Best Camera Tripods & Monopods
Size: 60-Inch |. Configuration: Tripod Only. Weighs 3 lbs; Extends from 25 inches to 60 inches when center post is fully extended; Carrying case included.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I absolutely LOVE this tripod. I have no clue how such a versatile tripod can go for so low...but hey just one more reason to LOVE Amazon.com!!"
"Two different bubble levelers, one for the base and another for the camera, an independent crank riser for additional height, multiple tightening locations to keep your camera in place, and the ability to hold your camera in both landscape and portrait. Since receiving this tripod, I did a "test" where I installed my camera and left it alone for almost five days with the legs fully extended and positioning locations locked / secured."
"The few bad reviews seemed to concern the tripod being shaky when the center tube extension was cranked up and/or the total lack of instructions.I think the two issues are related and Amazon could eliminate 5 of the 7 bad reviews by including instructions. It's not hard to figure out but don't clip your new camera into the quick release mount until you are sure you know how to remove and replace the mounting plate and FULLY lock the cam lever. It's not really quick at all if you don't have a second mounting plate and need to unscrew the plate from the camera and screw it onto the scope. I bought this tripod for my second digital camera, which is about half the size of my first one. Who knows what cameras will look like 5 years from now, but I bet they will have a screw mount in the bottom and a tripod will still be a good idea."
"All in all, this is a fairly sturdy tripod for the money and it comes with a nice carrying bag."
"I used this tripod for a shoot on top of the Blue Ridge Parkway in icy temperatures with a very strong wind blowing, and it did not even budge a little bit."
"I bought this tripod for a photo shoot I did with my roommate and we did a fairly good amount of walking and this tripod did not feel heavy or burdensome to carry at all."
The rubberized ring and footgrips keep your gear standing strong, or you can utilize the octopus style tripod to wrap around almost any structure, from fences to trees. Made out of durable, yet lightweight ABS plastic, zinc-aluminum, TPE Grip pads, and stainless steel, the JOBY GorillaPod SLR Zoom Tripod and Ballhead Bundle will never let your camera slip out of its grasp. Give yourself the tools you need to take better photos and smoother videos with the GorillaPod SLR Zoom and Ballhead Bundle, the ultimate versatile tripod. Easy maneuverability and precise positioning with 360 panning, to expand the range of shots you can capture. Get ultra-stable and find your grounding with over two dozen leg joints and German TPE joins, so you’ll never have a shaky shot. The GorillaPod SLR Zoom can fiercely secure equipment up to 6.6 lbs., making the impossible shot, possible.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"See a comparison of their sizes on photo: the left is obviously the SLR and the right is the Hybrid."
"I know this can handle bulky DSLRs because my friend uses his Canon 5D III on it. With this feature I can simply slide my camera into the pod and start shooting quickly. I can now see if I'm holding my camera straight or if I'm tilting it. I bought this because I don't have a tripod for my camera and I thought it would be fun to wrap it around trees and strange places, carry it around without a problem, or even use it as a normal tripod. I used to have the smaller version of this pod but it couldn't handle my mirrorless camera + I believe it didn't last much. With this bigger and better pod I feel invincible!"
"Previously I had bought a cheap knockoff that I can't even remember the brand of, and those joints hardly support the weight of a cellphone, even though it looks just like the Joby!"
"Though it's quite small, its transportability, flexibility, and small profile is exactly what makes it so useful, to the point where you'll start asking yourself "how did i take pictures before I had this thing?""
"I love the idea of a gorilla pod for my DSLR but this one just didn't quite work."
"I did not order the ball head, which is necessary for it to work properly. My advice, don't get this cheaper, smaller tripod (the one with gray foot pads and gray colored bands.). So, JOBY tripods are great, but get one that will support your camera."
"However, the release plate is poorly designed."
And this product is the most mini selfie stick in the market, which makes it perfectly convenient and portable to be incorporated in your bags or even pocket! When you want to snap your picture, just click the camera button shortly and lightly, you will feel a strong feedback force, and this will bring a good using experience to you. The exquisite handlebar of the selfie stick gives you a perfect holding feeling due to its matte surface. MPOW BRAND CERTIFIED: Top-Brand Bluetooth Accessories for Smartphones.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even I could make it work and I took the nicest picture of myself in fifty years."
"The first shot I tried I couldn't see my screen because it was very bright and sunny out but my husband was laughing and telling me to keep shooting because my doberman had come up behind me and saw my phone (which is usually pointed at him) and he stopped and posed with me."
"This u-shape clam is secured with a wing nut (easy to handle) which has plastic coating outside and metal thread inside (good quality!). At the bottom of the handle you have micro-usb connector for charging it, including LED, and also an adjustable wrist strap - excellent idea for extra security. At the top of the handle, right where your thumb is, you have a multi-function button which turns the power on (by holding it down), enters in pair up mode, and also remotely triggers your phone camera. Honestly, I was very impressed with a build quality, durability, and ease of operation when using MPow iSnap X selfie bluetooth stick. It's very comfortable to hold, very lightweight at only 145g, has a smooth telescopic mechanism, very secure u-shape clamp grip, and convenience of remote bluetooth button to take selfie pictures or videos."
