Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW Review Round-Up

lowepro-slingshot-200-awThe Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW is the middle-sized model of Lowepro’s Slingshot cases. It is basically the same as the Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW but larger. The AW portion of the product name refers to the “All Weather” protection provided by a just-the-right-size rain jacket stored under the padded section of the back of the case and held in place by hook-and-loop fastener. Pull it out when needed. ? ?The Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW pads and the case itself are very protective – very typical for Lowepro gear. Quality construction is also typical Lowepro. The external material is a strong, durable Nylon. The case itself is light. The Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW is obviously larger than the Slingshot 100 – it better-holds what I typically need. It is better-suited for a serious photographer. The larger amount of gear the Slingshot 200 can hold can also make the pack considerably heavier than the 100 packed full. I found an even modestly loaded Slingshot 200 to become uncomfortable after several hours of carry. The load is not as evenly balanced as a backpack. Toploaders also have an unbalanced carry weight, but this weight is more adjustable – it can hang on either shoulder as well as either shoulder while over your head. The Slingshot 200 has a significant capacity advantage however. ? ?Carrying the 200 for shorter periods of time is not uncomfortable. The thick pad that very adequately insulates your body from the camera body is appreciated. The larger size requires a little more care while maneuvering in a crowd. Accessing the camera is convenient. We all have different preferences and needs when it comes to carrying our gear. The Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW is probably the best-sized of the Slingshots for most serious/pro photographers. READ FULL REVIEW AT DIGITAL PICTURE

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Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Lowepro Slingshot 200 All Weather Backpack (Black)

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Nikon 28-105mm 3.5-4.5D AF Nikkor Review Round-Up

nikon-af-nikkor-28-105mm-35-45dIf you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens at Amazon: Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D Autofocus Zoom Nikkor Lens

Ken Rockwell

Nice try, but thankfully there are better choices for a midrange zoom if you demand sharpness. Of course any good photographer can still make great images with this or any lens, regardless of sharpness. The focus errors I saw were important to picky people like myself who need to shoot at full aperture with 50 speed film. Most people would never even see the defect I saw, and other samples of this lens will differ. If you are buying a new lens you should try it out. You may love its combination of features, and it’s especially good if distortion bugs you. There are no perfect zoom lenses yet, so don’t let me discourage you. READ FULL REVIEW

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Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX Fisheye AF Review Round-Up

sigma-af-15mm-f-28-ex-fisheyeIf you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Thom Hogan

Full-frame fisheye lenses (of which there are two, the Nikkor 16mm and the Sigma 15mm described here) provide a 180 degree angle of view across the 35mm frame diagonal. These lenses don’t attempt to correct for rectilinear distortion (as do the 14mm lenses) and thus produce a very unique “look” to a shot. The Sigma 15mm isn’t exactly a lens suitable for architectural photography, but it can be used for dramatic effect. Focusing is quick and somewhat quiet. Overall sharpness is excellent, though I do note a bit of softness in the corners, especially wide open. Depth of field is phenomenal even wide open, which tends to increase the perception of sharpness of the lens. Chromatic aberration is minimal (and not an issue on the digital bodies; a trivial issue on the 35mm bodies). Light falloff is substantial wide open in the corners of 35mm shots, only a minor issue for digital. By f/5.6, light falloff is minimal and ignorable. Straight lines that run directly through the center of the frame are rendered straight, while straight lines near the edges have considerable barrel distortion (outward curve). READ FULL REVIEW

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Canon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 USM AF Review Round-Up

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For more information and user reviews, see this lens at Amazon: Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM Autofocus Lightweight Compact Telephoto Zoom Lens

Pop Photo:

A great bargain lens. Don’t let the liberal use of plastic bother you, unless you’re a pro planning on giving the lens one hell of a beating. Close-focusing capability at 135mm makes this a great portrait lens. Only defect: filter problems caused by revolving front ring during focusing. READ FULL REVIEW

