I just took my camera to an LA trip with my class and it worked great! The accessories and bag also helped me out a lot!
Showing posts with label summer best view baby monitor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer best view baby monitor. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Canon EOS Rebel T4i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 32GB Card + Battery
I just took my camera to an LA trip with my class and it worked great! The accessories and bag also helped me out a lot!
Sunday, October 19, 2014
eForCity 15 FT / 4.6 M Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable 10.2Gbps M/M, Version 1.3, 1080p, Black
I really needed a longer hdmi so i can view my computer thru my big screen. It worked out perfectly.
Buy eForCity 15 FT / 4.6 M Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable 10.2Gbps M/M, Version 1.3, 1080p, Black Now
these were long HDMI cords that worked just like any hdmi cord will work. I love this company!!!!! I will buy more products from here again and again. This cable was extremely cheap, but it works flawlessly. If you are looking for top notch quality then look elsewhere, but if you're looking for an HDMI cable which will get the job done and provide you with a solid 1080p picture then You've found it. The cable I bought is extremely thin, but the insulation must be quite well done because of how clear the picture is when I watch a blu-ray on my Playstation 3.Saturday, September 13, 2014
Nikon D7000 Digital SLR Camera Body with 24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Zoom Lens + 16GB Card + UV Filter + Ca
Purchased on Jan 4, get the package Jan 10.Great! Quick delivery, perfect items as showing----
And I test the camera shutter used via the prefessional software, that's showing zero---real brand new!
BUT, there is only limited Warranty in USA, not in the other nation.
Perfect product'perfect price'perfect delivery.Of course,
I hope it's service should be perfect in the future too---------
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS L
I've had the T1i for about almost week now and after some extensive use, here are my thoughts:1. 15.1 megapixel sensor. Yes, the high megapixel count is impressive, but keep in mind that, as you approach higher resolutions, you need to ensure the lens on the SLR can resolve that much detail. Sadly, the included 18-55mm IS lens is functional, but the high resolution really shows the so-so quality of the lens. Even if taken at the proper focus, pictures can appear soft with this kit lens. Shots I have taken with Canon EF-S 17-85mm and EF 70-200mm L lenses are crisp. I don't have any gripes on image quality. There are some issues with noise on the higher ISOs that don't seem to show up on the Nikon digitals, but overall, the quality is amazing for the price. Skin tones, textures, colors are reproduced very accurately.
2. Digic 4. The Digic 4 processor appears to process/save the 15 megapixel images in the same time (if not faster) than the Digic III processor on the XSi (even in RAW+Jpg mode). I have also noticed that at higher ISOs, the sensor and the Digic 4 produce images with less overall noise compared with its predecessors.
3. LCD. The 920,000 pixel LCD screen is large (3"), crisp, vibrant and fully visible even in bright sunlight. In comparison, the Canon XSi SLR (which the T1i replaces), also has a 3" LCD, but with 230,000 pixels. The viewing angle is great as well and the LCD can easily be seen nearly 180 degrees around.
4. ISO 12800. Canon and Amazon are correctly identifying that the T1i maxes out at ISO 3200. Some less reputable dealers are listing an ISO 12800, which you should disregard. The ISO 6400 and 12800 settings are expanded ISO settings. The pictures taken on these two settings are ISO 3200 images pushed to ISO 6400 or 12800 by the Digic 4 chip before saving to the memory card. These pictures are extremely grainy and contain a lot of noise to the point of only being usable as for snapshots or adding an artistic effect to certain compositions.
5. Penta-mirror. That Canon is still using one in the T1i is disappointing. The penta-mirror viewfinder image is functional, but still noticeably darker than that of the penta-prism viewfinder in the Nikon D90 (which is the T1i's main competitor). I really would have preferred if Canon had kept the XSi's 12.2 megapixel sensor, forgone 1080p video altogether, and maybe upped the cost of the camera slightly to cover the production cost of using a penta-prism in the T1i. Honestly, unless you are massively cropping your images, or creating large photos, the difference between 12.2 and 15.1 megapixels really is negligible.
6. Size. This is the same body as the XSi, and therefore a bit on the smaller side compared to other digital SLRs. I have small hands, so the T1i is comfortable for me. If you have big hands, I can see this being a very difficult camera to use over an extended period of time. If you haven't handled a Canon XT, XTi or XSi, I would suggest you go to a store and hold the T1i yourself before purchasing it online. (I will upload a picture of the T1i in my hands to the user gallery for a size reference.)
7. HD Video. Yes, the Canon marketing department made a horrible marketing decision and pushed the T1i onto shelves limiting the 1080p recording to 20fps (frames per second). Recognize this as a marketing gimmick that allows them put a 1080p sticker on the camera box. The 1080p @ 20fps is fine most times, but seems a choppy if you have a lot of action in the frame or are panning quickly. The T1i's 720p video is recorded at 30fps and is clean, smooth, and sufficient for all but the most discerning consumers. One major criticism though is that the sound is recorded in mono, AND there is NO input for an external microphone.
A lot of pre-production reviews of the T1i criticize its inability to automatically autofocus while recording. I wouldn't put much weight in this criticism, mostly because neither of the other two SLR cameras with HD recording capabilities (Canon 5D Mark II and Nikon D90) can automatically autofocus while recording either. What you can do with the T1i is pan/zoom the lens and then press the AE lock (*) button to make the camera autofocus on the new subject (all while recording). A problem with using the AE lock button to have the camera autofocus is that the microphone for the camera is on the front upper left of the body near the lens mount. Therefore, the lens motor noise is picked up just as much as ambient sounds. Even with my quietest Canon USM (ultasonic motor) lenses, this lens motor sound is pretty loud in video playback. Although, remember, you can always manually turn the focusing ring on the lens to get your subject back into focus. It's not easy, but after a little practice, it's not all too hard, either.