"I saw the selfie stick craze shoot up and decided I would try it out, I saw other people with ones that looked cheap and had the possibility of breaking after awhile so I wanted one that was durable and that's what I got."
"I decided to buy one as this item is really good when you travel and don't want to screw your photos with people that can't compose right. The only issue is that whenever you change the connection between phones, you have to re-pair the bluetooth chips."
"If you use the camera for either video or stills, this selfie stick does one thing you really don't see in many reviews - it takes most of the shake out of your content. A big hint for better selfie stick videos: I use my old iPhone earbuds (one ear stopped working) so I cut both earbuds off and plug the remaining cable which has the mic still working in, and I rubber band it to the stick handle for loud clear audio even when fully extended."
"Overall, the stick seems to be of excellent quality & I am very happy with my decision to buy this stick after reviewing most options on Amazon for iPhone 6."
Best Monopods
And this product is the most mini selfie stick in the market, which makes it perfectly convenient and portable to be incorporated in your bags or even pocket! When you want to snap your picture, just click the camera button shortly and lightly, you will feel a strong feedback force, and this will bring a good using experience to you. The exquisite handlebar of the selfie stick gives you a perfect holding feeling due to its matte surface. MPOW BRAND CERTIFIED: Top-Brand Bluetooth Accessories for Smartphones.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even I could make it work and I took the nicest picture of myself in fifty years."
"The first shot I tried I couldn't see my screen because it was very bright and sunny out but my husband was laughing and telling me to keep shooting because my doberman had come up behind me and saw my phone (which is usually pointed at him) and he stopped and posed with me."
"This u-shape clam is secured with a wing nut (easy to handle) which has plastic coating outside and metal thread inside (good quality!). At the bottom of the handle you have micro-usb connector for charging it, including LED, and also an adjustable wrist strap - excellent idea for extra security. At the top of the handle, right where your thumb is, you have a multi-function button which turns the power on (by holding it down), enters in pair up mode, and also remotely triggers your phone camera. Honestly, I was very impressed with a build quality, durability, and ease of operation when using MPow iSnap X selfie bluetooth stick. It's very comfortable to hold, very lightweight at only 145g, has a smooth telescopic mechanism, very secure u-shape clamp grip, and convenience of remote bluetooth button to take selfie pictures or videos."
"I saw the selfie stick craze shoot up and decided I would try it out, I saw other people with ones that looked cheap and had the possibility of breaking after awhile so I wanted one that was durable and that's what I got."
"I decided to buy one as this item is really good when you travel and don't want to screw your photos with people that can't compose right. The only issue is that whenever you change the connection between phones, you have to re-pair the bluetooth chips."
"If you use the camera for either video or stills, this selfie stick does one thing you really don't see in many reviews - it takes most of the shake out of your content. A big hint for better selfie stick videos: I use my old iPhone earbuds (one ear stopped working) so I cut both earbuds off and plug the remaining cable which has the mic still working in, and I rubber band it to the stick handle for loud clear audio even when fully extended."
"Overall, the stick seems to be of excellent quality & I am very happy with my decision to buy this stick after reviewing most options on Amazon for iPhone 6."
Best Tripod Legs
Capture crisper photos, smoother videos, and optimal media consumption when using the Gorilla Pod Focus with Ballhead X Bundle. There’s no room for hesitation when you unleash your creativity, which is why the Arca-Swiss compatibility system and quick release plate allows you to seamlessly transition when on the go. Made out of durable, yet lightweight ABS plastic, zinc-aluminum, TPE Grip pads, and stainless steel, the JOBY GripTight GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead X Bundle will never let your camera and professional equipment slip out of its grasp. Give yourself the tools you need to take better photos and smoother videos with the GripTight GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead X Bundle, the ultimate versatile tripod. Get crisper shots with this durable, lightweight tripod. The rubberized foot grips, wrappable legs, and stainless steel plates ensure your pro cameras with large zoom lenses, and external flashes stand strong on the toughest terrain. Made of durable ABS plastic, stainless steel, TPE, and Zinc-Aluminum, it’s made for the wear and tear of everyday life, or the rigor of your favorite adventure.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've had my eye on this tripod for quite some time now and I finally decided to pull the trigger and buy it because I wanted a nice tripod for vacation. This is exactly what I was looking for in a tripod. UPDATE: 5/10/2016. I've had, and greatly enjoyed this tripod for four months now but tonight I was going over my gear and straightened one of the legs out and all of a sudden, one fell off."
"fold out the legs for an over the shoulder recording format and it is rock steady for interviews and pans. If the legs cant accommodate your needs the ball head with cover the rest, the pan is a little sticky out of the box but smoothes up over time."
"The most important is to UNDERSTAND that if you buy this combo it doesnt mean that it will replace your regular (big) tripod. This tripod would have save me a lot of time asking strangers to take pictures of me and my girlfriend while traveling in Paris and Brussels."
"Despite reading the bad reviews, I took the chance and bought it, keeping in mind the tips on how to minimize the "abuse" that the tripod might go through... but then two legs came off and my camera took a dive off of the "tight" mounting plate. The workflow was always the same: 1) Check the plate knob to make sure it was tight; 2) Carefully adjust the legs around the mounting point, being mindful of not applying too much stress at the point where the legs connect to the ballhead; 3) Adjusting the ballhead for the shot; 4) Carefully removing the legs from the mounting point, being mindful of not applying too much stress at the point where the legs connect to the ballhead. But on the last day of my trip, and the reason for this one star review, is that two of the legs came off and the plate failed on me."
