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Gadget Reviews
The Photographic world is full of gadgets/accessories/toys for everyone from the beginner to the seasoned pro. These are my experiences with these gadgets. I have purchased all of these gadgets at full retail price and I have no affiliation with any of the manufacturers.
Check back here often for more gadget reviews. I'm constantly trying new things...
PowerShot S90 by Canon
I think I'm getting old - or maybe just lazy! I've been contemplating the purchase of a "Point & Shoot" camera for some time now. Many times I don't feel like lugging a full-size DSLR around, but wish I could have DSLR-like results with a "Pocket" camera. Early this year, I tried a friends' S90 and was hooked! Here is a truly "Pocket" camera that out-performs almost any other camera in its size (and price) range. You can read all of the technical specifications on other Web sites - no need to go into them here. I'm going to address the features & functions that I find useful in this camera.
The S90 has manual exposure modes and RAW capture. If I can't "manual" the thing - I don't want it! And RAW is a huge plus in ANY camera - the possibilities in post-production with RAW files are far greater than with "canned" JPEG files. The camera does have Aperture & Shutter Speed priority modes, along with movie capture and many automatic "scene" modes. I haven't tried anything but Manual and Aperture priority modes (the "all auto" modes are great for beginners - but I dislike them due to the fact that the camera takes control rather than the photographer).
PowerShot S90 - ISO 80 - f3.2 - 1/640s - 10.7mm - Hand held
The control ring (around the lens) on the front of the S90 makes this it feel like you're holding a miniature DSLR. The control ring controls a number of settings such at lens aperture, focal length, and manual focus. The control ring function is selected with the push of a singe button on the top surface of the S90 body.
PowrShot S90 - Macro mode - ISO 80 - f2.0 - 1/1000s - 6mm - Hand held
Handling the S90 takes some getting used to - I'm used to wrapping my (large) hands around a full-size DSLR. For the first few minutes I found my fingers hitting buttons too easily and many "wasted" shots as a result. After a bit of patient practice I've learned to hold the S90 like a miniature DSLR, with one hand on the front control ring and the other hand "squeezing" the shutter button. This technique alows me to hold the S90 quite steady and have easy access to the camera controls.
PowerShot S90 - ISO 80 - f3.2 - 1/640s - 10.7mm - Hand held
The S90 has built-in image stabilization (as most smalll cameras do) and a lens with a maximum aperture of f2.0 - which is impressive for a small camera. The lens has a macro mode which appears to work fine - although I have not worked the macro mode to a large extent as of this writing.
PowerShot S90 - 1:1 Crop of above image
The ultimate question is: Does the S90 rival a DSLR? The short answer is NO. But, if you're not making massive enlargements (or tightly cropping), and you run low ISO (about ISO 200 or lower), and you don't mind correcting wide-angle lens distortion in post-processing, the S90 can produce remarkable results for a "pocket" camera. Don't expect the high-ISO performance to be the same as a DSLR. Don't expect to have all of the exposure, metering, and flash modes/settings of a DSLR. Don't expect the large focal length ranges of the (interchangeable) DSLR lenses.
In short, lower your expectations and you'll have a camera with amazing quality and performance that fits in your shirt pocket! I carry my S90 with me everywhere I go now, and I've made some shots that I certainly would have missed because I left my DSLR behind. The S90 is not a DSLR replacement! Think of the S90 as a DSLR supplement. For active photographers that are on the go and choose not to take their DSLR, this is the next best thing! Highly recommended!!!
Invisible Shield by Zagg
The LCD screen on the back of a modern digital camera is in constant peril. I've managed to deeply scratch several displays, and even break a few in the past years. Manufacturers like Nikon provide a plastic cover for the rear LCD screen, but I have found them to be difficult to see (clearly) through, and they are a "dust trap" - catching voluminous amounts of dust between the LCD screen and the plastic cover. Nikon charges about $15.00 for a replacement "Monitor Cover", so I started looking for a better way...
Zagg manufactures and sells clear "skin" covers for almost any electronic gadget with a LCD screen, including digital cameras. The Zagg material is VERY tough - originally used to protect helicopter rotor blades from high-speed damage. For about $13.00 (plus shipping), I thought I'd give it a try. I purchased the kit for my Nikon D700 DSLR. Other kits are very similar...