Ultimately, you shouldn't let the HD recording limitations sway you one way or the other. This is an SLR camera -not a video camera. The HD video is a great feature, but if you're looking for something primarily to take video, look elsewhere. There are much better, cheaper VIDEO cameras out there which can record true 1080p.
8. Record button. For some reason, the record video button is next to the LCD screen (the same button used for direct printing). The first few times you take video, you'll intuitively find yourself using the shutter release button used to take pictures. The reason for this switch is that you can take a still picture while recording video, although, doing so will interrupt the recording.
9. Battery life. My first fully charged battery only lasted about 250 shots (no flash), but all charges since have given me in the range of 500-700 shots per charge. I'm guessing the first charge had such a short life because I spent quite a bit of time learning the camera, its menus, and settings.
10. Live View. I honestly can't review this as I haven't used it too much yet -I prefer using the viewfinder. One feature I can say is nice is that, on the LCD, you can digitally zoom in (up to 10x) on a section of your shot to ensure it is properly focused. This, and the fine focusing, can really help if you're into macro-photography.
11. HDMI cable. The T1i has an HDMI Type C output on the body to allow you to directly display pictures and video on an HDTV. A minor criticism is that the HDMI Type C cable is not included in the box. You have to buy it separately. It would have been nice if it were included, as it's not an expensive cable.
Conclusion. The T1i is a bit on the light end, yet the construction still feels solid. For the camera's price point, you'd be hard pressed to find any digital SLR out there which gives you all the capabilities and growth range of the Canon T1i. The camera is intuitive enough for those new to photography to pick and learn easily, yet configurable enough for advanced amateurs. If video is not a big deal for you, then get the Canon XSi. There is very little the T1i has (other than ISO 3200 and a sharper screen) that the XSi doesn't. Plus, with the release of the T1i, you can probably pick up a used XSi for a great price on eBay. My wife recently gave birth, and I'm not looking to record endless (never to be watched) tapes of video footage of our son, but I do want several minute clips of him as he grows through the years. I've always been more inclined towards photography, so this camera gives me a very versatile digital SLR that I need with the wonderful capability of recording HD video that I want.
I'll not go in to any real detail on the kit lens, which has been well reviewed. Let's just agree that $100 for a good quality IS (image stabalized) lens is a very reasonable value it you don't have another option. There are no obvious reasons this kit lens should make or break your choice of this camera over a competitor's.
Styling and build wise, the T1i is an XSi made over, which is not a bad thing. Some found that camera to be a bit on the small size for their hands, or a bit lacking in weight, but most like the size and weight (include me). It uses the same, proven battery and accessories of the XSi. I've already used some generic batteries that worked well in an XSi, with similar good results, but I do not want to lump all generics in the "good to go" category.
In using the camera, the first thing you'll notice over the previous Rebels in the marvelous LCD screen. Yep, the images look much cleaner even at the original size. Don't get confused if you compare this camera side-by-side and think it's images are all that much better. They just look much better on such a sharp LCD.
First looks at IQ (Image Quality) were very impressive. I tried using the camera in a variety of situtations (biased to how I would use it), and got very good results throughout. Focusing was typical for a better Rebel, and images looked good throughout the ISO range, based on reasonable expectations. I thought the Auto White Balance is a very good job compared to previous results I'd had with Canons in general. They weren't perfect, but the tungsten areas seemed to look better than average. All in all, I'd say Canon made reasonable progress with the jump to 15 meg, but probably no reason to trade-in your XSi.
Live View never has been one of my biggest thrills, but the sharp LCD makes it a bit more enjoyable. If I was still shooting macros, I would like it much more.
But the biggest advantage of the newer screen for some will be while shooting videos. I only did videos in the 1080p mode, and was impressed by the quality. Sound was OK, and I was a bit disappointed that Canon doesn't have an option audio input (ala the 5D mkII or camcorders with intellegent shoe). I'm also not sure how practical the videos will be, considering they aren't using a "direct to HiDef player" format like AVCHD or AVCHD Lite. Also, 20fps is a bit odd for 1080p, but their software does support frame grapping, which should give nice 4x6 prints (there's a bit more than 2meg per frame). The 720p is recorded in a more standard 30fps, which should also help with moving subjects. You can also shoot a full 15meg image while recording your videos. You videos are interrupted for about a second (you'll see a still image for that length in the video playback), but the high quality image will be recorded in its own file (no need to frame grab). BTW, autofocusing did work during this recording, but the noise was picked up by the mic.
OK, so I liked the camera, but how would I rate it compared to the competition. Well, compared to the XSi, it's better, but maybe not worth the money. The LCD is grand (that alone would get my money), and it's a no brainer if you need video or shoot lots of macros. But with resent price drops and combo deals from Canon, the XSi should still be strong based on value.
