RATING: 4 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Ever since my first experience with Griffin products, I was amazed on the multiple uses their products allow. Which holds true for the Griffin TuneFlex AUX Mount and Charger with SmartClick Remote for Ipod and Iphone.

At face value, you see this product to be mainly an item to control your ipod or iphone in a vehicle. Well, I saw another use for this product. After looking closer to the product, it seems I could also use the Griffin TuneFlex Aux Mount and Charger with SmartClick Remote indoors. How you might ask? Well, all you need is an Koolatron Multi-Purpose Adapter 110AC to 12 Volts DC ( Model AC-15)
which you can get at Amazon for a few dollars.

The product is well designed and constructed and I love how the SmartClick remote is magnetically held to the steering wheel strap for easy operation by someone other than the driver.

Photo taken from griffin website

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

At first, I used the Griffin TuneFlex AUX Mount and Charger with SmartClick Remote for iPod and iPhone (Black)
in my 2010 Prius. You might be asking why am i using the Griffin product to control my iphone or ipod in my Prius. Simply, I purchased the 2010 Prius before the Ipod connectivity was packaged with the navigation system. Well, with the Griffin TuneFlex AUX Mount, I don’t regret it. With the Griffin TuneFlex AUX Mount and Charger with SmartClick Remote, I can control my iphone/ipod without removing my hand from the steering wheel. I do recommend to use an Ipod and not an Iphone as when my iphone was used there was some considerable interference but sounded great with an ipod.

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT:
My theories for the Griffin TuneFlex AUX Mount and Charger with SmartClick Remote for Ipod and Iphone use indoors was a success with the use of an Koolatron Multi-Purpose Adapter 110AC to 12 Volts DC ( Model AC-15)
.
I’ve attached the steering wheel attachment to a nearby light stand and at times a tripod for easy access while I am capturing the subject.

Photo taken from griffin website

PROS:

Functions as promised
Ease of use of remote
Sturdy design
Good sound quality for Ipod

CONS:
Sound quality via Iphone not that great due to interference

CONCLUSION:
If you are a photographer that shoots on location, then the Griffin TuneFlex AUX Mount and Charger with SmartClick Remote for Ipod and Iphone is a great addition to your equipment locker. With this product, you can control your Ipod in your vehicle and indoors with the use of Koolatron Multi-Purpose Adapter 110AC to 12 Volts DC ( Model AC-15)
which is sold separately. As stated above, I was able to find this adapter on Amazon.

All Photos in this post are from the Spider Holster Press room

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Product: Spider Camera Holster – The SpiderPro System

RATING: 5 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The first thing that came to mind when putting on the Spider Holster belt is Batman.  When worn, I felt like a new age cowboy. Yes, it is a good thing. Even without a camera holstered, I feel empowered for some reason wearing this fine piece of equipment.

The SpiderPro system is composed of  one SpiderPro Camera Holster that attaches to the holster belt, one Spider plate that attaches to the base of the camera, one spider pin and one holster belt.

The SpiderPro system is very easy to put together. You simply take the Holster belt out of the packaging and locate the Spider Holster Pro Camera Holster and attach to the belt area where it is padded.

It is a simple clip design and then further reinforced with an elastic type cord as additional restraint to keep the spider camera holster attached to the holster belt. You will then find the spider pin that you screw on using the included tool to the Spider plate which attaches to the base of your camera.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Below is a live demo at WPPI 2010 from the inventor himself, Shai of Spider Holster:

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

Let’s just say that it is the most used means of carrying my camera. Yes, the Spider Holster is attached to my 2nd body camera about 70% of the time. When I want to go for a walk to the park or just plan to take pictures for fun, the Spider holster is around my waist. Yes, I do still pick up the camera for fun.  One of the main reasons why the Spider Holster is used during my leisure activities is because the holster is hidden. Sometimes all you see is the camera hanging from my side.

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT:

I used the spider holster for my “we be clubbin”engagement session and I was hooked. There were numerous occasions on that photo shoot where it was required of me to run. At first, I was hesitant because of the fear that the camera would fall off. After awhile, I realized that i can trust the design of the spider holster to keep my camera safe. Make sure before every run to flip the lever on the Spider Holster Pro to keep the spider pin from slipping out when running or jumping.

