Digital Camera - lenspen, photography

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I have tried so many different cleaning tools, and I always stuck with the basic lens tissues and cleaners. But with today's lenses, they didn't do the job (speed and ease) I was looking for.



The guy at my local (100 year old) camera shop recommended I try one of these.



I have removed all other cleaning items out of my bag except for one "cloth" that I use to clean the outside of my camera and this pen.



Always start with the "brush" to brush away any grit or sand that could possibly scratch the lens. Then lightly, use the other side (felt) to clean away smudges and other marks. It's quick, easy and unbelievably effective!



I use it on my lenses, the LCD of my SLR and even my cell phone.



The first one lasted me a year. I am on my second and recommend it everywhere I go. LensPEN Lens Cleaning System

I read about the LensPen in a photography magazine and decided to give it a try. Trying to keep DSLR filters and camera lenses clean is a chore, especially when cleaning liquids keep leaving some smearing, no matter how careful you try to be. The Lenspen has two types of cleaners in one small package -- a very good dust brush and an excellent cleaning wiper for smudges or dried moisture spots. I learned the hard way that dust can build up over time, especially on the small lenses of point and shoot digital cameras. This makes the pictures you take blury and darker than they should be. Don't be disappointed, if you want to keep those pictures as crisp as when your camera was new, you need to keep a lenspen in your camera bag and use it before every shoot. Two great tools in one tiny package make this job as simple as can be!

I used to use microfiber cloth to wipe off my lenses. I realize now how unnecessarily time-consuming and risky that was. This is a must-have. I am VERY picky about minute smudges on my glass. This "pen" flawlessly polishes them out quickly, and to me, the less time I have to spend rubbing something on my expensive lenses to clean them, the better. I didn't know water drops or smudges could come off so fast without a trace. Great product, and gentle on your glass.

I order a Lenspen lens cleaning system by "LensPEN" from Amazon marketplace(HDE). I received the item and tried it on my lens, believe me my lens looks very bad after using it. I think I got an duplicate product because nowhere it says the manufacturer as "LensPEN". Be careful in choosing the seller.

Quick and Easy way to remove smudges and dust from SLR Cameras and Lenses.



Note:

When Amazon was out of stock, I ordered from a 3rd party vendor, Eforcity and received a counterfeit product. It wasn't the same high quality as the original Lens Pen and it went back to that vendor for a refund. I reordered from Amazon and received the correct product. So beware of counterfeits that are not of the same quality. I have used the NIKON version of the Lens Pen and it is identical, except for red vs. yellow plastic with black and of course, the higher price.

The photo shown is deceptive. The item received is a cheap copy that does not clean as well as my, now four year old, genuine LensPEN. Especially on multi-coated filters, it leaves a smear that is hard to clear. The seller is prompt and the product arrived well packaged. I'm a bit surprised that the LensPEN company doesn't come after these folks for copyright infringement. I wouldn't buy again. It's worth noting that the seller tried to get me to change my review for a $4 refund.

I don't believe this is a genuine LensPen. This one leaves a residue behind whereas I have a LenPen "micro" Pro and it is brilliant. Also I believe all real LensPens have the brand name on the pocket clip. Still, it's a nice brush for $3.

I searched Amazon for "LensPEN LP-1" (the actual product name) and was brought to the page for this item. This is NOT a real LensPEN. It is a cheap Chinese knock-off. If you want the original item, keep searching because this isn't it. I don't know if this item actually works, because I won't risk using it on my very expensive equipment.

Some people have complained about getting a knock off but as long as you purchase it directly from Amazon and not a 3rd party seller, be assured that it is the real thing. See the third image for the one I received versus the fake one (second image). It does its job and is no different from all the old Lenspens I have used before. Good price, good product. Any carbon particles can be blown off with a rocket blower or with a similar contraption.

This is a great cleaning option to keep handy. I too have stuck with cleaning fluid and tissue, and will continue for thorough cleaning, but having this tool in my bag is very convenient.

The brush is great and the pad seems to remove smudges well.

With the first use I saw excess cleaning solution on the filter, but subsequent usage shows no signs of excess or streaking.



Highly recommended for portable cleaning. - Cleaner - Photography - Lenspen - Lens Pen'

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Dry Erase Markers - dry erase markers, whiteboard

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I'm always looking for additional colours to use on the whiteboard in my Maths lessons. I find colour a great way to help illustrate the actions to take in each step of a problem solving method.



Until recently, I had only Red, Blue, Black, and Green at my disposal. I then found a Pink and Purple.



