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Friday, March 21, 2008
Sony Alpha A900 Slated For Fall Release.
Sony are showing their new 25 megapixel Alpha A900 at Photo Imaging Expo 2008 in Japan. The new camera is not slated for released until this Autumn but folks are already speculating on how Canon and Nikon will respond. Myself, I'm interested only in finding out more on the cameras performance which includes features like a full frame sensor, Liveview and a HDMI port. Visit the MasterChong blog where there is some excellent coverage and photos.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Manfrotto 468MGRC0 Hydrostatic Ball Head Review
Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, March 2008
Published by: Manfrotto Group a division of Vitec Group PLc
Requires: An SLR or digital SLR camera
MSRP: US$299.95, CAN$399.99, UK£220, 240.00€
Despite the claims of some photography pundits, you certainly do need a stable shooting platform for your camera in many situations. OIS, IS and VR can't help you when shutter speeds drop to seconds.
A few years ago I returned to the UK from Canada. Unfortunately, I left a vital piece of photographic equipment in Canada. For years I had used a Manfrotto 074 tripod with the Manfrotto 029 Deluxe Three-Way Pan Head. I gave this fave piece of kit away to an old friend for reasons which escape me at the moment. It was probably an emotional departure exchange (or, ahem, maybe I owed him some money). To my regret when it came to replacing it, I cheaped out and settled for a consumer-grade head which was poorly constructed in comparison to the old model 029. Sometime in September of 2007 I decided to reinvest in a new tripod and head system. Having spent some time researching the various options I decided to opt for the 468MGRC0 Hydrostatic Ball Head from Manfrotto, which incorporates their revolutionary and easy to use hydraulic ball locking system designed for the 468MG. The Manfrotto 468MGRC0 was picked up for me at Henry's in Toronto, who are exceptionally helpful. This head is packaged with the excellent Manfrotto RC0 Hexagonal Quick Release Plate system. The hex plate makes it ideal for a quick release, supports heavy loads, and provides secure locking and flexible positioning.
I also opted for the Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod which I will cover in another review. All I can say now is that it is a nice combination. Technically the 468MGRC0 borrows the popular features found on Manfrotto's standard range of ball heads such as independent pan and tilt locks with a 360° pan movement and +90°/-90° tilt movement. To keep weight low, the head is made of magnesium. To provide smooth adjustment movements the 2" aluminum ball is Teflon coated. For additional control, a calibrated adjustable tension knob allows you to preset the ball friction to suit your camera weight so that you can remove your hands from the camera without risking any unwanted movement.
The Manfrotto 468MGRC0 is really easy to handle and I only needed a few days of field use to adjust to its superb controls. The inclusion of integrated liquid levels on the head makes it really easy to set up for both studio and field work. The control knob is a good size, has a soft feel and the tension can be adjusted to your own preference for locking the camera. The engraved panoramic base is graduated for easy rotation of your camera for generating panoramics. I wouldn't use the head in the same way as I did the 029 Deluxe Three-Way Pan Head because the 468MGRC0 does not quite have the refined control of my old 029 head or the new Manfrotto 3D Pro Head 229, both of which are ideal for shooting virtual tours and 360 degree panoramics.
The Manfrotto 468MGRC0 is an excellent piece of kit which is easy to use and faultless in both design and operation. The control surfaces and knobs are comfortable in any environment and require only the most subtle of touches even in cold and wet weather or even whilst wearing gloves or mitts.
(Ed. Note: During a two week photography shoot in southern England during October 2007, Mario and I put the Manfrotto 468MGRC0 through muck, dust, high winds, rain, hail, torrential downpours and a lot of bumps, bangs and grinds. The tripod and this excellent head functioned perfectly.)
Cons: Not recommended for use in work where fine adjustment accuracy is essential such as controlled panoramics.
Pros: The Manfrotto 468MGRC0 with its quick release capabilities is the ideal complement for the landscape and field photographer. Large controls. Easy to use. Levels are integrated and well placed for balancing your landscapes and other photos. As of this writing I've been using it for about six months and have yet to experience any urge remove it from my tripod. Anyone working with a professional or semi-professional SLR or digital SLR camera and who wants a high quality, easy to use head for their photography, needs this excellent piece of kit. Highly recommended.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Photography & Video Shoulder Bags, Sling Packs, Backpacks, Waist Belt Systems and Rolling Bags
Photography & Video Shoulder Bags, Sling Packs, Backpacks, Waist Belt Systems and Rolling Bags - 2008 Product Roundup Review - Part 1
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, February 2008
Manufactured by: Various
Requires: Camera gear
MSRP: US$9.99-US$599.00
Reposted in its entirety from Kickstartnews, to view the original post and more visit Kickstartnews.
Everybody who visits this blog most likely owns a digital camera of some sort—point & shoot, prosumer super zoom, digital SLR, camcorder and all the associated gear and lenses. It stands to reason that everybody who uses a digital camera needs a decent camera bag. So we decided that a little research was in order (and besides, our previous list is two years old). We found that a few manufacturers have changed their lines dramatically, a few have built on strengths, a few new ones have appeared and a couple of marginal manufacturers have either disappeared or exited the camera bag business. This time we looked 30 different bag makers.
During this review we looked at six categories of interest:
Billingham - Description: Large range of high quality, very expensive, distinctive camera bags & photography vests which are versatile, moderately weatherproof, moderately padded offering average to good protection. Verdict: These are great looking bags in classic shoulder and backpack styles. Some people refer to Billingham as the luxury quality bag maker, but that doesn't really do justice to how well the products work. Interior protection is extremely well designed and is as good as Kata and Lowepro at keeping out moisture when left on the ground. Generally very quiet bags which function well in most shooting environments. Any of these bags will last for decades of regular use. We like them a lot, despite their high prices. If you don't have the money, stay away from these ones. But great quality always works, so if you've got the money, they're highly recommended.
Camera Care - Description: Professional and semi-pro bags in modern and classic styles, average weatherproofing, and moderate padding and protection, but the line is rarely seen in North America. Verdict: We've only handled two models and both were well made. The only real issue is that accessing gear and moving gear in and out of these bags during inclement weather seems to overexpose things. Slightly noisy in some environments. Good value at moderate prices for budget conscious shoppers.
Case Logic - Description: Lots of smaller bags and cases for compact and prosumer cameras, mainly average quality and inexpensive but still usable, with poor weatherproofing and light padding. Verdict: We don't consider this maker to be a serious contender for anything except casual use. If you don't have anything else, these bags are better than nothing.
Crumpler - Description: well crafted, good looking, versatile camera backpacks, shoulder bags, belt pouches and rolling packs with moderate weatherproofing, light to medium padding and protection, all backed by a terrifically funny web site. Verdict: The top flaps on the shoulder models has to be snapped shut in order to use the top carry handle. We've dumped our 7 Million Dollar Home model more than once because of that design issue. While quality is very good, a massive piece of top grade velcro on the top flap makes several models the noisiest of any bags in this roundup, something which is not good if you're trying to blend in. The excellent quality belt pouches are also noisy and suffer from awkward flap design. Although Crumpler is gaining rapidly in popularity on the street, most people still won't realize you're carrying camera gear. Down with velcro; up with zippers, clips, snaps and clasps. I really like the shoulder bags but Crumpler doesn't get a recommendation because they're too noisy.
Delsey - Description: consumer and semi-professional lines of pouches, gadget bags, shoulder bags and backpacks, good functionality, average to good quality, moderate weatherproofing, moderate padding and protection, and more versatility since we last looked. Verdict: Delsey continues to gradually improve and expand their offerings, but this maker is still very much consumer oriented. Relatively quiet construction. The styling won't knock you over. Good value for the money though and that's important.
Domke - Description: professional quality shoulder bags & photographers vests, moderately weatherproof, very lightly padded, but versatile, well made, popular and expensive. Verdict: Photographers who love and use Domke bags really, really like them. A lot. We've got a couple in our own collection and they're genuine classics. A thin cellular foam perimeter/outer wall pad would help a lot without adding weight and would also help to prevent these bags from deforming when overloaded. The rule is, don't overload a Domke shoulder bag. Do so and you'll quickly become really unhappy with the bag. Domke provides a classic photojournalist look that's hard to resist. Most models are very quiet. Recommended.
Hakuba/Velbon - Description: semi-pro and consumer range pouches, shoulder bags and backpack systems offering average to good quality construction, good versatility and plenty of features. The bags are made with moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding all at average prices, making them an acceptable alternative to low and mid-range models from Lowepro and Tamrac. Verdict: Nothing special. Not bad, not great, and about equal to Camera Care and Delsey products. Design and styling are uninspiring but prices are quite low, which makes this maker a good value for budget conscious shoppers.
Hama - Description: lots of selection but quality is average or below average with average functionality, average weather protection, and, well, just average everything. Verdict: I think we included Hama in this roundup just for the sake of some low-end contrast. We found stitiching problems, binding zippers and uncomfortable shoulder straps. Not interested now, but we'll have another look at Hama next year.
jill-E - Description: good quality fashion bags in shoulder, hand-carry and rolling styles, with typical fashion accessory pricing too, but maybe worthwhile because the bags are well designed with moderate weatherproofing, moderate padding and good functionality. Verdict: My wife owns one of these shoulder bags and she reallly likes it. The main reason is that these bags have all the functionality of a good camera shoulder-style bag without looking anything like a camera bag. The company is relatively new, but they seemed to have found a good target with good quality products. Quiet designs that look like typical women's shoulder bags. jill-E bags are too new for us to gather any opinion on long term durability, but construction and materials seem to be well thought out. Prices are a little above average for good quality shoulder bags, but still affordable. Too new to recommend, but keep an eye on these ones.
Kata - Description: for photography and video enthusiasts, pros and heavy duty users offering excellent quality and unique designs, with good functionality, good weatherproofing and excellent padding design. Verdict: We really like Kata's products. The company's Israeli military design and manufacturing background shows up in all its camera bag products in the form of serious padding protection, economic use of interior space, and versatile carry systems. Pricing is surprisingly competitive. These great looking bags will last a very long time. Kata is expanding its lineup every year and is starting to earn nervous glances from Lowepro, Tamrac and Think Tank, although it still has a way to go to equal the huge lineups offered by or attract the photographers loyal to those three very well established competitors. The only knock against Kata is that its use of velcro closures in some models makes them too noisy in some shooting environments. Down with velcro; up with zippers, clips, snaps and clasps. Highly recommended.
Keisel - Description: good value for money, small but carefully designed range of backpacks, shoulder bags, waist systems and pouches offering moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding. Verdict: Nice quality, decent looking bags that aren't marketed very much in North America, which is a shame because Keisel prodcuts seem to offer good value.
Lightware - Description: professional quality cases for camera gear with high impact resistance, good to excellent weatherproofing, and high prices. Lightware offers a well designed range of backpacks, carry bags and rolling systems. Verdict: The touring and professional crowd who have to repeatedly move gear from location to location will like several of these models. The new backpack models are very good too. Designs are not flashy, but good construction quality is evident along with good use of space. We've never used any Lightware products, but the reports from actual Lightware product owners and users are quite good. Generaly quiet gear.
Lowepro - Description: offers the most comprehensive range of belt pouches, gadget bags, professional and consumer shoulder bags, backpacks, waist belt systems, sling packs and rolling camera bags for all photographers and videographers, providing good to excellent quality, versatility, excellent weatherproofing for most models, good to excellent padding systems for most models, and competitive pricing. Verdict: We haven't actually done a model count, but it appears as though Lowepro makes almost as many models as the next two competitors combined. The Lowepro line is impressive for its size and variety, for the huge number of weatherproof models, general consistency of quality from bag to bag, and for competitive pricing. Some shoulder bag models have difficult top/main compartment zippers. Some of the pouch designs have awkward flaps. Most Lowepro bags last a long time—decades of regular use. Several styles and technical designs continue to evolve and improve every year. Most active photographers and pros own at least one or two Lowepro bags. I have my own collection of Lowepro bags for travel, hiking, walkabouts and short day trips. Pro models are generally quiet bags, but the consumer models use too much velcro. Bewildering selection. If you can't find something that suits your needs, you're either too picky or you just don't like conventional bags. Highly recommended.
Moose Peterson - Description: this bag/pack system is a favorite of some outdoor photographers and is well made, quite versatile and provides moderate padding and good to excellent weatherproofing at medium to high prices. Verdict: Unusual design indeed, but it works as advertised and designed. The maker is a well known photographer and his three main pack styles more or less define his personal preferences grown out of decades of photography assignments. Not for everyone, but when you need a backpack system like the MP models, there's nowhere else to get one. Very quiet bags, ideal for wildlife and outdoor shooting situations.
National Geographic - Description: a nice looking line of soft canvas & nylon shoulder bags, backpacks, waist systems and pouches with light weatherproofing, light padding, reasonably priced and offering good quality for casual use. Verdict: I own two of the shoulder bags and I like them a lot. The only problem is that they're insufficiently padded for careless use and the bottom of the bags don't offer much protection from ground moisture. Lots of pockets and an unconventional flap and snap lock system help to create a very quiet, organic looking bag. The shoulder bags are very comfortable, but deform and sag if overloaded. Not quite recommended because of the lack of padding and ground protection.
M-Rock - Description: consumer quality waist sytems, backpacks, shoulder bags, pouches and a couple of sling bags which look like good Lowepro clones but with a couple of extra features not found in Lowepro and Tamrac models. The line also provides moderate padding and moderate weatherproofing. Verdict: The newer M-Rock sling packs are real challengers to Lowepro's excellent SlingShot models. The smaller M-Rock styles offer good protection and access, but zippers are sometimes awkward to use. Otherwise, the M-Rock products work well and make economic use of space in their (mostly) compact designs. Well worth considering, especially the single SLR pouch models. Recommended.
Naneu Pro - Description: interesting designs, above average consumer quality and some semi-pro models including extremely versatile backpacks, shoulder bags and sling bags, with moderate to good padding, moderate to good weatherproofing, and very reasonable pricing. Verdict: We had a hard time finding these ones and tracking down actual owners and users, but they seem to be gradually increasing in popularity. Carry and comfort levels are quite good and the interiors are versatile. A bag maker to watch. Not recommended yet because we don't know how well the bags hold up over time, but quality and wear reports seem good so far.
Pelican - Description: the first name in weatherproof, impact resistant, hard shell cases used all over the world to carry, protect, store and ship camera gear of all kinds. Verdict: Anybody who has to regularly check their camera gear on an airplane, train or bus, or who has to move gear from location to location needs to consider a Pelican, Lightware or Versa-Flex case or set of cases. Pelican offers a huge range of water tight, dunkproof, weatherproof, highly impact resistant, extremely well padded cases in tiny sizes all the way up to large suitcase and crate models. For good reasons, these are the cases most pros turn to for shipping and project travel. Pricey, but worth every penny. Highly recommended.
Petrol Bags - Description: an extensive line of professional shoulder bags, rolling bags and medium to large custom bags for photographers and videographers, offering good weatherproofing, moderate to good padding, very good construction quality and high prices to match. Verdict: Petrol is a new maker on our horizon who is gaining respect and popularity for good design and good looks. All the designs we've seen make economical use of space and operate quietly. Most of the line is starting to gain traction with serious amateurs, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers. That's a vote of confidence in the value. Recommended.