Best Camera & Photo Filters
The vivid collection filter 3-Pack is part of PolarPro’s Cinema Series line. Precisely engineered for the DJI Mavic camera-filter can be left on during startup (fits both Mavic Platinum and Mavic Pro).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"They work great."
"So first off this are great quality made filters and work as expected expect my DJI mavic gimbal would glitch out with these on."
"I don't know a lot about cameras or filming - but these things are a no-brainer if you want to improve your videos with a single step."
"This is a great filter kit."
"Flying in mid summer over the ocean these are likely the only reason you could see anything in my videos."
"works awesome."
"I haven't figured out yet how to make these work well with my videos, but it's definitely better than without it."
"You need this if you have a DJI mavic pro and want to take smooth video."
Best Camera & Photo Cleaners
(6 Pack) MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths - For All LCD Screens, Tablets, Lenses, and Other Delicate Surfaces (5 Black and 1 Grey 6" x 7"). - Ultra-soft and extremely fine microfiber fabric absorbs and gently lifts away fingerprints, oil smudges, dust, and dirt. - 100% Safe for cleaning all types of delicate surfaces like eyeglasses, sunglasses, camera lenses, binoculars, telescopes, laptops, tablets, computer monitors, TVs, and jewelry. - The MagicFiber Microfibers are 100% Safe and effective for cleaning all types of surfaces including: non-coated and multi-coated lenses, filters, binoculars, telescopes, eyeglasses, sunglasses, all-types of TV's, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and jewelry. Digital Goja is the only authorized MagicFiber Microfiber retailer.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Very nice quality."
"I've been using MagicFiber so long, they weren't called MagicFiber when I started. Used ones are great for cleaning phone screens, tablets, even the surface of solar cells."
"These MagicFiber cloths were a great find on Amazon."
"These 6 (5 black and 1 grey) cloths are great to have around, and it comes with plenty so I can keep one handy in all of my usual spots (desk at work, desk at home, bedroom, car, etc)."
":). An interesting thing I’ve noticed is that the grey cloth is made a bit more cheaply than the rest."
"Trying to clean 60" TV screens with a tiny microfiber cloth is like washing a car with a handkerchief. Finally, I turned off all the lights in the room and focused a bright flashlight on the screen. From my research, streaks and smudges that look like finger prints on the inside of screens are quite common and have several causes."
"Cell phone screens are clear of grim and finger prints, glasses are streak free and good to go, LCD computer screens are even cleaned with relative ease (with a bit of soapy water solution for stuck on messes)."
"Use these to clean my glasses on a regular basis."
Best Camera Flashes
Wireless Flash Trigger Set with Remote Shutter Function Simply slide the transmitter onto your camera's hot-shoe, and your flash onto the included receiver. - Operating Distance: Up to 30 meters (100 feet). - Flash sync speed up to 1/250s. - Serves also as a wireless shutter release. - NOTE: This trigger does not support I-TTL mode, but the flash by itself does. Compatibility: The Flash will work with all Nikon Digital Cameras with a standard hot-shoe mount including: - Coolpix P6000, P7000, P7100, P7700, P7800. - DSLR D5500 D500 D750 D810 D7200 D610 D3300 D40 D50 D60 D80 D90 D3100 D3200 D3300 D5000 D5100 D5200 D5300 D7000 D7100 D200 D300 D600 D700 - NOTE: Wired trigger not Compatible with Nikon: D5 D500 D4s D4 D3 D3x D3s D810A D810 D800 D800E D2 D2H D2Hs D2X D2Xs D300 D1 D300s D700 D3400. Wireless flash trigger Set offers both off-camera flash and wireless camera trigger capabilities up to 100 ft. 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So, in short: Pros: - Works well as described. - I even tried S1, S2 modes which also works well (In S2 mode you can use the wireless trigger to trigger the shutter of the camera & the camera’s flash will trigger the AP-N1001’s flasher). - Great wireless trigger when connected to the camera. - Good battery life. - Comes with the batteries for the wireless trigger set (but doesn’t incl. I’m very happy with the wireless trigger too, cos I can use it to trigger the camera (especially when I set the AP-N1001 flasher to S2 mode (slave) so it’ll go off as soon as it detects the camera’s (Nikon D7100 in my case) flash goes on. I have a very cheap wireless IR trigger I bought for the D7100 but it’s not very reliable, sometimes it’ll shoot as soon as I press it, but sometimes I need to press multiple times. But this wireless trigger (when connected to the camera) triggers as soon as I press it."
"The included User Manual wasn't the easiest to figure out in terms of tweaking for perfect photos - at least not for a newbie, but the controls of On/Off are simple enough and it wasn't tough to quickly figure out the settings even without the manual. The ability to soften the flash with a plastic diffuser (included) and by user settings, was great. NOTE: Photos included with this review are without any flash, with diffused flash and with the flash and no diffusion (the brightest with a setting of +2 on the flash)."
"I have used the flash on the camera body for several years."
