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Comment on UK Bargain Nikon AF-S 2,8/40 G DX Micro Lowest Price by mikeloughlin

mikeloughlin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:36:55 +0000

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Nikon macro, 1 Feb 2012

This review is from: Nikon AF-S 2,8/40 G DX Micro (Electronics)

A great product as you'd expect from Nikon,delivered promptly. At a great price which allowed me the opportunity to enter the world of close-up photography. A fantastic product.

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Comment on UK Bargain Nikon AF-S 2,8/40 G DX Micro Lowest Price by NextDoorNerd

NextDoorNerd — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:56:34 +0000

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Bokehlicious lens with a macro feature, 30 Nov 2011

NextDoorNerd -

This review is from: Nikon AF-S 2,8/40 G DX Micro (Electronics)

I did a lot of research before buying this lens, my primary consideration was the 35 mm f1.8. However decided to go for this lens after reading several good reviews on different websites and forums.

As a beginner photographer; I wanted to try a little bit of Macro Photography too. This is an excellent value for money, versatile lens which gives you excellent results, I haven't taken it off from my camera since I got it (I bought it from Jessops not from Amazon).. Really popping images with corner to corner sharpness and good for not-so-close-macrophotography too..

It is also very good for those close up portraits and normal street photography (I got some awesome shots with this lens)..

If you are a beginner looking forward to buy a prime lens go for this one instead of the 35mm 1.8 or 50mm 1.8 and buy this one.. worth every penny...

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Comment on UK Sell 52mm Close up lens 10x magnification for all 52mm lenses and adaptors. Canon, Nikon D40, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, 18-55mm, 50mm , Panasonic LX3, G2, G10, Fujifilm, Samsung, Leica, Sony etc.. By Maxim Foto Supplies. Best Price by jay ashman "jay"

jay ashman "jay" — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:25:56 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Richarm 52mm close up lens, 16 Sep 2011

jay ashman "jay" (spain) -

This review is from: 52mm Close up lens 10x magnification for all 52mm lenses and adaptors. Canon, Nikon D40, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, 18-55mm, 50mm , Panasonic LX3, G2, G10, Fujifilm, Samsung, Leica, Sony etc.. By Maxim Foto Supplies. (Electronics)

I bought this lens for my husband to use with his Pentax KX camera and he finds the fitting and focusing excellent,cannot find any noticible distortions and he tells me that this lens fits the bill perfectly.Found the delivery and price both very good.

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Comment on UK Cheap Sony Alpha SLTA55VL.CEH Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens for Sale by lnnrt "lnnrt"

lnnrt "lnnrt" — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:48:07 +0000

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

The camera I always wanted, 26 Mar 2011

lnnrt "lnnrt" -

This review is from: Sony Alpha SLTA55VL.CEH Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Electronics)

Sony apparently has really cracked the market wide open with their SLT cameras (currently the A33 and A55, but a rumoured A77 on the way as well), as these devices have been selling extremely well since their launch. Taking their inspiration from Canon, Sony made the translucent mirror design work very nicely thanks to the many technological improvements of the digital age. Of course, most DSLR/DSLT cameras in a given price brackets are nearly indistinguishable in their basic functions and quality these days, and manufacturers rely on buyer brand preference or history on the one hand, and peripheral functionality on the other hand, to cut up the market between them. What is so great about the Sony SLTs is that they offer a unique core feature instead of unique peripheral features: they're FAST! When switched to full burst mode, my A55 (with a fast but cheap 32 GB SD card from Amazon) really does shoot 10 frames per second for quite a while, sounding like a machine gun as the shutter goes through its continuous motions. A nice touch is that this feature alone will wipe the smile off the faces of people who have invested more than twice the amount of money for higher end dSLRs for their speed increase; I've seen it happen twice now (Pentax owner and Nikon owner), and it is rather priceless. Having said that, the higher-end DSLRs will handle certain detailed aspects of burst exposures a bit better, but for its price bracket, the A55 really is unbeatable!

As to image quality, the device performs beautifully; there's simply nothing to fault here: you get an amazing, fully functional camera that takes great pictures, and that makes it quite easy for beginners to use full manual settings effectively. High ISO settings are handled quite well (I routinely go up to ISO 800 without issues), and Sony's in-body stabilization (Steady Shot) really does give you about two f-stops extra on top of that. Best of all, in-body stabilization means you'll never need to shell out extra money for stabilized lenses (as Canon and Nikon will have you do). The kit lens is of course not perfect, but it's extremely good value for money, and will be perfectly suited to learn the ropes of SLR (or should I say SLT) photography, while serving you in a wide variety of situations. Over time, you can of course expand your lens portfolio based on what you want to spend and achieve. Full-featured as it is, the camera body will certainly not let you down as you start upgrading lenses! In fact, I'm quite confident that this camera will not feel outdated or feature-limited any time soon!

The built-in GPS feature is nifty, and I used it quite often already, but it does start eating away at the battery. Interestingly, if you connect the camera regularly to the computer to transfer images, the Sony software will automatically download and refresh GPS satellite location data to the camera, making GPS fixes fast and reliable (a trick akin to A-GPS on smartphones). A very nice touch there!

