Editor’s note: Welcome Maxis Gamez to the blog! Hailing from Sarasota Florida, Maxis is an active bird photographer and workshop leader. Maxis loves great gear, and will be providing us reviews of equipment that he uses in the field. You can learn more about Maxis, view his images and scout his workshops at his website GVisions.org.
It’s no secret. Many nature photographers are curious about the new heavy duty, yet affordable 8X CT tripod series from Induro. During this review, I’ll talk about the largest tripod Induro has ever offered and how it performs in the real world. If you have seen my images or have participated in my workshops, you’ll know that I’m not a casual shooter. I photograph in mud, saltwater, beach sand and everything else you can think of and my tripod comes along with me. Therefore, I need a tripod that meets my needs and can withstand my style of shooting!
The new 8X CT-Series of Induro tripods are the strongest, most stable tripods ever offered. A wide stance cross-braced magnesium alloy spider, ultra-light 8X layer Carbon Fiber legs, oversized center column lock and enhanced leg angle locks, contribute with up to 35% greater stability, rigidity and higher load capacity. The new 8X CT-Series also includes interchangeable rubber feet and stainless steel spikes, a tool kit and deluxe carrying bag and strap.
Let’s look at the new features:
Features:
Wide Stance Cross-braced Magnesium Alloy Spider: This feature alone provides an excellent core system stability and support. While I’m not a big fan of the tripod base, I must say that I adapted to the new magnesium alloy spider style base with ease. After all, if the tripod is more stable with the new magnesium alloy design, I’m happy!
Extra Long Grooved Center Column: The extended and extra long center column allows camera positioning without unwanted column rotation. The column is designed NOT to rotate for that extra stability.
Full Width Leg Locks: This feature allows maximum support at any angle. I welcome the new and rapid locking mechanism as I don’t like to spend a lot of time changing my tripod configurations in the field. Pop the lock open, move the tripod leg to the desired position (3 available), snap it back in place and you are done!
Dust and Moisture Resistant Ergonomic Rubber Grip Leg Locks: Because of my style of shooting, dust and moisture are constantly present. Induro did an excellent job making sure critical tripod parts are well protected from the elements. However, this does not mean your Induro tripod will be dust or dirt free. I strongly recommend rinsing off your tripod legs with freshwater every time saltwater is present.
Interchangeable Rubber Feet and Stainless Steel Spikes in Carbon Fiber mount: There are times when the “stock” rubber feet will not do the job depending on the environment the tripod is being used in. The folks from Induro thought about the little details and that makes a difference. You can easily change the stock rubber feet with a set of steel spikes in the field.
Spring Loaded Weight Hook: Another one of those little details that makes a difference. The additional weight mounting hook allows extra stability under windy conditions. This feature I very much looking forward to using as I hang my Canon Battery Pack from that hook. The built-in spring mechanism makes sure whatever you hang from that hook, stays hooked!
Oversized Center Column Lock: I’ve never been a big fan of center columns and there is no exception here. The main reason is because I’m normally at very low angles. However, Induro also thought about those circumstances and created a short center column for the tripod. The much smaller center column can also be purchased directly from outdoor Photo Gear for a reasonably low price.
Induro claims that the center column lock adds vibration reduction and structural support to your camera and/or ball-head. Because they have done such great job designing the tripod, I’m confident that is the case.
Non-Rotating Carbon Fiber Leg Sections: Yet another feature that will help you set up your tripod at a much faster pace. As a bird photographer, I often look for the best possible perspective, therefore this 1/2 turn locking and unlocking mechanism means a lot to me. Tripod manufacturers are using this feature more and more. However, I’ve used other tripod brands where this non-rotating feature is not as effective as they advertise.
Reversible Locking Center Column: The reversible center column feature is probably useful to those that photograph macro, allowing extra flexibility during low angle shooting situations. This feature I will probably not use very much, but it’s good to have it available.
Adjustable Leg Angles with Lock: The adjustable leg angle locks help accommodate uneven surfaces and awkward shooting situations. In my opinion, a tripod is not a tripod without this feature.
Integral Bubble Level: During my workshops and seminars, I often remind participants to keep an eye on the horizon line and to also make sure your tripod is level at all times. This feature allows adjustments to prevent uneven pans and tripod head movements using Gimbal style heads.