It is amazing how the camera stays to the side of my waist as I walk and run. When I need the camera for a capture, I simply reach to my side for a quick camera draw.

I was able to fix my lighting setup, carry a ladder and instruct my clients with both hands because my Spider holster held my camera to the side.

PROS:
Well constructed
Securely holds camera to the side of thighs.
Easy to holster and de-holster camera

CONS:
None at all

I do have a suggestion for an additional product for the Spider Holster. Which is a pin to accommodate cameras using the Joby Gorillapod products.

CONCLUSION:
If you are a photographer that doesn’t like straps or weight on the shoulders, then the Spider Holster is for you. This product would also be perfect for an active photographer that requires a lot of movement or fast action movement such as running to get a shot or climbing a rock to capture an image. The spider holster is my 2010 favorite camera holster.

Product: Lens Baby Composer

RATING: 4.5 stars

Before I begin I’d like to show you the video footage I took of Craig Strong at WPPI 2010.. Thanks Craig for your time!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

The camera lens has a small form factor and clean in design. In my opinion, less toylike than the muse and control freak and previous Lensbabys. I personally don’t like the toylike look so the composer is the perfect lensbaby to leave attached to my Nikon D200.

The lensbaby was delivered in a square box decorated with images. I was also fortunate enough to receive the Lensbaby Optic kit along with my lensbaby composer. The Optic kit includes 3 optics to be used with any of your lensbaby lenses. In terms of my photography style, i intend to use the Single glass the most. Although, I will be showcasing images taken using each lens. The Single optic lens, the Double optic (came with Composer), the Plastic optic and then the Pinhole zone plate. Similar to the composer box, the optics boxes are decorated with images taken using that particular lens.

After reviewing the exterior of the boxes for both the Lensbaby composer and the Lensbaby Optic kit, I proceeded with opening the Lensbaby composer highly decorated square box that showcases an image of a bird created using a Lensbaby. I must say that the lens looks very promising with the type of images I’ve seen on different sites and print publications. I am very excited to give it a test drive.

When you open the box, the Lensbaby composer is protected in a velvet like pouch. At removal, you can feel the plastic of the lens but surprisingly it didn’t feel like cheap plastic. It almost feels like my Nikkor 50mm f1.8. Which is a good thing..everyone.

I then dug deeper into the bag and found an object in the shape of a paddle. In closer examination, the circular part of the object holds aperture rings ranging from f2.8 – f22. I then removed the cap on the other end to find a magnetic tip which seems to be the tool to switch out the aperture rings. I’ve switched the aperture rings with little effort. It seems there are magnets to the sides of the optic.

Now that I’ve examined the composer, it’s time to unbox the Lensbaby Optic Kit. Upon opening you see the lens insert enclosed in a hard clear plastic container with the lid of the container looking to be a tool to remove an existing optic and for installation. One thing to note is to keep track of the color designations for each optic. The yellow outline labels the single glass optic, the neon green outline is the double glass optic , the baby blue is the plastic optic and the pink is the pinhole/zone plate.

My initial optic switch was suprisingly very easy. It literally took seconds to switch the optics which was rather impressive and rather important if you are doing a fast paced engagement session or wedding.

I am looking forward to testing out the Lensbaby composer.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

I am truly amazed of the type of quality the Lensbaby composer is able to produce. I took a few pictures of random objects and with the effects it produces the objects look a little “cooler” more “artistic”. I’ve switched through all of the optics and i have to say it was a painless process. The use of the focus ring was also similar to normal lenses which i found useful. Also, the lens adjustment to control the blur effect was easy as well. I like the fact that there is also a way to lock the blur effect adjustment with a simple twist of the lens. The next test would be to actually use the Lens Baby composer in a rushed capicity such as engagement sessions and weddings.

I’ve posted some quick comparison images of each optic below. These images doesn’t give justice to what the lens can do. Check out my engagement session ring image for a better example of what this lens could do for you.