PortaBrace - Description: similar to Petrol but with competitive feature additions, similarly large model line, primarily for videographers, providing professional quality with prices to match. Verdict: we haven't used PortaBrace products extensively, but even occassional use has made it clear that these bags provide pro video shooters with good products. Materials and overall designs are somwhat different from competitors and a number of products are offered which accommodate specific cameras and associated gear. Quiet, well padded and structured designs offering secure closures and good access. Recommended.
Promaster - Description: below avearge quality consumer camera shoulder bags, pouches, backpacks and rolling bags, all for occassional use, and offering only light weatherproofing and light to moderate padding. Verdict: Don't let the company name fool you—this stuff isn't pro quality and we actively dislike products which are so aggressively named and which fail so thoroughly to meet the standard set by the name.
Roots - Description: consumer quality designer label shoulder bags, belt pouches and cases, but the surprise is that most of the bag designs are actually quite good, with moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding, priced above average because of the label. Verdict: Ah Roots—jack of all trades, master of few. However, these camera bags are reasonably well made, most likely in one the same factories that crank out lots of other products for Roots. In any case, they're not a bad choice but they're also not our first choice although compact camera and point & shoot camera owners could do worse. Some variations in construction quality from sample to sample have been observed recently, along with reports of binding zippers, which would seem to indicate general quality control issues.
Sumdex - Description: consumer camera shoulder bags and belt/shoulder pouches, with light padding and surprisingly good weatherproofing, but only average quality construction at average or below average prices. Verdict: Companies like Sumdex just can't get any traction with retailers in the face of huge store footprints occupied by established players such as Lowepro. The quality of Sumdex products can vary significantly from sample to sample. Not recomended.
Tamrac - Description: lots of variety with almost as much choice as Lowepro, good to excellent weatherproofing, moderate padding, average to good construction and remains the photographer's or videographer's choice when the bag you want from Lowepro or Kata is just a bit too expensive. Verdict: Tamrac has found its niche just below Kata and Lowepro and seems happy to own its particular segment. There are some minor quality concerns in some samples, which means that consumers should compare at least two bags of the same model before taking one to the checkout counter. Tamrac offers almost as many models as Lowepro, which means that you'll find a bewildering array of choices. If you can't find a model that suits your needs, you're either too picky or you just don't like conventional bags. Recommended.
Targus - Description: inexpensive, consumer grade camera shoulder bags and belt/shoulder pouches, providing moderate to poor weatherproofing, light to moderate padding and below average construction quality. Verdict: Construction quality can vary noticeably from sample to sample, so shop carefully. A limited range of models which are very competitively priced doesn't alter the fact that functionality is limited compared to higher priced and better known competitors. If you get a lot of use out of your camera gear, it's probably best to look at another bag maker.
Tenba - Description: offers a good selection of enthusiast and semi-professional camera backpacks, shoulder bags, sling bags and rolling bags rivaling the wide selections from Lowepro and Tamrac, with moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding. Verdict: Tenba seems to be a good maker that needs to find some way of gaining traction in the marketplace in order to get more of its products into retail stores and in front of photographers. Construction quality seems consistently good from bag to bag, designs are relatively quiet, and Tenba offers a range of capacities to suit a variety of needs. The sling bag models compare very well to the excellent Lowepro and Kata models, offering a more versatile shape. Recommended if you can find them.
ThinkTank - Description: specializes in waist and harness mounted camera bag systems as well as a superb line of rolling camera bags and backpacks, offering professional quality, excellent features, moderate to excellent padding and good weatherproofing. Verdict: Think Tank products compared side-by-side to similar models from Lowepro and Tamrac sometimes don't look as though they'll work properly. But they do—extremely well actually—and stand up to many years of continuous use. Generally higher priced, made in the U.S. The waist belt & harness systems offer terrific versatility, the swing around model in the backpack system is unique and highly functional, and the rolling cases offer superior features including security and real considerations for the needs of travelers. Generally quiet operation. Very good value. Highly recommended.
Versa-Flex, Inc - Description: ATA style professional photo cases, rolling cases, tripod and custom cases, all of which provide excellent padding & protection along with good to excellent weatherproofing. Verdict: Cordura nylon outer shells with wraparound multi-density foam padding covering steel rim frames basically describes Versa-Flex products. If you're doing location shooting—photo or video—and you need to move gear quickly and safely, these cases are an investment worth considering. Highly customizable interiors, padding and foamed reusable packing fittings make packing and unpacking on location quite easy. Quiet operation and secure handling. Mainly for pros, production houses and touring companies. Highly recommended.
Vested Interest - Description: professional quality photo and video carry vests with lots of built in features and surprisingly competitive pricing. Verdict: If you like photograpy vests, particularly if you prefer a vest as your main carry method, you have to consider the Vested Interest line. Design and construction, weather resistance and durability consistently work to provide a wearable carry that's attractive to people such as journalists who have to move fast in difficult and dense environments. Pocket closures are velcro, which makes operation somewhat noisy, but in the typical busy urban locations for which these vests are best suited, noise isn't much of a factor. If you need one of these, there aren't a lot of choices out there and we're glad this choice is so good. Recommended.
World Richman - Description: if you've seen branded department store or photo retailer camera bags chances are they were manufactured by World Richman, but while prices are quite low, quality and functionality is similarly below average and reliable weatherproofing and padding is either light or non-existent. Verdict: Not my first choice and not even my last choice, World Richman-made store branded products are sometimes what you'll find being given away during promotions and as purchase incentives. You get what you pay for. Along with most store brands, not recommended.
NOTE TO AIR TRAVELERS: Carry-On Camera Shoulder Bags, Backpacks, Sling Packs & Rolling Cases - Think Tank is the only maker in this roundup which directly and specifically deals with TSA and airline carry-on size restrictions. Nonetheless, all of the makers offer models which meet carry-on size restrictions. It's about time that all the makers made some efforts on their respective web sites to make it clear which models meet current carry-on size restrictions. So if you're purchasing a camera or video bag for carry-on use during air travel, you have to check its size on the manufacturer's web site, compare the dimensions to the size restrictions imposed by the airlines you'll be using (as listed on various airline web sites), and never, ever believe a salesperson's opinion about any of this. Checked Bags - Never, ever check any camera bag that isn't hardshelled, heavily padded and designed to withstand being tossed around in the hold of an aircraft. Tripods - Carbon fiber tripods may be allowed on board, but forget about metal tube tripods. In any event, all tripods can represent a minor safety hazard in the cabin. So our advice is to pack tripods in checked luggage.
To view this post in its original form and to read other reviews please visit Kickstartnews.
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, February 2008
Manufactured by: Various
Requires: Camera gear
MSRP: US$9.99-US$599.00
Reposted in its entirety from Kickstartnews, to view the original post and more visit Kickstartnews.
Everybody who visits this blog most likely owns a digital camera of some sort—point & shoot, prosumer super zoom, digital SLR, camcorder and all the associated gear and lenses. It stands to reason that everybody who uses a digital camera needs a decent camera bag. So we decided that a little research was in order (and besides, our previous list is two years old). We found that a few manufacturers have changed their lines dramatically, a few have built on strengths, a few new ones have appeared and a couple of marginal manufacturers have either disappeared or exited the camera bag business. This time we looked 30 different bag makers.
During this review we looked at six categories of interest:
1. Quality of construction - stitching, binding zippers, types of clasps and closures, application of velcro or generic hook & loop materials, strap padding, stress points.Although our results necessarily provide an average for each maker, taking most of each makers models into consideration, the verdicts provide a starting point for your shopping and will help you eliminate makers which either just don't measure up or which, more simply, don't have anything that meets your usage needs or interests. Herewith, we present our comprehensive 2008 list and general review of all the camera pouch, waist system, shoulder bag, gadget bag, sling pack, backpack, case and rolling bag makers anyone could possibly care about.
2. Suitablility of purpose - do the bags hold sufficient gear for their various sizes, hold and provide easy access to all the gear the manufacturer claims, and work well in the environments and situations for which they're designed.
3. Quality of weatherproofing - protection from rain, snow and dust mainly, protection from ground moisture, and how well gear is protected going in and out of the bag.
4. Versatility - internal pockets and storage compartments, adjustability of internal dividers, internal customization, adjustability of the carry system.
5. Effectiveness of padding - does it protect gear from external impacts, does it separate and protect gear against damage from other items in the bag.
6. Price - value compared to items of similar style and quality from competing manufacturers.
Billingham - Description: Large range of high quality, very expensive, distinctive camera bags & photography vests which are versatile, moderately weatherproof, moderately padded offering average to good protection. Verdict: These are great looking bags in classic shoulder and backpack styles. Some people refer to Billingham as the luxury quality bag maker, but that doesn't really do justice to how well the products work. Interior protection is extremely well designed and is as good as Kata and Lowepro at keeping out moisture when left on the ground. Generally very quiet bags which function well in most shooting environments. Any of these bags will last for decades of regular use. We like them a lot, despite their high prices. If you don't have the money, stay away from these ones. But great quality always works, so if you've got the money, they're highly recommended.
Camera Care - Description: Professional and semi-pro bags in modern and classic styles, average weatherproofing, and moderate padding and protection, but the line is rarely seen in North America. Verdict: We've only handled two models and both were well made. The only real issue is that accessing gear and moving gear in and out of these bags during inclement weather seems to overexpose things. Slightly noisy in some environments. Good value at moderate prices for budget conscious shoppers.
Case Logic - Description: Lots of smaller bags and cases for compact and prosumer cameras, mainly average quality and inexpensive but still usable, with poor weatherproofing and light padding. Verdict: We don't consider this maker to be a serious contender for anything except casual use. If you don't have anything else, these bags are better than nothing.
Crumpler - Description: well crafted, good looking, versatile camera backpacks, shoulder bags, belt pouches and rolling packs with moderate weatherproofing, light to medium padding and protection, all backed by a terrifically funny web site. Verdict: The top flaps on the shoulder models has to be snapped shut in order to use the top carry handle. We've dumped our 7 Million Dollar Home model more than once because of that design issue. While quality is very good, a massive piece of top grade velcro on the top flap makes several models the noisiest of any bags in this roundup, something which is not good if you're trying to blend in. The excellent quality belt pouches are also noisy and suffer from awkward flap design. Although Crumpler is gaining rapidly in popularity on the street, most people still won't realize you're carrying camera gear. Down with velcro; up with zippers, clips, snaps and clasps. I really like the shoulder bags but Crumpler doesn't get a recommendation because they're too noisy.
Delsey - Description: consumer and semi-professional lines of pouches, gadget bags, shoulder bags and backpacks, good functionality, average to good quality, moderate weatherproofing, moderate padding and protection, and more versatility since we last looked. Verdict: Delsey continues to gradually improve and expand their offerings, but this maker is still very much consumer oriented. Relatively quiet construction. The styling won't knock you over. Good value for the money though and that's important.
Domke - Description: professional quality shoulder bags & photographers vests, moderately weatherproof, very lightly padded, but versatile, well made, popular and expensive. Verdict: Photographers who love and use Domke bags really, really like them. A lot. We've got a couple in our own collection and they're genuine classics. A thin cellular foam perimeter/outer wall pad would help a lot without adding weight and would also help to prevent these bags from deforming when overloaded. The rule is, don't overload a Domke shoulder bag. Do so and you'll quickly become really unhappy with the bag. Domke provides a classic photojournalist look that's hard to resist. Most models are very quiet. Recommended.
Hakuba/Velbon - Description: semi-pro and consumer range pouches, shoulder bags and backpack systems offering average to good quality construction, good versatility and plenty of features. The bags are made with moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding all at average prices, making them an acceptable alternative to low and mid-range models from Lowepro and Tamrac. Verdict: Nothing special. Not bad, not great, and about equal to Camera Care and Delsey products. Design and styling are uninspiring but prices are quite low, which makes this maker a good value for budget conscious shoppers.
Hama - Description: lots of selection but quality is average or below average with average functionality, average weather protection, and, well, just average everything. Verdict: I think we included Hama in this roundup just for the sake of some low-end contrast. We found stitiching problems, binding zippers and uncomfortable shoulder straps. Not interested now, but we'll have another look at Hama next year.
jill-E - Description: good quality fashion bags in shoulder, hand-carry and rolling styles, with typical fashion accessory pricing too, but maybe worthwhile because the bags are well designed with moderate weatherproofing, moderate padding and good functionality. Verdict: My wife owns one of these shoulder bags and she reallly likes it. The main reason is that these bags have all the functionality of a good camera shoulder-style bag without looking anything like a camera bag. The company is relatively new, but they seemed to have found a good target with good quality products. Quiet designs that look like typical women's shoulder bags. jill-E bags are too new for us to gather any opinion on long term durability, but construction and materials seem to be well thought out. Prices are a little above average for good quality shoulder bags, but still affordable. Too new to recommend, but keep an eye on these ones.
Kata - Description: for photography and video enthusiasts, pros and heavy duty users offering excellent quality and unique designs, with good functionality, good weatherproofing and excellent padding design. Verdict: We really like Kata's products. The company's Israeli military design and manufacturing background shows up in all its camera bag products in the form of serious padding protection, economic use of interior space, and versatile carry systems. Pricing is surprisingly competitive. These great looking bags will last a very long time. Kata is expanding its lineup every year and is starting to earn nervous glances from Lowepro, Tamrac and Think Tank, although it still has a way to go to equal the huge lineups offered by or attract the photographers loyal to those three very well established competitors. The only knock against Kata is that its use of velcro closures in some models makes them too noisy in some shooting environments. Down with velcro; up with zippers, clips, snaps and clasps. Highly recommended.
Keisel - Description: good value for money, small but carefully designed range of backpacks, shoulder bags, waist systems and pouches offering moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding. Verdict: Nice quality, decent looking bags that aren't marketed very much in North America, which is a shame because Keisel prodcuts seem to offer good value.
Lightware - Description: professional quality cases for camera gear with high impact resistance, good to excellent weatherproofing, and high prices. Lightware offers a well designed range of backpacks, carry bags and rolling systems. Verdict: The touring and professional crowd who have to repeatedly move gear from location to location will like several of these models. The new backpack models are very good too. Designs are not flashy, but good construction quality is evident along with good use of space. We've never used any Lightware products, but the reports from actual Lightware product owners and users are quite good. Generaly quiet gear.
Lowepro - Description: offers the most comprehensive range of belt pouches, gadget bags, professional and consumer shoulder bags, backpacks, waist belt systems, sling packs and rolling camera bags for all photographers and videographers, providing good to excellent quality, versatility, excellent weatherproofing for most models, good to excellent padding systems for most models, and competitive pricing. Verdict: We haven't actually done a model count, but it appears as though Lowepro makes almost as many models as the next two competitors combined. The Lowepro line is impressive for its size and variety, for the huge number of weatherproof models, general consistency of quality from bag to bag, and for competitive pricing. Some shoulder bag models have difficult top/main compartment zippers. Some of the pouch designs have awkward flaps. Most Lowepro bags last a long time—decades of regular use. Several styles and technical designs continue to evolve and improve every year. Most active photographers and pros own at least one or two Lowepro bags. I have my own collection of Lowepro bags for travel, hiking, walkabouts and short day trips. Pro models are generally quiet bags, but the consumer models use too much velcro. Bewildering selection. If you can't find something that suits your needs, you're either too picky or you just don't like conventional bags. Highly recommended.
