Guy Low Price Electronic

Wednesday, 2 December 2009

Image Stabilization - canon, telephoto

The short version:

Pros:

The optical quality is great, the speed is terrific, and it compares well to the 70-200mm lens that people like to say blows this out of the water (I believe they are wrong - but we will get into that later) and finally, the price cannot be beaten. Buy it.

Cons:

No hood, extends as it zooms, and the quality of the picture in low light situation lessens a little.

The long version:

I am writing this in simple terms. I found several, several reviews on this lens but they were all in technical terms and leaves you scratching your head a little. So, if you are like me maybe this review will help you.

I bought this lens a couple months ago from US1Photo.com (check these guys out. They regularly have significant sales and terrific customer service). I use this lens with a Canon 40D.

I take several types and styles of pictures so I needed a lens that would do the best job at several things and have a very affordable price (right at or less than $1,000). I looked through new, used, third party (Tamron, Sigma, etc) lenses, and read too many reviews and looked at too many images to count, and spent four hours in a photography store playing with lenses before I decided to spend money and take advantage of this lens. All in all I spent about a week's worth of time in research and testing before I bought this lens.

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Edit:

Okay, so amazon won't let me put a link here. This is how you find me.

~Go to Flickr

~Then type in a "/" then "photos" then "/" and last type in "gman_five0"

And that should take you there.

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Test of comment #1:

~The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM does not track moving objects very well and the farther to the end of the zoom the slower the tracking.

(Flickr Gallery page 2)

This, I have found, to be completely wrong. I have used the lens at several sporting events and found that it tracks rather nicely. I was able to track every step of a base-runner from first base to second, slide, and recovery after the play without losing ONE shot.

To see what I am talking about check out my gallery on Flickr. The older ones are NOT done with this lens or camera and taken, actually, several years ago. I will reference the pictures in question.

Safe, Got There By a Mile, Breaking Up That Double Play (please note that as time goes on from the date that this was posted the pictures may have been re-moved). Also, "Safe" was used instead of another shot taken at the same time and angle with a 70-200mm IS lens.

To take these shots I used "AI focus" and the "H" settings on my camera for quicker tracking and the H settings for about 6 frames per second.

Test of Comment #2:

~The 200-300mm range is nice in theory, but a tack-sharp photo from the 70-200mm f/4L at 200mm is going to look better cropped than a 300mm full-frame photo from this lens.

Again, I found this to be wrong. Though I have no actual "full sized" picture for this if you comment back with an email address then we can arrange a viewing of one. Otherwise, take my word for it, I own several lenses and this one stacks up well.

(Ref Flickr Gallery)

The pictures from the Dance Theater and Tashina were all taken at the 200-300mm focus lengths. Again, they are not full sized because of photo pirates, but if you email me we can see about full sized shots.

Test of Comment #3:

~The IS motor is loud

I do not know what these people are talking about, but if you call that loud...

On the other hand, I have heard (once), the sound of the IS motor, but if you are not listening for it you will not even notice it.

Things I have found about the lens:

If you spend some time with the lens will be one of your best friends. It is a great lens especially for people on a budget (like me). To take the best pictures you cannot just twist it on and go to shooting. Take the time to LEARN about the lens (change shutter speeds, ISO settings, aperture, white balances, etc) and it will show you where it shines - just like the L series lenses and the 70-200mm IS.

This lens has a solid make and feels like it will last forever. Then again, as you zoom the lens does extend and is plastic. So, watch out if you are doing sports. You may get it knocked off. It did well for me, though. Extending while zooming makes putting a hood on the lens a bit (very little; so little that you cannot tell) awkward and it looks kinda goofy.

I like the lens because it is not as bulky as the 70-200mm lens and it is extremely mobile. It is as quick as some other lenses, not as quick as some, and quicker than others. It will give you great quality pictures. It does have its limits, however: in low light situations not being able to take it back a couple stops and get a wider aperture will not give you the same shot as a 70-200mm. Then again, like I said, it doesn't drop to that f/2.8 and does not cost all that money. This has been the single drawback for me about the lens.

I use this lens for portraits (Tashina, Samantha), for sports (see gallery), and music (Shawn Pander - See Gallery). So, it's pretty versatile. I have yet to use with it flash, but that is because I simply do not like to use flash. I have yet to use it in a studio setting, but when I do I will amend this review and add a couple of those pictures as well.