This Expo set has 16 colours to choose from. My students now participate in the lesson far more by requesting which colour to use next. They are Thai students learning English, so it helps explain the maths, AND helps them practice colour names at the same time.



The colours are very bright and bold. The most effective colours I find are orange, brown, and the darker reds, blues, and greens.

The only colour that does not work too well is the yellow, it's a bit too light to be seen from even just a few feet away. If it were made slighly darker I think it would be perfect.



This set has the chisel points, which add a great effect to writing, and give a nice sharp point for precision work if needed.



In all, an excellent addition to my teaching tools. I'm very happy with them. Expo Low Odor Chisel Tip Dry Erase Markers, 16 Colored Markers

The product description says "Aqua, Black, Blue, Brown, Forest Green, Green, Orange, Pink, Plum, Purple, Red, Turquoise, Yellow", but there was no 'Yellow'. What I got is more close to the picture ... instead of two pinks in the picture there were two dark blues.

I usually only buy Expo Markers but bought Amazon's Board Dudes 2-in-1 Double-Sided Dry Erase Markers (42402BDUA-24) and found almost half of the pens dry and not working. So I went back to Expo. I haven't tried all of the colors, but two of the green tips and a blue tip started breaking and becoming really soft. The felt was ruined after writing about a sentence. All the other Expo markers I have used keep their shape, even after about four years, but these didn't. I am pretty disappointed. I would also like to let you know that the colors aren't the same as the one in the picture, there are two reds, blacks, greens, and blues, and the rest were a different variety.

If you're having trouble erasing, try the Expo cleaner. I always assumed it was a marketing scam, but tried it on a whim and I'm amazed at how much better it works than Windex I used to use. I don't know what's so special about it -- I'm sure it's something you could research and make yourself -- but it solved my erasing issues, especially on walls painted with the "new fangled" whiteboard paint which don't erase as well as regular whiteboards. I agree that the low-odor markers don't erase as well but with the cleaner, both types clean off.



If the cleaner doesn't work, you may just have a worn-out board. I'm serious, they wear out. Check the boards sold at office supply stores and notice they sell differently-priced boards based on light, moderate, or heavy use.



In my experience, if you're using whiteboard paint, then then cleaner is a *must have* to avoid ghosting, etc. - Dry Erase Markers - Whiteboard - Marker - Dry Erase'

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Canon I960 Ink - i9900, ink cartridge

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Although lower cost substitute ink cartridges are sold all over the web, and on this site as well, the few bucks you might save aren't worth the all-too genuine risks of replacing with generic "no-name" ink tanks. I've heard (but wouldn't wish to try it, frankly) that generic inks fade faster when exposed to daylight, could clog the print-head spray nozzles, don't spread properly on top-quality paper, and simply can't compare with the uniquely formulated dyes that have been specially researched for your printer and its matching photo papers. The one exception might be if you use a black-ink-only inkjet [hard to imagine anyone could screw up black ink]. Even so, considering the low cost and remarkable longevity, I'd still stick with the Canon product, if only to match the other colors. I concur that printer manufacturers use that old hoary "razor trick" (give away the razor, profit on the blades), but with Canon's individual ink tanks -- where you replace only those tanks that run dry, you aren't out a lot. My Canon photo printer uses an array of six ink tank colors. Of these six tanks (all available on this site), 'photo cyan' and 'photo magenta' seem to be used up 2 to 3 times faster than 'black'. In other words, rather than replacing an entire set of six ink tanks, you can replace just those tanks that run empty the soonest -- thus not having to toss out a 3-ink tank [as used by HP] where 2 of the 3 remaining inks still are far from used up. Just a word of caution here - make certain that every cartridge you order from Amazon clearly states its eligibility for SuperSaver shipping. If you have to add shipping charges to this low-cost item, you could end up paying more than you would have at the local office supply store. Canon BCI-6BK Black Ink Tank

i used canon ink and then decided to try one of the cheap imitations. it worked well for a few months and then my photos came out of my canon i900d with color changes. after 3 conversations with canon customer care, we decided it was not the printer, but the cheaper ink. i switched back to canon, bit the bullet on the price, and everything is fine. i found decent prices on amazon, particularly at eek industries.

I am in love with my new Canon Pixma MP760! I specifically got a Canon because of the separate ink tanks. The full page prints are wonderful and it doesn't use as much ink as I assumed it would; and that's a good thing considering how long it takes to receive your shipment. Amazon has some of the best pricing on the web-but watch out...Free Shipping = SLOW Shipping. Order these a month in advance-it will take that long to see them. 'Available in 24 hours'...maybe, but keep in mind that 'available' has nothing to do with 'ship'. A few days difference, no problem. But weeks? Come on.