Easy Fold: Induro has even thought of this! To accommodate the traveling photographer, the CT414 folds to approximately to 25.8 inches allowing you to easily carry the tripod inside your check-in bag.
Specifications:
Material
Carbon Fiber
Maximum Load
55 lb (25 kg)
Max Height w/Column Extended
77.6 in (1970 mm)
Max Height w/Column Retracted
66.9 in (1700 mm)
Min Height w/Column Retracted
23.1 in (587 mm)
Min Height w/Short Column
7.4 in (189 mm)
Max Height
in mm)
Height
in mm)
Width Including Handles
in mm)
Length
in mm)
Folded Length
25.8 in (655 mm)
Number of Leg Sections
4
Leg Lock Type
Moisture and dust-resistant locking grips
Independent Leg Spread
Yes, with three position stops
Center Column
Grooved-Rapid
Bubble Level
Included
Spiked Feet
Removable - Included
Head Mount Thread Size
1/4″-20 & 3/8″-16
Weight
6.3 lbs (2.9 kg)
Included Items:
Includes
Deluxe carry case, strap, toolkit
Warranty
2 years (+3 Online = 5 total)
As you can see, the Induro CT414 is FULL of useful yet reliable features that will enhance your shooting experience. Let’s see how the tripod performed in the field!
Field Performance:
Tripod Height:
At 6’ tall, I used to have problems with my old FEISOL CT3472LV tripod because the tripod only extends to a maximum height of 59.01 inches (under 6’). The way I used to deal with this was by narrowing all 3 legs allowing an extra 2 or 3 inches but sacrificing stability.
With the Induro CT414 maximum height of 77.6 inches without extending the center column, I no longer have to sacrifice stability for few extra inches; therefore I’m always comfortable under all circumstances. I’m confident this tripod can easily accommodate taller photographers as well.
Tripod Weight:
I find the Induro CT414 carbon fiber tripod weight well balanced. The tripod weighs only 6.3 lbs. Not necessarily “light” but you don’t want a tripod that is extremely light-weight, as you can sacrifice stability and performance in the field. Completely loaded this tripod can be easily handled.
By the way, if you have a hard time carrying your photography gear in the field, the folks from Outdoor Photo Gear now carry the Eckla Gear Carts designed for photographers. You can learn all about the carts by following this link.
Tripod Weight Support:
The Induro CT414 offers a massive maximum weight load of 55 pounds. Supporting my Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens attached to the Canon 7D or 5D MKII with a grip each, 580EXII flash, brackets and battery pack feels secure and solid. While the 800mm lens only weights 9.8lbs, this set up is no match to even consider limiting the capabilities of the tripod.
Things got a lot easier for the CT414 when I mounted my Canon 500mm f/4.5 L lens using the 7D and 5D MKII. I’m pretty sure the tripod will impress folks using heavier set ups including the Nikon 600mm f/4 and the Canon 600mm f/4 as well.
Tripod Stability:
With the new wide stance cross-braced magnesium alloy spider, this tripod is ROCK SOLID and very stable. The magnesium base feels strong and most importantly, it never rotates unlike other tripods I used in the past. Another important aspect of this magnesium base is the light weight factor. Because we need a strong base, doesn’t mean it has to be heavy. I also find the spider like leg holder lower design critical for more stability.
The tripod legs never let me down under any circumstance even under heavy and uneven terrain or while photographing from the water. As a bird photographer, I often find myself in mud, saltwater and uneven terrains. The tripod legs feel firm and without any unwanted movement.
Tripod Salt Water Performance:
Living in S.W. Florida, saltwater has become part of my normal shooting environment. This tripod offers a very unique seal I find extremely brilliant, which it doesn’t allow water to penetrate the tripod legs. If you really want to expedite your bird photography, you must learn the true power of approaching birds from the water. I have no problems getting this tripod wet at any time!
Rinsing the tripod with freshwater after a long day shooting in saltwater is a good idea. This will also help you keep the tripod clean and will last for many years to come.
Conclusion:
I feel Induro really made an extra effort and stepped-up to the plate. Coming from using FEISOL tripods, the CT414 was an eye-opener. The rock solid feel to it, the little details, the incredible maximum load capability and durability, the Induro CT414 will impress you all the way.
