Velbon El Carmagne 530 Carbon Fiber Tripod with Pan Head and Case Review

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(More customer reviews)Being new to photography,I purchased the Velbon Carmagne 530 carbon fiber tripod with PH-250B magnesium head for my Canon A95 camera, based upon several other favorable reviews. I wanted a lightweight but durable tripod that was easy to use. This tripod has fulfilled all expectations with its superb quality and close tolerances--there isn't a sloppy component anywhere and it looks as if it were made for the space program. The matt-black finish is beautiful. The carbon fiber legs (the main sections have a black foam covering) extend smoothly and are secured easily with snap-locks. The locking mechanism that controls the splay of the legs works beautifully, allowing the tripod to be positioned for macro shots of ground-level subjects. The 3-way panhead is adjusted with a locking knob and two removable handles (one of which must be removed to store the tripod in the included carrying case--no big deal). The tripod should be able to support even SLRs with telephoto lenses. Fully collapsed, the tripod is roughly 26" long and is easily transported with the case's carrying strap. Although I may never use the "stone" bag (for weighting the tripod down) including it was a thoughtful touch. More expensive models extend to greater heights, but I preferred the fewer leg sections (three) of the model 530. If you think you'll be doing a lot of indoors and outdoor photography and value superb engineering and quality, consider this tripod. It is worth the price, but be prepared to spend over $200. Now having tried a carbon fiber-magnesium tripod, I would never go back to a run-of-the-mill metal one.

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U)VELBON ELCARMAGNE 530 CARBON TPOD

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Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're looking at this lens, you're ready to spend some serious dollars. Is it worth it? Short answer, yes, but I'll elaborate.
I've shot with a variety of Nikon and Canon lenses for about 25 years. The 300 f/2.8L IS is without a doubt the sharpest lens I've ever had, and it is unbelievably consistent across every aperture. With the 1.4X Canon extender - other its becoming an f/4 lens - I could not see any appreciable change in its performance. Unbelievable.
I got my introduction to image stabilization on the 70-200 f/2.8L IS, and it is even more useful on the 300. I handheld consistently crisp shots at 1/60 and sometimes at 1/30. With my old Nikon 300 mm, anything below 1/250 was out of the question and 1/500 was a good idea. The whirring of the IS is a bit louder on the 300 than the 70-200.
When shooting action in AI Servo mode, the autofocus was as fast as on my shorter prime lenses.
In some forums, people swear by third party long lenses that they say produce as good an image at less than half the cost. All I can say is that their experience probably reflects the limitations of their skills rather than the comparability of the lenses.
With the 1.4X extender and my 1D Mark IIN's 1.3X FOVCF, this becomes a 546 mm lens. On a 1.6X FOVCF camera it's a whopping 672 mm.
Here are some other Canon alternatives and why you might want to go with them instead of the 300 f/2.8L IS:
- Canon 300 f/4L IS - less than half the price; it is lighter and has a built-in lens hood that doesn't require assembly; you lose a stop, and while a very sharp lens, not in same class at the f/2.8. good choice if you don't have the money for the f/2.8 or want to spread it among other lenses.
- Canon 400 f/2.8L IS - a longer reach without losing a stop but the price and weight increase significantly; not really hand-holdable; lens of choice for outdoor sports action.
- Canon 500 f/4L IS - if you want to shoot birds, you'll need the extra reach. It's cheaper than the 400 2.8 but a couple thousand more than the 300. Sharpness is comparable to the 300.
- Zoom lenses (70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS; 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS) Cheaper, lighter and more flexible but a serious compromise on image quality vs. 300 f/2.8L IS.
Best argument against the 300 f/2.8L is that you won't shoot often enough at that focal length or you want to buy more lenses for the money.
I'm saving my pennies now to add the 500 f/4L IS for bird and other wildlife distance shooting. It will take a few years.

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The high-performance L-series EF 300mm super-telephoto lens is a terrific choice for sports photographers and other long-distance users. Sports action requires a fast shutter speed and a long focal length. This lens easily complies thanks to its large maximum aperture--which supports a faster shutter speed--and its 300mm length. The lens also boasts a built-in, dual-mode Image Stabilizer (IS) function. This creates an equivalent shutter speed of up to four stops faster than the same size lens without an image stabilizer, letting you capture long distance hand-held shots far more assuredly. And thanks to the fluorite element and pair of UD-glass elements, the lens effectively corrects the chromatic aberrations that are prone to occur with telephoto lenses. Other features include the world's fastest autofocus (AF) speed with an improved Ring Ultrasonic Motor (USM) and new algorithms; a rugged, lightweight magnesium alloy lens barrel; and a detachable tripod collar that removes smoothly and locks securely. All Canon lenses carry a one-year warranty.
Specifications
Focal length: 300mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Lens construction: 17 elements in 13 groups
Diagonal angle of view: 8 degrees at 15 feet
Focus adjustment: Inner focusing system with USM
Closest focusing distance: 8.2 feet
Filter size: 52mm drop-in
Dimensions: 5 inches in diameter and 9.9 inches long
Weight: 90 ounces
Warranty: 1 year