This lens comes highly recommended from me. I am not a big time, highly paid, or well known photographer. I just like to shoot and like what I shoot to be of the best quality that I can have AND afford at the time. So, if you are like me and cannot spend the needed $1,500 - $1,700 on a 70-200mm IS lens then spend your money on this lens. You will not be sorry for it.

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On another note, comments are welcome. This is my first ever review on here so let me know if there anything else that you would like to know about and I will do my best to answer the question in the most plain terms as possible. Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras - Image Stabilization - 70-300 - Telephoto - Canon'

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Battery Chargers - battery chargers, jump starter

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This unit was used by a rep of the super-reliable American Automobile Association (AAA) to jump start my 2004 Toyota Sienna in one minute flat late on a Sunday afternoon after I failed to start the vehicle (a) with a 450 AMP booster purchased from a discount warehouse, (b) with a lesser capacity Black & Decker unit, and (c) with booster cables connected to a nearby car. While I thought I had done everything possible to protect against such a situation (and the battery was a 1 year 10-month Sears DieHard), nothing worked until AAA showed up with the Clore ES5000. Since I cannot afford to have this happen in a remote location such as Northern Wisconsin where I have a summer cottage, I immediately ordered one. Hope my experience (and yours) is the same as that of the AAA rep. Booster PAC ES5000 12V Portable Battery Booster Pack

This is essentially the same booster pack that Century made about 5 years ago, just bigger. My Century pack (ES2500) has worked well the times I have needed it. The only problem with the Century pack is during cold weather the charging lights will come on when pushing the test button and stay on. (I just don't push the button anymore during the winter unless I plan on charging it). They don't draw much voltage (they were on for over two weeks before I saw them and the pack was still almost fully charged). The new pack hasn't done that to me yet. My Century pack has started 4 cylinder cars with the temps hitting 10 degrees below Farenheit.

This new and bigger pack is heavier but very similar in every other way. I bought this one to be sure that I could jump my 8 cylinder pickup. I never tried the old pack on the bigger motor.

I wanted this Booster Pack for my truck and then put the old one in my wife's car. I just charge the packs about every 4-5 months and have never had a problem. I combined this with a small 12 volt air compressor to keep in each vehicle to be as ready as I can during my drives with the military.

This item is top notch. I use it to jump start salvage vehicles everyday. I used it today to start a 2004 Ford Expedition, two 08 Prius's, three Yaris's and the booster still showed full charge. This thing is a monster. I really like it and highly recommend it.

Being fair I have had several types of battery boosters and this one is by far the best one for the money I've ever used . Portable easy to use and capable of starting my Dead F-450 6.0 twin battery diesel truck when jumpers a good battery charger and my old battery Booster couldn't . Best part I didn't by new battery for over a week and jumped the truck off at least 6 times without charging the Battery Booster Impresive by Any standards . - Battery Chargers - Battery Booster - Jump Starter - Nice Product'

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Grill Accessories - stove accessories, coleman grill

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This is what I needed and seems to be good quality. Minus one star because the price is so high.

It was hard to tell from the description (here at Amazon and other web sites) if the connectors on this hose were correct for my needs and how it attaches. I ordered it anyway and luckily it is what I needed to connect a propane tank (the type that is normally used for an outdoor grill) to my 25-year old 2-burner Coleman camp stove. One end of this hose has the same connector you find at the top of the small 16oz Coleman propane cylinders -- so it attaches to the metal tube connector that normally goes between a 16oz cylinder and the stove. The other end of this hose attaches to larger propane tanks like the new one I just bought. I don't know what a 20# tank is, but mine is like 3 gallons in size -- the usual kind that people use for outdoor grills. I found out, however, that it does not fit the quick-release connection that I have on a different propane tank that came with my Weber grill. I'll have to see if there's a (quick release) adapter available so that I can use this hose with that other propane tank also. Coleman High-Pressure Propane Hose and Adapter

This thing is nicely designed and built. Just to emphasize what others have already said - it connects the 20 pound propane tank to the regulator on the stove. *It does not connect directly to the stove - you still need a regulator!* The regulators on the newer stoves are on metal tubes with 45 degree angles, the regulators on the older stoves are on rubber tubes.

It makes so much more sense to use a refillable big propane tank than to dump those little empties in the land fill.

Bought this for my portable Weber 386002 Q 100 Portable Propane Gas Grill; works perfectly with 20lb propane tanks.

