WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: This DG-designated lens, which replaces the non-DG version (tested August 1998), is optimized for digital SLRs. Optical improvements include a new 11-element, 10-group design (up from 10 elements in nine groups), to improve correction for lateral chromatic aberration and distortion, and the addition of Super Multi Layer (SML) coating to reduce ghosting and reflections from digital sensors. Mechanical changes include an f/45 aperture setting for Canon-, Sigma-, and Minolta-mount lenses (Nikons and Pentaxes stop down to f/32, which is really sufficient).

HANDS ON: Average in size and weight for a 105mm macro, all scales are legible and in white-on-black except for the lightorange manual-focus magnification scale. The 1.5-inch-wide manual-focus collar turns with a smooth, well-damped action. In AF mode, our Canon-mount test lens autofocused quickly and smoothly, with average noise. The depth-of-field scale on the distance-ring cover glass lists only one aperture (f/32), and isn’t very useful. The focus limiter found on the non-DG is an excellent feature, with its close (12.3-13.6 inches) and normal (15.8 inches to infinity) focus ranges. When shooting in macro range, it improved speed and AF accuracy by preventing “hunting.” The “limit” setting, used at more common focusing distances, can still get quite close in AF.

IN THE LAB: SQF data indicate excellent performance. There was minimal pincushion distortion (0.45%) and light falloff was undetectable by f/4. At the closest focusing distance of 12.25 inches (1:1), center sharpness was acceptable f/2.8-4, good f/5.6-8, very good f/11-16, good at f/22, and acceptable f/32-45. Corner sharpness was acceptable at f/2.8, good at f/4, very good at f/5.6, excellent f/8-16, very good at f/22, and acceptable f/32-45.

CONCLUSION: An outstanding macro lens that delivers creditable performance at lifesize magnification as well as fine image quality at normal focusing distances.

Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG AF Specifications
2.90 x 3.80 (AW x H)
105mm (101.37mm tested), f/2.8 (f/2.90 tested),
11 elements in 10 groups.
Focusing turns 260 degrees counterclockwise.
Diagonal view angle: 23 degrees.
Weight: 1.15 lb.
Filter size: 58mm.
Mounts: Canon AF, Minolta AF, Nikon AF, Pentax AF, and Sigma AF. Included: lenshood, softcase.
List price: $689.
Street price: Approx. $370.

Download our Lens Test: Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG AF
-requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

The post Lens Test: Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG AF appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

As promised in our February 2005 issue, here is a sneak peek at our lab test results for the Nikon F6. For our full test coverage, see our upcoming March 2005 issue.

Nikon F6
Viewfinder: Magnification: 0.75X good. Accuracy: 99%, excellent. AF Test: (EV/seconds). From EV 12 (extremely bright light level) to EV 7 (medium brightness level) AF speeds take .42 sec. From EV 6 down to EV 3 (low light level), .54 sec to .63 sec. At EV 2 (very low light level), .71 sec. At EV 1 and EV 0, .77 sec. Frame Rate: (drive mode/FPS) Cl mode: 2 frames per second, frame rate average. Ch mode: 5.4 frames per second, frame rate average. Cs mode: 1 frame per second, frame rate average. Shutter Accuracy: Extremely accurate and consistent, within .03 stops at all shutter speeds, from 30 sec. to 1/8000. Sound Level: Both average and peak noise levels rated extremely quiet in all drive modes.

The post A Sneak Peek at the Nikon F6 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

leica

There is no single site you can go to that will give accurate historical data and current values for old cameras. However, in most cases, you can go to any good search engine such as Google and simply type in the name and model of your old camera. This will usually bring up a number of historical sites giving good information on identifying your camera, as well as commercial sites that may give you a fair idea of its market value.

Let’s say you have an Exakta VX Iia that is stamped “USSR Occupied” on the bottom. Where do you start?

Searching under Exakta VX IIIa brings up wrotniak.net classic Exakta cameras. You can then click here to view small pictures of classic Exakta models, many of which were made in USSR-occupied East Germany, as well as serial number lists, feature descriptions, and even production numbers. Specifically, you’ll find that there were four slightly different models of the Exakta VX IIIa produced from 1956 to 1963, and a total of 181,900 were made during that period. Larger pictures and more tech data can be found by clicking on a second link here.

