CAMERA BODIES

The camera “body” is the heart and soul of your digital equipment. It houses the electronics that make a camera a camera. You attach your lenses and accessories to it (SLR) or it is in fact the center of your complete camera system (Point and Shoot).

As technology progresses, we are continually bombarded by the latest and greatest advertisements from the 2 “market makers”, Nikon and Canon. Both companies offer a variety of cameras to suit your budget and style. If you intend to make photography a business or serious hobby, you need to invest in a DSLR to give you the features we’ll talk about in this book, as well as give you the ability to change lenses and accessories.

Here are my recommendations from each company, but I suggest you research them on your own or visit my website for more about each model:

ADVANCED POINT AND SHOOT
• Nikon: CoolPix P90 | Read Reviews

• Canon: PowerShot A2100 IS | Read Reviews

ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR

• Nikon: Nikon D5000 | Read Reviews

• Canon: EOS Rebel T1i EF-S 18-55mm IS Kit | Read Reviews

SEMI-PRO DSLR

• Nikon: Nikon D90 | Read Reviews

• Canon: EOS 50D | Read Reviews

PRO DSLR

• Nikon: Nikon D3X | Read Reviews

• Canon: EOS-1Ds Mark III | Read Reviews

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“Spice up your camera” is Pepper’s Logo, and it certainly is what they do with this great product. I’ve been using my “Galaxy” strap for about a week now and I have to say I never knew a strap could make this much difference. This product review is completely voluntary but Pepper Straps was kind enough to send me one for review at my request. I had needed a new strap for my Atlanta photography sessions and heard good things about this company. Lori Nordstrom, the owner of the company, asked what design I’d like (they have a ton of choices) and I asked that she decide for me…

. Read the rest of this entry »

Zeikos ZE-CBG50 Professional Battery Power Grip Review (Street Price $69)

Features:

Introduction

After getting my hands on the Ziekos 72″ Tripod and being so impressed with the quality to cost ratio, I decided to give them a try with a couple other products. My Opteka Battery Grip has a broken shutter button so I thought a cheap grip from Zeikos would be a perfect replacement. It’s certainly no Canon Battery Grip (lacks the logo), but it’s darn close. Double the battery power and the ability to throw in AA’s if needed is invaluable when you’re on a 6-8 hour shoot; especially if you have to use a flash. It’s also a nice weight and adds to the stability of the camera.

About Zeikos

Zeikos is a budget electronics and photography accessories company headquartered in New York. They offer a wide range of products for professional and amateur photographers.

In Use

The first thing I noticed is that the packaging was much nicer than the one the tripod came in. The box that my grip came in was clean, designed well, packed nicely with foam and a plastic cap on the connections – standard I know, but first impressions mean a lot. After pulling it from the box I eagerly grabbed my 40D, unscrewed the Opteka grip, removed the cartridge that can hold AA batteries, and swapped out the Canon batteries and battery door (just like the other grips, it has a place to store the door that must be removed before installation). The power grip feels great, it’s shutter release feels much closer to the Canon equivalent than the Opteka so that means major points from me. The FE/Magnify/Point Selection buttons don’t quite feel like the Canon’s but they have proven to be functional and since I use auto-rotate I rarely use these buttons anyway? To me they’re kind of unimportant. The selection dial feels like it’s made of the same rubber as the Canon’s, but I have to admit it feels a little thinner and maybe not quite as good as the Canon’s. Then again, my Opteka selection wheel feels worse yet and still works well. If this is the biggest issue, I think we’re in great shape.

After a few days and maybe 1500 shutter clicks later, the only other real difference I noticed between this and the overpriced Canon BG-E2N was the rubber used in the handle portion. The Canon feels like the 40D Body, where the Zeikos ZE-CBG50 has a “softer” feel. This really is a plus for me because it remains sticky when my hands start sweating and the Canon rubber gets a little slick. I’d rather NOT drop one of the core pieces of my equipment that puts food on the table.

Final Word

If you are in the market for a power grip, I’d only pay for the Canon if you want other people to know what you use – you’re essentially paying $100 more for the Canon logo to be printed on the grip. With a 1-year limited warranty and a company that is striving to take their share of the accessories market, you know they’re going to take care of their customers. The Opteka broke on me after about 6 months, but hey – maybe paying more for it is your thing. The Zeikos is not only the cheapest I’ve seen lately, it is also a great product. Now that’s something you don’t find very many places anymore – VALUE.

NOTE: I’ve also seen Adorama advertise a grip that pops up with the search term “ZE-CBG50″. I’m pretty sure it’s a different grip – probably akin to the Opteka I had break, so get the Zeikos.

