“The longest running podcast in all of photography” (via http://photographyworldnews.com)Brooks Jensen, of lenswork.com, began his ‘audio blogs’ all the way back in February 2004, making his initially ‘pre-podcast’ broadcasts almost 14 years old as of late 2013. It is now part of the Lenswork Daily ‘compendium’, along with news…
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Landscape Photography (via http://www.jobberlab.com)Very few of us are not inspired by majestic mountains, wide expanses of lush green grasses, fallen autumn leaves, sunsets or dewy glow on the land in the mornings. So, photographers thought that if human mind and heart is so pleased and attracted by…
What's in the Box
Quick Flip 350 bracket, shoe mount, 1/4"-20 camera mounting knob.
Customer Review:
Although this bracket will work, there is a part necessary to attach NIKON cameras that isn't included or mentioned in the description. It can be jury-rigged...but don't tip or your camera will flip!
Customer Review:
I purchased this with modest expectations, but it has exceeded them. It is very solidly built and I believe it meets professional standards in that respect. Let me address a few concerns that I know other people have expressed:
Vertical shooting: yes, with this product vertical shooting becomes fairly difficult to the point of effectively ruling it out. However, I shoot vertically about 4 times a year. That's not 4 sessions per year--4 frames. If you are someone who does a lot of vertical shooting then I would recommend steering clear of this item. For me, someone who rarely ever does shoot vertically, this does not bother me at all.
Camera and/or flash coming loose: I have not experienced this issue at all, not even a little bit, not one time. All I did was tighten the bottom screw down fairly tight. I didn't use a pair of pliers to tighten it or anything; just my hand. The camera stays in place perfectly all the time. This may be, however, because I have a Canon battery pack on the bottom of my camera which also has grip to it. I haven't tried mounting the camera directly to the bracket so I don't know if that would cause the slippage issue or not. Anyway, for me this is not an issue at all. Also, in all positions my flash has remained in place as well. My flash is attached to a remote cord so actually it is the remote cord which is screwed down technically speaking, but regardless everything has stayed in place in all positions. I have experienced no issues with anything coming loose. Now, I did just buy this and I have only used it a few times so I can't speak to long-term reliability in this area. If it fails down the road I will come back and revise this review, so if you are reading this then everything is still fine.
If I had a gun to my head and was asked what the shortcomings are with this product, I would say the bottom camera mounting screw is so large that it makes setting the camera down incredibly difficult in any position with this bracket attached. You have to find a soft surface (like carpet or a chair) to set this down when your camera is attached. Setting this down on tabletops or counters will scratch them and your camera might tip over and get scratched or damaged. Also the grip is pretty lacking in ergonomics. Those are really tiny issues that would not stop me from buying or using this item. I mention them just to be thorough.
This is a great bracket and I am very pleased with it. I will likely buy another one or two of them for other cameras that I have.
Customer Review:
I purchased this to use with my Fuji S6000fd digital camera and a slave flash, it is well constructed and very comfortable to use. Don't let the name fool you, it works perfectly well for digital cameras not just 35mm cameras.Sunpak Super 383 Flash
Description:
The 383 Super is a powerful flash used by enthusiasts and professionals alike. It features bounce/swivel head, 3 f/stop auto ranges, manual control with power ratio from full to 1/16, exposure OK lamp.
Customer Review:
Bought this 383Super on Amazon and could not be more happy with the result, my Fujifilm S9100 built in flash was a joke, tried a Quantaray QB-350A w/c yielded some good pictures but ended up returning it due to being "underpowered"(still a much better one than the S9100's)The 383Super is just a dream flash! as long as you follow the recomended setting, you'll be amazed by the beautiful and sharp pictures it will provide. Buy it, you won't be sorry, just a note; it's a little heavy though...
Customer Review:
I have been pleased with this flash. The lighting is very even and the exposure is accurate in the majority of situations. I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the fact that the switches for selecting mode and ISO are very stiff and hard to slide.