"It's very simple and easy to use and unlike more expensive flash kits, it recycles quickly."
"Most of my shots are of athletes and parades and needed a good reliable flash for your Nikon 5100 and have been VERY happy with the results."
Best Camera & Photo Blank Media
SanDisk microSD and microSDHC 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB mobile memory cards are the best and most popular way to carry your music, videos, photos, games, files and applications on your mobile phone.SanDisk mobile memory cards plug directly into most mobile phones with a microSD/microSDHC card slot for the best in convenience and reliability. Enter your model number to make sure this fits.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The. result is that a buyer has to run FLASH tests on every microSD card before accepting the purchase and placing the. microSD card in service."
"I ended up just going with the adapter and sd card because I thought it would be easier and safer because of the price point. Check all equipment to make sure authentic and test the card using above method to be sure. I am however upset that the set I got this time did not have the clear plastic holding case with it."
"I bought two that have been used in a couple cell phones and they work great!"
"Product works great just as it should."
"Small postage stamp size comes with adapter to use in different tpyes of tablets, phones, or computers."
"Perfect for video and other media."
"It got corrupted once."
"Great buy for the price."
Best Camera Lens Accessories
★ PREMIUM HIGH DEFINITION OPTICAL GLASS: Xenvo lenses are powered by premium optical glass, allowing you to capture stunning quality photos in high definition. ★ PREVENT UNWANTED GHOSTING & LENS FLARES: The high quality optical glass used in the construction of Xenvo lenses prevents unwanted ghosting and lens flares from disrupting your photos. ★ TRUGRIP NON-SLIP RUBBER GRIPS: The TruGrip Lens Clip which attaches your lenses to your mobile phone is constructed with non-slip rubber grips for a strong, secure, and unshakeable hold. MAGNIFY NEARBY SUBJECTS FOR BREATHTAKING, SUPER CLOSE-UP PHOTOS: Capture all the intricacies and details with precision-focus for razor crisp macro photos every time. ✔ DURACASE AND QUICK-RELEASE LANYARD - TRANSPORT AND PROTECT YOUR LENS KIT: Perfect for taking your lens kit and LED light with you on the fly. Designed for hobbyists as well as today's most demanding professionals; content creators, bloggers, and social media marketers who count on their smartphone camera to grow their business and brand. Package Contents: TruView 0.45x Wide Angle Lens, Clarus 15x Macro Lens, Lens Clip, GlowClip Mini Rechargeable LED Light + Charging Cable, Quick-Release Lanyard, DuraCase, Cleaning Cloth, AND Lifetime Warranty.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was NOT compensated for this review. I was concerned when I purchased this lens set that it would feel cheap and result in blurry pictures."
"Photography is my hobby and using these lenses with my iPhone has made the task so much easier. The rechargeable LED light is quite bright, although I don't know how useful it is, as personally, I haven't found a situation to use that. The lens carrying case is great, makes it easier to just throw it in my backpack."
"Best IPhone camera lens I have ever purchased!!!"
"It's so worth it to buy this wide lens from Xenvo."
"I am reviewing an Iphone camera lens kit from ENVO. Below I have assembled some comparison photos you can see the difference between lens & with/without the kit installed. While I was testing the lens, I noticed that I had to take my case off in order to fully optimize the quality. ' Included in the box is a white micro usb cable so you can charge your LED flash light kit. I noticed that the part that goes on the front side of the phone started to slip off. Then I realized that there is a protective film inside the clip that you take off so the kit doesn't slip. '. The LED flashlight included was easy to use, all you have to do is plug it into your headphone jack and turn to your provided settings. The quality of the product is fantastic, Great customer service and no shipping problems. I believe that where it was free, discounted or purchased that my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased."
"As a quilter, I've struggled to get full shots of a entire quilt in frame when using my iPhone or my DSLR (don't have a wide angle lens for it), and this product will absolutely help!"
"The instructional videos were a great customer service tool and lends to a company that cares about it's product AND consumer."
"Super happy with this purchase!"
Best Camera & Camcorder Remote Controls
Add HiLight Tags to mark key moments while recording, or access the Settings/Tag button to quickly change settings (HERO6 Black, HERO5, HERO4 and Session cameras only).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The bottom footage is really shaky, clunky from the dogs legs or what not. The top mount gives a good POV of the dogs head and what they're getting into. I would recommend using superview 1080p by 60fps, just because dogs run fast!"
"this comes with so many attachments and different ways to mount the camera."
"If you have ever owned a underwater camera which gets foggy (this is what happened to me) then it will work great for you. I had my camera sitting in the Hawaiian sun for hours then jumped in to a 65 degree cold fresh water spring. You can use these multiple times you just put them in the oven for 5 minutes at 300 degrees to dry them out."
"We used this floaty on our camera attached to a wrist strap. A couple of times the strap came off our wrist while doing waterspouts, and this floaty saved our camera!"
"Mostly what I like is that it is one sided, so you don't really have to be careful in aligning the thrum screw perfectly to get a good grip, you just place it on and start turning."
"Of course when a dog is walking or running there is going to be a lot of moving parts so perfect crisp footage will most likely never happen but this is the best thing there is in terms of a POV footage for a dog."
