Category: Reviews

In this review I’m looking at the Kingston ultimate 600X, it’s a compact flash memory card that promises to really pack a punch when it comes to speed and capacity. Lets see how well if fares in the real world.

Verdict: The Kingston ultimate 600x performed very well in terms of its speeds. In real world use it’s proved itself to be very dependable. Just make sure you have a compatible camera and card reader.

Overall Rating Design & Features Performance Price + Plus Points     + High Capacity     + Excellent value     + Very fast Speeds – Minus Points     – USB 3 reader required for max speed     – May not be suitable for older cameras     – 32GB maximum size available Price (at time of review) 32GB around £60.00 $80.00 from Adorama

Suppliers Website: www.kingston.com

The Kingston ultimate 600x is not the newest card on the block nor is it the fastest but it’s certainly one of the best value cards around. It uses UDMA technology which is short for Ultra Direct Memory Access and that means it’s quick. All UDMA cards can achieve a write speed of at least 45MB per second but with the ultimate 600x Kingston is claiming a read and write speed of a whopping 90 MB/s. Add to that the inclusion of a lifetime limited warranty and access to Kingston’s mediaRECOVER software via a download (activation key is in the box) and this card is shaping up very well indeed.

Capacity
The Ultimate 600x comes in two sizes, 16GB and 32GB. Which you prefer will depend on the pixel count of your camera, if you shoot in RAW or JPG format and your personal feeling about whether having more photos on less cards is safer then having less photos on lots of cards.

Using my Canon 5D Mark II photos as a guide a 32 GB card stores around 1050 RAW files or 4900 JPG’s.

Speed Tests
If you need to shoot lots of photos very quickly without camera buffering then this card is aimed squarely at you. That said fast cards are not just for the sports shooters amongst us, we all have to download images on to our computers and when we do a fast card will reward you handsomely.

If technical charts are your things then the ATTO test will give you a fair idea of the speeds the card can reach. A quick glance at the chart will show you that the write speeds were very consistent at around 76 MB/sec and read speeds were slightly better at 88 MB/sec

The read speed is where the the biggest time saving comes when transferring files from the card to your computer so faster is definitely better here.

The write speed is a little disappointing as it misses the advertised speed of 90 MB/sec, however the read speed is bang on. It’s worth noting that there will be  slight variation in speeds results from one computer to another and I’m sure a top line computer in lab conditions would meet the claimed speeds with ease.

To test the card in the real world I copied 4GB of data from my SSD equipped PC to and from the card and found the writing 4GB of data to 70.5 seconds whilst reading it took 53.5 seconds.

Performance
I’ve used this card for a few weeks now in a number of photo situations including damp, cold landscape sessions and fast paced studio portrait shoots. Always shooting in RAW I can happily report that the card had no problems dealing with the conditions. There was no buffering, no missing files and no corrupted images.

Potential issues
Just when you thought that everything was going well there’s a snag… well actually there’s two but neither are specific to the Kingston Memory card on test here but you should be aware of them none the less.

First there’s the read speed. In order to transfer the photos at their maximum speed you need a card reader that can handle UDMA compact flash cards and it will have to be USB 3. If not then the read speed will drop considerably and the speed advantage you thought you would be getting becomes lost.

The second issue could be a deal breaker. UDMA technology comes in a couple of different flavours and not all cameras support all UDMA cards types. My Canon 5D Mark II had no issues with the Kingston card but it’s well worth checking with your camera manufacturer to see if your camera is compatible with this memory card. I’ve checked with Kingston who also assure me that the card is now fully compatible with Nikon cameras too.

Conclusion
The Kingston Ultimate 600x is a seriously fast memory card at a price that’s almost half that of some of it’s competitors. That alone makes this a great deal but do check you have the correct equipment to handle all that speed.