The electronic viewfinder has been the subject of some debate, with (d)SLR purists sometimes lashing out against it. Well, apart from the fact that it consumes more battery than an optical viewfinder (see below for battery life considerations), I really, really can not fault it. I actually think the viewfinder is one of the best bits on the camera; information hungry as I am, the viewfinder really gives you all you want and more, and is identicial to the LCD in any respect (interestingly, that also makes switching between viewfinder and LCD a breeze). In a nice nod to the information-obsessed user, customization of the display is display-specific, which means that you can set one type of display for the viewfinder, and another for the LCD, and the camera will remember this. While not that great for hand-held use, I can imagine that this makes tripod work very convenient; just change your view to change info, no button pressing necessary thanks to Sony's automatic detection of a face coming in close proximity to the body for viewfinder use. One example could be to have the built-in gyroscope display (showing you left-right and front-rear tilt much like in a fighter jet :)) on one display, and the exposure info on the other. The LCD display itself is great as well, by the way, and the ability to orient it as you see fit really comes in handy for those weird angles. I honestly didn't think I'd use this feature a lot, but to my surprise it came in very handy in quite a few shots already!

As to gripes, I have only one: with bells and whistles on (most importantly, GPS and stabilization), battery life is relatively short. If you're using it in anger, you can see the battery percent indicator go down approximately 1% per minute-and-a-half, and that's a bit scary. I ran the camera down twice already while out and about (also proves that I'm using it a lot, which I take to be a very good sign!), so I'll have to invest in a second... Read more

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Comment on UK Cheap Sony Alpha SLTA55VL.CEH Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens for Sale by Si2005

Si2005 — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:39:30 +0000

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Shorten the odds, 31 Jan 2011

Si2005 (UK) -

This review is from: Sony Alpha SLTA55VL.CEH Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Electronics)

Spent ages writing a long review, then thought what's the point. It's a great camera, I've used loads of digital cameras and the is my favourite (Pentax K10D was a good camera to, as was the Canon G11). Basically the features increase my chances of getting a good photo. I have found that I can press the button once and get a great photo because the technology just works. And if I want to blast away at 10fps, I can. I would suggest adding this to your list before buying Nikon/Canon/Pentax. They are all great but I liked this one the best. The main contender in my view is the Canon 550D, although those Pentax's look good too.

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Comment on UK Cheap Sony Alpha SLTA55VL.CEH Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens for Sale by Christos Vladenidis

Christos Vladenidis — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:07:21 +0000

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

pro (but) amateur, 20 Jan 2011

Christos Vladenidis -

This review is from: Sony Alpha SLTA55VL.CEH Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens (Electronics)

you've all read many different reviews about this camera.... i'll try to clear up some gray areas...

Q1. does this camera, due to it's fixed mirror which according to Sony absorbs 30% of incoming light, require SLOWER shutter speeds for the same photo at same ISO/Aperture/Metering mode/Focus Spot compared to a conventional D-SLR?

A1. (based on my own tests with a sony a330). NO! a330 and a55 shoot at same speeds exactly.
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Q2. Are new sony a33/55 cameras INCOMPATIBLE with Sigma A-mount lenses not specifically labeled "a33/55 compatible"?

A2. Sigma themselves have publicly acknowledged that Sigma lenses purchased prior to a33/55 release may have occasional incompatibility issues. Sigma also offers a free fix/replace scheme. The problem will appear occasionaly and when it happens a33/55 will be unable to close the lens aperture properly. The user will be notified by an error message. Shutting down the camera and unmounting/mounting the lens in MF mode is supposed to temporarily cure the problem which might randomly occur again at some point. Some users suggest that if one always changes (mounts/unmounts) Sigma lenses with the camera shut off and in MF mode, the problem will never appear (user can switch to AF after the lens has been mounted). I own a 1 year old Sigma lens (Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro), so far i didnt even follow the "MF method" and despite frequent use of my Sigma, i havent seen any malfunction.... Newer Sigma lenses will be fully a33/55 compatible and a sticker on the lens box will clarify that.....
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Q3. Is this camera PRO, AMATEUR, Entry Level or what?

A3. Sony's own adverts/price tag and expert reviewers place both a33 and a55 cameras in the amateur sector. The main reason for this is that no 2/3 sensor camera can be considered "pro" as this title is reserved for cameras with sensors 100% the size of old 35mm films. Other reasons why these are not PRO cameras include image quality, noise reduction quality etc. Some reviewers classify a33/a55 as entry level SLRs, meant for people who never before owned an SLR camera. I disagree with that. First of all both cameras provide features not present in entry level SLRs, namely: (a) D.O.F button, (b)highly customisable WB menu (including Kelvin selection, WB +/- fine tuning, as well as custom, presets etc), (c) Auto Focus point selection, (d) Exposure Lock as well as focus lock, ability to release shutter without lens (which is usefull with older/incompatible lenses), HDR photos, phased autofocus, large image buffer to accomodate multiple FPS modes and more. Image quality and detail is equally worse than PRO but far better than "entry level" SLRs and the built in flash is also better than that of an entry level slr...
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Q4. Is sony a33/a55 battery performace so bad as some reviewers suggest.