The Zagg product comes beautifully packaged in a colourful cardboard folding case. The product comes complete with protective film for the rear and top LCD panels (this was a bit of a surprise to me - I wasn't expecting to protect the top LCD panel). The protective film has adhesive on one side and is shipped attached to a light cardboard "backer". Along with the actual protective film, the package contains a small flexible squeegee and a small container of something called "SHIELDspray" solution. The SHIELDspray container is actually a pump-action spray bottle that you use to spray on your fingers/hands (for handling the film) and then on the film itself.
I carefully followed the instructions - I washed my hands, I sprayed my fingers with solution, I sprayed both sides of the film with solution, I applied the film (adhesive side down), I then "squeegeed" the film down so it was flat and had no air bubbles beneath it, and I waited overnight for everything to dry and "set up". It was a bit tricky to get all of the bubbles out of the film on the rear LCD, but you do have several minutes of "working time" to get the application correct. The application on the top LCD panel was entirely painless - probably due to the small size of the protective film.
The result is truly dramatic! The Invisible Shield is virtually scratch proof and is very optically clear. I now don't worry about setting down my DSLR on it's back - previously an absolute no-no. I'm very happy with the result and now I'm looking at all of my other gadgets that have a LCD screen and I'm considering getting several more Invisible Shield kits.
The Zagg product comes with a lifetime replacement warranty and does exactly what it's intended to do. Check out the Zagg Web site for lots of information or to order your own Invisible Shield kit.
LensAlign Pro by RawWorkFlow.com
Autofocus lenses are pretty much standard on modern DSLR cameras. Camera manufacturers manage to engineer some amazing autofocus systems that work in almost any condition. One day while photographing some flowers, I noticed that my autofocus lens was constantly "front focusing". In other words, the autofocus system constantly placed the sharp focus point slightly in front of the desired subject. A simple look through the viewfinder (or a look at the live view LCD) and a twist of the focus ring solved the problem, but why should I have to manually focus at all?
Some DSLRs have a software adjustment to calibrate the autofocus system and bring the focus point "right on" the desired distance. I attempted to build a home-made "target" to test and calibrate all of my lenses and had several problems getting consistent results. The most difficult thing I found was getting the test target perfectly aligned with the camera lens. If the alignment is out (even by a very small amount), the autofocus system will "hunt" and find a different focus point. I was about to give up in frustration, and then I found the LensAlign system from Michael Tapes. Michael is a long-time professional photographer and is know for his Web site and Blog at RawWorkFlow.com.
I ordered a LensAlign Pro to do my adjustments with. Following instructions on Michaels' Web site (actually the video clips are the best), I set my LensAlign Pro on a tripod and my D700 on a second tripod. The hardest part is to properly align the LensAlign Pro to the camera, but Michaels' system is ingeniously simple! Once it's aligned, testing and adjustment of the lens autofocus point is a breeze. I managed to calibrate three zoom lenses and one prime lens in about 30 minutes.
The LensAlign Pro works VERY well and is certainly worth the investment. Michael is constantly innovating and updating the LensAlign system, so be sure to check his Web site for updates. If you do low-light, macro, or any other photography where you're relying on the autofocus system to give "razor sharp" results, a LensAlign system is a must. Highly recommended...
WhiBal by RawWorkFlow.com
Another handy product from Michael Tapes is the WhiBal card. The Whibal card is simply a grey card that you can include in an image to accurately white-balance the image. WhiBal cards are available in various sizes and kits.
The WhiBal cards are constructed out of a solid piece of high-impact plastic material and are all tested with a laboratory-grade spectro-photometer for grey neutrality. This results in a virtually indestructible TRUE grey reference that can be used in almost any situation.
I find the key fob WhiBal cards to be the most useful - simply because I always have one with me! I have a key fob WhiBal on the zipper-pull of my gear bag, on my car keys, and on a lanyard that hangs around my neck when shooting. I also carry a WhiBal pocket kit in one of the zipper compartments of my gear bag to use when necessary.
Using a WhiBal is a breeze. I simply throw a WhiBal into the corner of an image and I have a VERY accurate grey point to set my white-balance adjustment on. The only thing to watch is to make certain that you photograph the correct side of the card (it's labeled), as only one side of the card is factory tested.
