Showing posts with label Stabilizer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stabilizer. Show all posts

Saturday, November 19, 2011

The AlettA Stabilizer Generation-II, for Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus is now shipping. Starting at $79.95. Get yours today.

Email:  brqyvn@gmail.com


Hi Photographer friends,

I've been involved with photography for decades. It's my passion and I know it's yours too.

Are you using a Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, or Sony DSLR?
Cameras have come a long way and today's Digital Cameras are producing image quality beyond what we ever thought possible. However, one thing that hasn't changed for ages is how, we as photographers, compose our images. The composition rules of the last Century still apply today. One of these rules suggests that you use a tripod to keep your camera from shaking.


Think about it!  Any photographer will tell you that using a tripod  is still the best best way to produce sharp images. That is especially true with telephoto lenses. Even with an "in-camera" Shake Reduction System, it is always better to use a tripod. Unlike cameras, tripods haven't changed all that much. They are still composed of three extensible legs and a camera mount. They are still a "pain-in-the-neck" to carry around. You often don't have one with you when you need one, and when you bring one with you, you often can't use it for one reason or another. I own several tripods and I have used them for years, but It's almost 2012 and it's time to bring the tripod stabilization to a new level.


The DSLR/G-II StabilizerI up side down
 to show how it fits in your camera bag, 
while still attached.
The common tripod has finally evolved. We have designed a device that stabilizes your camera wherever and whenever you shoot. It can stay attached to your camera at all times and still fit in your camera bag. When your camera is attached to a tripod, the distance between the camera and the points of contact can be as much as five feet. It's no wonder that tripods are not always stable in windy situations. Our device points of contact are not even two inches away. With our  accessories, you can go from portrait (vertical) picture taking to landscape (horizontal) picture taking, in a flash.  Arca-Swiss and other Quick Release (QR) systems are supported.


Our device, the "AlettA Stabilizer Generation II" is what you need.


You're wondering about Generation I, aren't you? Well...we sold a multitude of Generation I Stabilizers and asked our clients for feedback and suggestions. We got some good feedback and we have incorporated  many of the suggestions. We think our Stabilizers are what you need. Simplicity and functionality is what we  were aiming for and we believe we've succeeded. All the improvements are compatible with Generation I and current owners of our Generation I Stabilizers can purchase the upgrades at a discount.


A basic tripod  costs around $150.00.  A good tripod system will cost on the upper side of $400.00 and more. We wanted to produce an expandable system, using the highest quality materials, while keeping a low retail price. We use aircraft grade aluminum and our parts are machined on  CNC equipment, and powder coated for durability. Our prices are more than competitive... We really believe this is the best investment for your hard-earned money.


Here's why our Stabilizers will improve your photography and why you need one.


We are photographers and we know that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Here's more pictures and fewer words...the language we all know.  So,




This is the top view of the Basic Stabilizer G-II. Note the three slots, they allow mounting of any Digital cameras, from Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony and others.  The green material is called "egrips" and it keeps the camera from sliding out of position. The bubble level helps in leveling the camera.
This is the bottom view of the Basic Stabilizer G-II. A stainless steel mounting screw with a D-ring is included to minimize efforts in tightening the camera to the Stabilizer. Note the rubber leveling leg extremities? They keep the camera from slipping.
Three sets of legs are supplied with the Basic Stabilizer G-II; 1/2" long,  1" long and 1 1/2" long.



This is the Real World use of the Basic Stabilizer G-II. Notice how the camera can be set on irregular surfaces.

This is the Stabilizer G-II with the Extended legs assemblies. It gives an even bigger footprint and the legs are adjustable in all three axis. The center of gravity can be adjusted for the lens being used or the surface on which the system is set up.
This is the underside of the Stabilizer G-II with the extended legs assemblies. The assemblies are mounted underneath the G-II and can swivel about 200 degrees horizontally.
The G-II Stabilizer front view, equipped with 2 1/2" long legs in the back and 2" long legs in the front. (Standard supply). The legs' height can be adjusted from the top side of the G-II, making it even simpler than the previous Generation. Longer legs, including the rubberized ends, can be purchased separately. We can make them as long as you want.


Another Real Life example of using the G-II with a DSLR, including the battery grip, and a 300 mm lens on an uneven surface...stable as a rock.