There’s no shortage of choice when it comes to memory cards but getting the wrong one could result in slower performance for your camera and more time sat in front of the computer. The Kingston Ultimate 600X isn’t the fastest or newest card around right now but that means you’ll find some brilliant deals out there. I say grab one while you still can.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Photoshop Elements. It’s 90% cheaper then Photoshop, its bigger brother, and yet it still does 90% of everything I need Photoshop to do.

Traditionally Elements is updated every 12 months and in the past it’s fair to say some of those updates have been rather meagre… but not this one. From the moment you start Elements 11 it’s obvious things have really changed this time.

The first thing you’ll notice is the new light grey interface but look a little closer and you’ll notice a raft of other changes both big and small.

The default editing setting is now “Quick” rather then “Expert” (formally known as Full), the options bar has moved from the top to the bottom and many of your favourite features aren’t where you left them. These may be superficial changes but they all add up to make Elements 11 feel very different to Elements 10.

So what’s new?
Well, there are lots of new features in Organiser but the good news for me is that it remains totally optional and that’s the best thing I can say about it.

Moving into the photo editing section of Elements the star of the show in my book is the new Refine Edge feature which is shamelessly lifted lock, stock and barrel from Photoshop CS5. If you’ve never experienced Refine Edge before then you’re in for a treat. As of now making complex selections of things like hair in Elements is as easy as using a paint brush.

Elements has had a slimmed down version of Adobe Camera RAW for some time but sadly it’s never had the advanced tools of Lightroom and Photoshop like the brilliant Adjustment Brush. There’s no change on that score but Elements 11 does get the update to Adobe Camera RAW 7.1 which has all the latest and greatest adjustments like the wonderfully enhanced Clarity slider… have I ever told you that I love a bit of Clarity?

It would have been great to get some form of local adjustments in RAW but maybe that’s asking too much. On the plus side the noise reduction options in Adobe Camera RAW have been brought up to spec with the same options as Photoshop and Lightroom.

Guiding lite
The biggest number of changes in the editor can be found in the guided section. New step by step effects include creating the “perfect portrait”, adding vignettes around photos and creating a reflection below a photo.

As with all the guided techniques these are not new tools but they’re designed to remove the skills barrier required to achieve the effect and to that end they’re very successful.

My favourite new guided effect has to be Tilt-Shift. The whole effect can be created in just two clicks and on the right photo, it’s very convincing.

Other new guided edits include Hi-Key and Low-Key effects and worthy of a mention is the new Actions panel which makes loading and playing (still no recording) actions a whole lot easier.

Not in Photoshop
Yes you read that right. Elements 11 gives you not one but three new filters that you won’t find in Photoshop. If you don’t like filter effects you may say that’s a good thing but I know from experience that filter effects are always popular with a large number of Elements and Photoshop users alike.

The three filters are all found under the Sketch section, which gives you an idea where these are heading. They are Comic, Graphic Novel, and Pen & Ink filters and although they are all different the effects are all variations of a similar style and are a welcome addition

Conclusion
From the moment you launch Photoshop Elements 11 it’s clear Adobe have worked hard to make this version appeal to it’s target market of amateur and serious amateur photographers. Anyone moving up from a previous Elements will find the changes take a little time to get used to but before too long you’ll feel right at home.

The new and improved features of Elements 11 are all very welcome and whilst it would have been nice to find a few more of Photoshops newer tricks filtering through to Elements it’s really not missing that much.

You can try it yourself right now for free by downloading the 30 day trial http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop-elements.html

When it comes to editing my photos, I love anything that can speed up the process whilst at the same time maintain the quality I’m looking for. That’s why I love creating actions in Photoshop. In Lightroom the processes of automation is called a preset and once you’ve discovered the power of presets there’s no going back because they’re a huge timesaver.

But that’s only half the story, because not only can Lightroom presets reduce your editing time, they can also give you access to new techniques, styles and effects that you might otherwise never have tried. It’s as easy as clicking a button.

