Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC4

You looking to find the "Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC4" Good news! You can purchase Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC4 with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $139.99 $125.61   

Product Feature

• Supports up to 17 pounds
• Re-positionable locking lever for most comfortable use.
• New ergonomic design.
• New friction control for better control.
• Quick release system features a new style secondary lock.

Product Description

This ball head has been total redesigned for better ease of use. A new design friction control knob allows the photographer to achieve superior control when handling the camera and making micro movements without having to totally lock and unlock the ball head. The knobs have been redesigned to be more ergonomic, easier to handle and more user-friendly. The ergonomic shape allows the user to better lock the ball securely. A repositionable Locking lever allows the user to place it in a comfortable position in order to use it in the most convenient way. Just pull it outwards, put it in the best working position and then release it. This model features a RC4 quick release plate including an additional safety system that prevents the accidental detaching of the camera from the head. The locking lever securely locks the head both in the +90� -90° ball positioning and in the 360° pan movements. With solid aluminum construction, this head is the ideal support for all traditional or digital small or medium format cameras weighing up to 17 pounds. This replaces the Manfrotto 488RC4

Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC4 Review

Until I wrote this, there was only one review for The Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release posted on Amazon. Since it didn't evaluate the head but rather the author's experience with Ace Photo's poor customer service, I read Amazon reviews for the Manfrotto 488RC4, the previous model of this ball head.

This is an excellent ball head which I'm using attached to my Vanguard tripod legs for both still and video photography. Its weight capacity is listed as 17 pounds and I've witnessed nothing to contradict this capability. Although this adds about a pound and three quarters to my system which is heavier than many, for me it's not a problem since I'm not hauling the tripod system for great distances. I debated between this and the 498RC2 Ball Head, but I chose this for it's two notable differences. I wanted the broader 410PL plate because I prefer the locking switch on this mounting system, and I like the two onboard bubble spirit levels. The Amazon description says, " The locking lever securely locks the head both in the +90� -90� ball positioning and in the 360 pan movements." It doesn't tell you that there is a separate lock on the panoramic axis which allows for rotation adjustment or panning so that framing isn't messed up. The movements on this tripod are smooth and can be adjusted with a friction knob to get it just right for the individual user. The 360� markings on the base are also an asset. I also find the ratcheting locking levers to give me more freedom because I can quickly turn them to a suitable position if they are in the way. I'm really pleased with this purchase and was thrilled to see that with an online product registration with Manfrotto, the warranty is automatically extended.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC4" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Manfrotto 498RC4 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 488RC4 ...

Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst

You looking to find the "Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst" Good news! You can purchase Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $349.00 $289.59   

Product Feature

• Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst

Product Description

8 Channel Smart DVR with pre installed 500GB Hard Drive and 8 Night Vision Cameras D1 Recording at 30 FPS on limited channels Free Night Owl Lite Application which allows you to view multiple DVRs from one app Free CMS software for your PC Motion Activated Recording/Email Alerts

Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst Review

Cameras: a lot of cheap fixed cameras are better than a couple of pan/zoom cameras, you want fewer perimeter blind spots and cameras in each other's field of view to capture tampering. 8 was about right for a house and garage, 4 might work for a condo. These are full of compromises, a license plate is difficult to read when the car fills the frame, and the LEDs cause a halo glare at night. But HD cameras would have cost twice as much. Blooming trips the motion detection algorithm. I didn't like black so I painted them to reduce overt big-brother feel.

Wires: Others say "cheap wires," I think that really means cheap connectors; I had a camera "die" less than 24 hours after installation, turned out to be the spring-loaded BNC connection.

DVR: Latest hack, from January 29 this year, no firmware update to address it. [...] . Instructions poke too many holes, I opened fewer ports and changed the numbers from the instructions. Controlling it from a browser requires an unsigned activeX plug-in and defeating a lot of security settings on your computer, Windows wouldn't even let me over-ride to install the plug-in-- ironic for a security product to be so indifferent to security. Installed NetViewer instead; NetViewer can't paste password from KeyPass manager so logging in is tedious.
I also wish there were two sensitivity thresholds and schedules, one for recording, and then a tighter screen for email/alarm; if it would even put the camera number in the subject line, I could use an email subject filter to pick the cameras I'm most interested in, but the other cameras would be available for forensics. Anyway, I set all the sensitivities to the lowest setting and had ten emails overnight.

Android App: Functional and helped a bunch for aligning the cameras. Annoyances: doesn't exit when you push the power button; I had to make two profiles one if I'm on the LAN and other if I'm outside on internet; and there's a pop-up to prevent you from leaving the app.