Customer Review:
The strobe works as it should. However, the unit I received was supposed to be new. It wasn't. Packaged as new; under the wrappings the control panel on the back of the unit was scratched--it had been used. The cosmetic mars were inconsequential and did not affect performance when used with a hot shoe. Missing in the box was the synch cable. Sunpak uses a proprietary mini plug connector. There should have been a short cable with mini-plug to PC that allows use with other cameras, flashes and triggers. I reported this in previous e-mail to Amazon.Pentax AF 360 FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (w/ case)
Description:
The PENTAX AF360FGZ auto flash unit features a large guide number of 30 (at ISO100/m), which allows for effective flash photography over a lengthy distance. This clip-on, bounce auto-zoom flash includes a variety of advanced flash features, such as P-TTL auto flash, high-speed synchronization and wireless P-TTL auto flash, when mounted on a PENTAX digital SLR camera. Zoom Head - 24-85mm (flash automatically senses focal length) Flash sync mode - Leading-shutter-curtain sync, Trailing-curtain-sync, Contrast-control-sync, High-speed-sync, modeling flash, Wireless flash Power Source - Four AA size batteries (alkaline, lithium, Ni-Cd, NiMh) Dimensions W x H x D - 2.8 x 4.3 x 4.5 inches (70 x 110 x 115.5mm) Weight - 9.6 oz. (270g)
Customer Review:
The Pentax AF 360 FGZ flash is an excellent choice for the photographer on a budget. It integrates well with the Pentax K 10D digital camera. The power and adjustments of the flash unit provide opportunities for creativity. Although there are better units out there, all of them are more money and some of them do not integrate with the Pentax body.
The construction of this unit is above average. The adjustments are average. The power is above average. The ease of use is above average. The number of flashes per battery charge is above average.
I would buy this unit again.
Customer Review:
We bought this for my son; he loves it. My husband wants one now, and he has been doing photography for 45 years. The only thing I have heard both say is that the directions for use are very unclear. They had to go online to a pentax forum to find out how to make use of the camera's features.
Customer Review:
I got it for Christmas.
It has no swivel and is useless to me as I found out.
I use flash mostly bounced off the ceiling. Without swivel I cannot bounce when shooting vertically (portrait orientation).
P-TTL didn't work wonders; I get practically the same results with non-dedicated Auto-flash. I get more blinkers with P-TTL, because of the pre-flash.
Giving it 3 stars because of the high build quality.
I think I'll stick to Sunpak 383 - swivels, more power, reliable auto-flash, twice as cheap.Canon Speedlite 220EX for Canon Pro1, Pro 90, G Series and all EOS SLR Cameras
Description:
Featuring a recycle time of 0.1 to 4.5 seconds, the Canon Speedlite 220EX is a fully automatic flash, compatible with all Canon EOS cameras. The 220EX can also utilize E-TTL operation when paired with the Canon EOS IX, EOS ELAN II/IIE, and EOS Rebel G. Sporting a save-energy feature, whereby the flash is shut down after 90 seconds of idle, the 220EX is powered by four AA batteries, and has a flash capacity between 250 and 1,700. The convenience and ease of use ensure the 220EX a place in the hands of amateur photographers who want a high-quality flash, but aren't interested in learning to use the professional features of Canon's other offerings.
Customer Review:
I purchased this flash for my G9, but now use it with all my EOS SLR's also. This week I used my expensive 580 for class pictures and ebay photography with dismal results. I switched the 2nd day to this little baby and the class pictures were perfect. I was amazed! Eliminated redeye with the G9 and perfect for many uses.
Customer Review:
Adding a flash improves color quality immensely. This is a compact-yet-powerful unit that I use with a G9. Highly recommended!
Customer Review:
This is a great flash! I is defiantly worth what I payed for it. It fit perfectly on my Canon XTi and I really like it. Just remember you need 4 AA batteries for it that are not included. I would recommend this flash.Sony HVLF32X External AutoProgrammable Flash for MVCCD500D, DSCV1/V3/R1 Cameras
Description:
Sony HVL-F32X High Grade Flash - Get outstanding flash coverage of up to 48 feet with this Deluxe Sony High Grade Flash. Offers innovative built-in model light mode, manual lighting control for increased creativity and a bounce and tilt head with built-in diffuser for easy use. Advanced automatic TTL Pre-Flash exposure control is offered through the dedicated hot shoe connector. Pre-flash adjustment - detects appropriate exposure before firing flash Allows detection when conversion lens attached AF assist lamp allows AF photography even when subject is too dark Test flash - sets the focal length of light adjustment sensor by DSC data, then fires the test flash Red-eye reduction, bounce flash function, equipped with wide panel, modeling flashflash external for dscf828,717,707, cd500, v1
Customer Review:
This flash is very well built and the controls are better than other name-brand flashes I've owned and used. I've used it with an R1 and a V3. At GN 32, it's powerful enough to bounce, yet not so powerful it drains the four AA cells too quickly. It has the best shoe lock I've ever used - there's a little pin in the foot that drops into a tiny hole in the hotshoe. It's wide angle diffuser lives permanently inside the unit, sliding out and clicking into place with ease. The flash is very good close-up, very good outdoors against the light. Sony's sophisticated flash control helps get exposures spot-on. It has extra AF assist LED's for the R1 (best turned off for the V3). I knocked off a full star, though, because it does not rotate, and therefore can't be bounced off ceilings in portrait format. It comes with a superb pouch and an off-camera mounting bar. Physically it's neither too big nor too small for what it can do.