Recently I tried some new Lightroom presets from Skyline Media. These are commercial presets but at prices that really won’t break the bank. In fact my favourite preset pack (The Classic Preset pack) is just £7.99 and has over 45 different effects to choose from.

Installing
Installing Lightroom Presets can be a bit challenging, even for those of us who are fairly clued up on computers. Thankfully Skyline Media included an idiot’s guide to installing Lightroom presets along with the download. By following the instructions I had my new presets working just minutes after downloading.

Using the presets is super simple. Just head over to the develop module, open up the preset list and click on the effect of your choice. With most preset packs I’ve tried, clicking from one preset to the next is the best way to discover what they do. The Skyline presets are no different in that respect and although the differences between the presets is sometimes fairly small, it does mean that you can be very selective about the strength of the effect.

Of course the results will vary from picture to picture but I quickly found some of the effects suited my style of photos better than others. For example, I like stronger effects which may explain why I was drawn so strongly to the Classic Preset pack. Names like 80’s pop, B+W Superpunch and Clockwork Orange should give you a good idea of what to expect.

Skyline Signature
These two preset packs are from John G Moore and Colin Prior, two of the UK’s top photographers in the field of portraits and landscape. Both preset packs had a very comprehensive collection of effects. Colin’s seem to focus more on film and camera types where John’s offered a wider range of looks.

I’m no landscape photographer but using the Skyline signature presets made a big improvement to my images and set me on the right road to getting the look I was after. The only problem is, I’ll now have revisit some of my older photos, just so I can run the presets on them. Who knows how many great photos I may have missed.

Conclusion
You might look at the results from any Lightroom preset and think ”… but I could do that myself” which is possibly true but it’s also missing the point. Presets give you ideas, inspiration and the freedom to experiment in ways which you almost certainly would not normally do. With an almost never ending range of preset effects and local adjustment presets there’s something for everyone in the Skyline presets packs.

Not all the preset packs are the same and some I found better (for me) then others, so I recommend looking closely to choose the pack (or packs) that best fit your photography. However… When you add into the mix their sensible real world pricing, the Skyline presets represent unbeatable value for money.

For more example visit the Skyline media website

If I asked you to come up with a list of the top 100 gadgets you would buy for a photographic studio, I’m pretty sure the studio clamps would fall somewhere towards the end. Let’s face it clamps are clamps right? All they do is hold things in place, job done.

Well yes that’s true, but that’s not the end of the story. In fact if I had to make a list of the most essential gear you’ll need in a studio, I’d put clamps somewhere towards the top just after lights, backgrounds, and light modifiers. Come to think of it, that might explain why I have so many of them.

So here’s the three types of clamps I use…

DIY store clamps
You can pick these things up almost anywhere. I’ve found them on market stalls, in the local pound shop and even at the supermarket. From my experience, the cheaper they are the quicker those little orange jaws will break off. That said I have dozens of these things kicking around the studio and they’re great. I have giant ones for attaching backgrounds to large poles, medium sized ones for clamping reflectors to light stands and tiny ones for… actually I don’t use the really tiny ones.

Pros: Cheap to buy and readily available
Cons: Don’t expect the cheapo ones to last too long

Gorilla Studio Clamps
These things are a big step up from the DIY store clamps. First up they’re made of metal, not plastic, so should stand up to years of use and abuse. The clamp action is seriously strong, so watch your fingers when snapping them closed. Each side of the clamp is lined with a rubber, which helps reduce the risk of marking delicate surfaces. These rubber strips can be removed and frustratingly, they do have a habit of falling off at the wrong moment. As the name suggests the gorilla clamps are super strong and I’ll use a couple of them to attach heavy material to a background support pole or as quick way of clamping and object to one of the many supports I have in the ceiling.

