Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Sony NEX 5KB Alpha Compact Camera - A Product Review

The Sony NEX 5KB is a very versatile Digital, aimed at the more serious photographer who is looking for quality linked to spontaneity. The new Sony is a revolutionary piece of equipment for a compact, and comes with interchangeable lenses which increases your photographic options and maintains creative flexibility. This camera is the world's lightest and most compact interchangeable and includes some unique features which combines with some new technology to take it to the forefront when comparing it to other cameras in its class; or so the Sony Publicity department says. Let's take a look for ourselves shall we. The camera comes equipped with the following.

Kit Lens E 18-55mm

Lens Hood

Lens Cap.

Flash.

Case for Flash

Battery Charger

Power Cord

Rechargeable Battery

Shoulder Strap.

USB Cable.

CD-Rom

Users of the Sony Cybershot who want to take the plunge and step up in class will feel at home with the overall feel and controls, and will definitely see the difference in delivered quality. For the rest who don't already own a Sony, you will be amazed at just how small this camera is; the body is barely 24 mm thick and inside there is so much technology. The interchangeable lens compact type cameras is a whole new world apart and on the surface it looks like Sony have surpassed their rivals. But is it as good as it looks?

I must admit I liked and found very useful, the "sweep Panorama" mode, which is a bit noisy but enables you to take snap shots of a Panoramic view, and seamlessly stitch them together. The handheld twilight feature is another great mode that combines a series of pictures into one sharp image.

The movie mode is a vast improvement on the Cybershot, but for the difference in price should be. One drawback though is that it doesn't have any manual exposure controls so there are still problems for Sony here. My opinion on using this type of camera for taking videos though is a definite no. Get yourself a video camera and keep this one for stills.

For me the interface of the camera is a bit small and complicated, and takes time to get used to; If you want to make lots of adjustments then it could turn out to be a bit tedious.

My conclusion? This camera is for someone who want to step up from the average low-cost digital, and start to take professional quality pictures. The picture quality really is in a different league to other compacts. The more experienced photographer will probable give this one a miss for no other reason than it is a Sony. Marks out of 10. A sublime 9.5.

Interchangeable Lens Camera

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Hidden Cameras - Spy Camera Sun Glasses - The Best Three Models

For decades hidden cameras have been one of the most effective spy gadgets on the market. Spy cameras and hidden cameras are covert ways of catching people doing things they shouldn't be doing. Spy glasses and spy sun glasses are some of the best spy gadgets you will ever find. Take an ordinary pair of sun glasses and install a hidden camera and you have a pair of spy sun glasses.

Of course, it's not that easy. You can't do it yourself, but there are several models on the market today that are very good.

No one would ever suspect that they are being recorded while looking at you wearing a pair of ordinary sun glasses. That is what makes them such effective spy cameras. Inside each one of these spy camera sunglasses is a DVR that can record both audio and video. They are all easy to download using a USB cable.

Here are what we consider to be the best three models of spy camera sunglasses.

The first is the Spy Camera Sunglasses with DVR. It has very high-resolution and a built-in DVR with 4 GB of memory that is expandable to 8 GB. It has a rechargeable battery that powers the DVR up to five hours. The sun glasses have a high quality polarized look, light weight and very stylish. Hidden inside is a DVR that records audio and video or you can take still pictures. Once the video is recorded, to play it back, use the USB cable. You can use these spy glasses anywhere that you need to take pictures or video but don't want to use a camera. It is the ultimate spy tool for private investigators, secret shoppers, security guards or police officers.

The second is the Spy Camera Sunglasses DVR MP3 player. It has 2 GB of internal memory for 100 minutes of video or 64 hours of audio. It can store still photos as well.

Our favorite is the Sun Spy DVR Spy Camera Sunglasses. This popular spy gadget has interchangeable full wrap around lenses, which are very popular today. It records video in high-resolution. The glasses have a battery that is rechargeable and 4 GB of built-in memory. The wraparound style makes them easy to use on a bike or motorcycle. The camera is very high quality five megapixel CMOS. It comes with a clear and polarized lens, black carrying case, glass cloth, two nose replacements and a power adapter.

Those are three of the best models of spy camera sunglasses. One might be just right for you.

Interchangeable Lens Camera

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Scuba Diving - How to Get Started In Underwater Photography

While you are scuba diving, you are no doubt amazed by the beauty and grace of the underwater world and wish to share it with your family and friends who you have not been able to convince to go with you as of yet. Or maybe you just want to capture photos of your experiences so that you can keep them for your own enjoyment. No matter the reason, most people have a great desire to begin learning underwater photography fairly early on in their scuba diving career.

If this sounds like you, you have likely already begun browsing your local scuba dive shops for equipment and started reading up on articles and information published by underwater photography professionals. While you can find a lot of information in this way, a lot of it is technical and hard to follow. For this reason, the best way to learn how to take pictures underwater is to start taking them and then learn through trial and error.

Your first underwater camera will likely be a disposable water-proof camera that works great for taking pictures in shallow depths. This will get you used to taking pictures underwater but is not ideal for taking photos in deep water. The next step up from this camera is the amphibious camera. This camera is small, lightweight, and ideal for beginning underwater photography in deeper waters. You can also take a normal land camera, house it, and outfit it for use in underwater photography. While this is the most expensive option, this is the equipment that produces the vivid, breathtaking photos featured in magazines. Whatever equipment you choose, two things that you cannot take underwater photos without are an external flashgun and interchangeable lenses.

Once you have your equipment, the best way to begin is to start taking pictures. Be sure to stock up on lots of film and take several shots of each subject. This way you can compare shots and learn from your own underwater photography mistakes. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Get close to your subject. One reason why underwater photography is so challenging is that matter is suspended in the water between you and your subject. The flash reflects off of this material resulting in blurry, obstructed pictures.

Start photographing small objects first. This will allow you to preset your equipment before you dive. Use a flashgun to provide white light as monochromatic blue light is the only light that penetrates deeper water. Artificial white light is vital in underwater photography for producing sharp, colorful images.

Position your flashgun correctly. Your flashgun should be positioned a good distance from the lens axis to avoid reflection of light off of suspended matter otherwise called back scatter.

After you get a feel for underwater photography, you will find that you can easily learn as you go. Take lots of film as this is the cheapest component of underwater photography. Compare shots, learn from your mistakes, and you will soon be wowing your friends and family with more than stories. You'll have the photos to back them up.

Interchangeable Lens Camera