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Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here are the basics that I considered and have found out from about 9 months of ownership. Keep in mind opinions on photography equipment varies greatly by the user and what the equipment is used for so while I think the 5D is near-perfect, others might not.
While the positives and negatives seem even in number, the positives FAR outweigh the negatives. I have no regrets about my purchase.
Positives
+Full frame sensor: allows me to acheive true wide angle photographs with no crop factor
+Image size: I have had a number of large (20"x30") prints made and the results are flawless
+Ability to shoot in RAW: While the files are huge (12MB+ each), the information and options this format provides has really expanded my technical and creative abilities.
+Build quality: While I haven't tried the true Canon Pro series (1 series), the 5D is pleasantly sturdy and feels solid in my hands. I can see how some might find it too heavy, especially with an L series lens.
Negatives-
-Lens requirements: Because of the full frame sensor, the 5D brings out the best (and worst) out of the corners and edges of your lenses. You will be able to tell a lesser quality lens more easily on the 5D than on a cropped sensor lens. The obvious negative is that better lenses like the L-series are generally much more expensive ($600+)
-No flash: Not a big deal to me but I've noticed that people are surprised when they see the 5D has no flash. This doesn't matter that much since built in flashes are rarely useful in most situations.
-Dust in sensor: Make sure you get a good sensor cleaning kit shortly after getting the 5D. There are steps you can take to minimize dust like changing lenses rarely and always indoors but you will need to clean the sensor every few months depending on use. To test if you need to clean (on any DSLR), put the camera on a tripod or flat surface, point it at a white wall , focus, and shoot with a long exposure and small aperture (5+ seconds and f/16 or smaller). If there is any junk on your sensor you should see it.

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RE) CANON EOS 5D SLR BODY

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Promaster 7500EDF Digital Flash - Canon Review

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(More customer reviews)It seems that everyone is whining about the battery life of this flash, but not about the quality of the product!! I bought this flasher today from a local retailer, and have had amazing success with it. I took well over 300 pictures with the same set of disposable batteries and it's still going strong. After 300 or so, the recharge time took a tad longer (1-3 seconds), but all in all, I definitely give this 5 stars. Granted, I am an amateur, but I am enjoying having a mini portrait studio right on top of my Canon XSI Rebel. Buy this. You wont be disappointed.

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The PROMASTER 7500EDF Digital is a fully dedicated TTL flash designed to work seamlessly with today's high tech digital SLRs as well as traditional SLRs. It includes many advanced features including motorized zoom, multiple and modeling modes, and remote slave function. Along with all of these great features, you get full TTL integration with your digital SLR. The flash has a low profile design, a metal flash foot and features the added benefit of being able to update the firmware which insures that you will get many years of reliable flash photography. One of the handicaps of a camera (film or digital type) is the need to have good light to make a great picture. Many of today's cameras can take pictures indoors without flash or offer a built in electronic flash. However, adding more light in just the right amount can make the difference between a good picture and a remarkable picture. When you see pictures taken by today's contemporary photojournalists, the definition and tonality of the picture can be awesome. Accurate color, sharp detail and balanced illumination are important parts of great photography. And while some people still think film cameras make better pictures than digital, many who are shooting digital know that their pictures easily rival those shot on film. The biggest limitation to a digital camera is the sensitivity of the image sensor. Even though you can adjust the film speed setting on your digital camera, you really are only adjusting the software. Setting the ISO does not really change the ability of the camera's sensor to absorb light. It is more like tuning the color and contrast control on a television. The one tool that will dramatically improve your photographs is the PROMASTER 7500EDF Digital flash.

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Hoodman HMAG3.0 3X magnifying eyecup for HoodLoupe 3.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a cool little item - it connects to the Hoodloupe to give an "eyecup" (the "eyepiece" in the photo is all you get). It's fairly easy to use (pull the rubber circle-cup off the hoodloupe, connect this and you're done. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be the best designed (it's held in place with some jelly-like sticky material) - I would have preferred an actual connection like a screw-on connector instead of this, but it works fine.
It gives a 3x magnification which is nice - the selling point for me was the eyecup though. Being able to view the LCD even better in daylight (with the hoodloupe) made a significant difference to me (the eyecup prevents extra light from getting in around the sides.. especially if you have glasses).
It can also be used with HDDSLRs to record video (although the attachments sold to "connect" it to the camera are either expensive rubber bands.. or an expensive "crane" as they call it, which is about 3x the cost of this thing. I'm currently just using it as a loupe to review photos taken on a DSLR, and really enjoy it.
My big gripe is the price. The hoodloupe was already terribly expensive.. this is a little more than 50% the cost of that. Had it been cheaper, I'd give it 5 stars. At it's current price (which never goes on sale) I just can't give it more than 4.

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The HoodMAG 3.0 is designed to fit where the original HoodLoupe 3.0 eyecup was installed. Remove your original HoodLoupe rubber eyecup by pulling the low profile eyecup up and off of your HoodLoupe. Mount the HoodMAG by pushing it over viewing end of HoodLoupe. HoodMAG has a tighter fit than the original eyecup and will stay in place once mounted.

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Transcend 400X - 64 GB Compact Flash Memory Card TS64GCF400 (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)The performance seems to match or exceed the requirements of Canon 5D Mk II and does not cause any problem while taking pictures or shooting HD video. Most demanding picture format on 5D Mk II is RAW + JPEG (Fine+Large), and 32GB card can usually hold more than 900 of those.