I got mine from my good friends at Smick LINK

Pros: Very strong and built to last, with a price that won’t break the bank
Cons: One day those rubber grips will fall off and get lost

Multi Clip

It’s a clip not a clamp, so don’t expect this to hold anything too heavy. Even so this has to be the favourite clamp I own. It’s basically a couple of two inch bulldog clips joined together but it’s secret weapon is its ability to move each clip independently. This thing is great for making an impromptu barn door. Simply clip a piece of black card to one end and attach the other to a light stand. I’ll use these clips all the time to stop something wobbling, falling down or blowing away. At around £7 they’re not cheap but they’re so useful, every studio should have one. As before, mine came from Smick LINK

Pros: Small but ever so useful, this little gadget will be used time and time again
Cons: It’s not going to hold anything heavy for too long and the price is fairly high.

Back in September 2011 I reviewed the Flora Light Bank from Linco and found them to be excellent for video work and not so bad for photography too. Now the people at Linco have come up with a new wireless version. So lets find out if the addition of a remote control is a revolution or just a gimmick.

The most obvious change from the old Flora to the new is snappy new colour scheme. White and green have been replaced by black and red, which looks very smart indeed. The colour may have changed but the design has not. The Flora was and still is a well designed and well built piece of equipment. The main body is made from flame proof heavy duty plastic and the lamp holders are ceramic.

In fact the only significant improvement that I could find was the addition of a foam handle that doesn’t fall off, a marked improvement from the original

So if you’re in the market for a Flora Light then the question must be do I need the wireless feature?

You get two remote controls with each light bank. Each remote has the same two buttons and each button switches three of the six bulbs on or off. They work even if the main switch on the back of the Flora is turned off.

Personally I would have liked to have seen the ability to switch on the bulbs one at a time, via the remote. This would give a lot more control over the lighting for us photographers and I dare say for videographers as well.

Perhaps the biggest issue you might have with the remotes is that they’re tied to the light bank they came with. The idea being that you can separately control multiple light banks. However if you lose or break the remotes then you’re stuck. Also if you have multiple lights you’ll need to carry around multiple remotes which all look the same, but only operate one light bank.

So which would I recommend, wireless or original? For me in my little studio with just one or two lights the original light bank is best suited. However if you have a video setup with the lights in less accessible heights, then I can see the sense in going wireless.

Flora Light Banks are available from www.lincostores.com Linco ship to US addresses only.

When it comes to getting very accurate colours in your photos, you’ll need to start with a known colour reference. That’s where a grey card comes into it’s own.

I’ve used several grey cards in recent years, but the WhiBal from Michael Tapes Design USA is my current favourite. The WhiBal cards come in several sizes ranging from Studio sized 8”x10” sheets, right down to the dinky keyring sized Whibal Card. They’re all made from plastic which means they’re waterproof and fairly durable, although I suspect the keychain version would get scuffed up quite quickly.

It’s worth noting that these are the sort of grey cards that are used for getting perfect colour balance rather then the kind of grey cards that are used for getting perfect exposure. As such the WhiBal cards are all light grey in colour, although to be technically accurate they have no colour at all, as they are certified colour neutral.

Colour Accuracy
So how does the WhiBal perform?  Like all good tools these things make a mundane, everyday task, simple and predictable. In this case it’s job is  to get the colours accurate and to that end it’s faultless.

You might not be able to see much difference in the photo opposite (click it to enlarge) but trust me, when it comes to something like skin tones, the difference between getting the colours almost right and getting the colours spot on is vast.

Added bonus
All the WhiBal cards have a couple of nice touches… a ruler scale along the edge, Black and white patches and a star burst shaped target. Now personally I don’t find most of these that useful, but I’m sure others will. However the star burst target is a great way to check and remove lens chromatic aberrations.

In the next blog post I’ll show you exactly how I’ve integrated the WhiBal into my studio workflow.

Prices & availability
At $20 for my favourite “credit card” sized WhiBal card, these things aren’t disposable but unless you loose it, I’m sure it will last for a very long time. Sadly the WhiBal cards are a US import only, although mine arrived within a week and without any problems with customs charges. Details and prices can be found on the Michael Tapes Design website.