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Posts Tagged ‘accessory’

RevolCam adds three accessory lenses and an adjustable light to any smartphone camera

02 Oct
When we reviewed the Shiftcam for the iPhone 7 Plus earlier this year we found it to be one of the most user friendly and versatile lens attachments for the iPhone. The team behind Shiftcam has now returned to Kickstarter to launch a new multi-lens smartphone attachment: the RevolCam.
Like the Shiftcam the RevolCam adds wide angle, fisheye and macro lenses to your smartphone camera but lacks a tele option. On the plus side it adds a built-in mirror for selfies and a detachable and adjustable LED light, providing additional illumination in dim conditions. Instead of the Shiftcam’s slider mechanism it uses a revolving design to allow for lens swapping on the fly.
In contrast to the Shiftcam, which is device-specific, the RevolCam comes with a universal design and its makers promise easy and secure attachment to any smartphone via a clamp mechanism. This should also work on the main camera of dual-camera equipped devices.

If you can live without a tele-attachment the RevolCam looks like an interesting accessory for mobile photographers who like to expand the camera feature set using attachment lenses. You can currently secure one by pledging $ 29 plus shipping on the RevolCam Kickstarter page which also makes it an affordable option. Delivery is planned for November 2017.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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COOPH reveals new leather accessory collection

03 Feb

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Photography accessory and apparel maker COOPH has launched its latest collection of leather accessories. The camera strap, memory card holder and wrist strap are all handmade in Hungary from vegetable-tanned Italian leather and available in a range of colors and sizes.

The leather strap is available in lengths of 98, 108 or 120cm (38.5, 42.5 or 47.2in) and comes with an attached SD-card holder. It retails for €59 ($ 64). The wrist strap is made from padded, natural materials and is built for durability. It will set you back €69 ($ 75). The leather card holders offer space for up to four SD-cards and three credit cards in a compact design. They are also available at €69 ($ 75). More information is available on the COOPH website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Accessory review: Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro

11 Nov

If you’re like me, chances are good that a normal part of your mobile kit for photo travel is a laptop computer. However, given the choice, it would also be one of the first things I would jettison from my travel kit thanks to the added weight and space it consumes in my pack. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a viable way to do it since I usually need to back up data, do some editing in the field, and share images to social media or to clients.

That’s exactly the challenge the Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro is designed to address. It’s a hard drive with its own built-in Wi-Fi network, internal SD card slot, USB connection, and dedicated iOS and Android apps. In theory, it should appeal to those who want to back up photos and videos in the field, access their data from a mobile device such as an iPad, and even do some editing of their files without a computer.

What’s new

This is the second iteration of Western Digital’s My Passport Wireless line of products; we reviewed the original about a year and a half ago and, although it was great in concept, it felt a bit like a first attempt at a product with room to improve. In fact, a Western Digital representative told us that the company listened carefully to users of the first edition, and that most of the improvements in this updated model were in direct response to user feedback.

On the hardware side of things, the My Passport Wireless Pro has a much faster SD card slot than its predecessor, with a 75 MB/sec read speed compared to 10 MB/sec on the previous model. It also supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi using both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, and WD tells us the new model is capable of WiFi data transfers up to 20 MB/sec compared to 9 MB/sec on the first edition. Additionally, battery capacity has been improved significantly, from 3400 mAh to 6400 mAh, providing a claimed 11.5 hours of mobile power (6-8 hours under heavy use).

However, according to WD, one of the most common feature requests was directed at the MyCloud mobile app, which didn’t provide a way for users to export photos from the drive to the Camera Roll on their device. The new WD My Cloud app facilitates this, though how it works will depend whether you’re using JPEG or Raw files.

Key Features:

  • 2TB/3TB 5400rpm hard drive
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
  • Built-in Wi-Fi hotspot
  • SD 3.0 card reader
  • USB 2.0 port for external card readers
  • Connectivity to common cloud services, including Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Rechargeable battery with up to 11.5 hours of operation
  • IOS and Android apps
  • Plex media server 

The My Passport Wireless Pro is available in two capacities: a 2TB version which retails for $ 229 and a 3TB version which retails for $ 249.

Setup

Initial setup of the My Passport Wireless Pro is fairly straightforward, though I did find myself referring to the user manual on a couple occasions. If you’re working from a mobile device you’ll need to download the WD My Cloud app from the appropriate app store before starting. Then, using either a computer or mobile device you simply turn on the drive, connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot it creates using a web browser or the My Cloud app, and follow the setup instructions.

The web-based dashboard is intuitive and puts most functions within easy reach. However, since the Passport doesn’t recognize Raw image files by type they get categorized as ‘Other.’ (Which explains the 300GB of ‘other’ files in the graph.)

During setup you have the option of connecting to the internet. The My Passport Wireless Pro accomplishes this by acting as a bridge between your computer or mobile device and the Wi-Fi network of your choice. When configuring the Wi-Fi connection it’s important to pay attention to the option that asks whether you want to share the device on the network: if you’re on a private network this can be a useful feature, but if you’re on a public network, such as at a hotel or a coffee shop, everyone else on the network will be able to see your files as well.

Once the setup process is complete there are basically three ways to connect to the My Passport Wireless Pro. The first is via a direct Wi-Fi connection between the Passport and your computer or mobile device. This works whether the Passport is connected to the internet or not, and it allows you to access the contents of the drive using the My Cloud app or a computer. Second, assuming you’ve configured your My Passport to connect to a Wi-Fi network (and selected the option to share its contents), any computer on the network will be able to access the drive. In a sense, it acts like a mini-NAS. Finally, the My Passport can always be plugged directly into a computer using a USB 3.0 cable. In this scenario it just acts like a normal hard drive, but a direct connection provides the best performance.

The Passport’s built-in Wi-Fi hotspot can act as a bridge to connect to the internet and supports connections from multiple devices simultaneously.

Backing up data

My typical photography workflow when traveling revolves around a laptop computer and various attached hard drives or SSDs. The prospect of leaving all that at home, and traveling only with the My Passport Wireless Pro and an iPad was enticing, so I decided to put it through a real world test.