Order

Yellow Single optic

Neon Green Double optic

baby blue Plastic

Purple Pinhole

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT

Wow..wow… This is a great specialty lens. For this shift focus type effect, I will never have to resort to my Adobe Photoshop CS4 any longer. For those that know me, you know why. I really dont like to do a lot of Photoshop work. I try to get what I need on-camera which can be at times challenging but it is good because it forces me to hone my photography skills and really refine my photography technique.

I used the Lensbaby for an engagment session. For a few images, I wanted to bring all of the attention to the engagement ring and then one image to their facial expression as they embraced each other. It took me a while to have the center focus on the rings, but when i did the results were amazing. Also note, that since there isn’t a stabilizer built in the Lensbaby Composer, make sure you are shooting at a fairly fast shutter speed and hold the camera as close to your body as possible. I don’t believe my camera shutter settings were ever below 160 shutter speed.

PROS:

• Easy to use

• Lightweight and durable
• Clean design: “It doesn’t look like a toy”

• Avoid Photoshop for shift-focus type effects since you can utilize the effect on camera.

• Ability to swap aperture rings and optics without much trouble

CONS:

• Not sure if this is really a con but maybe more of a concern on my end. Since I am very active when i photograph engagement sessions and weddings, the concern i am referring to is the magnet holding the aperture ring to the optics. The aperture ring hasn’t fallen out of the optic the times i’ve used it but I still have that fear of the aperture ring falling out for some reason. I know I know, I should stress about it when the aperture ring actually falls out of the optics. I’ve ran with my camera and Lensbaby Composer attached and facing down with no issues. So, I really should just trust the aperture ring will stay in place. I worry to much, I know!!

CONCLUSION:
If you want to avoid Adobe Photoshop CS4 as much as possible for the shift focus type effect, then the Lensbaby Composer is the specialty lens for you. You also won’t bring too much attention to yourself using the Lensbaby Composer as it doesn’t look too weird. Id also recommend to purchase the optic system to take advantage of the other effects the Lensbaby can produce.

BELOW IS A LIST OF ITEMS IN QUEUE FOR REVIEW:

• Snapz Pro X Screen recording software

• Think Tank Photo Urban Disguise 70 Pro

• Camera Slingers

• Lumiquest The Softbox III – Lumiquest LQ-119

• Photomatix Pro 3.2.6 HDR Software

• RS-DR-1 Double Strap For Two Cameras

• ContourHD ‚ Helmet Camera by VholdR

• Think Tank Photo Hydrophobia 70-200 camera rain cover

• Picture Code Noise Ninja

• Smile on my Mac Disclabel V6

• Joby Gorillapod Focus

YOU MAY SEE THE COMPLETED REVIEWS BY CLICKING HERE

MANUFACTURERS: IF YOU HAVE A PRODUCT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO REVIEW PLEASE CONTACT ME AT LAWRENCE@PHOTOGRAPHYSILO.COM

Product: Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0

RATING: 5 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
When i first un-boxed this fine piece constructed material, it looks like a normal domestic carry-on size luggage. At a closer look, this carry on is a well designed photographic equipment case geared for the photographer.

The Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0 at face value is a USA Domestic airline carry on size luggage that includes TSA approved combination locks with many pockets carefully designed for the photographers needs.

First, lets take a look at the front of the Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0 from top to bottom.

At the very top of the Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0 you will find a business car holder that could adequately secure  50 or so full size business cards.

Below the business card holder, you will find a small flat compartment zippered that I utilize for frequently referenced documents and a few dollars for a quick drink from a nearby vending machine.

The next pair of zippers below is the main compartment zipper that will be referenced after the external pockets have been reviewed.
Below the main compartment zipper, you will find a zippered front pocket organizer that I use to store pens, a small notepad for quick notes, a razor, an electric toothbrush and any other small quick access items that can fit.

The last compartment on the front of the Think Tank Airport Security V2.0 is the large kangaroo type pocket that seems to be made of elastic material. I use this pocket to hold my lighting gels, a small reflector and a pair of slippers with enough room to slip a 250 page photography book.

The right side of the Think Tank Airport Security V2.0  includes about a ten inch zippered pocket with three layers of slits inside to hold extra compact flash cards or items that require easy access. Below the side zippered pocket is a small kangaroo pocket made of elastic material. Although note that when the tripod holder is attached, it will be very difficult to access this size zippered pocket.