For tricky lighting conditions or any image where colour balance is critical, there's no substitute for the WhiBal system. Highly recommended...
di-GPSby Dawntech
One of the slickest products to come available for modern DSLR cameras is the di-GPS unit. The di-GPS is available for several Nikon and Canon DLSR bodies and is simply a GPS receiver that plugs into the camera control connector. The di-GPS then records the location of the captured image along with the exact time the image was captured. This is a great gadget that can be hung from the camera strap or mounted in the hot-shoe. For you "GPS junkies" out there, the di-GPS has a very low power consumption engine that has 20 receive channels, WAAS compatibility, true 1 microsecond time resolution, and uses the WGS-84 datum. What this means in simple terms is the di-GPS will give you a position fix within +/- 5 meters, and a time stamp accurate to +/- 1 microsecond (yes, that's one-millionth of a second).
I chose the "Pro" version as it has an independent power switch (so it doesn't drain the camera battery when not in use), and it allows me to connect other accessories (such as a remote release) with the di-GPS in place. The di-GPS takes its power from the DSLR control connector - in other words, it uses the camera battery. This may be a problem if you're attempting to maximize your battery life. Simply turn off the di-GPS ("Pro" model only) or remove it from the camera and the extra power consumption is gone.
Using the device is simple! I usually attach my di-GPS to the camera hot-shoe. My Nikon D700 has a menu that turns the GPS power off/on with the camera meter. I leave the setting so the di-GPS is always on - regardless of the camera meter. I can control the di-GPS with its own slide switch. Once the di-GPS achieves a satellite lock (indicated by the LED turning solid rather than flashing) it provides the location and time data to the camera body, which in turn gets coded into the EXIF data included with the image.
This feature is truly magnificent! A simple check of the EXIF data that's included with the image will have the latitude & longitude of the camera at the instant the image was captured. Simply knowing exactly where (and when) an image was captured can save a whole lot of: "I'm not sure if this was taken in France or Belgium..." or: "Was this before or after the ceremony?"
Note that the di-GPS time-stamp is independent of the camera time/date settings and always will appear in UTC (or Greenwich Mean Time). This means that the camera time/date settings are irrelevant - so when you forget to adjust the camera time/date (while travelling, for daylight savings time, etc.) the GPS time-stamp in the EXIF data will always be correct! And, since the GPS time-stamp is accurate to 1 microsecond, sorting images by "time shot" is a simple process - particularly when shooting with multiple cameras (and multiple photographers).
In my opinion - for the photography work that I do - the di-GPS is a definite "must have" on my camera. Highly recommended! See http://www.dawntech.hk/for more on the di-GPS products.
L-758DR Light Meterby Sekonic
Modern DSLR cameras have reasonably accurate light metering built in. However, there are still times when I find using a hand-held light meter indispensible. Using a 1 degree spot meter to determine the dynamic range of a scene can save you from blowing out highlights and clipping shadows. The L-758DR can be used as a 1 degree spot (or reflected) meter , or as an incident meter. The unit also can be used as a flash meter and even has a radio device that's compatible with the Pocket Wizard series of wireless flash triggers.
The spot meter uses internal optics and comes complete with a tethered lens cap and a diopter adjustable viewfinder. The exposure readings display in the lower portion of the viewfinder, which enables you to take multiple readings without removing the unit from your eye.
The incident light sensor includes a retractable dome called a "Lumisphere". The incident sensor swivels 90 degrees anti-clockwise and 180 degrees clockwise. The Lumisphere is intended to be used in the retracted position to measure flat (2-dimensional) scenes/objects. Extend the Lumisphere for measuring 3-dimensional scenes/objects.
The unit runs on a CR-123A lithium battery - not a very common size. The battery is available in hardware stores (used in garage door openers) or in specialized battery/electronics retailers. That being said, battery life is VERY long and even in daily use a battery will last 2-3 years. The unit also has programmable self shut-off times - I've programmed mine to turn itself off after 5 minutes of inactivity.
Besides all this, the unit has a standard tripod socket, a flash synch socket, up to 9 exposure memories, a neck strap (lanyard), soft carry case, quick reference card (in English and Japanese), and a comprehensive instruction manual. The unit can be attached to a computer (via USB) for camera calibration and firmware updates (although there are no updates available at the time of this writing).