Unfortunately, few historical sites list camera values, and you have to be wary of prices listed on commercial sites, because the prices asked for classic cameras may be too high, and the prices offered for classic cameras may be wholesale prices and therefore lower than what a collector might be willing to pay. For example, one commercial site on the Google search, manfredschmidt.com, lists an Exakta VX IIa with 50mm f/1.9 Westrocolor lens at $270, and another, cameratrader.com, lists a VX IIa body in “excellent condition” at $219.

Another great source of prices for old cameras is the eBay auction site. If you go to the Cameras and Photo section, and type in Exakta, you can view current auctions for all Exakta items. However, current auction prices can be tantalizingly misleading-such as an Exakta VX IIa for $54 with one day to go on the auction, another for $39.99 with two days to go, and one at an incredible $7.16 with three days to go! As eBayers know well, the real winning bid price may not become evident until the last few minutes-or seconds-of the auction. A much more accurate price indicator is the “Buy Now” price-the price the buyer is willing to accept to stop the auction before any bids are made. In the case of the Exakta VX IIa, the “Buy Now” prices we saw were $199 for a VX IIa with 50mm f/1.9 Westrocolor lens in “great shape” and a thee-lens two-viewfinder VX IIa outfit at $200. You can also go to “Completed Listings” to view, by camera name, actual selling prices for auctions that have ended, but you have to be an eBay member. The good news: eBay easy to join and it doesn’t cost anything.

Finally, anyone interested in identifying old cameras and determining their value should consider getting a copy of the latest (12th) edition of McKeown’s Price Gude to Antique and Classic Cameras, published by Centennial Photo, 11595 State Road 70, Grantsburg, WI, 54940, Tel# 715-689-2153. This 1,248-page volume is pricey at $125, but it has over 10,000 camera photos, lists many cameras that are hard to find on the Internet, and is an indispensable resource for collectors. The camera values listed in McKeown’s are generally accurate too, but understandably not as current as what you can find on the Web. For listings of other camera price guides, go to Google and search under “camera price guides.”

The post How much is your old camera worth? appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

New gear that has impressed our editors

Did somebody say “Digital”?
Everybody knows this lens. Or at least its predecessor. After all, Tamron’s AF 28-300mm is one successful optic that combines a compact size and a good price with range and resolution. See our Lens Test in the October 2002 issue (or at PopPhoto.com) for the details. Now, to optimize this lens for digital SLRs (and still have it work great on film bodies), Tamron brings even tighter manufacturing tolerances and adds its “Di” multicoating to reduce flare and ghosting caused by lens aberrations. Like the earlier version, the new AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Aspherical XR Di (IF) Macro ($365 street) is only 3.3 inches long at 28mm and 6.4 inches at 300mm, and measures 2.9 inches at its widest point. Constructed of 15 elements in 13 groups, it comes in Canon AF, Nikon AF-D, Konica Minolta AF-D, and Pentax AF mounts. The lens takes 62mm filters, and ships with a flower-shaped lenshood. (Tamron; 631-858-8400; www.tamron.com)

Call for backup
As memory card capacities grow and the price per MB drops, who doesn’t fear losing images to a memory-card mishap? Unless you carry a laptop wherever you shoot, the best way to calm your nerves is with a portable backup device, such as MicroSolutions’ RoadStor ($270 street). Combining a five-in-one card reader, CD burner, and DVD player, this silver box (the size of a trade paperback) not only backs up your images straight from your memory card to a CD-R/RW (at up to 24X speed), but also can display them on a TV. The detachable, rechargeable lithium ion battery keeps the RoadStor running for up to two hours when you’re away from a power outlet (extra batteries are $50 each). Audio, S-Video, and composite video outputs let you connect to a TV, while the USB 2.0 jack plugs into a computer. The card reader has slots for MultiMedia, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, CompactFlash Type I/II, and Microdrives. The RoadStor includes everything from cables to a carrying case-even CD-burning software so you can use it as an external drive with your computer. (MicroSolutions; 800-890-7227; www.micro-solutions.com)