The left side of the Think Tank Airport Security V2.0 does not have any pockets but does provide a handle and a TSA combination lock for the main compartment zippers.

Now, we look at the back of the Think Tank Airport Security V2.0 and you will discover a top zippered compartment that hides the retractable handle.  Below the handle is another zippered compartment that holds the emergency shoulder straps. Note that the roller is not intended to be used regularly as a backpack just for emergencies.

The external pockets have been explored. It is now time to open up my new favorite equipment bag.

Let’s first look at the  inside zippered pockets on the top flap from the top to the bottom. There are a total of 4 transparent zippered compartments.

To provide a better idea of what these zippered compartments  can hold, I’ll detail the photography items I’ve allocated to each zippered compartment.

Starting from Left to Right and top to bottom, the first top two zippered compartments I store lens covers and batteries for my pocket wizards. I separate the batteries by pocket wizard so i don’t mix the batteries at the time of the shoot.

The middle section is one big zippered compartment that I use to store miscellaneous items such as zip ties, velcro and sekonic light meter quick start guide.

The bottom section is another big zippered compartment that i utilize to store my various short cables and flash slave attachment and misc flash attachments.

We can now move to the most area of the bag, the photography equipment storage area. The Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0 came with configurable velcro dividers to suit your equipment. I’ve configured the main compartment to hold two days worth of clothes or one Alien Bee 1600 mono-light. I’ve also configured the bottom of the area where I can store my clothes and Alien Bee 1600 mono-light to hold two pocketwizards. I then used my extra velcro dividers to use as a cover so that my clothes will not get dirty from the other items in the bag.

Moving down far left of the area where I store my clothes or mono-light, is the area I’ve configured to hold my Nikon D200 with an attached Nikkor 18-200MM 3.5-5.6 lens. Below the lens there is extra space where I store the battery charger, there is also space next to the camera body where i store my lensbaby composer and some mini clamps.

To the right of the camera section is an area I’ve configured to hold one Nikon SB-600 flash.

To the right of the area configured to hold my flash, I’ve configured to hold a battery charger pod, compact flash reader, bubble leveler and mini 3 inch tripod. lee filters and Nikon Shutter release.

The final section in my bag is the far right side which includes 5 small sections. The first section houses my suction cup flash holder and usb to two prong power converter. The next section currently holds my gaffers tape, GorillaPod SLR and another attachment to my flash suction cup holder. I’ve created smaller sections to fit my compact flash card case, double A battery charger and Sekonic flash meter. Below the compact flash card and double A batter charger there is a spot for my Nikkor 50MM 1.8.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

I have to say that at first sight, I was in love. it was a clean looking and well designed photography equipment case. The people at Think Tank Photo did a great job with this one. After a normal week of use, my equipment stayed in this bag. All of the equipment I need on location is comfortably stored in the Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0. It doesn’t make sense to unpack my equipment to any other case.

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT:
Amazing Amazing Amazing!!! Enough said. No really, I feel that I was 40% more efficient because I used the Think Tank Photo Airport Security. My camera gear is organized perfectly by my configuration allowing me to save time by not rummaging through stuff to find the photography equipment I need. Also, if the photography assignment only calls for one monolight, I can travel light by just bringing along my Think Tank Photo Airport security. I actually look forward traveling with my gear now.

My first trip to Las Vegas for a photoshoot with only the Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0 was stress free and very smooth. Thanks to the TSA combination locks, I did not have to worry about unlocking my bag for airport security inspection. From the security checkpoint before approaching the gate for boarding to placing the Think Tank Photo Airport Security V2.0 to the overhead bin, the experience was relaxed and very easy. I will not fly domestically without my Think Tank Airport Security V2.0.

PROS:  WOW too many to note, but I will note the points that were very important to me.
Well designed inside and outside photography equipment bag.
Highly customizable velcro dividers to suit any type of equipment.
Domestic Airport Travel friendly photography equipment bag  due to size and TSA locks.
Durable construction

CONS:
Nothing…everything is perfect for my use.

