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 For photographers using long-heavy tele-zoom and telephoto lenses such as the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM lens, gravity is a problem. The lens puts stress on the lensmount and camera body as it pulls the camera in a downward direction–unless it is supported. Typically, this has meant photographers simply would hold the lens by its to take stress off of the camera body (if they remembered). Dowell Enterprises has come up with a clever solution: the Lens Cradle.
The Lens Cradle is designed to fit any lens with a tripod mount. It supports the camera and lens horizontally by utilizing the tripod mounting ring on the lens. Thereby, substantially reducing if not eliminating, the damage and stress that occurs to the camera body at the lens mounting junction. The Lens Cradle gives horizontal balance and stability that a camera strap alone does not provide. You no longer need to support the weight of a large lens with your hands. The natural horizontal position keeps the camera poised to be ready for the next elusive shot and prevents lens creep on push pull lenses. It is selling for $25.
Website : LensCradle Support for long DSLR lenses
 
 “There has never been a better time to buy a digital SLR as figures show the average price falling by over £100 in the past year.
In the first three months of 2007, the average selling price of a DSLR (body only) was £466, compared to £567 in the same period in 2006, according to figures released by market analysts at GfK.
That equates to a fall of around 18% in 12 months and 35% since the summer of 2005 when the average DSLR price stood at around £715 – around £250 more than now. However, the news prompted GfK to warn the UK industry: ‘We have seen volume sales grow quite significantly over the last six months but this, of course, cannot go on indefinitely and a decline in volume will likely be followed by a value decline.’
The value of the overall digital imaging market in Britain dropped by 8% in the first three months of the year, compared to the same quarter last year, despite the number of digital cameras sold rising by 3%. “
Website : Digital SLR prices tumble
Website : DSLR Camera for only $299?
 SR has introduced an LED ring light that features two flexible arms. The Digi-Slave Flex-Ring 6400 has 32 LEDs mounted on the ring and 16 LEDs on a panel at the end of each arm.
The Flex-Ring 6400 features a variable power dial for adjusting the LEDs’ brightness and can be either switched on as a continuous light source or triggered from a standard PC or hotshoe sync. The ring and side-panel LEDs can also be used separately.
The light mount is threaded to fit on a 72mm-diameter lens and can be used on smaller-diameter optics with a step-down ring. It operates on four AA batteries or an optional AC adapter.
The Digi-Slave Flex-Ring 6400 is available now from SR for $400.
Website : SR Introduces Ring Light With Flexible Arms
 JDArt from the PhotoCamel website posted these useful tips about buying a used DSLR camera from the web. “…smaller cameras such as the Nikon D70 or Canon 20D boast more megapixels and smaller size. These once sold for as much as 2 thousand dollars when new just a couple of years ago. Now, they’ve available for a quarter of that price.
But does it make sense to buy an older DSLR when the latest models offer more megapixels? The short answer is “yes.” The longer answer is that savvy digital camera buyers have long known that image quality is about more than megapixels. Pictures from the Nikon D1X, for instance, have been used in National Geographic for years, and you probably look at images from older DSLR cameras from Canon, Nikon, or Olympus every day in newspapers and magazines. Here’s what to look for to help you find a true bargain at a good price.
What’s the condition?
You really can tell a book by its cover when buying a used DSLR. A camera that’s been well cared for be obvious, although you should ignore minor scratches and scuff, as these will appear on most used equipment. Handle the camera if you can. If you’re looking at online auctions, make sure the picture you see is of the actual camera being sold. Ask the seller if you’re not sure.
Pro-level DSLRs such as the Nikon D1H or D1X and the Canon 1D are built tough to withstand the rigors of frequent professional use, so the camera itself is likely to last many years.
How many pictures?
Approximately how many pictures have been taken with the camera? Getting an answer to this question will tell you a lot about how much the camera has been through.
Digital SLR cameras are designed to take anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 pictures before the camera’s shutter - the mechanism that moves inside the camera when you snap a picture - may need to be replaced. Replacing the shutter is generally not cost prohibitive - around 200 dollars from a factory-authorised service centre - but the more life you have left on the original shutter, the better.
Owners of Canon 1-series cameras can find out exactly how many pictures a camera has taken by using the CanCount utility, which can be downloaded freely from the Internet.
Money back?
It’s not too difficult to find sellers of used DSLRs who will offer a money-back trial period. Take advantage of this if you can find it. That way, if anything is wrong with the camera, you can return it for a refund.
Dead pixels?