 We also have an L-bracket for when you want to take vertical (Portrait mode) pictures as well. 
Along with the Basic Stabilizer G-II, this is an economic way to stabilize your camera in Portrait (Vertical) or Landscape (Horizontal) mode.
Shown here with a medium size DSLR. The only hassle with this arrangement is that it takes some time to go from Portrait to Landscape.


This is the same L-Bracket outfitted with an Arca-Swiss compatible Base Plate and two Quick Release (QR) plates. This makes changing from Portrait to Landscape straightforward and quick. You can use your own Base Plate and QRs , and not necessarily Arca-Swiss compatible.
The Arca-Swiss compatible is consist of of one base plate, two QR plates + attachment screws, and one 3/8" to 1/4" adapter bushing.
Shown here is the complete system. It includes the Stabilizer G-II with the Extended legs assemblies, the L-Bracket and the Arca-Swiss compatible Base Plate and QRs.
One minute, you are in Landscape mode...
and the next minute you are in Portrait mode.

Real World use of a complete system.



When I first started designing the Stabilizer, my goal was  to keep my camera from tipping over when a telephoto was attached. Once I got started, I realized that I could do a lot more with such system.


Other than standing on water, The G-II system can be used on essentially all hard surfaces. It won't replace a tripod for studio work, but because it's lighter and stays attached to your camera, you can use the G-II in 95% of the situations when stabilization is needed.




It's great for trekking. It only adds about 12 ounces to your camera and it takes no time to set-up. There are always some surfaces that can be used for stability, a rock, a tree trunk, a fence, or even the ground. Once you use a Stabilizer G-II, you will realize how practical it is. Simplicity and functionality is what we were aiming for and we've achieved it.




It really doesn't come easier than that.

The Extended legs assemblies, a set of four, are available separately so you can start with the Basic Stabilizer G-II and grow to a full system. Who knows what we will come up with for additional accessories!

PRICES:
  • AlettA - G-II Basic Stabilizer: $79.95
  • AlettA- G-II Stabilizer with extended legs assemblies: $129.95
  • AlettA - L-Bracket: $39.95
  • AlettA - Arca-Swiss compatible Base plate and QR plates: $99.95
  • AlettA - Set of four extended legs assemblies: $49.95
  • AlettA - G-II Basic and L-Bracket: $109.95 (You save $10.00 from purchasing separately)
  • AlettA - G-II with extended legs, and the L-Bracket: $149.95 (You save $20.00 from purchasing separately)
  • AlettA - G-II with extended legs, and the L-Bracket,and the Arca-Swiss compatible setup:  $229.95 (You save $40.00 from purchasing separately) * Best deal.
To make a purchase, log on to our e-commerce store:  
alettaphoto.com


or email us at brqyvn@gmail.com  Subject:Stabilizers


The AlettA Stabilizers fit Nikon, Pentax, Canon, Olympus, Sony and all other makes.


The AlettA Stabilizer G-II is 5-1/2"  wide (side to side) x 5" deep (back to front) x 1/2" thick. The extended legs add another 1" each in the horizontal plane and the maximum elevation change is about 2" front to back and side to side.

Friday, June 10, 2011

AlettA Photographic - Who we are and what we do.

You can email us at brqyvn@gmail.com



For many years, I hauled a clumsy and heavy tripod with me, almost every time I went somewhere to take pictures. We all know that if you want blur free pictures, a tripod is the best way to achieve good results. The problem is that a solid tripod is big and heavy, even if it's made of carbon fiber. It's hard to carry one everywhere you go, it takes time to set it up, and some public places won't even allow its use. It is difficult to travel with one. The problem is even bigger when you use a telephoto lens, like 300mm and above. Modern DSLRs have Shake Reduction systems, but the keyword here is "Reduction". If you want to eliminate shake and not only reduce it, you need a solid tripod or something else. It's the "something else" that has bothered me for a long time. Companies came out with bean bags, clip-on units, different tripod designs, monopods, flexible legs tripods, etc. The problem is that they all come from designing inside the "box"...using the same design with variations. I started thinking outside the proverbial box and I came up with my Stabilizer.