I've also had a bit of experience with the new Nikon D5000 (but even less so). Although initial pricing is about $50 higher on the T1i, I thought the Canon was clearly more interesting. I like the way Sony incorporated an articulated LCD, but hate it on the D5000. I was constantly setting the camera down with the LCD back being the first thing to touch. You might never break it, but you'll surely scratch the cosmetics. The D5000 doesn't have the motor built into the body, so there's a bit of a limitation to lens. However, the biggest drawback was that the D5000's built-in flash doesn't support their wireless flash system (with their new lineup, we'll have to move up to the D90). The D5000 really needs to be lined up against the XSi, not the T1i.
The 14mp Sony Alpha 350 might be a good value oriented competitor (when Sony offers bundles), but the IQ of the Canon's CMOS sensor is probably better in most moderate to low light conditions. I think you'll be seeing something soon to replace this model.
Thus, it's prime competitors should be Canon's own XSi, the D5000 (especially if they drop the price about $100 more), and for those with a bit more money, the Nikon D90.
The T1i carries on the tradition of Canon Rebels with a lot of "curbside appeal" matched with solid performance.**see update below, now give this camera a 4 star
**** Video Test memory consumption rates and max minutes per clip contained below.
I couldn't wait to my hands on the new Canon T1i. It was a stretch for my budget but had most of the 5d mkll features. I was excited. I pre-ordered a body (I already have 2 xti's and lenses) but the only the kits are/were available so I upgrade to get it before a SciFi convention I attended.
Higher iso and video, for the less than optimal lighting in the hall where the Celebs were speaking, attracted me.
I tested the video for memory consumption rate the day I got it, no problem for a 20 minute test run. I saw a little white bar on the right side of the screen appear get a little bigger, then disappear. I figured it was a buffer level. Next day at the convention during Jeri Ryan's appearance I took a few stills and flipped into the video mode, nice.... until it stopped after a few minutes. Set it back up, pushed record again a few minutes later stopped, no warning, no beep, just stopped. Try again, now I notice the buffer bar reaches the top, it stops. I am using a kingston 8 gig class 6 sdhc, freshly formatted by the camera. That sucks! I missed a lot of good video because this new marvelous camera can't write fast enough. This occured on 2 different but identical cards so I thought the camera was having problems. It was on the 720p mode, 1080 mode could only go 8 seconds.
****Update---I talked to Canon, to make a long story short, this camera is a bit finicky about which cards you put in it. Both kingston class 6 (fastest class) had problems, tried a kingston micro class 4 (slower) 4 gig and it worked fine, tried 2 Polaroid/pny 8 gig class 4's and they worked fine with only 1 buffer bar appearing occasionally, even on 1080. Canon guy seemed to like the sandisk brand. This begs the question of how can a class 4 work better than the class 6? I have a sandisk extreme III on order and will update this info if I have more problems with that.
My wrath now turns to Kingston, who service has been xlnt.
***update kingstonI returned a card to kingston, they sent a new one just as bad as the slow originals, which indicates ALL this type kingston are mot going to work in this camera for video.
******Another update, with a Sandisk 8 Gb Extreme lll card the video worked fine, no buffer bar at all. Perhaps there should be a recommended list of sdhc cards so others don't have the trouble I did.
That said, I was able to test the video as follows:
I have tested my T1i for memory usage in video mode, here are the results using a Sandisk 8 Gig Extreme III:
T1i Video Memory Usage Rates for a 1 minute file.
1080 mode 282 MB
720 mode 194 MB
480 mode 131MB
Following is for 5 minute file
1080 = 1,383 MB
720 = 988 MB
480 = 638
Any 1 clip can be 4GB max, so the following is an approximate max clip length
1080 about 14 minutes
720 about 20 minutes
480 about 30 minutes
These figures are approximate as the content of the video will affect the compression and amount of memory actually used but these are pretty close to an average time you should expect. I did a little rounding so these are probably the on the low side you may get a little more time, but not much, maybe a minute.
You can shoot as much video as the card will hold, just any 1 uninterrupted clip cannot be longer than 4 gig.
Shooting Video also eats the battery, buy extras, one Battery per every 8 gig card should be about right.
Bottom line-MAKE SURE you thoroughly test and 'season' the memory card BEFORE counting on getting complete videos. The first cards I tried did work on day 1 for 20 minutes but the buffer bar got to 3 or 4. Day 2 (the convention) was a different story, you read it above. DO NOT use KINGSTON CARDS.
Stills are pretty good but I noticed on blowing them up the noise almost looks like dusty distorted scratchy marks on the sensor, not just the colored freckles. My XTi is better, My Nikon d200 is better, my Nikon d40 is better in the noise department. I cranked up the iso to speed up my shutter and some of the shots looked like very dirty/dusty slides I have from the 70's. I guess you can choose between the noise or slow shutter speed with the movement blur, or both. See the customer images for a sample of the noise at 6400 iso.
****update on stills
Still shot Capacity on 8 gig card
Large + RAW =286
Just RAW = 359
Large = 1375
Medium = 2334
Small = 4175
* if you shoot any video mixed with the stills these numbers drop very fast.
Other review sites had a pre-release version of this camera and they had the same video problem, (they did not name the sdhc card they were using, but I'd bet it was a kingston). Unfortunately there were not any reviews of actual cameras when I ordered it, just press releases. Now you have been warned and now you have this review. When you lose the video as the couple says 'I do' or other critical moment, you'll curse too.
***I currently put a SanDisk 8 gb sdhc extreme III rated at 20 MB/Second, far and above the minimum class 6 rating of 6MB/sec, it seems to work flawlessly today, we'll see about tomorrow, but this showed no signs of the buffer bar on the side, looks promising!