Induro also made sure to keep this tripod 8X series affordable. Prices have unfortunately has gotten out of hand by other manufacturers. Not everyone can afford the current high prices of Gitzo tripods!
Overall, this tripod will serve you well for many years to come. I feel very lucky the folks from Outdoor Photo Gear allowed me to try this tripod and compare it with other brands.
If you have any other question about the tripod, feel free to contact me directly by visiting my website contact page.
Stay tuned, more reviews coming up!
Thanks!
You can learn more about Maxis, view his images and scout his workshops at his website GVisions.org.
ExpoImaging has come out with a cool new modifier for speedlights called the Rogue 3-in-1 Grid. These are the same guys that brought us the Rogue Flash Benders for speedlights which are essentially snoots, gobos, bounce cards and flags all rolled in to one customizable shaped modifier. For photographers who like to pack light, you can't beat the small size and portability of this latest series of flash modifiers.
The Rogue Grid is a really nice system because it has three different grid sizes in one small package. These grids come in 45 degrees, 25 degrees and 16 degrees spreads that have a somewhat soft-ish fall off to the edges, unlike using a snoot. This system comes with the two grids (stacking them makes the third grid), the grid holder and a cool little bag to carry the system in.
These guys are made of a very hard composite plastic that seem very durable and can probably take a good beating …or at least a lot wear and tear. These grids are attached to speedlights with the included grid holder. You simply take the grid holder and strap it around the head of your speedlight. It has a pretty unique system in that it will stretch and can be velcroed in to place which makes a pretty secure connection. You don't need anything like a speed strap or extra velcro to attach these to your speed lights and by design, the grid holder can be adjusted for different size speedlights.
Once you have the grid holder fastened to the flash, simply choose which degree grid you want to use, and fit it into the end of the grid holder. This is the only part of this system that I'm not exactly wild about because the grid takes a little work to slip in to the holder and then its only held by the tension of the holder itself. So far I haven't had any problems with this, but I do use an extra speed strap wrapped around it to make sure it stays secure. This is really just more of an annoyance than an actual ding on the system.
The internal grid pattern is slightly hexagonal but you can see in the photo below that it produces a circular style spread of light. Another cool feature about these grids is the really tight 16 degrees pattern you get. As far as I know, this is the smallest light spread by a grid for speedlights that you can get. To get the 16 degrees grid, you simply stack the 45 degrees and 25 degrees on top of each other and place in the grid holder. These go together quite easily as well because each of the grids are notched so that there is only one way you can stack these together. The 16 degrees grid makes a really small spread of light, especially when used in close.
The photo below shows the various light size spreads of the three different grids. The flash head is approximately three feet away from the wall, and I have an X and Y axis graph diagram in inches taped to the wall so that you can see the approximate sizes. Keep in mind these sizes will vary based on your flash to subject distance.
I have enjoyed using the Rogue Grids thoroughly and can without a doubt recommend them to anyone who uses speedlights. They do the job nicely and are compact. These are definitely worth the money in my book! You can pick up the Rogue Grid at Outdoor Photo Gear along with all the other cool products by ExpoImaging.
A quick word to the wise… when you first buy these and take them out of the box, it would appear that there is only one grid in the box. That is because they come stacked together. I figured this out only a few minutes after a little frustration.
Check out one of our favorite products in action! The Kwik Camo Portable Blind covers you and your equipment so you can get that crucial shot. Thanks to Juan Pons for the camera work and editing!
Check out all the models of the Kwik Camo in the store here: Kwik Camo
Hi, I’m Chris Klapheke from Outdoor Photo Gear, and I’m here to review some products for you today that we carry in our store.
The first product I’d like to review for you today is the Kwik Camo from our pals at Essential Photo Gear. As wildlife shooters, we like to be out in the woods. We like to be close to our subjects so we have to stay concealed. We’re already carrying a bunch of gear with us, so we don’t want to carry a big blind around with us.
Essential Photo Gear has come up with a product called the Kwik Camo, which is easy to take with you. It’s basically a camouflage poncho that’s designed not only to cover yourself but all of your equipment as well.