Confessions of a cheapo. I used 2nd market replacement inks. They did print o.k. However, the bottom line, they eventuality cause the "seating prongs" on the print head to break. So,my lesson, use the OEM inks, along with Canon paper to provide the best prevention to fading, bleed and create the best tones. The end.

I am very pleased with the price and quality of the Canon inks I've purchased here. Same brand as the retailers, but about $5-$7 cheaper! After trying several generic inks from other online discounters, I've learned that they fade quickly. Now I only buy the Canon inks, but they're expensive at your local retailers. Amazon saved me $$$!

Why risk damaging your expensive printer using cheap generic's?



I only buy Genuine Canon Brand Ink for my printer. Yes it costs a lot more then the generic but I don't want to have to replace my print head repeatedly because of it.

I concur with others who warn of using off-brand inks and toners. They can even damage your printer. On the other hand, I purchased this 8 months ago and since then the shipping cost has ballooned 800%. There is no reason to pay $7.50 to ship this item. The price here may seem great but factor in the shipping cost in your decision. - Printer Ink - Ink - I9900 - Ink Cartridge'

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Wrist Weights - fitness, exercise

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I used to have ankle weights with iron bars in them, the iron bars hurt my ankles and so when they wore out I got Valeo Adjustable Ankle/Wrist Weights, 20 lb. Combined Weight, Pair.



They wore out in 14 months.



I just got these weights, so it's an initial impression, but:



1. Easier to put on and take off with a single buckle instead of the dual D-rings of the Valeo weights.



2. Coarser nylon material than the Valeo weights. Hope it will last longer. The extra friction helps prevent sliding, though not quite as comfortable against the skin. (Not slipping much more important than the feel against the skin, I think.



3. For whatever reason, the Valeo weights pressed against my malleoli (bumps on the inside and outside of the ankle) and after an hour or two the pressure there was quite uncomfortable. I'm not getting that with these weights. Altus Athletic 20-Pound Standard Ankle / Wrist Weights

These weights work well for leg extensions and other stationary exercises, but they would not stay put well enough for walking or running. I like the fact that they are adjustable up to 10 lb per weight.

First let me say these ankle/wrist weights are nice. The construction seems to be pretty good. The weights are sand bags, and the platic is thick, so you shouldn't have any leak issues unless you're throwing the weights around haphazardly.



So, what cost them the star? They're loose with low weight. Let me explain. I decided to start out with just two pounds (one bag). I'm a skinny guy. Even with the straps pulled as far they can go, there was still a lot of play. I'm using them for leg lifts, so it's not an issue for me, but it would be rather annoying if you were using them while running. Now, as you add weights, they take up the slack. With eight or ten pounds (four or five bags) in these, they are fine. Just something to keep in mind if you're looking to start out with low weight and do things involving a lot of movement.

The picture on the box and displayed on Amazon makes these looks much slimmer and shorter than they actually are. In reality, these go almost all the way to my elbow (I'm a man, and my arms aren't short by any stretch) and they bulk out a fair distance from your arm. Someone else noted that these were kind of loose, but I didn't heed his warning because he added the modifier "for a skinny guy". I weight train quite frequently (I bought these to go with a 40lbs weight vest) and my arms aren't skinny by any means. Even though my arms are plenty large, these weights will not stay on my wrists during exercises that require movement. At the same time that these are a little bit too large for my wrists, they are a little too small for my ankles. They'll stay on, but they are so tight that it is difficult to jog with them. As for the build quality, it seems fine, and I can't imagine this thing coming apart any time soon (it is sand bags inside what I'd imagine is nylon fabric, with velcro straps. I don't detect any sand leakage, and the bags fit inside the straps securely)



I'd send these back, but they do have their function as weights to be used in stationary exercises. This means leg lifts, arm curls, etc. All things considered, I think the weighted vests are a better buy for anyone that is serious about training with weights. While they are more expensive, they stay on much more securely, and working out with them on is much easier. If nothing else, I can throw these weights in a backpack and add twenty pounds to the forty in the vest whenever forty becomes too little weight for me.

These came exactly as expected, heavy. Each one is an adjustable up to 10 Lbs of weight. The ONLY draw back on this one that kept it from being a 5 stars is the fact that it doesn't fit on your arms "properly" unless your arms are as thick as your legs. It doesn't slide too much but it's enough to be a slight bother.

