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KUVRD Universal Lens Cap review


What is it?

The KUVRD Universal Lens Cap is a flexible lens cover made of rubber, that stretches to fit the front or back of most camera lenses, and works in place of the traditional lens cap.

What’s in the box

Each Lens Cap comes in its own plastic container with a screw on lid. The Lens Cap and instruction cards are included inside of the container.

Design and features

The Universal Lens Cap is made of a soft rubberized material that is very smooth and very flexible. It has a great amount of elasticity, and once handled carefully, can be stretched to fit any of the two ends of most lenses (Not for those crazy huge lenses). It is 2 inches deep, and its internal diameter is 2 1/2 inches.


While the outside of the Lens Cap seems like a magnet for lint, the inside stays quite clean and does not seem to attract any dust. It does a great job of protecting the most vulnerable parts of the lens against dust and accidental bumps. I am not sure what would happen if the lens is dropped, but I do believe that the Lens Cap would still provide additional protection. When new, and as per the instructions, care should be taken to gently stretch it over the lens from one side to the other. The included instructions clearly state this, and for good reason. Since I was testing it, I ignored the instructions and stretched it roughly over the lens, and this was the result.

Otherwise, with care, I was able to stretch it comfortably over both the front and rear of all of my lenses, including the large 70-200mm Sigma lens, the mid-sized Sigma 105mm macro lens, as well as the smaller Canon 60mm macro lens. With the small lenses, only the front or rear may be practical to cover, with the front being the obvious choice.



When using the KUVRD Lens Cap, the standard lens cap can remain in place if that is your choice. A couple of aspects to note, are that the Lens Cap works well for packing lenses for transport, and also for field work when “speed swapping” lenses is not a requirement. It is not possible to carry the lens hood attached to the lens when using the Lens Cap. I usually have my lens hood mounted in reverse on each lens, so this has to be a consideration when deciding if and when to use these.

What I like

I love the feel of the rubber that the Lens Cap is made of. It is so soft that it will not scratch or impact the lens in any way. The elasticity is great, and its ability to fit multiple lenses makes it very useful. Also, its ability to add another layer of protection to the most critical parts of my expensive lenses is an added plus.

What can be improved

While the instructions tell you to be careful when first stretching the Lens Cap until it “breaks in”, I would like to see some type built-in reinforcement that still maintains the elasticity, but makes it much more difficult for the Lens Cap to tear when initially stretched.

Final thoughts

The KUVRD Lens Cap is a great camera gear accessory that works very well at protecting certain aspects of my lenses, including when packing them to travel or when storing them. It does a great job of protecting the lens from dust, especially since it cannot fall off as traditional caps can and do. For my use, it would not be a part of my gear when I need to use a “quick swap” scenario, or when I want to have my lenses paired with their hoods. However, it is good enough and purposeful enough to earn a permanent place in my gear bag.

Price: $30
Where to buy: Kuvrd Camera Website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Kuvrd Camera.

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KUVRD Universal Lens Cap review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 27, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The Vello DSLR Battery Grip adds life and safety to your shoot


One of the worst experiences for a photographer/videographer is being in the middle of a shoot with your trusty DSLR camera, and you run out of power. While this sounds like a simple issue, it occurs very often and usually at the most inappropriate time. As professionals we strive our best to not let this happen, either because it just looks bad in front of our clients, or because we miss a shot at a once in a lifetime photo/video opportunity.

Vello is a company that makes a lot of reasonably priced photography gear, and I especially like their extended battery grips that not only provide a longer time between changing batteries but in a pinch, there is an included adapter that works with AA batteries to provide power. The grips create a larger surface for gripping the camera and work well in both a horizontal and vertical posture. There is also a Vertical Position Shutter Release Button, an On/Off Switch for Battery Grip Controls, Vertical Position Control Buttons, a Hand Strap Eyelet, and a 1/4″-20 female accessory thread for direct connection to a 1/4″-20 mount. There is also a Canon ACK-E6 AC Adapter Kit that allows the battery grip to remain attached to the camera and be powered externally via AC power.

The Vello battery grips are available for several makes and models of cameras. You can pick one up (bare grip with no accessories), from B&H Photo Video for prices ranging from $60 to $100.