Moose Peterson - Description: this bag/pack system is a favorite of some outdoor photographers and is well made, quite versatile and provides moderate padding and good to excellent weatherproofing at medium to high prices. Verdict: Unusual design indeed, but it works as advertised and designed. The maker is a well known photographer and his three main pack styles more or less define his personal preferences grown out of decades of photography assignments. Not for everyone, but when you need a backpack system like the MP models, there's nowhere else to get one. Very quiet bags, ideal for wildlife and outdoor shooting situations.
National Geographic - Description: a nice looking line of soft canvas & nylon shoulder bags, backpacks, waist systems and pouches with light weatherproofing, light padding, reasonably priced and offering good quality for casual use. Verdict: I own two of the shoulder bags and I like them a lot. The only problem is that they're insufficiently padded for careless use and the bottom of the bags don't offer much protection from ground moisture. Lots of pockets and an unconventional flap and snap lock system help to create a very quiet, organic looking bag. The shoulder bags are very comfortable, but deform and sag if overloaded. Not quite recommended because of the lack of padding and ground protection.
M-Rock - Description: consumer quality waist sytems, backpacks, shoulder bags, pouches and a couple of sling bags which look like good Lowepro clones but with a couple of extra features not found in Lowepro and Tamrac models. The line also provides moderate padding and moderate weatherproofing. Verdict: The newer M-Rock sling packs are real challengers to Lowepro's excellent SlingShot models. The smaller M-Rock styles offer good protection and access, but zippers are sometimes awkward to use. Otherwise, the M-Rock products work well and make economic use of space in their (mostly) compact designs. Well worth considering, especially the single SLR pouch models. Recommended.
Naneu Pro - Description: interesting designs, above average consumer quality and some semi-pro models including extremely versatile backpacks, shoulder bags and sling bags, with moderate to good padding, moderate to good weatherproofing, and very reasonable pricing. Verdict: We had a hard time finding these ones and tracking down actual owners and users, but they seem to be gradually increasing in popularity. Carry and comfort levels are quite good and the interiors are versatile. A bag maker to watch. Not recommended yet because we don't know how well the bags hold up over time, but quality and wear reports seem good so far.
Pelican - Description: the first name in weatherproof, impact resistant, hard shell cases used all over the world to carry, protect, store and ship camera gear of all kinds. Verdict: Anybody who has to regularly check their camera gear on an airplane, train or bus, or who has to move gear from location to location needs to consider a Pelican, Lightware or Versa-Flex case or set of cases. Pelican offers a huge range of water tight, dunkproof, weatherproof, highly impact resistant, extremely well padded cases in tiny sizes all the way up to large suitcase and crate models. For good reasons, these are the cases most pros turn to for shipping and project travel. Pricey, but worth every penny. Highly recommended.
Petrol Bags - Description: an extensive line of professional shoulder bags, rolling bags and medium to large custom bags for photographers and videographers, offering good weatherproofing, moderate to good padding, very good construction quality and high prices to match. Verdict: Petrol is a new maker on our horizon who is gaining respect and popularity for good design and good looks. All the designs we've seen make economical use of space and operate quietly. Most of the line is starting to gain traction with serious amateurs, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers. That's a vote of confidence in the value. Recommended.
PortaBrace - Description: similar to Petrol but with competitive feature additions, similarly large model line, primarily for videographers, providing professional quality with prices to match. Verdict: we haven't used PortaBrace products extensively, but even occassional use has made it clear that these bags provide pro video shooters with good products. Materials and overall designs are somwhat different from competitors and a number of products are offered which accommodate specific cameras and associated gear. Quiet, well padded and structured designs offering secure closures and good access. Recommended.
Promaster - Description: below avearge quality consumer camera shoulder bags, pouches, backpacks and rolling bags, all for occassional use, and offering only light weatherproofing and light to moderate padding. Verdict: Don't let the company name fool you—this stuff isn't pro quality and we actively dislike products which are so aggressively named and which fail so thoroughly to meet the standard set by the name.
Roots - Description: consumer quality designer label shoulder bags, belt pouches and cases, but the surprise is that most of the bag designs are actually quite good, with moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding, priced above average because of the label. Verdict: Ah Roots—jack of all trades, master of few. However, these camera bags are reasonably well made, most likely in one the same factories that crank out lots of other products for Roots. In any case, they're not a bad choice but they're also not our first choice although compact camera and point & shoot camera owners could do worse. Some variations in construction quality from sample to sample have been observed recently, along with reports of binding zippers, which would seem to indicate general quality control issues.
Sumdex - Description: consumer camera shoulder bags and belt/shoulder pouches, with light padding and surprisingly good weatherproofing, but only average quality construction at average or below average prices. Verdict: Companies like Sumdex just can't get any traction with retailers in the face of huge store footprints occupied by established players such as Lowepro. The quality of Sumdex products can vary significantly from sample to sample. Not recomended.
Tamrac - Description: lots of variety with almost as much choice as Lowepro, good to excellent weatherproofing, moderate padding, average to good construction and remains the photographer's or videographer's choice when the bag you want from Lowepro or Kata is just a bit too expensive. Verdict: Tamrac has found its niche just below Kata and Lowepro and seems happy to own its particular segment. There are some minor quality concerns in some samples, which means that consumers should compare at least two bags of the same model before taking one to the checkout counter. Tamrac offers almost as many models as Lowepro, which means that you'll find a bewildering array of choices. If you can't find a model that suits your needs, you're either too picky or you just don't like conventional bags. Recommended.
Targus - Description: inexpensive, consumer grade camera shoulder bags and belt/shoulder pouches, providing moderate to poor weatherproofing, light to moderate padding and below average construction quality. Verdict: Construction quality can vary noticeably from sample to sample, so shop carefully. A limited range of models which are very competitively priced doesn't alter the fact that functionality is limited compared to higher priced and better known competitors. If you get a lot of use out of your camera gear, it's probably best to look at another bag maker.
Tenba - Description: offers a good selection of enthusiast and semi-professional camera backpacks, shoulder bags, sling bags and rolling bags rivaling the wide selections from Lowepro and Tamrac, with moderate weatherproofing and moderate padding. Verdict: Tenba seems to be a good maker that needs to find some way of gaining traction in the marketplace in order to get more of its products into retail stores and in front of photographers. Construction quality seems consistently good from bag to bag, designs are relatively quiet, and Tenba offers a range of capacities to suit a variety of needs. The sling bag models compare very well to the excellent Lowepro and Kata models, offering a more versatile shape. Recommended if you can find them.
ThinkTank - Description: specializes in waist and harness mounted camera bag systems as well as a superb line of rolling camera bags and backpacks, offering professional quality, excellent features, moderate to excellent padding and good weatherproofing. Verdict: Think Tank products compared side-by-side to similar models from Lowepro and Tamrac sometimes don't look as though they'll work properly. But they do—extremely well actually—and stand up to many years of continuous use. Generally higher priced, made in the U.S. The waist belt & harness systems offer terrific versatility, the swing around model in the backpack system is unique and highly functional, and the rolling cases offer superior features including security and real considerations for the needs of travelers. Generally quiet operation. Very good value. Highly recommended.
Versa-Flex, Inc - Description: ATA style professional photo cases, rolling cases, tripod and custom cases, all of which provide excellent padding & protection along with good to excellent weatherproofing. Verdict: Cordura nylon outer shells with wraparound multi-density foam padding covering steel rim frames basically describes Versa-Flex products. If you're doing location shooting—photo or video—and you need to move gear quickly and safely, these cases are an investment worth considering. Highly customizable interiors, padding and foamed reusable packing fittings make packing and unpacking on location quite easy. Quiet operation and secure handling. Mainly for pros, production houses and touring companies. Highly recommended.
Vested Interest - Description: professional quality photo and video carry vests with lots of built in features and surprisingly competitive pricing. Verdict: If you like photograpy vests, particularly if you prefer a vest as your main carry method, you have to consider the Vested Interest line. Design and construction, weather resistance and durability consistently work to provide a wearable carry that's attractive to people such as journalists who have to move fast in difficult and dense environments. Pocket closures are velcro, which makes operation somewhat noisy, but in the typical busy urban locations for which these vests are best suited, noise isn't much of a factor. If you need one of these, there aren't a lot of choices out there and we're glad this choice is so good. Recommended.
World Richman - Description: if you've seen branded department store or photo retailer camera bags chances are they were manufactured by World Richman, but while prices are quite low, quality and functionality is similarly below average and reliable weatherproofing and padding is either light or non-existent. Verdict: Not my first choice and not even my last choice, World Richman-made store branded products are sometimes what you'll find being given away during promotions and as purchase incentives. You get what you pay for. Along with most store brands, not recommended.
NOTE TO AIR TRAVELERS: Carry-On Camera Shoulder Bags, Backpacks, Sling Packs & Rolling Cases - Think Tank is the only maker in this roundup which directly and specifically deals with TSA and airline carry-on size restrictions. Nonetheless, all of the makers offer models which meet carry-on size restrictions. It's about time that all the makers made some efforts on their respective web sites to make it clear which models meet current carry-on size restrictions. So if you're purchasing a camera or video bag for carry-on use during air travel, you have to check its size on the manufacturer's web site, compare the dimensions to the size restrictions imposed by the airlines you'll be using (as listed on various airline web sites), and never, ever believe a salesperson's opinion about any of this. Checked Bags - Never, ever check any camera bag that isn't hardshelled, heavily padded and designed to withstand being tossed around in the hold of an aircraft. Tripods - Carbon fiber tripods may be allowed on board, but forget about metal tube tripods. In any event, all tripods can represent a minor safety hazard in the cabin. So our advice is to pack tripods in checked luggage.
To view this post in its original form and to read other reviews please visit Kickstartnews.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Datacolor Announce Spyder3 Line Up
Datacolor announced the addition of Spyder3Pro and Spyder3Print to its new Spyder3 range of monitor calibration and printer profiling solutions. Their Spyder3Pro solution offers an affordable display calibration tool for serious and professional photographers. Spyder3Print is a printer-profiling device which is aimed at fine art printers and production professionals.
Spyder3 colorimeter offers a seven-detector colour engine, the only one of its kind on the market. The colorimeters 27mm aperture is the largest in its class, and provides a greater screen sampling area and a 400 per cent increase in light sensitivity. When used in conjunction with the embedded ambient light sensor, which automatically measures surrounding ambient light levels even when stored in its cradle, the Spyder3Pro will enable users to achieve the highest levels of precision and calibration for your display devices.
Spyder3Print is the perfect complement for the Spyder3Pro and Spyder3Elite. The printer calibration device enables users to create custom printer profiles by using an updated Datacolor 1005 spectrocolorimeter and colour calibration tile with tracking ruler for more accurate readings, Spyder3Print enables the production of professional-looking prints quickly and accurately, by avoiding the wasteful trial-and-error process of uncalibrated devices.
Spyder3Elite uses an enhancement of the feature set offered by Spyder3Pro. Spyder3Elite uses dual-mode software that allows the calibration of multiple displays in a studio via either an easy to use walkthrough wizard guide or its expert console, which gives advanced users full control of all settings. The Spyder3 elite is also the only device in its category, which is able to calibrate front projectors.
Spyder3Studio is Datacolor's complete colour management suite. Spyder3Studio combines the powerful features of Spyder3Elite’s display calibration with the excellent printer profiling functions of Spyder3Print. These tools will make the job of controlling the accuracy of your display and output devices a breeze. For more information visit Datacolor.
Spyder3 colorimeter offers a seven-detector colour engine, the only one of its kind on the market. The colorimeters 27mm aperture is the largest in its class, and provides a greater screen sampling area and a 400 per cent increase in light sensitivity. When used in conjunction with the embedded ambient light sensor, which automatically measures surrounding ambient light levels even when stored in its cradle, the Spyder3Pro will enable users to achieve the highest levels of precision and calibration for your display devices.
Spyder3Print is the perfect complement for the Spyder3Pro and Spyder3Elite. The printer calibration device enables users to create custom printer profiles by using an updated Datacolor 1005 spectrocolorimeter and colour calibration tile with tracking ruler for more accurate readings, Spyder3Print enables the production of professional-looking prints quickly and accurately, by avoiding the wasteful trial-and-error process of uncalibrated devices.
Spyder3Elite uses an enhancement of the feature set offered by Spyder3Pro. Spyder3Elite uses dual-mode software that allows the calibration of multiple displays in a studio via either an easy to use walkthrough wizard guide or its expert console, which gives advanced users full control of all settings. The Spyder3 elite is also the only device in its category, which is able to calibrate front projectors.
Spyder3Studio is Datacolor's complete colour management suite. Spyder3Studio combines the powerful features of Spyder3Elite’s display calibration with the excellent printer profiling functions of Spyder3Print. These tools will make the job of controlling the accuracy of your display and output devices a breeze. For more information visit Datacolor.
Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera Review
Product: Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera
Manufactured by: Canon US, Canon Canada, Canon UK
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, March 2008
Requires: An interest in serious photography using a compact form factor
MSRP: US$499.99, CDN$549.99, UK£429
Read the full PowerShot G9 review!
The major PowerShot G7 flaws touted by the pundits were that this marvelous top-of-the line prosumer camera failed to provide several features offered in semi-pro digital SLR cameras costing hundreds of dollars more. The PowerShot G7 didn't offer RAW format the critics complained, and it failed to provide superb low noise performance above 400 ISO. Canon listened to the howling and rancor, then tweaked the design to add some image processing improvements and RAW file saving. The result is the Canon PowerShot G9.
The Canon PowerShot G9 is a 12.1 megapixel digital camera equipped with Canon's DIGIC III image processor, a 6x optical zoom lens and Optical Image Stabilizer (IS). The camera offers a full range of shooting modes (shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, programmed auto, full auto, scene modes, movie mode) and recording modes including JPEG + RAW. Except for the fact that it's blessed with a diopter adjustment, the optical viewfinder is essentially useless at every zoom setting unless it happens to be 12.5mm (equivalent to 50mm on a full frame). Thankfully the viewfinder is completely offset by the 3 inch high-quality PureColor LCD II screen featuring a wide viewing angle, anti-glare and anti-scratch coatings. You also get face detection (the camera automatically picks out, focuses on and adjusts exposure for one or multiple faces in a composition) and primary face selection control. The PowerShot G9 has a standard Canon top-mounted hotshoe which is compatible with the complete range of Canon EOS speedlites.
The Canon PowerShot G9 is identical in every outward respect to its G7 predecessor. The fun begins with some improvements on the inside and ends with a general increase in image quality. If you're wondering how much image quality you can squeeze out of a little camera like this, have a look at this high dynamic range winter photo. The image is as-shot and unretouched, completely noise-free and quite striking at ISO100 and -0.3ev, handheld, IS on. Note the corrosion bubbles just under the surface of the black wrought iron fence, and the enormous amount of contrast between the fading painted black surfaces and the fresh white snow. The midtones are captured well too, with clean, interesting details in the shadows, the dense texture of the split rail fence and the highlights popping off the the ice and snow crystals without being blown out. One example does not tell the tale obviously, but this is a very nice camera indeed.