A couple months ago I traveled to the city of Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories to photograph the northern lights. This type of trip requires disciplined data management as it involves shooting multiple DSLRs at one time, with each camera capturing hundreds, or even thousands, of photos per night while capturing time-lapse sequences. I would have to recycle my cards and needed a foolproof, reliable way to back up all the images. (In the interest of full disclosure, I ran my normal workflow in parallel for security.)

I quickly came to appreciate the ease-of-use of the My Passport Wireless Pro. Upon returning to the hotel every morning, I simply turned it on and began inserting cards to back up while I focused on re-organizing my gear and charging batteries. The device can be set to back up cards automatically or require the user to initiate transfer. I settled for the automatic transfer option, so all I had to do was insert a card and go about my business. A row of LEDs, which double as a battery indicator, dutifully blinked away while data was copied, and once they stopped I could just insert the next card and move on.

The My Passport Wireless pro organizes card data into a very logical hierarchy.

This process works very well, in part thanks to the way the My Passport Wireless Pro organizes data. When a card is inserted, its entire contents are copied to a unique folder, and all folders are organized by date. The result is a well-organized hierarchy of every card you’ve backed up along the way. It also supports incremental backups, so inserting a card with a few extra files added doesn’t result in redundant backups or duplicated data; only new files are copied.

Working with images

The My Passport Wireless Pro did a great job of backing up my data, but that’s only part of the equation. Western Digital’s premise is that you can leave your laptop at home and work entirely from a mobile device. To access images on the drive you’ll need to download the WD My Cloud app, available for both iOS and Android. (I did my testing on an iPad. There may be minor differences when working from Android.)

The My Cloud app makes it easy to navigate and view all the contents of the drive, though there are some limitations. If you’re working with JPEG files it’s possible to preview them inside the app, save them to your Camera Roll, or share them with other apps on your device.

If you’re working with JPEG files it’s easy to preview your images in the My Cloud app. The share button in the upper right corner allows you to save images to the camera roll or send them to other apps.

The user interface isn’t quite as polished as I’d like. In particular, there’s no way to display a grid of thumbnail images across the screen, similar to what you would find in the Camera Roll or many other apps. Instead, you’re basically browsing the file system in a single column with tiny thumbnails, leaving much of the screen unused until you select an image. It works, but it seems like a missed opportunity to make the app much more user friendly.

Unfortunately, there’s no support for Raw images inside the My Cloud app. It’s possible to see the files, but clicking on one results in a giant question mark instead of an image preview. If you want to work with Raw images you really need to shoot Raw + JPEG. This essentially provides a thumbnail image for each Raw file so that you know which image you’re looking at in the app. Simply use the JPEG files to find the desired image, then select the Raw file with the same filename. From here you have a couple options to work with a Raw file.

If you’re shooting Raw files it’s not possible to view them directly inside the My Cloud app. However, it’s possible to save them to your Camera Roll (DNG) or send them to other apps for processing. Shooting Raw + JPEG serves to provide thumbnail images to help find the file you’re looking for.

The quickest way is to save your Raw image(s) to your Camera Roll or send them to another app for editing. This works fine if you’re working with DNG images, especially now that iOS recognizes this type of file. However, since very few cameras save DNG files natively, chances are pretty good that whatever you’re backing up in the field will be in a different format. In my case, I had thousands of Nikon NEF files, so this wasn’t an option.

Alternatively, the My Cloud app can be linked to several common cloud storage services. At the time of publication, this includes Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, WD’s own MyCloud and Adobe Creative Cloud. This means that you can easily copy any of your files to a cloud service where you may have additional ways to work with it. The inclusion of Adobe Creative Cloud is particularly useful since files there can be opened and edited by Adobe apps on your mobile device. (Assuming you have a Creative Cloud subscription, of course.)

Popular cloud storage services, including Adobe Creative Cloud, are integrated with the My Cloud app, making it easy to copy Raw files from the Passport to another location.

Performance

One of the knocks against the original My Passport Wireless was speed, and Western Digital has clearly focused on improving this aspect of the user experience. In particular, WD says the SD card slot can now read data at 75 MB/sec, compared to 10 MB/sec on the original model. In practice, I found that it took about 5 minutes to back up a card with 10GB of data using the built-in card reader. By comparison, connecting the drive to my laptop via USB 3.0 and using the MacBook’s built-in SD card reader to copy the same data set to the Passport took around 2 minutes and 30 seconds, or about half the time. This ratio stayed fairly constant across a number of informal tests. The card reader on the Passport isn’t a speed demon, but it’s fast enough for a portable backup solution that can run on its own while I focus other things.

There’s also a USB port on the device in case you need to back up files from a different type of media, such as a CFast 2.0 card. Unfortunately, it’s a USB 2.0 port, so it won’t support the faster transfer speeds most of us are accustomed to with USB 3.0. In practice, however, it wasn’t that much slower than using the built-in card reader on the device. The 10GB reference data set I mentioned above typically transferred in about 6 minutes and 30 seconds, compared to 5 minutes for the built-in card reader. However, it seems like another missed opportunity given that media like CFast 2.0 or XQD cards have the potential to transfer data much more quickly.

WD claims the battery on the My Passport Wireless Pro can last up to 11.5 hours, or 6-8 hours under heavy use. In practice, I typically got around 8 hours of use on a charge. The drive comes with an AC power adapter for charging or to keep the drive powered full time.

Build quality

One important feature of any device meant for travel or mobile use is durability. The My Passport Wireless Pro feels dense and solid, and I never ran into any trouble with my review unit. My only concern revolves around the plastic case, which seems more appropriate for a desktop hard drive than a mobile device. It’s picked up a few scuffs and scratches along the way, but it has otherwise held up pretty well. I suspect that it might look a lot rougher around the edges after a year of heavy use, but I’m reasonably confident that the damage would be cosmetic and not functional. 

Conclusion

Overall I really liked using the My Passport Wireless Pro, and under the right circumstances it can be a great solution. For example, if you’re the type of person who just saves all your images on memory cards until you get home, it’s a great way to provide an extra layer of security for your data while traveling: simply plug in your cards and they all get duplicated to a second location for safety.

It’s also a great solution if you work mostly with JPEG images, want to do some editing and sharing of images on the road, but prefer to leave your laptop at home. In fact, I think this is probably the sweet spot for the Passport. In this scenario it really can relieve you of the burden of carrying a laptop all the time, but still provides a way to access and perform basic editing of every photo from your trip in one place.