Customer Review:
Nothng technical. This unit is designed for Sony cameras and works best with them. It eats batteries, but with rechargeable AA's that's not a big problem. I have found the results to be very uniform and close to Sony's specs. Reasonable recycle time.
I wish that Sony had designed the unit to sit a little higher off the camera to eliminate more of the red eye effect.
Have to wait and see about the long-term durability. Maybe it's the next Vivitar 283.
Customer Review:
While I think the programmable aspects of this of this flash are great, I have real problems with the actual use. So far it's given me variable results in similar lighting situations, making me wonder about the metering. It is very powerful and lights up a great deal of area. The manual mode is handy, but I wish there were more values.
I'm VERY disappointed by the cycle time. It takes a very long time for this to cycle up to a full charge. Compared to my old Speedlites, it takes easily 3-4 times as long to cycle. I can't tell you the times I've waited and waited, pressed the shutter button, then had to wait some more!
Also, because of the low-profile feature, if you use larger flash-attached diffusers, such as a LumiQuest mini-soft box, it will block the sensors forcing you into manual mode. A STO-FEN diffuser works ok and won't block the sensors.
The extender arm is great, but after only a short while of using it, the shoe became very loose and swivels too easily. Also, I wish the supplied cable were a bit longer so you can hand-hold the flash. An extender cable helps out in these situations.
All-in-all, it's an ok flash, as long as you don't need to shoot two flash shots together quickly.Sunpak Digital Camera Flash Adapter
Description:
While ToCAD is a name most people won't recognize immediately the products it markets are very well known. Sunpak electronic flash units, video lights, camcorder batteries and cellular batteries, Sunpak photo and video tripods and different accessories, Zero Halliburton aluminum photo/video and computer cases, and GE/Sanyo lithium batteries. All are names photo enthusiasts and professionals respect and rely upon for high quality and great value.
Customer Review:
if you are looking for a good but cheap bracket that will save you money and get you the results you want;then get this.i did not think it would be as good as advertised, but it was little better than expected.if you are like me and shoot skateboarding photos and need that shadow out of you way then this is just for you.the only thing that i dont like about this is that is made out of plastic on the top and its confusing of what the numbers mean.it is easy to use and it works for me.
i hope you enjoy this product
Customer Review:
I purchased this to use with my Fujifilm S6000fd and my old Canon Speedlight. Loaded it up with batteries, attached the camera and flash, turned everything on and...nothing. No matter what setting I used it would not fire my flash as a slave.
In addition the unit is rather flimsy, if you hold it by the grip the base noticeably bends from the weight of the camera at the point where the grip and the camera come together. If you hold the camera, with the grip full of batteries and the flash in place, it bends from the weight of the flash and 8 AA batteries (4 in the flash and 4 in the grip). The whole thing is made of plastic and not worth the $25 I paid. I am returning this item to Amazon.
For those interested my solution was to purchase the Stroboframe Quick Flip 350 Flash Bracket for 35mm Cameras from Amazon and the Phoenix D92-BZS Digital Auto Flash with Bracket (through Amazon from Ace Photo). The frame is solid aluminum and the flash, while cheaply made comes with a one year warranty. This combination works extremely well, the flash is above the lens and fires as a slave either in Red eye reduction mode or standard flash mode, wonderfully lit photographs are the result.
Customer Review:
This item is great - for those of you that bought a great camera in the past, but it just didn't have a hotshoe, or for some reason your hotshoe isn't working, this is just what you need. It allows you to use a stand-alone flash with any camera, digital or film. Absolutely great bargain.