Works like a charm, but CAUTION: If you plan on disconnecting the 20lb tank with the hose, you may receive some propane blow off. THIS IS OK! It is just the build up within the 5 foot hose.

HOW TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE:

Towards (or at) the end of cooking, close the propane nossel to off while keeping the grill turned on high. This will burn off all the leftover propane in the line. I usually turn it off within 3 minutes left of cooking as to not waste it; sometimes it'll continue burning, slower and slower, for 5 minutes after.

EXPERIENCE: The only problem that I have with Coleman, is that most of their propane gear is designed to use the small propane cylinders. This forces us to spend $25.00 on a high pressure hose adapter. And Coleman knows that you are going to need it, as you can't run a stove for very long on a 16-OZ propane cylinder. I guess for most of you that go camping, wouldn't need this at all. But for those of us using this at home, you need this to hookup to your 20-gallon tank.

I have not had any problem at all with this hose adapter. However, I feel the need to put a warning out there for you folks. This side of the hose which attaches to your propane tank, does not use right handed threads! You must rotate it counter clockwise, to get it to attach to your tank. Get it tight, but not too tight either!

The hose has a nice 5-foot length to it, so this way you can keep your propane tank a good distance away from the stove, I like that. The other end of the hose attaches to your stove via right handed threads, so just go clockwise with that one. I don't even need to open the valve on my propane tank all the way, just one turn is enough.

The stove uses a fixed regulator setting, so no adjustment is necessary. All I have to do, is hold the flame of my barbecue lighter up to the burners, and then open the valves. They ignite almost instantaneously, and then I can began cooking my food. I have had 0 issues with pressure flow, so I believe this hose to be a quality piece.

CONCLUSION: You may not need this hose adapter if you are going on camping trips. However, if you plan to use this at home, you probably should consider getting one. I have had 0-issues with this hose, and I highly recommend it. 5-STARS

THIS IS A FABULOUS ADD ON FOR ANY GAS GRILL PURCHASED TO USE WITH A SMALL BOTTLE OF PROPANE, IT IS VERY EASY TO FIT INTO ANY LARGE OR SMALL PROPANE TANK BECAUSE OF THE HANDLE. THE PART THAT FITS TO THE GRILL NEEDS TO BE VERY TIGHT THOUGH, IF YOU DON'T TIGHTEN IT VERY WELL THE GAS WILL NOT FLOW INTO GRILL, TAKE THIS IN CONSIDERATION IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET FRUSTRATED WHEN INSTALLING IT.

This was exactly what I was looking for. I have a Coleman stove/grill combo and this adaptor connects perfectly to the big propane gas tank. Small tanks are portable, but for longer usage this adaptor really helps.

To help understand, Amazon should show an image connecting the stove's L-shaped metal connector to the adaptor cable, and would help future buyers a lot (I mean the pic which is on the product manual)

I purchased this to hook up a standard propane tank to a tabletop heater, which would normally use a baby propane tank.

Works great, no propblems or complaints.

Much better throughput than the smaller tanks.

Cheers,

Kimball Morgan

I recently purchased the Paul Jr. Designs Coleman RoadTrip Grill and wanted to connect it to a 20-lb propane gas cylinder. I looked up and found this Coleman High-Pressure Propane Hose and Adapter on Amazon.com, and from the description, it said "Great for use with coleman road trip grills or lanterns." I saw other hoses that were selling at lower prices but I wanted to pair the Grill with the hose from the same company.

I connected the hose to the regulator and connected the regulator to the grill with no problem. Then when I tried to connect the hose to the 20-lb gas cylinder, I found that the threads are left-hand threads (counter-clock wise). Once I realized that, the hose connected to the tank perfectly.