"Attaching the Floaty pad: The Floaty has a large adhesive pad to attach it to the back of the GoPro case. The Floaty covers essentially the entire back face of the GoPro case, so aligning it when attaching it to the back can be a bit tricky."
"We watched several videos on how to fit this and adjust it for your dog and read things online and it just wouldn't stay without being too loose or too tight. We used the white fitting to try to hep and tightened the camera as much as possible but eventually the camera would always fall forward or backward as the dogs run around."
Best Camera & Video Accessory Bundles
Wireless Flash Trigger Set with Remote Shutter Function Simply slide the transmitter onto your camera's hot-shoe, and your flash onto the included receiver. - Operating Distance: Up to 30 meters (100 feet). - Flash sync speed up to 1/250s. - Serves also as a wireless shutter release. - NOTE: This trigger does not support I-TTL mode, but the flash by itself does. Compatibility: The Flash will work with all Nikon Digital Cameras with a standard hot-shoe mount including: - Coolpix P6000, P7000, P7100, P7700, P7800. - DSLR D5500 D500 D750 D810 D7200 D610 D3300 D40 D50 D60 D80 D90 D3100 D3200 D3300 D5000 D5100 D5200 D5300 D7000 D7100 D200 D300 D600 D700 - NOTE: Wired trigger not Compatible with Nikon: D5 D500 D4s D4 D3 D3x D3s D810A D810 D800 D800E D2 D2H D2Hs D2X D2Xs D300 D1 D300s D700 D3400. Wireless flash trigger Set offers both off-camera flash and wireless camera trigger capabilities up to 100 ft. 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So, in short: Pros: - Works well as described. - I even tried S1, S2 modes which also works well (In S2 mode you can use the wireless trigger to trigger the shutter of the camera & the camera’s flash will trigger the AP-N1001’s flasher). - Great wireless trigger when connected to the camera. - Good battery life. - Comes with the batteries for the wireless trigger set (but doesn’t incl. I’m very happy with the wireless trigger too, cos I can use it to trigger the camera (especially when I set the AP-N1001 flasher to S2 mode (slave) so it’ll go off as soon as it detects the camera’s (Nikon D7100 in my case) flash goes on. I have a very cheap wireless IR trigger I bought for the D7100 but it’s not very reliable, sometimes it’ll shoot as soon as I press it, but sometimes I need to press multiple times. But this wireless trigger (when connected to the camera) triggers as soon as I press it."
"The included User Manual wasn't the easiest to figure out in terms of tweaking for perfect photos - at least not for a newbie, but the controls of On/Off are simple enough and it wasn't tough to quickly figure out the settings even without the manual. The ability to soften the flash with a plastic diffuser (included) and by user settings, was great. NOTE: Photos included with this review are without any flash, with diffused flash and with the flash and no diffusion (the brightest with a setting of +2 on the flash)."
"I have used the flash on the camera body for several years."
"It's very simple and easy to use and unlike more expensive flash kits, it recycles quickly."
"Most of my shots are of athletes and parades and needed a good reliable flash for your Nikon 5100 and have been VERY happy with the results."
Best Camera & Camcorder Batteries & Chargers
Now upgraded with premium quality battery cells to ensure superior performance and safety. MultiProtect Safety System Surge protection, short circuit protection and more advanced safety features keep you and your devices safe. • Compatible with Apple and Android smartphones, tablets (including the Nexus 7) and other USB-charged devices except for the iPod nano, iPod Classic, HP TouchPad, LG G2, Asus tablets and some GPS and Bluetooth devices. What You Get: Anker PowerCore+ mini (3350mAh Premium Aluminum Portable Charger), Micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide, our fan-favorite 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not All Batteries Are Created Equal. ***NOTE***. This review contains technical observations which I have reported to Anker. The battery I opened was verified to contain a high quality Panasonic-Sanyo NCR18650BF Lithium Ion cell, which is one of the finest cells available on the market today. - 9.99USD at Time of Review for PowerCore+ Mini in Black. Nay: - Inconsistent Fulfillment, Frequent Product Updates/Changes May Result in Order Errors and Old Product. - Inconsistent Performance of Internal DC Boost Converter Between Batteries, Affects Output Current and Capacity, Actual Available Capacity Varies Between 8.5Wh and 9.5Wh. - Possible Inconsistent Quality Control - Based on my numbers Anker deemed 2 out of 4 batteries to be possibly defective and shipped replacements (not arrived at time of this writing). In order to minimize power loss in the USB cable during whole product testing I custom-built an extra-short USB cable using 22AWG conductors, meaning that all of my numbers will be best-case scenarios for each of the batteries I tested. This was the case for me when I ordered two PowerCore+ Mini's in Black last week, and two Astro Mini's in Black showed up, although they were so close to the PowerCore+ in appearance (in fact, they are identical in appearance) that I didn't even notice the error until a couple of days later when during testing I noticed that the tail cap of the battery had "Astro Mini" written on it. At time of this writing both the Astro Mini and the PowerCore+ Mini are listed as separate products on Anker's website, and share the same capacity ratings, but have some minor published differences. During testing of the Astro Mini's I observed some troubling discrepancies that prompted me to order additional batteries. Anker's packaging has always been efficient, easy-to open, and well-thought, and these batteries were no exception. Each battery came with a short Anker USB Micro cable, a tasteful carrying case, and a short and sweet support pamphlet that tells you how to get questions answered or stuff fixed. Each battery's USB port is also covered with a sticker to remind you that the battery automatically cuts power to the port to conserve energy when not in use, and that a quick tap of the small button in the corner is all you need to get the juice flowing. Well, just do a quick search for "Lithium Ion Fire" on YouTube sometime and you'll see quickly why the FAA restricts how much lithium you can carry on an aircraft in the form