Ok, so the next great thing in camera straps are here! At least, that’s what I’ve been told. Seriously, they look pretty cool. If you carry more than one digital camera at once, the new Black Rapid DR-1 Double Strap is THE ticket for you. It allows you to carry the bodies handsfree. If you have long lenses, you can connect them by the tripod collars and hang them by your sides. For just one camera body, the RS-4 will still keep your hands and neck free, holds two extra flash memory cards, and allows you to carry all the extra digital camera accessories your hands and shoulders can carry! Come in and check them out today!
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Black Rapid In Store.
Well, not “in store” as in “here on shelves ready to be mailed to your eager mailbox” but rather “in store” as in “it’s coming summer blockbuster teaser.” It happened quietly and while you all weren’t looking (ie, last week when Jody couldn’t approve my posts), we became a dealer of Black Rapid R-style quick straps. Now, if you live under the rock we call “the internet” you know what these are and are basically jittering in anticipation. If you don’t know what they are, however, you’ll be best served by watching the video below, from their creator:
Now, those are the old style clips, they’re shipping which much nicer and better designed clips these days. Don’t believe me? Check’em out.
Portable Portfolios
I am increasingly fond of the idea of a paperless portfolio. Nevermind the technical reasons prints are still better (more reliable color accuracy, better dynamic range, smoother tonality), LCDs have gotten competent enough as a whole to be useful enough, and most photos will look considerably snappier on a good LCD than on a good print, if you ask me. I have a new PMP (portable media player, for those of you not in-the-know) on its way, and I’ve already exported a collection of pictures to load it up with in case I need to show off some work on the spur of a moment. Sure, the resolution isn’t the best, but t’s got a nice shiny screen that gives the contrast a bump and ends with things not looking entirely accurate, but certainly “poppy” enough for your average viewer.
That’s a Zune, the smaller screen of iPods might work less well for this. The iPhone and the iPod Touch, though, would make sharp little portfolios, and I bet in this business there’re already quite a few of you in possession of those.
And, when you need something more than just a little screen, there’s always the Digital Foci Photo Album, which got some attention way back when it was announced and which I have finally had a moment to play with myself.
My thoughts?
Nikon Binocular Closeout
Race time in Indiana is upon us. May is here. Need some binoculars for the track? We’ve got ‘em! The Nikon Action Zoom 7-15 x 35 binocs are on a closeout. They are selling for $49.97 and considering that they were $99.97 last week, I would consider that a great deal. The Nikon lenses are very sharp in these binoculars, and the zoom can really come in handy! Come and get them fast! Supplies are limited!
Cameras See In The Dark
So, I have to admit, I’m sad the race for ISO expansion has so far only gone up. Sure, now my camera can see better in the dark than I can, but it’s only solution for the day is faster shutter speeds. Like, the best of the Olympus digital cameras (which is, of course, were my expertise lies) go up to 1/8000 second shutter, which is very groovy. Especially for stopping time. I think you can freeze a bullet at that shutter.
Where this sucks is: what if I don’t want to freeze time? What if it’s dead noon and I want to shoot a fountain and have it come out as the smooth, sensuous blurs of motion and not the dizzying, distracting matrix of time-frozen droplets?
If I had ISO 50, or ISO 25, this would be easier. Turn the gain down on the sensor and it needs to have more light hit it for a proper exposure. That also increases shutter time, which would give me flowing water. It all makes so much sense!
Until such time as I get expanded ISOs down in the double digits and not quadruple and quintuple digits, it’s a good thing people still make neutral density filters. Me, I’m looking at a good, wholesome ND8 (for a full three more stops slower on the exposure end).
Contractually, I now have to say “Olympus lens filter Indianapolis”, which is a bit awkward, but if you do happen to need a filter for an Olympus lens whilst in Indiapolis, it couldn’t be truer.
Second-String Setbacks
So, as I’m slugging away at this Promaster stuff, something came to mind that I realized I should make sure you, our dear readers, are all aware of.
So, I’m putting up a slew of third-party camera batteries. Now, I’m going to stay very consciously neutral on the stance of replacement batteries versus OEM. Obviously both sides will pitch that theirs is the way to go, and it’s a mess I’m willing to let them do the work for. But, here’s what you need to know from a consumer’s point-of-view, because I know in this economy the difference in battery prices can override other considerations:
If you use a third-party battery in a camera that’s still under warranty, there’s an almost complete chance across the board that you just voided that warranty. And that’s the truth, and it’s something you should keep in your mind when you’re eyeing these Promaster replacement batteries I’m putting up.
