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Protect your expensive camera gear with the Ruggard Electronic Dry Cabinet

Living in New York City has been a real education on humidity, and its effect on various things in my apartment. The moisture caused by the humidity has not only ruined several electronic components of mine, but also many fabric items. As I learned more about my cameras and lenses, I began to understand the effect that the moisture from humidity can have on such sensitive electronic equipment. In addition, I read an article on the cost of fixing lenses and cameras when the moisture takes its toll on their mechanisms. I decided to invest in a Dry cabinet to protect my camera equipment and obviously my investment in them.

After much research, and because of my space limitations, I chose the Ruggard Electronic Dry Cabinet in the 30L size. I felt that while it is somewhat small, it would at least help me to protect the equipment that was not in my Pelican air-sealed cases. This dry cabinet is an electronically controlled humidifier and also protects the equipment from dust and other bad elements. It offers very nice features including a locking see-through door that seals when closed, interior lighting, adjustable shelves, and a multi-voltage power supply. Much to my surprise and satisfaction, the seemingly small cabinet is quite roomy inside. I have been able to store a large professional Canon DSLR with the extended battery holder attached, and 12 lenses ranging in size from the large Sigma 70-200mm lens all the way through the range to the small Canon 40mm pancake lens. None of the lens are stacked, and each occupies its own footprint. I also love the digital display that continuously shows the temperature and humidity, and I can set the desired humidity level from the control buttons next to the display.

I would recommend this dry cabinet to anyone looking to protect their sensitive equipment from the perils caused by humidity and other bad environmental elements, and since it is available in 7 sizes, the 30L being the smallest, there is a size to accommodate most camera equipment needs.

If you are interested in the Ruggard Electronic Dry Cabinet, you can head over to B&H Photo Video or Amazon to purchase one at the starting price of $149.

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Protect your expensive camera gear with the Ruggard Electronic Dry Cabinet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 10, 2018 at 8:01 am.

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The Post-it Extreme Notes are the Fisher Space Pen of sticky notes

Let’s see a show of hands, how many of you use Post-it Notes on a regular basis? Me too. I always have a ubiquitous pad of the yellow 3 x 3 inch notes somewhere on my desk so I can quickly jot down a note, phone number, to do, etc. The best thing about Post-it Notes is that they are small and they stick to things without leaving a messy residue behind. But a bad thing about these sticky notes is that you can’t really use them outdoors because regular paper doesn’t react well with wet environments.

3M has solved that problem with Post-it Extreme Notes which work in the cold, work in the heat, and work in wet environments. Post-it Extreme Notes are made of dura-hold paper which is water resistant. As long as the item you wish to stick the note too is dry when you stick it, it stays stuck. Even after it gets wet, cold, or hot.

You can buy Post-it Extreme Notes in packs of 3 pads for $4.99 or boxes of 12 pads for $19.50 from Amazon.

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The Post-it Extreme Notes are the Fisher Space Pen of sticky notes originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2018 at 1:00 pm.

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Protect your iPhone X with the Mod-3 Radius X ultra-minimal case

A couple of years ago, The Gadgeteer reviewed the Mod-3 Radius case for iPhone 5, and Andy Chen found it was a “super-sleek, minimal way to protect your iPhone 5 while preserving the sleek modern lines and feel of a ‘naked’ iPhone.”  Well, Mod-3 is back again with a Radius case for the iPhone X.  They are currently seeking funding for the Radius X case.

Just like the one Andy reviewed, the Radius X will mostly protect the corners of the phone with precision-crafted corner modules that don’t touch the touchscreen.  The corner modules are held in place by an aircraft-grade aluminum X structure that covers the back of the iPhone X.  The corner pieces are filled with a proprietary impact-resistant material for extra drop protection, and the pieces keep your screen off the surface if you lay the phone face-down on a table.  And no worries about charging, because the Radius X doesn’t interfere with wireless charging of the iPhone X.

There’s another month of fundraising for the Radius X case.  Pledge $69.00 to receive one Radius X case.  There’s also a gold-plated version for a pledge of $193.00, and there are discounts for multiple cases.  The campaign has already reached 149% of its funding goal, but you still have time to get in on a discounted case.  Shipment is expected for May 2018.  Make a pledge and secure a Mod-3 Radius X case at Indiegogo.

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Protect your iPhone X with the Mod-3 Radius X ultra-minimal case originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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Sigma 105mm macro lens review

Photography professionals and enthusiasts are always looking for an opportunity to enhance their photography skills and to take better pictures. Those interested in macro photography seem to be involved in an ongoing search for the best lens to ultimately allow them to produce the most amazing pictures. Macro photography lenses have the ability to take really close-up photos with a nice depth of field and great bokeh (Bokeh is the blur produced in the parts of an image that are not in focus). I have a Canon EOS camera, and I recently purchased the Sigma 105mm Macro Lens for myself.