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TRANSCEND 64GB CF Card (400X)

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Kingston Elite Pro 32 GB 133x CompactFlash Memory Card CF/32GB-S2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this card for my Canon 7D DSLR and it's video mode (1080p). Since the camera consumes about 4GB per 12 minute clip, this card is good for around 48 minutes of 1080p 30/24 or 720p 60 video. The card appears fast enough to keep up with the high bitrate capture of the 7D's video mode. Be warned, however, it is not fast enough for continuous (high-speed) JPEG and/or JPEG-RAW capture. The 7D can be a speed demon at up to 8fps at full resolution. I also have Sandisk Extreme III cards (30MB/s) and they are noticeably faster. I can fill the buffer with the Kingston card, but not the Sandisk.
That said, this card is about 1/2 the price of the Sandisk Extreme, and since I mainly wanted the card for HD Video capture, it performs up to my expectations. I've also had a 16GB version of this card for over a year and used it with my Canon 50D with no issues.
I have NOT experienced any data corruption issues with this 32GB card or the 16GB card I've had for over a year. I would not hesitate in buying another one and plan on it very soon.

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Imaging pros expect a lot from their equipment and can¿t afford to have a component limit their productivity or creativity. The newly redesigned Kingston CompactFlash Elite Pro offers a minimum sustained write speed of 133X. The Elite Pro is designed specifically to help advanced amateur or professional photographers get the best performance from their high-end imaging devices and applications. No matter how fast you work, CF Elite Pro can keep pace. With its ultra-fast transfer rates of 25MB/sec. read and 20MB/sec. write, and up to 32GB capacity*, you can capture more continuous, high-resolution images in less time with the Elite Pro than with traditional CompactFlash memory cards. And when it¿s time to transfer your largest files, watch them fly ¿ your production work flowwill be more efficient than ever with a Kingston card reader (see optional accessories). When you purchase a Kingston CompactFlash Elite Pro memory card, you¿re getting great Flash memory performance plus legendary Kingston reliability. If you have any questions or concerns, our technical service and support team is only a call away. The Kingston name means you can count on our products to perform when it matters most.

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Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Review