***update SanDisk still working xlnt.
If you are going to do Video, and it important at all, I can only recommend the SanDisk 8 gb sdhc extreme III at this point. Just be warned that the video mode is very demanding and picky about the performance of the card, just the class rating is not to be counted on, as I found out the hard way. Some class 4's may work, even class 2's but that buffer bar will start showing up.
>>>>>>>> Be Safe Buy the Sandisk Extreme III.
>>>>>>>> Another user says Transcend 16GB Class 6 SDHC is performing well in video
>>>>>>used A-Data class 10 sdhc 8GB card with no problems
>>>>>>WARNING ---Centon Class 6 16GB SDHC crashed and as slow as Kingston DO NOT use CENTON cards, they do NOT comply with the speed rating.
>>>>>>Polaroid/pny 16GB Class 4 cards work OK as long as you do NOT take a still pic while videoing.
***Notes on Video File format generated by the t1i-
This camera saves the video in .MOV files, which is fine if you have an apple/mac, BUT if you run xp, you must convert this format file to something else (avi, mpeg,...etc)in order to make a dvd with the commonly found software. Canon DOES NOT provide any software to deal with .mov conversion or transferring to a dvd to be played by a dvd player. This makes life a lot more complicated. Sure you can search around, get a file converter, then import to a dvd maker, then burn a dvd. Why should I have to search for these utilities and go through all that? Why couldn't canon have just put a simple dvd transfer or mov converter program in the bundle? Or have I just not found it yet?
Canon, please remember, K.I.S.S. is a good principle.My Requirements for a DSLR were as below:
1. High Resolution LCD Screen.
2. Great/Easy to use User Interface.
3. HD Video 720 (30FPS) (1080 was optional for me).
4. Live View.
5. Amazing Image Quality.
6. Comprehensive Software Package.
7. Large Variety of Lens options.
8. Performance.
9. Obviously, Cost (
Sunday, June 29, 2014
CamRanger Remote Nikon & Canon DSLR Camera Controller, Wireless Camera Control from iPad, iPhone, i
What is it?The CamRanger app and hardware enable wireless remote control of supported cameras over a private wi-fi network. It can be used simply as a remote shutter release. However, it is actually much more powerful than that because it can be used to remotely control a wide range of camera settings and shooting behaviors, as detailed below. Currently, a number of Nikon and Canon DSLRs are supported. I have tested CamRanger on an iPhone 4S with a Nikon D90. Most of my observations probably apply to other Nikon models. There are some differences between Nikon and Canon implementations, as described in the CamRanger user guide. I refer to the hardware component as the CamRanger "pod".
Addendum: after publishing the first version of this review, I discovered that focusing was not working properly with my D90. After a couple of e-mails with Dave at CamRanger, he agreed that things were not as they should be. He fixed this issue promptly in an updated version of the CamRanger app. Needless to say, I'm very happy with the customer support. Also, focusing now works properly with my D90.
A small bit of terminology
CamRanger can be used in Live View or non-Live View (Dead View?) modes. In Live View mode, the image being recorded by the camera sensor is streamed in real time (with a delay on the order of hundredths of a second) to your iDevice screen (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch). Touching the screen on your iDevice will cause the camera to focus on that part of the scene, provided of course that you are using an auto-focus lens and AF is enabled on the camera. With Nikon cameras (but apparently not Canon), you have a choice of two connection modes: PC or Camera. Camera mode means that you can interact directly with the camera controls, and can see all the usual information on the camera's top LCD (provided that Live View is NOT also enabled). In PC mode (and Live View mode), the camera is unresponsive to direct manipulation of camera controls, and the top LCD simply displays "PC". PC mode enables remote control of the camera shooting mode (P,S,A,M). In Camera mode, you must rotate the dial on the top of the camera to change shooting mode. (It should be noted that turning on Live View while in Camera connection mode effectively changes the connection mode to PC.) If you want to use touch focusing with a Nikon, you will probably need to be in PC mode (see discussion below).
Basic Camera Settings
Unless otherwise noted, the following applies to both PC and Camera connection modes.
Shooting mode (P,S,A,M,Scene): as noted above, this can be controlled remotely only in PC connection mode (on Nikon cameras). A tiny glitch is that in Program (P) mode it is not possible to remotely alter the shutter speed/aperture combination selected by the program. That is, one cannot remotely engage what Nikon calls Flexible Program. This seems a minor point: people who use CamRanger are unlikely to use Program mode in the first place.
Aperture: full remote control
Shutter speed: full remote control
Image format: remote selection of RAW, JPG, RAW+JPG, and JPG quality -but NOT JPG size. JPG size will be as last set on the camera.
Metering mode: full remote control in non-Live View mode
Drive mode (single-frame, continuous low speed, etc.): full remote control -plus the ability to set the number of frames in continuous shooting mode
White balance: full remote control
Auto-focus mode (AF-S, AF-C, etc.): full remote control
Exposure compensation: full remote control in 1/3 EV increments (up to ± 5 EV on a D90)
Exposure bracketing: full remote control three exposures (± 2 EV in 1/3 increments on a D90). Note: the exposure compensation and bracketing options available in the CamRanger app are the same as if the D90 were being operated manually. This suggests that the available CamRanger settings will depend on the camera being used.
