what photography related item did you buy this week?

[jhawk1000]

Nick, I bought a cheaper Zomei travel tripod (aluminum) to take to Ireland. It came with a ball head which was good but I put my trusty acratech head on the light tripod and it was great. Stable and I think that I paid something in the area of $80.00 for it and it came with a nice case.

 

[jhawk1000]

Kastar dual charger for EM1.2 batteries. 3 days in and one of the two slots is already dead :S I did work for 2 days before giving up on life. I think I used it twice.

I bought a Kastar single charger for BLN-1 batteries and it charged one battery and died. I have a Wasabi dual charger and it works great.

 

[Michael Meissner]

I bought a Kastar single charger for BLN-1 batteries and it charged one battery and died. I have a Wasabi dual charger and it works great.

Over in dpreview.com a thread that comes back every so often is that the BLN-1's have a slightly higher nominal voltage than the traditional 2 cell lithium ion batteries (7.6 volts for Olympus vs. 7.4 volts for modern generic batteries, and 7.2 volts for earlier generic batteries).

The normal upshot of these conversations is a recommendation that you should use the same brand of charger to charge the batteries (i.e. for standard Olympus batteries use the BCN-1 charger, for a Watson battery use a Watson charger) to better top off your batteries. If you mis-match chargers due to the difference in nominal voltage, it is likely that the batteries won't be fully topped off.

Another aspect is that for cameras using the BLN-1, they will likely register the battery being empty sooner on a third party battery, since the meter for empty battery looks at voltage, and the official BLN-1 batteries produce somewhat more volts than the generic batteries.

It is interesting that the BLH-1 battery for the E-m1 mark II and E-m1x cameras has gone back to the traditional 7.4 nominal voltage.

There is the rumor that the E-m5 mark III will drop the BLN-1 battery and go back to the BLS-50 battery. I've speculated that perhaps the companies that make the cells for the BLN-1 are closing the manufacturing line that makes these non-standard cells, and going back to the traditional 2 cell voltage batteries (or raising the prices). Or perhaps, Olympus just wants to reduce the number of batteries they produce from 4 batteries (BLH-1, BLN-1, BLS-50, LI-92) and go down to 3.

Here is one of the threads from 2016: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57098407

 

[Ross the fiddler]

Over in dpreview.com a thread that comes back every so often is that the BLN-1's have a slightly higher nominal voltage than the traditional 2 cell lithium ion batteries (7.6 volts for Olympus vs. 7.4 volts for modern generic batteries, and 7.2 volts for earlier generic batteries).

The normal upshot of these conversations is a recommendation that you should use the same brand of charger to charge the batteries (i.e. for standard Olympus batteries use the BCN-1 charger, for a Watson battery use a Watson charger) to better top off your batteries. If you mis-match chargers due to the difference in nominal voltage, it is likely that the batteries won't be fully topped off.

Another aspect is that for cameras using the BLN-1, they will likely register the battery being empty sooner on a third party battery, since the meter for empty battery looks at voltage, and the official BLN-1 batteries produce somewhat more volts than the generic batteries.

It is interesting that the BLH-1 battery for the E-m1 mark II and E-m1x cameras has gone back to the traditional 7.4 nominal voltage.

There is the rumor that the E-m5 mark III will drop the BLN-1 battery and go back to the BLS-50 battery. I've speculated that perhaps the companies that make the cells for the BLN-1 are closing the manufacturing line that makes these non-standard cells, and going back to the traditional 2 cell voltage batteries (or raising the prices). Or perhaps, Olympus just wants to reduce the number of batteries they produce from 4 batteries (BLH-1, BLN-1, BLS-50, LI-92) and go down to 3.

Here is one of the threads from 2016: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57098407

Or maybe the voltage given is just a marketing value. I know that outdoor equipment have 54v, 56v & 58v battery packs & essentially they are all possibly the same voltage but marketed with the different values because the cell voltage for Lithium Ion batteries is nominally 3.6v. See here. https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/confusion_with_voltages

 

[Nick779]

It is interesting that the BLH-1 battery for the E-m1 mark II and E-m1x cameras has gone back to the traditional 7.4 nominal voltage.

There is the rumor that the E-m5 mark III will drop the BLN-1 battery and go back to the BLS-50 battery. I've speculated that perhaps the companies that make the cells for the BLN-1 are closing the manufacturing line that makes these non-standard cells, and going back to the traditional 2 cell voltage batteries (or raising the prices). Or perhaps, Olympus just wants to reduce the number of batteries they produce from 4 batteries (BLH-1, BLN-1, BLS-50, LI-92) and go down to 3.

Here is one of the threads from 2016: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57098407

Or maybe the voltage given is just a marketing value. I know that outdoor equipment have 54v, 56v & 58v battery packs & essentially they are all possibly the same voltage but marketed with the different values because the cell voltage for Lithium Ion batteries is nominally 3.6v. See here. https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/confusion_with_voltages

Im thinking its just a marketing thing or a typo. The bottom line is the fully charged voltage matters. a high volt lithium squeezes a few more wH from a pack than a normal one with the same capacity. It might not be much, but it still matters.

Standard 4.2v lithium pack, 2 cell 1740mah - 14.616Wh
High Volt 4.35v lithium pack, 2 cell 1740mah - 15.138Wh - (BLH-1) My meter confirms this voltage on my EM1.2 packs.

High volt packs typically have a nominal voltage of 3.8 though.

 

[alex66]

You cant wear those Benbo tripods out, think it must be over 40 years since i got mine

It's worth spending to buy a good tripod, my Manfrotto is late 80's early 90's bought used and still going strong. Tripods are one of the best examples of buy good buy once as a good one will out live you.