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The Vello DSLR Battery Grip adds life and safety to your shoot originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The Benro 75mm Hi-Hat tripod keeps your camera as low as it can go


When I am in the studio “messing around” with macro photography trying to use various objects to produce an amazing photo, I often use a tabletop as my platform. The object would be on the tabletop, and I use my DSLR mounted to a full-size tripod. This can be a pain sometimes when I have to drag the large tripod out and then pack it away again. I think the answer to my dilemma would be a strong and sturdy tabletop tripod.

Enter the Benro 75mm Hi-Hat. This tripod is perfect for working with low angles and capturing photos from angles that would be very difficult if not impossible, using a large tripod. Even when I leave the tabletop environment and head outdoors to get those shots close to the ground, this Benro would work.

It is made of aluminum with a 75mm bowl made of magnesium. The combination of these metals allow it to weigh in at only 2.8 pounds, but still have a load capacity of 165 pounds, which is quite incredible. The legs are made up of two sections, and allow the tripod to get as low as 3.1 inches. With 3 adjustable and independent positions for each leg, and included spiked feet, tackling uneven ground is par for the course. While its maximum height is only 11 inches, when you add a tripod head and the camera, it gains additional versatility which would work great for both photography and videography.

The Benro 75mm Hi-Hat is available for purchase at Amazon and B&H Photo Video for the bargain price of $149.

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The Benro 75mm Hi-Hat tripod keeps your camera as low as it can go originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 25, 2018 at 4:59 pm.

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The new Nikon D850 DSLR Camera – Is it the best in its class?


By now, all of our Gadgeteer readers that have been following my news stories know that I am a Canon guy. However, in this news stories series, I will focus on DSLR cameras from various manufacturers.
The Nikon D850 DSLR Camera “brings to the table”, a combination of great photography capabilities along with nice movie recording abilities, utilizing its 45.7MP BSI CMOS sensor which can capture great detail. Its features include:

– 7 frames per second shooting for 51 Frames with AE/AF
– A maximum sensitivity of ISO 102400
– An EXPEED 5 Image Processor
– A 3.2″ 2.36m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
– A Multi-CAM 20K 153-Point AF System
– 8K Time-Lapse, Negative Digitizer Mode
– A 180k-Pixel RGB Sensor
– Focus Shift Mode
– Bluetooth
– Wi-Fi.

In addition, it can record 4K UHD video at 30 frames per second and full HD 1080p at up to 120 frames per second for slow motion playback. The camera has a weather sealed design so that it can be used in any weather conditions. Included in the box you will find a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, a battery charger, a USB 3.0 cable, a camera strap, a body cap and an eyepiece.

The camera comes with a limited one year warranty.

The Nikon D850 DSLR Camera “body only” is currently listed as “coming soon” at B&H Photo Video and Amazon and can be pre-ordered for $3,296.95.

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The new Nikon D850 DSLR Camera – Is it the best in its class? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 25, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The Benro Aero 2 Video Travel Angel Tripod Kit is ready for your next adventure


For those of you that have been following my news stories, you know that I have been on a quest to research and find a travel tripod that is the perfect fit for me. The next travel tripod that I am looking at is the Benro Aero 2 Video Travel Angel Tripod Kit.

This is a lightweight aluminum tripod that includes a flat base video head and 3-stage legs. When fully extended it reaches 62.4 inches which includes the center column fully extended. When fully collapsed it measures only 18.3 inches, which is small enough to fit in or on the side of most camera backpacks. While the maximum load that it can handle is only 5 ½ pounds, that is enough for a DSLR, mirrorless, or compact video camera. The Benro Aero 2 is sold as a tripod, but it does have the ability to be converted into a monopod, by combining one of the legs with the center column. Additional built-in features include a QR4 Quick-release plate, and a bubble level.

The Benro Aero 2 Video Travel Angel Tripod Kit comes with a padded carry bag and strap, and can be purchased at Amazon or B&H Photo Video for $169.

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The Benro Aero 2 Video Travel Angel Tripod Kit is ready for your next adventure originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 24, 2018 at 4:10 pm.

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