I was looking at getting myself a lens filter for my Eos 60D so I did what anyone with access to the web would do. After a quick search I found some reviews on them. I was looking for something that would help me with my landscape photography. The main issues I was having were the flares and reflections in the images, again reading the reviews I found a good product that I could use.

The results were polarizing lens filters. Polarizing filters work by suppressing surface reflections from non-metallic objects, this is done by blocking the rays. The amount of suppression depends on the angle of the reflected light, the rotation of the filter and the amount of polarization. You can also sometimes see an increase in color saturation of an image, as the glare caused by the surface reflections often lightens the subject of the image.

The filter just screws onto the front of my camera which I am particularly keen on as sometimes I have found that using a push on lens filter can sometimes let the light in if not on correctly. The lens filter also covers the lens and keeps dirt and dust from getting on the lens which could affect the quality of an image.

Looking around for one I found one for the Eos at digi-Quick, an online retailer for digital camera accessories (although there are others out there). I used them as the 58mm Camlink CPL filter was cheap enough for me to warrant the expenditure for lens filters, especially if you knew what a difference it has made to my photos. The next thing I need is a tripod as I tend to be a little shaky.

I wish we had low cost fisheye digital cameras but alas we have to settle for 35mm film cameras. Lomography makes some nice retro looking cameras and this one is no exception. This Fisheye One Black is the world’s only camera with a built-in fish-eye lens.

This camera produces super-wide-angle images (170 degree view) and compacts everything into a circular image. The distorted images that emerge can be amusing and/or artistic in the right conditions. There is a built in flash so you can use this indoors or at night. It uses normal 35mm film that can be developed at Walmart or wherever else you choose.

Reviews of the “Fisheye One Black” have shown complaints on how the viewfinder is practically useless and that the camera doesn’t perform well in low light, so keep these issues in mind.

The trick to getting good shots with a fisheye lens camera is to fill the frame up, preferably with tall vertical objects like buildings in the background. It’s also good to take a close up shot with your subject in the center of the picture.

Enjoy the pictures below, which are samples taken with the Lomography Fisheye camera.

Panasonic has released their smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system digital camera, the Lumix DMC-GF2. It’s a 12.1 MP camera with a built in flash that is a nice blend between a DSLR and point and shoot. The lens used is in the micro thirds format which is more compact but more expensive. This camera is also compatible with Panasonic’s new 3D interchangeable lens which means you can take 3D photos.

There is a large 3 inch touchscreen LCD display. You can set the focus by touching the display but it will also follow your subject around for in focus action shots of moving subjects. Another feature of the display is that the camera switches scene modes based on what you touch on the display. For example touching a face switches it to portrait mode, touching the background changes it to scenery mode and touching a close object switches it to close-up mode.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC GF2 doesn’t just take 12 megapixel pictures but it can also record 1920×1080 videos at 60i or 1280×720 at 60p in AVCHD. It can also record in 1280×720 HD motion jpeg videos at 30 frames per second.

How compact is this camera? The Lumix GF2 measures 4.4 inches wide, is 2.7 inches tall, is 1.3 inches thick and weighs 9.4 ounces.

Here are some additional images of the GF2.

This Canon Powershot is 12MP point and shoot camera worth around $100. That’s what I call a good bang for your buck. As time progresses these small cameras are approaching the quality of larger SLR cameras. I’m not saying this specific camera is that good, but within a few years we’ll be there. Now let’s get back to the review of the Canon PowerShot SD1300.

Let’s talk pictures. The SD1300 can shoot pictures at a maximum resolution of 4,000 x 3,000 pixels and the videos are 640×480 at 30fps. If you want to print an original large picture your prints can be as big as 13″x18″.

This SD1300IS model has a 28mm wide-angle lens and 4x optical zoom to get some good close-up shots. I also enjoyed their low light setting for taking dimly lit pictures. If you’ve got a shaky hand you’ll like that Canon has a “Canon Optical Image Stabilizer” which auto detects and corrects camera shake so you won’t get blurry shots anymore.

In the back is the scratch-resistant LCD screen which is 2.7 inches. The colors are bright and the screen is easy to see in any condition due to the anti-reflective coating. In the box you’ll find a lithium-ion battery with a charger. You can expect to take 300-400 pictures on one charge.

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS is a 12.1 Megapixel resolution super zoom digital camera. This Cannon model extends the capabilities of the PowerShot series into the range of an SLR type camera. This camera is ideal for photographers that want more control over images, but  are not quite ready for a full digital SLR camera.

The SX20 IS has a 20x Optical Zoom lens with a focal length of 5.0-100mm (35mm equivalent zoom range of 28-560mm). You can also record video in high definition (1280 x 720 pixels) with stereo sound. It has full manual control of most settings.

The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS features Smart AUTO mode, it selects an appropriate setting from 22 specially defined settings making it easier to use on the go. Other features include a 2.5 inch LCD screen and AA battery power for convenience.

The DualView camera is for those that like being in front of the camera as much as being behind the camera. It’s an extremely good design feature by Samsung incorporated into its fine digital camera line.

The Samsung DualView TL220 is a sturdy 12.2-MP black camera available in a variety of color highlights. The evident innovation is an 1.5-inch display in the front and a 3.0-inch touch screen display in the back. The lens is a 27-mm Schneider wide angle lens that allows up to 4.6x optical zoom. You can also record HD video in 1280x720p resolution at 30 frames per second.

All the functions are operated by the touch screen. The touch screen interface makes it easy to use the various built in settings as they are needed.

The Canon PowerShot SD880 IS has a lot of features: 10-megapixel resolution, 4X wide angle zoom, optical image stabilization, face detection (which recognizes faces in the frame and optimizes the autofocus accordingly) and a proportionally large 3.0-inch LCD screen.

Like many other Canon cameras, the PowerShot SD880 IS has an easy to hold ergonomic shape. Its dimensions are 3.69 x 2.24 x 0.93 inches and its weight is approximately 5.47 ounces. The camera has a typical control layout. The key buttons such as the on/off, zoom, and shutter switch sit on top. The print/share, playback, function, menu and display buttons are on the back. A large control dial wheel surrounds the function button.

The functions are all well placed in regard to ease of access. All you have to do is turn to the setting that best matches the scene you’re viewing through the lens to capture the perfect image. The PowerShot SD880 IS digital camera also has advanced auto presets so point-and-shoot is always available.