Over on ProPhotoCoalition I’ve just posted a quick review and how-to-use for the Datacolor SpyderLensCal which is a pretty neat little tool for helping you quickly calibrate all your lenses using the AF micro adjust feature in today’s DSLRs.
The eternal quest for the perfect camera bag is one that I’m sure you’re all familiar with. I’ve given up looking for “The One” though because the breadth of photography that I enjoy makes such a bag an impossibility. I prefer to narrow things down a little and in this instance I’m on the hunt for the best outdoor adventure photography pack. This year Lowepro launched two bags that fall into this category, the Photo Sport Sling 100 and the Photo Sport 200 AW. Lowepro recently sent me a 200 AW to try out and it’s actually the first Lowepro bag I’ve tried out so I was very interested to see how it performed. First impressions upon unpacking it were just how light it is and how nice the nylon material feels. Overall impression of the construction is something I always note, and with the Photo Sport 200 there were no loose threads or missed stitching in site. Clearly a well constructed bag that felt great to the touch when opening and closing various compartments and zippers.
Key Features
- Exterior: 10.6W x 6.7D x 19.3H in. 27 x 17 x 49 cm
- Interior Camera Chamber: 7.7W x 3.5D x 9.1H in. 19.5 x 9.0 x 23.0 cm
- Toploading Compartment: 13.9 liters
- Weight: 2.9 lbs / 1.3 kg
- Fits: Pro DSLR without grip with lens attached; flash; hydration reservoir (not included); personal items like a hat, light jacket, trekking or ski poles, snack, cell phone, keys, etc.
Aug 302011
The Fuji x100 is a phenomenally successful camera, even 6 months after it hit store shelves it’s still in short supply. I reviewed it myself and fell in love with it but the price tag isn’t for everyone, neither is the fixed 24mm prime lens. In September 2011 Fujifilm announced the X10 which addresses both of these considerations so I figured I would write up a comparison to help people choose between the two. At first glance they look fairly similar as both are based around the same rear screen and controls and a similar magnesium chassis but in fact these cameras will satisfy very different people and produce quite different images.
Aug 292011
In the Fall of 2010 Canon announced the introduction of new MKIII extenders to replace the previous MKII versions. Super Spectra coatings were introduced to help reduce ghosting and flare as well as fluorine coating to make water spots and finer prints easier to remove. I’ve always fond the MKII extenders to be extremely useful when used in the right circumstances so I was eager to try out the MKIII versions to see if there was an improvement.
Aug 062011
The Canon EF 8-15 F4 L fisheye lens is one highly anticipated piece of glass ! First announced back in Autumn 2010 this is not a replacement of any existing lens, but an all new design with unique potential. Canon originally started with the 15mm f2.8 fisheye which was designed before the digital days. This lens provided a full 180 degree field of view on a full frame camera but users of 1.6 or 1.3 crop cameras were left with slightly less fishy look to their images. On the Nikon side of things, Nikkor released a beautiful 10.5mm fisheye for their crop cameras but Canon never followed suit. Sigma built a Canon mount 10mm fisheye and a few people got by with a Tokina 10-17 which did give you a wide view on a 1.3 crop camera but neither of these lenses were hugely high quality. I often use fisheye lenses in my action sports photography work but the problem is I shoot with a full frame Canon 5dMKII and a 1.3 crop Canon 1dMKIV. I’ve always made do with a 15mm f2.8 fisheye which is great on my 5d with it’s full frame sensor but always left me wanting when used on the cropped 1d. Well with this new Canon 8-15 they have solved my problem and designed a lens that can achieve a full 180mm field of view on any of their digital cameras, a simply fantastic idea.
Full review with video and samples after the break.
I’m not sure I can ever remember Think Tank having a SALE before so this warranted a quick post. Especially since I’ve just reviewed one of the things they have put on sale. Just last week I reviewed the Skin set from Think Tank and having used it on a couple of assignments now I can say that I’m totally sold on it. I would recommend it over the regular modular set BUT both the Skin and the modular set are on sale for this limited time offer. 20% off AND receive a FREE gift when you check out.