of batteries, and why most major couriers won't allow you to ship Lithium batteries via Air Mail unless you have a hazmat contract with them. Serial numbers on devices this cheap are the hallmark of a manufacturer that cares because while you are unlikely to file a police report for a stolen ten dollar battery, Anker certainly wants to know which manufacturing batches are having problems, if any. ***WARNING***. I don't pull punches with batteries or battery vendors, and I didn't intend to judge this battery by its casing alone. Eventually I was able to saw off the rest of the casing without putting a scratch on the battery cell itself, and was able to reveal a Panasonic-Sanyo NCR18650BF cell soldered to a small DC boost converter PCB and USB ports. The NCR18650BF cell is a beauty of a battery cell, and represents one of the highest capacity and quality cells available on the market today. Every battery cell has two capacities. What this means is that "12.06Wh" capacity that you see on the product is only true for a couple of weeks right after Panasonic made the battery cells. By the time those cells are stored, sold to Anker, then stored again, used in manufacturing, stored again, shipped to Amazon, stored again, and then eventually shipped to you, these cells have a usable capacity of around 11.52Wh to 11.70Wh, which is actually what is reflected in the official datasheet for the NCR18650BF. I ran the NCR18650BF cell just by itself against a load of .2C or .67A and a cut-off voltage of 2.50V, the same test that Panasonic uses to get their original rating, and got a capacity of 11.4834Wh, which is just slightly under the "Minimum" rating for the cell, but it's close enough that I can't fault Anker for it. This is the real-world, best-case, available capacity of the cell before it goes through any other losses, such as those introduced by the DC/DC conversion up to 5V, before the voltage drop in your USB cable, and before the conversion losses in your device as it charges the internal battery. The harder you run the battery, the lower the available capacity of the cell is. To determine how hard the USB circuit runs the battery and look for efficiency losses, I removed the battery and connected the circuit to the monitored output on the lab power supply. Using the electronic load I applied a 5V 1A load to the USB port and monitored current draw from the power supply: USB Load Battery Load DC Boost Efficiency. 5.000V @ 1A = 5.00W 1.349A @ 4.2V = 5.67W 88.2%. 4.991V @ 1A = 4.99W 1.637A @ 3.6V = 5.89W 84.7%. 4.988V @ 1A = 4.99W 1.825A @ 3.2V = 6.06W 82.3%. Anker claims 90% efficiency with their DC converters, but since they do not publish their testing process or procedure it is impossible to know under what ideal conditions they performed their tests. Based on conversations with Anker, they are constantly updating and making changes to their designs, which is great, but because these changes aren't publicly tracked and because the batteries are sealed, there is no simple way to know what the characteristics of your battery are. It bears noting that so far all of the tests that we have discussed were performed on a battery that was labeled as "Astro Mini" and it is possible that my battery was manufactured during the early stages of the production shift. That capacity will be lower when drained faster and as you can see above, in order to charge your device at 5V @ 1A, the drain on the battery cell is more than twice that. Since modern lithium cells have a stated nominal voltage of 3.6V, I used the current draw of 1.637A and cut-off voltage of 2.50V to re-assess the capacity of the bare NCR18650BF cell to determine the actual available capacity at the higher drain rate. At the end of the day, what really matters is how the customer will use the battery, so let's get to... [Real-World Capacity and Performance]. These tests were all performed with the batteries fully sealed, assembled, and as they came directly from Amazon. In total, I tested four batteries, two of which were marked as "Astro Mini", and two of which were marked "PowerCore+ Mini", all of which were marked 3350mAh/12.06Wh. They were all designated Units A through D. For the testing procedure, I charged each battery through the USB Micro port per the instructions from Anker until they were full. I then connected each battery to the electronic load and programmed the load for a constant current draw of 1.000A, and measured the output voltage ten times per second until the battery died. Item Received Item Model Available Capacity. Astro Mini (Black) (Unit A) A1105 8.769Wh. Astro Mini (Black) (Unit B) A1105 9.345Wh. PowerCore+ Mini (Silver) (Unit C) A1104 8.607Wh. PowerCore+ Mini (Black) (Unit D) A1104 9.578Wh. The difference in capacity between the best-performing battery and the worst-performing battery was over 11%!!! My notes regarding each unit tested are as follows: Astro Mini (Black) (Unit A): Discharge remained flat and stable until the battery was approximately 75% depleted, at which point the voltage became unstable and dropped significantly. Based on the erratic behavior of the drop I believe the boost circuit began to overheat as it tried to cope with the lower input voltage of the battery cell. Based on conversations with Anker this is likely due to Anker's "Voltage Boost" feature which provides a slightly higher output voltage in order to compensate for the loss in the USB cable. While this does provide a slightly faster charge, it also results in a slightly lower available battery capacity, although this small discrepancy alone does not account for the near 1Wh difference between Units C and D. PowerCore+ Mini (Black) (Unit D): Out of all four batteries, Unit D exhibited the best performance. The output was not only super-flat through the discharge cycle, the available capacity tipped the scales at 9.578Wh @ 1A draw, which was better than any other of the batteries that I tested. I would also like to make clear that charge rate and battery capacity are completely independent of each other. I ordered four of the same battery, and ended up with four batteries that performed completely differently, which brings me to... [Anker's Response]. On 11/23/2015 I forwarded my results to Anker Support along with relevant purchase dates, serial numbers, and other information they requested. It means you're potentially throwing away vast amounts of battery capacity in your external battery pack by using an inadequate cable."