Read the full PowerShot G9 review!
Cons: Like it's predecessor, it's as heavy as a small brick. The strict adherence to a classic Rangefinder form factor is all well and good, but there's not quite enough to grab hold of except a very conservative grip bump on the right front—no prominent right-side body bulge like that found on the excellent Canon A-series compacts—so the very first thing you should do after marveling at your brand new PowerShot G9 as it comes out of the box is to attach a good quality neck or wrist strap. The playback button is located on a slightly concave chamfer at the top rear edge of the camera and is difficult to press because it's just at or slightly less than flush with the body surface. You need to poke the playback button with a fingernail to get a positive click, so forget about using it outside while wearing gloves. No ISO limit setting for Auto mode.
Pros: The Canon PowerShot G9 is a modern wonder of digital camera technology. For the price, there's nothing else in its image quality class on the market today except for the Leica D-Lux 3. I like sturdy, substantial buttons and dials that work smoothly and provide positive feedback mainly because on a well-designed camera they provide the surest sort of control over important and frequently used functions. The ISO dial is a perfect example and it's great to have it sitting on the top left of the camera body. Image quality is improved slightly over the G7 which means that mid-to-high ISO noise performance is good enough to make ISO800 genuinely useful (and certainly printable). The retro body and control layout introduced in the G7 is a stroke of genius and I'm glad Canon has kept and enhanced the design. The programmed user interface and LCD combine to make menu navigation easy and fast. Canon has hit a home run with the PowerShot G9. Highly recommended.
Read the full PowerShot G9 review!
Manufactured by: Canon US, Canon Canada, Canon UK
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, March 2008
Requires: An interest in serious photography using a compact form factor
MSRP: US$499.99, CDN$549.99, UK£429
Read the full PowerShot G9 review!
The major PowerShot G7 flaws touted by the pundits were that this marvelous top-of-the line prosumer camera failed to provide several features offered in semi-pro digital SLR cameras costing hundreds of dollars more. The PowerShot G7 didn't offer RAW format the critics complained, and it failed to provide superb low noise performance above 400 ISO. Canon listened to the howling and rancor, then tweaked the design to add some image processing improvements and RAW file saving. The result is the Canon PowerShot G9.
The Canon PowerShot G9 is a 12.1 megapixel digital camera equipped with Canon's DIGIC III image processor, a 6x optical zoom lens and Optical Image Stabilizer (IS). The camera offers a full range of shooting modes (shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, programmed auto, full auto, scene modes, movie mode) and recording modes including JPEG + RAW. Except for the fact that it's blessed with a diopter adjustment, the optical viewfinder is essentially useless at every zoom setting unless it happens to be 12.5mm (equivalent to 50mm on a full frame). Thankfully the viewfinder is completely offset by the 3 inch high-quality PureColor LCD II screen featuring a wide viewing angle, anti-glare and anti-scratch coatings. You also get face detection (the camera automatically picks out, focuses on and adjusts exposure for one or multiple faces in a composition) and primary face selection control. The PowerShot G9 has a standard Canon top-mounted hotshoe which is compatible with the complete range of Canon EOS speedlites.
The Canon PowerShot G9 is identical in every outward respect to its G7 predecessor. The fun begins with some improvements on the inside and ends with a general increase in image quality. If you're wondering how much image quality you can squeeze out of a little camera like this, have a look at this high dynamic range winter photo. The image is as-shot and unretouched, completely noise-free and quite striking at ISO100 and -0.3ev, handheld, IS on. Note the corrosion bubbles just under the surface of the black wrought iron fence, and the enormous amount of contrast between the fading painted black surfaces and the fresh white snow. The midtones are captured well too, with clean, interesting details in the shadows, the dense texture of the split rail fence and the highlights popping off the the ice and snow crystals without being blown out. One example does not tell the tale obviously, but this is a very nice camera indeed.
Read the full PowerShot G9 review!
Cons: Like it's predecessor, it's as heavy as a small brick. The strict adherence to a classic Rangefinder form factor is all well and good, but there's not quite enough to grab hold of except a very conservative grip bump on the right front—no prominent right-side body bulge like that found on the excellent Canon A-series compacts—so the very first thing you should do after marveling at your brand new PowerShot G9 as it comes out of the box is to attach a good quality neck or wrist strap. The playback button is located on a slightly concave chamfer at the top rear edge of the camera and is difficult to press because it's just at or slightly less than flush with the body surface. You need to poke the playback button with a fingernail to get a positive click, so forget about using it outside while wearing gloves. No ISO limit setting for Auto mode.
Pros: The Canon PowerShot G9 is a modern wonder of digital camera technology. For the price, there's nothing else in its image quality class on the market today except for the Leica D-Lux 3. I like sturdy, substantial buttons and dials that work smoothly and provide positive feedback mainly because on a well-designed camera they provide the surest sort of control over important and frequently used functions. The ISO dial is a perfect example and it's great to have it sitting on the top left of the camera body. Image quality is improved slightly over the G7 which means that mid-to-high ISO noise performance is good enough to make ISO800 genuinely useful (and certainly printable). The retro body and control layout introduced in the G7 is a stroke of genius and I'm glad Canon has kept and enhanced the design. The programmed user interface and LCD combine to make menu navigation easy and fast. Canon has hit a home run with the PowerShot G9. Highly recommended.
Read the full PowerShot G9 review!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Camera & Laptop Backpack Reviews
Photo/Laptop Backpacks: National Geographic Earth Explorer Large and Medium, Tamrac Adventure 9, Crumpler Keystone, Kata R-103 GDC Rucksack, Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW, and the Think Tank Airport International
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, January 2008
Manufacture by: Various
Requires: Digital SLR camera equipment, any laptop
MSRP: US$140.00 - $400.00 (dealers usually sell for less)
Reposted in its entirety from Kickstartnews, to view the original post and more visit Kickstartnews.
All that expensive digital SLR equipment, your laptop, and all the myriad accessories, cables, cleaning supplies, etc., etc., weigh a lot. We earnestly claim to absolutely need it all on every photography trip (long or short), but it represents a carry burden that far too many of us are not up to the task of shouldering. Face it, you're out of shape. You may need a good quality photo/laptop backpack to ease the load and provide a tough, mobile and versatile photography 'office' out which to operate. After researching all of the sales stats we could find in addition to talking with a variety of photography store managers in an effort to find out which photo/laptop backpacks are currently the most popular, we assembled this group of packs for review. We used each backpack on two different trips (we've been at this for a couple of months). We used the same set of equipment to compare and test all of the backpacks:
Nikon D200 digital SLR with attached Nikkor 17-55mm f2.8 zoom lens
Nikon D40x with attached Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
Nikon SB800 flashgun with extender cable
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens
Nikkor 12-24mm f4 zoom lens
4 filters for various lenses
8 CF & SD storage cards
15" Macbook with power block, mini-mouse, USB cable
Two microfiber cleaning cloths
One Optex lens brush
LCD screen covers
2 tripod/camera plates
1 writing pen
1 3x5 writing pad
2 battery chargers (1 Canon, 1 Nikon)
2 UK AC plug adaptors
1 MC-30 Nikon remote control cable
2 spare batteries
1 set of spare rechargeable AA batteries for the SB800
1 AA battery charger
It's a full travel list for sure, as opposed to the amount of equipment you'd normally be carrying on a day trip. The point of this round-up review is to figure out what each of these backpacks is best at. The only way to do that is to load each of them to capacity and use them on real photography trips. There cannot be a single winner that fits all needs (and backs, hips and shoulders). But at the very least, after reading the reviews, you'll be able to narrow the field with respect to the price, features and functionality that fit your budget and photography needs. Here you go.
The National Geographic Earth Explorer bags, Medium US$210.00, Large US$400.00, are deceptively nice, but unfortunately prove to be less than practical in actual use. The inner cinch protecting the top compartment provides additional protection against moisture, but can also be annoying because it gets in the way of fast access. The flanges on your hot shoe can accidentally pickup the edge of the cinch seam as you're lifting the camera out of the bag. The mid/central compartment retainer zipper works smoothly, but the tab doesn't have enough weight and can be difficult to grab when you're wearing light gloves. Although the soft 'frame' of the pack is well-designed, providing acceptable balance and form, I think the bag is a still bit too soft for backpack use. Loads can shift too easily when you're on steep inclines. A tripod can be lashed to the exterior accessory side mounts at the cost of unbalancing the pack. The Earth Explorer doesn't offer enough bump & bang protection or bottom protection to make me stop worrying about my gear. It does offer almost a dozen exterior pockets and a dozen clinch and accessory mounting points for lashing on extra gear and bags. The built in bottle bag is a nice touch.
Because the belting is narrow, it's also difficult to lash the bag tightly enough to your waist in order to get it positioned for your hips to take the load, something that's absolutely necessary for proper/ergonomic and comfortable backpack use. The 15" laptop compartment is positioned lower than it is in the Lowepro so there's little chance of any dangerous flex. The rain cover is a bit fiddly to get in and out of its pouch on the pack. The National Geographic offers a lot of storage versatility but for hiking and general travel use should be restricted to no more than an hour at a time on your back. No dedicated memory card compartment. I own and really like the National Geographic small and medium shoulder bags. They're great for daily use in and out of the car and for short photography outings. The National Geographic small and medium shoulder bags seem to wear extremely well, but the jury is still out on how well the treated canvas/synthetic exterior and rip-stop synthetic liner will hold up over long use in the backpack configuration. The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are good. However, we did notice some permanent compression of the padding in the high stress areas of the shoulder straps. The carry design allows your back to breath reasonably well. We could not fit all of our test gear into the Medium backpack. It's softer-than-average outer construction is unlikely to do a good job of protecting your gear in an aircraft overhead bin. The Medium backpack is okay on commercial aircraft but the Large backpack is too big for most international airline carry-on restrictions, which severely limits travel use of this pack. Construction and finish are good.
The Tamrac Adventure 9 backpack, US$140.00, is clearly the bargain of this bunch. It carries marginally well, distributes weight across the shoulders with a sternum strap (which I personally hate because it restricts breathing) rather than a waist belt, and could use a bit more padding everywhere. However, there's no doubt that the Adventure 9 does a very good job of protecting your gear as well as the Crumpler Keystone and the Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW. So call the Tamrac Adventure 9 a large capacity day pack. We managed to fit all the gear on the list into the Adventure 9, but the design of the compartments are not particularly well-optimized. Storing and removing the D200 with attached 17-55mm f2.8 lens always required an extra twist or two to pull it free or get back in past the upper curve of the zipper facing. It's something you'll get used to I'm sure, but it's initially annoying.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are good. To get the best use out of the Tamrac Adventure 9 you've got to focus on good posture because there is insufficient stiffness to the soft 'frame' of this backpack. The shoulder straps are well designed and although not quite as heavily padded as the rest of this group, seem to do a good job of keeping pressure and stress points to a minimum. The 15" laptop compartment is unwisely located against your back, which means the lack of a waist belt/hip weight distribution often results in a lot of bounce and flex to the laptop compartment. That's not good. There are lots of dedicated compartments inside as well a dedicated memory card storage compartment and card usage system. One of the exterior mesh compartments is large enough for a water bottle. Like Lowepro, Tamrac offers a large selection of strap/velcro mount exterior bags and attachments. The Tamrac Adventure 9 is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel - just. Construction and finish are good.
The Crumpler Keystone bag, US$200.00, is great . . . for a while. Then the annoyingly wide zipper facings which prevent the top compartment from being accessed easily will become tiresome. In use, my Crumpler bags (I've got this backpack and the 4, 6 & 7 Million Dollar Home models) offer better protection overall than the National Geographic bags. The Keystone is still not great for fast access off the shoulder or even on the ground. Crumpler compartments are invariably tight and this model is no exception. Your gear won't shift around (which is good), but some of it will be a bit more difficult to get to. This bag carries well and secures to your waist quite well also, which makes it a much better carry than the National Geographic bags. A laptop is well protected in this pack because its the only design in this group which positions the laptop compartment on the outside of the pack as opposed the to inside against your back. Crumpler deserves an award of some sort for that design decision.
The tripod mounting strap is awkward and can't accommodate heavy tripods. Whichever tripod you do happen to mount is well balanced on the pack. Crumpler's typically clean looking design apparently doesn't accommodate a dedicated memory card storage compartment. The laptop compartment can only handle a 13" laptop.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are quite good although to get the best use out of the Crumpler Keystone you've got to focus on good posture. It's a long backpack which tends to carry flatter to the back than the others in this review, a good design feature that has its limits in terms of storage convenience inside the pack. The pack material is tough and the interior is very gentle on your gear. The pack is supposed to protect contents against heavy weather, but we still advise the use of a rain cover with this pack. The Crumpler Keystone backpack is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel. Construction and finish are very good.
The Kata R-103 GDC Rucksack, US$260.00, is a heavy duty but lightweight backpack which clearly represents the best protection available. Compartments are slightly smaller and stiffer than those found on any of the other bags in this review. The bright yellow trademark Kata lining makes it easy to spot small items in any of the compartments. Kata builds its bags out of waterproof and storm proof material. Digital Imaging Products Editor Mario Georgiou and I were caught on the side of a hill leading to Glastonbury Tor on a photography trip in England last September and Mario's Kata T-214 Torso Pack kept his gear dry as a bone. So did my Lowepro Elite Pro AW (with the added help of the built in rain cover however). The R-103 carries extremely well, a legacy of Kata's experience designing and manufacturing military gear no doubt. Weight distribution is excellent and easy to balance. A 15" laptop is well protected with no danger of flex damage for most people. We managed to just fit all of the gear into the pack - just.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are quite good. The lower shoulder strap padding tends to twist while mounting or dismounting the pack. The shoulder straps and waist belt are well designed using a very durable padding and outer material. The upper yoke between the narrowest part of the shoulder straps extends slightly from the upper pack seam and may bother some people. Tripod strap mounts are located on the bottom of the pack but the tripod strap set is optional. Like Tamrac and Lowepro, Kata offers a large selection of strap/velcro mount exterior bags and attachments. The interior finish is very gentle on your gear. The Kata R-103 GDC Rucksack is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel. Construction and finish are excellent and tied with the Think Tank Airport International for the best quality in this group of products.
The Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW, US$220.00, is my personal favorite general travel backpack (car, airplane, train, bus, light to medium hiking). For my purposes it's been wonderfully durable, fully protective of all my gear, comfortable on short and medium length hikes and extremely versatile with respect to not only how much gear I can pack into it, but also with respect to how easy it is to get at everything quickly. This bag is also weatherproof, with the built-in All Weather rain cover almost redundant considering how well the bag itself is designed and waterproofed. Different backs will give different results, but on my back the CompuTrekker Plus AW is a great carry. It secures comfortably around the waist and ensures proper weight distribution on the hips. Getting the right adjustment with a 15" laptop in place however, definitely takes a bit of initial fiddling. Too tight and you could flex the laptop. Too loose and the load won't be properly distributed. You really only need to unfold the rain cover for heavy downpours. This one is strictly for short hikes and general travel.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are quite good. Shoulder strap padding is well designed and positioned to relieve stress as well as the Kata which is the best in the group. The interior finish and velcro dividers are padded a bit thicker than the National Geographic Earth Explorer and similar to but softer than the Kata and Crumpler. The tripod carry straps are fiddly and Lowepro needs to completely revise the strap and cinch design. They loosen too easily and represent more of a hindrance than a help. The pack offers a dedicated memory card storage compartment. Like Kata and Tamrac, Lowepro offers a large selection of strap/velcro mount exterior bags and attachments. The Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel. Construction and finish are very good.
The Think Tank Airport International is the only oddball in this group because it's not a backpack and can't be converted into a backpack either. However, for general car, bus, train and air travel, at the end of which you pack daily shooting gear into a smaller sling pack (such as a Kata T-214 or a Lowepro Slingshot 200 or 300) or shoulder bag, there is nothing on the market that can touch the Think Tank Airport International. It's expensive, but what a bag! Like the CompuTrekker Plus AW it easily holds everything on our list. The Think Tank Airport International features its own well designed and trouble free roller wheels and extension handle in order to use the bag as a roller board. The integrated extension handle and wheel assembly work over long distances too, easily eating up 1-2 kilometer treks I've done across cobbled streets in London and potholed roads and sidewalks in Minneapolis. I purchased one of these things the same week that Think Tank originally offered them for sale (18 months ago?) and have logged thousands of air miles with it since. Great stuff. If you're traveling with a lot of photo gear and a laptop up to 17", but not hiking/backpacking, the Think Tank Airport International is a superb choice.
The Think Tank Airport International has every travel protection feature you can think of including a built in security cable, TSA-compliant combination locks, heavy duty everything, high impact resistant frame, high density padded dividers multi-height divider sets so that a laptop can be safely packed on top of your camera and digital gear, extremely strong carry handles on three sides, as well as easy-access exterior compartments for travel documents and other items. The Think Tank Airport International is weatherproof as far as I can tell, but I have not yet actually had the misfortune of being caught with it in a serious downpour or snowstorm. It easily sloughed off light rain showers however and that's a good sign. Construction and finish are excellent.
All of the backpacks can accommodate or are supplied with some sort of strap assembly to carry a tripod. However, doing so puts the outer dimensions of the arrangement beyond the international airline carry-on size restrictions. In most cases tripods with metal legs won't be allowed in the cabin anyway. Carbon fiber tripods usually pass. In any event, the smart move is to pack the tripod in your checked bag.
All of these backpacks shed rain, mud, sand, snow quite well. Nonetheless, in heavy downpours we strongly recommend the use of accessory or built in rain covers. The outer shells are all abrasion and cut resistant. All of the packs clean up quite easily with lukewarm soapy water and a damp sponge.
Before making one of these expensive purchase decisions, bring your own gear to a good photography store and load up some or all of these backpacks. Walk around the store for ten or fifteen minutes. Get the feel of each pack. Be sensitive to pressure and stress points. Repeatedly mount and dismount the pack, open it up and remove and replace gear. Bring your own tripod or monopod and tie it on. Do all this and avoid the stupidity of ending up with a closet full of costly bags and packs you rarely need or use.
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, January 2008
Manufacture by: Various
Requires: Digital SLR camera equipment, any laptop
MSRP: US$140.00 - $400.00 (dealers usually sell for less)
Reposted in its entirety from Kickstartnews, to view the original post and more visit Kickstartnews.
All that expensive digital SLR equipment, your laptop, and all the myriad accessories, cables, cleaning supplies, etc., etc., weigh a lot. We earnestly claim to absolutely need it all on every photography trip (long or short), but it represents a carry burden that far too many of us are not up to the task of shouldering. Face it, you're out of shape. You may need a good quality photo/laptop backpack to ease the load and provide a tough, mobile and versatile photography 'office' out which to operate. After researching all of the sales stats we could find in addition to talking with a variety of photography store managers in an effort to find out which photo/laptop backpacks are currently the most popular, we assembled this group of packs for review. We used each backpack on two different trips (we've been at this for a couple of months). We used the same set of equipment to compare and test all of the backpacks:
Nikon D200 digital SLR with attached Nikkor 17-55mm f2.8 zoom lens
Nikon D40x with attached Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
Nikon SB800 flashgun with extender cable
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens
Nikkor 12-24mm f4 zoom lens
4 filters for various lenses
8 CF & SD storage cards
15" Macbook with power block, mini-mouse, USB cable
Two microfiber cleaning cloths
One Optex lens brush
LCD screen covers
2 tripod/camera plates
1 writing pen
1 3x5 writing pad
2 battery chargers (1 Canon, 1 Nikon)
2 UK AC plug adaptors
1 MC-30 Nikon remote control cable
2 spare batteries
1 set of spare rechargeable AA batteries for the SB800
1 AA battery charger
It's a full travel list for sure, as opposed to the amount of equipment you'd normally be carrying on a day trip. The point of this round-up review is to figure out what each of these backpacks is best at. The only way to do that is to load each of them to capacity and use them on real photography trips. There cannot be a single winner that fits all needs (and backs, hips and shoulders). But at the very least, after reading the reviews, you'll be able to narrow the field with respect to the price, features and functionality that fit your budget and photography needs. Here you go.
The National Geographic Earth Explorer bags, Medium US$210.00, Large US$400.00, are deceptively nice, but unfortunately prove to be less than practical in actual use. The inner cinch protecting the top compartment provides additional protection against moisture, but can also be annoying because it gets in the way of fast access. The flanges on your hot shoe can accidentally pickup the edge of the cinch seam as you're lifting the camera out of the bag. The mid/central compartment retainer zipper works smoothly, but the tab doesn't have enough weight and can be difficult to grab when you're wearing light gloves. Although the soft 'frame' of the pack is well-designed, providing acceptable balance and form, I think the bag is a still bit too soft for backpack use. Loads can shift too easily when you're on steep inclines. A tripod can be lashed to the exterior accessory side mounts at the cost of unbalancing the pack. The Earth Explorer doesn't offer enough bump & bang protection or bottom protection to make me stop worrying about my gear. It does offer almost a dozen exterior pockets and a dozen clinch and accessory mounting points for lashing on extra gear and bags. The built in bottle bag is a nice touch.
Because the belting is narrow, it's also difficult to lash the bag tightly enough to your waist in order to get it positioned for your hips to take the load, something that's absolutely necessary for proper/ergonomic and comfortable backpack use. The 15" laptop compartment is positioned lower than it is in the Lowepro so there's little chance of any dangerous flex. The rain cover is a bit fiddly to get in and out of its pouch on the pack. The National Geographic offers a lot of storage versatility but for hiking and general travel use should be restricted to no more than an hour at a time on your back. No dedicated memory card compartment. I own and really like the National Geographic small and medium shoulder bags. They're great for daily use in and out of the car and for short photography outings. The National Geographic small and medium shoulder bags seem to wear extremely well, but the jury is still out on how well the treated canvas/synthetic exterior and rip-stop synthetic liner will hold up over long use in the backpack configuration. The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are good. However, we did notice some permanent compression of the padding in the high stress areas of the shoulder straps. The carry design allows your back to breath reasonably well. We could not fit all of our test gear into the Medium backpack. It's softer-than-average outer construction is unlikely to do a good job of protecting your gear in an aircraft overhead bin. The Medium backpack is okay on commercial aircraft but the Large backpack is too big for most international airline carry-on restrictions, which severely limits travel use of this pack. Construction and finish are good.
The Tamrac Adventure 9 backpack, US$140.00, is clearly the bargain of this bunch. It carries marginally well, distributes weight across the shoulders with a sternum strap (which I personally hate because it restricts breathing) rather than a waist belt, and could use a bit more padding everywhere. However, there's no doubt that the Adventure 9 does a very good job of protecting your gear as well as the Crumpler Keystone and the Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW. So call the Tamrac Adventure 9 a large capacity day pack. We managed to fit all the gear on the list into the Adventure 9, but the design of the compartments are not particularly well-optimized. Storing and removing the D200 with attached 17-55mm f2.8 lens always required an extra twist or two to pull it free or get back in past the upper curve of the zipper facing. It's something you'll get used to I'm sure, but it's initially annoying.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are good. To get the best use out of the Tamrac Adventure 9 you've got to focus on good posture because there is insufficient stiffness to the soft 'frame' of this backpack. The shoulder straps are well designed and although not quite as heavily padded as the rest of this group, seem to do a good job of keeping pressure and stress points to a minimum. The 15" laptop compartment is unwisely located against your back, which means the lack of a waist belt/hip weight distribution often results in a lot of bounce and flex to the laptop compartment. That's not good. There are lots of dedicated compartments inside as well a dedicated memory card storage compartment and card usage system. One of the exterior mesh compartments is large enough for a water bottle. Like Lowepro, Tamrac offers a large selection of strap/velcro mount exterior bags and attachments. The Tamrac Adventure 9 is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel - just. Construction and finish are good.
The Crumpler Keystone bag, US$200.00, is great . . . for a while. Then the annoyingly wide zipper facings which prevent the top compartment from being accessed easily will become tiresome. In use, my Crumpler bags (I've got this backpack and the 4, 6 & 7 Million Dollar Home models) offer better protection overall than the National Geographic bags. The Keystone is still not great for fast access off the shoulder or even on the ground. Crumpler compartments are invariably tight and this model is no exception. Your gear won't shift around (which is good), but some of it will be a bit more difficult to get to. This bag carries well and secures to your waist quite well also, which makes it a much better carry than the National Geographic bags. A laptop is well protected in this pack because its the only design in this group which positions the laptop compartment on the outside of the pack as opposed the to inside against your back. Crumpler deserves an award of some sort for that design decision.
The tripod mounting strap is awkward and can't accommodate heavy tripods. Whichever tripod you do happen to mount is well balanced on the pack. Crumpler's typically clean looking design apparently doesn't accommodate a dedicated memory card storage compartment. The laptop compartment can only handle a 13" laptop.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are quite good although to get the best use out of the Crumpler Keystone you've got to focus on good posture. It's a long backpack which tends to carry flatter to the back than the others in this review, a good design feature that has its limits in terms of storage convenience inside the pack. The pack material is tough and the interior is very gentle on your gear. The pack is supposed to protect contents against heavy weather, but we still advise the use of a rain cover with this pack. The Crumpler Keystone backpack is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel. Construction and finish are very good.
The Kata R-103 GDC Rucksack, US$260.00, is a heavy duty but lightweight backpack which clearly represents the best protection available. Compartments are slightly smaller and stiffer than those found on any of the other bags in this review. The bright yellow trademark Kata lining makes it easy to spot small items in any of the compartments. Kata builds its bags out of waterproof and storm proof material. Digital Imaging Products Editor Mario Georgiou and I were caught on the side of a hill leading to Glastonbury Tor on a photography trip in England last September and Mario's Kata T-214 Torso Pack kept his gear dry as a bone. So did my Lowepro Elite Pro AW (with the added help of the built in rain cover however). The R-103 carries extremely well, a legacy of Kata's experience designing and manufacturing military gear no doubt. Weight distribution is excellent and easy to balance. A 15" laptop is well protected with no danger of flex damage for most people. We managed to just fit all of the gear into the pack - just.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are quite good. The lower shoulder strap padding tends to twist while mounting or dismounting the pack. The shoulder straps and waist belt are well designed using a very durable padding and outer material. The upper yoke between the narrowest part of the shoulder straps extends slightly from the upper pack seam and may bother some people. Tripod strap mounts are located on the bottom of the pack but the tripod strap set is optional. Like Tamrac and Lowepro, Kata offers a large selection of strap/velcro mount exterior bags and attachments. The interior finish is very gentle on your gear. The Kata R-103 GDC Rucksack is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel. Construction and finish are excellent and tied with the Think Tank Airport International for the best quality in this group of products.
The Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW, US$220.00, is my personal favorite general travel backpack (car, airplane, train, bus, light to medium hiking). For my purposes it's been wonderfully durable, fully protective of all my gear, comfortable on short and medium length hikes and extremely versatile with respect to not only how much gear I can pack into it, but also with respect to how easy it is to get at everything quickly. This bag is also weatherproof, with the built-in All Weather rain cover almost redundant considering how well the bag itself is designed and waterproofed. Different backs will give different results, but on my back the CompuTrekker Plus AW is a great carry. It secures comfortably around the waist and ensures proper weight distribution on the hips. Getting the right adjustment with a 15" laptop in place however, definitely takes a bit of initial fiddling. Too tight and you could flex the laptop. Too loose and the load won't be properly distributed. You really only need to unfold the rain cover for heavy downpours. This one is strictly for short hikes and general travel.
The shoulder straps, back protection and breathability are quite good. Shoulder strap padding is well designed and positioned to relieve stress as well as the Kata which is the best in the group. The interior finish and velcro dividers are padded a bit thicker than the National Geographic Earth Explorer and similar to but softer than the Kata and Crumpler. The tripod carry straps are fiddly and Lowepro needs to completely revise the strap and cinch design. They loosen too easily and represent more of a hindrance than a help. The pack offers a dedicated memory card storage compartment. Like Kata and Tamrac, Lowepro offers a large selection of strap/velcro mount exterior bags and attachments. The Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW is legal size for all international carry-on airline travel. Construction and finish are very good.
The Think Tank Airport International is the only oddball in this group because it's not a backpack and can't be converted into a backpack either. However, for general car, bus, train and air travel, at the end of which you pack daily shooting gear into a smaller sling pack (such as a Kata T-214 or a Lowepro Slingshot 200 or 300) or shoulder bag, there is nothing on the market that can touch the Think Tank Airport International. It's expensive, but what a bag! Like the CompuTrekker Plus AW it easily holds everything on our list. The Think Tank Airport International features its own well designed and trouble free roller wheels and extension handle in order to use the bag as a roller board. The integrated extension handle and wheel assembly work over long distances too, easily eating up 1-2 kilometer treks I've done across cobbled streets in London and potholed roads and sidewalks in Minneapolis. I purchased one of these things the same week that Think Tank originally offered them for sale (18 months ago?) and have logged thousands of air miles with it since. Great stuff. If you're traveling with a lot of photo gear and a laptop up to 17", but not hiking/backpacking, the Think Tank Airport International is a superb choice.
The Think Tank Airport International has every travel protection feature you can think of including a built in security cable, TSA-compliant combination locks, heavy duty everything, high impact resistant frame, high density padded dividers multi-height divider sets so that a laptop can be safely packed on top of your camera and digital gear, extremely strong carry handles on three sides, as well as easy-access exterior compartments for travel documents and other items. The Think Tank Airport International is weatherproof as far as I can tell, but I have not yet actually had the misfortune of being caught with it in a serious downpour or snowstorm. It easily sloughed off light rain showers however and that's a good sign. Construction and finish are excellent.
All of the backpacks can accommodate or are supplied with some sort of strap assembly to carry a tripod. However, doing so puts the outer dimensions of the arrangement beyond the international airline carry-on size restrictions. In most cases tripods with metal legs won't be allowed in the cabin anyway. Carbon fiber tripods usually pass. In any event, the smart move is to pack the tripod in your checked bag.
