Glide Gear TMP 500 Universal Video Camera Tripod Teleprompter 15mm Rails w/ Carry Case
$442.00
Additional information
| Weight | 1.93 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 38.1 × 15.24 cm |
| Product Dimensions | ‎ 38.1 x 38.1 x 15.24 cm; 1.93 Kilograms |
| Date First Available | ‎ 6 June 2016 |
| ASIN | B01GOV3636 |
| Item model number | TMP 500 |
| Manufacturer | Glide Gear |
R. Schiller –
Functional
This is a review of the TMP 500. As you will know, what this kit gives you is the angled partially reflective glass and triangular lightproof box needed to project text in front of the lens for a presenter. The TMP 500 is not the cheapest but at £140 it can still be classed as low-cost.The essentials of a teleprompter or autocue device are a tablet (e.g. iPad) or phone, the semi-reflective glass, a light-proof box and a frame to keep it together. Of course, the tablet is not provided, you are expected to use your everyday device loaded with one of the many teleprompter/autocue apps.THE GLASSThe glass is clearly coated as you would expect and so does not suffer from the double-reflections that ordinary glass gives. It works as well as any glass I have seen in such a device, consumer or professional. It is about 244mm x 192mm of reflective area, about 312mm across the diagonal. So that allows for a tablet screen of up to 244mm x 136mm to be reflected. It loses exactly 1/2 stop of light. A more costly model would perhaps accommodate a larger screen and so be usable further away. In practical terms, modern style is wide-angle close to the camera so this is unlikely to be an issue for most.LIGHTPROOF BOXThe lightproof box comprises two elements A three sided part that with the glass forms the front with the box shading the glass and preventing light from above being reflected into the camera’s lens. The three sides fold flat for storage and are zipped together for assembly. This did not sound promising but actually works well though you have the same need as you do with a coat of exactly aligning the zip ends to get it to glide shut. The second element is a velvet cone that seals the first part to any lens. It has a drawstring to seal around the optic. This all works fine, and in fact is one of the best I have used. It has the same issue that all of these devices have that you can’t easily see to locate the lens and stop it banging into the glass when mounting and adjusting the camera.THE FRAMEFinally then, the frame. The glass is mounted on a yoke which incorporates a clamp for the bottom edge of the tablet. The yoke sits on rails. The rails then also hold the camera support behind, and a clamp for the top edge of the tablet in front. The rails are 34cm long which is fine for a mirrorless 35mm camera but may not be long enough for an over-the-shoulder video camera. However, this is where this unit’s unique qualities come to the fore. The rails are standard 15mm diameter mounted 60mm apart. So, you can extend them or swap them using standard parts. The threads for extending them measure 12.58mm (pitch approximately 2mm). You could even exchange them for lightweight carbon versions if you wish.ASSEMBLYYou flip the glass over from its storage position and tighten screws to set the angle – so there is some angle adjustment there. You then add the other clamp for the tablet and once the yoke and tablet position are set you can add the camera support. The yoke holds both rails and it is most vital that this is tightened well using the rather nice but small thumbscrew levers. The other two items are then the adjustable parts with just one similar fixing each. This does work OK, but you have to remember to set the rails up on the yoke first, and that means using the tablet and clamp to get the sizing right. Of course you can mark the position for later assembly. To some extent then the room you have for the camera is set by the size of tablet. an ordinary sized iPad with a 35mm camera and a large-ish standard zoom lens work fine.The whole thing then has to be put on your tripod plate and attached to the tripod head. This is the only part that I felt let the assembly down. While they do have 3/8 and 1/4 mounting holes, there is no hole for the index that you get on video tripod plates, and the underside of the yoke is utterly smooth with no groves or even rubber like they have to prevent camera slew. So getting a firm, untwistable connection between yoke and standard 1/4in screw-on plate is impossible.The camera attachment can be mounted pointing forward or for larger lenses/cameras, backward. It actually accommodates a greater range than you would guess. There is a rubber top surface to help keep the camera untwisted and a thumbscrew for attaching the camera’s baseplate. The camera’s mounting height can then be adjusted by way of another thumbscrew and I reckon 35mm style cameras would fit even with their optional battery boxes added below their baseplates.CASETruly the best thing about this model is the case. It is a hard thick-walled plastic case with close-cell foam packed around the various parts. The valuable and fragile thing here is the glass, and the protection from the case is impeccable. The case is not small at 36cm x 41cm x 21cm, but I would say it is ideal as it is not a heavy metal flight-case yet is rigid enough to provide a lot of protection.ADDITIONSI bought a remote control to go with this and it is a pity that one is not supplied. For me it’s essential. This is a BlueTooth device that controls the app. You will need an app, and it is essential that it is the sort that can display the text in mirror form. I downloaded the one to go with the remote that I purchased. The yoke has a couple of mounting holes for adding attachments on its side.CONCLUSIONI would guess that this model is around 20% to 30% more than the cheapest alternatives you are looking at. What makes this model worth buying are firstly the case, which is well worth having if you do any travelling at all. Then secondly, the rail system which make this far more adaptable than similar models.If you will never travel and do not need the adaptability, then maybe look elsewhere if you can buy cheaper. This is not the choice if you want the smallest, lightest, mount-on-the-lens style versions either. The type that get used with cell phones. If you are after a tablet-sized model though and value the flexibility that rails provide, at this price there is nothing to touch it. Even if the rails are not important to you, the case should be as I’m sure it is about the best out there.