Power users will likely find some utility in the device, but not enough to meet all their needs, particularly when working mainly from Raw files. That said, it can still be a very useful tool. In particular, I appreciated the simplicity of using the device to back up my cards in a highly organized manner with minimal effort.

Western Digital has addressed many, though not all, of the shortcomings on the original My Passport Wireless, and overall I was impressed with the My Passport Wireless Pro. However, whether it’s the right tool for you will come down to your particular use case and whether the features meet your specific needs. 

What we like:

  • Automated, organized backups
  • Integrated mobile app
  • Integration with cloud services
  • Built-in Wi-Fi hotspot
  • Excellent battery life

What we don’t like:

  • No way to view Raw files in My Cloud app
  • Plastic case scratches easily
  • USB 2.0 connection for non-SD media types

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Accessory review: MindShift Gear SidePath camera backpack

05 Nov

The MindShift Gear SidePath
$ 99.99 | MindShiftGear.com

MindShift Gear makes a lot of cool bags; I’ve used several over the years and have been impressed with their durability. The most recent bag to join the MindShift Gear family is the SidePath. It caught my attention because it features a near identical design to one of my all time favorite camera backpacks, the Lowepro Hatchback. These ‘hatchback’ style bags consists of two main compartments: an upper area to store personal stuff and a lower area, accessible via the back of the bag, for storing one’s camera gear.

I’ve found this style of bag to be exceptional for everyday use. I almost always have a camera on me (usually a Nikon D750 and 35mm F2), but often need additional room in my bag for carrying my hard drives, extra clothes and a snack. With the SidePath, I have plenty of room to do this. I was also able to keep my camera and hard drives separate from my cloths and food. Also convenient: the bag has a trapdoor to open up the two compartments into one. This makes it a good grocery-getter as well.

The SidePath is available in one size only, and offers a total volume of 14 liters (by comparison, Lowepro has a 16L and 22L version of the Hatchback).

Specifications:

  • Exterior Dimensions 10.6″ W x 19″ H x 5.9″ D (26 x 47 x 15 cm)
  • Camera Compartment: 9.1″ W x 6.7″ H x 5.5″ D (24 x 15 x 14 cm)
  • Tablet Slot: 8.3″ W x 9.8″ H x 0.6″ D (22 x 25 x 2 cm)
  • Weight: 1.6 lbs (0.7 kg) (includes rain cover)

Design and Construction

I live in Seattle and spend a lot of time walking and biking between my apartment, the office and concert venues. I had previously been using the Lowepro Hatchback before swapping it out for the SidePath and found I sacrificed very little in the switch (I have the 16L Hatchback, so I did lose some volume.) After three weeks using the SidePath, including a weekend trip to Santa Cruz California, and I have mostly positive things to say.

What I like most about the design of this bag is how ordinary it looks; it doesn’t scream ‘I’m a camera bag!’ Moreover, I love how well-protected my camera gear is in the hidden lower compartment. Now, I’m not suggesting you sneak your camera somewhere it doesn’t belong, but the lower gear pocket makes doing just that VERY easy. And because the lower compartment is padded, it also doubles as a cooler-like area. Once again, I’m not suggesting you fill the compartment with brews, but it does perfectly fit a six pack of cold beverages.

The exterior of the bag has a water repellent coating while the inside is coated in polyurethane. This helps to keep your stuff dry when not using the dedicated rain cover. More on that later.

The side pockets are impressively stretchy. As you can see from the photo, I was easily able to stuff a water bottle in one and a Manfrotto BeFree tripod in the other. The two bungee cords located on the upper left and right of the bag can be used to further secure any oversized gear, like a tripod or flash stand.

Comfort

I’m 5’10” and have found the SidePath comfortable to wear, even for an extended period of time. It is also perfectly sized for every day out-and-about use (the next slide will give you a better idea of just how much you can lug). The back is well-padded, though the shoulder straps could benefit from some additional padding.

Another benefit of the hatchback-style design is that most hefty items, like your camera and lenses, will be located in the lower portion of the bag, right up against your back. This makes hauling heavy equipment less painful. There is also a chest strap and buckle on the over-the-shoulder straps for added support.

Capacity

You can seriously fit a lot of stuff in this bag, including: a full frame DSLR body (Nikon D700), 2 lenses (Tokina 17-35mm F4, Nikon 85mm F1.8), two film cameras (a Polaroid 300 and Olympus Stylus Epic), a flash, card wallet, rain cover, 11-inch Macbook Air (you could probably squeeze a 13-inch in there instead), laptop charger, water bottle, tripod, US map, sunglasses, extra socks (it rains a lot in Seattle) and various personal items.

Upper Storage

The SidePath has only one interior zippered pocket, which I found disappointing. The more places I can organize and secure my stuff the better. It’s located up against the front inside of the bag. There is also a pocket against the back of the bag that MindShift is advertising can fit a 10” tablet or 1.5L hydration reservoir. I didn’t attempt to fit either of those in the pocket, but did find it a useful space for stowing my notebook, memory card wallet and extra Instax film. I only wish it had some way of securing itself closed, whether it be Velcro or a zipper.

An 11″ laptop can easily slide down into the front portion of the bag. I also used that area to store my iPad while flying to Santa Cruz. There is also quite a lot of space in the open portion of the top area, which I was able to fill up with my flash, laptop charger and Polaroid camera.

Lower Storage

Whether you’re hauling sodas or camera gear, the lower area is well-padded and well-secured. The bag ships with three padded velcro pieces that can be reconfigured to your liking.

One feature the Lowepro Hatchback offers that is missing on the SidePath is the ability to remove the lower gear portion of the bag completely. Still, it is nice that the divider between the upper and lower area can be dropped down to combine the two area into one.

Side Pockets

The ability to haul lightstands or a tripod securely is invaluable. The previously mentioned bungees chords located on either side of the bag are an excellent feature. And one not offered by the competition.

Rain Cover

The SidePath ships with a rain cover. Good thing because I tested the bag during the month of October, which just so happened to be the wettest October in Seattle history. Thankfully, never once did I find myself with wet gear. I’m also quite fond of the clips on the rain cover: they really help secure it to the bag and ensure no moisture is getting in.