I needed a set of ankle weights that were adjustable so I could gradually move up over the 10 lb pair for certain exercises. These really fit the bill and are well made. The fit is a little big with only 6lbs on each leg to start with, but not so big that sliding around is a problem. I would certainly recommend them!

These are the first wrist/ankle weights I have purchased in about 15 years. I wanted something easy and rugged to use. Why buy it, if it is just going to fall apart right away. I was pretty happy with the ease of adjustment where the sandbags are concerned. I started out with about four pounds and worked my way up to the full ten in about three weeks.



I use them to build arm strength. They wrap around the wrist comfortably and stay put. I did not have them sliding down the arms. the Velcro seems pretty heavy duty and doesn't seem to be wearing down much ( I use these daily) from the use they get.



As far as toughness in materials, they stand up to my obnoxious cat who likes to claw everything. I haven't had a leaking sand bag yet! The outer wrap material is doing fine as well.



As these have worked out pretty well I may actually buy another set for the ankles or to strap together on the current pair to add more weight. I have done this with the current pair. the straps seem to support the full twenty pounds with no trouble.



for the price they are an excellent product

I had a pair of ankle weights (5 lb each) I got from Wal-Mart about a year ago ... they were not well made with only 1 strap to wrap around the ankle and it was not a durable material. They were always sliding and moving and I also developed a leak.



Thus, I began my search for a high quality 10 lb per ankly weight system and these looked to be much better quality and felt like much better quality upon initial inspection. However, the stiching on one strap on one leg gave way the first day I used them. Thinking about it, it would seem this could be a recurring problem since 10 lb each ankle is a pretty good amount that could stress stiching.



I returned them yesterday and will continue my search for a very well made 10 lb per ankle weight. Perhaps I just got a lemon. - Fitness - Wrist Weights - Exercise - Adjustable Ankle Weights'

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Waterproof Mp3 Player - swimming, waterproof mp3

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After water damaging my iPod Classic in H2O Audio Amphibx Waterproof Armband for Large MP3 Players and Phones I purchased this FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player and am glad that at least I will not water damage the MP3 player. Going by the reviews on Amazon, as of February 1, 2010, 3 of 9 reviewers of Amphibx large arm band damaged their iPods (only one replaced by H2O Audio), versus none of the 19 reviewers complains about water damage to this SwiMP3 player. Of the 124 reviews of the earlier 250 Mb version of SwiMP3 player, I scanned about 80 and no one has claimed water damage. This would indicate that this is really the only truly waterproof MP3 player! Here are the pros and cons.



PROS

1. Water proof. This is the biggest advantage of this player and is the essential pre-requisite; notwithstanding the claimed advantages of other players, if the MP3 player is not waterproof, every thing else is irrelevant!

2. Small size and low profile.

3. No drag while swimming.

4. Fairly good quality sound.

5. Easy to load music. You can use Explorer In Windows or Finder in Mac to drag and drop MP3 files. iTunes does not work with SwiMP3 but you can download a free software, for Mac & Windows, called DoubleTwist which works somewhat like iTunes for music with any MP3 player or cell phone that shows up as a drive on your computer. DoubleTwist does not support podcasts and audiobooks unlike iTunes.



CONS

1. The cap for USB port is not tethered and could be easily lost.

2. Lacks the screen and polished user interface of iPod: playing MP3 file from where you left off, removing all played podcasts etc.

3. The items play in the order they were loaded. You can skip forward and back, one at a time, but that is about it as far as controls.

4. The buttons are not etched, so hard to figure out with just fingers while swimming in water. You have to remember the location of buttons.

5. Does not come with ear plugs but over the water sound is much better if you are wearing the ear plugs. In my experience it is essential to have ear plugs or snorkel dry or better still, both. Mack's AquaBlock Earplugs, 2 pr is what I use and they work well.

6. Needs goggles which have to be bought separately. Although I use Speedo Vanquisher Swim Goggle, the air-tight seal is probably better in Speedo Air Seal Tri Goggle, Mirrored.

7. User's guide leaves a lot to be desired. Mostly it concentrates on is how to load music but there are no instructions on where to place the player, how to use it with goggles etc. On FINIS web site there is a video that shows how to wear them with goggles.

8. You cannot fast forward or backward.

9. Very hard to figure out when the MP3 player is off because the green light is barely perceptible in bright light and comes on very transiently. You have to cup with hand to make it dark. Sometime pressing it for 3 seconds does not turn it off, and as soon as you plug into the USB, it starts playing again.