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Tamrac Adventure 5 Review Round-Up

tamrac-adventure-5The Tamrac Adventure 5 is a “messenger” type bag designed to hold a digital SLR with up to 7-inch zoom lens attached, plus several addition lenses, flash and accessories. It also can hold up to a 13-inch laptop in a separate side, zippered compartment. The top is Tamrac’s Speed Flap with an Esay Squeeze buckle. Foam padded, movable dividers hold gear separate and securely. There is also a zippered front poclet and back pocket. The bag has both a padded shoulder strap and carrying handle. To complete the convenience the bag has Tamrac’s Picggy Back Pocket, which allows it to slip over the handle of a Tamrac rolling case. READ FULL REVIEW AT SHUTTERBUG.NET

If you own or have used this Bag, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this bag from Amazon: Tamrac 5535 Adventure Messenger 5 Photo/Laptop Bag (Gray/Black)

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Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Nikkor Review Round-Up

nikon-80-200mm-f-28d-ed-af-nikkorIf you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Photo Zone

Despite its age the Nikkor AF 80-200mm f/2.8D ED is a great lens both mechanically as well as optically (assuming you can get a good sample). The resolution is on a very high level throughout the zoom range and neither distortions nor vignetting are big issues (on an APS-C DSLR). CAs can be visible at times but the problem isn’t overly pronounced. It is a joy to use this lens and the relatively large aperture provides some creative potential in the convenient package of a zoom. The comparatively low price tag is also a good argument to have a deeper look into this interesting option … unless, of course, you can afford the AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR. … READ FULL REVIEW

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Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW Review Round-Up

lowepro-slingshot-300-awThe Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW is the largest model of Lowepro’s Slingshot cases. It is similar to the Lowepro Slingshot 200 AW and Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW but significantly larger. There is a lot of room in the 300 – it is essentially a backpack without one of the shoulder straps. The AW portion of the product name refers to the “All Weather” protection provided by a just-the-right-size rain jacket stored under the padded section of the back of the case and held in place by hook-and-loop fastener. Pull it out when needed. ? ?The Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW pads and the case itself are very protective – very typical for Lowepro gear. Quality construction is also typical Lowepro. The external material is a strong, durable Nylon. The case itself is relatively light. ? ?I personally find Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW too large for this style of case – I would rather use a true backpack that distributed the weight better. The 300 can certainly hold a lot, but the size and weight of this configuration is more than I like hanging on one shoulder (the waist belt can help this) or swinging under my arm for accessing. Yes, I can get to the gear without removing the case – this is an advantage. As I’ve said before, we all have different preferences and needs when it comes to carrying our gear. The Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW can carry a large amount of gear, but give serious consideration to a backpack when making your decision. READ FULL REVIEW AT DIGITAL PICTURE

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Get information and user reviews for this bag at Amazon: Lowepro SlingShot 300 All-Weather Camera Bag (Black)

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Canon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM EF Review Round-Up

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Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Photo Zone:

The Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM exhibited a quite mixed performance. On the upside the lens is very sharp with very little vignetting throughout the range. Unfortunately distortions at 24mm are pretty hefty as are chromatic aberrations. The build quality is pretty decent and the AF performace is a joy. All-in-all the lens is capable to beat the cheapo EF-S 18-55mm as well as the EF-S 17-85mm IS and regarding sharpness it can even rival the the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 USM L (on APS-C). If the focal length range was more attractive here the lens would have been a killer but as such it is just a good compromise. READ FULL REVIEW

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Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG AF Review Round-Up

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If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG IF Aspherical Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras

Digital Picture

Like the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Lens, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG lens is a well-built, well-spec’d lens with a value price. But, giving up 4mm of focal length range on the wide end results in a much more compact lens. In addition, the 28-70 is priced noticeably lower than the Sigma 24-70. Autofocus is loud but reasonably fast – and is consistently accurate on stationary subjects. AI Servo performance on active subjects proved to be poor – with few keepable shots. The Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Lens is very soft wide open – especially in the upper half of the focal length range. … This lens performs best at 28mm where the results are decent. CA (Chromatic Aberrations) are very well controlled, flare is not. … Vignetting results are normal for lenses with specs similar to the 28-70 with full frame users noticing some corner darkening when shooting wide open. Like the Sigma 24-70, I find the Sigma 28-70 to overexpose by about .2 f-stops on average. The Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Lens is a very well built lens for a reasonable price. Primarily due to mediocre image quality, I do not intend to include this lens in my Canon General Purpose Lens Recommendations. If you consider this an f/4 or f/5.6 lens, you *might* be happy with what you get for the price. READ FULL REVIEW

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