Areas for improvement

There are aspects of the bag’s design I feel could be improved upon. The zipper track for the upper compartment allows the bag to open up dangerously wide. On several occasions over the course of this review, I unzipped the bag only to have it flop open and spill the contents of the upper compartment everywhere. If the zipper started and ended an inch or two higher than the bottom of the compartment, I think this would go a long way to rectify this issue. Or maybe I just need to get use to not opening the zippers all the way.

I mentioned it before, but the back pocket could also really benefit from a zipper or velcro to secure itself closed. Because seriously, only one zipper pocket on a camera backpack is not enough, ever.

The bottom line

The MindShift SidePath is not a carbon copy of the Lowepro Hatchback, but the two are strikingly similar in design. There are aspects of each I like better, for instance I love the SidePath’s bungee cords for securing light stands or tripods, and I love the Hatchback’s removal lower compartment.

On its own, the SidePath is an excellent day pack or travel pack. It can haul an impressive amount of gear, all in secure fashion and is well-versed to deal with inclement weather. At $ 100 MSRP it is pricier than the Lowepro Hatchback 16L (and a bit smaller), but it easily gives my favorite camera bag of all time a run for its money.

What we like:

  • Lightweight
  • Spacious design with an impressive amount of room
  • Two compartments, one for personal items, one for gear
  • Camera gear compartment is secured against one’s back when wearing the bag
  • Trapdoor allows the two compartments to be one
  • Exterior of the bag is treated with a water repellent and it ships with a rain cover
  • Side pockets can easily fit a small tripod or light stand
  • Bungee cords allow for tripods or light stands to be easily secured to the bag

What we don’t:

  • Only one interior zipper pocket
  • Camera compartment can not be removed
  • Upper compartment opens too wide, this sometimes lead to its contents spilling out
  • Shoulder straps could use a little more padding

Score:

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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ExoLens offers Zeiss-branded accessory lenses for iPhone 7, adds ‘Prime’ lens line

06 Oct

ExoLens has announced that it will sell its Zeiss-branded accessory lenses for iPhone 7, and has also introduced a second product line. Calling its existing lineup of lenses with Zeiss optics the ‘Pro’ line, it emphasizes their high quality construction while adding the ‘Prime’ line for ‘artistic expression and non-technical social sharing.’ ExoLens does not mention support for the iPhone 7 Plus and its dual camera modules.

Three Pro lenses are offered: the Wide, Telephoto and Macro-Zooms first introduced in January. Each will come with an ExoLens Edge machined aluminum mount, as well as a key ring loop. Launching for iPhone 7, 6/6 Plus and 6s/6s Plus in December, the wide-angle and telephoto kits will also sell for $ 199.99 and $ 249.99, respectively.

Following the launch of these two kits, ExoLens will release the Pro Macro-Zoom Lens in January for $ 199.99 bundled with the lens mount bracket. This kit will include the Zeiss Vario-Proxar 40-80 T macro-zoom lens for taking photos of items that measure between 3cm and 12cm. 

The Pro macro lens kit will be joined by Telephoto 2x, Wide-Angle 0.6x, and Super Wide-Angle/Macro combo lenses in the PRIME range, all of which launch in the first quarter of 2017; prices for the Prime kits haven’t been released yet.

Press release:

ExoLens® Introduces PRO and PRIME Ranges of Professional Accessory Lenses for the iPhone 7

The new lines offer photographers a range of exceptional mobile lenses that are made for a wide variety of usage scenarios, from professional landscape and portrait imagery to selfies used by social sharers.

Itasca, IL – October 5, 2016 – ExoLens®, accessory brand dedicated to elevating the mobile photography category, announces the launch of the ExoLens PRO and PRIME ranges. Each line is designed for a specific consumer, which allows everyone from the novice to the professional to join the mobile photography movement. Leading the collection, is the ExoLens® PRO line for the iPhone 7, which feature Optics by market leading brand, ZEISS, to offer truly professional-grade mobile lenses to photographers, artists and journalists to seriously step up your mobile photography game.

“We are very excited to launch the high-performance ranges of PRO and PRIME iPhone lenses,” says John Fellowes, Chief Executive Officer of Fellowes Brands, which acquired ExoLens in 2014. “The new product lines signify an expanded brand strategy for ExoLens, which will now reach mobile photographers of all levels.”

First to market will be the ExoLens PRO Wide-Angle and Telephoto Kits for iPhone 7. These kits will bring the aspherical lens technology previously reserved for high-end DSLR lenses, straight to your iPhone as a compact mobile accessory lens. With more than 170 years of experience engineering professional optics, ZEISS has gained unrivaled trust among professional photographers and cinematographers in the industry. The series of high-performance lenses is a new breed of mobile photography optics that will allow the massive community of iPhone photographers and videographers to tell a deeper story with gold-standard gear. All PRO Kits come with the new machined aluminum ExoLens Edge mount, which features an integrated cold shoe accessory mount (compatible with accessories such as external video light) and key ring loop.

The ExoLens PRO Wide-Angle Kit with Optics by ZEISS features a ZEISS Mutar™ 0.6x Asph T* Wide-Angle lens, which provides virtually no distortion and exceptional edge-to-edge contrast, resulting in an image quality that is unmatched by any other iPhone accessory lens. This Kit helps professionals capture expansive scenery and immerse viewers with frame filling detail, while expanding the frame of the iPhone to see the world in a beautiful new perspective. The ExoLens PRO Wide-Angle Kit with Optics by ZEISS will be available for iPhone 6/6s, iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus, and iPhone 7 in December for $ 199.99.

The ExoLens PRO Telephoto Kit with Optics by ZEISS features a ZEISS Mutar™ 2.0x Asph T* Telephoto lens. The Kit offers photographers a narrow depth of field to add a beautiful bokeh to the background while focusing attention on the subject. The focal length of the telephoto allows the contours of the face to appear more natural and closer to real life, and is ideal for street photography, portraits or capturing events. The Telephoto Kit will be available for iPhone 6/6s, iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus, and iPhone 7 in December for $ 249.99.