As you saw, I pulled this right off my waist. It’s got a nice little belt. You can wear it around your waist. It’s lightweight and padded. You could even use it for a seat if you needed to while it’s folded up, or you could stuff it in a pack. The Kwik Camo comes in two weights, a lightweight for summer and a heavyweight for colder times, and it comes in four patterns of camouflage, depending on where you live in the country. This is the APG Max 4. It’s the most popular.
How does it work? Well, we’re going to pull this out of the bag, and we’re first going to attach it to our camera lens. It will leave the lens end exposed. Velcro will come down the front to seal it, and then we’re going to pull it over our head, much like an old-time photographer did when he was taking pictures. So let’s put it on and see how it works.
First, we’ll take it out of the bag. You can see the meshing for your head, and we’ll find the front, which is not the easiest part. Find the front with the Velcro. You can see how it is sealed all the way down, no matter how high your lens is, whether you’re standing up or sitting down. That’s what we’ll put on first. I’ll walk in front of the camera here.
You can see where you expose the front of your lens. The Velcro meets it, and we’re going to seal it all the way down. Turn it back to where we were. So you can already see that we’ve broken up the shape of the camera. It looks pretty good already.
Now, we’re going to get under it. One hint when using the Kwik Camo is if you wear a billed cap, you will be able to keep the mesh part away from your face, and you’ll get a lot more visibility. You won’t be able to see me in a minute.
Now, I’ve put this on and straightened it up. You notice sometimes you might pull your Kwik Camo up a little forward. That’s why it’s always nice to have a lens coat on your lens to keep your lens camouflaged even if your Kwik Camo pulls out a little bit. You can see where the mesh is on my head so I can see out. I can see the camera even though you may not be able to see me, and the lid on my hat keeps the mesh up and away from my face.
Of course, when I’m shooting, I’ll be down next to the camera. But if I want to stand up and look for my wildlife so I can sight it in, this gives me a good, clear view. It’s nice and cool. There’s a breeze blowing through here. It breaks up my shape, and you probably can’t even see me, can you?
You can use the Kwik Camo both sitting down and standing up. I’m standing up right now. I’m about five-nine, so that will let you see about how long it drapes to the ground. Even if you’re taller than I am or shorter than I am, it will still work for you in the woods. It will conceal your shape just fine.
If you have any questions about the Kwik Camo, check it out on our website, www.OutdoorPhotoGear.com or give us a call. We’ll be happy to help you.
A couple of months ago I was asked by OPG to try out a new camera carrying system by Cotton Carrier.
Their Camera Vest system works much like a Baby Bjorn for cameras, holding a camera snug to your chest and distributing the weight comfortably on your shoulders and torso. When I am on my shooting adventures, I usually carry my camera and a spare lens or two in a waist pouch, which I position so that the gear compartment is in front of me. This has always seemed to be the best way to have my camera easily accessible for action shots, but either I'm getting older (o.k., I know I am) or my gear is getting heavier because I'm finding the waist pouch option is increasingly putting pressure on my lower back. I was eager to try out the Cotton Carrier vest to see if it fit my shooting style. After a few outings over the winter and this spring, I've decided it will be my "go to" system for adventure shooting.
To see how the system works, you can check out the above video made by the Cotton Carrier crew. Basically, a mounting plate attaches to the bottom of the camera, which then slips into the mount on the vest. A Velcro strap can be placed across the camera to keep it snug, a feature I found to be very helpful at keeping my camera from swing around and banging into rocks and trees as I made way way along the trail, especially on steep climbs. You can also attach a leash to the camera to prevent accidental drops.
In addition, you have the option of adding a second mounting holster down near your hip, where you can mount a second camera or a longer lens that has a tripod collar. Once the camera is in the mount, it won't come out until you turn it 90 degrees and pull it up, so there's no risk of it falling out of the mount. The vest distributes the camera's weight very well. I spent one day cross country skiing about 8 miles and did not all feel encumbered by my camera and felt no pain from carrying the camera at the end of the day. And being able to access my camera and start shooting in just a few seconds is a great advantage that I'm looking forward to having this summer as my shooting schedule fills up.
If you are a plodder who mainly shoots landscapes with a tripod, this system may not be for you, as you do have to remove the Cotton Carrier mounting plate to then attach your regular quick release plate. However, if you're an active shooter who wants to have your camera at the ready, this is a great way to carry your camera comfortably.