Focus mode (AF, MF): remote switching between auto focus and manual focus available in PC connection mode only. This is perhaps the least intuitive control. If you are in Live View, touching the screen will make the camera focus on the part of the scene that you touch, regardless of the AF/MF CamRanger setting (provided the switches on the camera and lens are set for AF). However, if CamRanger is set to AF, the camera will re-focus before making an exposure, using the focusing area last selected on the camera. In other words, CamRanger must be set to MF in order for remote touch focusing to work properly. In effect, this is remote manual focusing (MF) by using a touch screen, and it overrides the AF camera/lens settings. You need to be in PC connection mode in order for the switches on the camera and lens to be set to AF while at the same time being able to be set CamRanger to MF. At least that is how it works on the D90. I don't know how this works on Canon bodies, and even other Nikon bodies may work a bit differently.
Live histogram: in Live View mode only
ISO: Full remote control, with the caveat that Auto ISO must not be enabled in the camera menus. Unfortunately ISO selection is NOT disabled on the CamRanger when the camera is in Auto ISO mode. This gives one the false impression that ISO is being controlled remotely. Auto ISO cannot be turned on and off remotely.
Focus Control
See the discussion above about MF/AF focus mode. Remote autofocusing is accomplished in Live View mode by touching the image on the iDevice screen to place a focus point. Furthermore, remote focus can be fine-tuned by pressing six upor down-pointing triangular touch-screen "buttons" in the CamRanger UI (rather than by touching the image). In non-Live View mode, the camera will focus automatically according to the settings made on the camera (single-point AF, etc.), with the obvious caveat that AF must be enabled on the camera/lens. It is not possible to remotely select the focus point in non-Live View mode.
An automated focus stacking feature is also included. It is possible to set the number of shots in a sequence. One is also given the option of small, medium or large focus increments between captures. But there is no indication of what small, medium and large actually mean. A sequence is started from the the closest focus point, which is chosen in Live View mode. However, there is no way of knowing, except by reviewing images, how far the focus stacking sequence progresses. In other words, getting reliable results will involve some trial-and-error tinkering. An alternative is to do focus stacking manually by touching successive focus points on the iDevice screen. Hopefully, this feature can be be improved in subsequent software versions.
Time-lapse Photography (Timer and Intervalometer)
CamRanger can be used to control a time-lapse sequence of exposures, or to make a single exposure at some point in the future. The user sets the number of exposures, the time interval ("shot delay") between exposures, and the delay before the first exposure. The number of exposures can be set between 1 and 10,000, and the interval between shots can range from 1 sec to 59 min 59 sec. Once a sequence is initiated, the communicating iDevice can be turned off and/or disconnected from the CamRanger wi-fi network. The CamRanger user guide states that the interval between exposures is not precisely controlled, particularly when it "is only a few seconds or less." It's not clear how long (in time) that a sequence can be, given that the limiting factor will be battery life of the CamRanger "pod".
HDR Sequences
CamRanger can control automated HDR exposure sequences. Steps between successive exposures can range from 1/3 to 3 EV (in 1/3 EV increments). The attribute being varied can be aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. The number of exposures in the sequence can also be set, within a range that is determined by available camera settings (e.g., maximum shutter speed), the step size between exposures, and the settings for the initial exposure. The initial exposure is the "darkest", as set within the CamRanger app. In my tests, the time between exposures was about 2 sec, which is rather long given that subject movement is generally undesirable in HDR images.
In some ways the CamRanger implementation of HDR is an improvement over the native implementation on the D90. In particular, a native "automated" HDR sequence on the D90 is limited to no more than three exposures with a maximum range of 4 EV between the lightest and darkest images. However, if the drive mode on the D90 is set to continuous (high), those three exposures will take less than 1 second.
I tried to see if I could work around CamRanger's slow HDR shooting. Using CamRanger, I remotely set the camera drive mode to continuous (high) for seven exposures. Then I used CamRanger to set up a 7-exposure HDR sequence. I ended up with 49 exposures, seven taken at each step in the HDR sequence! Hopefully HDR sequences can be sped up in the future.
Image Review
With Nikon cameras, you must shoot JPG or RAW+JPG in order to review images (other than thumbnails) on your iDevice screen. (With Canon, you can just shoot RAW). You cannot review images on the LCD of your camera as long as the USB connection is maintained between the camera and the CamRanger "pod". This is true even if the connection mode is set to Camera. Image review on your iDevice can include a three-color histogram as well as blinking highlight and shadow clipping warnings.
Small Irritations
1. Almost every time I want to establish a wi-fi connection between my iPhone and the CamRanger, I am prompted for the network password. The "fix" is to simply try again. It always seems to work on the second try -no password needed. (This is a known "bug".)
2. On an iPhone, the CamRanger app does not switch to landscape view when the phone is rotated. (I believe this is NOT the case on iPads.)
Conclusion
Overall, CamRanger is truly impressive from both software and hardware standpoints. The variety of camera settings and shooting behaviors that can be controlled remotely (wirelessly) is astounding, especially for a third-party implementation. Certainly, nothing made by Nikon comes even close. All features seem to work quite well, although focus stacking is a bit crude, and execution of HDR sequences is slow (as detailed above). So far, I have only used the CamRanger "pod" within a few feet of my iPhone, so I cannot speak to the communication range. Nor have I made explicit tests of battery life, or tied to shoot video sequences. I have not tried using the CamRanger app in bright sunlight, where visibility of the the iDevice screen might be an issue. Finally, I'm guessing that the Live View capability with touch focusing will be very impressive on an iPad, with its much larger screen (compared to the iPhone). Finally, I've had excellent customer support from CamRanger.
http://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Portable-Battery-Wireless-TL-MR3040/dp/B0088PPFP4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357480671&sr=8-1&keywords=tl-mr3040
I received the unit in a plain cardboard box. There was absolutely nothing in the box except the router, cabling, carrying case, and charger. No documentation of any kind. Documentation is included in the iOS CamRanger app but one must be connected to the device to see the documentation. This means you must figure out how to get it connected before you can see the documentation telling one how to connect it-not a particularly good situation.