ExoLens PRO Macro-Zoom Kit with Optics by ZEISS features the ZEISS Vario-Proxar 40-80 T* macro-zoom lens. The ZEISS Vario-Proxar 40-80 T* macro-zoom lens has a variable focal length of 40 to 80 millimeters. “In combination with the optics of the smartphone camera, turning the ring does not result in an increase or reduction of the field of view,” Product Developer Vladan Blahnik from ZEISS explains. “Instead, the ring functions much like a manual focus with which different planes can be set. If photographers want to shoot objects that are three to five centimeters away, they turn the ring to the right as far as it will go, and to the left for objects that are five to eight centimeters away.” This allows users to capture objects measuring three to twelve centimeters filling the complete field of view and capture astonishing details beyond what is visible to the human eye to put you impossibly close to the subject. The PRO Macro-Zoom Kit will be available for iPhone 6/6s, iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus, and iPhone 7 in January for $ 199.99.

The ExoLens PRIME product line allows for artistic expression and non-technical social sharing to step up your iPhone photography and videography game. They are intended for the photographer looking to create unique, artistic and candid snapshots. The lenses offered for PRIME Kits are the Wide Angle 0.6X, the Telephoto 2X and the Super Wide-Angle/Macro Combo.. The PRIME product line will be available starting Q1 2017.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Accessory Review: Peak Design Slide Camera Sling strap

01 May

Peak Design Slide Camera Sling
$ 59/£45 | www.peakdesign.com | Buy Now

I admit, I’m generally not much of a camera strap user. Oh sure, I have a few straps, but they tend to be utilitarian affairs more there for emergencies or #dadlife convenience (‘What do you mean your feet hurt and I have to carry you the rest of the way through the zoo?’). Even when I was in the thick of my years as a working pro, I tended to work out of a bag far more often than I worked off my shoulder.

That said, shoulder straps have a lot going for them. They protect your camera from accidental drops, allow you to use both hands without putting your camera away, provide a way to keep multiple bodies at hand and the ease of access they offer cuts down on shots missed because you were digging your camera out of a bag or pack. So when I was asked to take a look at the Slide sling strap from Peak Design, I figured it was time to give straps another try.

Specifications

  • Maximum Length: 145cm/57in
  • Minimum Length: 99cm/39in<
  • Weight: 171g/6oz
  • Width: 45mm/1.8in
  • Strength Rating: 200lb (This is the rating for the Dyneema-corded Anchor Link anchors. The 45mm seat belt webbing could probably lift up your car.)

It is worth noting that Peak Design also offers a narrower version of the Slide, the SlideLITE, for mirrorless systems and other smaller cameras. Specs are virtually the same save for the width being 32mm/1.25in and the weight being cut to 141g/5oz. The reduction in weight is likely due to the narrower width and the fact that the SlideLITE is unpadded.

In Use

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Attaching the Slide took less time than any strap I have ever installed. The Anchor Link connector design is clever and quick. So much so, even when I wasn’t using the strap, I left the Anchor Link anchors installed on my camera. Sure, they look a little silly and flap around like little ears, but they don’t get in the way and allow me to install the strap again in seconds. With four anchors included, it would be easy to move the Slide between bodies. The anchors loop around your camera body’s strap eyelets and then click the anchor into the connector at the end of the Slide strap. To remove, you press down on the anchor and slide it back out again. You could easily do it in the dark and yet there is virtually no chance of it happening accidentally. 

There are two different options to connect the Slide to your camera. The first is the traditional connection to your body’s strap eyelets, suitable for the classic ‘neck strap’ style with the camera hanging down in front of you. The second makes use of the included Arca-Swiss compatible tripod plate.

The plate has small cutouts in each corner that allow attachment of an anchor. When connected to a strap eyelet and the plate, the camera hangs more naturally at your side when worn across your shoulder/chest as a sling. There are other products on the market that allow you to attach a strap to your camera’s tripod mount, but virtually all of them must be removed if you wish to use a tripod. Integrating an Arca-Swiss compatible plate into its design means that users of the Slide can easily tripod mount their camera without making any changes to the strap setup. 

The Slide is surprisingly comfortable. The wide soft seatbelt material combined with the internal padding makes carrying even heavy DLSRs manageable. It has been a long while since I’ve had a ‘padded’ camera strap. I have either found them exceedingly bulky or made out neoprene that allowed the camera to ‘bounce’ on my shoulder more than I liked. The Slide’s padding is only 1/4 of an inch thick or so, but it has enough firmness to it that it can support and distribute the weight of the camera. One side of the padded section is smooth and the other has rubberized ‘gripper’ lines added, allowing you to choose between the two options.

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The one drawback to the Slide’s padding is that it is somewhat stiff and doesn’t fold up particularly well. This isn’t noticeable on your shoulder, but can be a little awkward when putting your camera into a bag. I suspect that the padding will soften up with age and be more flexible, but I wonder if that will take away any of the cushioning abilities. Only time will tell I suppose.

Length adjustment is quick and easy, even one-handed. You just pull up on the quick adjust handle to release the strap and slide up or down to the desired length. It’s really handy to be able to lengthen the strap for when you are actively shooting and to tighten it back up again when you’ve got some hiking to do. This does, however, bring me to the most glaring problem with the Slide.

While the metal adjustment handles are nice looking and give a sense of quality to the strap, they are also a significant hazard to equipment for those of us who put our cameras in bags. I was constantly afraid that the handle was going to scratch a body or LCD or worse, chip a lens that had somehow been put away without a cap on. As far as I’m concerned, there is no way that the Slide should have used metal in this design. The added weight was unneeded and the danger to camera gear too great. I would love to see this exact design, but with plastic adjustment handles. 

What’s the Bottom Line?

The Peak Design Slide Sling Strap is a well-made, innovative camera strap with a premium price tag. Its construction and materials show quality. The namesake ‘slide’ feature works exceedingly well, the minimal padding and wide strap width tames even heavy DSLR/lens combos and the Anchor Link connectors are a clever and quick way to install and remove a strap.

However, for all the good points about the Slide, the fear that the aluminum quick adjustment handles will scratch or chip expensive equipment is a significant drawback. This is particularly true for those of us who tend to work out of a bag more often than we carry a camera around our shoulder or neck. If you are in that boat and want a strap that still offers many (though not all) of the Slide’s features, it might be worth checking out the Peak Leash strap. 