I wanted something light and small that could fit in my camera bag. I wanted something that would protect the camera's underside when resting on any surface, flat or irregular. I was fed up with my camera tipping over when a big lens was attached. (I scratched or broke many lens shades because of that). Finally it came to me. What we need is a gizmo that attaches to the bottom of the camera, with adjustable legs, one that keeps the camera from tipping over and one that can be leveled on any surface. It should also fit in my camera bag while still attached to the camera. It should not add more than 12-14 ounces to the overall weight of the camera and should be ideal for the traveling photographer. It should be made of aircraft aluminum and CNC machined in the USA...no cheap plastic here. It would be nice to incorporate a hand grip and some kind of anti-slip material between the camera bottom and the top of the gizmo to keep the camera from shifting. I would like it's finish to be durable and matching the finish of my DSLR.

Well...we designed such a gizmo. We called it the AlettA Stabilizer.

AlettA Photographic came about after I designed the Stabilizer for my own use with a Pentax DSLR. After years of favorable comments from friends and other photographers, I decided that I should share the Stabilizer with the rest of the photographic world. It took a while...but the gizmo has mutated to "The AlettA Stabilizer" and is available for purchase.

It is custom designed and manufactured for many of the most popular DSLRs, but can also be fitted to just about any camera. The current line includes the Pentax K-5 and K-7, the Nikon D7000, D700 and D300S plus the Canon EOS 5D and EOS 7D. Note that the Stabilizers are designed to fit to the contour of the preceding DSLRs that are equipped with their optional battery grip. The battery grip gives that extra vertical space that accommodates large diameter lenses. However, it will also work without a battery grip installed.

We hope that you search this blogsite for additional information, images, videos and description of our products. We invite your comments and questions.

Thank you for giving us some of your valuable time. We appreciate you.

Yvon Bourque
AlettA Photographic is trademarked and The Stabilizer patent is applied for.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Using the Pentax K-5 and K-7 with my new DA* 300mm and the AlettA Stabilizer. Terrific combination.


Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentax friends,

I spent the afternoon trying my new Pentax DA* 300mm with the Pentax K-5 and the Pentax K-7.  Most of the pictures were taken with the K-5 while I was using the K-7 with the DA 16-45mm lens to take picture of the way I was shooting the images.  As you can see below, The stability of the camera was important, as shooting "hand held" with a large telephoto is difficult. I didn't have a tripod on purpose since I also wanted to test my stabilizer as well.

Both performed very well. The DA* 300mm lens is a dream lens. Before getting it, I was using an older Tokina 400mm (soon to be on EBay or you can email me if you want it) which is good enough, but not comparable to the new Pentax DA*  300mm. The 300mm is a bit faster, with a maximum aperture of f/4, and the glass is optimized for today's DSLRs. If you look at the images below, you will see the water droplets very clearly. Of course, the images are small for this blogsite, but the full size images are stunning.  I will certainly have one or two enlarged for display and for selling.

The stabilizer was also instrumental in getting the right shots. It held both, the camera and the heavy lens, motionless like a brick, all without using a heavy and cumbersome tripod. The camera was atop the hood of my truck and some pictures were taken from the roof of the truck.  I even took some pictures with the camera sitting on an old rusty mailbox.

Today, I toot two horns...the Pentax horn for producing such a good lens...and my own horn for coming up with the idea for the stabilizer. I just love it, and if someone else would have designed it, I would have purchase one from them. Actually, it would have been much cheaper. Thus far, until I sell enough of my gizmo, I am in the hole for  thousands of dollars. Go ahead and check how much attorneys charge for a patent, a name registration and a trademark, not to mention forming an LLC company for my own protection. The first few units had to be custom made by a machine shop...just for me. These shops charge about $250.00 to enter the coordinates in the CNC machine the first time, and $75.00 per hour for actually machining the part. I had to rework the design four times before getting it right, but that's okay, because in the end, I got what I wanted. I just paid too much.


All the images of the Sprinklers were taken with the stabilizer set on either the hood or the roof of my truck. The shutter was released using the 2 second timer.






The image below was taken from this old mailbox position.


All four legs set at a different elevation.  It does a lot more that just keeping the DSLR / lens combination from tipping over when resting on a flat surface.

If you are lucky enough to own a K-5...you're lucky enough! As a bonus, the camera has an electronic level indicator which renders the task even simpler.