James W. Miller –
The most compact, thoughtfully designed, high quality teleprompter I own!
The Glide Gear TMP 75 Laptop Smartphone TelePrompter is a stellar product for a few reasons. The first of which is the size. I create Instagram Reels content filming in public places like coffee shops and pubs, so the form factor works perfectly with a table top tripod. It doesn’t dominate the table and it’s easy to move around to get the shot framed correctly. Second, the quality of the materials and manufacturing are off the charts. The rails and base plate system are fabulous and easy to adjust to accommodate a smart phone or camera, or in my case a GoPro. Third, the fabric hood is insanely easy to remove and replace to adjust the camera. Other models from different manufacturers are not as easy to setup and take down. Fourth, the included carry case is no larger than an insulated lunch bag. Very easy to carry if you’re on the move. I can recommend this product without hesitation. I am thrilled by the function, the quality and the portability.
Neal Coyle –
Great for filming with phone.
Works very well. I like that this product allows me to film with my phone, so I don’t have to spend a ton more money on hardware before I can start creating content. Only thing I would change is that it doesn’t really allow you to shoot with the phone vertically, as it doesn’t fit well under the hood. Still a very solid product that I am glad I purchased. Another bonus is that it worked with the cheap portable tripod I already had – something it couldn’t do if it wasn’t designed to balance so well.
Goodartfan –
Good for budget-conscious customers
Glide Gear TMP 50 10″ Smartphone Mini Tripod teleprompter is a great addition to any video setup on the budget. It’s sturdy and well-made, providing a reliable experience. If you are on a budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money this teleprompter will work for you.
NC_booklover –
What a fantastic teleprompter!
I bought the TMP 50 for smartphones, but you can also use a camera lens and a tablet as your teleprompter. It’s easy to assemble and use. I’m impressed with the quality of this equipment. No more wasting time editing content over and over. This teleprompter is a game-changer for my videos. Thank you, Glide Gear!
Cliente de Kindle –
Good tool, good quality
The four stars are There was a bit of a delay with the delivery of the product and it even came incomplete (later they sent me the missing part) but it is a very good tool, of good quality material and it adapts quite well to the model of my laptop screen although it is manages to see a slight edge of the telepromter on the screen. I also bought the TMP 100 model and it is very good. (the 4 stars are for the delay in shipping and also because it came incomplete)
LB –
Poor quality construction, limited adjustability. Product not as pictured on Amazon.