What we like:

  • Ease of length adjustment, even one handed
  • Innovative hidden non-bulky padding
  • Wide enough to be comfortable
  • Easily installed/removable, can use on multiple cameras
  • Versatile attachment system
  • Material is soft and flexible
  • Arca-Swiss style tripod plate attachment 

What we don’t like:

  • Stiffness of padding makes it difficult to put in bag
  • Metal adjustment buckles can bang against camera/gear in bag
  • Most would consider it expensive for a camera strap

Final Rating:

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Accessory Review: Tenba Cooper Messenger bag

11 Mar

Tenba Cooper 13 Slim and Cooper 15
$ 229/299 | www.tenba.com | Buy Now

Over the past few years, Tenba has built a reputation for its solid line of messenger style shoulder bags. I have regularly used one of their Mini Messenger bags for my mirrorless or small DSLR kits. It has been a surprisingly solid performer that has traveled thousands of miles with me. For the price, it is near or at the top of my camera bag ‘bargains’ list. But if I’m being honest, it has always been a bit light on features, ungraceful to use/carry and looks very much like a padded camera bag. So when Tenba asked me if I would like to check out their new Cooper line of premium messenger-style bags, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Tenba released the Cooper line in late 2015 as unobtrusive photojournalist styled bags with luxury materials. Premium features include peach-cotton wax canvas, full grain leather accents, brushed tricot interior and hand riveted zipper pulls. There are four bags in the Cooper line, each designed to carry a specific camera kit. 

  • Cooper 8: A mirrorless camera with 2 to 3 lenses, accessories + a small tablet 
  • Cooper 13 Slim: A mirrorless camera with 3-5 lenses or a small DSLR with 2-3 prime lenses, accessories + a 13″ or smaller laptop
  • Cooper 13 DSLR: A DSLR with 2 or 3 lenses or a mirrorless camera with 4 to 5 lenses, accessories + a 13″ or smaller laptop
  • Cooper 15: Up to a pro-size DSLR with grip, 3 to 4 lenses, accessories + a 15″ or smaller laptop.

This review focuses on the Cooper 13 Slim and the Cooper 15. They are, in my opinion, the standouts of this line. The Cooper 8 is nice, but is really suited for the smallest of mirrorless kits. The Cooper 13 DSLR is a great bag, but is just slightly bigger than the Cooper 13 Slim, with two inches of interior depth (5.5 in vs 3.5 in) being the only difference. So virtually all comments about the Cooper 13 Slim will apply to the 13 DSLR. If the 13 Slim sounds just a little tight for you, then the 13 DSLR is probably your bag.

Specifications 

All dimensions (W x H x D) 

Cooper 13 Slim:

  • Exterior: 37 x 27 x 14 cm / 14.5 x 10.5 x 5.5 in 
  • Interior: 34 x 24 x 9 cm / 13.5 x 9.5 x 3.5 in
  • Laptop Compartment: 33 x 23 x 3 cm / 13 x 9 x 1 in 
  • Weight: 1.2 kg / 2.6 lbs

Cooper 15:

  • Exterior: 41 x 29 x 20 cm / 16 x 11.5 x 8 in
  • Interior: 38 x 28 x 17 cm / 15 x 11 x 6.5 in
  • Laptop Compartment: 38 x 27 x 3 cm / 15 x 10.5 x 1 in
  • Weight: 1.6 kg / 3.6 lbs

Design/Construction

I’m not sure how peach-wax cotton canvas differs from standard waxed canvas, but the peach-wax-cotton canvas on the Cooper bags looks sleek and understated, as well as being quite soft to the touch. Some of that softness comes from the fact that the bags have water repellent applied to the backside of the fabric, rather than the front. This allows water to bead up, but keeps the front of the fabric soft and flexible.

I was wary of the leather accents, as they seem like they could be useless affectations on a camera bag that is meant to be used out in the field. Much to my surprise, they not only gave the bag a professional look well above its price tag, but felt good in the hands. My only concern about the fabric and general construction is, what will these bags look like in 5 years? Mundane as it may be, my Mini Messenger looks much the same as it did when I got it. Waxed canvas and leather can age beautifully (think about your grandfather’s Filson coat), so I’m going to be cautiously optimistic.

Overall, Tenba succeeded in making the Cooper line feel like a step up from the average bag. Comparing them to my Mini Messenger bag makes the old bag look pretty boring and shabby indeed. Perhaps more to the point, these bags don’t scream ‘camera inside!’.

In fact, despite the higher end design and materials, one of the best parts about the Cooper bags is how quickly they fade into the background. I’ve had many bags over the years and I have no trouble saying that these bags are at or near the top of my list as far as stylishness. It may be a minor thing when we’re talking about something that is essentially a tool. But given the choice between a well designed bag that looks good and one that doesn’t, most of us will take the looks as long as functionality is equal. 

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I’ll say this right now, the ‘quiet’ velcro on the Cooper bags is nothing short of amazing. It works just like regular velcro, but if you pull the flap down (as opposed to ‘out’), the hooks release with 98% less noise. Instead of a huge RIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP, you might just hear 2-3 little loops pulling away. Not totally silent, but quiet enough for church, which is impressive. What’s more, by choosing velcro for the flap closure instead of buckles, there is no risk of a metal buckle dinging a piece of gear as the flap is opened. And because the Cooper bags have a handy top-access zipper, I didn’t find myself opening the flap as much as you might think. Particularly with the Cooper 13 Slim, I was able to quickly access bodies and lenses easily through the top-access zipper. 

While the leather bottom and other luxury touches get all the attention (and understandably so) there are any number of small features that are worth mentioning. Using YKK instead of generic zippers may seem like a small thing, but anyone who has been frustrated by a cheap zipper will appreciate the quality.

Speaking of zippers, I love the fact that the zippers to expand the side pockets don’t unzip all the way. There’s no fiddling when you want to zip it back up again. There are also a ton of pockets and slots to organize all the extras you carry in a camera bag. There are even nylon backed leather MOLLE compatible attachment loops. Not all is perfect, but the complaints are pretty darn minor.

One that comes to mind involves the rain cover. As nice as it is to have the raincover included, the fact that it is not built-in and takes up space in the bag is kind of a hassle. Particularly in the smaller bags, I’d opt to carry an extra prime lens than the cover. Another minor complaint? The side pockets on the smaller bags are also pretty, well, small. I’m glad they exist, but even expanded, you aren’t going to be sticking telephoto zooms or big water bottles in there. 

