment if it was protected in the long run.

Just my 2 cents as I sit here 37,000 feet in the air. But then again, what do I know. My head must be in the clouds.

I think this has a bright future. Adobe is really good about getting feedback from the professional photography community. I use Capture One all the time and I have love and hate for it. I’m excited to see how Adobe handles some of the issues Phase has been slow to respond to. If nothing else I think Lightroom is a fantastic program and will definitely hold it’s own.

Ok, I know I said I was getting along fine with C1 5.1, but that tagging issue was killing me. 5.1.1 fixes this and a few other things, but thank God, I’m glad that’s over.