#MYEIZO Workstation

EIZO Ambassador | WACOM Ambassador | Phase One Certified Professional

Mezame's Workstation Gear

Capture

• CAMERA 1,2 : Sony A6400, Sony A6500: For cameras, I personally use the Sony A6400 and A6500 with Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lenses. Fast AF, face-tracking on the camera body and a fast lens wide open can give beautiful bokeh that not only places more focus on me, but also makes my profile look pleasant while still retaining the sharpness I need.
   

• CAMERA 3: Razer Kiyo: The Razer Kiyo is perfect as an overhead camera for unboxing videos or for flatlay shots at the unboxing station. The unboxing station also doubles as a print checking station as I have the Fiilex V70 LED Color Viewing lamp placed there.
• LENS: Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN
• CAMERA LINK: Elgato Gaming Camlink 4K
• CONTROLS: Elgato Stream Deck XL x 2, Elgato Stream Deck: The Sony cameras are connected to my PC via micro-HDMI-to-HDMI cables to a pair of Elgato Camlink 4K capture devices so I can get smooth streaming. There are cheaper alternatives for capture devices but the Camlink is one that works best for me. It allows superb quality at 1080p 60fps or 4K at 30fps for streaming.
• LIGHTING: Aputure HR672C & HR672W, Yongnuo YN36011 x 2, FiilCambee VL15B 15W Bi-color video LED lights x 2: 

  I use Aputure LED lights - the HR672C and HR672W to be specific - as well as a couple of Fiil CamBee VL15B 15W Bi-color video LED lights to light my scene and myself up. The Yongnuo YN 360IIs are useful for online workshops, photoshoots and creating mood.
  
  I use lights to counter underexposure issues, create mood and draw focus onto me while streaming. 4 lights are used for my streams as they act as: key light (HR672C), fill light and background light (both Fiil Cambees), back light (HR672W). Underexposure (insufficient lighting) can cause webcams like my Razer Kiyo to compensate for the low light with slower shutter speeds, usually resulting in choppy frame rates, or artificial boosting of the ISO, resulting in grainy-quality images. Even for streaming, the inverse square law applies as we deal with lighting. The bigger the light source and/or closer in relative distance to the subject (in this case, myself), the softer and more flattering the lighting effect. I use softboxes with grids to direct the light better so it won’t spill everywhere resulting in flat boring images and unwanted shadows.

Post Production and Ergonomics

• MONITOR: EIZO ColorEdge CG2730, EIZO ColorEdge CG279X: Both of the ColorEdge monitors are important. They accurately represent colours and are perfect for displaying my works and more importantly, determine accuracy in details when printing photos with accurate colours.
• PRINTER: Canon Pixma Pro-1
• COMPUTER: MacBook Pro 15" 2018, Custom PC "Maleficent Mk V": The custom Pc is mainly used for live streaming and the MacBook Pro for retouching works. I use my custom PC with the EIZO ColorEdge CG279X primarily for live streaming – live edits with Capture One and Adobe Photoshop, running online seminars and workshops –  as well as editing vlog and trailer videos on Adobe Premiere Pro, gaming and Netflix. I also use it for tethered shooting in the home studio. I use my MacBook Pro 2018 15” with the EIZO ColorEdge CG2730 primarily for retouching client works on Capture One and Adobe Photoshop (I shoot tethered to the MacBook Pro on-site and connect it to my monitor at home, making it an effective desktop solution). I also use it primarily to edit videos with Final Cut Pro, as well as run software that is designed specifically for Mac such as Pages and Keynote
• SOFTWARE: Adobe Photoshop, Capture 1, StreamLabs OBS: I use StreamLabs OBS as it’s perfect for my streaming needs – easy to use, customize and robust enough. The software is connected to my Stream Decks which allow me to switch between scenes while streaming and even control music and sounds.
• TABLET: Wacom Cintiq Pro 24", Wacom One Tablet: I use the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24” and a Wacom One tablet for retouching, but ALL colour checking are done on my EIZO ColorEdge monitors. They are far more accurate, especially for mission-critical work.
• BACKUP: Western Digital External Drives, Synology 713+, Synology 213+
• CLOUD BACKUP / FILE SHARING: Dropbox
• SOUND: Blue Yeti, Sound Blaster X Katana: The Blue Yeti is a good microphone for streaming with its features meant for picking up voice only from the streamer. and the Sound Blaster Katana is brilliant as a sound device so I can play music with a nice warm bass effect. Plus, it has LED lighting underneath it (I love LED lighting!)
• DESK: Omnidesk Pro 2020 Flatedge 72" Black: I also use the Omnidesk Pro 2020 FlatEdge 72” Black as it’s wide enough to support all my gear and has a maximum 130kg payload. If I need to stand and work, the desk height can be raised via mechanical means, transforming the desk into a standing one. I also went with the Secretlab Titan 2020 Series SoftWeave® Fabric (Charcoal SoftWeave®/Black Suede) as it’s comfortable for use and is ergonomic in design.

Ergonomics:

For best comfort, I sit on a Secretlab Titan 2020 Series SoftWeave® Fabric (Charcoal SoftWeave®/Black Suede) gaming chair and use a Razer Huntsmen Elite keyboard that is connected to my PC. For the PC, I use a Logitech G502 HERO gaming mouse and a Razer Goliathus Gaming mousepad.