A4. The battery indeed doesnt last long enough. If you intend to shoot for hours with flash etc you simply need extra batteries. You can try "compatible" batteries at your own risk ( most often the risk you will take is that the non original batteries will (a) not display their percentage properly and (b) will last even less than the originals) or buy an extra original battery but you wont avoid spending some more money for an extra battery in my opinion.
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Q5. What with the dirt issue...?

A5. All DSLRs suffer from a known/accepted by the manufacturers but yet not fully tackled problem of dirt accumulating on their sensors. Old SLRs didnt suffer from that since each film was only used once but DSLRs rely on the same sensor for many years of service and dirt/ tiny droplets will eventually reach the sensor during lens change.... SLTs (a33/a55 at the moment) add a 2nd problem since photos taken with these cameras will potentially suffer not only from dirt on the sensor but also from dirt on the fixed mirror. So far a camera sensor could be cleaned by (a) camera's built in vibration method, (b) a "monster" blower (c) an antistatic "sensor pen", (d) a mini "vacuum cleaner" or (e) a "wet method" whereby a special solvent was applied to a lint free cloth with which the sensor was then scrubbed. Usually a blower should be enough for dirt while the more dangerous and officially prohibited "wet method" was used in case of sensors contaminated with droplets of (sea) water, oil etc... To make things worse, Sony "implies" in the camera manual that the mirror is actually much more delicate than the sensor and therefore the more "dangerous" cleaning methods applicable to the sensor would irreparably damage the mirror. Very few comments currently exist as to how to clean the mirror. I speculate that a blower wouldn't damage the mirror but no wet method recommended for it has been supplied so far. So yes removing droplets from the mirror at the moment may prove impossible without sending the camera to a repair station....
--... Read more

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Comment on UK Sell 58MM Wide Angle Lens for Canon EOS 550D Best Price by Agriwise

Agriwise — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:27:31 +0000

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Good service, 11 Jan 2012

Agriwise -

This review is from: 58MM Wide Angle Lens for Canon EOS 550D (Electronics)

Dealings with Amazon are absolutely brilliant - efficient service, good value always exceeding expectations. A breath of fresh air to depend on a reliable organisation. Thank you.

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Comment on UK Sell 58MM Wide Angle Lens for Canon EOS 550D Best Price by SR

SR — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:54:48 +0000

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Decent quality, amzing value, 25 Dec 2011

SR -

This review is from: 58MM Wide Angle Lens for Canon EOS 550D (Electronics)

I own other amazing lenses, which have a time and a place, but if you cant capture the image you want, then the quality is irrelevant. At 18mm this probably turns your lens into a 14/15mm equivilent but creates severe vingetting. Worth a go.

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Comment on UK Cheap Sony SEL1855 Alpha NEX Series Lens 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS for Sale by Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:16:12 +0000

Not worthy of 5 stars, 18 Jan 2012

Amolicious "Amo" (West London) -

This review is from: Sony SEL1855 Alpha NEX Series Lens 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS (Electronics)

This lens arrived as an accessory with the Sony Nex 5. In terms of quality & performance this is not worthy of 5 stars.

Its inability to autofocus at the maximum zoom (55mm) is pretty evident there are better performing lenses out there that have the ability to do so without having to manually focus at maximum zoom.

This Lens doesn't allow you focus on your intended subject in low light, which again has been mentioned by another reviewer.

Closeups & indoor shooting are not crisp neither sharp. No wonder these lens have shot down in price. This lens is best in performance when in outdoors shooting & taking scenery shots & landscape.

All in all, seeing this was an addition to my Nex 5, I wouldnt recommend this item to any intermediate photographer as. This lens might well be suitable for beginners & novices only. Other alternatives, buy a Sony converter & then an A-Mount 55mm compatible lens.

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Comment on UK Cheap Sony SEL1855 Alpha NEX Series Lens 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS for Sale by Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:22:35 +0000

Very average consumer lens, 21 Jan 2012

Adam Jones (London) -

This review is from: Sony SEL1855 Alpha NEX Series Lens 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS (Electronics)

I took this lens on various trips and really regret it now as some of my pictures are really incredibly low quality as a result of the lens.

Specifically, its softening of the image around the edges when the lens is at the shorter focal lengths.

After some tests it seems to be that its shooting at low f-stops that causes this.

In short, if you have the lens wide open at f3.5 and shoot 18mm shots, you should find you get substantial softening of the image around the sides.

The effect was visible in most of the shots I took when i looked at them carefully. Now of course I'm overly sensitive to it, but if you have one of these lenses take a look at some of your shots again to see if you get the same.

I doubt very much that its just mine doing this.

So if you have this lens and see the same problem in your shots just make sure to shoot in aperture priority if the camera is deciding to keep the lens wide open due to lack of light.

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