I bought this teleprompter to build into a DSLR video rig for making YouTube videos. I’m using SmallRig components built around a 15mm rail setup, so I thought that this would be a good fit for my camera system. Unfortunately, this unit was disappointing.First, the quality of the GlideGear components leaves a lot to be desired. The fit and finish is nowhere near the quality of other 15mm rail accessories, like SmallRig, Camvate or Niceyrig. The GlideGear’s tolerances on these rail components is sloppy and difficult to mix and match with different brands of 15mm accessories. With SmallRig, everything slides together like butter, with this GlideGear unit, you’re constantly fighting with the rails to line up with your accessories and mounts.Second, the frame that holds the mirrored glass is flimsy and not even level with the tablet screen. If you’re thinking of using this with a shoulder mounted rig, don’t bother. The glass bounces all over the place if you move the camera at all. Second the metal is so flimsy, the glass frame is not square relative to the tablet screen. These need to be square with each other, or your reflected text is skewed on an irritating angle.Third, there is no ability to adjust the angle of the glass so that the presenter can easily read the text on the teleprompter. This is a huge flaw, since you need to think first about the teleprompter being at a readable angle before you frame your shot for the video. If you make the framing look good, the teleprompter is at the wrong angle, if you make the teleprompter visible, the composition of your video frame is off. Not cool. This tool is supposed to make your video production easier, not harder.Fourth, the lens hood that is pictured in the Amazon listing is not what is delivered in the box. In fact, all of the Amazon photos should be updated since they don’t match the product I received. The lens hood I received was not the nice square fitted unit that is pictured in the photos. It was a sloppy nylon sock that bunched up and would often obscure the corners of the frame if you weren’t super careful. Take a look at the product images on Amazon and compare them closely to the customer images posted in the reviews. The hoods don’t match, in two photos on the Amazon product listing shows that you can adjust the angle of the mirror. Even the gold hardware in the pics is black when you unbox it in person. Not good.Fifth, the camera mount is badly designed. There is a single 1/4″ threaded screw that connects the camera to the platform. It’s difficult to tighten down the camera, and there is no option for a second screw to make sure that the camera doesn’t twist out of alignment and stays in place. I added a quick release plate to the GlideGear camera mount — it needs that second screw mount to keep things aligned. The best option would be to scrap the included camera mount completely and replace it with one from Camvate, but that’s an extra $60 to get one that works properly.Sixth, The included rails are too short to use with professional lenses. I built this camera/teleprompter rig around a full-frame DSLR, and wanted to be able to use it with my 16-35 f/4 and 24-70 f/2.8 zoom lenses. It works fin with smaller lenses like my 50mm or 85mm prime lens out of the box, but the zooms are what I wanted to use for this project. The included rails are not long enough to fit a mid sized zoom lens, camera body and tablet into this teleprompter. You could buy longer rails, but that’s another $30 you’d spend to make it work.Seventh, the bag is junk. It comes with a bag, but it’s basically useless. It’s awkward to load and unload the teleprompter. Everything flops around when folded flat. It doesn’t offer much protection. There are two big pieces of styrofoam floating around inside a cheap zippered bag. It’s poorly constructed.This product does work as a teleprompter, however it needs some serious design revisions to make it a quality product. I’ve returned my teleprompter, and I will be spending more to buy one from a different brand that is designed properly.
rocking_soul –
Almost there
The overall build quality is great. It just needs to have a little bit more adjustability as a laptop unit. The adjustment range isn’t quite enough to fit my particular laptop so that has hindered me from fully utilizing it. Also, the hooks need to have some cushioning where they go over the laptop screen (top edge and back of laptop screen). I’m not terribly comfortable with the metal hooks possibly making marks into the plastic of the shell.
D. Doyle –
Decent quality and easy to use!