But when I can buy a package this cheap that does most of the good for so little of the cost, it's hard to justify spending more to protect a residence.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Night Owl D1 8Ch 8 Cam 420TVL 500GB Security Syst ...

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras

You looking to find the "Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras" Good news! You can purchase Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $429.00    

Product Feature

• 10-20mm ultra-wide angle lens designed for Pentax and Samsung digital SLR cameras
• 3 special low dispersion (SLD) glass elements to compensate for color aberration
• Multilayer lens coating reduces flare and ghost; 9.4-inch close focusing distance
• Measures 3.3 inches in diameter and 3.2 inches long; weighs 16.4 ounces

Product Description

10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC lens allows enjoyment of super wide-angle photography and it is a very powerful tool for indoor shooting and landscape photography with APS-C size image sensors of digital SLR cameras.Wide angle of view (102.4 ? at 10mm and 63.8 ? at 20mm) offers the photographer greater freedom of expression. Three SLD glass elements are employed for effective compensation of color aberration, which is a common problem with super-wide angle lenses. One piece of glass mold and two hybrid aspherical lenses, offer excellent correction for distortion, as well as all types of aberration.This lens is equipped with an inner focusing system and also offer full time manual focusing. It has a minimum focusing distance of 24cm (9.4") at all focal lengths. The non-rotating lens barrel perfectly suits the petal shaped lens hood. A circular polarizing filter can also be used conveniently.

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras Review

I am rating this lens with only three stars because I am reviewing two lenses. Here is why:

When I received my lens I later realized that I did not receive the extended three year warranty card that comes with the USA versions of the lens. Instead of just sending me the extended warranty card Amazon shipped me a whole new lens. Now while I was reading reviews prior to ordering this lens I had seen many reviews where the reviewer either loved this lens or they hated it. After a while I could see why...

Some of the lenses that are being shipped are sharp all the way around while some are not sharp at all. Many claimed it was sharper at F:8 than F:4 while others said theirs was never sharp at all. Some complained about distortion and or dull or over saturated colors. I finally found a reviewer who had the opportunity to try 3-4 different lenses. They found that there seemed to be a lack of quality control all around when it came to this specific lens. Having a few days of both lenses I decided to compare them out for myself. I am glad I did.

I put my camera in the front yard on a tripod and shot numerous sets of three for each lens at 10mm, 14mm, and 20mm. The results were surprising. The original lens I had been sent first was a clear winner. The trees and anything else around the picture were sharp, The replacement lens was anything but sharp. The colors on lens two were more vibrant than lens one but one can fix that with software where a blurred image is not really fixable.

I shot numerous sets with both lenses and a few different F settings and the results remained the same. The replacement lens was the one being returned. Lucky for me the Sigma extended warranty cards have nothing on them, you enter the serial numbers yourself so I kept the card and returned the replacement lens.

I have included two photos to the gallery for this lens so you can see what I found. In the end my first lens would have received a 5 star rating because they really are excellent lenses if you can get a good copy. The replacement copy would have received a 1 star rating. Luckily I had the chance to compare the two copies side by side or I may have never known just how bad lens number two really was.

If your lens has problems like lens number two you have a poor copy of the lens, return it. Sadly from all of the reviews I have read it seems that maybe 20% of the lenses are not good copies. Many just think poor sharpness is just a general lens limitation when chances are it is just a poor copy they received.

Bottom line!

1. Get the lens out and shoot some shots, If it is not sharp around the edges return it for another copy.

2. If you do not get your extended warranty card you may have gotten a gray market lens. Return it.

Upon talking to a Sigma rep I was told they have no way to verify whether the lens is USA or Gray market (international) by the serial number, if you do not have the extended warranty card you will not get the warranty extension so buyer beware. The card is a card stock type black and red folded warranty card that specifically states that it is the extended warranty card. Don't let any dealer tell you that it has the extended warranty without it being in your hands. Sigma currently has no registration on their website. The rep told me to keep the card in a safe place and then in the event that I need service I will send it and a copy of the original sales receipt in with the lens for service.

All that being said I can tell you that this is a wonderful lens if you need a super wide angle lens and you get a good copy. They are not the fastest lenses around but for the money you cannot beat it.

Take a look at the pictures I included for the lens and hopefully they will help you determine if you were lucky on the Sigma draw and give you an idea of what you need to check for.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras ...