CONCLUSION:
If you are a photographer period, then you need the Think Tank Photo Airport Security V 2.0 as your travel photography equipment bag. You will end up using it as an all around photography equipment travel bag, if you are just like me. The Think Tank Photo Airport Security V 2.0 design is absolutely amazing and you will surely not want to remove your gear from this bag again. Make sure to check this out at your local camera store or if you just want to take my word for it buy it right now.

Product: Griffin Simplifi

RATING: 5 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Why didn’t I think of adding the Griffin Simplifi to my work desk any sooner? I have to say that when i was approached to review this product, I was excited. I couldn’t wait to give the product for a test run. Boy was I pleasantly surprised.

The Griffin Simplifi at face value blends beautifully with my aluminum MacBook Pro. It ’s clean and simple design and configuration kept my work desk clean and manageable.

Now let’s take a little closer look at this clean looking hub. When you look at the front you see two prominent card slots. The left card slot allows Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SD, XD and the right card slot reads the commonly utilized compact flash card. When you look at the back of this beauty, you will find two USB ports to the left of the unit and to the right you there is an AC plug slot and a mini-usb slot.

The great thing about the two USB ports is that all I really need is two for my other external devices so the Griffin Simplifi is a great addition to my work desk.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

A week has gone by and I must say that i’ve put the Griffin Simplifi to work. In the past few days, I’ve uploaded a lot of pictures and it is great that it is no longer necessary to continually look for a card reader in my camera back when I am using my modified pelican case which i’ve included in t

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT:
Uploads were fast and the cards kept on coming. I didn’t notice a slowdown in the Griffin Simplifi compared to my Sandisk reader.

PROS:
Clean design and anodized aluminum matches my Macbook Pro very well.
Card slots for all the memory cards I use.
Two powered USB ports

CONS:
I can’t charge my Iphone without it being plugged to the computer via the USB cable.

CONCLUSION:
If you are a photographer with a Macbook Pro and need a clean work area, then the Griffin Simplifi is a perfect addition. You have a device that can download images from memory cards and act as a powered usb hub. You can’t ask for anything more.

OVERALL RATING:
Performance – 8
Comfort – 8
Fuel Economy – 10
Fun-to-Drive – 9
Interior Design – 10
Exterior Design – 10
Build Quality – 10
Reliability – 10

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

I have to admit that at first, there was great uncertainty whether the drive will be sufficient. I only say this because at the time of my test drive while on “ECO” mode at a residential stop sign the pick up was toooooooooo slow… The acceleration was tooooo slow. When i discovered there is a “Power” mode button, a sense of relief surfaced. After a few more minutes driving around Santa Monica experimenting with all the modes, I surely became a little more comfortable with the 2010 Prius.

After the test drive, I didn’t purchase the vehicle right away. I needed to research it a bit more but I was certain the Prius would be my next vehicle.

A few days later, I received a call from a dealer that my 2010 Prius IV arrived earlier than expected. Therefore, I immediately drove to the dealership to pick up my new baby.

The 2010 Prius is a sweat ride indeed. After only two days of ownership, I couldn’t  resist to take some preliminary pictures which you can view below. Yes, I had to take the pictures because you know how fast the paint gets ruined.

The following day is when I dug deeper into the inner and outer  workings of the 2010 Prius IV in more detail.

Let’s first take a peak at the muscle of the Prius for more details under the hood check out

Yes, this is a 1.8 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive engine opposed to last years 1.5 liters. You will also notice that there are no belts under the hood. To the right of this new engine is the electric motor that is helping us get an EPA MPG of 50 Highway and city. I just learned to hypermile and I get an average 72 MPG each day with the “ECO mode” setting to and from work.

Now let’s check out the revamped “control center”. let’s go left to right only calling out the “cool” features. I know you don’t care about how to use the windshield wipers etc..

So let’s first check out the very cool and button filled steering wheel. The details of the steering wheel that first stood out are the two touch tracers. One on the left and one on the right side. The left side touch tracer when touched displays a hologram of sorts of the touch tracer button configuration on the Heads Up Display that details controls for the stereo volume. This is a great design to keep the drivers eyes looking straight ahead at the road. Below the left tracer, you will find the handsfree buttons. To the right of the steering wheel, you will find the touch tracer buttons that control the Trip display, air circulation and temperature adjust settings.

