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Jim Young photo
Ukraine, Kiev
1 Level
744 Review
43 Karma

Review on πŸ“± 12" ToucLait Tablet Teleprompter with Detachable Design for DSLR Video Cameras Shooting, Tempered Beam Splitter Glass, APP Compatibility with iOS/Android, All Metal Construction (No Plastic) by Jim Young

Revainrating 4 out of 5

They've come a long way since my first!

I have been in the video industry for over 20 years and bought my first commercial teleprompter in the early 2000's. Let's just say teleprompter technology has gotten smaller and more efficient, as has camera technology! The concept is pretty simple and hasn't changed: tilt a piece of glass in front of the lens with a blob of black behind it to create a kind of two-way mirror, and then flip the text backwards (you know, because a mirror ? ) and your subject appears to be reading their script from your lens, while the camera doesn't see the text at all. Things that still apply from back then: - Your text should be reversed. My old one came with PC software for this, and since the iPad wasn't that popular, we used full-folding laptops (mostly Thinkpads). Surprisingly, this is not included in the software. But it doesn't matter, there are several free ones out there, and my personal favorite is easily Powerpoint. We flip the images and create a slide show that the subject can present using a standard presentation remote control. Neither of these things are included in this set, but if you've shot corporate and promotional videos, chances are you already have access to them. Because of the mirror, you lose a bit of exposure. It doesn't matter if you light the scene properly you can easily compensate. You may just need to pick that ISO or aperture to make it a little brighter. Just something to know. The subject should be easy to read and the eyes should not wander around the camera. It's just a regular teleprompter. Things improved on this model: - Now it can be attached to a tripod! In the past, if you didn't have the budget for a proper display built in front of the camera, you had to do it with a laptop or monitor stand lying flat and the camera tripod behind it. Not very wearable so it stayed in my studio. You can take it to film locations and it's pretty easy to set up! Honestly, one upgrade changes everything. I hardly ever used my old teleprompter because I couldn't just get it out of the studio and most of my gigs are on location. This will make it a lot easier to shoot testimonial/commentary videos on location! Just remember that you have to figure out the mechanics of the display yourself (software, presentation, speed, remote control, etc.). It only gives you the physical gear to do it, the mechanics require your own creativity. Definitely recommend!

Pros
  • Multipurpose
Cons
  • Cord is shorter than other picks