http://www.viewpoints.com/Misc-Photography Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:53:52 GMT Reviews about Misc. Photography http://www.viewpoints.com/Hoya-HMC-UV-0-77-mm-Filter-review-0d032 Do you have an SLR camera with a 77 mm lens?  — If you do, you should get the 77 mm UV filter from Hoya.  It's advertised for its haze reducing capabilities, but the real reason to get a UV filter is to protect your expensive lens from scratches and dirt. — That's why I got this filter.  Sure, it does help reduce haze, but I just had purchased a new lens for my camera and I wanted to make sure it was as protected as much as it could be. — This filter is pretty easy to use.  It's threaded for a 77 mm lens and all you have to do is screw it on to the front of the lens.  It also has threads on its front side, so you can screw another filter on top of this one (say you wanted to add a polarizer).  The filter isn't heavy, is very thin and you won't notice any change to your camera weight or bulk when you add it. — By putting the Hoya UV Filter on your camera, you do two things.  First you protect your lens.  The UV filter... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:53:52 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Hoya-HMC-UV-0-77-mm-Filter-review-0d032 jps246 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Lowepro-Lowepro-350-Fastpack-Black-Camera-Backpack-review-4c614 I love this bag.  I'm not just fond of it, I truly love it.  I travel for business and pleasure quite a bit, and I've been looking for a bag to suit my special needs for quite a while, then comes the Lowepro 350 Fastpack.  It holds my laptop, my camera and equipment, and all my personal stuff I don't feel particularly good about entrusting to the airlines. — Not only will it accommodate my 40D with grip, but with my 28-135 attached with lens hood.  It has room for my 70-200 4L, and any extra equipment I drag along, (wide angle, filters, chargers, etc.), and this is only in the camera compartment!  It has a security flap that covers the side access area of the camera compartment for extra protection.  Speaking of the side access area, when backpacking in rural or urban areas it provides quick easy access to  your camera and lens in short order when you want your camera in a hurry.  — The 350 model accommodates a 17" widescreen... Tue, 20 May 2008 00:25:20 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Lowepro-Lowepro-350-Fastpack-Black-Camera-Backpack-review-4c614 steve9631 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Marathon-Workshops-Captivated-by-the-Light-review-381d2 My wife and I signed up for a photography seminar called Captivated by the Light, put on by a company called Marathon Workshops. (At least I think it is organized by Marathon Workshops.) It cost a very modest $20 and it was a worthwhile four hours on a Sunday afternoon. — — The seminar was led by Ed Pierce, a well-known portrait photographer who also videotapes a series of learning videos for wedding and event photographers. He definitely knows his stuff, and he's an amusing and confident presenter. The entire presentation is about how to get the shots you want by adjusting the available light, and he shows many pre-recorded examples. In fact, a good third of the presentation consists of video clips, all of which were fairly interesting. — — Included in the presentation and videos are some sales pitches for training materials and for various bits of software and hardware. These are mostly low key and fairly low pressure, but there is something of a hard sell... Mon, 05 May 2008 01:05:04 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Marathon-Workshops-Captivated-by-the-Light-review-381d2 bkovacs 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Innovage-Digital-Photo-Keychain-review-5e632 The rage Christmas gift of 2007 was the digital photo keychain from Innovage. As a fairly computer literate person, working on a Mac, I expected to be able to load pictures in no time flat. HAH! — — First the tiny CD that was included will not work in a vertical CD drive. I went to their website and downloaded the necessary files. Still no luck. I called and was told that the correct files for Mac were on a new full sized CD that they promised to send me. I waited 2 1/2 weeks and called back again. They had lost the data from ‘that day’ and actually did, then, send out a new CD immediately. It still took one more phone call to get someone who explained that the screen must read “updating” before it can be updated (why not explain that in the directions?) — — Now that I finally understand how this is supposed to work and have managed to get pictures loaded on it, I like it very much and find that the picture quality is quite... Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:18:34 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Innovage-Digital-Photo-Keychain-review-5e632 Kongqueen 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Canon-Speedlite-580EX-II-TTL-Flash-review-76b81 This is a wonder full flash. It does everything that I ask of it. The only problem is I don't have more of them :-) Since it does act as a master for the syncing, it would be nice. — My the only con that I have of it, is that it doesn't take a Li-Ion battery. It instead eats AA's for snacks. —... Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:24:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Canon-Speedlite-580EX-II-TTL-Flash-review-76b81 PrayHarder 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Canon-Speedlite-580EX-II-TTL-Flash-review-97c41 This is first external flash, I will admit, but I see the results of other flashes when I edit photos at my job (a wedding photographer's studio.) It works, (once I really learned how to use it) awesome, even in very high- ceilinged reception halls, which is the hardest thing sometimes about weddings. It does take a while to get used to, but it's well worth it! (Although, I still haven't figured out all of the buttons.. it'll come in... Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:50:09 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Canon-Speedlite-580EX-II-TTL-Flash-review-97c41 Cynee 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Micro-Solutions-Roadstor-401010-CD-RW-Burner-review-08882 — The Bottom Line:  $40 at Circuit City, was a gift to us to try this item.  It is a dream come true. Fast copying of 200 photos to a CD to save for life. — — With luggage at 50# even internationally, we have to carry less & less. So leaving the laptop at home is a plus with Roadstor 401010. I learned of this through a cruising newsgroup. We went to Circuit City, up the street from us, and they had it on sale $110 & a $70 rebate making is a $40 item! — — It comes with everything you need to run it, recharge it, even CD-R's...... We opened the box & found the Roadstor, size of a DVD viewer. It also included with a nice selection of A/V cables which husband was delighted with, a Remote Control with batteries another plus that they included batteries, the CD-R/W burner unit with a proprietary battery pack, some CD-Rs, a joke of a small User's Guide, and a recharger in a sturdy yet soft case. This also fits nicely in the carry on with the... Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:28:51 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Micro-Solutions-Roadstor-401010-CD-RW-Burner-review-08882 MacGyver 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Lowepro-Compudaypack-Slr-Laptop-Backpack-review-589a1 This backpack is great for those wanting to carry a laptop, SLR camera and a few other odds and ends. — — This pack easily carries a camera body with attached lens (short, probably best a normal zoom or small prime lens) and a few other smallish lenses.  I wouldn't count on carying a big zoom with this pack unless you put it in the extra stroage compartment (unpadded). — — Carries a laptop up to 17".  I have a widescreen 17" laptop and it just barely fits, and probably even stretches it out a little.  I don't feel like it is very well protected becasue the fit is so tight.  With a slightly smaller laptop, possibly a standard 17" or any 15" laptop the fit woud be much better. There is a small removable pad in the bottom of the compartment to assure a good fit with smaller laptops. — — The extra storage compartment is well designed to carry a few clothes or other items, including a removable drive for the laptop.  Just... Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:03:07 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Lowepro-Compudaypack-Slr-Laptop-Backpack-review-589a1 bcoy 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sunpak-PZ40X-for-Canon-TTL-Flash-review-e10d I use this flash with a Canon Rebel XTi, it works perfectly, and the price can't be beat!  At almost half what a comparable Canon flash goes for it is a no-brainer!  The only point missing on the PZ40 is head rotation, this would make it a perfect flash.  The compact size is a huge plus as well, allowing you to carry it easily in a small travel bag. The performance is amazing, working out to over 100' and still stopping action with no blur!  The backlit digital readout makes settings a snap in low light situations.  The only problem I have encountered is the battery cover sometimes comes off when you put the flash on the camera, which can be a pain if you are trying to catch a shot real quick. —... Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:34:15 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sunpak-PZ40X-for-Canon-TTL-Flash-review-e10d hinkawaza 5