You can pick yours up at Amazon, but if you find a better deal on it somewhere else let me know so I can update the links. This grip is going fast and is often out of stock, but trust me, it’s worth the wait and Zeikos told me directly that they’re filling orders everyday and are working to increase production without sacrificing quality or pricing.

NOTE:

I’ve noticed over the last couple of weeks the price for Zeikos’ products is rising slightly. I wouldn’t wait on this stuff, as it’s only a matter of time before they start out-selling their competitors and prices remain a little higher. After all, you USUALLY get what you pay for. If the couple of things I’ve picked up Zeikos are any indication, they’re certainly an exeption to the rule.

RELATED POSTS:

Zeikos 72″ Tripod Review

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joshua Camp is the owner of Caffeine and Cream, ATL Photographers and Bella Sorrisa Photography in Atlanta and specializes in a range of wedding, assignment, destination and abstract photography. His team is available for shoots at very reasonable prices andcan be contacted for quotes by visiting The Website of Bella Sorrisa Photography and filling out the Contact Us Form.

Zeikos 72″ Full Size Professional Photo / Video Tripod with Case (Avg. street price $39.99)

Features:

• Professional Photo & Video Tripod

Special Carrying Handle

Professional Foam Grip

Self Leveling Rubber Legtip

Built In Bubble Leveling

3-Way Pan Head

3-Section Leg

Quick leverlock

Rubber Legtip

Deluxe Soft Case

This product has a 10 year Limited warranty.

Spec’d to support ~10lbs

Product Details:

Product Length:  22.0 inches

Product Width:  4.0 inches

Product Height:  4.0 inches

Product Weight:  2.0 pounds

Introduction

I received my order about 3 days after payment was made and after opening the slightly ripped box I pulled out a nice (albeit cheap) nylon case containing the tripod. After opening the case, pulling it out, and clicking the lock tabs open, to my surprise the legs fluidly slid to the floor. “Wow, solid for $30, nice bubble level, good finish…”

About Zeikos

Zeikos is a budget electronics and photography accessories company headquartered in New York. They offer a wide range of products for who they consider “professionals”.

Introduction

Let’s face it, in today’s economy we’re all looking for a deal. I have been needing another tripod for quite a while and at around $30 US I figured I had little to lose by trying out this piece of gear. I got mine from Amazon, as Zeikos sells directly to the public there.

In Use

The Zeikos 72″ tripod is by no means a replacement for my Gitzo, but it works. The first thing I noticed is that the tolerances are pretty tight which makes for a solid and stable tripod. The quick-release plate is nice, but not integrated very well – it was the only thing that didn’t feel quite as secure as it should – that is, until i locked it in with a firm push. When shooting with this tripod, due to the position of the pan/tilt controls, you have to mount the camera with the tilt arm under the lens – VERY inconvenient. If you don’t, good luck getting your face to the viewfinder. At about 10″ long, it’ll poke you right in the center of the chest. The good news is, if tightened loosely, it does what it should and will allow fairly smooth movement while still supporting a heavy camera (although I personally wouldn’t use it for video). I tested this out in a variety of positions with a Canon 40D and 28-135mm IS lens – a pretty common kit. Problem #2 – the bubble levels aren’t positioned for anything useful. One circular level, sure – it works well; The tube though is set in the side of the head parallel to the camera’s side – only telling you if you’re level up and down but not with the horizon; you’ll have to use your viewfinder grid for that. A second bubble, or moving this one would be a good idea, Zeikos. This also adds to the 3rd problem I have with this tripod – in Portrait configuration, with the plate hinged up it’ll take you framing up something and locking it down instead of glancing at the level, which would be much, much more useful.

Final Word

For the money, it’s worth it. For someone wanting a light, stable tripod that they don’t have to worry about being stolen it’s worth it. For me, I think it’ll be just fine for what I intended to use it for – holding a second speedlight. This will probably be my beach tripod as well since sand and ball joints just don’t seem to get along. Overall it’s a good buy, but don’t expect it to stack up to a $300 tripod. If you think it’s better to save $$ on this than to save for a Manfrotto or Gitzo, forget it. On the other hand, if you’re like me, always needing more tripods AND more money in your pocket – I say go for it. You’re only risking disappointment if it’s the only tripod in your bag and you’re used to a nicer brand. Be prepared to be talking about upgrades(which may lead to the spouse getting you that Gitzo Explorer next Christmas).

-Joshua Camp

RELATED POSTS:

Zeikos Battery Power Grip Review

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joshua Camp is the owner of Caffeine and Cream, ATL Photographers and Bella Sorrisa Photography in Atlanta and specializes in a range of wedding, assignment, destination and abstract photography. His team is available for shoots at very reasonable prices andcan be contacted for quotes by visiting The Website of Bella Sorrisa Photography and filling out the Contact Us Form.