The User's Review: Canon EOS Digital Rebel SRL Camera

The EOS Digital Rebel is the 300D for US market. This camera has two features among the EOS digital cameras.

1. It is the first body to take both EF and EF-S lenses.

2. It has two displays on the back, showing the camera settings on the upper one and the image on the     lower one (Rebel XT also has the similar displays on back).

The EOS Digital Rebel is not small, but is much light weighted than the semi-professional EOS 10D. Since these DSLR were produced while Canon still manufactured EOS film cameras, these DSLR and film EOS cameras share some accessories including EX flashes and RC-1 remote control.

The User's Review: Canon Speedlite 380EX Flash with E-TTL for both Film EOS and Digital EOS cameras

This flash was released with Canon EOS AF film cameras, but it's fully compatible with Canon digital EOS bodies.

The flash was made in Korea (the South one). Power by 4 AA batteries, the flash has the features of AF zooming between 24-105mm, normal/hi output, E-TTL and various angles of head up and down (but not right and left).

There are two kinds of Canon cases for this flash. The Korea-made one has a internal pocket with a flash stand, while the Japan-made one is lack of such pocket.

The User's Review: Diamond SLR-1500 Camera Carrying Case, Made at 50 Washington Avenue, Milltown, New Jersey, USA

I guess, this 'leather' camera case was produced in 1950s or 1960s. It's well made, still strong to held a camera and lenses today.

The User's Review: Tamron Adaptall-2 Lens Adapter with/for Pentax KA mount

As one of the most successful one-lens-fits-all, the Tamron Adaptall-2 system was produced from 1979-1989. For many adapters in this system, it's straightforward to use. However, Tamron does have some special notes on how to install the adapters for Penax KA, Ricoh P, Konica AR, Leica R4/R4S/R4SII. Therefore, a manual in the following image is very helpful.



Over the years, the price of these used adapters, for most camera mounts except Pentax KA and certain rare mounts, is falling . In today's digital era, the aperture size can be set via Pentax DSLR if a KA adapter is used.  

The User's Review: Pentax AF160SA Flash with 2 Modes

Powered by 2 AA batteries, this little flash has Program and Manual modes. However, the batteries should be installed when the flash is off a camera, because the bottom-located cover of the battery chamber.

The User's Review: 'Camera Trials' and 'The Nature Camera' in The Nature Magazine

I got a chance to go through some old issues of Nature this morning. The magazine started a column entitled 'Camera Trials' by Edna H. and William J. Evans in Vol. 39 (4): 216, published in April, 1946. They talked about cameras, photographic devices and tips, camera fans, and people. Later, in Vol. 48 (6): 328 (June-July, 1955), the column was renamed as 'The Nature Camera'.

The User's Review: Vivitar Auto Telephoto Close Focusing 135mm 2.8 Lens

This lens is long in both size and name. Its name is long and correct. Due to its image scale up to 1:2 in a 35mm camera, Vivitar uses the right term 'close focusing' rather than 'macro' (macro should mean, at least, up to 1:1, I believe).

This lens is built solid, with metal barrel and rings. If you have one with any kinds of mounts, the lens is easy to be used on a mirror-less digital camera via a proper mount adapter.

The User's Review: Extra 35mm 1.8 Spy Camera during WW II

Scanned image from 'World War II' by S. Callery

First of all, I should say that I am NOT a user of this camera, not even have a chance to see or touch the real camera. My 8-year old son, Drew, read a picture book 'World War II' by Sean Callery and showed the picture of this camera on Page 87.

In the book, this camera is called 'Sure shot' (sure, not any one of Canon's Sure shot). 'This tiny camera, about 9 cm across, was seized from a spy after the war. Light, small, and easy to conceal, it could take pictures of documents at close range.'

I have not found any extra info on this tiny, special, spy tool on Google yet. Please let me know if you know anything about it. Thanks.

The User's Review: Elicar V-HQ Macro MC 90 mm f/2.5 Macro Lens

I believe, this lens is one of the best macro lenses for manual focus, because of its 1:1 magnification scale, f2.5 maximum aperture, and smaller size. My copy has a KA mount, meaning that I can set aperture size on Pentax DSLR camers when using the A gear on the aperture ring on this lens (it has the A position, but no A-lock commonly seen on Pentax KA lenses).

The User's Review: Two 55mm F2.8 1:1 Macro Lenses,Branded By Panagor and Vivitar

Probably manufactured in the same factory in Japan, these two lenses are almost identical, except the engraved marks on the surfaces of the lenses.

The Panagor has the magnification scale on the rear side of focus ring, while the Vivitar put the scale on its barrel. On the Panagor, it marks PMC (Panagor's Multi-Coated?). The coating colors, green on front element and yellow on rear glass, are lighter on the Panagor. I am not sure, this is because of the PMC or different aging processes between the two lenses.

The Panagor lens shown here has a MD mount while the Vivitar lens owns a M/SR mount and a screw on its aperture ring (in the last image below). A small metal 'leg' might be mounted at the screw site to convert the Vivitar into a MD mount.

The User's Review: Two 500mm F8 Mirror Lenses,Branded By Kalimar and Vivitar

Both are made in Korea (South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea) , are of MC/multi-coated, have 72 mm-front-filter and 30.5 mm-rear-filter threads, and are mounted on a T-mount adapter that is available for various camera mounts.

The obvious differences between the two are: the surface textures of rubber coats on focus rings, and marks on the lens bodies.

I believe, that they are produced by the same manufacture and their parts are exchangeable.