CowboyStudio Photography 6 x 9ft Black & White Muslin Backdrops with Support System and Carry Bag

You looking to find the "CowboyStudio Photography 6 x 9ft Black & White Muslin Backdrops with Support System and Carry Bag" Good news! You can purchase CowboyStudio Photography 6 x 9ft Black & White Muslin Backdrops with Support System and Carry Bag with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $85.99    

Product Feature

• Two (2) High Quality Tripods
• One (1) 3-sections Cross bar
• One (1) 100% Cotton 5'x 10 ' white Seamless Muslin Backdrop
• One (1) 100% Cotton 5'x 10 ' Black Seamless Muslin Backdrop
• One (1) Carrying Case for the support system

Product Description

Cross Bar for Background Support: This is a 3-section telescope cross bar for background support. Extend from 5 ft 5" to 10 ft with 5/8" female sockets on both ends to lock on to any light stands. Holds canvas, muslin or paper.

Light stands: Versatile, Hardworking & Lightweight; 3 Section lock; Black anodized aluminum; Stable & Quick Setup; Maximum Height: 2450 MM, 98 inches; Minimum Height: 788 MM, 31.5 inches; Maximum Load Capacity 19.9 lbs; Closed Length: 750 MM, 30 inches; Footprint Diameter 900 MM, 36 inches; Mounting Stud 5/8 inches.

Muslin Backdrop: We have found muslin to be by far the most versatile material for photography backdrops. It is great for all types of photography: family, children, high school seniors, bridals, models, or even commercial work. Made from durable high quality muslin material; 100% cotton to absorb the light and help eliminate reflection; completely Seamless, made from one piece of material; 3" rod pocket at one end; Machine washable; Crimped along the edges to prevent tears; Light weight, easy to fold; Allow for 5-8% manufacturing shrinkage.

CowboyStudio Photography 6 x 9ft Black & White Muslin Backdrops with Support System and Carry Bag Review

This is the 3rd order and 5th or 6th product I've purchased from Cowboy Studio. I consider myself a "semi-pro" photographer, in that, I don't make enough money off photography jobs to quit my day job yet, so I spend minimal amounts on my lighting and backdrop gear. I, alike many of you I'm sure, simply can't afford the hundreds of dollars for stands, and then hundreds more for lights. I'm very happy to have found Cowboy Studio products on Amazon - as everything I've got so far fits my needs and keeps me from spending all my cash in one place.

Ordered this backdrop kit for a "photo booth" style shoot at a local Preschool Fundraiser/Dance. Set up in home ahead of time to make sure I could work everything out and used the black muslin for backdrop. Used the backdrop kit along with Cowboy Studio light stands, umbrella and CFL bulbs to get the whole setup done. No problems with setup - if you have a brain you can figure out how to put the pieces together - very intuitive. Muslins may seem a bit thin to some, but as long as you set up against a plain wall or you set up your lighting correctly, you won't notice a thing when the photos come out. White and black muslins are the size advertised and awesome - plenty of fabric to setup a backdrop and bring it down well onto the floor to allow for plenty of setup possibilities. (Since they're pre-packaged and folded, muslins will have deep creases - give yourself time to steam out if you're picky about that). The carrying bags the Cowboy Studio kits come with are awesome - plain, nothing fancy, just a heavy nylon-like material - but made to fit the kit you're buying and super smart for packing everything away. Shipping - Cowboy Studio has been fast and awesome with every item ordered from them. Packages have arrived significantly ahead of schedule from what Amazon.com quotes, everything packed in boxes that are the perfect size for what was shipped, and well-packed to that end.

Two things to point out that get this kit a 4-star rating from me:
Overall, I got everything I expected. But - noticed during setup that the legs on the backdrop stands seem a bit frail for the weight they're holding up from the huge muslin. If they were more robust, it'd help prevent tip-overs and wobbliness from the whole setup. And the only other "complaint" is that this kit does not come with clamps to secure your muslin cloth. I happily ordered mine separately at the time I bought this, so no worries, but it would be nice if the kit came with a couple. I ordered Cowboy Studio clamps, which are a great quality for the price, but I got a pack of 8, and have only used 5 max at any time so far, and it would have been nice if at least a few were included in the cost of the kit.

The two gripes aside - if you're on a budget like me, but are looking for gear that professionals in photography will need, Cowboy Studio products are a great item to at least start with - then upgrade later on if you need. I plan on using the products I've picked up very long term, and am not worried about the longevity based on what limited use I will put my gear through. I hope this has helped some of you buyers out there.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "CowboyStudio Photography 6 x 9ft Black & White Muslin Backdrops with Support System and Carry Bag" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from CowboyStudio Photography 6 x 9ft Black & White Muslin Backdrops with Support System and Carry Bag ...