It’s not terribly uncommon for older DSLR cameras to have one or more dead pixels that show up on photographs. Ask the seller of the camera whether there are any dead pixels. Look for units with none.
Buttons, termainals, and flash
Make sure that all buttons work without sticking, and check all terminals and on-camera sockets to be sure that they are not damaged.
Serial number?
Prefer cameras that come with original box and paperwork, and get a copy of the original receipt, if possible. Exercise more caution if someone is selling a camera body only, without accompanying paperwork. Get the camera’s serial number and check it against a stolen equipment registry.
Remember that a DSLR is often sold without a lens, so you’ll either need your own compatible lens or you need to look for a camera that’s sold with a lens. Lenses are precision optical instruments and come in many focal lengths, which is one reason why DSLR cameras are preferred by photographers who want to get the best possible picture.”
Website : CanCount Software to show Number of Shutter Actuations
 Luminous Landscapes has reviewed the Delkin DSLR SensorScope and concludes, “The complete Delkin SensorScope sells for US $189.99. It is a brilliant product, and I know of nothing else on the market that is equivalent, or as useful. But, the bad news is that to get the SensorScope one is forced to buy the entire kit, which includes a fitted carry case, the SensorVac, and the SensorWands and SensorSolution.
The vacuum device didn’t impress me, and I can do without it. The swabs and solution are fine, but there are alternatives. The fitted case is OK as far as it goes, but bulky and unlikely to end up anywhere other than in basement storage.
The real star here is the SensorScope itself, and frankly it gets my highest recommendation. But at close to $200 it is seriously overpriced, and so on that basis the entire kit (the only way to currently get a SensorScope) isn’t something that I can recommend. My advice to Delkin is – ramp up manufacturing to get past the current backorder situation (April, ‘07) and make the SensorScope available as a stand-alone product for under $100. Then you’ll have a product that few photographers will want to be without.”
Website : SensorScope 5X magnification for DSLR Sensor Cleaning
Website : Delkin DSLR SensorScope Review at Luminous Landscapes
According to Chris Chute, an analyst at researcher IDC, discounters will likely drive down the price of an entry-level DSLR camera to $299 by year’s end. That’s just a tad higher than most people pay now for compact point-and-shoots. “This will dramatically reshape the digital camera market,” Chute says. “It will give consumers a reason to jump into features they’ve always wanted, but didn’t know they could get.”
Chute says the point-and-shoot market peaked in 2006 at 29.8 million cameras. He expects flat sales this year. Meanwhile, 1.7 million digital SLRs sold in 2006, which he expects to jump to more than 2 million for 2007.
At the PMA trade show that concluded over the weekend, Olympus and Nikon introduced new DSLRs for $799 that are expected to fall in price in the coming months. They compete with Canon’s market-leading $799 EOS Digital Rebel XTi, which has a 10-megapixel sensor. Nikon’s announces its new $799 D40x that matches Canon’s 10 megapixels. Olympus’ 10-megapixel Evolt E-410, also $799, offers built-in image stabilization, which helps make shots steady for those with shaky hands.
On the other end of the spectrum, Canon unveiled the EOS-1D Mark III, which is “the fastest camera we’ve ever had,” says Chuck Westfall, a Canon customer service executive. The Mark III can shoot 110 pictures in 11 seconds.
Website : DSLR Camera for only $299?
 What you can’t see can affect your pictures. Dirt comes from many sources and it must be removed in a safe and effective way, or your images will show this debris. Four common types of contaminants can get on your image sensor: Metallic, Fiber, Organic and Silica/Quartz particles. Only the SensorScope system addresses all four types of material and the proper way to remove them safely.
SensorScope enables you to check your sensor to see if it needs cleaning-there’s nothing safer than not cleaning your sensor. The SensorScope looks like a camera lens; however, it allows you to look back into your camera to inspect your sensor. The SensorScope is easily portable and provides a 5x magnification lens and 4 ultra bright LED lights, which are focused to completely illuminate the field of inspection. Although specifically designed for Canon and Nikon DSLRs, the SensorScope may be used on any manufacturer’s DSLR.
Website : SensorScope 5X magnification for DSLR Sensor Cleaning
In 2006, five 10MP cameras hit the U.S. market, all packed with high-end features and priced at $1,000 or less (street) — including, in four cases, a kit lens: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP, Nikon D80 10.2MP, Pentax K10D 10.2MP, Samsung GX-10 10.2MP, and Sony Alpha 100 10.2MP, and the new one just announced by Nikon & Olympus in 2007. Which one is your most favorite DSLR camera brand?
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Website : Comparing Five 10MP DSLR Camera - PopPhoto
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