Category: Accessories

Benro previews its Cyanbird travel tripod

Benro Cyanbird travel tripod

The DPNow quick summary:

Benro’s latest Cyanbird hybrid carbon fibre and alloy travel tripod only weighs a smidgen above a kilo, goes up to 1.55m in height , and folds down to just 46cm in length and 6cm in width. It also has an Arca-Swiss compatible head. Here’s the press release with more details:

Benro Cyanbird travel tripod
Benro Cyanbird travel tripod

PRESS RELEASE

Welcome to Benro’s newest and most visually stunning compact tripod!

Easy on the eye, easy to carry, engineered to deliver a robust performance.

Wolverhampton 1st August – Benro announces the arrival of the Cyanbird Tripod. Legend has it that a Cyan Bird was strong and dexterous whilst transforming into a stunning auspicious creature – need we say more about this latest tripod design!

Compact, lightweight, sturdy and striking – the Benro Cyanbird is a travel-friendly tripod kit that will be the perfect companion for your photographic adventures and content creation.

The Cyanbird boasts ocean blue anodised castings with satin aluminium lever leg locks, while arch-profile shaped legs wrap around the centre column giving the Cyanbird a folded diameter of just 6cm. The legs are made up of carbon top tubes and aluminium lower leg sections – carbon fibre for the top section because it saves weight and, well, it looks amazing!

There is a weight hook at the bottom of the centre column, while the upper section of the centre column contains three ¼” accessory mounts. The centre column can also be split so that the tripod can be used at a minimum height of just 17cm.

The kit includes the Arca-compatible N00P ball head with a single-action lock knob for fast and easy operation, while the quick-release platform can be panned independently of the main ball lock for precise camera positioning.

Don’t be fooled by the Cyanbird’s looks, it’s a serious tripod that weighs just 1.05kg, will support up to 4kg, and can reach 155cm high while being able to fold down to just 46cm, making it easy to store in your backpack or camera bag. Perfect for the photographer that travels or the traveller who photographs!

The Cyanbird includes a ‘roll-up’ padded carry case, providing easy access to your tripod and any other gear you store inside.

Don’t settle for less than the best. Upgrade to the beautiful Benro Cyanbird Tripod TCBH15N00P tripod kit today!

Key Features 

  • Compact and easy to carry – weighs just 1.05kg and folds down to just 46cm
  • Maximum operating height 155cm, minimum height 17cm
  • Narrow profile when folded – just 6cm diameter
  • Aluminium flip-leg locks are quick to use and strong.
  • Two section splittable centre column
  • Hybrid carbon fibre & aluminium leg construction able to support up to 4kg
  • Single action, Arca-compatible ball head with panning quick-release platform.
  • New ocean blue finish

Stock will be available in UK and Ireland photographic retailers from 1st September 2023.

Please visit https://uk.benroeu.com/ for stockist information and details of the full Benro support range.

Price SRP Inc VAT £235.00

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Smaller Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap system for more compact mirrorless cameras

Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap for mirrorless cameras
Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap for mirrorless cameras
Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap for mirrorless cameras

DPNow quick summary:

Mirrorless cameras, and lenses, can be significantly smaller and lighter than their DSLR counterparts. Many photographers prefer a hand strap arrangement to a neck strap. Peak Design has produced crafted DSLR hand straps with a removable tripod plate for nearly ten years. They have now come up with a mirrorless camera version, the Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap. Here’s Peak Design’s own video on the product, followed by their official press release:

 

New: Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap designed for mirrorless

Press release

2023-07-14 13:42Transcontinenta UK Ltd, introduces, as distributor Peak Design for the UK and Ireland, the new Peak Design Micro Clutch hand strap for mirrorless camera’s.

In 2014, Peak Design reinvented the camera strap with the Slide and Clutch, and used Kickstarter to share them with the world. Both the Peak Design Slide and Clutch offered new and better comfort for DSLR owners. This year, through another Kickstarter campaign, they launched an improved solution for mirrorless camera owners, the Peak Design Micro Clutch.

Peak Design developed the Micro Clutch for two reasons:
“Cameras have mostly got smaller, but hands have mostly stayed the same stupid size. These facts cannot coexist peacefully without some sort of tool to bridge their contradictory nature. That is why we created the Micro Clutch”.

The first of its kind. The Peak Design Micro Clutch is a hand strap designed specifically for small mirrorless camera bodies. The Micro Clutch is perfect for any activity where drop protection and comfort are essential, whether it’s run-and-gun street photography, active outdoor shooting or an extended portrait session in the studio.