Now lets check out the main center console. First you will notice that the Fuel, MPH and MPG is now at the top center console opposed to off to the side from previous generations of the Prius.  I found this center console to add an enjoyable element to my morning commutes. I find myself each day trying to top the previous days MPG average. A boring commute because of the Prius is now an enjoyable trek to work. Yes, I did say enjoyable. It also feels good in the pocket when gas is only necessary at most twice a month. My goal is to go one full month with just one gas fill.

Instead of proceeding going over the remaining details of the Prius via text, I thought a video would be more enjoyable. Therefore, I’ve created a video which showcases the Prius at its best.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

I am in LOVE.. Yes! I said it! The 2010 Prius is a great ride. As i said earlier, it is never a dull ride to any destination.

I fell even more in love when I drove the 2010 Prius to San Francisco and only filled up 3 times for the entire trip which averaged about 56 mpg.  I was also surprised with the handling along the curvy roads of PCH.

PHOTOGRAPHER FOCUSED MODIFICATIONS:
Check back soon for a real life photography use review.

FAVORITE FEATURES:
Steering wheel touch tracers
HUD
Voice command for various tasks (Phone calls, Change radio music stations etc..)
Navigation
EV, Eco and Power mode buttons
Lumbar support

SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS:
Able to use backup camera while moving forward. Not important but would be cool to have active when back space is covered to the top.
Sunroof included without solar package
Lifetime Live Traffic
Air vents behind center compartment.

CONCLUSION:
If you are green friendly, like to save money and a photographer that requires space for all the gear, then the 2010 Prius IV is the vehicle for you. Use the money saved from the reduced gas trips for compact flash cards or anything photography.

RATING: 5 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

As all of you know, I am a new Netbook user. I also have the Wacom Bamboo to accompany my Lenovo S10e. At the time of my online purchase of the Lenovo S10e, I was also in search for the best bag for my netbook. I didn’t want a bag that was too big and bulky. So after hours of research going from article to article blog to blog, I discovered the Case logic E-sling.

There were 3 sizes of the Case logic E-sling a small, medium and large. After I ordered the small Case logic E-sling, I was afraid it would be too small but later found out it was the perfect size for the Lenovo S10e and the Wacom Bamboo and still had some room for some other accessories.

The case logic e-sling small has two outside pockets. The first one is a zipper seal pocket which holds some instructions, an ethernet cable and some cards. The 2nd outside pocket is sealed via velcro and this pocket holds my iphone car charger and packet of tissues. The small e-sling only has one main compartment which holds the netbook and wacom bamboo. On one inside section, you will find two open holders which holds my FM transmiter and my sunglasses.

On the other side of the main compartment, you will find a clear card size slot for my picture ID and another small slip behind it to hold random pieces of paper. To the left, there is another slip small enough to hold a small phone that i keep empty for miscellanous items. Above those slits is a zipper sealed pocket that holds the wacom bamboo usb cable, wacom pen and usb compact flash reader.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

The bag is still intact and keeping my equipment secure and with me at all times. It is also quite stylish, so i am not ashamed to use it.

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT:
Check back soon for a real life photography use review.

PROS:
Small form factor
Ample storage space for the items needed to have at all times. I was able to keep my netbook and wacom bamboo in one small bag.
Stylish and doesn’t look like a netbook bag….at least I don’t think so.

CONS:
The arm strap bends frequently and doesn’t seem like it would last which is my big concern.

CONCLUSION:
If you have a 10.1 inch screen netbook and a wacom bamboo small, the case logic e-sling small is a great bag. You will find this compact bag all you need when you are out and about.

RATING: 4 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

As a Wacom Intuos 3 owner, I was surprised with the build quality of the Wacom Bamboo. When the package came in from Amazon. As i opened the brown cardboard box outer shell to expose the black glossy box of the Bamboo, I was impressed with the packaging of this entry level Wacom tablet.