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(More customer reviews)Canon 5D Mark II
Never Ever: Rent, borrow or use the Canon 5D Mark II, if you do, you will have to own it. It's that good!
Pros:
Crazy high ISO performance
Fantastic amazing image quality you have to see to believe!
Great menus, sharper, brighter, easier to read then 40D
Video, did someone say video? I love it! You will need a tripod!
Fantastic rear LCD that you can check actual photo sharpness
Super low light high ISO photographic tool with 25,600 ISO!!!
Feels great in your hands, the grip texture is easy to hold and is well balanced
Low 50 ISO allows photos at F/1.2 aperture out in bright sunlight for shallow DOF
Cons:
No Built in popup Flash
A little slower shooting then the 40D
Very demanding of lenses, high end L lenses are a must have
Huge files: you will need larger memory cards and a larger hard drive
Ultra large bright sharp viewfinder makes my 40D finder seem dim and tiny
Hum... I'm thinking..
Intro:
I have had my Canon 5D Mark II for a little over two weeks now. And I'm having a hard time putting it down.
I tried switching back to my Canon 40D and the very first thing you notice is how small, dim and fuzzy the viewfinder on the 40D is compared to the 5D Mark II. Especially if you are older you will really appreciate being able to easy see and read information in the viewfinder not to mention you can actually manually focus with it. It reminds me of my switch from the Canon Rebel XTi to the 40D. It's that big a difference.
The Images are huge and quite simply stunning. Plus I find that I can get away with very low noise all the way up to 3200 ISO on the 5D Mark II where the 40D was very noisy. In fact I would not hesitate to say the 5D Mark II photos has less noise at 9,600 ISO then the 40D does at 1600 ISO.
Lenses:
I have never had the pleasure of owning a Camera that is this demanding of the lens you use. It's like an instant lens test. I haven't seen much in-depth lens as used on 5D Mark II information on the other reviews and decided this would be good to be included in my review.
All of these lenses are brighter in the viewfinder and focus much better on my 5D Mark II then on my 40D.
So, with that said after several hundred photos I can give you a rundown of my most used, most favorite, best performing and least used lenses that I have used on the 5D Mark II and a few un-expected surprises along the way.
1. Canon 200mm F/2 IS L lens. This lens is my new master of resolving power. Even wide open at F/2 it is sharper then any other lens I have ever used. I could go on and on but here's a few highlights: Lightening fast auto focus, F/2 speed at 200mm, unbelievable perfect 10 Images, public attention hog, otherworldly image stabilization, great build quality, weather sealed, fantastic perfect buttery smooth Bokeh and what a lens case! If you crave attention and demand the absolute best there is the do what ever it takes to get this lens on your Canon 5D Mark II. If you do not like public attention you may want to skip to number 2 in this list as I have never been asked so many questions about a lens as this one. But it's all worth it as the clarity, sharpness, Bokeh and colors are: otherworldly, insane, impossible, rare, perfect, out of sight, crazy!!
2. Canon 85mm F/1.2 II L lens. Without a doubt at F/4 (after the Canon 200mm F/2 of course) this lens delivers the clearest sharpest and most resolving power onto any photograph you care to take with the Canon 5D Mark II. The clarity has to be seen to be believed. At F/1.2 the Depth of Field (DOF) is scary thin and the edges are super soft which is great for female portraiture. The super soft creamy dreamy Bokeh at F/1.2 is much smoother on the 5D Mark II over my 40D. But stop this lens down to F/1.8 and it gets scary sharp and clear. Step it down to F/4.0 and it's at its sharpest and the only lens I have that gives you 100% pixel peeping razor blade edge to edge top to bottom perfect clarity in every single area of the photo. For some reason this lens is even sharper on my 5D Mark II then my 40D or Rebel, don't know why but it is. Guess it's getting the full resolving power to the 21 megapixel sensor.
Looking at a photo on my iMac taken with a 5D Mark II with this lens stopped down to F/4 is like standing there looking through an open window at the actual scene! You feel like you could actually open up the computer screen like opening a window and climb in!!!
The 85mm F/1.2 is your low light monster on the 5D Mark II, I don't have to harp too much on what an F/1.2 aperture and an ISO 25,600 can do for you at night. Let's just say you can go out into what appears to be a dark night and do hand held photos.
Not all is perfect as it's: expensive, heavy, and hard to focus wide open, focus lock does not work and it eats camera batteries at twice the rate of my other lenses. Also it doesn't focus as close on the 5D Mark II as it did on my 40D so you can't get head filling close ups. This isn't really a problem, as with 21 Mega Pixels I can crop no problem. However, all this is forgiven when I get back to my iMac and view the results. This is the very first lens I will reach for when using the 5D Mark II and the one that's on it 90% of the time. If I could have just one lens for a Canon 5D Mark II this would be the one! [...]
2. Tie! Canon 135mm F/2 L. It's small light and stealthy and has fastest and best auto-focus of any lens I have ever owned (after the Canon 200mm F/2 IS L). It even focuses pretty close on the 5D Mark II. This lens is amazing, the Bokeh looks like sweet candy and it's sharper wide open then the Canon 85mm F/1.2 II L lens is wide open and stop it down to F/2.2 and it's as sharp as any lens I have. It's not a zoom so it's not as versatile but it's a great waist up portrait lens out in public and in larger studios. It's one of my most used lens at outdoor public events along with the 85mm F/1.2 II L (renaissance festivals etc.) where I'm photographing people. For some reason this lens is a little sharper on my Canon Rebel and 40D I guess because I'm using the center of the lens and it's sharper on these cropped sensor cameras.
3. Canon 100-400 F/4.5 - F/5.6 IS L lens. This is the second most used lens in my 5D Mark II arsenal. This lens was my biggest surprise of the group. Its Ok wide open but it's a monster of clarity at F/7.1 like it never was on my Canon 40D. It also becomes useable on the 5D Mark II in wider shot situations where on the 40D it was only usable as a longer lens. Sporting the longest zoom range of any Canon zoom this lens has to be without doubt the finest Zoo lens ever made, [...] You can frame almost any animal in almost any exhibit perfectly. This is also my lens of choice for taking photos of people at events with the 5D Mark II and is the King of versatility on a full-framed sensor camera. This is my sharpest and clearest zoom lens by a long shot (no pun intended. It's as close to the you are there feeling of the 85mm F/1.2 lI lens as any zoom lens I have. It's only drawbacks are it's a little heavy, is slow aperture wise (that's Ok with the 5D Mark II high ISO capability) and it gets a huge amount of attention out in public. I don't care it's all worth it this is a must have lens with the 5D Mark II. Again, for some reason this lens is even sharper on my 5D Mark II then my 40D or Rebel, don't know why but it is.
5-26-2009 100-400 update: So I came back from the Riparian Bird Preserve yesterday where it was rather dusty and I noticed that my sensor and mirror box were full of dust. I decided to do a test on my 100-400 lens and sure enough it does pump dust into the camera body.
If you turn the zoom friction ring all the way loose and zoom in and out with the bottom end cap off there is no resistance. If you put the bottom end cap on tightly and zoom you can feel resistance. Then if you loosen the end cap just a little you can actually feel air being sucked in and out around the end cap as you zoom in and out.
Thank God for my FIrefly digital sensor cleaning system! And be forewarned if you own this lens.
4. Canon 17-40 F/4 L lens. This is my sleeper lens. A so so walk around lens on my 40D becomes a wide angle monster on my Canon 5D Mark II. This lens is soft wide open at F/4 but sharpens up noticeably at F/4.5 and becomes a super wide angle take it all in landscape and interior monster when stopped down to F/9 on a Canon 5D Mark II. This is a lens I always carry with me now since I never know when I might see a wide angle opportunity. Doesn't have the you are there feeling when viewing the photos on my iMac as much as the above three lenses but it's closer to perfection then you will ever see on a cropped sensor camera. I keep hoping that Canon will make a wide angle zoom that matches the performance of my Canon 100-400 IS L zoom lens. This lens has a similar sharpness on both the Canon 5D Mark II and cropped sensor cameras like my 40D.
5. Canon 70-200 F/2.8 L lens. This lens is actually about even with my Canon 100-400 IS L Lens in the zoom sharpness and clarity department but it's no where near as versatile on my 5D Mark II as the 100-400. Still it's a must have lens when shooting weddings when you need the super Bokeh background melting power of an F/2.8 aperture and lower light power of an F/2.8 aperture. The sharpness and clarity at F/2.8 that was Ok on the 40D is much improved for some strange reason on the 5D Mark II. And the Bokeh is much smoother creamier and richer on the 5D Mark II.
Just have to mention a great alternative lens the Canon 70-200 F/4...Read more›

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Compact, lightweight with environmental protection, EOS 5D successor boasts a newly-designed Canon CMOS sensor, with ISO sensitivity up to 25,600 for shooting in near dark conditions. The new DIGIC 4 processor combines with the improved CMOS sensor to deliver medium format territory image quality at 3.9 frames per second, for up to 310 frames. Triggered from Live View Mode, HD video capture allows users to shoot uninterrupted at full 1080 resolution at 30fps -- for amazing quality footage with outstanding levels of detail and realism. The integration of HD movie capability into a high-end 21.1-megapixel camera opens a multitude of new possibilities for photojournalists and news photographers. With its full frame CMOS sensor and outstanding ISO performance, the EOS 5D Mark II will appeal to any photographer in search of the finest camera equipment available -- from studio and wedding to nature and travel photographers.