I made a few guesses and had it up and running in about 3 minutes so the lack of proper 'in the box' documentation, while annoying, isn't a deal breaker for me--YMMV. The documentation can be downloaded from the CamRanger web site in the form of a PDF file and I suggest anyone contemplating purchase of this device do so and read it before purchase.
There were many very small scratches on the device which I suspect are the result of handling by whoever adds the CamRanger specific labeling and installs the CamRanger firmware. These scratches aren't obvious under normal lighting but I suspect that the soft plastic case scratches easily-time and use will determine that.
The CamRanger web site has a link to a video showing the unit in operation so I won't go into that other than to say my unit performs as shown in the video. No surprises so far.
Most of the cost of the unit appears to be in the firmware and iOS software added to the router by CamRanger and is what I would consider, on first glance anyway, to be a bit steep. If the unit proves to be physically robust and CamRanger continues to update the firmware and software at no additional cost then the price gap will narrow. It should also narrow from competition as other vendors enter the arena. As it is I am slightly taken aback by the cost but I feel that if it was produced by Canon or Nikon the cost would be even higher.
Some have said that the battery cover is fragile and can be problematic when opening it for the first time. I didn't have a Quickstart guide to read as one was left out of my shipment so I opened it very gently. CamRanger support just emailed me a Quickstart guide and I can see where confusion can arise. The directions for opening the battery cover aren't totally correct IMHO.
The directions as to where to begin the opening process are correct, but an easier (to me at least) method is to pry the outer edges up and out slightly using fingernails until the end of the cover on the Ethernet side is up slightly--about 1/4" and then gently pull the Ethernet end of the cover slightly away from the router while also gently pulling towards the Ethernet end. This action will successfully remove the cover without overly straining the little plastic tabs holding the battery cover in place.
I will add more to this review as I become more familiar with the unit.I bought this unit through the CamRanger website and have owned and used it since February, 2013. I wrote a pretty extensive review about it and have been in contact with the creators. I'm a little conflicted giving it a 3 of 5 stars rating because mostly it's a 5 star product. I see many glowing reviews and most of them are pretty accurate. Understand that this is not an "intervalometer". Nor is it a "wireless interalometer". The features go way beyond that!
You can do focus stacking, automated HDR, remote shutter operation, remote setting of just about everything!
But here are the things that detract for me for MY use. Mind you I'm a night photgrapher, a Nyctophile. The good news is I believe nearly all of these issues can be remedied with a firmware/software upgrade, except for a few. Note that my testing has been with several Canon cameras (the 40D, 50D and 5Dii). Because the application allows you to do what the camera exposes, your experience will be different depending on the camera you use. Nikon's are noticeably more feature stunted something I observed when I unplugged it from my 5D ii and plugged it into a friend's Nikon 800.
1. While you can set up a timelapse sequence, there is no way to stop it from the iPad or iPhone application. The only method seems to be to turn off the device.
2. There is no indication that a timelapse sequence is underway, how many frames have been taken, or how many are left to shoot.
3. CamRanger doesn't remember the last settings used. So, for example if I go to "Timelapse" I have to always start again by dialing in the shot length, delay, etc. Unfortunately the number of shots is a single spin wheel only. It takes quite a lot of spinning to get to say, 500 shots. Likewise the exposure length is a slider that is fidgety to set a precise exposure length.
4. I couldn't convince the CamRanger to take an extended Auto Bracket. I could coax it into doing what my 5D II is able to do natively, but not more. For example if I wanted it to shoot at 1/2, 2, 8 and 32 seconds it doesn't seem possible because that sequence spans the range from conventional to bulb mode.
5. The application doesn't remember the focus mode. To do focus tweaking you have to leave autofocus ON on the lens and disable it in the application. Unfortunately it doesn't remember the application settings so if you go out of range or start over, oops... your camera will try to auto focus.
6. There are a number of modes and operations where the application insists that you manually turn off live preview (or turn it on). Oddly, the app has a button to do it, but it won't do it for you.
7. I would like to have sub-second delays between exposures (a star trail mode). This apparently is not feasible due to the nature of the USB interface.
Hardware Issues
8. The only way to charge a battery is in the device (at least that I'm aware of). The battery life has been good, however, and it can be powered via a separate power source.
9. The on-off switch is a tiny little button that is nearly impossible to find and operate in the dark.
10. I wish the case that came with the device had velcro strap so I could attach it to a tripod leg, and enough space to hold all the components (charger, extra cable, spare batteries).