Charge everything!
Rechargeable batteries really do make you feel better about all that gas your SUV burns. But isn’t it a pain to sort out all of your different battery chargers? Not anymore. Lenmar’s new Mach 1 Fusion USB SpeedCharger ($139.95 list) aims to replace your gaggle of chargers, and can even recharge a set of batteries and a cell phone, PDA, or MP3 player at the same time. Switchable adapter plates let you change from AA/AAA NiMHs to proprietary Li-ions at a moment’s notice. A power-only (no data) USB port and a handful of connector tips let you plug in your phone/PDA/MP3 player. The unit charges up to four AA/AAAs in one hour or one Li-ion in 30 minutes. The charger comes with adapter plates for Canon and Sony digital cameras and camcorders, connector tips for most brands of cell phones, two Lenmar NoMEMPro 2300 mAh AA NiMH batteries, and a car adapter for charging on the go. (Lenmar Enterprises Inc.; 805-384-9600; www.lenmar.com)

Weigh to go
Slik’s latest carbon-fiber tripod, the Pro 883 CF-D ($400 street), almost begs to be carried. It weighs just 4.1 pounds, and the padded upper leg sections are easy on your shoulders even without the carrying case. Its three D-shaped leg sections open for a maximum height of 57.5 inches and close down to 25.5 inches without spinning-so the lever locks are always in the same position on the legs. It holds up to 11 pounds, including the weight bag that attaches to the lower portion of the legs for extra stability. The tripod is sold without a head, so if you don’t already own a Slik head, get one from the company’s line. (THK Products Inc.; 800-421-1141; www.thkphoto.com)

Pint-sized popper
A hot-shoe flash unit can be a great way to have better lighting in your photos. But they can be bulky, and might not work with your camera’s metering system. At just 3.6×2.4×3.5-inches, and 9 oz (two AAs included) Sunpak’s PZ40X ($150 street) aims to save room in your bag. It comes in three versions: for Canon’s E-TTL, Nikon’s D-TTL, and Minolta’s ADI metering systems. The automatic motorized zoom head ranges from 24-80mm to match the focal length of the lens in use, or can be set manually. The infrared AF-assist lamp helps your camera focus in low light. The unit’s LCD shows the focal length, mode, power ratio (1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16), and flash-range scale. The flash head tilts, with stops at 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees, but doesn’t swivel. It also won’t work with Nikon’s D70 or D2h, won’t do second-curtain sync on a Canon, and can only fire up to 15 continuous flashes without resting. Of course, with this flash’s light weight, your arms will thank you at the end of the day. (ToCAD America; 973-428-9800; www.tocad.com)

The post Just Out 11/04 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

New gear that has impressed our editors

Digital testosterone
With what promises to be one of the most exciting cameras of the 2005 model year, Canon has announced the EOS 20D ($1,500 street). This new 8.2MP digital SLR is slated to replace the popular 6.1MP EOS 10D. While Canon could have made photographers happy with just higher resolution and minor performance tweaks on the 10D, the company instead is promising a category-thumping, knockout camera.

The EOS 20D shows a family resemblance to the 10D, with a similar magnesium-alloy outer shell and stainless-steel chassis, plus many of the 10D’s controls. It also packs a similar pop-up flash and AF-assist light, accepts the same rechargeable Li-ion batteries, and also uses CF Type I or II cards for storage. But for all this, the 20D is still slightly smaller and 3.5 ounces lighter (a welcome improvement).

Most attention will be focused on the 20D’s 8.2MP resolution-the same offered by the $4,500 (street) EOS-1D Mark II. However, the EOS 20D uses a smaller, APS-C-sized CMOS sensor, which could lead to higher noise levels than the Mark II.

This smaller sensor also means that the camera has a 1.6X 35mm lens factor-not the more desirable 1.3X factor of the Mark II. So an 18mm ultrawide-angle lens is needed to get a 27mm-equivalent field of view.

Unlike other DSLR upgrades, the 20D’s higher resolution doesn’t slow its performance. According to Canon, it turns on in 0.2 sec (compared with the 10D’s 2.2 sec), and has a faster and more accurate AF system, as well as a blazing 5-fps burst mode for up to 22 frames in JPEG mode, or up to six frames in RAW. (That’s far faster than the 10D.) The 9-point, diamond-patterned AF system may even be slightly faster in some situations than the Mark II’s 45-zone system. Its cross-type sensor at the center automatically switches AF sensors based on the lens in use. Shutter speed also has been increased to 1/8000 sec from 1/4000, and the flash sync is now 1/250 sec, instead of 1/200 sec.

In addition, the camera sports a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connector and an E-TTL II flash system that takes into account distance data provided by compatible lenses. This feature works with existing Speedlites, while a new white-balance fine-tuning feature will be packed into a new Speedlite replacing the 550EX.