What is it?

The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens for Canon EOS Cameras is a mid-level lens specifically designed for macro photography (This lens is also available for Nikon, Sony and Sigma DSLR Cameras). Like many macro lenses, it is able to focus from infinity all the way into a 1:1 ratio which ensures a life-size reproduction of the image, from the lens to the sensor inside of the camera. This lens produces very clear images and its autofocus capability makes it much easier for even the entry-level photographer to take pictures that are sharp, in-focus and free of distortion.

What’s in the box?

In the box, there is a very nice lens case and carrying strap. The case is well padded and will very likely protect the lens in the event that it is dropped a few feet. Sigma also includes a lens hood, a hood extension for cameras with APS-C sensors, and protective lens caps for both sides of the lens. Of course, the warranty brochure and an instruction leaflet are included as well. This lens comes with a limited 1-year warranty for North and South America and a 3-year extended warranty if it remains within the USA.

Design and features

As with all macro lenses, this Sigma lens is quite heavy for its size. This is due to the additional glass inside that is necessary for the lens to be able to take macro images. The body is metal and it feels very solid overall. With an Aperture of f/2.8, this lens is capable of taking great pictures in low light conditions. The aperture and focus rings are nice and smooth and rotate freely without any binding. On the side of the lens, there are switches to select manual or auto focus, 2 types of Optical stabilization and a distance switch which is helpful with autofocus, by pre-defining the distance range between the subject and the lens. The Optical Stabilization is Sigma’s proprietary stabilization feature and does a great job at stabilizing when shooting hand-held. The “focus-Free” mechanical design creates a separation between the autofocus function and the mechanical focus ring which is great, since it allows you to hold the focus ring for support and still utilize autofocus without affecting the function. The lens can focus as close as 12.2” away from the subject and with the dual focus capability is easy to use without a tripod. The Hyper Sonic Motor makes focusing very fast and is relatively quiet.

What I like

After using the lens for a week or so, I can truly say that I am enjoying it. I like the build quality and how solid it feels. I also like the sharpness of the pictures it produces and the versatility of being able to use it for macro photography as well as portrait photography, and always get sharp photos with a great depth of field. The Bokeh it produces for my macro shots is very good, and my friends seem to love the photos.

What needs to be improved?

While this is obviously a great lens, I do think that there are a couple of things that can be improved. Despite its nice Hyper Sonic Motor, it is not as quiet as some of the other lens I have used. This would not usually be a problem for photography, but would be for videography, and would require the use of an external audio recorder for clean audio. I would also like to see 62mm ring adapters included with the lens, which is the size that is required for use with any lens filter or a ring flash. This size of ring adapter is not normally a part of most ring adapter kits, and must be purchased separately.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Sigma 105mm macro lens does a very good job of producing clean and clear images, and has the versatility to do so both for macro and portrait photography. It can also be used for other types of photography as along as the distance to the subject can be managed.  In my opinion, when compared to a revered lens like the Canon 100mm macro lens, the Sigma comes in at a very close second. If overall quality and price are the main considerations, it would be a better purchase than the Canon, since it is now available at a newly discounted price.

Price: $569
Where to buy: bhphotovideo.com and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.

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Sigma 105mm macro lens review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Leave your smartphone behind with the Light Phone 2

Modern smartphones have basically become the equivalent of someone tapping you on the shoulder every 10 seconds. If you don’t meticulously manage app notifications, your phone quickly devolves into a hyperactive toddler of a distraction machine. Sometimes, you’d love to just chuck it into the deepest pocket of your backpack, but what if someone really needs to get a hold of you?

The Light Phone 2 is a barebones, “secondary” 4G phone with an e-ink display that piggybacks off of your existing mobile number to serve as a basic communication device. No social media, no email, no distractions. Just basic voice and text messages in a simple typographic-based operating system. The Brooklyn-based creators call the experience of leaving your smartphone behind and pocketing this device instead “going light.” Hence the phone’s name.

That e-ink display, though. Yum.

The Light Phone 2 is an updated, improved predecessor of the original Light Phone which had roughly 10,000 users. It’s currently in prototype stage, but as of today it is 328% funded on Indiegogo and slated for an April 2019 release.

You can fund the team’s efforts and get a Light Phone 2 of your own (next year) for $250. Visit their Indiegogo page for more details.

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Leave your smartphone behind with the Light Phone 2 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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