Generally the stuff that matters is well made – with metal parts that are preassembled and the glass clarity is excellent.I put an Apple Air 3 on the front – had to slide it in place since otherwise it would not fit – but it slides in from the side just fine.the phone camera holder on the back is almost tacky but not quite and will work for most smaller phones well. I tossed it and put on one that screws down on the phone and it is much easier in all respects as well as it handles my iPhone 12 Pro Max without having to pull like hell to get it to fit.The material cover is well made but it is constructed of heavy fairly stiff material – it would be preferable to have a material that drapes better and encloses more easily and better.I was able to set it up and have it working in minutes – and I will definitely keep it – this is a keeper.the upgrade to a better phone holder cost $8 bucksthe cover material seemed to work OK for the testing I did in a fully light room – but I put a thick large microfiber cloth over it to completely darken it. The stiff material it comes with IS really quite stiff.it comes with a nice case and folds very flat – about 1/2 the thickness of the case.I put two apps on my iPad immediately – one because it scrolls according to your voice automatically – it understands what you have read and moves the script when you need it moved and stops if you decide to pause or take a breath.PromptSmartPretty much zero learning curveI also addedTeleprompter PremiumIt allows for some tweaks for professionals that I might want – have not used it yet – seems like a learning curve.The Phone Holder I added is the:Vastar Universal Smartphone Tripod Adapter Cell Phone Holder Mount Adapter, Fits iPhone, Samsung, and all Phones, Rotates Vertical and Horizontal, Adjustable Clamphttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L3B5PBI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1I only used one part of it – I have purchase 2 of these – they work well and hold bigger thicker phones with protective covers and wallets and batteries well – and they are well built – no more pulling on a spring like hell and then shoving it in place.THE main reason I actually bought this for is being able to look directly into the camera while speaking with zoom people – it works perfectly for this but as the person running the zoom meetings I do need to look at the computer screen occasionally if some activity seems to be happening.I use Duet for this – it allows my Mac to Mirror on my iPad which I put under the reflected screen. This way all the participants show up where the camera is behind the screen – now I am able to look at, and speak too, each person looking directly at them – (at least so close to directly that it appears direct)I am happy with this purchase
RichardL –
Excellent teleprompter solution for use with large smartphone or small tablet.
The Glide Gear TMP50 is a good solution for a teleprompter for solo video recordings. TMP50 is only for smartphones and small tablets as the teleprompter source display. I have found the size of the teleprompter text with a large smartphone to be quite satisfactory for my setup with my Sony ZV-1 camera. You will want to test out ahead of time with your video camera and your setup. (i.e. Can you easily read teleprompter text on your smartphone or small tablet at the distance of your camera and with your desired framing?)The TMP50 works perfectly using a Google Pixel 2 XL smartphone with its 6.0-inch (152 mm) screen as the prompter text source. It also works with a Google Pixel 4a smartphone with its 5.8-inch (148 mm) screen as the prompter text source. The TMP50 allows easy mounting and access to the smartphone including cable access and buttons on the phone sides and back. It’s also easy to remove and replace the smartphone to setup more complex operations like navigating app menus.The TMP50 does not work with an 9.7-inch (250 mm) iPad. The iPad fits on the Glide Gear TMP50’s support bracket, but the reflecting surface is not big enough to reflect the width of the iPad screen– see photo. You will need a larger teleprompter such as the TMP100 for use with an 9.7″ iPad.I am using the TMP50 with a Sony ZV-1 camera. I’ve found it necessary to use a bracket to mount the camera centered behind the teleprompter using the TMP50’s front-back mounting slot. I’m using the excellent UURig Base Mount Bracket (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FHV5GZL) which provides optical-axis-aligned 1/4-20 mounting holes. (Smallrig makes a similar product that should work.) Centering the camera is critical for operation of the camera at full wide angle without vignetting or obstruction by the teleprompter and its cloth shroud.The ZV-1 can’t be centered in the TMP50 using the ZV-1’s built-in off-axis 1/4-20 hole. When the camera is mounted off-center it is has to be mounted skewed about 15-degrees to the teleprompter’s center axis to avoid vignetting or obstruction by the teleprompter and its cloth shroud at full wide angle. I don’t know how well this will work with the teleprompter effect.In addition to the front-back mounting slot, the TMP50 has a left-right mounting slot to correct the centering of smartphone cameras. But the slot is too close to the half-mirror glass for use with the ZV-1 (and probably most other cameras). (The ZV-1 lens will collide with the teleprompter glass if mounted to the left-right slot.)The ZV-1 view screen can’t be flipped to monitor the frame while mounted behind the teleprompter. If you try to view it through the teleprompter you will obscure the teleprompter half-mirror effect making your source text unreadable. But Sony offers smartphone and computer “Imaging Edge” control apps. These allow you to monitor your ZV-1 frame on a computer or smartphone or tablet. (Obviously, you can’t use the same smartphone you are using as the teleprompter source text.)This teleprompter doesn’t come with a teleprompter text app. I am using the PromptSmart app. It works quite well and will track your voice to follow your script, or you can control scrolling with a PromptSmart remote control app on a second smartphone running the same OS as the PromptSmart app.