Once we get our hands-and lab-on a working model of the 20D, we’ll see if it captures photos with the similar high image quality and low noise (from ISO 100 to 1600) of the Mark II. If it does, this digital SLR will be hard to beat for the price.

New Lenses: Wide & Superwide
Like its lower-priced sibling, the EOS Digital Rebel, the EOS 20D is compatible with Canon’s relatively low-priced EF-S series of lenses, in addition to all standard EF-mount lenses. Canon also announced the arrival of two new EF-S lenses for use with these cameras. The 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM EF-S ($599 estimated street) is the first EF-S lens with image stabilization, but is overshadowed by the exciting superwide 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM EF-S ($799 estimated street). This lens was designed to offset the 1.6X 35mm lens factor that limits the ultrawide capabilities of the Digital Rebel and 20D. Now, both of these cameras can capture a true 16-35mm equivalent field of view, while the EOS-1D Mark II can capture a superwide 13-29mm field of view. (Canon U.S.A.; www.usa.canon.com; 800-652-2666)

Lotta Flash, Little Cash
If you think a Canon or Nikon flash unit is too expensive, but you really like the idea of through-the-lens flash metering, Quantaray has a solution for you. The new QDC800 digital SLR flash system has two modules-one Canon, one Nikon-that attach to the bottom of the strobe so it can mount in the hot-shoe of your Canon or Nikon SLR. The head zooms manually in three steps from wide to tele and swivels vertically from -7 to 90 degrees. Fans of side-bounce flash should note that it doesn’t swivel horizontally. The price? Just $70 (street) apiece for the strobe unit and each module. They’re only at Ritz Camera centers. (Quantaray; www.ritzcamera.com; 877-690-0099)

Pull and Play Tripod
Tripod legs require twisting, locking, or other physical labor, right? Not anymore, says Manfrotto. With the Neotec 458B Pro Photo tripod ($300 street), just pull the legs to the length you want-they automatically lock in place, holding up to 17.6 pounds. Press the silver-colored button at the top of the legs, and they slide back up. Specially designed and precision-sealed pneumatic devices on the aluminum legs make this “no-twist/no-lock” approach possible. Speaking of legs, these can lock in at four angles for unusual terrain, or ultralow-angle work. The two-piece center post also mounts horizontally for macro shooting. The detachable handle helps you tote this 5.3-pounder, which is 25.2 inches when closed and 61.4 inches fully extended. It doesn’t come with a head, so you’ll have to pick one from Manfrotto’s line to go with it. (Bogen Photo Corp.; www.manfrotto.com; 201-818-9500)

Slim Polarizer
Who needs a thinner polarizing filter? You do, if you’re concerned with vignetting on wide-angle shots. Hoya trimmed the thickness of its top circular polarizer-now the Super-HMC PRO 1 Circular Polarizer-to a mere 5mm, from the usual 7.5mm. How? With a new thinner, hardened optical glass. At the same time, Hoya upped the multicoating to seven layers to combat lens flare and ghosting. As thin as this filter is, it still has normal threads on the front, so your clip-on lenscap will still work. The Super-HMC PRO 1 comes in sizes from 49-82mm with prices from $69-$220 (street). (THK Photo Products, Inc.; www.thkphoto.com; 800-421-1141)

The post Just Out 10/04 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

New gear that has impressed our editors

MAKE A SPLASH
Who says SLRs can’t swim? The Aquapac SLR case ($120 street) promises to keep your camera dry while you get wet. It would also do the trick for those action shots during monsoon season. Really more of a bag than a case, it’s made of soft plastic, with an “optically clear” material called Lenzflex around and in front of the lens. Twisting three clips along a hard plastic edge seals the case. The result: you can take it down to 15 feet. Perfect for snorkeling. And if you lose your grip, it will bob to the surface. The kit includes a shoulder strap. A size guide on the company’s web site lists all the cameras that fit. (AquapacUSA; 512-628-8486; www.aquapac.info)
DIGITAL NOSTALGIA
Leica rangefinder fans in Japan have been dusting off their L- and M-mount lenses ever since Epson announced that the world’s first digital rangefinder camera would go on sale this month in that camera-obsessed country. Dubbed the R-D1, its body-only street price is 300,000 yen, about $2,850. It hits the U.S. later this year. The 6.1-megapixel R-D1 bears an uncanny resemblance to the Voigtländer R2 film-burner (manufactured by Cosina), but uses an APS-size CCD sensor and stores 6MP, 3MP, or 12-bit RAW files on SD memory cards. And is that a film-winding lever on top? Yes, and it actually cocks the mechanical shutter. Even cooler is the “film rewinding” knob that now lets you scroll through pictures on the 2-inch, 235,000-pixel swiveling LCD. Like the R2, it has a switchable 1X viewfinder set to 28-, 35-, or 50mm (rather than the R2’s 35-, 50-, or 75mm) to compensate for the R-D1’s 1.53X 35mm lens factor. Another old-time touch: there’s no built-in flash, just a hot-shoe. (Epson America, Inc.; 800-463-7766; www.epson.com)

