Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

The 10 Best Photography Products of 2011 . . . So Far

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1. Fuji X100

I don’t think I’ve had more fun with a camera since I first held the 5D Mark II.  Sure, it’s got some quirks, but the excellent image quality and amazing flash sync speed push the Fuji X100 into the front runner position as my personal pick for camera of the year.  We’ll see what the rest of the year holds; however, it will take some serious innovation to unseat the X100.  Find it at B&H Photo (when it’s in stock). [Read more…]

 

AjRichard.com Scam Shop . . . or One More Reason to Stick with B&H, Adorama & Amazon

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Nasiv Mansurov has a great article that sheds some light on yet another bait and switch photo retailer operation.  I know everyone wants to find the best deals on camera gear, and folks are having a hard time finding popular gear in stock since the Japan earthquake earlier this year.  However, Nasiv’s investigation into AjRicard.com (aka scam shop) after his buddy ordered a 5D Mark II from the site should serve as a reminder that “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” [Read more…]

What Kind of Camera Do You Use?

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As I’m planning for future gear coverage and other topics, I wanted to see what kind of cameras are represented amongst Photography Bay readers.

Take a couple of seconds and let me know in the below poll what kind of camera you use for most of your photography (I recognize that many of you own more than one, so pick your primary camera type). [Read more…]

Benro Travel Flat Tripod Series Introduced

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Benro introduced its new Travel Flat tripod series at CES 2011.  As the name implies, Benro’s new tripods are built with the traveling photographer in mind and “feature an innovative, patent pending design that changes the traditional tripod model of triangular profiles, adopting instead a flat unified “spider” or connecting hub, which contributes to its compact size and ultra portability when folded.”

Two big advantages for travelers are the tripods weight and size.  Aluminum models range between 2 and 3.1 pounds, while carbon fiber models weigh in at 1.5 to 2.4 pounds.  Folded heights for all models are around 16-17 inches – and, of course the lay-flat design aides in the compactness.

Even though the tripods are designed to conserve weight and overall dimensions, they still own some professional specs in load capacity (ranging from 13-26 pounds) and maximum height (ranging from 61-66 inches).

Aluminum models carry retail price tags between $107 and $169, while carbon fiber models range between $286 and $406.  You can find the Benro Travel Flat series at B&H Photo.

Golla Camera Bags

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One of the things about CES is that you always see a brand that you’ve never seen before.  At this year’s CES, I came across Golla Bags, which makes dozens of different camera, laptop, iPad and general electronic accessory bags.

Golla Bags also come in a wide variety of bright colors and feature several different designs.  By orders of my wife, I’m always on the lookout for pink camera bags.  Golla Bags has plenty of those, including the three above.  The two on the left are more for poing and shoot cameras, while the larger bag on the right could accomodate a mirrorless camera, superzoom camera or small DSLR.

You can see the complete selection of Golla Bags gear on Golla.com.  Additionally, you can purchase some of the Golla Bags on Amazon.com and Adorama – although neither retailer currently appears to carry the entire line.

More photos below. [Read more…]