All of these backpacks shed rain, mud, sand, snow quite well. Nonetheless, in heavy downpours we strongly recommend the use of accessory or built in rain covers. The outer shells are all abrasion and cut resistant. All of the packs clean up quite easily with lukewarm soapy water and a damp sponge.
Before making one of these expensive purchase decisions, bring your own gear to a good photography store and load up some or all of these backpacks. Walk around the store for ten or fifteen minutes. Get the feel of each pack. Be sensitive to pressure and stress points. Repeatedly mount and dismount the pack, open it up and remove and replace gear. Bring your own tripod or monopod and tie it on. Do all this and avoid the stupidity of ending up with a closet full of costly bags and packs you rarely need or use.
To view this post in its original form and to read other reviews please visit Kickstartnews.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Canon PowerShot A650 IS Review
Product: Canon PowerShot A650 IS Digital Compact Camera
Manufactured by: Canon
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, March 2008
Requires: An interest in photography
MSRP: US$299.95, UK£289.00
Read the full review on kickstartnews.com
What separates the huge assortment of mediocre point & shoot compact digital cameras from the good ones? Image quality! Canon has consistently come up with designs and technology which continue to keep it in the forefront of compact camera design, usability and image quality. The Canon PowerShot A650 IS Digital Compact Camera is a feature packed, versatile handful designed to please intermediate and advanced amateur photographers and to attract beginner photographers who want something noticeably more complex than so many of the dumbed-down and control-free point & shoot cameras available today.
The PowerShot A650 IS is the top-of-the-line A-series PowerShot model as of this writing. It is a 12.1 megapixel camera with a 6x optical zoom coupled to Canon's patented Optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology. IS is specifically designed to deliver clear, blur-free images in many low light situations and all through the zoom range. The PowerShot A650 IS is built around Canon's latest generation DIGIC III Image Processor which now provides among other things enhanced Face Detection, ISO 1600 and fast in-camera red-eye correction.
Canon's extremely popular A-series is a curious thing to observe. All of the models in the series are relatively lightweight, use 'AA' batteries (two in most models; four in the A650 IS), and offer a large number of shooting and picture controls. After using the PowerShot A650 IS for a week or so and occasionally perusing the user manual during that time, you'll begin to wonder if Canon made some sort of mistake. The question you end up asking is why Canon decided to pack so many well-designed and easy to use features into a camera at this price point. There's nothing on the market right now which has this much packed into it at this price point and which does so much so well at this price point.
Cons: The 173K pixels in the LCD are sufficient for a variety of purposes but pale in comparison to the bright, razor sharp, high resolution LCDs we're starting to see on cameras from competing makers. The shoot/playback switch operates coarsely—functional but somewhat inelegant—and it's hard to figure out why Canon has stuck with this sort of switch when all the other makers have mercifully moved to playback buttons. The single metal strap lug is useful but barely large enough to accommodate a small steel split ring for those people who want to attach a top quality (UpStrap or Optech) wrist strap. The Optical Image Stabilization (IS) control is located two layers deep in a configuration menu, so it takes more than a few moments to turn it on and off. Might as well leave it on all the time, while also remembering that IS does not always guarantee blur-free photos. The creditable Movie mode can be ruined somewhat by wind noise even in very light breezes. (More in the full review)
Pros: I don't understand how Canon does such a consistently superior job with so many of its point & shoot cameras. Competing camera makers must spend hours every day wondering just how Canon comes up with so many good compacts every year. That's not to say other manufacturers produce junk—far from it. But Canon leads the pack because some people over there are really thinking carefully about the best combinations of features, functions, controls, image quality and usability. The variable flash power setting is incredibly useful for making well-balanced portrait photos and for controling fill light—a wonderful feature to have in a camera in this price range. The Canon PowerShot A650 IS can consistently capture well balanced, richly colored photos in a wide range of shooting conditions. The Vari-angle articulating LCD screen is wonderfully useful and offers decent quality image playback too. Movie mode works well enough to make most people think twice about the need for a separate digital video camera. Movie audio is well controlled, with very little noise and clear recording albeit mainly in relatively calm wind conditions. Prominent grip on the right side fits most hands well and provides good control and handling. Uses popular and competitively priced SD storage cards. SOHO and small business owners looking for an office or carry-around camera for use with clients and on job sites should consider the A650 IS. Image quality is suitable for framing and you'll have to spend a lot more money to take the next significant step up. Highly recommended. Read the full review at kickstartnews.com
Manufactured by: Canon
Reviewed by: Howard Carson, March 2008
Requires: An interest in photography
MSRP: US$299.95, UK£289.00
Read the full review on kickstartnews.com
What separates the huge assortment of mediocre point & shoot compact digital cameras from the good ones? Image quality! Canon has consistently come up with designs and technology which continue to keep it in the forefront of compact camera design, usability and image quality. The Canon PowerShot A650 IS Digital Compact Camera is a feature packed, versatile handful designed to please intermediate and advanced amateur photographers and to attract beginner photographers who want something noticeably more complex than so many of the dumbed-down and control-free point & shoot cameras available today.
The PowerShot A650 IS is the top-of-the-line A-series PowerShot model as of this writing. It is a 12.1 megapixel camera with a 6x optical zoom coupled to Canon's patented Optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology. IS is specifically designed to deliver clear, blur-free images in many low light situations and all through the zoom range. The PowerShot A650 IS is built around Canon's latest generation DIGIC III Image Processor which now provides among other things enhanced Face Detection, ISO 1600 and fast in-camera red-eye correction.
Canon's extremely popular A-series is a curious thing to observe. All of the models in the series are relatively lightweight, use 'AA' batteries (two in most models; four in the A650 IS), and offer a large number of shooting and picture controls. After using the PowerShot A650 IS for a week or so and occasionally perusing the user manual during that time, you'll begin to wonder if Canon made some sort of mistake. The question you end up asking is why Canon decided to pack so many well-designed and easy to use features into a camera at this price point. There's nothing on the market right now which has this much packed into it at this price point and which does so much so well at this price point.
Cons: The 173K pixels in the LCD are sufficient for a variety of purposes but pale in comparison to the bright, razor sharp, high resolution LCDs we're starting to see on cameras from competing makers. The shoot/playback switch operates coarsely—functional but somewhat inelegant—and it's hard to figure out why Canon has stuck with this sort of switch when all the other makers have mercifully moved to playback buttons. The single metal strap lug is useful but barely large enough to accommodate a small steel split ring for those people who want to attach a top quality (UpStrap or Optech) wrist strap. The Optical Image Stabilization (IS) control is located two layers deep in a configuration menu, so it takes more than a few moments to turn it on and off. Might as well leave it on all the time, while also remembering that IS does not always guarantee blur-free photos. The creditable Movie mode can be ruined somewhat by wind noise even in very light breezes. (More in the full review)
Pros: I don't understand how Canon does such a consistently superior job with so many of its point & shoot cameras. Competing camera makers must spend hours every day wondering just how Canon comes up with so many good compacts every year. That's not to say other manufacturers produce junk—far from it. But Canon leads the pack because some people over there are really thinking carefully about the best combinations of features, functions, controls, image quality and usability. The variable flash power setting is incredibly useful for making well-balanced portrait photos and for controling fill light—a wonderful feature to have in a camera in this price range. The Canon PowerShot A650 IS can consistently capture well balanced, richly colored photos in a wide range of shooting conditions. The Vari-angle articulating LCD screen is wonderfully useful and offers decent quality image playback too. Movie mode works well enough to make most people think twice about the need for a separate digital video camera. Movie audio is well controlled, with very little noise and clear recording albeit mainly in relatively calm wind conditions. Prominent grip on the right side fits most hands well and provides good control and handling. Uses popular and competitively priced SD storage cards. SOHO and small business owners looking for an office or carry-around camera for use with clients and on job sites should consider the A650 IS. Image quality is suitable for framing and you'll have to spend a lot more money to take the next significant step up. Highly recommended. Read the full review at kickstartnews.com
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Nik Software Ship Viveza
Nik Software have begun shipping Viveza, their new and innovative colour and tone correction plug-in for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. Viveza makes selective adjustments simpler to perform than using Photoshop's own tools. It is built around the U Point technology which first appeared in Nikon Capture NX. From all appearances Viveza looks like an excellent workflow improvement tool. I'll hopefully be taking a closer look at it in the next few weeks.
Apple Update Aperture To Version 2.1
Apple have indicated that the 2.1 update "addresses issues related to performance and overall stability." The update also fixes a number of "minor" issues, including Upgrading libraries from earlier versions of Aperture, Publishing .Mac Web Gallery albums, Preview generation and deletion, Creating and ordering books, Appearance of metadata overlays in the Browser, Filmstrip, and on light tables, Watermarking of emailed photos, Highlight Hot and Cold Areas
It also fixes a number of other minor issues, some involving the following areas: Loupe, Smart Albums, Straighten Tool, Filmstrip, Drag and drop import, Thumbnail generation, Import window and Export plug-in reliability. The update is covered in detail here.
It also fixes a number of other minor issues, some involving the following areas: Loupe, Smart Albums, Straighten Tool, Filmstrip, Drag and drop import, Thumbnail generation, Import window and Export plug-in reliability. The update is covered in detail here.
Friday, February 29, 2008
TrueGrain v1.1 — Black & White Film Emulation Review
Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, February 2008
Published by: Grubba Software
Requires: Source Files in 8 or 16 bit RGB TIF Format, 2GB RAM, Windows XP SP2 or later; Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later
MSRP: US$300.00
Grubba Software was formed to create a solution that could answer the problem of creating digitally originated images that are accurately modelled after real world black & white films. TrueGrain v1.1.7 is a standalone application which uses a combination of real-world samples of grain types, film-specific spectral response curves and dynamic range settings that further refine the greyscale conversion process. There are a number of software solutions which do parts of what TrueGrain does, but none which do it all with such ease and effectiveness.
TrueGrain has sample grains and conversion profiles for a number of film types which I've listed below by film pack.
Film Pack 0
Ilford Delta 3200 Professional
Ilford FP4 Plus
Kodak Professional T-MAX 400
Film Pack 1
Bergger BRF-200
Ilford HP5 Plus
Kodak Professional T-MAX P3200
Konica Infrared 750nm
Film Pack 2
Kodak Panatomic-X
Kodak Professional TRI-X 400
Kodak TRI-X Pan 400
Grubba Software have made a commitment to add more stocks as and when demand requires. The beauty of this model is that your library can grow independent of program updates. Each film stock type comes with settings that also include a number of traditional glass filter profiles and grain samples for a variety of film sizes. For instance, Ilford Delta 3200 Pro comes with the following profiles and grain sizes:
Ilford Delta 3200 Professional 120 (Exp: 6/2007)Exposure: 3200 ISOProcess Date: 1 September 2007Ilford Ilfotec DD-X 1:4 20C 7:30 - Drum Processor
Included filter profiles
Wratten 8 Yellow
Wratten 11 Yellow Green
Wratten 21 Orange
Wratten 25 Red
Wratten 58 Green
Wratten 80B Blue
Included grain sizes
110 17mm x 13mm
135 36mm x 24mm
120 56mm x 45mm (6x4.5)
120 56mm x 56mm (6x6)
120 56mm x 70mm (6x7)
120 56mm x 75mm (6x8)
This film type was modelled on samples processed with Ilford Ilfotec DD-X in a drum processor. Not all film types in TrueGrain have this range of media types but they are very comprehensive where possible.
Using TrueGrain is a breeze and really couldn't be any simpler. Open your image, pick your film type, select your filter if needed, then pick a grain sample and process. The whole workflow is really simple and allows a great deal of modification from the base effect. The interface features three control panes which allow you to refine the simulation by modifying the spectral response, dynamic range and film grain attributes and settings.
Spectral Response basically maps how a particular film type responds to different wavelengths of light. The Spectral Response panel controls, via a mapping curve, how color ranges are mapped to black & white values. The curves are again really simple to use, and can be used by anyone with some knowledge of color to create more interesting effects with your images. This panel is also where you pick the wratten filter you wish to emulate.
The Dynamic Range panel is where you affect the tonality of your image via a tonal response curve. According to Grubba software this feature basically affects "the overall nonlinear response of a given film stock to brightness." The attenuation slider affects the overall intensity of application of the dynamic range.
The last panel, is the Film Grain application control curve, where you define how the film grain is applied. In this panel, you can select the scale of the grain, for the film type you have selected. The scale is reliant on the film size you select and bearing this in mind, I would make an effort to size your source image appropriately, for your intended print size. The curve in this panel isn't editable, but it's intensity of application and appearance can be increased by the grain intensity slider.
Film grain is one of the hardest attributes to effectively emulate, and it is often something which many imageers are asked to remove from scans and images. In TrueGrain this attribute is required as the user is actually trying to emulate this realistic quality, which has its own aesthetic value. Grain modelling is nicely implemented with controls for affecting the inclusion of grain in shadows, midtones and highlights via the predefined curve, as well as controlling the grain size.
One of the attributes which would greatly improve the handling here, is the inclusion of features like clumping and grain shape, to allow for special effects and more customizable grain effects. It might be possible to create application curves and profiles for different types of grain and effects.
I found the best results were created when using fairly neutral, low ISO images with no overt color casts. I also found that using higher resolution images was a necessity, as with lower resolution images the grain effects proved unrealistic—a 6 megapixel image being a recommended baseline or minimum size.
TrueGrain is impressively simple and it is my feeling that the only real way to improve the application, is to add color film types to it, and some facility for custom effects as outlined above. However, as Grubba indicate in their FAQ, they want to focus on handling B&W first, before tackling the additional complications involved in modelling color film types.
Cons: Would like to see more B&W film types. No support for color film types.
Pros: Fast and really easy to use. Highly configurable. TrueGrain is aimed at professional users who can appreciate the work that's been put into this excellent product. The interface makes it easy to achieved the desired result and the available presets further simplify the process. All things considered, TrueGrain is a must have for any photographer and imageer who wants a digital equivalent of black & white film. Highly Recommended.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Corel Bargains At Focus On Imaging 2008
For those of you heading to Focus On Imaging 2008 (24-27 February), pop by the Corel stand, where they are providing some great show deals. Corel are offering attendees 20% off Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, Corel VideoStudio 11.5 Plus and Corel Painter X. They are also providing a free Pantone huey stick to anyone who orders a copy of Corel Painter X for as long as stocks last. Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 is avaialble for £63, VideoStudio 11.5 Plus £47 and Painter X for £214. Corel are at stand S4.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Leica Sacks CEO Steven K. Lee
The CEO of Leica was 'removed' from his post by the company's supervisory board and replaced by their owner and board chairman Andreas Kaufman. His removal is hinted to be linked to a controversial interview he gave to Amateur Photographer at this year's PMA show, in which he hinted that the M8 digital rangefinder was to upgraded with a full frame sensor. I'm guessing that if this was the case, then it was information the board wanted kept under wraps. For more information read the source article at Amateur Photographer.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book, by Richard Lynch, ISBN: 978-0-240-52076-6, Review
Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, February 2008
Published by: Focal Press & Elsevier
Requires: N/A
MSRP: US$39.95, UK£24.95
(CD-ROM included)
As the title suggests, this book is centered entirely on the use and capabilities of the immensely powerful and much-emulated Layers feature in Photoshop. Richard Lynch is an expert Photoshop user and a very capable artist, designer and photographer in his own right. His knowledge of all versions of the Photoshop series of software shines through in this highly detailed book. Taking a task-based approach, Lynch uses techniques which translate well through pretty much every version of Photoshop since CS.