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Lowepro Toploader Pro 75 AW Review

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(More customer reviews)I am using this holster with a Canon 50D w/ a battery grip and a 70-200 f2.8. The camera and lens fit great even with the lens hood inverted. It even has enough room in the front pocket for my Canon flash. I added a Lowepro lens case mounted to the side for an additional wide angle zoom. The quality is top notch!

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Designed for the Pro Photographer inside & out, the Toploader Pro 75 AW by Lowepro is made for action. The contoured, asymmetrical shape follows the lines of a camera for a snug, protective fit. A side opening with easy-grip access lets you capture the shot in a flash. Our 360 Degree All Weather (AW) Cover lets you work out of your bag while protecting your gear. Other features include: large, U-shaped zipper pulls; 3 point harness system; top pocket with space for sunglasses and personal gear; adjustable divider system to secure grip & allow storage of smaller lens. Works with Topload Chest Harness sold separately.

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Nikon HN31 77mm Screw in Hard Hood Review

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(More customer reviews)...however, if you're buying one you are probably replacing one, and know that the HN-31 is an all metal hood.

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Screws onto the front of the lens. Metal type available for extra strength. Rubber type folds back over the lens when not in use.

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Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I am professional photographer specializing in botanical and nature photography. I bought the Tamron 180 lens after many years of using the equally great 90mm macro. I love the 90mm but was looking for a lens with greater working distance and better ability to control backgrounds. The 180mm has proven to be excellent optically as well as ergonomically well designed. The light weight, for its size, coupled with the very intuitive af-mf push-pull design are great in the field. I work at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. For images taken with the above lens, please visit [...].
Regards

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Di: Digitally Integrated Design, is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras. This lens employs an IF (Internal Focusing) system that maintains the overall length of the lens during focusing. Uses two LD (Low Dispersion) glass elements that effectively compensate for chromatic aberration. Provides high-contrast, outstanding image quality and a soft out-of-focus background effect. Incorporates an AF/MF one touch switchover mechanism built into the focus ring(for Canon & Nikon only). Super performance series provides high performance through outstanding design specifications. Features the new FEC (Filter Effect Control) function that enhances operational ease of Polarizing Filter use. The new Filter Effect Control is designed to rotate the filter to the desired position while the hood is attached. This is accomplished by turning the FEC ring that in turn rotates the portion of the filter mount where the filter is mounted.

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Lowepro Cirrus TLZ 15 Holster Style Case For Digital SLR & Short Zoom Lens (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This bag gives a wonderfully snug fit for my Nikon D90 and attached 18-55mm VR lens. It cradles the camera perfectly. And there is more than enough room left at the top, above the camera, to accommodate the camera's shoulder strap.
That said, the 18-55mm VR lens is among the shortest of Nikon's standard zooms. It's 3.1 inches long -- a tad shorter than the 16-85mm VR (which is 3.4 inches long), and the 18-105mm VR (which is 3.5 inches long). What about them? Don't worry, this bag WILL accommodate those lenses as well. It just requires that you fold the shoulder strap a bit more carefully to fit it in.
What about the 18-200mm VR? It's 3.8 inches long, and I think that's just a tad too long to fit neatly in the bag. I haven't tried it myself (I don't own an 18-200), so who knows, perhaps it would work. But it would definitely require a bit of pushing and pressure on the zipper, I think. Those with the 18-200 are advised to get a slightly larger bag.
So, I'd give this thing five stars for the fit and construction. Why deduct a star? As others have noted, it doesn't have enough (or spacious enough) pockets; and even worse, the outer pocket, while tight, has no seal or flap over it, which means that it's potentially exposed to the elements. Since all my photography takes place indoors in museums, this isn't a problem for me. But I image that outdoors enthusiasts caught in a storm would be irked to find water getting into the outer pocket....

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Designed for today's digital SLR cameras, the Cirrus TLZ 15 (Black) by Lowepro easily protects both SLR and lens from the outside elements. The interior features a memory card pocket for quick changes and a brushed tricot lining protecting LCD screens and lenses from abrasion. The exterior of the bag is built with a tough water and abrasion resistant fabric and can be attached through either a belt-loop or with an included shoulder strap. This lightweight and compact, top loading bag provides digital SLR users with solid protection and fast access to cpature those spontaneous moments.

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B+W 77mm UVA (Ultra Violet) Haze MRC Filter #010 Review