A beautifully low-profile, machined aluminium baseplate conceals a hidden attachment tool, making battery access a breeze. Micro Clutch also includes a removable tripod plate for use with Capture, PD tripods and third party Arca-Swiss compatible tripods. A built-in Anchor attachment point allows use with any PD camera strap.

BEAUTIFUL, LOW-PROFILE DESIGN

This first-hand strap is designed specifically for smaller mirrorless cameras, and it perfectly complements the aesthetics of your camera. Unlike traditional DSLR wrist straps that press your palm against the camera body, the Hypalon finger loop accommodates 2–4 fingers for total security. The axial strap attachment allows the strap to conform to the shape of your hand, and the microfibre wicking pad ensures all-day comfort. Micro Clutch offers safety, stability, and comfort in one beautifully designed package.

The unique design of the Peak Design Micro Clutch gives you a delightful combination of superior grip and enhanced comfort without restricting your access to your camera’s front, back and top controls.

Compatible with Mirrorless Cameras

The Peak Design Micro Clutch fits a wide range of mirrorless camera bodies. Choose the L-plate model for mirrorless cameras with a pronounced grip, and the I-plate model for cameras with little or no grip. For DSLR cameras, we recommend using the original Peak Design Clutch hand strap. Check the Camera Compatibility Chart to see which Micro Clutch is the perfect match for your camera.

Unique features
  • Full access to front, back and top camera controls
  • Strap easily adjusts to fit your hand or camera size
  • Magnetically integrated removal tool for quick and easy battery access
  • Low profile anodized aluminium baseplate
  • Included tripod plate for compatibility with Capture, PD tripods and 3rd party ARCA tripods
  • PD Anchor attachment points for compatibility with all PD straps
  • Sustainably built
  • 100% carbon-neutral
  • Made from recycled aluminium
  • Lifetime guarantee
Availability and prices

The Peak Design Micro Clutch is now for sale at the Peak Design retailers in the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The recommended retail price for the Peak Design Micro Clutch L-plate and I-Plate is £65.99 for the UK, and €74.99 for Ireland.

 

Upgraded Ellie L-brackets from 3 Legged Thing

Three Legged Thing ELLIE-S-C-3450 L brackets

Press-release issued by 3 Legged Thing:

Announcing Upgrade to Ellie L-bracket System

* Press Release *

3 Legged Thing Announces Huge Upgrade to Ellie L-Bracket System

New 3 Legged Thing L Bracket verdsions
New 3 Legged Thing L Bracket versions

The British tripod and photo accessory manufacturer builds on the success of its Ellie L-bracket System with three alternative base options for ultimate universal compatibility.

STAGSDEN, ENGLAND – 24th October 2019

Following the success of Ellie, their highly-configurable, universal L-bracket, 3 Legged Thing has announced new versions of the L-bracket which offer improved battery door access on smaller camera bodies, as well as unique compatibility with camera clip systems, including Peak Design® Capture v3.

L-brackets are used to maintain the focal plane and a level horizon when switching from landscape to portrait on a tripod. Ellie was released in March 2019 and immediately became a global success for 3 Legged Thing. Ellie has an unprecedented level of functionality and two-axis adjustability, making it a firm favourite for photographers around the world.

“It was always the plan to expand upon the Ellie System,” explains 3LT Founder & CEO, Danny Lenihan. “The ultimate goal for any universal product is to make it truly universal, so this is a huge step forward. Creating an L-bracket with the ability to lock into Peak Design’s Capture system has been on my mind since we launched our first L-bracket in 2016, so I’m really excited that my little brand has innovated something globally unique.”

Three Legged Thing ELLIE-S-C-3450 L brackets
Three Legged Thing ELLIE-S-C-3450 L brackets

Danny continues: “The moment we launched Ellie there was a resounding call for a version to fit on smaller camera bodies, or those where the camera screw mount is near the battery door. In response we spent some time, primarily with mirrorless cameras, which led to the production of ELLIE SHORT. This new version retains all the functionality of its wider-based predecessor, but with a shorter base plate which better accommodates access to the battery door on some models from Fujifilm, Olympus, and smaller Canon consumer DSLRs.”

Alongside Ellie Short, 3 Legged Thing is also releasing BASE 70, a standalone base plate which can be used as a quick release plate on its own, or for existing Ellie owners, can replace the original base plate.

At the same time, 3 Legged Thing will also release BASE 85 – the original ELLIE base plate – as a standalone product. This provides a wider, stable base for users of larger DSLR and mirrorless cameras, and broadens 3LT’s release plate offering which already includes the Arca Swiss compatible QR4 and QR7.

