I had the award-winning HDV (tape-based) HV20 prior to this, and the HF10 is almost indistinguishable in terms of image quality. Given the dramatic difference in image data between an HDV image and an AVC image, that means this is one heck of a camcorder. I have tried out other AVC camcorders and have been really disappointed. Not so here, and I purchased this one. It has 24p and 30p recording, in addition to 60i.(Don't be confused by Canon's nomenclature, it is true 24p, just recorded in interlaced 60i.)The cinema mode has a bit of a wash-out effect on colors.
The camcorder is surprisingly small .Power save mode is great, and is virtually instantaneously on when the LCD screen is opened. One warning about AVC in general, if you don't have a fast computer, it will grind it to a halt. I have a quad-core with 4 gig RAM and editing is fine, but I wouldn't want to use an old computer. Sony Vegas works great with the files. Wish the camcorder automatically saved to the SDHC card when the internal storage was full. Otherwise, this is the best thought out camcorder since my DVX-100. Nice to occasionally see consumer products worth their expense.
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Canon VIXIA HF10 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 07:03 | Camcorder, Canon, Canon VIXIA HF10, Flash Memory, Optical Zoom | 0 comments »Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 21:54 | Canon Cameras, Canon EOS, Canon Speedlite 580EX, Digital SLR Cameras, Flash | 0 comments »I upgraded from a 420EX to this 580EX II. I got it just in time for a wedding photo shoot, and I must say I was NOT disappointed.
First, its battery life is outstanding. I shot shot more than 650 photos with the flash, most of them bouncing off the tall ceiling, with only ONE set of 4 AA batteries.
Compared to the 420EX, the advantages are huge. The recycling time is amazingly fast. It reminded me of the time the shutted lag difference I noticed when I switched from a compact digital camera to a digital SLR! You can even burst the flash for half a dozen of exposures (bounced off ceiling!) in 2 seconds (interesting for the garter throw!), to match the speed of the Canon 20D or 30D.
The quality of the TTL exposures is also singificantly better than what I would get with the 420EX. 95% of my shots were spot on, using full TTL mode. It is consistently excellent.
The fact that you only need to press one button to move the head of the flash in all directions was what sold me on the 580. What a pleasure to be able to switch from landscape to portrait and still be able to bounce the flash! This simple operation took 3+ seconds on the 420, and only 1 second on this one, which is the difference between getting the shot or missing it (or just giving up trying to get a vertical shot with the flash). The light reflector is also a nice feature, to get a catchlight in your subjects' eyes. However, it won't work if you shoot in portrait mode (will reflect off to the right side).
But the ONE feature that is worth the upgrade alone is the hot shoes quick release mount. Just slide the lever to the right, it clips right into position and is securely mounted on the hot shoe. It is of course just as easy to unmount the flash.
One other very nice feature is the direct access to "second curtain flash", simply by pressing a button on the flash. No need to go wandering into the Cn functions of the camera body!
On the down side, the flash is a lot bigger and bulkier than the 420EX, although not that much heavier. It is a little more difficult to fit it in my camera bag now. It is longer, wider and deeper. The only way to really be able to tell is to have it in your hands. Comparative photos won't really do a good job at showing the difference in size. That said, I had it mounted on my camera the whole day, for more than 8 hours, and it never bothered me.
I haven't even scratched the surface of everything that this flash can do, manual mode, etc, since I got it 2 days before the wedding and didn't have time to explore its features. I can't compare it to the 580EX mark I either, since I am coming from the 420. But if you're in the market to upgrade your flash, don't look twice, and get the mark II right away.
To sum things up, I would say that this flash is worth every penny, and well worth the price premium compared to the 420EX. It beats it hands down in every single category, has an outstanding battery life, and is completely silent (I forgot to mention that). I am not a professional, just an enthusiast, but I can definitely justify its cost, at my level. In other words, you don't need to pair it to a 5D or a 1D Mark III to notice how much better than the 420EX it performs.
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BOXIE Juicy Orange Camera Case for Canon PowerShot Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 11:16 | BOXIE Juicy, Camera Case, Canon PowerShot, Casio Exilim, Nikon Coolpix, Olympus Stylus, Pentax Optio, Sony CyberShot | 0 comments »Bought before a trip to Africa and wanted a hard sided case for better protection. This was AWESOME! I clipped to my pants each day and it was out of the way, but quick and easy to access the camera (Canon PowerShot by the way). Also easily stored extra SD cards and batteries and I could open case enough to slide camera in and out without losing the cards/batteries .Never written a review before, but this was simply too good - I had to share! :O)
And, notice the price - WELL worth it!You get more than you pay for this time around!
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Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 10:13 | Canon, Canon EF, Canon SLR Cameras, Macro USM Lens | 0 comments »Prospective buyers of a macro lens for a Canon EOS system can't make a better first choice than this 100mm Macro. The extra length over a 50mm macro gives much better working distance (space between lens and subject) in the field, and EOS-compatible lenses by other manufacturers match poorly with accessories and are nowhere near as sharp.
Compared with the earlier Micro motor 100mm Macro that Canon made (which I also own), the USM lens focuses *very* fast. The USM lens also can accept a tripod collar (by use of a small plastic adapter)--I recommend you buy the collar with the lens, as adjusting to a vertical composition with a tripod means repositioning everything. The front element is not recessed in the USM model, which makes lens cleaning easier. And build quality is improved--the earlier model was prone to its switches breaking (could fix it yourself with the ordered part, but really annoying) and eventually the Micro motor gearing gave out (no trouble so far with the USM ring motor). The USM model will work with Canon's 2x teleconverter by interposing a 12mm extension tube, allowing 2x magnification with lots of working distance.
