Review: iPad 2

Thought I would review my very lovely, slim and stunning iPad 2.

Review: iPad 2

This lovely device was purchased so that I could have a portfolio because I didn't want to keep printing off photos/books as I took photos.  So here is my full review of my iPad since I already did an initial one after I got it.

Thoughts and Opinions:

The iPad is quite the piece of technology.  I expected no less from apple but boy oh boy is it something.  So I will be focusing on it as a tool for photography and it is amazing.  I know I am maybe not using it to its fullest potential but I just needed it for photography.  As I mentioned in my initial review, I was planning on getting some apps which I did end up doing.  I got a portfolio app which I have reviewed already (Portfolio for iPad, Link) and I have also gotten a contract app which I also reviewed (Photographers Contract Maker, Link). From my initial review I said it was user friendly which has not changed.  I love how easy it is to use and that goes the same for my clients as well.  My clients use it to sign contracts or flip through my portfolio and have had no issues with it which is great.  Really makes for a interactive and sometime fun experience for my clients as they use the iPad.

I also mentioned the oil smudges on the screen in my initial review but that is, as I said, one of the things that happens when you have a touch screen.  I personally don't mind it since you can't see it when the screen is bright and you are looking at it dead on.  You can notice if the screen is dim or from the side.  

Image quality is great on the iPad.  I love the ease of flipping through the photos, zooming in on them.  The ability to get an app for a portfolio that allows you to have even more control over how you present your photos is great.  I wrote the review for the portfolio app I have(Link).  The contract app I have is also very good.  The freedom of having no paper, and e-mailing contracts instantly to my client after it is signed is amazing.  The abilities of the iPad itself is amazing plus the additional apps you can get for it, is quite remarkable.  

I also got an eye-fi card which I will review soon.  The ability to upload photos wirelessly to your iPad to view the photos is very cool.  It is a little slow but still very useful since it is nice to see the photos on the iPad screen instead of the camera screen (In my case 3 inches on the D90).

The size is great since it isn't too big it is awkward but big enough to present my photos well.  The one thing about the iPad that threw me off a little was the weight of it.  It is a little heavier than expected however I am used to it now.  But it is lighting than a usual portfolio book.  

The ability of apple products to work together is quite amazing and the iPad has a couple of amazing tricks up its sleeve.  If you have an apple TV then you can mirror your iPad on your TV as well as play music and share photos onto your TV.  This is a great way to share your photos at home or anywhere with an apple TV.  Also on a side note, watching TED talks that are shared from your iPad to your TV is quite a fun thing to do.  

Usage:

I have used it to present my portfolio, sign contracts, and media things like Facebook/e-mail/Twitter etc.  Also I have tested out all the other functions of the iPad like FaceTime etc however I won't cover that here since I like to keep this photography related.

It has been an amazing tool for photography with the portfolio and contract ability alone.

Pros:

- Compact

- Great Design

- Great Display

- Ease of Use

- Battery Life

- Large Amount of Functionality 

- Versatile

Cons:

- Oil Smudge (But again, it's a touch screen)

- Cost

Conclusions:

It is quite the device and I love mine.  I highly recommend the iPad for a portfolio and using it for contracts.  I have used the eye-fi card a little however not a lot but what I have done with it has been very cool.  I am sure there are many other functions I could take advantage of however I want to keep my iPad photography related so it stays professional.  I don't want to worry about other application interfering with my photography.  

So all and all, a very very useful device.  I highly recommend it as a portfolio or a device to sign contracts with electronically.  If you do decide to use it for everything it is able to do, then I am sure you would get a better experience with it.  I just don't want to have a scrabble notification popping through my portfolio or contract app.  

Review: Beauty Dish

Sorry for the small delay on my review of my beauty dish however I wanted to use it enough to make sure I could give a good review.  

Review: Cameron Mini-Max Beauty Dish (Set)

Recently I purchased a beauty dish because I wanted to create different lighting that had more character.  Before the beauty dish I was using two umbrellas with my SB-600 and SB-900.  Most of my portraits had no shadows and were perfectly lit however I wanted more attitude sometimes which two umbrellas couldn't deliver.  So I decided to get a beauty dish.

Thoughts and Opinions:

It was one of the hardest things to assemble since the instructions did not make sense.  Once I decided to ignore the instructions it was easier to built.  However I had never seen how a beauty dish was setup so part of the could have been my lack of knowledge.  Anywho, it is a 20 inch beauty dish and it came with the brackets and a diffuser as well as a honeycomb grid.  The size is great for my SB-900 and the beauty dish and its pieces are well made.  I am not worried about it being cheap and breaking easily.

So far it is a very great light modifier to have.  I do love the light it makes, especially with the grid.  If I need to go back to my shadowless lighting then I can usually achieve it from just using the bare beauty dish or with the diffuser.  

I think it is a great beauty dish to use with a speedlight and is a good size for what I use it for.  I have no complaints with it so far and it is doing everything I need it to.

Usage:

I have used it in five shoots now and I really like the results.  It does add a lot more character than an umbrella which is great.  I am very impressed with the lighting and I find that I am learning to use it even better with each shoot.  

Pros:

- Good Size

- Great Lighting

- Versatile (grid + diffuser)

- Well Built

Cons:

- Springs holding the dish in the centre might lose their spring over time (however there is a spare set)

Sample Images:

Portrait - 50mm f/1.4 D

Portrait - 35mm f/1.8 G

Portrait - 105mm VR Macro 

Conclusions: 

Overall very impressed with this light modifier and I am very impressed with what I have gotten from it.  Well built, lightweight and produces great light.  I hardly have any faults with it and I really like the effect it is having on my portraits.  There isn't much to say about it other than it is a great addition to my lighting setup.

Additional Info (Added October 2012):

Here is the link for my video review of my beauty dish: http://youtu.be/ZUU4LCUCuZM

Hope that helps!

Photos: [M.H]

Hey,

Posted up the finals from my shoot last week.  I loved the final product and I hope you do too!  Without further adieu:

Portrait - 35mm

Portrait - 50mm

You can see other photos on my Flickr 

Photos: [M.H] Sneak Peek

Hey,

Just did a shoot last week that was a lot of fun.  First time in a while I had to actually elevate myself on stools and other things so I wasn't shooting up at the model.  All and all a very great shoot with the quite tall and lovely model.

Here is a sneak peek so stay posted for the rest!

Portrait - 50mm f/1.4 D

Portrait - 50mm f/1.4 D

I hope you enjoyed the photos!