SPECTACULAR SHADOWS
Portrait lighting just got easier. Westcott’s new Master’s Brush softbox add-on gives you a two-stop difference between the center and outer edges, so you get a gentle fall-off of light. Westcott achieves this with a multilayer front panel and an internal baffle. The Master’s Brush is a variation on Westcott’s 16×22-inch silver-interior Box 1 softbox and comes in a package with a Box 1 ($229.90 list) or as an add-on kit for any 16×22 softbox ($99.90 list), or (F.J. Westcott Co.; 419-243-7311; www.fjwestcott.com)

STOWAWAY TRIPOD
So you’re on a shoot and need a tabletop tripod, but you left it at home? If you had a Davis & Sanford tripod and the company’s new SwitchGrip ($19.97 list) you could just remove a hidden mini-tripod from your regular tripod’s handle and shoot away. The SwitchGrip fits Davis & Sanford’s CourierXT, MagnumXT, Explorer, and Ranger tripods. Stowed, the SwitchGrip with mini-tripod weighs eight ounces and is eight inches long. (Tiffen Company; 631-273-2500; www.tiffen.com)

POSH PAPYRUS
Adorama’s new ProJet Elite fine-art inkjet papers let you add anything from texture to shine. The line includes Photo Rag, Linen Texture, Silver Mirror, and Velvet Smooth varieties. Photo Rag is 100-percent cotton, acid-free watercolor paper, Linen Texture gives you just that. Silver Mirror is a reflective, polyester-based foil, while Velvet Smooth has a texture to match its name. All ProJet Elite papers come in a range of weights, 4×6- to 17×22-inch sizes, as well as rolls. Prices start at $9.99 for 10 8.5×11 sheets of lightweight Photo Rag. (Adorama; 800-223-2500; www.adorama.com)

The post Just Out 07/04 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Lens Test: A newcomer crashes the IS/VR party

Download our Lens Test Results for: Sigma 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 EX OS APO AF
-requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

The post Sigma 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 EX OS APO AF appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

New gear that has impressed our editors

BABY GOT BACK
What?! Another megapriced, mega-megapixel digital back for medium-format cameras? Yes, the Sinarback 54M packs 22MP and lists for $14,999. But there’s more to it than just those statistics. It’s fairly small and light (3.5 inches square, 2 inches deep, and 14 ounces). Its custom-designed Kodak sensor gives you 14-bit color depth and a contrast range of 11 f-stops. The 54M captures up to 24 frames per minute and can handle shutter speeds from 32 to 1/4000 sec. For control, there’s new captureShop 5.0 software and two FireWire ports. With adapters, it can fit almost any medium-format body. (Sinar AG; 800-456-0203; www.sinarbron.com)

POWER POP
Are your low-light shots dark because the flash in your digital compact lacks punch? Check out Sunpak’s Digital Compact Flash Adapter ($30 expected street). It’s a bracket with a built-in slave unit that will fire almost any standard shoe-mount flash when your camera’s on-board flash pops. Result: more light. With five firing modes, you can vary the delay to work with your camera’s sync timing and/or built-in preflashes. (ToCAD America; 973-428-9800; www.tocad.com)

WELCOME TO MOVIE PHONE!
First there were cell phones that shot photos. Now there’s one that shoots videos, too-Samsung’s VM-A680 ($300 list). Make it quick though-this video camera/digital still camera/cellular phone can record no more than 15 seconds of video at a time. You can share these clips through the phone’s e-mail. Video snippets include mono sound; they’re stored as motion JPEGs. The phone has an LED for shooting in the dark and a color screen for playback. The caveat: the phone works only on the Sprint PCS network-for now. (Samsung; 800-726-7864; www.samsungusa.com)