Both BASE 70 and BASE 85 are made from aerospace grade anodised magnesium alloy. They feature a stainless steel ¼”-20 Stagsden camera screw, and rubberised pads to ensure a secure connection with the camera. They also have a slot at the end for attachment of camera straps.

A number of photographers prefer not to use a strap to carry their camera, instead they use clip systems which attach to belts or bags. The most popular of these is Peak Design’s Capture. It’s been a brand ambition to introduce Capture compatibility to an L-bracket, and as such 3 Legged Thing has now designed compatible universal L-Brackets which can be mounted into a clip system.

These L-brackets, expanded from the original design of Ellie, feature Peak Design geometry on the base that clips into a Capture v3 and can be locked in place. This “shoe” is also Arca Swiss compatible, and being square it has the added attraction of being able to mount in any one of four positions in any Arca-Swiss compatible clamp or head. The vertical aspect has the same design as Ellie, and features a space on one side for cable management. This space can be placed in one of four positions by rotating and/or inverting the upright.

The Capture v3-compatible brackets will be available in two sizes – ELLIE PD with an 85mm / 3.35” long base for standard DSLR and mirrorless cameras, and ELLIE PD SHORT with a 70mm / 2.75” base for smaller camera bodies or those where the screw thread is close to the battery door.

For photographers who wish to use a larger base plate, or current owners of Ellie who want to use the Peak Design Capture system, the new base plates are being made available for purchase separately. BASE 85 PD is the 85 mm length plate with the Capture shoe and BASE 70 PD is the shorter 70mm plate. These also feature a stainless steel ¼”-20 Stagsden camera screw, and rubberised pads to ensure a secure connection with the camera, as well as a slot at the end for strap attachment.

All versions of ELLIE and BASE are now available to pre-order with participating retailers, or at www.3leggedthing.com/ellie

Suggested retail prices are:

ELLIE SHORT – £61.99 / $64.99

ELLIE PD – £72.99 / $79.99

ELLIE PD SHORT £69.99 / $74.99

BASE 70 – £31.99 / $34.99

BASE 85 – £34.99 / $39.99

BASE 70 PD – £39.99 / $44.99

BASE 85 PD – £44.99 / $49.99.

Products are expected to be released in mid November 2019.

For a list of 3 Legged Thing retailers, visit www.3leggedthing.com/where-to-buy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gitzo Mini Traveler tripod

200 Euros price tag for a Gitzo mini tripod?

When we heard that Gitzo, the Italian manufacturer of premium tripods and accessories, was showing a 200 Euro mini tripod at Photokina we just had to see it for ourselves. The Gitzo Mini Traveler Ball Head is, indeed, gorgeous can carry a full frame DSLR and only weighs 265g, but is it worth the price tag? A Gitzo mini tripod would always be special, but how special?

The Gitzo mini tripod is already available for pre-order in the UK via dealers for around £189. It uses the same kind of carbon fibre leg construction as its bigger counterparts in the Gitzo stable. It has a neat patent-pending  mechanism for switching each leg between standard and low positions. There is no thumb-wheel to tighten the tripod screw, unlike its Manfrotto Pixi cousin, but it’s lighter, smaller and stronger.

The aluminium ball head can safely carry an attached load locked in position up tp 3kg in weight, though there is no quick-release option. To unlock the ball head you rotate a collar at the base of the head. It’s available in grey and black.

The engineering, materials and design all look superb as you can see in our pictures. But it costs 200 Euros.

Specifications:

Safety Payload Weight 3 kg
Min Height 12.5 cm
Maximum Height 17.5 cm
Closed Length 22 cm

The remarkable Epson FastFoto FF-680W photo print scanner

Chuck in a bundle of assorted size photo prints and the Epson FastFoto FF-680W scanner does the rest

There is no need to carefully sort and separate different sized prints

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a very clever solution to a familiar old problem. What are the odds that you have a box (boxes?!) or a drawer full of odd-size photos lying about the house? Wouldn’t it be great to scan them so you could share them conveniently via the cloud or social media?

But have you tried scanning dozens or more old prints? It’s a thankless task and it takes ages. A quick demo of Epson’s new and unassuming-looking FastFoto FF-680W scanner at Photokina genuinely wowed onlookers.

Unfussy

The FF-680W’s feeder is remarkably unfussy; you can place a wad of of different size prints up to A4 dimensions into the feeder and they will processed by the scanner without any fuss, one by one, at a rate of about one print per second.

The companion software then automatically crops the prints and even scans the back of each print to detect written or other notes, which are also scanned and saved as images linked to the front image.

You can configure the software to automatically upload the images to Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or DropBox. For a stack of, say, 30 prints, the whole process takes literally no more than a couple of minutes. You really have to see it working to appreciate how clever the Epson FastFoto FF-680W is.