10. No way to find out how much juice is left.

11. Just deleting the songs does not remove them from the player, it just moves them to the Recycle Bin and the songs keep playing. So you have to empty the Recycle Bin. In Mac, this problem is even worse, because the Trashes folder is hidden.



TIPS & TRICKS

Here are few other things that I found.

1. If you place MP3 files in folders then the folders work like playlists and you can toggle playlists by pressing forward and back buttons simultaneously. But it works for maximum of 3 playlists. You can also make and download playlists using DoubleTwist. If you change the name of any folders, that playlist will be lost and you will left with only two. Don't change the names of initial three folders, just keeping changing the songs. On Mac you can use iTunes to make three playlists and then drag them to the SwiMP3 disk icon which is called NO NAME; but again do not change the name of initial three playlists, you will lose it if you do and then the only way to go back to three playlists will be by reformatting the SwiMP3 hard drive in FAT32 format

2. The volume on some podcasts, for example most NPR ones, is really low and can be increased by using a free windows software called MP3 gain.



For about 14 years I used Speedo FM radio which has no screen and fits on the goggles. It worked really well, the earphones rarely came out of the ear. But I wanted to listen to podcasts while swimming and after looking at all the choices I purchased H2O Audio Amphibx Waterproof Armband for Large MP3 Players and Phones and the accompnying H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Headphones.



What a disaster! Within six weeks the arm band leaked while swimming, let the water come in and damaged the iPod Classic. Although H2O Audio promises to replace the MP3 player damaged in their armband, they refused to do that and sent me this response:



"During the examination and testing the engineering team did notice some dispersed indentation on the seal (black door frame to the lid). This is indicative of some object(s) or debris being caught between the door and the seal. This type of obstruction can lead to leak as the water-tight seal is never actually formed between the lid and the bladder...So unfortunately, this is a situation where it appears that the door was not closed properly or that it was accidently opened during use."



Personally, I feel that SwiMP3 player is the only true waterproof MP3 player but the following also claim to be waterproof to listen to MP3 audio while swimming:



1. WATERPROOF CASES/ENCLOSURES for iPods: Most well known, and even promoted by Apple on its web site is H2O Audio Amphibx Waterproof Armband for Large MP3 Players and Phones. Since I listen more to podcasts and audiobooks, I wanted something that will work with iPod. So I purchased this Amphibx Waterproof Armband for Large MP3 Players and Phones. But within 6 weeks it leaked and damaged my expensive iPod. Big loss. H2O Audio refused to take any responsibility for the product or the damage caused by the armband. Not to say that H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Headphones constantly keep coming out of the ear, cause drag and have poor audio quality.



H2O Audio also makes H2O Audio ISH4-5A1 Interval 3G Waterproof Headphone System for iPod Shuffle 3rd Gen, but after H2O Audio refused to replace my iPod Classic, damaged in their armband, I am not ever going recommend H2O products to anyone.



Aquapac Waterproof Case Fits iPhone and Droid is not very good quality and it is hard to water proof with headphones. Most of these case leak and water damage to your expensive MP3 player.



2. WATERPROOF MP3 PLAYERS WITH HEADSETS: These are goggle based solutions likeSpeedo LZR Aquabeat MP3 Player and Freestyle Audio 200SPT Soundwave Waterproof 2GB Blue MP3 Player Blue Bundle With Aquapac 916 Waterproof Headphones. But the reviews of all these products on Amazon are not very good.



SwimMan makes waterproof 2nd and 3rd generation iPod shuffles. But they do not have screens and do not last long. Many users have complained that iPod Shuffles get damaged after few uses.



3. BONE CONDUCTION TECHNOLOGY MP3 PALYERS WITHOUT HEADSETS: This FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player with its pros and cons listed above. Audio Bone makes bone conduction headsets, which are even more expensive that SwiMP3 player! Now who would buy that?



We all know that iPod is the best MP3 player and we would like to use it while swimming but I do not think it is yet technically feasible to make iPod water proof, notwithstanding the claims of companies like H2O Audio and SwimMan. Although I miss the screen, FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player is really water proof, just like my old Speedo FM radio, and the audio quality is acceptable. As far as I can make out based on my and others experiences, iPod is sooner or later water damaged no matter what the technology they use to waterproof. FINIS SwiMP3 1 G is what I would recommend to a swimmer who wants to listen to MP3 audio while swimming. FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player - Waterproof Mp3 - Aquatic Mp3 Player - Swimming - Waterproof Player'

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