GET A GRIP
Manfrotto has its eye on action shooters with its new 322RC2 Grip Action Ball Head ($100 street). Made of lightweight yet durable magnesium, this 1.43-pound ballhead rotates 360 degrees and tilts ± 90 degrees, all by squeezing and moving the handle. A bubble level helps you line up with the horizon, while the friction control lets you adjust for the weight of your camera. The grip can be switched for left-handed, right-handed, or vertical operation. It holds up to 11 pounds horizontally and 5.5 pounds vertically. (Bogen Imaging; 201-818-9500; www.bogenimaging.com)

KODAK DCS PRO SLR/C DIGITAL SLR
Canon fans take notice! Kodak’s newest digital SLR is focused on you-for a change. Since Kodak introduced its first digital SLR in 1990, it has favored Nikon bodies and lenses, with few exceptions. But Kodak’s new DCS Pro SLR/c ($4,495 street) should appease Canon shooters who own a stockpile of Canon lenses and accessories. According to Kodak, the Pro SLR/c accepts Canon EF lenses and is fully compatible with dedicated Canon TTL Speedlite flash units (sorry, there’s no pop-up flash). It also features the same 13.5MP full-frame CMOS imaging sensor and advanced image processing found in the Pro SLR/n (reviewed April 2004), as well as a tough magnesium-alloy body. But here’s a twist-there are no Canon parts on the Pro SLR/c, and Canon had nothing to do with its design! In fact, the core camera components, which include the shutter and controls, a new five-point AF system, and centerweighted, spot and evaluative metering, were actually built for Kodak by another camera company. Which one? Kodak wouldn’t say much about their new partner-other than it is a Japanese manufacturer with a great deal of experience making SLRs. Our guess? Perhaps the new Pro SLR/c should be called (cough, cough) the Pro SLR/cigma. (Kodak; 800-235-6325, www.kodak.com)

The post Just Out 06/04 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

New gear that has impressed our editors

Lost in the Carmagne Forest
Hakuba/Velbon, known principally for its ultracompact Maxi tripods, has grown a forest of four new, larger, moderately priced, carbon-fiber-legged magnesium-bodied tripods said to be one-third lighter than aluminum. The El Carmagne series has interchangeable two-way, double-handled heads; lever leg locks; marked leg lengths; split center columns for low-angle shooting; Neoprene grips; tripod cases; bags; and accessory hooks. Model 530 ($300 street) is 24.8 inches closed, 64.7 inches extended, and weighs 3.8 pounds. Model 540 ($320) is 20.4 inches closed, 58.3 inches extended, weighs 3.7 pounds. Model 630 ($330) is 26.8 inches closed, 68.5 inches extended, 4.7 pounds. Model 640 ($340) is 22 inches closed, 64.8 inches extended, 4.6 pounds. They join four larger, headless Neo Carmagnes with knurled leg locks, low-angle leg spread, spiked and rubberized leg tips-two with geared centerposts, two without gears-from $480 to $640. ToCAD America; 973-428-9800; www.hakubausa.com)

RoboSack to the Rescue
Kata’s Rucksack R-102 ($167 list) takes its inspiration from military gear, and it shows. This matte-black, extra-rugged photo backpack features protective, rib-shaped, shock-absorbing walls that are said to offer 30 percent more protection than common, closed-cell-foam padding. Designed to hold a 35mm-scale SLR system, the R-102 has a stowable shoulder harness with a special load-distributing design. Weighing 2.8 pounds, the R-102 offers a waterproof outer shell for emergency dust and moisture protection, a detachable hip belt, and (our favorite) a built-in camera strap that distributes camera weight across your torso. (Bogen Imaging; 201-818-9500; www.bogenimaging.us)

Panel Discussion
If less is more, Samsung’s new flat-panel LCD monitor is the most. The 17-inch SynchMaster 173P ($650 street) is nothing but on-screen color and simple, functional design. The silver-finished case has just one button-power. All adjustments are made with the computer’s mouse, using Samsung’s MagicTune software, which includes a color-calibration wizard that sets an sRGB color space according to your preference and ambient light. Samsung claims an amazingly wide, 178-degree viewing angle. But you also can swivel it on the built-in lazy susan. For vertical shooters,the monitor rotates up, and the accompanying Pivot software lets you edit the supersized vertical image. (Samsung; 800-762-7746; www.samsung.com)