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W looks like a business sheet-feed document scanner but it’s designed specifically for scanning photo prints

Too good to be true?

So is the Epson FastFoto FF-680W too good? in a sense, some will think so once they learn the prospective price, which is around €600. The FF-680W is not aimed at household consumers. Instead, Epson hope you will see them in retail locations for customers to use as a service and for other companies to offer photo print digitising services.

Touching Photokina anecdote

A rather lovely anecdote shared with me by the Epson staffer, Julian Maddock, demonstrating the FF-680W on the Epson booth here at Photokina was that an elderly gentleman produced a Photokina pass and ID from way back in 1954, In fact the person first started attending Photokina in 1950. Of course, the precious souvenir from 1954 was duly scanned by a FF-680W for posterity.

You can even scan items as tiny as stamps using a supplied carrier sleeve.

The Epson FastFoo FF-680W in America and will start shipping it in Europe at the end of the year.

You can find more information on Epson’s website.

 

 

 

ARRI Edition AV PRO AR 256 CFast 2.0 Memory Card

Press release issued by Angelbird:

ARRI and Angelbird introduce CFast™ 2.0 Memory Card

Lustenau, September 28, 2018 – ARRI is introducing the ARRI Edition AV PRO AR 256 CFast 2.0 card by Angelbird. The card has been designed and certified for use in the ALEXA Mini and AMIRA camera systems* and can be used for ProRes and MXF/ARRIRAW recording.

ARRI has worked closely with Angelbird Technologies GmbH, a hi-tech company based in Vorarlberg, Austria. Angelbird is no stranger to film production, and some of their gear can be found at ARRI Rental European locations. The company’s young yet experienced team has a passion for quality and great attention to detail.

“Many of the CFast cards we tested delivered good results, but it usually takes the manufacturers a few attempts to stabilize their performance for high data-rate write patterns,” says Oliver Temmler, Product Manager for Storage Media at the ARRI headquarters in Munich, Germany. “Angelbird really stood out—they listened to us closely and quickly determined which parameters they had to tweak.”

For the ARRI Edition CFast card, the Angelbird team did not want to settle for “good enough” but went straight for “the very best.” They developed an ARRI-specific card that uses a combination of thermally conductive material and so-called underfill, to provide superior heat dissipation from the chips, and to secure the electronic components against mechanical damage.

The result is a rock-solid 256 GB CFast 2.0 card, with super-stable recording performance all the way across the storage space, making it the perfect addition to an ALEXA Mini or AMIRA camera setup.

The ARRI Edition AV PRO AR 256 memory card by Angelbird is available exclusively from ARRI and other sales channels offering ARRI products.

*Support for new CFast 2.0 cards is currently not planned for ALEXA XT, SXT(W), and LF cameras.

Angelbird

New ProGrade Memory Cards and Card Readers

Press release issued by ProGrade Digital:

ProGrade Digital Announces New Line Of Professional Grade microSDXC™ UHS-II, V60 Memory Cards, Plus Two Additional USB 3.1, Gen. 2 Dual-Slot Workflow Readers

microSDXC™ UHS-II, U3, Class 10, V60 Memory Cards Support Maximum Read Speed of up to 200MB/s and Maximum Write Speed of up to 80MB/s

Company Expands USB 3.1, Gen. 2 Card Reader Line to Add  microSD™ Dual-Slot Card Reader, Plus CompactFlash™ & SD™ Dual-Slot Card Reader

COLOGNE, Germany, Photokina, Sept. 25, 2018, 7:00 am PDT – ProGrade Digital, founded with a mission to provide the highest quality professional grade memory cards and workflow solutions, has expanded its product range with the introduction of professional grade microSDXC™ memory cards, plus two additional USB 3.1, Gen. 2 dual-slot workflow readers. The new ProGrade Digital microSDXC UHS-II, U3, Class 10, V60 card delivers a maximum read speed of up to 200MB/s and maximum write speed of up to 80MB/s. Video Speed Class V60 tested and certified, the card’s sustained write speed will not dip below 60MB/s, which ensures that dropped frames do not occur during video recording. Building upon the company’s line of latest generation USB workflow products is the addition of a microSD™ Dual-Slot Card Reader, plus CompactFlash™ & SD™ Dual-Slot Card Reader. Both readers support USB 3.1, Gen 2 protocols and offer data transfer rates of up to 10Gb/s (1.25GB/s).