You can see all of the Cotton Carrier products at the Outdoor Photo Gear website here: Cotton Carrier
Until next time…
-Jerry
Find out more about Jerry at his website, and follow him on Twitter at @jerrymonkman
This is a short video to show you how I used my Neos Adventurer All Season Overshoes from Outdoor Photo Gear to keep feet warm and dry while in Antarctica and the Falkland Islands recently. It’s not an incredibly difficult subject but it took me a few times to get my head around the process and be able to get this footwear on quickly and out to the Zodiacs waiting to take us ashore.
You can also view the embedded video on your iPad, thanks to Vimeo!
Don’t forget to hit the full-screen button in the video window to view the video full-screen.
Note that there is an iPod/iPhone version of this video in iTunes, which is good for portability, but if you’re watching on a computer, the video above is better.
Hi there, I’m Martin Bailey, and today I’m going to show you how I kept my legs and my feet dry when I was down in Antarctica last month.
What we’re going to look at, basically, obviously you need some footwear. These are Baffin Boots. They’re good down to like minus 70 degrees Celsius. These are my winter weather, insulated boots, that I use anywhere it is going to be cold.
But when you are going to be jumping in and out of zodiacs, or I’m doing beach landings, you want something to keep the saltwater off of these and also to give you a little bit more height.
These are basically what I bought. They’re Neos Overshoes. These are the Adventurer All Weather Overshoes. I bought these from Outdoor Photo Gear. I’ll put a link in the show notes and in the video.
Basically, these are what we’re going to put over the boots. Nice and big so that you can do that. And then to stop water to get in even over the top of these, but you don’t want to be really wearing waders down there. We’ve got just normal rainproof trousers. I’m going to show how to put these on. It’s not difficult, but it’s just something that obviously it took me a little bit of time, to get used to the rhythm of things. So I’m going to show you that today.
So, boots on first, what you see is, you need to pull the rainproof trousers on, under the bottom part there, and obviously, I would usually be wearing thicker trousers than this, if it’s really cold weather, but this is not important for this review.
So we’ll do the boots up nice and tight. Then we get the Neos Adventurer All Season Overshoes. Now these boots are big. To get an overshoe that will go over the top of these, I needed the XXL size I think they were. You can see that it takes a little bit of rummaging around. But then once you’ve got yourself in there, that’s it. You’ve got the boot on there, and you just tuck this around. I generally then go over and make sure that the Velcro is all in contact. Then here’s your adjustable strap. Pull that across nice and tight.
There you’ve got your overshoe on the top. That can stop water to this height. It’s difficult to see this with everything being black, but then if you pull the rainproof trousers down to there, you can literally take water even higher than the top of the overshoe. Literally, I took a wave a few times well over the knee and my feet were dry as a bone and toasty for the whole time.
Let’s stick the other one on for good measure. Just to show you that again. You can see my embarrassingly white legs, which my wife says they actually glow in the dark. Obviously, they don’t, but they are very white. Tighten them up. Once again, grab the Neos overshoes. I put a link to Outdoor Photo Gear to actually pick up these boots or to select another range. Basically, there you go, bring this around and get it tight. Make sure that the Velcro strip is tight. Of course the water can get in through here, because the tunnel comes right the way up to the top. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The Velcro itself is not the waterproof element here. Once again, pull the rain trousers down, over the top, and we have one waterproof legged Martin.
So that’s that, really not a difficult subject, but something that it took me a little bit of sorting getting used to the process. So I thought I’d share that with you today.
Also, the Neos range are excellent. I do recommend that you use that. The Neos range are great quality, really good build, and they are very light. With this combination on, I walked quite a ways on the Falkland Islands. It wasn’t like a trek in the Himalayas, but even with the overshoes on, I was able to trek for a good couple of miles one day in the Falklands. You can just leave them on. You can take them off if you want to. Their main purpose is to, like I say, keep you dry, when you’re getting in and out of the Zodiacs, which are like the large river boat with an outboard motor. They keep you dry if you got a lot of swell when you’re on the gangplank. Also when you get off the Zodiacs, a lot of the time, you actually end up having to wade in the sea for a few paces before you get onto the dry land.