Kodak i2900 Scanner

You looking to find the "Kodak i2900 Scanner" Good news! You can purchase Kodak i2900 Scanner with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $2,344.47 $2,344.43   

Product Feature

• Propel your productivity
• A robust rotary A4 desktop scanner
• Consistently high throughput speed

Product Description

Propel your productivity. The Kodak i2900 Scanner is a robust rotary A4 desktop scanner with an ingenious book-edge flatbed scanner built right in. It features a 250-sheet feeder/elevator and consistently high throughput speed, even when imaging double-sided and color documents at up to 300 dpi. Add in Intelligent Document Protection, as well as Kodak's Perfect Page technology and Smart Touch functionality, and you've got a fiercely powerful scanner in a remarkably compact package.

Kodak i2900 Scanner Review

I had pretty high expectations for the Kodak i2900 Scanner, and though I wasn't impressed with it at first (this review has been edited to reflect my thoughts after scanning several tens of thousands of pages), once I figured out the settings, I developed a more favorable impression of it.

HARDWARE
---------------------
Kodak has built what looks to be a pretty solid piece of equipment. I expect that it will hold up pretty well through a lot of scanning, and the fact that it can handle as many as 250 sheets at a time is pretty impressive. In my experience, it works exactly as advertised, and it is very easy to load paper.

One problem I have found is that the wheels sometimes begin squeaking and it can be quite annoying. The problem seems to occur because even when paper is not running through the device and it is pausing before feeding the next paper, everything continues spinning along. The worst offenders seem to be two white plastic rollers in the top of the back section of the device where the paper comes out at the top, and one at the bottom of the front loading area. I have tried cleaning the wheels in the front loading area, with some success in reducing the squeaking. The rollers in the back stopped their incessant squeaking when I shifted them around with my fingers, but they still occasionally scream out at me in protest.

Surprisingly, the scanner is missing some functionality you can find in other scanners. For example, it doesn't have the capability to detect double feeds like the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 Scanner for PC and Mac (PA03656-B005). It doesn't handle paper misfeeds well unless they are quite nasty, in contrast to the ix500, which is pretty sensitive. These aren't major omissions, but on an otherwise high quality scanner, these kinds of details would be nice to have.

SOFTWARE
---------------------
It was time consuming to install the software, and quite difficult for me to get started. Once I did get it set up, it worked well enough, but it might take me weeks to figure out what all these options do. The most important thing that I realized is that you can go into the File > Page Setup part of the interface to adjust the resolution if you need higher resolution, grayscale, etc. I did not find the interface intuitive at all, and I think the software is not doing Kodak any favors here. It would have been nice if Kodak had included support for Mac users too. If you don't have a Windows computer, then this isn't the device for you.

Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 v Kodak i2900
---------------------
These two scanners are not even supposed to be in the same league (in price or specs), but in day-to-day use, the ScanSnap comes out ahead in some ways. Despite being a fraction of the size and cost, the ScanSnap is much faster than the Kodak if you go above 300 dpi. I usually scan at 600 dpi black and white, and at these settings, I go roughly twice as fast with the ScanSnap. There is one caveat, though. The ScanSnap has more hiccups (misfeeds, multiple page feeds, paper jams, and problems grabbing onto pages). After 30,000+ pages with the Kodak, I think I may have only had 5 or 6 feed problems. Perhaps one of the reasons it doesn't detect double feeds is because the design of the device makes the problem much more uncommon.

There is one point where the Kodak blows the ScanSnap out of the water: capacity. The ScanSnap gets quite testy when you load in more than a few dozen pages at once, so you have to position yourself close to the device and keep feeding it. The Kodak churns through its pages slower, but at a steady pace without the need to constantly feed it. This can be a huge advantage when you get up to several thousand pages, and there have been several times when I give a scanning batch to the Kodak instead of the ScanSnap because I don't want to hassle with the feeding.

SUMMARY
---------------------
I think if you are a regular consumer who doesn't scan more than a couple hundred pages a day, then the Fujitsu ScanSnap is more than sufficient for your needs. If you are running a small business, and you, or your employees don't want to have to station yourself next to the scanner all day, then the Kodak is very appealing. The only stumbling block with Kodak is the software, but be patient with it, and you ought to be able to get it to do what you need.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Kodak i2900 Scanner" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Kodak i2900 Scanner ...