You may recall I posted about a great deal on canvas prints from artscow.com not too long ago.  I ordered the custom canvas 12″ x 12″ and it arrived today, about 12 days after having placed the order.  Here are my thoughts on artscow.com and their canvas prints.

• Shipping Time: My understanding is that the printing is done in Hong Kong which allows for the low prices, but you trade off with longer shipping times.  Although we are used to near instant gratification nowadays, 12 days from day of order to day of receipt is not excessively long for printing and shipping.  Especially since this particular deal included free shipping (you normally pay for shipping).
• Packaging: Here is where I was most disappointed.  The canvases were rolled around a foam tube with tissue paper in between them (see overall product quality for more on this) then put in a plastic envelope.  That is not much protection for a trip from Hong Kong to the US.  As a result one of my canvases was slightly damaged with a bent corner.  These need to be shipped in a sturdier container.
• Image Quality: The image quality is not bad, but it is not spectacular either.  For the price they charge you are getting comparable image quality.  But if you want or need vibrancy and sharpness to wow you, these canvas prints fall short of that.
• Overall Product Quality: The cotton canvas used is good quality.  The inks however, are non-waterproof.  This is the reason for the tissue paper in the packaging.  Inks can transfer to other surfaces especially if moisture is involved.  That means you need to beware of humidity and you cannot wipe these down like you can with some other canvas photo prints.
• Site Experience: The saying “If it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it” applies to the Artscow website.  They appear to have attempted to use a new type of photo print ordering system that is unlike any of the other photo print companies.  I’m not sure that has worked out too well for them.  The system is not intuitive, it is cumbersome, and down right confusing at times.  The product descriptions need a bit of fine tuning as well.  The product I ordered is listed as “Custom Canvas 12″ x 12″.  We print your digital photos on canvas, ideal for displaying in the home or workplace.”  I assumed these would be stretched and although the site never said they were, they also never said they were not.  This was my misunderstanding more so than artscow’s misrepresentation (although I think they could have made the distinction more clear).  Just make sure you know what you are getting.  Also keep in mind that when you order a 12″ x 12″ (or any size) unstretched you will require at least an inch all the way around to wrap around the frame should you decide to stretch it.
• Final Rating: My final review of artscow.com canvas prints is three out of five cameras.  You will be hard pressed to find better pricing.  But, as with most everything, you get what you pay for so when the price is 1/2 everyone else you should not expect the same quality.  If you want something different for your family photos or your favorite photo to hang in your home these are good canvas prints.  If you are looking for high quality canvas prints suitable for your next gallery showing you will need to fork over a little more cash.

I have been using my new Sony Alpha 850 DSLR for about a week now and I love, love, love it.  This is more than a step up from my Alpha 100.  More like a giant leap forward.  Here are some of my first observations.  These are neither pros nor cons, just some things worth pointing out that you might want to keep in mind if buying one.  And if you are considering buying a Sony Alpha 850 the more you know before buying the better.

• Weight – The Alpha 850 is not a light weight.  Without the accessories it weighs 1 lb. 14 oz (almost 2 lbs).  Add on the lens, flash, and battery and you will get a workout.
• Battery – The battery is the NP-FM500H.  If you are jumping from the Alpha 100 to the 850 like I did you’ll want to keep in mind that they use two different batteries.  The NP-FM500H for the 850 allows for the remaining charge left in the battery to be displayed on the LCD as a percent.
• File Size – At 24.6 mega pixel when you shoot in RAW you end up with a large file (but a very clear image file).  You might need to invest in a larger memory card, but its not a bad trade off for the image quality you get.
• Noise – The sound kind, not the grain.  This has been reported in almost all the reviews, but the shutter sound is louder than I would expect from a camera of this level.  Not  deal breaker by any means however.

Overall one week impression – wow!

Case Logic’s SLRC-6 SLR Camera Holster Case

I think I am up to 4 camera bags now and am either becoming a collector or obsessive.   I wrote about my Lowepro Fastpack 250 a while back and still love this bag.  But for some shooting situations it is a bit big and all the equipment it can carry is not necessary.  But at the same time my Tamrac Zoom 16 Camera Bag does not hold much more than the camera with a lens attached so it can be a bit small for slightly longer excursions.  So in a Goldilocks sort of way, for photography trips that require more than just one lens but don’t require the whole arsenal of equipment, I have found a middle of the road bag that is a very good fit for many outings.   The Case Logic SLRC-6 SLR Camera Holster Case is a medium size sling bag measuring about 10 x 6.5 x 18 inches and weighing just over a pound.  This bag has several great features aside from its ideal size.  Here are some of my favorite features of the Case Logic Sling Camera bag:

1. The Sling – This was an ingenious invention that allows for quick and easy access to your camera without ever having to take the bag off your shoulder.
2. Flexible Configuration – I haven’t counted but the padded Velcro dividers in each compartment make for countless possible configurations.  You can move them around to make separate compartments for each of your accessories from lenses to flashes.  My only complaint about these is that the Velcro sticks very easily to all the bag’s surfaces.  So as you are reconfiguring it takes some maneuvering to get it just right.
3. Compartments – With six compartments (some hidden within others) this bag has more space than it looks like it would offer.  The aforementioned dividers turn those 6 into many more giving you a secure spot for just about everything.  I have managed to get 3 lenses in addition to the one on the camera, a teleconverter and a flash unit fit very nicely and then filled in the rest of the space with my smaller accessories.
4. The Price – At under $40 this bag is a bargain.