Tiffen, Domke, Steadicam, and Davis & Sanford Tripods: Four Great Companies All Under One Umbrella!!!

Tiffen is a leader manufacturer of imaging accessories for the consumer or professional and even motion picture and broadcast television industries. Tiffen's product lines include optical photographic filters (the best), lens accessories, Steadicam camera stabilizing systems, David & Sanford tripods, Domke camera bags, Dfx digital effects software, Listec teleprompters, Saunders trimmers, Lowel location lightning equipment, Kodak Wratten filters, and Stroboframe flash brackets. Their new Tiffen Technical Center in Burbank, California, the heart of the motion picture world, supports the industry.

Tiffen Filters...

As a leading manufacturer of photographic filters and lens accessories, they have a rich history of innovative product design, superior optical consistency, and unparalleled quality. They have won many awards, including many Emmy Awards. They continue to enhance their reputation as a leading imaging accessory manufacturer through aggressive growth in the digital imaging accessory industry.

Tiffen's products and solutions will help you to create better images that you will have for a lifetime. Tiffen optical filters are more important then ever before, when shooting with your digital camera because:
- They save time and frustration in post-production – eliminate uncertainty and see the effect you want immediately, not hours or days later.
- They protect your lens from moisture, scratches and damage.
- They bring optical correction to a known standard, leaving more latitude for digital effects later.
- Their award-winning Ultra Contrast and Low Contrast filters allow your digital camera to capture more shadow detail or lower contrast evenly.
- Their polarizing filter are ideal for color and contrast enhancements, removing reflections from water and glass (impossible to do electronically) while adding richer, natural color saturation.
- Their color Enhancing Filter makes vibrant fall colors “pop” without adversely affecting other colors. That is difficult to easily do electronically.
- Their Color-Grad Filters add color selectively to the image while keeping other portions unaffected.

Tiffen's Pro 100 Series Skyline Filter Kit. Pro 100 kits are really hot right now. This kit is ideal for landscapes and seascapes. The set includes: Tiffen Pro100 Series Camera Filter Holder; 77mm & 82mm Adapting Rings; Tiffen Sunset Grad; Tiffen Twilight Grad. The sleek and innovative design of their camera filter holder enables you to use up to two Tiffen Award Winning 4mm thick glass Motion Picture/Television filters at once, giving you the opportunity to create images like never before. Its extremely durable aluminum frame is equipped with rubberized grips, allowing for a secure fit for 4X4 and 4X5.650 filters. It holds up to two, 4mm thick filters and has a fully rotatable adapting ring. It also features an edge sealed to prevent light leaks. The Pro 100 Series works with adapting rings from 49mm-82mm.

The Tiffen Variable ND filter. This filter is a unique, versatile and flexible tool, affording you the convenience of using several Neutral Density filters all in one. Primarily used as a photographic tool for controlling depth of field and exposure, the Variable ND is being sought in the video market as well because it is fast, easy to use, small, lightweight, and does not require additional accessories such as a matte box. Available in 52, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77 and 82mm. Features: It provides 2 to 8 stops of light control; has a thin profile ring - 9mm; wider outer optic to help reduce vignetting at wide angles; comes in Tiffen padded black nylon pouch; made with high quality optical glass using Tiffen's ColorCore technology.

Neutral density filters reduce the amount of light going through the lens into your camera. By reducing the light you are able to achieve the following: Use of slow shutter speeds, with high speed films or digital cameras, to record movement/image blur in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds or any fast moving subject; obtain full control as you are able to decrease depth of field by using wider apertures, which helps separate subjects from their background (subject matter in focus while your background is blurred); allows you to shoot high speed film (above ISO 400) in bright outdoor situations by reducing effective ISO; enables cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which could cause overexposure.

Before and After Shots:



The Tiffen Variable ND filter operates on the same principle as a Circular Polarizer – rotate until you reach your desired effect and shoot. It allows you to have continuous control over the amount of light coming through your lens in an approximate range of 2 (ND 0.6) to 8 (ND 2.4) stops while maintaining the integrity of your image. This is a great addition for your photography repertoire.

Digital HT Twin Pack. This useful kit contains a Digital Ultra Clear filter, a circular Polarizer filter, and a filter Pouch. Digital HT filters (High Transmission) are a state-of-the-art technological breakthrough in multi-coated photo and video filters. They are perfect for digital, video, and photos. Made for the discerning professional and imaging enthusiast, Digital HT filters with Hi-Trans Double-Sided Titanium Multi-Coating surpass even military specifications for hardness and durability. Digital HT filters offer the strength of a Titanium coating combined with the purest optical quality glass and Tiffen’s Academy-Award-winning ColorCore technology. They present unmatched scratch-resistant durability and worry-free cleaning while other coated filters on the market today cautiously suggest delicate, if any, cleaning procedures. This filter will protect your camera lens from dirt, grime, fingerprints and damage. And that’s not all – these High Transmission filters feature a low profile titanium finish ring and anti-reflective black lock ring which sets these filters apart from the rest.