A final item worth mentioning can be considered both a feature and a drawback, depending on your point of view. These bags are not designed as bombproof protective cocoons for your gear, they are designed to be unobtrusive and functional. To that end, the padding inside is not as thick or heavy as in many other shoulder bags. I measure the padding and dividers in the Cooper bags to be around 1/4 inch. By way of comparison, the padding in my old Mini Messenger ranges from 3/8 to 1/2 inch. This cuts down significantly on the bulk and stiffness of the bags. In exchange, your gear is going to be less cushioned from bumps and bonks. This is a trade that I’m personally happy to make, but others may not feel the same.

In Use

Cooper 13 Slim 

While all four Cooper bags are solid, the 13 Slim might be the standout of the line. It is perfectly sized for a mirrorless kit. An Olympus OM-D E-M1 with a mix of 3-5 zoom/primes lenses fits beautifully. The gear comes in and out with ease and there is a place for everything.

If you are looking for a bag to carry a decent sized mirrorless kit, the Cooper 13 Slim deserves your attention. That said, perhaps what was more surprising to me is that my standard full-frame ‘prime’ kit (Canon 6D, 24mm F1.8, 35mm F2, 50mm F1.8 & 85mm F1.8) also fits. And it didn’t just fit; I found that I love using the bag for that kit. There’s not a lot of extra room and the 24 & 85 are a bit less accessible, but even so the 6D hasn’t left the Cooper 13 for weeks. Now, I’m not sure that this would be practical for a DSLR with zoom lenses of any length or girth. If you want a small bag for your DSLR and plan to carry anything bigger than prime lenses, I’d encourage looking at the Cooper 13 DSLR. 

The 13 Slim is big enough to hold a substantial amount of gear, but is also so slim that it hardly sticks out from your body and doesn’t hinder your ability to move through a crowd. This is something that is huge for me. To be honest, I’m rarely concerned that someone knows I have a camera bag, after all, I typically have a camera in my hand. But if I’m banging into people or knocking drinks off tables in a crowded bar concert, well, that’s going to get people’s attention, and not in a good way.

Not only is the Cooper 13 Slim only 5.5 inches deep, but its lack of rigidity allows it to conform slightly to the shape of your body, allowing it to protrude even less. There is one drawback to the Cooper 13 Slim’s ‘slim’ nature, it doesn’t tend to stand upright when set down. It will balance, but I wouldn’t leave the flap open and rely on it staying that way. 

Cooper 15

The Cooper 15 fits a full size DSLR with multiple F2.8 zoom lenses. I used a Canon 6D, 17-35mm F2.8, 24-70mm F2.8 and a 70-200/2.8 and had room for a speedlight and accessories without using any of the outside pockets. I will say that even a large mirrorless kit is absolutely swallowed in this bag. Unless you were using it as more of a briefcase that also happened to carry your mirrorless kit (not a bad idea actually), I might encourage you to look at one of smaller Cooper bags. 

Overall, the Cooper 15 performed the same as the its Slim/DSLR counterparts with a few small caveats. Due to the larger size of my F2.8 zooms, it wasn’t quite as easy to get them out/in through the top-access zipper. This isn’t something exclusive to the Cooper 15, some of it just comes with pro bodies and lenses.

This brings me to another small concern worth mentioning: the Cooper 15 is a pretty darn big bag. It’s sized to carry these big zooms and bodies. I tend to encourage photographers to look at a backpack or sling if they are carrying big gear. The only time I use a shoulder bag for my pro kit is when I’m on a job where I’ll be in and out of the bag a ton – setting it down, picking it up, rushing across the reception hall and grabbing a new lens so I don’t miss the first dance, that kind of thing. Otherwise, that’s a lot of weight on my shoulder just for a street photography session through town. If you are carrying a smaller DSLR kit, you should probably look into the Cooper 13 DSLR, as the Cooper 15 is going to be overkill. 

But I fully admit that some of that is my own personal preference as far as how I carry by gear. If you know that you like a shoulder bag for your big DSLR kit, the Cooper 15 is an outstanding choice as far as I’m concerned. While I was partially joking before, I do think there is a strong case to be made for using the Cooper 15 as a briefcase/schoolbag. It’s sized perfectly for that task, looks cooler than most anything else you’ll see at a powerpoint presentation and could still hold your ‘everyday’ camera kit. 

What’s the bottom line?

The Tenba Cooper bags are well designed, good looking and extremely functional. They are not particularly cheap, but I would consider them on the affordable end of the spectrum as far as high end bags are concerned. If sheer economics are your main concern, there are other cheaper bags out there. But the Cooper bags are an impressive mix of style, functionality and features. For what it’s worth, the Cooper 13 Slim/DSLR has made my list of bags that I love to use and recommend to just about anyone.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Zeiss optics included in latest ExoLens accessory lenses for the iPhone

07 Jan

Smartphone accessory lens manufacturer ExoLens is to introduce three new lenses that use optics and designs from Zeiss. The lenses will be a zoom macro adapter as well as wideangle and telephoto convertors that will screw into a frame that fits around the phone. The macro lens will allow focusing from as a close as 30mm, and will convert the effective focal length of the iPhone lens to a 40-80mm zoom in full frame terms. The wide angle adapter will offer 0.6x magnification to make the iPhone lens act as an18mm would, while the telephoto adapter has a 2x magnification that delivers the appearance of a 58mm lens. 

Both converters allow focusing to infinity, from 50cm (the wideangle) and 36mm (the telephoto), while the zoom macro lens has a focusing range that’s restricted to 30-78mm. 

Zeiss says that the Mutar-design converters have been calculated to suppress chromatic aberrations, especially fringing, and aspheric lenses have been used to ensure accurate drawing by reducing curvilinear distortions. Contrast is said to be maintained and T* coatings are used on all glass/air surfaces to keep flare under control. The wideangle converter uses four elements in four groups, while the telephoto version uses five elements in three groups. 

The company has labelled the macro zoom lens a Vario-Proxar for its ability to vary the focal length of the camera lens and its ability to close-focus. Zeiss says it is the only continuous zoom accessory for smartphones, and that it maintains coverage of the entire sensor while zooming takes place. The magnification is such that objects as small as three centimetres can fill the frame, and the lens comes with a semi-transparent diffuser hood that simultaneously improves the quality of the light while providing a guide to the closest focus distance. 