Back to the Darkroom
It’s been nearly 10 years since Kodak offered a new black-and-white RC enlarging paper, so (fanfare!) meet Professional Polycontrast IV Paper. New features: additional highlight detail (with no sacrifice in the shadows) and a fine-luster “D” surface, which Kodak describes as “pearl-like.” Replacing both Polymax RC and Polycontrast III, the newcomer will share their pricing: $12 for 25 8×10 sheets. (Kodak; 800-235-6325; www.kodak.com)

Up the Organization
Picasa automatically scans for image and video files and displays them as thumbnails organized chronologically. Version 1.6 ($29 download) adds a meaty set of organizing tools, including the ability to build html “storybook” albums and create slide shows with soundtracks. What we like best is the “Hello!” image-sharing feature that sends pics over the Internet, which pop up on a recipient’s screen like instant messages while you’re text chatting. (www.picasa.net)

The post Just Out appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Clean Up Your Noisy Images
Do images from your digital camera show too many noise particles? nik multimedia’s Dfine 1.0 ($100 street) can help. Dfine comes with custom profiles that target noise based on the individual camera. It controls luminance noise (light and dark specks), or chrominance noise (color artifacts). Dfine ships with a Photoshop-compatible plug-in that can selectively reduce noise using a variety of brushes. A single-click process saves and accesses frequently-used settings. (nik multimedia; www.nikmultimedia.com)

Deal Yourself a Graphics Card
Are you looking to enhance your digital darkroom with a new graphics card, but can’t find one that works well with photos, gaming, and your Windows applications? The Graphics Blaster Picture Perfect card ($150 street) from Creative Labs can help. A graphic card (or video card, as it’s also called) speeds up the visual processing power of your computer. In other words, it dramatically cuts the time the computer needs to turn digits into something visually displayable on your monitor. The Graphics Blaster Picture Perfect card has 64MB of high-speed RAM that allow you to view hi-res photos in full color. It features a VGA connector, a typical monitor connection, and a DVI connector found on flat-panel displays. To make your digital darkroom even better, the card ships with ArcSoft’s Panorama Maker, Photo-Impression, and Photo Print software. (Creative Labs; 800-998-5227; www.americas.creative.com)

Video Binox in View
The latest frontier to be conquered by digital video technology is the binocular. Bushnell’s compact, lightweight (26-ounce) Instant Replay 8×32 binocular includes a 2MP digital still mode, and can record up to five 30-second, 15-fps video avi files on an included 16MB CompactFlash card. Both still and video files are viewable on a pop-up LCD screen. Video resolution is 0.35 MP, and the still mode’s two compression options allow for 50 high-quality or 150 normal-quality images per 16MB card. Included accessories: strap, carrying case, USB cable, connecting software, and two AA cells. The tripod bushing underneath should help produce jitterless, if not Hollywood-quality, video. No street price as of press time, but the unit is listing for $600. (Bushnell Performance Optics; 800-423-3537; www.bushnell.com)

Put a Sock on It
No, it’s not a shower cap. It’s the Adorama Strobo-Sock, a nylon fabric flash diffuser that easily fits over flash heads five inches in diameter or smaller, including heads from Quantum, Sunpak, Lumedyne, and Norman heads. Like most flash diffusers, it claims to soften the light output of a direct flash burst. The Strobo-Sock, however, is lighter and more easily stowed than boxy plastic diffusers. Machine washable, each Strobo-Sock cuts light output by approximately one stop. Two for $20. (Adorama; 800-223-2500; www.adorama.com)

Carbon Fiber for Le$$
Tripods with lightweight carbon-fiber leg sections are no longer rare, and competition among manufacturers is forcing prices down. Hakuba-Velbon, for example, recently introduced full-featured, amply sized, three- and four-leg-section tripods made of carbon fiber that street for around $300. (Three years ago, they would have been $600.) The three-section HG-503MX (shown) rises to a respectable 70 inches, weighs a manageable four pounds, and has spongy, finger-friendly urethane leg sleeves. Like the four-section 504MX, the 503MX also has protective rubber feet, three-position splayable legs, and a split center column for ground-level operation. (Hakuba USA; 800-423-1623; www.hakubausa.com)

The post Just Out – January 2004 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.