Digital HT Circular Polarizer is an excellent filter that provides color and contrast enhancement. Reflected light often shows up as whitish glare that washes out color in an image. A Polarizer corrects this problem producing deep, dramatically blue skies, dramatic blacks, and enhanced color everywhere. It also removes glare from non-metallic surfaces, such as windows and water. Color saturation in general, especially outdoors, can be improved significantly. A Circular Polarizer has the same effect as a Polarizer and is used on cameras with beam splitting metering systems commonly found on auto focus SLR's (for most 35mm auto-focus cameras see your camera manual).

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Domke Camera Bags...

Domke Heritage Collection: Domke F-2 Shooter's Bag RuggedWear Brown.

This bag is great, great, great! This is the bag that started it all. Jim Domke had the first one custom made for his own use in 1976, and the F-2 is still one of the most popular Domke Bags today. It was designed so that the photographer could get at equipment instantly, without having to take the bag from their shoulder.

Like your favorite pair of jeans, Domke bags get better with age but with the new Domke RuggedWear collection you don'tƒ have to wait. The fabric produces a unique distressed and weathered look right from the start. The RuggedWear classic bags feature high-quality, weather-tough, durable cotton canvas that is treated with special non-solvent, environmentally friendly waxes to afford the fabric a lifelong resistance to inclement weather. The special formula allows the fabric to breathe while the waxes produce a unique, timeless, weathered, distressed patina finish. By using the included refinishing wax, bags can be restored to its original finish quickly and easily. Features include: 12 compartments and pockets; patented four-compartment padded insert; adjustable non-slip Gripper Strap that runs completely around the bag; removable bottom padded stiffener, removable hand carrying strap, and 6 pockets; YKK zippers; and steel snap hooks. The bag is so roomy it can hold 2 Pro SLRs, 4-6 lenses, pro flash and accessories. It only weighs 3.2 pounds and it's the perfect bag!!!

Collaboration Collection. Best Buy Bag -- Domke F-803 in RuggedWear Green.

Collaboration's exclusive line of stylish camera bags, featuring high quality materials and leather accents, will provide consumers with the security, look and discrete functionality they desire. Suitable for both professional and leisure activities, these camera bags give consumers the ability to carry their camera products with ease, protecting their investments from a variety of natural elements. Domke’s attention to detail and use of high quality materials, make this special line of cool camera bags unique in both style and functionality. Domke is proud to be featuring their products in Best Buy Stores across the U.S., and looks forward to further development of their relationship with the corporation. 

This particular bag is made from a waxed cotton canvas featuring chocolate leather accents and chocolate leather strap. This smallest of Domke Satchels has gained a large following among photographers who don’t want to call attention to their expensive equipment. Many describe the F-803 as a bag that doesn’t shout “cameras!” It’s also the perfect size as a light briefcase for business travel.

The RuggedWear classic bags feature high-quality, weather-tough, durable cotton canvas that is treated with special non-solvent, environmentally friendly waxes to afford the fabric a lifelong resistance to inclement weather. The special formula allows the fabric to breathe while the waxes produce a unique, timeless, weathered, distressed patina finish. By using the included refinishing wax, bags can be restored to its original finish quickly and easily. Other features include: Adjustable leather strap, YKK zippers, and steel snap hooks. Exterior Dimensions: 10″W x 4.5″D x 7.25″H; Interior Dimensions: 9.5W x 4″D x 6″H. You can fit either a Pro DSLR or Mirrorless Camera (look at Canon's new model), plus a lens and accessories. Another perfect camera bag by Domke.

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Steadicam...

In the early 1970s, American cinematographer Garrett Brown had a simple, but revolutionary idea: to make a device that could smooth out handheld action shots. The result is the Academy Award-winning Steadicam, which made its feature film debut on the movie “Bound for Glory,” and rose to prominence in the films “Rocky” and “The Shining.” The device mounts a stabilized camera on a person to allow for free-reign movement of the operator to get clear, non-shaky shots.

Over the past 3 decades, Steadicam has been an invaluable, dynamic production tool in the industry. New generations of Steadicam Camera Stabilizing Systems have been comprehensively redesigned to unleash endless creative possibilities. Tiffen offers you a complete line of state-of-the-art models to meet your film and video needs. Tiffen is committed to support the needs of the motion picture, broadcast and professional imaging industries with the latest state-of-the-art steadicam technology to meet your film and video needs.