About the Cost
I am aware that there are homebrew solutions at much lower cost if you are using an Android phone. That's not what I have. However, the application except for the flaws noted, is well done, and the number of features added to your camera in a well packaged, wireless solution is pretty amazing for the price. One night spent warm in my car while I monitor (and change) my camera settings from 40 feet away; one evening spent cozy indoors while I monitor my astrophotography going on in the frigid outdoors; not having to break my neck to fine tune the focus while my camera or telescope are pointing up at impossible angles; and being able to show my photography students real time results on a nice big iPad without having to hover around an LCD all make this solution well worth the price.Does everything it claims to do, easily and flawlessly. Wonderful for architectural work. Much easier and more efficient than tethering. I have used this great little item on both my Nikon D800E and Canon 5D Mark III without a single hitch. I love the fact that you have the option of loading the images only to the camera media and not to the ipad as you could easily use up the ipad memory with images when shooting on these high mp cameras.
Connection to either camera is fast. The little baggie supplied with the unit hangs nicely from my tripod. I have recently added a Tether Tools iPad holder to my tripod which allows the whole setup camera, tripod, CamRanger, and iPad to be moved through a photo shoot with one hand. No trailing teather cable or going back to drag the laptop to another room for tethered shooting! This is a mega leap forward for my workflow something I have been looking for several years.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
CowboyStudio Triple Mount Hot Shoe V Mount Bracket for Video Lights, Microphones or Monitors, Vbrac
This I like because it works great and also there is place on the metal sides to attach things (I have my Microphone mixer there)
Friday, February 7, 2014
Nikon D600 Digital SLR Camera & 24-85mm VR AF-S Zoom Lens with Nikon 70-300mm VR AF-S Lens + 32
I've been very pleased with the D600 along with the 24-85mm and 70-300mm lenses in this kit. For the most part, the other stuff in the kit is junk, particularly the EN-EL15 battery made not by Nikon, but is "Power2000" brand. If they had sent a rock it would have been just a useful as the battery holds no charge. The other things are pretty low-end stuff that seems more appropriate to a $50 camera than a $2000 D600. Having said that, the bag is made by Nikon and is not too bad, but would be much more useful if it were a bit bigger. The included 32GB flash card is class 10, but not UHS, so you'll likely purchase a Sandisk instead of using this one. The extra "kit" stuff fortunately didn't add much to the cost, so I'm not too bothered by it.The camera was serial number 3036xxxx and appears to have a bit of the "dust/oil" issue though after about 300 pictures it isn't too bad. The 24-85mm lens focuses nicely as is, but the 70-300mm lens required a -12 "fine tune" to move it's back-focus forward. The lenses are sharp and cover a pretty broad range, so if you don't need PRO-level lenses, these may be all you need. I'm quite happy with the whole deal.
I should also add that Cameta got the order out as quickly as I could have hoped for.
Recommended.
I wonder what it can do with a fix 50mm lens then ?!
I tried few Canons, even Mark II, but for me, this camera is just what the Doctor prescribed :-)
Good LuckLove this camera and the bundle with the additional lens. The FX file format is huge that nikon has put this on a budget camera.I highly recommend this camera. It is easy to use, and is great quality. I've used it on a variety of things. Portraits, plays, sports, etc. with my old camrea a got a lot of noise with highter ISO, this one does exceptionally well!Great package. Most of the things you need are all put together. The envy of all that see and use it
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Sony TX Series DSC-TX9/R 12.2MP Digital Still Camera with "Exmor R" CMOS Sensor and 3D Sweep Panora
First of all, this camera is not "red" as described. For guys who brought this hoping for Ferrari Red, get ready to be royally mocked. It is as pink as it is shown on the picture.The TX9 comes with no memory card, but it does accept SDHC cards formatted to FAT32. With the 32GB card it the camera predicts that I can take around 6000 photos in 12M Pixels.
The touchscreen is not bad looking, it is reflective like the Ipod screen which makes image looks clear but at the same time it is also more prone to glare. The touch screen is resistive, not as responsive as the capacitive screen we are used to with the iDevices. This is conform by the fact that it came with a slim plastic dog tag looking contraption with a pointy end. My girlfriend ask what it was, we were puzzled until I went to read the manual... apparently it is a stylus. Only resistive screen can use random plastic object as stylus.
Besides the camera, the package came with a small docking station and a battery charger. This is a nice touch apart from the fact that is doesn't come will all the accessories for the docking station to fully function. It needs a separate AC adapter with Sony's own proprietary plugs which cost no less than $39.99 from Sony's website. Model AC-LS5. The docking station has a HDMI and a AV connector, the package only comes with the RCA cable, so again you need to buy your own HDMI cable. I ordered the Amazon Basic ones, since Best Buy loves to insanely overprice after Circuit City disappeared. With the HDMI cable, the TV out function is very nice. The picture displayed on the screen is amazingly sharp and clear in 1080i HD and you won't need to bring a computer to show your photos to your friends on HD Television. Update: I purchased the adapter, and it does not seem to recharge the camera's battery.
The basic modes of Photo on the Tx9 is Intelligent Auto Adjustment and Superior Auto Adjustment. The Intelligent Auto adjustment is the classic point and click and forget mode, the new superior mode take multiple photos at once then process it to improve picture quality. This does create noticeable clarity, but it needs around 5 second delay after each photo for processing. So this is not so useful if you have impatient friends that wants you to snap quickly.
There are only a few buttoms on the camera, as most of the controls can be done on the touchscreen, the physical buttoms are there for fast access. Photo Mode, Video mode, Shutter, power, zoom and thats it. There are some primitive editing tools on the camera but they seem way too simple to be useful on a small resistive screen. It is more of a gimmick.