"Friends, We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of our Anker PowerCore+. I noticed my phone was near dead and so I hooked up my trusty Anker and went about my day. #sadface. Anker is survived by his older brother (also a PowerCore+), who was purchased in September and is still going strong."
"Fully charged this will bring my HTC EVO 4G LTE up from grave to full pretty close to twice. It will charge a iempire 5s grave to full twice with a bit left over."
"I was thinking of ideas to protect these from water and debris in my pocket or backpack."
"See my images). - Comes with a nice little bag that can hold the battery as well as a cable. (Note that it comes with a USB > Micro USB cable to charge the battery but you need to use your USB > X cable where X is the type of connector your phone or electronic device uses. The competitor (Jackery® Mini Premium) has 4 lights to show the amount of battery left, but on the other hand it's square so it's harder to carry in your pocket and that's the reason I got the Anker®. See my images for more details:"
Best Digital Camera Accessories
Whether you are a power user or simply want to expand your device memory, this MicroSD card gives you the advantage of ultra-fast read & write speeds of up to 100MB/s & 90MB/s. High-performance for 4K UHD video recording, high resolution pictures, mobile gaming and music, for use in Smartphones, Drones, Android Tablets, Tablet PCs, Action Cameras, DSLRs and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The cards tested are a. - Samsung 128GB EVO Select. - SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro. - SanDisk 128GB Ultra. Testing equipment. - Samsung SM-G955U (Galaxy S8+) using A1 SD Bench. - Kingston FCR-HS3 card reader via USB3 port using CrystalDiskMark 5.2.1 x64 (UWP). The Samsung 128GB EVO Select and SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro performed comparably at the PC with the SanDisk 128GB Ultra dropping behind in write speed."
"The cost is lowest I've seen among all branded companies for a U3 speed class micro SD cards."
"I did not get paid for this review, just a regular guy going on a road trip and wanted video using my GoPro. I tested both cards driving locally and they both recorded fine, the cards are easy in and out (if you have a little bit of finger nail) the videos downloaded rather quickly, BUT that may be because I used a Lexar USB card reader."
"After the original two arrived, I placed an order for two more, and originally the shipping time was 1-2 months, but I was notified today (25th) that they are shipping today."
"Not sure what problems some other people had, maybe doing crystal mark through their phone via a usb cable instead of directly in a desktop?"
"I am using this storage card to have some extra, more "permanent" storage for my MacBook along with a MiniDrive (The MiniDrive | microSD Adaptor | MacBook Air/Retina/Pro), and the reliability to date, combined with transfer speeds to and from the card, and BackBlaze backing it up as an attached external storage device, has added GIGS of usable space on my internal hard drives, and I don't have to worry about what I put on the SD card, since I can get it back off in a jiffy."
"I am not going to get into any technical data, but for the price, these MicroSD cards work very well for my tablet which is what I primarily use them for."
"Bought these for a kindle fire however it does not work well as it is not ‘certified’ kindle approved."
Best Telescope & Microscope Accessories
Slide specimens include coprimus mushroom (cross section), dense connective tissue (section), dog cardiac muscle (longitudinal section), dog esophagus (cross section), dog skeletal muscle (longitudinal section and cross section), dog stomach (section), honeybee worker leg-composite (whole mount), house bee mouth parts (whole mount), human blood (smear), hydra (longitudinal section), Hydrilla verticillata leaf (whole mount), Lilium anther (cross section), Lilium ovary (cross section), nymphaea of apustio stem (cross section), onion epidermis (whole mount), pig motor nerve (section mount), pine leaf (cross section), pine stem (cross section), pumpkin stem (cross section), rabbit spinal cord (cross section), rabbit testis (section), sunflower stem (cross section), Tilia stem (cross section), young root of broad bean (cross section), Zea stem (cross section). Microscopes are instruments used to enhance the resolution of an object or image. Compound microscopes use a compound optical system with an objective lens and an eyepiece. (25) Prepared slides Fitted wooden case. Set comes in fitted wooden storage box to prevent breakage and ease handling.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At the date of this review the description doesn't list the specimens, here they are: pine leaf,coprimus mushroom set, sunflower stem, broad bean root, onion skin, tilia stem, pumpkin stem, lillium ovary, lillium anther, zea stem, aqustio nymphaea stem, hydrilla leaf, pine stem, dog esophagus, human blood, dog skeletal muscle, pig motor nerve, rabbit spinal cord, rabbit testis, dog cardiac muscle, connective tissue, honeybee mouth parts, honeybee leg, hydra, dog stomach section."