Focal Press offers dozens of Photoshop titles covering digital photo editing techniques, creative imaging with Photoshop and creative design with Photoshop. The subject coverage in The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book is far more narrowly focused than other Focal Press titles however, and deals strictly with the powerful layers functions and creative possibilities with layers.
The Table of Contents is clear cut:
Published by: Focal Press & Elsevier
Requires: N/A
MSRP: US$39.95, UK£24.95
(CD-ROM included)
As the title suggests, this book is centered entirely on the use and capabilities of the immensely powerful and much-emulated Layers feature in Photoshop. Richard Lynch is an expert Photoshop user and a very capable artist, designer and photographer in his own right. His knowledge of all versions of the Photoshop series of software shines through in this highly detailed book. Taking a task-based approach, Lynch uses techniques which translate well through pretty much every version of Photoshop since CS.
Focal Press offers dozens of Photoshop titles covering digital photo editing techniques, creative imaging with Photoshop and creative design with Photoshop. The subject coverage in The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book is far more narrowly focused than other Focal Press titles however, and deals strictly with the powerful layers functions and creative possibilities with layers.
The Table of Contents is clear cut:
- Introduction: The World of Image Layers
- The Basics of Layers: Layer Functions and Creation
- Layer Management: Concepts of a Layer-Based Workflow
- Basic Object and Image Area Isolation
- Masking: Enhanced Area Isolation
- Applying Layer Effects
- Exploring Layer Modes
- Advanced Blending Modes
- Breaking Out Components
- Taking an Image Through the Process
- Making Layered Collage and Composite Images
- Epilogue: Using RAW in Your Layer Workflow
- Considering Color Management: Testing Your Workflow
Lynch covers everything from layer types, work flows, blending methods and channels. Each tutorial goes into great detail on how to achieve your given task and also explains why particular tools are used and how. The only real problem is that all this detail tends to leave the expert user wanting to skip through the book.
Beginners (and even a few intermediate) Photoshop users, as well as people new to pixel-level creativity software, general image editing and photo editing deserve an explanation of layers. For the uninitiated then, here's an explanation of layers from Virtual Training Help Center "Layers are like transparencies stacked one on top of one another." Each layer can contain a different image, effect or modification which can stand out from, enhance or blend in with the contents of all the layers above and below it. When the layers are stacked, they appear as a single image.
Individual layers in a Photoshop image can be turned on or off, allowing images to be saved in various different states. Parts of one layer can be used to hide or reveal parts of another layer. The list of functional and creative possibilities for layers goes on and on, and remains one of several important reasons that Photoshop, relatively early in its existence, garnered such widespread use by graphic artists and photographers around the world.
Beginners still not clear? Here's another explanation, this one from photoshopcafe.com: "A layer is simply one image stacked on top of another. Imagine I have a piece of paper and I paint it red. Then I take a piece of clear cellophane and paint a yellow circle, and lay it over the paper. Now I take another peice of cellophane and paint some blue type and lay that on top of the yellow circle. I now have a background (red) and 2 layers (yellow and blue)."
The Photoshop Roadmap and FreeTimeFoto explain layers this way: "Photoshop Layers are like stacks of images printed on acetate. An area that contains no color can be revealed to see the layer underneath it. That's called a transparency area. One Photoshop image can contain one or more layers. A Background Layer is a special layer with no transparency area and is common to other file formats that don't support layers (JPEG, BMP, etc.). When you open those file formats in Photoshop you will have only a Background Layer. One image file can contain only one Background Layer. In Photoshop, Background Layer can not be edited. A Type Layer is a special layer that can contain only text. It can be created automatically when you use the Photoshop Type Tool to type in any texts."
This description is from Jack Arraich's Photoshop Elements Tips: "Aside from the minor attraction of being able to keep your image organized by putting each element on its own separate labeled layer, the overwhelming advantage of layers is that they allow you to segregate your edits."
The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book uses a series of creative examples to expand the basic definitions of layers in ways that clearly demonstrate the depth and power of this important and versatile tool set in Photoshop.
Even though The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book mainly confirms much of what I already know and use in my daily professional work with Photoshop, I still found some useful new nuggets of information in chapter 7 - Advance Blending with Blend If, which focuses on the use of the advanced capabilities provided in the Layer Styles dialog.
As a long time user of Photoshop I found myself often smiling at several of the example projects in The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book because they echoed things I have encountered on past projects. I was however left feeling that the examples used in the book needed a little fleshing out. I would like to have seen an example matrix-type approach with several different types of images featured to show a range of results, especially in the Exploring Layer Modes chapter.
Cons: Too general in some sections for experienced users. Although most parts of the layers coverage is comprehensive, deeper examples could improve an already fine book.
Pros: Excellent hints and tips. Comprehensive coverage of Photoshop layers for beginner and intermediate users. Lynch seems to do a good job of avoiding computer platform bias, so Windows and Mac OS X users alike will derive equal value from the book. Relevant for most recent versions of Photoshop including Photoshop CS, Photoshop CS2, Photoshop CS3, Photoshop Elements 5 and Photoshop Elements 6. This excellent, focused book and its companion CD will no doubt open the eyes of many beginners and intermediate users about the functional and creative capabilities of layers in Photoshop. Highly recommended.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Apple Releases Aperture 2
Apple have released Aperture 2 with over 100 new features ... these features include the following new features; User Interface, RAW Image Quality, Compare and Select Tools, Workflow improvements, new Image Processing Tools, Photo Management tools, Print and Web Publishing and AppleScript improvements. The full list and details of improvements can be found at the new features page at Apples' Aperture section on their site. There have been some notable improvements with support for tethered shooting, enhanced imports and image tuning capabilites and a few features taken out of the pages of Lightroom, Apple have even reduced the price to £110 plus VAT. Owners of previous versions can upgrade to Aperture 2 for £55 plus VAT.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Review
The Nikon D300 Digital SLR is a 12.3 megapixel, CMOS APS-C size (DX) sensor, 14-bit color camera. It features a high resolution (922,000 pixel) 3" LCD rear monitor suitable for spot proofing, switchable Live View through the rear LCD, weatherproofing, a 150,000 actuation synthetic shutter, UDMA high speed CompactFlash card support, a new CPU (the EXPEED processor), a switchable 51(!) point auto focus system, automatic face recognition and focus tracking by color, customizable focus calibration to accommodate focus variations in up to twenty different lenses, scene recognition, HDMI high definition video output to high definition televisions and display devices, Active D-Lighting for automated in-camera shadow & highlight control of high dynamic range (HDR) scenes, and extremely fast operation. There's lots more, but you get the idea. The Nikon D300 is an awful lot of camera. Read the full review at Kickstartnews
I've been shooting with the Nikon D300 Digital SLR camera for several weeks, so it's time to stop having so much fun for a short while and start writing. The problem is, I just don't want to put away the camera. It has its quirks and could use a bit of minor improvement in a couple of areas, but to date is the most complete digital SLR I've ever seen. My perspective is based on analysis of image quality, feature sets, hardware quality, ergonomics and general usability compared with the top-of-the-line digital SLRs from Canon (EOS 40D), Fuji (Finepix S5), Leica (Digilux 3), Olympus (E3), Pentax (K10D, K20D) and Sony (a700). If the goal of photography is to make photographs, then the Nikon D300 does the best job of any camera, except for the much more expensive Nikon D3, Canon 1D Mk III and Canon 5D, at just getting out of your way and letting you do that. Even in a direct comparison with the wonderful Canon 5D full frame sensor powerhouse, the D300 is its equal in low noise, low-medium ISO shooting, and is obviously better at image proofing and review using the glorious, bright, high resolution 3" LCD which remains almost reason enough by itself to purchase a D300. The days of using the camera LCD to review a shot you just took and never being sure if it's color balanced or properly focused are gone. The D300 LCD screen is a true monitor with the resolution, clarity and color depth that photographers have been demanding for many years.
The Nikon D300 Digital SLR, coupled with a selection of Nikon lenses, is everything you'll ever need as a snapshooter, amateur photographer, serious photography hobbyist or general photography professional. The D300 is weatherproofed which means the camera can function just as easily and at just as high quality as you'll get from it indoors. Ergonomically, the camera fits most hands well. Unusually, we found that even people with small-to-medium size hands found the camera comfortable to use, while a couple of testers with very large hands also reported the same great comfort levels over hours of continuous use. Only younger kids and people with very small hands will experience any problems with the D300 control layout, grip or body weight. We shot a huge and varied selection of subjects: wildlife at a local conservation area, sports at a local arena - hockey and volleyball, portraits of family members, urban locations, night shots, street scenes, textures, products being prepared for eBay listings, and in miserable weather, great weather, indoors, mixed lighting and you name it. We did the vast majority of our shooting with four lenses: Nikkor 12-24mm f4 DX wide angle zoom, Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 DX VR zoom, Nikkor 17-55mm f2.8 DX professional zoom, and the Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR professional prime lens.
The Nikon D300 digital SLR is ready to shoot instantly. No matter what mode you select or leave the camera in, turn it on and it's ready to go. Controls are responsive and provide positive feedback. Novice or pro, you can feel exactly how the camera is reacting to your handling and input. Novices may leave the notification beeps on for the first few days or weeks of use, but then the D300's smart design and easy handling will likely allow even still slightly nervous beginners to shut off the beeps and rely instead on the camera's mechanical sounds and natural feedback. In a lighter weight body, Nikon has actually enhanced the tradition of superb tactile feedback pioneered and revered in the FE, F4, F5 and F100 and continued through the D100/200 and the D1/2/3 bodies. I look forward to picking up the D300 and using it in any environment because it feels great and secure in-hand and because it offers controls which are smartly placed, easy to activate and well configured. All in all it's a pleasure to use.
Cons: Auto ISO is not automatically turned off when camera is set to manual (M) mode. Low noise at all normal ISO settings, but performance should be better still above ISO800.
Pros: Superb handling, ergonomics and image quality. The gorgeous high resolution LCD is a wonder to behold. Live view works well. Sensor cleaning function is very useful. Color accuracy is remarkable. A professional camera which can easily be used by amateurs and photography hobbyists. Read the full review at Kickstartnews
I've been shooting with the Nikon D300 Digital SLR camera for several weeks, so it's time to stop having so much fun for a short while and start writing. The problem is, I just don't want to put away the camera. It has its quirks and could use a bit of minor improvement in a couple of areas, but to date is the most complete digital SLR I've ever seen. My perspective is based on analysis of image quality, feature sets, hardware quality, ergonomics and general usability compared with the top-of-the-line digital SLRs from Canon (EOS 40D), Fuji (Finepix S5), Leica (Digilux 3), Olympus (E3), Pentax (K10D, K20D) and Sony (a700). If the goal of photography is to make photographs, then the Nikon D300 does the best job of any camera, except for the much more expensive Nikon D3, Canon 1D Mk III and Canon 5D, at just getting out of your way and letting you do that. Even in a direct comparison with the wonderful Canon 5D full frame sensor powerhouse, the D300 is its equal in low noise, low-medium ISO shooting, and is obviously better at image proofing and review using the glorious, bright, high resolution 3" LCD which remains almost reason enough by itself to purchase a D300. The days of using the camera LCD to review a shot you just took and never being sure if it's color balanced or properly focused are gone. The D300 LCD screen is a true monitor with the resolution, clarity and color depth that photographers have been demanding for many years.
The Nikon D300 Digital SLR, coupled with a selection of Nikon lenses, is everything you'll ever need as a snapshooter, amateur photographer, serious photography hobbyist or general photography professional. The D300 is weatherproofed which means the camera can function just as easily and at just as high quality as you'll get from it indoors. Ergonomically, the camera fits most hands well. Unusually, we found that even people with small-to-medium size hands found the camera comfortable to use, while a couple of testers with very large hands also reported the same great comfort levels over hours of continuous use. Only younger kids and people with very small hands will experience any problems with the D300 control layout, grip or body weight. We shot a huge and varied selection of subjects: wildlife at a local conservation area, sports at a local arena - hockey and volleyball, portraits of family members, urban locations, night shots, street scenes, textures, products being prepared for eBay listings, and in miserable weather, great weather, indoors, mixed lighting and you name it. We did the vast majority of our shooting with four lenses: Nikkor 12-24mm f4 DX wide angle zoom, Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 DX VR zoom, Nikkor 17-55mm f2.8 DX professional zoom, and the Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR professional prime lens.
The Nikon D300 digital SLR is ready to shoot instantly. No matter what mode you select or leave the camera in, turn it on and it's ready to go. Controls are responsive and provide positive feedback. Novice or pro, you can feel exactly how the camera is reacting to your handling and input. Novices may leave the notification beeps on for the first few days or weeks of use, but then the D300's smart design and easy handling will likely allow even still slightly nervous beginners to shut off the beeps and rely instead on the camera's mechanical sounds and natural feedback. In a lighter weight body, Nikon has actually enhanced the tradition of superb tactile feedback pioneered and revered in the FE, F4, F5 and F100 and continued through the D100/200 and the D1/2/3 bodies. I look forward to picking up the D300 and using it in any environment because it feels great and secure in-hand and because it offers controls which are smartly placed, easy to activate and well configured. All in all it's a pleasure to use.
Cons: Auto ISO is not automatically turned off when camera is set to manual (M) mode. Low noise at all normal ISO settings, but performance should be better still above ISO800.
Pros: Superb handling, ergonomics and image quality. The gorgeous high resolution LCD is a wonder to behold. Live view works well. Sensor cleaning function is very useful. Color accuracy is remarkable. A professional camera which can easily be used by amateurs and photography hobbyists. Read the full review at Kickstartnews
Nikon Coolpix P50 Digital Camera Review
The Nikon Coolpix P50 is an 8.1 megapixel, 3.6x zoom, f2.8-5.6 camera featuring a 4.7-17.0mm zoom lens. The lens actually amounts to a 28-102mm standard-to-medium zoom when you take into account the crop factor introduced by the small image sensor. The P50 contains an electronic version of Nikon's patented Vibration Reduction (VR) lens stabilization system, and a large 2.4", 115,000 pixel LCD. The top of the camera sports an optical viewfinder, mode selector dial, shutter button and on/off button. The Nikon P50 is almost identical in size to and somewhat lighter than its P5100 top-of-the-line sibling. The back of the camera keeps all other external controls clustered vertically on the right side: a zoom rocker control, playback button, command wheel (for timer, macro, flash control, EV exposure compensation), menu button and delete button. The bottom of the camera offers a plastic-thread tripod mount, and a trap door behind which you'll find the battery compartment and the SD memory card slot. Nikon has positioned a dock connector at the back of the bottom plate. The mini-USB connector is located behind a rubber snap-in door on the upper right end of the body. The flash indicator and auto-focus lock indicator LEDs are located in a column next to the viewfinder bulge. The Nikon P50 has a prominent grip bulge on the right side which is covered with a good quality piece of textured, molded rubber providing excellent feel and control. The upper right end also has a protruding metal tab for use with a neck or wrist strap.