 

[Mike Wingate]

I have had my alloy Cullmann for longer than I have been married. Since 1975. Still used today, 3 or 4 times a week, supporting my archery spotting scope outdoors. I use a pair of CF Manfrottos for photography now.

 

[ac12]

With tripods it is a balance.
If it is too big and heavy, you won't use it. What good is the tripod sitting at home in the closet?
So you have to balance the 3 sides of the triangle: size/weight, cost, stability.

Example1: For me a travel/carry tripod has to only be "good enough" for the task, with the primary requirement being size and weight. I cannot fit my home tripods into my suitcase, nor can I carry my heavy tripod any significant distance.​

Example2: When I am at home or within a short distance of the car, I can and do use my big/heavy tripod.​

 

[ektar]

^^^^^
I have an ancient aluminum Tiltall. Nuisance to use, but stable. Stays at home because no QD.

 

[ac12]

^^^^^
I have an ancient aluminum Tiltall. Nuisance to use, but stable. Stays at home because no QD.

Tiltall is a great tripod.
But big and heavy, and the head is fixed (can't swap heads, I think).

You can put an Arca-Swiss clamp on the tripod, one like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Alumi...730&s=gateway&sprefix=arca+swi,aps,214&sr=8-3​

​

 

[ektar]

^^^^
Does it attach to the regular camera mounting screw?

This one also has the long locking/tilting handles.

 

[Tool Crazy]

Just bought an Olympus 35-100mm F2 online. Looking forward to trying it out.

 

[ac12]

^^^^
Does it attach to the regular camera mounting screw?

This one also has the long locking/tilting handles.

Yup, you screw the AS clamp onto the top of the tripod, like screwing in a camera.

You need to put an AS plate or L-bracket on the camera.
Then the AS plate is clamped by the AS clamp.

There are MANY different clamps.
The Quick Release are more fussy. This is because there is no real standards for the dimensions of the AS plate. So when you flip the clamp lever, some plates may be loose and others tight. So you have to adjust the clamp for YOUR plate. So mixing different brand plates could be a problem if you use a QR/lever clamp.

 

[Deleted member 20897]

Fuji 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens.

 

[ac12]

TG5
Always wanted a camera that I did not have to worry about BAD weather/water.

 

[jhawk1000]

I have two Gitzo Aluminum tripods, one a travel tripod and another is a Reporter series. Both heavy, both used by us when we do our football photography. I used the heavier Reporter and wife uses the other smaller Gitzo. Last year, she started using the Zomei Travel Tripod with the Olympus cameras and it did a very nice job.

 

[djtaylor7]

Purchased a E-M1 Mkii for the equivalent of US$40 (GB£32) which was broken and an insurance write off. Interesting to see how it is constructed.

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Apparently it was on a tripod and went flying, and bounced onto rocks. The base stayed attached to the tripod (the bush attaches to the base and there are only 7 small screws into the casting).
The rear casting cracked badly all down the side where the screen hinge is.
Nothing other than a click when a battery inserted and camera turned on. No display on LCD or EVF and shutter looks jammed, so think it will not start up. However it will talk to the PC on the USB and I was able to do a firmware update. Need to do more dismantling and check out the shutter, but interesting to see the die-castings and gaskets which keep it weather sealed.

 

[Bif]

Yup, you screw the AS clamp onto the top of the tripod, like screwing in a camera.



There are MANY different clamps.
The Quick Release are more fussy. This is because there is no real standards for the dimensions of the AS plate. So when you flip the clamp lever, some plates may be loose and others tight. So you have to adjust the clamp for YOUR plate. So mixing different brand plates could be a problem if you use a QR/lever clamp.

That's the reason I gave up on my QR/lever clamp, I had the QR/lever clamp on the bottom plate of this cage (https://photographyandcinema.com/co.../products/gearbox-video-camera-accessory-cage) but there's no way I wanted to risk a loosening QR clamp dropping a GH4 or GH5 so I replaced it with something like the Neewer linked to in a post above. The Arca Swiss type clamp with knob is really one of the most flexible ways to attach a camera to almost anything with a 1/4 20 or 3/8 thread.

 

[smartiepants]

received my first 12 month Adobe creative cloud photography plan that has Lightroom & Photoshop in the post today that was part of the Amazon Prime day deals, i'm hoping I can keep my Lightroom 5 on the same PC as back up if I choose not to renew in 12 months

 

[Mack]

I bought one of these LED magnifiers ( LED magnifier with four lenses ) to help clean the sensor, but it was a massive fail. The two LEDs light comes in from the handle only and at an angle so when you are trying to use it over the sensor, the bayonet ring casts a shadow across a third of the sensor from the LED at 10x power and you cannot see any dust in that area without rotating the entire thing. A light that surrounds the sensor seems best. I'll have to use it for something else.

Fwiw, I have the Visible Dust $100+ thing (Quasar) and the case as been thrown out since it turned into a sticky mess and I could lift it just by pressing my finger into it. Some plastic disintegrated over time. The switch is also problematic and it really doesn't suit the working distance of the m43 sensor verses the FF Nikon camera body. You have to hover it around to see the dust with it. Really is a cheap and grossly overpriced device imho. Same is occurring with their Arctic Butterfly spinning brush too, but it has other issues (i.e. Switch erratic. Case and brush handle's plastic stickiness, and getting oil smeared on sensor from mirror or shutter assembly requiring it to be cleaned well.).

I have an EzKlean loupe coming too: EzKlean Sensor Loupe. A review of it is here: EzKlean Sensor Loupe Review. We'll see....