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(More customer reviews)I felt I had to write these comments after reading all of the other reviews on this company's filters. Having been a working photographer for more years than I care to remember, my main reason for settling on B+W filters was/is their optical correction capabilities, as well as the "obvious to the touch" construction quality.
The brass rings never bind (often a problem with aluminium rings), so you'll never find yourself struggling & cursing while trying to remove it! Smooth as silk.
The primary function of any UV filter is to counteract the presence of haze, something mostly noticeable over long distance. Therefore, the only true benefit comes when shooting scenic panoramas with wide lenses, or the exact opposite; long telephoto work. In fact, telephoto/long zoom lenses are the ones that seem to benefit the most, be it with either film or digital. Don't get suckered into this "Designed for Digital" sales-pitch either. Some of my filters are years old, and function perfectly well on newer digital cameras. Even B+W themselves are guilty of this by having the nerve to place the very same type of filter in a silver ( brushed aluminium?) ring in lieu of the usual black one, stick the word DIGITAL on it, AND charge extra for it! Cheeky!
Many people I've met over the years have made the mistake of buying cheap, almost useless filters for high quality lenses, and for all the good they do, they might as well be shooting through a window pane! If you're going to buy a high quality optic, then do your research on filters, too. They are an absolutely essential part of the optical train. Among photographers, it's always been a bone of contention!
I personally haven't come across any other filters (apart from Heliopan: they use "Schott" glass; some of the finest in the world) that can cut through murky haze quite as effectively as B+W's. I'm no optical engineer, so I have no idea how the company has gone about it, I only know that it works extremely well. Crisp, well-defined images in situations where lesser lights may likely have failed.
In what is now going to seem like a contradiction, not all B+W filters are capable of this high level of correction. You'll notice that they often come in two, and sometimes three different labelings at vastly different prices, (something that some unscrupulous dealers have been known to take advantage of!) so watch what you're buying.
If it's going to be just a protection filter (no real advantage in B+W here), or used primarily for Macro work, then the plain or Single-coated ones will suffice. However, if your intention is to do landscapes, or a lot of Tele work, then the Multi-coated version is essential. Just look for the "#010 UV-Haze MRC (2C)" on the inner front of the ring.

You may have also noticed that B+W manufacture slim-mount filters (more costly) especially for wide-angle lenses. A point worth noting is that this particular type of filter has a wider-than-usual front, so comes supplied with its own slip-on Schneider lens cap (in this case, 95mm, on a 77mm filter), meaning that you cannot use the original one supplied with the lens. The only real drawback is the rather fiddly fitting of the filter if you're using a lens hood (advisable) as it must be attached AFTER fitting the hood. Not easy, I can tell you!

The standard models do very slightly vignette at the 16mm setting on my full frame digital body, so the wide-angle version (not the above-mentioned model) are the way to go if that is your set-up.

The Heliopan versions do have a slimmer ring admittedly, but for some strange reason, although their rings are also brass, they often tend to bind. Odd?

One note here for anyone with a large aperture, drop-in filter type lens.... B+W MRC filters in both 48mm & 52mm will slip in perfectly, unlike some others. The difference to the eye may be purely a figment of my imagination, but I still feel it is noticeable!
If you're also in the market for a Circular Polarizer, and you don't mind spending twice the usual price, then look no further than B+W's Kaesemann MRC model. It knocks the socks off anything out there by a mile!
(See my review on the 77mm version)
B+W (and Heliopan) are untouchable, and their graduated ND filters are also truly something else!

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Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR Nikkor Zoom Lens Review

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(More customer reviews)Well, I finally got my D700 and have had it for about a week now so I wanted to put up some initial impressions of the pros and cons from an experienced amateur's perspective (been taking photos for almost 15 years now, but I wouldn't consider myself in any way a professional).
From the pro side:
I am VERY pleased with the full-frame CCD. Before this camera, I had the D100 and was happy with it, but always was a bit annoyed that my Nikon lenses were converted by the different size of the CCD. Now that I'm back to 35mm, I feel like the SLR acts a lot more like my old N90s. My favorite lens, the 85mm 1.4 produces astoundingly beautiful shots with increadibly shallow depth of field. I'm in heaven.
On the whole, the features I've used so far have been quite impressive. At normal ISOs the quality is just outstanding. I don't think I've ever seen digital pictures with this level of detail period. This said, what really impressed me was the 6400 ISO. I've played around with a number of digital cameras over the years and I don't think I've ever seen a camera that can produce the kinds of low-light images that the D700 does. The noise is so unbeleavably low that I am just floored.
I've been using a 16gb Sandisk Extreme memory card and have been very impressed with the write-speed of the camera. On RAW quality imaged, I can get 800+ shots to the memory card and the transfer rate to the computer is excellent considering the size of the files. Shooting speed is also excellent. I do mostly portraits, but when I do candids I do find myself shooting multiple shots in succession and the D700 performs wonderfully. It does make me curious as to how much faster the D3 is, but I can't imagine it being that much faster.
Some minor gripes (I would discount 1/2 star for these if I could, but rather than rating the camera at a 4, I'm giving it a 5 because I am very happy with it).
1. The live-view is somewhat odd in the way that it works. I was hoping that the camera would lift the mirror and then basically become like an average point-and-shoot. It doesn't really work that way and frankly, makes me appreciate the view-finder all the more. The instructions to get the live-view to work are somewhat complex (it isn't just a switch, you also have to go into menus, make selections, and then depress the shutter button half-way each time you take a picture in order to activate the live-view every time). It is a nice option for when you can't look through the viewfinder easily, but definitely not for all-the-time-use.
2. Software compatibility has some quirks. It seems to me that my Cannon worked with XP and Photoshop right out of the box, whereas with this camera I had to go to Nikon's website and download Codecs in order to get my computer to recognize RAW images... also... why does Nikon insist on calling RAW images NEF files? Seems to add a layer of complexity that is just unecessary. Another odd thing is a note on Photoshop's (Adobe's) website which tries to let consumers know that Nikon and Adobe are "comitted to working together" but actually seems to have the opposite effect given the tinkering that is necessary in order to get NEF files recognized. That said, now that I've got it all set up properly, it works fine and I'm very happy.
Summary: Seems to pack all the bang of the D3, but at a nice savings. Definitely not cheap, but you get what you pay for and it is very nice to be putting my Nikon lenses to good use. Picture detail and quality is through the roof, impressive low-light sensitivity. Full-frame CCD is awesome. Camera feels great in the hand, solid construction, good menus, dials, buttons, etc. all feel great.