So you must be wondering why add another tablet to the aresenal. Especially since i already own the pro quality Wacom Intuos 3 6×8. Well the reason for the other tabet is to accompany my new netbook. With such small touchpad on the Lenovo S10e, I required another input device other than an external mouse. I needed more control and the ability to draw diagrams. More details of the use of this device will be revealed later in the review.

As I open the nice Wacom Bamboo black box, the Bamboo was wrapped with a thin foam white sleeve and another cardboard box holds the usb cable. I immediately removed the small 4×6 tablet from its foam cover and examined the buttons on my new tablet to accompany my new netbook

First, I made sure the tablet fit my new netbook bag. Thankfully, it fit perfectly in the case alongside the netbook and the peripherals.

After I’ve confirmed the Wacom Bamboo fits with my Lenovo S10e in my netbook bag, I proceeded to examine the tablet further by identifying the buttons and scroll wheel on the device.

As you can see by the image above, the input area is 4×6 and above this area are 4 customizable buttons and a circular trackpad.

Now that you are familiar with the Wacom Bamboo buttons, lets plug this in to my Lenovo S10e netbook devoted to photography. You will first have to install the driver. Once the driver is installed the hard stuff is complete.

So what are the reason again for this new addition to my photography aresenal? Well lets check out the list below.

1.Needed an input device for my Lenovo S10e Netbook
2.Required a small input device to fit in Netbook bag
3.Required a pen style input device to allow drawing of the lighting diagrams on location.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

I must say that the handling of this device is similar to drawing on a piece of thick white paper using a pencil. The sensitivity and resistance was just right.  The customizable buttons also became indispensible due to the speed I was able to achieve. it is very difficult to use my Lenovo S10e without the Wacom bamboo.

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT:
Check back soon for a real life photography use review.

PROS:
Small form factor
Multiple buttons to customize for most used items which will in turn make a more efficient workflow.
Illuminated customizable buttons to allow for at night quick access.

CONS:
The touch sensitivity levels of the Wacom Intuos 3, but again that is known on the specs. The bamboo is perfect for me when it is used solely as an input device and diagram drawing too.
Pen feels a little flimsy when compared to the pen that came with my Intuos 3.

CONCLUSION:
If you have a netbook and a photographer, you will not be sorry with a Wacom Bamboo purchase. The conveniance and efficiency with the use of the Wacom bamboo is beyond compare.

Product: Lenovo S10E

RATING: 4 stars

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
What can I say, I was pleasantly surprised. When the package came in via UPS one Wednesday day, I immediately opened the cardboard box filled with inflated plastic bags supporting my new toy while on transport. At the opening, the Lenovo S10 came in a sleek and small black box with the Lenovo logo in multiple colors.

Of course, I did not damage the box just in case i need to ship it back for some reason. As I open the nice Lenovo black box, the Lenovo S10e is exposed with the 6-cell battery pack separated. I immediately attach the 6-cell battery to the base unit and fortunately it doesn’t add much to the size when attached.

I then opened the lid to expose the clean design of Lenovo. It looked like a mini thinkpad to me. I like this look as it provides that professional image to the netbook. This is important when I use the netbook to display images to exiting and potential clients on location.

Now lets have a good look at what this netbook has to offer. The keyboard seems to be a little smaller than normal but again that is expected due to the small form factor. The touchpad is even smaller. It is a good thing the sensitivity is high for easy mouse control across the screen. Now looking to the bottom left of the keyboard, you will see a microphone hole for your speaking pleasure. It’s not actually not that bad of a microphone. Moving to the top center of the keyboard, you will find the power on and power off button in chrome and indicator lights to the right. Moving a little more to the center right, a quick launch button and radio signal buttons are exposed.

The left side of the netbook houses a VGA port for another monitor or a projector. Look out for a future photo shoot video where i will use my projector with the netbook for a presentation.  To the right of the VGA port you will find an 4-1 card reader and a USB 2.0 port.

The right side of the netbook houses an express card slot for a wireless radio card. To the right of the express card you will find a headphone jack in green and a microphone jack in red if you don’t want to use the built in microphone and webcam. Next to the ports you will find one more USB port and an ethernet port. Yes, there are only two USB ports. Finally, you will see a lock hole which i don’t think will be put to use.