ProGrade Digital microSDXC UHS-II, V60 memory cards in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB capacities, priced $49.99, $74.99, $114.99 respectively, will be available in Q4 on www.progradedigital.com. These cards will be available on partner sites, such as Amazon.com and B&H Photo and Video, in Q4. The CompactFlash & SD Dual-Slot Card Reader (PG06), $79.99, and microSD Dual-Slot Card Reader (PG07), $79.99, will be available on www.progradedigital.com plus Amazon and B&H Photo and Video websites in Q4. ProGrade Digital products are now shipping to 27 European countries via Amazon and Amazon Prime.

“ProGrade Digital is pleased to announce the expansion of our professional line to include a range of V60, UHS II microSDXC cards. With this announcement, ProGrade Digital becomes one of the only companies to offer a microSDXC with a certified video speed class rating of V60–which is critical for uninterrupted video capture by many professional and mirrorless cameras from companies such as Sony™, Canon™, and Panasonic™,” said Wes Brewer, founder and CEO of ProGrade Digital. “As more and more professionals add drones plus smaller action and point-of-view cams to their workflows to produce broadcast, sport, travel and documentary footage, the need for high performance, high-quality microSD cards is increasing. The ProGrade Digital microSDXC memory cards bring extra versatility, when paired with the included SD UHS-II adapter, by also allowing professionals to record footage created by DSLR and mirrorless cameras with full-size SD card slots.”

The company also introduced two workflow readers. Mark Lewis, VP of Marketing for ProGrade Digital, said, “Our new dual-slot readers support the USB 3.1, Gen. 2 protocol. This protocol renders a data transfer rate of up to 10Gb/s. At that speed, envision the time to be saved when transferring files, especially from today’s data-intensive cameras. Insert a memory card into each slot and get a concurrent maximum speed of transfer.”

ProGrade Digital microSDXC UHS-II, U3, Class 10, V60 delivers:

  • Performance speed certified to perform at a maximum read rate of up to 200MB/s; maximum write speed of up to 80MB/s
  • V60 (Video Speed Class) tested and certified to perform at a minimum sustained write speed of 60MB/s
  • Optimized for 4K, UHD, Full HD and most high bit rate MPEG-4 CODECs
  • Rigorous full card testing, plus component-level testing down to individual memory chips
  • Laser-etched serial number to track key components and manufacturing data in order to provide highest quality control
  • Professional-level capacities 32GB, 64GB; 128GB in Q4
  • Packaging: single and multi-pack in jewel case; includes full-size SD UHS-II adapter
  • 3-year warranty
Card Format Speed Capacities Pricing
microSDXC UHS-II, U3, Class 10, V60 200MB/s read speed80MB/s write speed 32GB, 64GB, 128GB $49.99, $74.99, $114.99 USD

Dual-Slot CompactFlash & SD Workflow Reader, Dual-Slot microSD Workflow Reader Key Features:

  • USB 3.1, Gen. 2 interface provides transfer speed of up to 10Gb/s (25GB/s)
  • Supports concurrent maximum speed data transfer from cards in both slots
  • LED indicator for data transfer activity
  • Includes two 18” connection cables: one Type A to Type C and one Type C to Type C
  • Magnetized bottom connects reader to laptop (using included metal mounting plate)
  • Portable and compact
  • Compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 or later; Windows 10
  • Backwards compatible with USB 3.0 devices
  • Dual-Slot CompactFlash & SD Workflow Reader dimensions: 70.8 mm x 70.8 mm x 18 mm
  • Dual-Slot microSD Workflow Reader dimensions: 70.8 mm x 70.8 mm x 18 mm
  • 2-year warranty
Reader Supported Media Interface Speed Pricing
Dual-Slot CompactFlash & SD Workflow Reader (PG06) CompactFlash & SD cards USB 3.1 Gen. 2 Up to 10Gb/s (1.25GB/s) $79.99 USD
Dual-Slot microSD Workflow Reader (PG07) Two microSD cards USB 3.1 Gen. 2 Up to 10Gb/s (1.25GB/s) $79.99 USD

About ProGrade Digital, Inc.

ProGrade Digital focuses exclusively on the design and marketing of digital memory cards, card readers and workflow software required by imaging professionals. Flagship products include ProGrade Digital CFast 2.0 and ProGrade Digital SDXC UHS-II memory cards offered in a range of capacities and optimized to render maximum performance when paired with high-end DSLR, mirrorless, camcorder, drone  and digital cinema cameras from Canon™, Nikon™, Panasonic™, Sony®, Blackmagic™, GoPro™, DJI and more. ProGrade Digital memory cards and workflow solutions are available for purchase by global customers on www.progradedigital.com and the B&H Photo and Video website. Customers in North America and 27 European countries may also shop on the Amazon website. ProGrade Digital memory cards expand the creative visions of cinema and photography professionals around the world.