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The Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera brings professional imaging with a full frame image sensor to a lightweight yet durable camera body. It features the exclusive 12.1 Megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor, measuring 23.9 x 36mm, which is nearly identical to the size of a 35mm film frame - thereby eliminating any significant crop factor or focal length multiplier.

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Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Review

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(More customer reviews)Since 2006 I have owned a D200 for serious shooting situations and I got a D40 in early '07 for everyday shots (an awesome camera - I give it SIX stars! - a whole separate review is needed!), and after hearing about the D300 release in late 2007 I debated over whether to get one. I was really happy with my D200, which I took on some overseas trips and it performed perfectly. After demo-ing a D300 in stores and reading some online reviews, I decided to take the plunge. It was a big investment but now I have no regrets - if not for the entire package, then for one thing: COLOR! Or one more thing: what Nikon calls 'Active D-Lighting' (translation: a significant change in the processor's realistic rendition of contrast, highlights, shadows, etc. - the entire package of "TONE"). Also - can an LCD rear-screen get any better than this?? In Jim Cramer-parlance I have to say that this model is definitely "best of breed".
Pluses and minuses: (note: edited every once in a while since I've used it for almost 6 months now and thousands of captures - last edit was done on 4/9/08)
PLUSES:
- Incredibly vivid, pleasingly, really surprisingly saturated color reminiscent of Velvia (high-saturation Fuji film used in slides, etc.) is now made possible by selecting the "Vivid" option in the "Picture Control" menu and cranking up the "Saturation" option - there are three levels beyond the default "0" - which sets it just about at the highest possible saturation that could be set in the D200. Even boring photos of things around the home, outside, etc. seem interesting and... well, exciting and vivid... with it set at +2 or +3 (although the +3 setting is a bit extreme for people photos, and renders their skin color a bit more intense than appears naturally). At the +3 setting even blase photos of ordinary things approach purposely-understated "art" in a MoMA-like way. For people I am finding Vivid+1 or Vivid+2 a bit more natural indoors with natural light, as the Vivid+3 saturates just a bit more than I prefer. Just like Velvia, these settings also do not warm the cool colors - one of the minuses of other cameras' 'vivid' settings - this is what's best (your cool blues, greys, greens, etc. stay cool, while the reds, yellows, oranges, bright blues/greens/etc. - watch out!) (Edited note: after about 3,000 shots I saw that indoors it might be best to do a manual white balance preset off a white wall or carpet or something and then shoot in vivid mode, since in the automatic WB mode the reds tend to get boosted quite a bit under typical indoor light and some of my subjects looked like they had a very dark suntan, or even a sunburn, in the middle of December! Careful with this... also tried standard - i.e. not vivid - color settings with +1 or +2 saturation, and these were very realistic, although the backgrounds can be dull if you're intent on vivid colors all-around. Maybe best to use those on portraits only. Try them all out and see what works best.)
- On-board so-called "Active D-Lighting" renders shadows and highlights in an very realistic manner, with no raising up of delicate shadow tones to mid-levels (as my outstanding, near-perfect-in-its-class Nikon D40 tends to do) - this really must be seen to be believed. Coupled with the color quality (and deep saturation noted above), the detail in the highlights is excellent. The D40/D200 have this feature in post-capture (i.e. you adjust the captured image yourself) but this seemed rather crude; here it is said that the Nikon actually computes the needed adjustment and does it specifically for the scene you've captured. No more blown or off-color highlights in those 'rare' occasions when overexposure seeps into a shot in a very contrasty frame.
- The new LCD screen is 3" in size and has a whopping 920,000 pixels (versus 230,000 for the D200, D80, D40, etc.) of resolution - which means image review to check focus, color, etc. is impossibly accurate and well beyond the already very high quality of Nikon's 2.5 inch screens and way, way beyond that of the Canons with the greenish-greyish-tinted LCDs even on expensive models like the much-venerated full-frame 5D. Doesn't even come with a LCD protector cover like the D200 did because it's made with tempered glass and is super resistant to scratching, damage, etc. No more looking through plastic - however transparent - when reviewing shots or setting colors, lighting, etc. (Kind of always bothered me, that.)
- 100% coverage viewfinder - excellent, and not cluttered up, making composition cleaner; nothing engraved in the viewfinder to get in the way (although you can optionally set the horizon-level grid to be on all the time, which I do, since it leaves an open space in the middle anyway, and those off-balance shots are a pain to fix).
- 51-points of autofocus available - at first I didn't really care much as I tend to do the old-school method of using one point for focus, then recomposing - but I started using the 51-point AF mode (the full-rectange setting that uses all sensors) and found that I don't need to do this as the D300 always seems to pick the object I wanted to focus on - making things much, much easier - although for really unusual shots with a subject in focus and others way out of focus, I move to the manual mode; the AF system is excellent in speed and accurate tracking of the object of focus as well (i.e. a running child, etc.) The 51 points make this very easy to do. Fiddling around in the store I saw on the big $5k D3 the points are better looking (little red spots) and less intrusive when composing than these large-ish black rectangles on the D300, but I can live with that (although it reminds me "hey, you don't have a D3!...").
- There were issues about firmware and exposure on the D40, D80, where they tended to expose too brightly, and we had to set it manually to -0.3 or -0.7 to get back to normal exposure. Not on the D300. Perfect all-around. Still, adjusting WB and exposure can make or break the shot. Especially nice is the cloudy or 'shadow' setting for indoor shots in bright sunlight; everything looks pleasingly warm, even if just a tinge more than natural. Give it a try if you like warm colors. Interesting shots can be had using 'tungsten' outside in the snow - a blue-grey monochromatic world. (If you have snow, that is.) Manual WB setting is easy off of a wall, or carpet, or napkin, etc. as usual with the Nikons in this range, and makes quite a bit of difference in odd-lighting situations (i.e. very dim room, etc.) where the automatic presets, although excellent, don't work well (especially that 'tungsten' - in normal home incandescent lighting in the evening everything is medium-blued-out - who uses this? Or am I using it incorrectly? I set WB in that situation off the wall or rug.)
- other than the full-frame sensor (no small difference, that is) and high FPS, there appears, from what I am reading, to be no major differences (unless you're a sports or news shooter) from the highly-lauded D3, which costs 3x what the D300 costs; the D3's awesome high ISO performance can be mimicked by turning off the high ISO noise reduction set "on" in the default mode in the D300 (see below) Of course, the D3 has many other features that make it best for pro sports shooters, etc. who need that size and power, and of course, full-frame has no comparison - but I have a bag full of DX lenses (and some non-DX primes) and not ready to put out $10k+ for a D3 plus a 14-24, the new 24-70 and the 70-200, etc. that I'd want. The differences in picture quality due to the full-frame sensor (and other features I wouldn't need as I don't shoot sports or news) are outweighed by the cost involved and the marginal nature of the difference overall. Image quality is essentially the same - except for the pluses of the full-frame, especially noticeable in really big prints. Also the usual full-frame focal length versus DX issue remains alive here - yes, that "35mm on a DX is equivalent to a..." continues, and probably will as long as DX lenses remain in our bags. Edit: I have tried the D3 for a shooting session and it does focus incredibly fast, much faster than the D300 in some cases. The speed of the focusing and the shutter itself are unbelievable; that camera is the Ferrari or Lamborghini of Nikons. The D300 may be the Porsche - hey, not a bad compromise - it's unlikely that the average pro-sumer will need the power of the D3 (or of a Ferrari - ever try to do 140mph on the NJ Turnpike?).
These were my big main pluses which justified the transition from the D200, but there are a few more which don't really appeal to me but will for some:
- Live View (you can see the image on the LCD screen) - perhaps this might appeal to a tripod-user setting up a photo, but I doubt I'll ever use it. Smacks of "point-and-shoot", I think, but could be handy in some cases where it is hard to position the eye at the viewfinder (behind the sofa?...) (Edited note: should not have panned this - gave the camera to my 21 year old niece, who tried to take a Christmas portrait of my family and I together - and got half of us in the bottom of the frame, and an empty top half of the frame! - for those who basically grew up using live view digital cameras, this feature is very useful - just set it and let them shoot - I think the weight of the D300 and the fact that she had to use a (gasp!) viewfinder (as opposed to the RAZR internal cellphone camera) threw her off. Some creative cropping may save the shot, anyway.)
- Ultrasonic Sensor Cleaner - like the Canons and Pentaxes, Sonys, etc., Nikon finally offers a sensor cleaner (which is user-operated, not constantly running at each power-up if you set it that way). Might be useful after hard shooting in dusty or otherwise...Read more›