The metal frame that the lenses screw in to features a tripod socket as well as an accessory shoe for lights etc. 

No prices have been announced yet, but Zeiss and ExoLens say the accessories will be available before the middle of 2016. Initially they will be made for iPhone 6/6s and 6 Plus and 6s Plus. 

For more information visit the Zeiss and ExoLens websites. 

Press release:

ExoLens

ZEISS and Fellowes Brands Launch Mobile Phone Accessory Photography Lenses

Fellowes Brands, manufacturers of premium mobile photography accessories and ZEISS, international optics enterprise, present three new high-performance accessory lenses for mobile phones at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

ZEISS, one of the world’s leading companies in the fields of optics and optoelectronics, and the Fellowes’ ExoLens™ brand, an American innovator in mobile photography accessories, announce their collaboration in the design and development of accessory lenses for mobile phones. The companies will present the first jointly developed accessory lenses at the Fellowes booth (no. 31016) during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from 6-9 January 2016.

The first three lenses – wide-angle, telephoto and macro – are scheduled to be launched in late Q2 2016. The wide-angle and telephoto lenses offer excellent image performance with outstanding edge-to-edge contrast. The macro lens features a zoom function – unique for accessory lenses of this type – for flexible image composition. The new lenses can be used on the Apple® iPhone®1) with customized mounting brackets.

Partnership between ZEISS and ExoLens™

The collaboration between ZEISS and ExoLens™ represents an important step in the development of accessory lenses for mobile phones. ZEISS has been powering optical innovation in photography since 1890. With current products such as the professional camera lenses of the ZEISS Otus SLR lens family or the ZEISS Batis autofocus lenses featuring an innovative OLED display for mirrorless full-frame system cameras, the optics company continues to evolve and set new milestones in photography. ExoLens™ is a pioneer in the new and expanding space of mobile photography. The joint goal of ZEISS and ExoLens™ is to bring never before seen quality and versatility to this rapidly growing market. 

“We are thrilled to announce our new relationship with ZEISS, who has been setting standards in optics for almost 170 years,” says John E. Fellowes, Chief Executive Officer of Fellowes. “Following the launch of our new ExoLens™ mobile phone photography line last year, our partnership with ZEISS will enable unique and innovative consumer lens solutions. ExoLens™ with optics by ZEISS will redefine quality in the mobile photography space, providing professional-grade results for end users.”

“The impact of an image is decisively influenced by the lens and its technical properties,” says Dr. Winfried Scherle, Executive Vice President of Carl Zeiss AG and Head of the ZEISS Consumer Optics business group. “The collaboration with ExoLens™ gives us the opportunity to tap into new target groups and provide ambitious mobile phone photographers with high-quality tools to support their creativity.”

ExoLens™ with optics by ZEISS

The new lenses are characterized by their leading-edge design featuring smooth surfaces made of black anodized aluminum with white labeling. This is a systematic continuation of the distinctive, innovative product design that typifies current families of ZEISS camera lenses. The modern design offers excellent optic properties and the lenses meet even the highest aesthetic standards,” Scherle says. “The lenses of ExoLens™ with optics by ZEISS are the best currently available on the market,” he adds. “We have achieved the best possible technical balance between a small size, light weight and high image quality.”

All lenses incorporate the proven T*® antireflective coating from ZEISS, which minimizes reflections at the glass-to-air surfaces and improves the transmission of light.

The lenses are attached to the device-specific ExoLens™ machined aluminum bracket using a screw thread. The ExoLens™ bracket features a standard tripod mount (1/4”-20) as well as a cold shoe for mounting accessories. At launch, ExoLens™ with optics by ZEISS will be available for Apple® iPhone® 6/6s and Apple® iPhone® 6 Plus/6s Plus, with the goal of adding more devices in the future.

ExoLens™ wide angle and telephoto lenses with optics by ZEISS

The jointly developed lenses turn the integrated mobile phone lens into either a wide-angle or telephoto lens. The optical design used for both lenses bears the name MutarTM. This stands for an afocal system and is therefore different from traditional interchangeable lenses for system cameras. The lens has no focal length, i.e. the focus is set at infinity. This enables photography of objects from infinity to the close-up range, the limits of which are defined only by the technical properties of the mobile phone camera. This makes this optical design suitable for both landscape and detailed photography. Distortion would impair the composition as straight lines which are not imaged through the image center would be reproduced as curved lines. This adverse effect has been offset by the use of aspheric lenses in the optical design. Both lenses therefore offer image excellence and outstanding contrast rendition right to the edges. Chromatic aberrations are also corrected. Bright-dark transitions in the image, and highlights in particular, are largely free from colored artifacts. Protection against dust and water spray makes the wide-angle or telephoto lens perfect for the challenges of outdoor use. 

Dramatic perspectives, exceptional angles or portraits in which the main subject is to be clearly isolated from the background are the specialties of the two lenses by ExoLens™ with optics by ZEISS.

ExoLens™ macro lens with optics by ZEISS

The macro lens complements the wide-angle and telephoto lenses and enables currently unparalleled close-up photography with a mobile phone camera. The optical design of the macro lens bears the name Vario-ProxarTM. “Vario” stands for the variability of the focal length (zoom), and Proxar for proximity. Like the wide-angle and telephoto lenses, the macro lens offers edge-to-edge image excellence and no discernible distortion or chromatic aberration. It is currently also the only accessory lens for mobile phones to offer a continuous zoom function, permitting the full-frame capture of objects with diameters of between three and twelve centimeters. An optionally attachable and semi-transparent diffusor serves as a spacer, allowing light to shine evenly on the object to be photographed and enabling convenient focusing, even with a short object distance and shallow depth of field.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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GoPro mount becomes standard accessory for next year’s Toyota Tacoma, as GoPro plans user-generated-content licensing deals

23 Jul

Toyota has revealed that the 2016 version of its adventure truck will come pre-fitted with a windshield mount for a GoPro camera. Those interested in filming their muddy, dusty and rocky scrambles will be able to fit a camera to point forwards or backwards to capture either the ‘flight’ or passengers reactions. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Manfrotto adds friction arms to its accessory lineup

03 Jul

Manfrotto has announced a series of friction arms and related accessories. They’re designed to allow photographers to attach lights, extra cameras, and accessories to tripods and, via a clamp, to table tops and other rigid edges. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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