So basically, once you’re there though, you can take them off. Generally, there is a little base there that we make, and you walk around and photograph and then come back. Now, the good thing about leaving them on though is, if you are down somewhere else away from the base, and you feel like it’s a good shot where you need to be a little bit out into the sea maybe, just walk out there. It’s not a big deal, if you got your boots on.
So thanks for joining me today. Remember that if you go over to the blog, blog.martinbaileyphotography.com, I’ll put a bunch of links into the show notes for you there, one over to RPG and Outdoor Photo Gear, because they are great bunch and they support the show in various ways. I like to support them as well. Please go over there and take a look at what they have to offer. If you need some overshoes, Neos is the way to go.
In this video, Juan takes you through the cool features of the Think Tank Retrospective line, and compares the Retrospective 10, 20 and 30. Think Tank has just released the Retrospective 5 with the same features in a size smaller than the 10.
Hi, I’m Juan Pons from the Digital Photo Experience. I’m here to do a couple of product reviews for you guys, in conjunction with my friends at Outdoor Photo Gear. The first thing I want to talk to you guys about is this new line of Think Tank Photo bags. If you follow me at all, you know that Think Tank Photo bags are my favorite bags. They recently came out with this line of Retrospective bags.
There are three different sizes and in two different colors. They come in this pine stone color, which actually is turning out to be very, very popular. One of the cool things about this bag is that they have kind of a retro look to them. Following the normal Think Tank philosophy, these bags are made to be inconspicuous, meaning that you don’t look like you’re carrying very expensive photo gear around with you.
As with all other Think Tank Photo bags, these come with a full compliment of dividers and a lot of pockets and organizers inside to carry all of your gear. But what’s really cool about these bags, that I really like, is the fact that you can actually turn the bags into kind of a silent mode. So if you are at an event or wedding or you are a photojournalist and you can’t be opening and closing your bag and causing this big ripping effect of the Velcro opening and closing like you can see here, you can actually turn those Velcros off, if you will, and make the camera bags completely silent. That applies not just to the exterior flap but also to the pockets inside. The way that works is that they do have a flap here with another Velcro section, a loop section of the Velcro, that covers the hook part of the Velcro itself. So you can make these bags nice and quiet. Again, this applies to all three sizes of the bags and the two different colors.
The Retrospective line of bags are shoulder bags primarily, but they have two ways of carrying them. First they come with the shoulder strap, which is nice, wide, comfortable, and really beefy strap. I like that a lot. But they also come with a handle, so you can pick up the bags very easily. As with all other Think Tank Photo bags, they also come with a rain cover, so you can cover the bag if you find yourself in a torrential downpour.
So the three bags are the 10, the 20, and the 30. The 10 obviously being the smallest, but it still can hold two to four lenses, and it can also hold a pro body with a smallish, medium-sized lens attached to it, like my favorite 24-105. In addition to that, it has a pocket in the front, which can carry another body.
The 20 is the tallest of the three, and it can hold a pro body with a 70- 200mm lens inserted vertically into the bag itself. And it can still hold two to three lenses next to that. As with the 10, it has a pocket in the front where it can hold another body, even a pro body as well.
The 30 is the widest of the three, and approximately the same height as the 10. It can hold your lenses, four to five lenses inside, and it can even hold the 70-200 attached to the camera, but the difference is that the camera needs to be sitting lengthwise. It has two pockets in the front, so it can carry an additional two bodies, or if the inside is full of lenses you can put two bodies in the front as well.
Out of the three bags, the 20 has got to be my favorite. A lot of it has to do with the fact that it can hold a 70-200mm lens attached to your camera while still carrying a lot of other equipment inside very comfortably. I do like the pine stone finish of the bag. You can get them all in either black or this pine stone, but this pine stone finish is very stylish and also makes the bag look more retro.
If you have more questions, be sure to go to the Outdoor Photo Gear website at OutdoorPhotoGear.com.
Matt, our webmaster and graphics wizard, has been hard at work creating a new OPG intro that we'll place on the many gear review videos we have coming up. We think it's pretty cool!
After a busy break, Chris from OPG is back on the DPE podcast as the "Gear Guru". He'll be featuring a group of gear each podcast, and discussing that gear with Juan.