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Nikon D3X 24.5MP FX CMOS Digital SLR with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) Review

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(More customer reviews)Owned a D3 for one and a half years and traded in for the D3x after trying out the new model for a day. My review is not about price - for the record I think Nikon stretched the barrier on the price point for this which I am not happy about - but as far as performance goes I am happy. The D3x results is are perceptibly superior for landscape and macro photography - which is what I typically shoot - even on just A3+ prints.... so I can imagine that the results would be that much better for larger sizes. Just as many of you, I have also read arguments on the net re the megapixel myth ad nauseam and was half convinced about it but nothing speaks as clearly as prints (and I'm comparing studio shots of the same subject taken with the two different cameras).
Have not tried the D3x for sports photography yet but I suspect that unless you are shooting either motor-sports or winter sports, the moderately slower 5fps in large FX mode compared with the 7fps for the D3 is not going to be an issue.
I also spent a day with the Sony Alpha-900 given that is the only other player in a similar mega-pixel category. The output was all right but overall just not in the same league as the D3x in terms of handling, build quality etc etc (I'm probably biased as I am very familiar with Nikon controls - just found the Sony too 'fiddly' and 'plasticky' and couldn't see myself spending hours with it without getting irritated).
Early days with the camera but so far it feels like one of the best DSLR's I have used especially when the medium format alternatives would involve rendering my large pile of Nikon lenses useless and the replacement cost would be prohibitive. As mentioned earlier the D3x pricing is a different issue altogether and I think that the right price point would have been around $2K lower......will update if and when I discover any shortfalls or glitches.

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The Nikon D3X--meticulously engineered for professional assignments that demand nothing less than extreme 24.5-megapixel, FX-format image performance. In the studio or on location, the D3X faithfully captures NEF (RAW) files that, when processed, exceed 138 MB. Nikon's exclusive EXPEED image processing technologies support extremely low-noise and faster, more accurate 51-point autofocus with 4 Dynamic AF modes, including 3D Focus Tracking. EXPEED also enables fast processing of massive amounts of data, allowing continuous shooting at up to 5fps. A bright 3-inch super-density 920,000-dot LCD monitor offers precise image review, along with 27x magnification for precise focus confirmation in Live View. Responsive handling and more top off the D3X's professional potency.

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