If the Nikon P5000 and P5100 are prosumer cameras (aimed necessarily at serious point & shoot photographers and also at amateurs and semi-pros who need a point & shoot backup camera), then the P50 is an enthusiast's camera. The differences between the entry level P50 and the masterful P5100 are obvious. The P5100 has a hot shoe for Nikon external flashguns, the P50 does not. The P5100 has selectable Auto, Aperture, Shutter, Program, Manual, Scene and VR modes and controls, while the P50 offers Auto, Program, Manual and Scene modes and controls. The P5100 has a finely stepped rotary zoom control; the P50 has a more coarsely stepped rocker switch zoom control. The P5100 is built around a cast magnesium body shell; the P50 is built around a sturdy polycarbonate shell. The P5100 offers a slightly better lens and a 12.1 megapixel image sensor; the P50 lens provides a more useful zoom range and an 8.1 megapixel image sensor. The P50 costs $150 less than the P5100. Hmmm. Tough decision.
Let it be stated above all else that more megapixels don't automatically mean better photographs. I'll take the clean, relatively noise-free 8.1 megapixels of the Nikon Coolpix P50 over the slightly noisier, but greater number of megapixels often found in more expensive cameras. The reason is simply that a large number of megapixels doesn't necessarily mean greater resolution. It just means physically larger images and somewhat better detail when you zoom in or crop. But since I rarely print larger than 8"x10" who cares? I do serious shooting with my digital SLR cameras, not a point & shoot, and it's on such SLRs that you'll find extremely high resolution lenses capable of capturing clean, noise free detail at really large image sizes suitable for printing many times larger than 8"x10". Forget about megapixels. It's sufficient to state here—and please believe me—that the 8.1 megapixel P50 will capture photos suitable for beautiful printing at all normal sizes including 8"x10" (and even 13"x19" depending on subject matter).
The real test is in the shooting. Winter days with fresh white snow sitting on dark wood, the sad looking, snow-capped, black metal BBQ sitting on my backyard deck and many other similar subjects provide high-contrast, wide dynamic range challenges for all digital cameras, and represent a particularly distressing challenge for little point & shoot models with their smaller image sensors and comparatively limited processing power. The P50 does quite well outdoors in winter, so color me surprised. The exposure compensation (EV) adjustments come in handy for dialing things back slightly to help get blown out snow highlights back under control, but the basic dynamic range of the sensor and the way in which Nikon's wonderful new EXPEED processor handle the high contrast data is exemplary for a camera in this class. Here's a sample photo. Read the full review at Kickstartnews.
Cons: Minor assembly issue leaves a small dirt collecting gap where the rubber grip fits into the the body. Some focus adjustment settings aren't retained in shooting mode. ISO2000 is useful only as a marketing pitch.
Pros: Lightweight, versatile, good image quality. Nikon has, as usual, emphasized very accurate, vibrant color. Clean images for any purposes up to ISO200. Printable images up to ISO400.
Read the full Nikon Coolpix P50 review
If the Nikon P5000 and P5100 are prosumer cameras (aimed necessarily at serious point & shoot photographers and also at amateurs and semi-pros who need a point & shoot backup camera), then the P50 is an enthusiast's camera. The differences between the entry level P50 and the masterful P5100 are obvious. The P5100 has a hot shoe for Nikon external flashguns, the P50 does not. The P5100 has selectable Auto, Aperture, Shutter, Program, Manual, Scene and VR modes and controls, while the P50 offers Auto, Program, Manual and Scene modes and controls. The P5100 has a finely stepped rotary zoom control; the P50 has a more coarsely stepped rocker switch zoom control. The P5100 is built around a cast magnesium body shell; the P50 is built around a sturdy polycarbonate shell. The P5100 offers a slightly better lens and a 12.1 megapixel image sensor; the P50 lens provides a more useful zoom range and an 8.1 megapixel image sensor. The P50 costs $150 less than the P5100. Hmmm. Tough decision.
Let it be stated above all else that more megapixels don't automatically mean better photographs. I'll take the clean, relatively noise-free 8.1 megapixels of the Nikon Coolpix P50 over the slightly noisier, but greater number of megapixels often found in more expensive cameras. The reason is simply that a large number of megapixels doesn't necessarily mean greater resolution. It just means physically larger images and somewhat better detail when you zoom in or crop. But since I rarely print larger than 8"x10" who cares? I do serious shooting with my digital SLR cameras, not a point & shoot, and it's on such SLRs that you'll find extremely high resolution lenses capable of capturing clean, noise free detail at really large image sizes suitable for printing many times larger than 8"x10". Forget about megapixels. It's sufficient to state here—and please believe me—that the 8.1 megapixel P50 will capture photos suitable for beautiful printing at all normal sizes including 8"x10" (and even 13"x19" depending on subject matter).
The real test is in the shooting. Winter days with fresh white snow sitting on dark wood, the sad looking, snow-capped, black metal BBQ sitting on my backyard deck and many other similar subjects provide high-contrast, wide dynamic range challenges for all digital cameras, and represent a particularly distressing challenge for little point & shoot models with their smaller image sensors and comparatively limited processing power. The P50 does quite well outdoors in winter, so color me surprised. The exposure compensation (EV) adjustments come in handy for dialing things back slightly to help get blown out snow highlights back under control, but the basic dynamic range of the sensor and the way in which Nikon's wonderful new EXPEED processor handle the high contrast data is exemplary for a camera in this class. Here's a sample photo. Read the full review at Kickstartnews.
Cons: Minor assembly issue leaves a small dirt collecting gap where the rubber grip fits into the the body. Some focus adjustment settings aren't retained in shooting mode. ISO2000 is useful only as a marketing pitch.
Pros: Lightweight, versatile, good image quality. Nikon has, as usual, emphasized very accurate, vibrant color. Clean images for any purposes up to ISO200. Printable images up to ISO400.
Read the full Nikon Coolpix P50 review
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom v1.3 Review
Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, February 2008
Published by: Adobe
Requires: Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/Microsoft, Windows XP SP2; Pentium 4 or PowerPC G4 CPU or faster, 768MB RAM, 1GB available hard drive space
MSRP: US$299.oo, UK£179.00
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is designed to be an essential part of the professional photographer's toolbox, Lightroom contains comprehensive features and functions specifically for managing, cataloging, editing and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. Adobe Lightroom is meant to be a program which helps you spend less time in front of the computer and more time with your camera.
Having spent a short time under contract at Adobe prior to the release of Lightroom and Apple's Aperture, I was exposed to a lot of the development projects in which Adobe was engaged. As anyone who knows a little about the origins of Adobe Lightroom will tell you, it began life as a project which was designed to provide a solution aimed squarely at the workflow and imaging requirements of photographers without necessarily obviating the need for Photoshop. The 'wow' of Aperture with its innovative user interface (UI) and cool grey look was lost on me because I had already seen what amounted to about four years work in workflow, intense case studies and focus groups as well as several other user interface concepts at Adobe which echoed many of the same concepts. The UI and workflow concepts which made a lot of people stop and listen when Apple released Aperture, were also present in products such as Express Photo Darkroom and several niche products that had been on the market for photographers and professional labs for quite some time.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has been in my possession for some time now and has become as much a part of my workflow as Photoshop, Corel Painter and my other primary creative tools. What Lightroom does is enable photographers to simplify the process of working with their digital images. Acquiring photos, managing them and correcting or editing them non-destructively as well as then providing an elegant interface for creating prints, slideshows and web-based photo galleries.
Adobe Lightroom consists of five rooms: Library, Develop, Slideshow, Print, Web, each of which simply does what it infers. The program interface, layout and color scheme is easy on the eyes and doesn't detract from the viewing of your images. When you launch Lightroom for the first time, it asks you to point it to your current image folders so that it can build a database. Once built, which happens fairly quickly, you can start to browse them in Library. Lightroom also remembers the last time you added files to the library and incrementally updates the archive.
Library offers you several options and quite a bit of feedback on any photos selected. Photos can be displayed either on their own or as part of a library grid. You can even compare photos side by side (a rare and useful feature in this type of software) or view photos as part of a collection. Photos can also be displayed alongside their metadata (all of the information contained in the JPEG, EXIF, IPTC and Catalog headers). The options for sorting and grouping your photos are many and varied, so much so in fact that you'll be spoilt for choice. Using any of these features and functions in Lightroom is very easy making it a joy to work with.
The film strip approach is really effective and makes it easy to view your images either as a sequence or as part of a set. You can also begin working with images fairly intuitively using an interface which has been designed with ease of use in mind. It's important to note here that the Lightroom interface was also designed with extensive feedback from and consultation with professional photographers and imageers.
Out of the box Adobe Photoshop Lightroom comes with pretty much everything you will need to carry out basic image processing and enhancement. In Develop you can apply non-destructive changes to your images so that your images are not irrevocably affected. For working with RAW files, this is an absolute necessity, however this process can also be applied to JPEGs and other file types. Changes that can be applied in Develop include toning, color, white balance, exposure, recovery, fill light, blacks, brightness, contrast, clarity and vibrancy. Each adjustment can be made in a range of increments which provide customizable and extremely fine control. Develop is very easy to work, and the Quick Develop mode simplifies the process for even faster edits. All told Develop is quite powerful and allows you a great deal of control over your images.
Slideshow allows you to define collections of images for presentation to clients and for review. It is not designed to produce flashy slideshows or travelogues for home users, although that would no doubt be a useful feature for some photographers, especially those working in event and wedding photography.
The Web capabilities in Lightroom were initially quite simple in earlier versions. Web allows you to create web galleries using either HTML or Flash. Web have been significantly upgraded to allow more enhanced control and to provide files that can be edited and customized with greater ease. The output features are very similar to those found in Photoshop, but could do with some improvement to make it more user friendly.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has had a lot of time to mature and I can't wait for the next full iteration. There have been three updates since its introduction and all these have helped make Lightroom a joy to use. What I'd like to see in the next iteration is a more robust output engine, better slideshow and enhanced web capabilities.
Cons: Output options need improvement.
Pros: Cool UI. Create galleries from folders or on the fly. Excellent sorting features. Compare and select image, quick editing and control in Develop module. All things considered, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a beautifully designed program, which has been put together with the photographer in mind. Bear in mind that this program was produced with input from some of the leading photographers and imageers in the industry. The attention lavished on this tool is evident in everything you touch in the software. Anyone working with professional and prosumer digital cameras needs this tool. Highly recommended.
Published by: Adobe
Requires: Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/Microsoft, Windows XP SP2; Pentium 4 or PowerPC G4 CPU or faster, 768MB RAM, 1GB available hard drive space
MSRP: US$299.oo, UK£179.00
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is designed to be an essential part of the professional photographer's toolbox, Lightroom contains comprehensive features and functions specifically for managing, cataloging, editing and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. Adobe Lightroom is meant to be a program which helps you spend less time in front of the computer and more time with your camera.
Having spent a short time under contract at Adobe prior to the release of Lightroom and Apple's Aperture, I was exposed to a lot of the development projects in which Adobe was engaged. As anyone who knows a little about the origins of Adobe Lightroom will tell you, it began life as a project which was designed to provide a solution aimed squarely at the workflow and imaging requirements of photographers without necessarily obviating the need for Photoshop. The 'wow' of Aperture with its innovative user interface (UI) and cool grey look was lost on me because I had already seen what amounted to about four years work in workflow, intense case studies and focus groups as well as several other user interface concepts at Adobe which echoed many of the same concepts. The UI and workflow concepts which made a lot of people stop and listen when Apple released Aperture, were also present in products such as Express Photo Darkroom and several niche products that had been on the market for photographers and professional labs for quite some time.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has been in my possession for some time now and has become as much a part of my workflow as Photoshop, Corel Painter and my other primary creative tools. What Lightroom does is enable photographers to simplify the process of working with their digital images. Acquiring photos, managing them and correcting or editing them non-destructively as well as then providing an elegant interface for creating prints, slideshows and web-based photo galleries.
Adobe Lightroom consists of five rooms: Library, Develop, Slideshow, Print, Web, each of which simply does what it infers. The program interface, layout and color scheme is easy on the eyes and doesn't detract from the viewing of your images. When you launch Lightroom for the first time, it asks you to point it to your current image folders so that it can build a database. Once built, which happens fairly quickly, you can start to browse them in Library. Lightroom also remembers the last time you added files to the library and incrementally updates the archive.
Library offers you several options and quite a bit of feedback on any photos selected. Photos can be displayed either on their own or as part of a library grid. You can even compare photos side by side (a rare and useful feature in this type of software) or view photos as part of a collection. Photos can also be displayed alongside their metadata (all of the information contained in the JPEG, EXIF, IPTC and Catalog headers). The options for sorting and grouping your photos are many and varied, so much so in fact that you'll be spoilt for choice. Using any of these features and functions in Lightroom is very easy making it a joy to work with.
The film strip approach is really effective and makes it easy to view your images either as a sequence or as part of a set. You can also begin working with images fairly intuitively using an interface which has been designed with ease of use in mind. It's important to note here that the Lightroom interface was also designed with extensive feedback from and consultation with professional photographers and imageers.
Out of the box Adobe Photoshop Lightroom comes with pretty much everything you will need to carry out basic image processing and enhancement. In Develop you can apply non-destructive changes to your images so that your images are not irrevocably affected. For working with RAW files, this is an absolute necessity, however this process can also be applied to JPEGs and other file types. Changes that can be applied in Develop include toning, color, white balance, exposure, recovery, fill light, blacks, brightness, contrast, clarity and vibrancy. Each adjustment can be made in a range of increments which provide customizable and extremely fine control. Develop is very easy to work, and the Quick Develop mode simplifies the process for even faster edits. All told Develop is quite powerful and allows you a great deal of control over your images.
Slideshow allows you to define collections of images for presentation to clients and for review. It is not designed to produce flashy slideshows or travelogues for home users, although that would no doubt be a useful feature for some photographers, especially those working in event and wedding photography.
The Web capabilities in Lightroom were initially quite simple in earlier versions. Web allows you to create web galleries using either HTML or Flash. Web have been significantly upgraded to allow more enhanced control and to provide files that can be edited and customized with greater ease. The output features are very similar to those found in Photoshop, but could do with some improvement to make it more user friendly.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has had a lot of time to mature and I can't wait for the next full iteration. There have been three updates since its introduction and all these have helped make Lightroom a joy to use. What I'd like to see in the next iteration is a more robust output engine, better slideshow and enhanced web capabilities.
Cons: Output options need improvement.
Pros: Cool UI. Create galleries from folders or on the fly. Excellent sorting features. Compare and select image, quick editing and control in Develop module. All things considered, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a beautifully designed program, which has been put together with the photographer in mind. Bear in mind that this program was produced with input from some of the leading photographers and imageers in the industry. The attention lavished on this tool is evident in everything you touch in the software. Anyone working with professional and prosumer digital cameras needs this tool. Highly recommended.
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