"LOVE this slide set."
"I am a college professor and have used slides similar to these many times in anatomy and physiology lab."
"Listing of the slides: Aqustio Nymphaea Stem, Bean Root, Connective Tissue, Coprinus Mushroom, Dog Esophagus, Dog Heart Muscle, Dog Skeletal Muscle, Dog Stomach Muscle, Honeybee Jaw/Mandible, Honeybee Leg, Human Blood, Hydrilla Leaf, Lily Ovary, Lily Anther, Onion Skin, Pig Nerve, Pine Leaf, Pine Stem, Pumpkin Stem, Rabbit Spinal Cord, Rabbit Testicles, Sunflower Stem, Tilia Stem, Zea Stem."
"I was able to put them all back in order with the slide list that was provided in the box."
"Goes perfectly with the AMSCOPE M30-ABS-KT2 Microscope Kit."
"Love these."
"I bought this for an 11-year old child and gave it to him along with my old microscope and a selection of blank slides, covers, and stains."
Best Binocular Accessories
Buy as a kit and save. Chest strap：Lets you wear all GoPro cameras (except Digital HERO 5 Wrist Camera) on your chest Comfortable, fully-adjustable design fits all shapes and sizes, including over large jackets Perfect mount for skiing, kayaking, biking, motocross, equestrian and other action sports Lets you capture your knees & skis on the slopes, or your bike frame & handlebars Easy way to share the filming with your friends. The new design double multi-purpose wrench, fit for both gopro screws, so you have to be able to calmly deal with a variety of screws, convenient Easily Tighten Your GoPro Thumb Screws: The Tool makes it easy to tighten your GoPro thumb screws more securely than by hand.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is actually good quality , I had bought a GoPro brand chest strap and head stap previously,the ones included in this package looked and felt identical, every piece works amazing.Great kit it doesn't feel cheap at all.You will not be disappointed at the quality.I highly recommend."
"Good choice buy it. For what you pay this is easily a 5 star product.For this low price , i get everything i needed for my gopro."
"A lot of basic mounts to get you started."
"The rod isn't horrible but I couldn't imagine waving and jerking it around with my gopro attached, I did attach my gopro to see how it held at full length and the rod did bend and wave when I rocked it,but it would be good when extended to a shorter distance."
"My best suggestion would be to buy a chest strap and a head mount, separately - it'll probably be cheaper and you won't feel like you're missing something when you've left all the useless extras at home."
"The floating devise works great and has been extremely useful while snorkeling and going down water rapids and I don't have to worry about it ever sinking."
"The bicycle mount is well designed, and much better than the dual screw setup included in most kits."
"I can't think of where that would be useful unless I wake up one of these days with flying capability like Superman with one hand stretched out. It's probably the most versatile GoPro accessory since you can catch different angles with it and not just from one point of view."
Best Digital Picture Frame Screen Protector Foils
this is the Screen Protect Semi-Hard Sheet for the Sony Alpha A6000 Camera from Sony. Enter your model number to make sure this fits.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found it easier to remove both the back AND front plastic from the protector first, before applying, because leaving the front plastic on while applying makes it too fiddly."
"I was also able to remove a few times to reposition until it was just right."
"I made a good effort to remove any oils or lint from the screen and, followed the directions to line up the corner and made sure the vertical edge was lined up and, then laid it over the rest of the screen without flexing it."
"It fits perfectly on my a6000 and is easy to apply with no bubbling but it already has small scratch marks though I'm careful even with this protector on."
"This screen protector is very easy to apply and fits the screen on my A6000 perfectly."
"I was a little bit skeptical since I normally use thin tempered glass on my devices that have screens."
"it is very easy to install and really protect the factory screen on my camera."
"You just peel off the back side, align it with the top left corner of the screen and lay it across the screen."
Best Lighting & Studio Equipment
NIX Advance Frames: Plug & Play to display Photo and Video Memories with ease. With over 8 years of experience and a dedicated full time customer service team, we are committed to delivering high quality frames and services that allow you to display digital memories in a sophisticated way. Perfect gift for a loved one: This frame is perfect for everyone; from professionals, to parents and grandparents, they all deserve a frame that works and lets them enjoy all the memories. USB & SD/SDHC Ports: Plug and play to Instantly display all your digital photos.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wanted superb picture quality, and I needed a frame that would recognize portrait orientation and adjust accordingly."
"Yes my five star review for the NIX X12D Digital Photo Frame is for the product itself BUT more importantly it is for the AMAZING customer service assistance my wife and I received from Daryl. Thank you NIX for not only building a capable, sturdy system (our grandson is not always gentle with electronics - so far so good) but more importantly for hiring support personnel such as Daryl who go the extra mile."
"Sometimes nothing played with one flash drive, while another flash drive kept repeating photos or froze photos for up to a minute, even though I set it for 3 seconds. I did not do that because I never had to do it with the older frames, and several people wrote reviews on Amazon that they tried doing that, but it did not help at all. The remote and the software are newly designed and more user friendly. Needless to say, none of that silly photo resizing is necessary, as it was not necessary with my older frames."