There are 2 3D modes, the sweep panorama 3D photo which requires you to have a 3D TV to view and the Sweep multi Angle Mode which appears to changes prespective on the screen when you tilt the camera, similar to a holographic sticker. Since it depends on you to accurately perform the sweeping motion to get good photos, most of the time the 3D photo don't look correct. I also did not find a way to view the Multi Angle Mode photos outside of the camera.
The photos are automatically organized onto a calender very similar to the way Nintendo DS does it. I found this to be a nice feature. The include photo software for the PC was not so useful, it decided to scan all the photo's from my other drives on the computer instead of just the camera, which made a mess of things.
All the previous function are there, iSweep panorama,auto shutter on smiley face, etc, but unlike the TX5, the TX9 is not waterproof. I found it funny that Sony would called their trademark feature "iSweep" panorama. Without knowing the facts, if you have to guess which device the feature "iSweep" came from, Apple or Sony, which would you guess?
All in all the strongest Pro on this camera is the point and click photo quality. It can do 1080 HD movies, but it's not the best of quality, however it is very good for it's compact size (The sound seems to be too loud when recording movies). On the down side, it doesn't include everything you want right out of the box, it only includes what you need, (minus the memory card) and buying Sony proprietary accessories isn't cheap.
It takes very sharp & very clear image. It can use both MS & SDHC. The LCD screen is so good because the picture display in LCD screen is the same if you display in your TV or computer. It works perfect in low light area and without flash light. Specially in the low light restaurant and sometime I need to reduce brightness because the picture came out too bright. I love the blur the background function so much because it is just like DSLR. The picture will come out so good! It worth the PRICE!!!!!!!!!
CON:
The battery life is not long enough to fill my 4GB SDHC. So, better buy another battery when you travel outside.
PS. I bought this SONY TX9 camera after I returned Samsung Dual View TL205 12.2MP. I only use the Samsung one for 3 days and decided to return because the picture quality is so poor almost same as my old 5MP camera. I use my TX9 for a month already and still happy about it.i got this camera as a b-day present, but i used it a bit to try it out..and i was shocked...this cam is really amazing. what i was really impressed of was the low light pics and the 3D shots obviously...and with under water shooting as well, this cam got everything u need in one piece...the only problem i found in it was the short life of it battery which is why i gave it 4 stars instead of 5...the cam wont last long..so its better to get an extra battery with u if you are going out on a trip or just a regular outing because it wont last for more than 4 hours.What an amazing "toy"! I'm a novice technologically, but I do like to take good pictures. I don't have the patience or time to really play around with settings and learn/use all the functions of a many cameras, but point and click in the past just didn't have the quality for me. This one is incredibly user friendly, delivers high quality pictures and video, and is quite fun to use! I enjoy taking action shots of kids and pets in many situations, but also love to shoot landscape (like my evolving garden through the seasons.) The options to switch to different lighting or scenes are so easy to do!! The Panorama is pretty darn cool too! Thank you Sony for making this great little camera!!!I've only had this camera for a few days so I haven't gotten to really use it. But it is very cute, and feels well built. I really love the touch screen. I got it in the color red but to me it looks more like a rose pink. Out door pics are very nice. The colors are vibrant. In doors pics looks great too. Will update this review when I've gotten a chance to really use it. OH and by the way the manual that comes in the box doesn't really tell you much about the use.
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Friday, July 12, 2013
USB to MHL HDMI Video Audio Adapter Cable for HTC Flyer Sensation EVO 3D EVO 4G, Samsung Galaxy S2
I can say that this product works as described. Out of the box you'll get the USB to MHL HDMI Adapter nothing else not even a instruction manual to tell you how to properly use it. One thing you need to know about this product is that you do need an additional USB to Micro USB Cable to connect to the adapter in order to get it to work so basically you will need to connect your phone charger to the adapter and then connect your adapter to the smartphone and you got yourself a HDMI video out source to connect to your tv. The picture quality is decent. It fits the entire screen when you set it in landscape mode. However I did notice a little slowdown when you have the adapter connected but not too bad though. I have nothing much else to say about this product so overall I rated this product a 5* because of the price and it works.
Do what you expect, plug the mini USB to the multipurpose USB on the phone, hook the HDMI cable to your TV and the device and plug the power adapter on the mini USB on the side of the device, the regular power adapter or the mini USB to USB data cable that comes with the phone, so you can take power from the by using one of its USB ports.
I understand that the phone will run out of battery quick enough so you need to give it power, and since there is only one port for everything on the SII this is OK to make mandatory the use of a power source to make this work.
One of the reasons for me to not give this a 5 star is because of the cable length, is not a big deal but leave you with a little room to place the phone in a safe position with when you connect all the stuff.
Anyway there are a little options out there an this one is cheap, I also took the 5 stars away from this is because they mask the value of the device by putting a small value on the product price but almost two times that price in the shipping, so I found this like a trick, but I take my chances and there was nothing wrong, the device works as expected over a month of regular use.This is the greatest! The phone company must hate me but I'm watching Netflix everywhere I go now. Don't use it on a TV larger than a 32", the motion blur is horrible but that isn't anything wrong with this adapter.This item does not work with the Samsung Galaxy S3. I'm a computer systems engineer, so I'm confident it's not due to user error. Especially since there is no software and there are no options.I was actually satisfied with the adapter, the only real draw back it has is the sound tends to fall off during movies and videos other than that its Awsome 4 stars!
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