Both Rick and Juan love answering your questions. No question is too basic or too advanced, so if you have questions you would like answered, please send them on in and they’ll get to it pretty soon. You can send your questions via email to or click on the “Contact us” button on the top of the http://dpexperience.com website.
The DPE podcast is sponsored by the amazing folks at SmugMug. Make sure to check them out and if you sign up by following this link, you get an awesome 20% off your first year! How cool is that!
This is Episode number 34 of the Digital Photo Experience Podcast with Rick Sammon & Juan Pons.
Make sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here: DPExperience Podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss a single episode.
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Editors note: Since it has been raining, ahem, just a little bit around the country, we thought we'd repost an entry dealing with different rain covers for your gear.
Rain Covers can protect your gear from the elements—not just rain. Mother nature throws all kinds of corrosive at your gear: sand, salt spray, snow and dust to name a few. Think of washing your clothes the last time you shot near the water or in a dusty field. That same stuff that made your clothes dirty is on your gear!
Your choice of rain covers is all over the board, both in price and in sizes. From $5 plastic disposable covers to high tech solutions running several hundred dollars, it might be overwhelming as to which one to choose.
The answer to your rain cover can reveal itself with a little analysis of two things: the lenses in your collection, and why you’ll need a rain cover. Keep in mind that one size rain cover probably won’t fit all your lenses, and you may find a different rain cover need for different lenses. Just as you need different lenses for different situations, you may need different rain covers as well.
Take your lenses out of storage and line them up on a table. A quick look will (maybe painfully) remind you of the amount of investment you have to protect. Grab a tape measure—yes, you’ll need to measure your lenses, both length and diameter. If you want your rain gear to cover your hood, include that in your measurements. Keep in mind teleconverters, and add a few inches for them if you use them. Also, some rain cover manufacturers include the measurements for your camera body, so measure those as well. It only take a few minutes to measure, and you’ll want to save this information.
Luckily, you won’t need as may rain covers as you have lenses, as most covers span a few inches, and therefore fit several lenses. One piece of advice: always lean toward a larger rain cover—it may “bunch up” with shorter lenses, but will cover the longer ones adequately.
Before we move on to the covers themselves, think about how you will use each lens in relation to protection. Do you only take out that 50mm inside or in the back yard? Are you taking that 500mm to Africa or Alaska? Do you shoot ball games with that 70-200mm? Inside or out? Do you need a weather-tight solution for your trip with one lens, but only an emergency cover for another?
Now that you have measurements for your lenses, and a “need scale” for each one, you’re armed with the info needed for a choice of rain covers.
Rain covers run the gamut, just like your lenses. We’ll start with the basic models, cover the high-tech models, and end up in the middle.
For starters, Op/Tech makes a disposable clear light plastic Rainsleeves that only run around $6. These sleeves fit lenses 18” or smaller (14” for the version that covers your flash) and have a drawstring to cinch up the cover on your lens. They also have a hole to push your eyepiece through for a clearer view. Rainsleeves won’t over your big telephotos, and will bunch up on wide angles, but cover about everything in between. These sleeves are great for stashing in your camera bag for that occasional surprise shower on a shoot or a day at the beach. The price can’t be beat, and they are much nicer than a plastic garbage bag!
On the other end of the scale are the high-tech offerings from Think Tank Photo and AquaTech. If you’re heading to Anarctica, Alaska, a whitewater raft trip, shoot outdoor sports, or want to make sure your gear is absolutely protected, then these covers are for you. Each model of these covers is made for a narrow range of lenses to provide a tight fit. They also require individual eyepieces for each of your cameras to insure waterproofing.
Think Tank makes two Hydrophobia models: one for the popular 70-200mm, with or without flash, and one for the lens range of 300mm to 600mm.
The Hydrophobias keep your gear watertight, strap down to your gear, and provide two sleeves for ease of operation. The Hydrophbia 300-600 even sits on your long lens, waiting to be quickly pulled back at a moment’s notice. To complete a custom fit, you’ll need to get the proper eyepiece for your camera.
AquaTech, an Australian company that makes wetsuits, applies their technology to high end, custom fitting covers. AquaTech has five models, each fitting a narrow range of lenses. To make things easier, AquaTech has a PDF Reference Chart to help you pick the right size. Like the Think Tank, you need a specific eyepiece for your camera.