A feature that I really find useful on the L-758DR is the ability to calibrate up to 3 different cameras for use with the unit. I've calibrated my Nikon D700 and entered the calibration data into the L-758DR. The L-758DR now shows the entire dynamic range of my D700, so I can see at a glance if a highlight will be too bright, or a shadow too dark. It's a great tool to have in landscape photography when deciding to use Graduated Neutral Density filters (GRADs) to "tone down" a bright sky.
If you truly care about exposing a scene carefully and consistently, using a hand-held light meter is a must. The Sekonic L-758DR is a robust, light-weight meter that meets all my expectations and then some! Highly recommended! See http://www.sekonic.com/ for a lot more information on the L-758DR and more.
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Cotton Carrier "strapless" camera carrier.
Having carried a (heavy) DSLR around my neck for many hours, I found that I suffer neck strain, back strain, and it seems I always have to use one hand to "steady" the camera from flopping around and crashing into my body. Worse yet is when I need to run or jump/climb over obstacles with the camera around my neck, the camera bounces around and causes even more neck and back strain. There have been many times that I've put my camera down on the (dirty) ground to climb over an obstacle or navigate a tricky section of a trail. When I first saw the video demonstration of the Cotton Carrier system, I could scarcely believe that a large DSLR camera could be carried and handled so effortlessly. I had to try one....
The Cotton Carrier system comes with a "vest" (more like a harness) that places a "receiver" in the centre of my chest. This receiver is the first half of the system - the second half being a "camera insert". The camera insert is a small, round device that threads into the camera's tripod socket. The camera insert (with camera attached) slides into the receiver on the chest harness and with a 90 degree turn securely locks the camera to the harness. A note of caution here: Since the entire weight of the camera (and lens) depends on this camera insert, it's critical that the insert be securely attached to the camera! If the insert comes loose, the camera will fall...
I first fitted the chest harness. The harness has many adjustments and truly is a "one size fits all" unit. Adjusting the straps to get everything on centre and properly tensioned took some fiddling around, but I managed to get the harness fitted snugly with the receiver in the centre of my chest. The initial fitting would be a lot easier with an assistant, but I managed just fine doing it alone and checking things in a mirror. Total time taken was about 20 minutes. Now that the harness is adjusted, it takes only about 15 seconds to put it on.
Next was attaching the camera insert to my camera. I leave a L bracket on my camera all the time, so I have the Arca style dovetail mounts. Cotton Carrier provided me with a Kirk adapter plate to make the transition from the standard tripod screw to the dovetail mount. I threaded the camera insert into the Kirk adapter, putting some thread-lock compound on the screw and tightening it as tight as I dare. This resulted in a VERY solid mount that allows me to attach the camera insert to either the vertical or horizontal portion of the L bracket on my camera. I started with the camera insert mounted on the bottom of the camera and slid the whole works into the receiver on the chest harness.
At this point I had a Nikon D700 with battery/grip, L bracket, and a 24-70mm f2.8 lens, all hanging on my chest. With the camera locked in place, I could run, jump, lean over, and freely use both arms. When I wanted to use the camera, I simply gave it a 90 degree twist and pulled it out of the receiver. Very easy and very convenient to use!
The next day I went on a 10km hike using the system. All I can say is: "Absolutely wonderful!" I found that I hardly noticed the (substantial) weight of the camera. Walking through tricky areas of the trail and climbing over obstacles is a breeze. The camera stays firmly attached to the centre of my chest and doesn't move. I found it very easy to remove the camera insert when I stopped to use my tripod, and just as easy to re-attach the camera insert to resume the trek.
The Cotton Carrier system has a smaller "holster" available that has a receiver on it. The holster can be attached to a belt, strap, or even wrapped around an object - the mounting possibilities are many. The holster can be used to carry a second camera body or long lens. I've found the holster very handy to carry my 70-200mm lens while on the trail.
I don't use the Cotton Carrier 100% of the time with my camera. If I'm shooting from the car or "snapping for fun" I still go back to the traditional neck strap. But for times when I need to carry my (heavy) camera a long distance for a long time, the Cotton Carrier beats any other system I've tried hands-down! Highly recommended!
See: http://www.cottoncarrier.com/ for more information.