Now that you are familiar with the externals of the Lenovo, lets turn this puppy on. You will all be pleasantly surprised on how fast Windows XP boots and even how much faster quickstart boots. If all you need to do is check your pictures, go on the internet or go on skype to communicate just boot up quick start. When you boot to Windows XP for the security junkies, the Lenovo S10e comes with face recognition software. I know it is pretty high tech. I don’t have to worry about getting my hands dirty just to log on the computer.

We all know a computer is nothing but circuits and plastic without software. So, I will go over the software installed to maximize my new netbook on location photography to its fullest potential.

SOFTWARE INSTALLED FOR ON LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHY (Good news for everyone is the software mentioned below are all FREE)

360 Desktop – The netbook screen at 10.1 right now limits the amount of windows we have open and viewable and on location where you need a browser open for some on the fly research and maybe a window open to tether then this program is a must download. It extends the desktop to allow for multiple almost full size windows open at once.

AVG Free 8.5 – During the content research process in the conceptual stage you might be browsing websites that can seem a little questionable. Therefore, you need protection and AVG Free does a good job and best of all it is FREE!!

Digsby – Dig what? Well from the name alone you would have never thought this is a messaging app. I have my AIM and Yahoo setup with this and twitter.. Yes, twitter. Another cool feature of this app is two windows launch when you are chatting. So what is so cool about this? Well if you have a netbook and using a screen resolution not specific to your device you will be able to see the message if you’ve scrolled to the bottom of the window or if you are at the top of the window.

Google Chrome – Yes, I know internet explorer is pre-installed thanks to windows but it is a resource hog. We surely don’t want a resource hog for a netbook with an atom processor. So, the google chrome is definitely my default browser.

Google Desktop – I haven’t really had much use for this app but, anything google is great so I know it will be invaluable one day.

Open Office.org 3.1 – If you have a Macbook Pro like me and using NeoOffice, then open office for your windows XP notebook is a must have. You are able to seemlessly edit documents between two of the softwares without conversions at least with my experience with the programs.

VLC media player – When you are on the road entertainment is important as a time off from photography and while on a netbook again a resource hungry app is not your friend. Which is why the VLC media player is a popular app amongst netbook users.

FileZilla FTP Client – When you need to transfer files from one server to another or update a website or a blog, then an FTP is a must and FileZilla is a great free program.

Itunes – How can you not install Itunes. I’ve set itunes as my default media player. It must be a resource hog but who cares.

Picasa 3 – Since, I can’t install lightroom or bridge. Picassa is the next best thing and it isn’t as heavy as those two softwares.

Google Earth – Now I can location scout at the comfort of my home. This is a must use program for every location photographer.

Flash Media Live Encoder– If you plan on streaming using Ustream then this is a must download to ensure for a smoother video stream. I will be testing this out on my next photoshoot.

AFTER A WEEK OF NORMAL USE:

I must say, I have no regrets spending the $350 price tag for the Lenovo S10e. A computing device is always with me now allowing me to write for my blog or check the internet and other tasks. The device could also handle a foot fall. Yes, I dropped it. Fortunately, the device is still operational. Thank goodness.

The 5 hour battery life satisfies my normal work day use. I did have to tweak the power setting to lowest battery consumption setting to last the full 5 hours. Again, my main workday use is simple word processing and web browsing tasks.

AFTER FIRST USE IN A PHOTO SHOOT
Come back in a few months for my on the photo shoot review section.

PROS:
Small form factor
Better battery life than current Macbook Pro
Fast enough processor for basic word processing, web browsing and image viewing.
Lightweight and durable
Includes face recognition software allowing for fast logon.
Includes quickstart software which immediately loads photo viewing sofware, Skype, and a web browser in seconds.
Bluetooth

CONS:
Native resolution of 1024×576 causing me to change the resolution in order to run certain.
1.5GB ram max capacity even though i’ve read in a few forums that it can hold 2GB.
5 hour max battery life at the lowest power consumption setting.
Webcam quality can be improved. it requires great light for a good image.
Only 2 usb ports

CONCLUSION:
If you are looking for a portable computing device to keep with you at all times for basic word processing, web browsing and image viewing then a netbook is for you.