Kata rain covers take a different approach, with good customization and full features at an economical price. Kata makes a rain cover for smaller DSLRs which have lenses up to 5.75”. They also have a model for pro-sized DSLRs with lenses up to 4”. The unique thing about the cover for pro sized DSLRs is that you can add a Lens Extension Kit that has two add-on sleeves for 25.6” long. These models give you great flexibility and quite a few of the features found on more expensive models.
Right in the middle, for occasional use and great protection, like the Storm Jackets. Reasonably priced, these Aqua-nylon fabric covers cover a wide range of lenses and have bungee-cords for enclosures. They also have Velcro openings for your tripod or monopod. Sizes range up to 31” and the product pages give suggested lens size combinations. These covers give you repeated use and are compact for storage in your bag. These are our most popular covers!
So there you have it. Although there are numerous choices of rain covers, a little analysis of your lenses and your needs will point you in the right direction.
Finally! After many, many months (possibly even a year or so) of research and investigating, I finally purchased myself a ring light, or rather a ring flash modifier that I can use with my existing speedlights.
There are several makes and models to choose from which made the process a little more difficult than I expected, but I made a decision based on my shooting style, what would work with what I already have, and what my pocket book could let go of.
I decided on the Orbis Ring Flash adapter for quite a few reasons. Number one, it will work with my speedlights …all of them. There are a few other ring flash adapters made for speedlights but some of them will only fit specific models. The Orbis is designed to be a universal fit, and it does indeed fit both sizes of my Nikon speedlights.
The next reason I chose the Orbis over other brands is that I like the quality of the light it produces. It doesn't seem to be as hard of a light source as some of the others, and its soft enough that I can use it off axis as another type of light modifier.
Yet another reason I picked the Orbis is that it is small and lightweight. I considered buying a self contained ring flash unit., but I know me, and if it's too much trouble to haul around, I simply won't use it. Plus, with a self contained unit, I would need additional power such as A/C or a battery pack, which is pretty inconvenient in most cases.
The last reason I picked the Orbis is cost. Pure and simple it seemed to me to be the best bang for the buck that I could afford. It cost me $200 which in my book, is more than fair enough, considering the quality of the product, and what it enables me to do. No other light source I have will give me the look the Orbis does.
Now, on to why I wanted a ring flash. I have to admit, I do love the simple portrait-against-the-wall-with-a-ring-flash look, but nowdays it seems way over done. That being said, I have shot a ton of shots like that just because I've never been able to get that "full-shadow halo" effect before as you can see in this pic. It's very big in certain circles, but its not the only trick I want in my bag.
What I'm more interested in with the Orbis ring flash is the ability to create on axis, fill light. When working with off camera lighting, you can create some really dramatic shadows. However, sometimes you might want those shadows to be a little more "opened up" in the darker recesses of your shot. That's where the Orbis absolutely sings! You can light someone or something with a hard or soft light off camera at a sharp angle, and then where you get those deep dark shadows, like in this photo, you can fill it in with just a wink of light from the ring flash. It's pretty much an effect that can be tailored to your own tastes, but the point is, using an on axis fill allows you to control those shadows and details as much or as little as you want.
"Why not just use and on camera flash or the pop-up flash on your camera for on axis fill" you say? Because it's just not the same quality of light–believe me I've tried it. A mounted, on camera flash will throw off a funny angle when shooting portraits and is also pretty harsh light. The pop-up flash will do the same somewhat and is not nearly as powerful as a separate flash unit. So the answer is definitely the Orbis!
Another neat thing about the Orbis is that due to the quality of the light it produces, it makes a really cool off axis light modifier. In this photo, I used my speedlight in the Orbis, dialed way down to just create a little fill light (camera left) to make more of an open, airy feeling shadow side. It's almost not even there, but just enough to make it noticeable. Sometimes less is more. (The main light for this shot was a speedlight in a 24" softbox camera right).
So in a nutshell, my overall impression and view of the Orbis Ring Flash adapter is fantastic. I absolutely love using it and hope to experiment more with it soon.
Oh, and you nature photographers out there, give it a shot with flowers. Incredible!
I figured this out only a few minutes after a little frustration.
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