The quality of the hose seems high. The connection was perfect. The steaks were done perfectly. Just remember to shut the tank first after cooking is done before turning off the burners. This will burn off the residual gas left inside the hose. - Coleman Grill - Accessories - Stove Accessories - Grill Accessories'

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Wireless Speaker

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I ordered one of these speakers for my husband for a birthday gift, reasoning that if he liked it, I would get another so that he would have stereo sound outdoors. We hooked it up tonight, and it has worked great for us. The setup only took a few minutes, and the sound clarity is excellent. It also looks good--either sitting or hanging. Although it's mono right now, it sounds fantastic--good enough that I'm ordering another so that we'll have stereo sound. I must note that we are very close to the sound source--ten to fifteen feet, so I can't speak for longer ranges. The speaker can be either plugged into an outlet (adapter included) or powered by batteries. We have ours plugged in, and don't intend to use batteries, so consider battery life if you don't have an outlet handy. Overall, we're really impressed by these speakers. I'll update if we encounter any problems. Audiovox Acoustic Research AW826 Main Street Outdoor Wireless Speaker (Black)

Contacted Audiovox about "noise",popping noises.Response was "It's wireless anything can interfere with it".I had the speaker set up approx. 20 feet from the transmitter.Don't buy this product,if you do expect to feel ripped off.

This speaker is really cute; however, it STOPPED WORKING the second time I used it. The first time I used it it worked like a charm and I really like it. However, the next time I used it was horrible. It would be working and then it sounds like the speaker blows out. The light goes to stanby and it is impossible to make it work again. I don't believe that it gives off a strong enough signal to work. I literally had the signal equipment about 10 feet away on the inside of my house and we were sitting on the deck. The noise that it makes when the signal does not come through is extremely startling and unpleasant. I would return this product in a heartbeat, yet I cut the box to open it up. I would not recommend this product. The signal isn't high enough quality.

I would expect a good quality product from AR and I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of the sound and of course it worked out of the box. Walking with it to the outside edge of my yard, at least 80ft from the transmitter which was indoors while the speaker was playing, did not result in any loss of sound or any variation of volume at all. The transmitter works perfectly on the line output from my cable box or DVD/CD player so no headphone amplifier is required to boost the signal which is the case with some competitors. I will be ordering another three for placement around my back yard! Tip: If you get popping noises then change the channel (there are three on the transmitter). Also check if you have an old style cordless phone or wi-fi router that may be causing interference.

The unit "died" within 2 weeks of setting it up outside under a covered space. Took forever to get them to get back to me on where & how to return it, then I get a bill for nearly the price I paid to fix it. They say it is and out of warranty defect (it has a 12 month warranty, I have only had it a couple months) but have not gotten back to me on what it is our what that means only saying that I need to send in a check or it will be sent back not fixed. Horrible customer service and horrible product DO NOT BUY! STAY AWAY!'

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Illuminated Keyboard - external, computer

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in this day and age, someone (maxell) has the nerve to use such keys. How much do they actually save from using such cheap components. The keys are stiff and not even pressable if not pressed perfectly perpendicularly. It angries me a name-brand company makes such crap. If they have their own people try the damn thing during prototype phase, they know it's crap. Maxell Full Size Illuminated Keyboard CkI-1

After one of my keys on my HP thinline keyboard broke, I bought this as a cheap backlit alternative. First off, the ENTER key isn't in the correct position. Secondly, the keys have the worst tactile feel EVER. It feels like you're typing on bricks with bubblegum stuck underneath. However- I did like the .... the uh... usb cord- was just the right length. Don't buy it for yourself, but recommend it to a friend if you want to beat them in Call of Duty because his buttons will either stick or not press down at all.

Sticky keys cause a lot of typing errors. You have to bang on the keys. Makes it unuseable for me. The rest of the keyboard - illumination, key arrangement - is ok.

Looking for a useable keyboard now.

Amazon, as usual, did a great job of getting me this keyboard in a timely fashion. Upon opening the box and checking out the keyboard, everything seemed great. I plugged it into my computer and the wonderful blue lights came on right away. That didn't mean that it was working yet. I had to do a restart of the computer and then the keyboard worked just fine. I could never get the special function keys or the volume control to work even though I tried several different things. HERE'S the one fatal flaw for me. The enter key is separated from the apostrophe by the slash key. I have typed for years and I'm used to having J,K,L,Colon,Apostrophe,Enter on my right hand. Adding in the backslash in between caused me to hit backslash every time I was trying to hit enter. This was just a total VETO for me of this keyboard. Otherwise the quality was good and it would have been perfect especially for the low price.

