I’ve only recently started experimenting with the video capabilities of my Canon 5D II, and it quickly became clear that holding the camera the same way for video as for photos wasn’t working out.

There was simply no way I was dropping hundreds of dollars (and especially not thousands!!!) on a pro stabilizer, so I decided to make my own from a couple pieces of aluminum bar, some duct tape, and the pad from a broken camera strap.

I did have to order the quick release mount that connects to the camera from B&H.

All of the parts cost about $60 and to my untrained eye, it does a great job.

I’ll probably spray paint it all black, and replace the duct tape grip with something a little more comfortable. But it’ll do for now.

But it turns out that Timbuk2’s new “Commute 2.0″ bag is just the right size for adding a single insert to carry a DSLR. Two inserts that seem to be the right size are the Billingham 12-21 Superflex insert and the Domke FA-211 insert. I didn’t really feel like paying $30, so I constructed one myself from some foam and duct tape, then attached it to the inside of the bag with industrial strength velcro. I think it works pretty well. We’ll see how durable it turns out to be.

More pics

I’m a big fan of using index cards as organizational tools. They’re cheap, relatively sturdy, and the perfect size for jotting down tasks and notes, among many other uses.

Unless you really like flipping through cards over and over, though, it can be difficult to keep from losing track of everything you have going on your cards. If you’ve searched for a solution to this, you may have encountered Levenger’s excellent Note Card Action Board. But at nearly $40 for a 13″x15.5″ board, they’re pretty pricy.

I made my own in less than 5 minutes for a fraction of the cost using simple parts I picked up on a trip to my local art store. All you need is a board, and several large, heavy-duty rubber bands.

Any sturdy board will work, but the board I chose is the 16″x20″ Studio Panel. It’s essentially a 3/8″ thick piece of masonite with a canvas-like surface, and you can get them in many different sizes. The textured surface of the board provides a little bit of friction to keep the cards secure, and could easily be painted to match the decor of your office. The back of the panel includes pre-drilled holes for hanging on the wall.

Assembly is quick and easy. Just stretch your rubber bands over the board and space them according to the size of the cards you use. And BAM! DIY Note Card Action Board. Then you can use your label maker to mark the different sections of the board for your productivity system.