Opteka HD² Professional Digital Accessory Kit for Canon Powershot G10 Digital Camera
by Opteka
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: OptekaProduct features:
- Deluxe Microfiber Carry-All Camera Case
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Opteka HD² Professional Digital Accessory Kit for Canon Powershot G10 Digital Camera
Customer Review: Great for fun, not for high-resolution prints
Summary: 3 Stars
For about 25% more on your basic Canon G11 purchase, strongly consider buying this kit. Unlike the G11, these products are not top-drawer but when used properly you can more than double your lens' capabilities and your fun. Some items are useless (as noted below), but the price overall is good even considering quality issues.
Warning: To use the accessory lenses or filters, you MUST have a conversion lens adapter. Opteka makes an excellent machined aluminum adapter, likely to be more durable than the plastic model offered by Canon. The Canon, and some other adapters, have reportedly caused "lens errors" that turn off your camera when the built-in lens presses against a mounted accessory. This has not happened with the Opteka model. Buy it separately, but buy it.
The basic camera offers an outstanding 5x zoom lens. Some people want more, but no camera in the G11's feature or quality range zooms farther. With this kit, though, you extend your focal range to about 20x, from a very wide 14mm to a crisp 300mm or more (35-mm SLR equivalent). What's more, the 0.45x wide-angle lens has a back element that, when unthreaded, serves as a multiplier for macro photos. Those, plus the camera bag, are the main values here.
I agree with other reviewers that the Opteka wide-angle produces serious blue fringing (on the outer part of all photos, the dividing line between bright and dark image areas are outlined in blue-violet). Not attractive! But for prints of about 4x6 inches or smaller, it's tolerable. This accessory allows you to shoot a full room from a corner, barely missing both walls beside you. Yes, that wide.
The tripod, almost a failure, is very light, and the crank-up head is wobbly. It is OK for light winds only. Instead of using a simple screw to attach the tripod to the camera's tripod mounting thread, the screw is built into a removable wedge. Is this supposed to be a benefit? The wedge can only be fitted into the tripod in one direction, and you can't easily realign the camera with the aiming lever of the tripod if you attached the wedge a bit out of line. It also prevents your opening the battery/memory compartment of the G-series cameras this kit is allegedly designed for, or attaching the old-school Canon camera case. I'll stick with my ancient, heavier, more solid Tiffen tripod.
Three filters are included, and only work if you use the same extension tube as for the lenses. Although the writeup (Dated May; I bought mine in March) says the kit includes a circular polarizing lens, I received a linear polarizer. It doesn't matter with this camera, but it cannot be used on most dSLRs. Also included: an ultraviolet and a fluorescent-lighting filter. Digital cameras do not register UV, so this is only good as a lens cover. But if you have the mounting tube attached, which you must to use a filter, it will protect the lens except from driving rain. Toss the UV filter. Same with the FL. The G-series has a built-in fluorescent light setting, so toss this too. After that, what's the point of the leather case that holds three filters? Another toss. I wish they had used the cheap, reliable old-school "coin case" holders.
In the "digital starter kit," the lens cleaning fluid is a tiny squeeze bottle that, instead acting as a dropper leaks out the side of the nozzle. Toss that and buy some cleaner from an optical store like LensCrafters. There's a pair of clear self-adhering viewscreen protective covers. They defeat the expensive and effective LiveView antiglare features. Toss those too, or put them on your cell phone. I have no complaint with the rest of the little box's contents.
The camera bag was labeled Opteka although the May listing says it's a Samsonite. My bag has good shoulder strap and zippers. The bag has ample room for the camera and all the items in the kit, with room for a bit more. You could spend a lot of money and not get much more function or protection for your gear. That still leaves the good-quality lenses, including the macro that unscrews from the back of the wide-angle unit.
Even with the useless items and wobbly tripod, this package is a deal worth buying. Just don't expect it to make you into an Ansel Adams.
More Opteka HD² Professional Digital Accessory Kit for Canon Powershot G10 Digital Camera reviews:
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Description of Opteka HD² Professional Digital Accessory Kit for Canon Powershot G10 Digital Camera
The following items are included: (1)Opteka .45x High Definition Professional Wide Angle Lens (2)Opteka 2.2x High Definition Professional Telephoto Lens (3)Opteka High Definition² Pro Filter Kit (UV, Circular Polarizer, FL-D) (4)Lens/Filter Adapter (5)Opteka 5 Piece Camera & Lens Cleaning Kit (6)Opteka Tabletop Tripod (7)Opteka LCD Screen Protectors (8)54" Deluxe Professional Video/Camera Tripod (9)Samsonite Deluxe Microfiber Carry-All Camera CaseDigital Cameras & Photo Categories
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