Thank you for visiting. Please come again,

Yvon Bourque

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Site of the day...Slow shutter speed photography using Neutral Density (ND) filters

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

I have been talking a lot about slow shutter speed photography this past week. I found another site that explains very clearly how to achieve those slow shutter photographs even in broad daylight. Cambridge in Colour has many valuable lessons, tips and tricks of the trade and a wealth of information to help you be a better photographer. I am a subscriber to their site and today, I want to share it with you.

Using Neutral Density (ND) Filters






ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the camera, enabling a longer exposure time than otherwise possible. This can emphasize motion, or make an otherwise tumultuous scene appear surreal and quiescent. Alternatively, an ND filter also enables larger apertures, which can produce a shallower depth of field, or achieve a sharper photo. Either way, this is a useful and often under-appreciated filter that deserves a deeper look. Click this link to learn more.

Want to be a better photographer? Look at other photographer images and learn from them. Study the compositions and mimic what you see for a while. It won't be all that long that you will develop your own style.

Thank you for stopping by,

Yvon Bourque 

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

My Visit to Samy's Camera in Pasadena...Impressed with the good service.


Change the way you shoot™

 Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

For those of you that follow this blog, you already know that I recently got into a new endeavor, The “AlettA Photographic” accessories for Digital Cameras. My first item, launched about a week ago, the AlettA DSLR Stabilizer specifically designed for the Pentax K-5 and K-7, has been selling really well. I can’t wait to receive more comments, good or not so good, as long as they are constructive.

Of course, I don’t want to limit my sales to Pentax only, although I am a diehard Pentax fan and will always be. So today, I drove to the Samy’s Camera store in Pasadena, California. It’s about an hour drive from where I live. The purpose of the trip was to ask them if I could take the imprints of some of the bestselling Nikon and Canon DSLRs and battery grips. I really didn’t know what to expect. I could have driven there just to be told “No”.

After introducing myself, I asked for the Store Manager, Michelle, who was in her office. I was pleasantly surprised when she came in the store, just a few minutes after being reached by one of the Sales Representative on the floor. I explained my purpose and she immediately got Jeff O’Brien to take care of me. Jeff was really helpful and interested in the Stabilizer as well. He made all of the Nikon and Canon cameras and battery grips available, right then and now.

Jeff was as friendly and helpful as one can be. Thank you for your help.

I was so pleased with their assistance, that I couldn’t help buying some "absolutely and immediately needed" camera stuff. I purchased a 67mm ND8 filter and the new 3” Hoodman loupe.

So to put this visit in perspective, I now have the necessary dimensions to fabricate Stabilizers for the Nikon D7000, D700 and the D300S. I also have the necessary dimensions to fabricate Stabilizers for the Canon 5D Mk II and the 7D. All our Stabilizers are made of CNC machined aircraft aliminum, powder coated for a  hard and durable finish and come with a right handgrip plus three sets of adjustable legs.

Look us up in the near future. We should be able to ship the Stabilizers for these new cameras in the weeks to come. I am so excited, I’m puking rainbows.

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Monday, April 18, 2011

Favorite site of the Day:" Alunfoto" Jostein Øksne Images and blog.

 Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

Alunfoto has been on my blog list for a long time. This is Jostein Øksne's blogsite and his images are some of the best taken with Pentax DSLRs. Jostein recently purchased a Pentax 645D and is really making more impressive images.  He has over 100 pictures featured in the Pentax Gallery, and I believe he has the most accepted images on the Gallery. I may be wrong at this time, but I know he was at  the top last year.

His Blogsite is Alunfoto. Pay him a visit, and tell him I sent you.

Thank you for looking.

Yvon Bourque

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Favorite site of the Day: 45+ surreal Long Exposure Photography Inspirations

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

I do like long exposure photography, as shown in yesterday's favorite site from Bruce Robbins. I founf a site today that gives 45+ surreal Long Exposure. It's worth exploring it:
 http://www.smashingtips.com/long-exposure-photography-shots

Here are some of the examples:



There is a lot of talented photographers in this world. I just aspire to have one good keeper for every thousand clicks.

Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque

P.S. One good tool for long exposure is our AlettA Photographic Stabilizer.