Steadicam Smoothee.

Engineered by Tiffen for premier camera stabilization, the Steadicam Smoothee stabilizer offers the renowned Steadicam brand production quality in a handheld form. The compact size of the Smoothee stabilizer makes for a Steadicam brand stabilizer that’s lightweight and small enough to bring that steadicam effect anywhere, allowing you to take steady video with an iphone while walking or run ‘n gun style. It was specifically designed for the smartphone user and is adjustable to fit phones ranging from 4.53 to 6.26” long x 2.32 to 3.27” wide [115 to 159 mm long x 59 to 83 mm wide].

The Smoothee was also designed to work with cameras ranging from the GoPro Hero camera to the iPod Touch devices, the versatility of the Smoothee stabilizer is now enhanced with the release of the Universal Smartphone Mount—bringing the smooth art of a genuine Steadicam stabilizer to smartphone users worldwide.

The Smoothee is quick and adaptable. Whether you’re a smartphone user capturing everyday video with your phone or an aspiring filmmaker, the Smoothee reliably takes your videography to next level quality. It’s easy to shoot steady video with an iphone, without a tripod, simply mount your camera to the Smoothee stabilizer, adjust to balance your device, and start filming! Easily fly wherever the scene takes you: up and down steps, indoors and outside, through crowds—shoot steady video anywhere, while walking, running, on the go —with elegant operation and the precision of Steadicam brand products. The Smoothee handheld camera stabilizer is one of the Steadicam for iPhone video camera accessories you’ll find lots of uses for. 

Built into the Universal Smartphone Mount is 1⁄4”-20 camera mount for attaching to tripods. This adaptable mount design, coupled with the patented Tiffen quick release mount provides seamless demounting from the Smoothee—allowing for instant camera connection swaps between your Smoothee and a tripod, making it a perfect iphone tripod mount. Conveniently, when you’re not filming, the Universal Smartphone Mount can be used as a tabletop stand.

This is one product you really don't want to be without.

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Davis & Sanford...

Davis & Sanford is one of America’s oldest, most respected tripod manufacturers and has been a major force in the advancement of modern tripod design for over 85 years. The company grew out of the renowned Davis & Sanford Photo Studio on Fifth Avenue in New York. Founded in 1892 it catered to members of New York’s high society, including such notables as Andrew Carnegie. In 1930, Davis & Sanford was re-established as a tripod manufacturer specializing in super-rigid, lightweight metal tripods that set a standard for the industry. That spirit of functional excellence, technical innovation, and outstanding value continues today, with the latest line of Davis & Sanford tripods.

Vista Tripods was introduced in 2006 to provide the growing number of hobbyist and enthusiast photographers and videographers with state-of-the art tripods offering the highest performance and durability at affordable prices. The line includes lightweight, easy to use designs based on the latest technology, that offer the same dependable level of support that Davis & Sanford provides to assure each customer a perfect long-term shooting experience for portrait, fashion, astronomical, and industrial photographers as well as photojournalists and professional videographers.

Davis & Sanford and Vista tripods offer a matchless combination of convenience, performance, durability, and value, all based on their 80-year tradition of uncompromising quality. And to prove their commitment, all are backed by their 10-year warranty.

Traverse65 Carbon Tripod with PB336-18 Head (Traverse TR 654C-36).

The TR654C-36 Traverse Carbon Fiber Grounder Tripod with Ball Head from David & Sanford is a compact support that extends to 65", weighs 3.25 lb, and can hold up to 12 lb of gear. It features 180° reverse-folding legs that fold around the ball head allowing it to fold down to just 18.5". It's the best tripod for DSLR, Mirrorless and Point & Shoot cameras.

The tripod's four 8-layer carbon fiber leg sections are independently adjustable and held in place with twist locks. The grounder feature comes into action when the included short center column is installed, enabling the tripod to get down to just 9" above the ground. The included ball head has separate locks for the panning and ball movements, allowing you to pan your camera without losing your level position. An Arca-type compatible quick-release plate attaches to your camera's tripod mount for fast mounting. A carrying bag is included with the tripod to protect it during transport.

Additional features: Magnesium and aluminum components; Easy Glide center column; Three independent leg angles; Foam grip cushioned insulated leg; Rubber feet with retractable spikes provide stability on a variety of surfaces; A ballast hook on the center column allows for hanging equipment or adding weight to increase stability; it comes with a high quality carrying bag.