Back-lighting of keyboard is great, but keys are "sticky", esp. the spacebar. Its really intolerable, given I have to revisit nearly every sentence to insert letters/spaces. I find myself having to pound the keys for positive action. - Computer - External - Lighted Keyboard - Keyboard'

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Travel Rod - travel rod

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Years ago I bought the Shakespear kit that came with a reel and a Telescopic Pole that was 4 foot 6 inches. My Telescopic Pole got stuck in the extended position, and I broke it off which was a stupid thing to do because I could have put the big end under hot water, and poured ice water over the little end, and with some WD-40 spray I might have managed to free it up. I realize now that slinging the pole to its extended extension is what made my pole get stuck in the extended position. It is best to gently pull each segment to its extended position just as you would do when you gently push each segment back to the rod's compact position.

So remember this review that it is good to slightly lubricate the sections and keep them clean and do not sling the pole to its extended extension!

Compact Telescopic Poles are the only way to go, and this 4 feet and 6 inches pole is just the right size to cast in low tree line areas, or if you are under a small bridge where big poles just will not work.

Remember, DO NOT SLING TELESCOPIC POLES TO THEIR EXTENDED POSITION. Shakespeare Travel Mate Casting Combo (4-Feet 6-Inch)

For the price, this rod works terrific. I normally use a 5' 6'' spinning rod, but can assure anyone that if you haven't used a bait casting rod before, especially one this length, 4' 6'', you will have no trouble adapting to using this one. There are no ceramic inserts in the eyes, so that may be a deal breaker for some, but I don't notice any difference. I have hooked a couple 3 pound bass, many crappie, a catfish and a foot plus gar with this rod and it has worked great. - Travel Rod'

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Digital Camera - travel tripod, tripod

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I really like thing. I got it for my Vado HD pocket camcorder. It tips over if it's too windy, or if you put it on your dashboard for driving shots, but other than that, it's pretty stable. It's portable size and almost free price were the selling points for me. It's easy to get different angles but just so you know, it doesn't wrap around objects. It also has a little clip on the side so you can clip it to the outside of your pocket. That's a good thing because I wouldn't want to put it inside my pocket because this thing SMELLS TERRIBLE. I'm not kidding. You had to be wondering why you can buy these things for $1.35. Now you know. It smells like a combination of 'new car smell', gasoline, and tar. This thing must be toxic. It's sitting next to me on the sofa right now and I can smell its evil fumes wafting up at me. I tried washing it but it didn't help. Hopefully I can find a similar product that doesn't have this issue. Sunpak 620-786 Mini-Spider Tripod

This is my first tripod and I'm not a very experienced photographer. I've used it on a Canon PowerShot and I wouldn't recommend it for large cameras. It's been a great addition to my camera and really improves the quality of my shots and the value of the camera itself. There are many similar products. I got this one even though it was more expensive than others on Amazon because I could get free shipping.

If you're very worried about camera shake, use the tripod with the self-timer feature. I also like using the tripod to hold my small camera in my hands. Also putting my the camera in continuous shooting mode while on my dashboard during a drive produced some nice shots.

The tripod is a nice addition to a camera and its so cheap it's not worth thinking about too long. I doubt there are many differences between brands so just find the best deal.

Legs are "bendy" which makes leg use more flexible. Short height makes you adjust legs more than normal to accomodate weight imbalance of camera. If camera tripod hole was in center of camera, would be no problem. But short height makes camera not as stable. Would recommend a longer tripod.

I bought the Mini-Spider Tripod to use with a FlipHD (which suffers from shaky hand-held image quality) and I couldn't be happier. The tripod is small, adjustable, inexpensive and holds the FlipHD perfectly steady.

It's a handy little item, but make sure your camera has the mounting hole more towards the center or it may have a tendency to fall over easily. Works great when you want to get everybody in the picture and not end up with some unwanted object in the shot.

I purchased this tripod to use with a Creative Labs Pocket Camcorder. The camera is very light, so this stand works perfectly!! It may not be for you if you have a heavy camera, but great for my camcorder.

This is a great little tripod. Yes it's cheap, yes it won't hold a 10 pound camera. However, it it perfect for most average digital cameras. The flexible legs are great and adapt easily to uneven ground or can be wrapped around a small railing/branch. Would highly recommend for the typical point-and-shoot digital camera crowd.

If you have an SLR, why would you put a $1,000 camera on a $5 tripod? Serious photographers need not waste their money, but family folks will love it.

It works, and it is three dollars. I like it. It is worth noting, however, that this is identical to the Vanguard VS41 Flexible MiniTripod sold by the same business. I bought them both thinking for this price I might as well try them both. - Tripod - Flip Video - Camera Accessories - Travel Tripod'

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