I will quibble with another reviewer--Canon does make sharper lenses (notably their 90mm tilt-shift lens, which is a better choice for studio product photography), and sharpness compared with the earlier model is virtually the same.But this is still one of the sharpest lenses you can buy, and ergonomically a huge improvement over its predecessor.
If you are building up a set of lenses for outdoor/nature photography and you do occasional macrophotography, this might be the first or second lens to buy. If you work significantly at magnifications greater than 1:1, consider the Canon 65mm 1x-5x Macro zoom (which I can push to a decent 10x with the teleconverter).
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Canon WP-DC26 Waterproof Case Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 09:10 | Canon Cameras, Canon PowerShot, Canon WP-DC26, Digital Cameras, Waterproof Case | 0 comments »Quality product! I think the price was a little high considering its just a case. I've used it 5 times taking it to 93 feet at the deepest and not a drop of water or condensation inside. It would be nice if I could read what buttons are for what on the back of the case but the letters are clear and its hard to see underwater.
My camera is new too so I'm not totally familiar with the buttons yet.
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Canon BG-E5 Battery Grip for Canon XSi Digital SLR Cameras Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 09:09 | Battery Grip, Canon, Canon BG-E5, Canon XSi, Digital SLR Cameras | 0 comments »Ostensibly, the goal of a battery grip is to extend the amount of power you have for your camera. This grip does that, but simply buying an additional battery pack (which you'll have to do anyway if you want to use the grip that way) would do the same job, wouldn't it? It would - but the grip does a whole lot more:
This battery grip transforms an already excellent camera (the Canon 450D -- or Rebel XSi as it is called in the US) into a great one. First of all, the grip is excellently designed, and people with medium to large hands like me can get a much better handle on the camera which, although nicely shaped, was a bit to small for my liking. Now, with the grip, this is transformed into a natural fit (it now feels similar to the Nikon D70, which I thought to be more comfortable to hold than the 450D). The advantages of using this grip are many:
First of all, you have double the amount of battery power available (provided, of course, you purchase an additional battery pack. The package does not contain any batteries). The grip is designed to hold one or two of the 450D's battery packs at the same time. You do not have to use two packs. If you do, the packs do not have to carry the same amount of charge, and both packs are drained simultaneously. Even better, Canon has designed the grip to house a sled-like device they call 'magazine'. This magazine holds one or two battery packs. The nice thing, however, is that it comes with a second magazine designed to hold 6 AA batteries. In a pinch, this can bridge the gap until you can re-charge the packs. Also, you can replace the magazine with an adapter to connect your camera to a normal power outlet (this is not included in the package). The magazine slides in from the left side (as seen from the camera's back), making exchanging the magazines slightly awkward for right-handed people.
The grip is designed to slide into your camera from below, replacing the battery pack (you'll have to remove the battery cover for this), and is secured in place with a screw. If there is room for improvement, then it would be here: I'd have liked a rubber environmental seal to better protect the camera's now permanently open battery housing.
The grip almost doubles the weight of the camera, making it much better balanced with many of the larger lenses (e.g. the EF 100 Macro lens). Even better, when shooting in portrait orientaton, the grip provides its own shutter, aperture, AF lock and AF select buttons as well as another selector dial. To prevent accidental use of these buttons, the grip is also equipped with an ON/OFF switch (this switch will not operate the battery power). This is in addition to the large, separately molded grip now provided for this orientation. The bottom also houses a replicated tripod socket, and a mount for the handstrap. The latter is very useful, as I have found myself shooting more in portrait orientation, and have now set up the camera to use this as the default orientation.
The few small flaws I've found are this: I would have liked the ability of the grip to be able to also provide power to my (external) flash. Even more than that I would have welcomed a charger for the whole grip. Currently, you have to remove the battery packs from the magazine, charge them separately, and then re-insert them into the magazine, then insert the magazine into the grip. Also, you have to remove the camera's battery cover from the camera -- this forces you to carry the cover with you seperately should you want to use the camera without the grip. Finally, I would have preferred a slightly better environmental sealing than the rudimentary one that is provided. All things considered, though, these are small annoyances compared to the much better handling and feel the grip brings to the camera.
To sum up:
This grip truly incrases the 450D's already great features. I like the fact that I can choose to use one or two packs, and even swap them for AA batteries in a pinch. The whole assembly feels much improved, and shooting in portrait orientation has been immensely enhanced (both in feel and simplicity). I recommend this grip for anyone who wants to get more out of this camera, and especially for those who find themselves shooting often in portrait orientation.
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Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Digital SLR Lens Review
Posted by Canon Reviews | 22:57 | Canon, Canon EF-S, Digital SLR Lens, EOS Digital SLR Cameras, Macro USM | 0 comments »This was one of the first lenses that I purchased with my Rebel XT. Now after taking several thousand pictures with it I can honestly say it was well worth the cost.I very rarely have any unsharp pictures with this lens unless it is my own fault by trying to use too slow of a shutter speed without a tripod.
I also have the 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens, which costs about 3 times more than this lens, and although it is very clear and the extra reach is nice at times especially since it can be used with both the 1.4X and 2X TC's, it is very difficult to use inside without a tripod.The 60mm can be handheld if needed with very good results even if you have to bump your ISO up a little to do so.
I have also used this lens for both inside and outside portrait work with very nice results.
All-in-all, given it's small size and light weight I very rarely leave this lens behind when I go out because you never know when you might see a great macro shot.
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