If your camera is out of warranty, well, that’s a different ballpark. As far as third-party batteries go, we carry Synergy, Delkin, and now Promaster. We also carry full stocks on OEM batteries from the right manufacturers (except that pesky battery for the 5D Mk II which is currently about as rare as corporate punk rock bands I don’t want to punch).
Promaster: Widgets for All Walks
Roberts is, if you didn’t know, now a distributor for Promaster products. Promaster is a pretty big group, so they make everything from digital cameras acessories (like remote controls, replacement batteries, such and such) to camera tripod ballheads and on over to flashguns (usually available as Nikon flashes or Canon flashes, showing the usual sstem discrimination I like to balk about). And everything in-between, sideways, underways, and other preposition-related ways. Bounce reflectors, umbrellas, a pretty rocking 4 channel flash trigger set that’ll work until you make the big break and can afford those shiny new PocketWizards.
We have their stuff in stores already, the list is quite boffo and I keep getting distracted by new cameras and camcorders, but they should all be online by next week for your online bargain-hunting convenience.
DroboPro
DroboPro
That mighty beast right there might look like a double-width Drobo. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s because it is in fact a double-width Drobo, and it answers to the name “DroboPro.”
It’s pretty new, so I haven’t had time to learn and explore all it’s nooks and crannies, but here’s the headline stuff:
- 8 SATA Bay Drives
- Theoretical support for up to 64 TB (that’s enought to back-up about 32 TB of data or so)
- That famous Drobo voodoo that lets you back-up your data in a redundant array with hot-swappable bays and plug-and-play expansion.
I want to put more bullets there, but really, I think that’s pretty monstrous enough. Early word about the price puts it in the low-jaw-dropping range, but given that the funcionallity falls into the stratosphere, it’s a good investment if you need that kind of capacity.
More to come as I learn more. Click the picture above to visit Drobo’s page for this honky.
Color My World
Music buffs may recognize the title of my post as a song from the rock band “Chicago”. It starts with a haunting piano intro and flourishes into a melancholy love song. Well I’m not here to talk about love and loss, I’m here to talk about color, technology and simplicity. In other words (and words are all I have) the new Cybershot offerings from Sony.
Sony W-Series Family
Above is the family portrait of the latest W-Series cameras from Sony. Common features in the family are High 3200ISO sensitivity, 12.1 megapixel resolution, double anti-0blur technology with Optical Steady Shot, face detection, smile shutter and intelligent scene recognition modes.
The DSC-W220 (Back in Black) is the baby in the family and still features a 30mm (35mm “film” equivalent) Wide Angle lens with a 30 to 120mm zoom, and a 2.7 inch LCD screen. Other DSC-W220 colors on hand at Roberts Imaging-Magenta, Blue and Silver.
The camera that’s got you seeing Simply Red in the middle is the new W230. This one steps up to the plate with a bigger 3″ LCD Screen plus all the other features in it sibling n DSC-W220. Other DSC-W230 colors on hand at Roberts Imaging-Black and Silver.
Up front is Big Daddy, the DSC-W290, a little bigger a lot wiser, shown here with the the distinguished Platinum/brown visage. Still 12.1 megapixels, still 3″ LCD but with a host of bonus features. This one has a wider and longer 5x Optical zoom (28-140 equiv.) and HD movie capabilities (1280×720/30p MPEG 4, stereo) that’s right stereo audio and HD in a pocket sized camera. Other DSC-W290 colors on hand at Roberts Imaging-Black, Blue and Silver.
All three series use the Sony Memory Stick Duo Memory cards available in 1,2,4,8 and 16 gb sizes with AVCHD for advanced flash video and high speed transfers. Henry Ford would be shocked by the range of rainbow colors available., you can have almost any color you want, even black.
Changes
Well I can’t be the first to tell you that the Roberts Blog has changed. But I can be the third.
These changes should be seamless to the intrepid reader. There should be no drop in the quality of information dispersed from any of your bloggers, and there are new contributors. It should be fun, educational and informative as always. So continue to drop by and read our wits and quips and find out about your favorite manufactures, accessories and the events hosted by both Roberts Distributors local stores.
I will be posting the new Sony Cybershot entries that have been arriving all week in my subsequent posts. So hurry back.
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