Meike battery grip for Nikon D5100 D-SLR camera review

I purchased a Meike battery grip for my Nikon D5100 D-SLR camera a few weeks ago and received it recently so I thought that I would write a review on the product.

Since the Nikon D5100 D-SLR is considered to be a mid-level entry camera, Nikon hasn't released a battery grip for this camera and probably won't so some companies have decided to fill in the void by creating their own battery grip for the Nikon D5100 camera.

I purchased my battery grip mainly because I heard/read that the battery grip will allow photographers to use non-Nikon OEM EN-EL14 batteries for their Nikon D5100 camera. As mentioned in my mini-review on the Nikon D5100 D-SLR camera, the D5100 detects a computer chip on authentic Nikon EN-EL14 batteries and will give an error message as well as not work when non-Nikon batteries are used. Even though I have 2 authentic Nikon batteries and I always like to carry 2 sets of batteries whenever I take pictures, I felt that because of the high price of the authentic Nikon EN-EL14 battery compared to the OEM EN-EL14 battery, one day I might decide to get OEM batteries and having the battery grip would be useful.

The first thing about the battery grip is that the colour matches the camera relatively well. You would have to look very closely to notice the difference in colour between the D5100 body and the battery grip. That being said, the battery grip is light and the plastic feels cheap when compared to the plastic on the D5100 camera body itself. The fit of the battery grip and the D5100 body is almost perfect. There is very little empty space between the camera body and the battery grip once the battery grip is secured in place using the screw that fits into the tripod hole on the bottom of the camera. The battery cover clip/lever on the battery grip is flimsy but it gets the job done by locking the battery grip's battery cover in place one the EN-EL batteries are inserted.

People should be aware that some people have modified the Meike battery grip for Nikon D3100 cameras by cutting/sanding one side of the battery grip. The side of the battery grip is the only difference between the Meike battery grip for Nikon D3100 cameras and the Meike battery grip for Nikon D5100 cameras. Personally the box that I purchased indicated that the battery grip was specifically for the Nikon D5100 camera.

In order to use the battery grip, you must first remove the battery cover from the D5100 body. To do this, you just angle the battery cover at roughly 45 degrees and pull firmly and the battery cover will pop off the bottom of the D5100. There is a holder space for the battery cover on the Meike battery grip so that people don't misplace/lose it.

Once the battery grip is attached to the D5100 body, it gives the camera a "better" look (in my opinion). For me, I find that the added weight makes it a little easier for me to take pictures.

The battery grip has a shutter release button (to take pictures). This makes it easier to take pictures while holding the battery grip (holding camera vertically). However in order to use the battery grip's shutter release button, you must use the included cable which connects the battery grip to the camera via the port on the left side of the camera.

I was going to test OEM EN-EL14 batteries in my Meike battery grip but I was pleasantly surprised that the OEM generic/non-Nikon EN-EL14 batteries that I purchased actually worked in my Nikon D5100 camera.

Based on some of the other reviews that I've seen, in order to use generic/non-Nikon EN-EL14 batteries in the battery grip, you first have to insert the authentic Nikon EN-EL14 battery into the battery grip (on the right side). After the authentic Nikon battery is inserted on the right side of the battery grip, you would then power up the Nikon D5100 camera and it will power on. After doing this, you turn off the Nikon D5100 camera and insert the OEM EN-EL14 on the left side of the battery grip. With this configuration/set-up, the D5100 will still power-up. After doing this, you can replace the authentic Nikon EN-EL14 battery on the right side with an OEM EN-EL14 battery so that there are two OEM EN-EL14 batteries in the battery grip and the Nikon D5100 will still power-up. Once this is done, as long as there is always 1 battery in the battery grip, you can swap out the other battery without any issues and the camera will still work. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your viewpoint), I wasn't able to test this (but I've seen videos showing this) since my OEM EN-EL14 batteries actually work in my D5100 camera.

I think that this battery grip is a useful accessory but since it is very easy to swap batteries in the Nikon D5100, I don't really see a point to the longer shooting time offered by the battery grip except if the person takes a lot of videos (or takes very long videos). In terms of whether I recommend the product or not, I think that it depends on whether the person plans on purchasing OEM EN-EL14 batteries in the future which may or may not work directly with the Nikon D5100 camera. For me, the OEM EN-EL14 batteries that I purchased surprisingly worked directly with my Nikon D5100 camera.

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Will I or Won't I buy an iPhone 5?

Since I didn't really have anything to review this week, I wasn't sure what to write about for this week's blog entry but since the biggest technical gadget news item this week is probably the release of the iPhone 5 in North America, I decided to write about what my thoughts were on the new iPhone 5 and whether I will be purchasing one (or not). I have taken a look at the specs for the iPhone 5 and it does look nice.

I do have an iPhone 3GS that I sometimes use to make/receive phone calls but the majority of the time, I use it more like an iPod Touch (surf, e-mail notification, play games, listen to podcasts, watch videos, etc.).

I generally skip at least 1 generation for a particular device before purchasing the next device. This is why even though I like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, I haven't purchased it (and why when the iPhone 4 & iPhone 4S came out, I didn't purchase those phones either). The iPhone 5 represents a big improvement from my iPhone 3GS but because I use mainly my Blackberry Bold 9700 and my Samsung Nexus-S (and I don't really use my iPhone 3GS), I'm taking a wait and see attitude in regards to whether I will purchase an iPhone 5. Currently I'm waiting to see if Rogers will introduce a data plan that I feel is worthwhile for me to get a new Rogers account.

One of the things that I don't like about the newer iPhones (iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5) is that they don't use the standard size SIM card. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S use MicroSIM cards while the newer iPhone 5 uses NanoSIM cards. Because I sometimes travel and I have a few US SIM cards that are of regular size, it is somewhat of a hassle for me to try to convert my US SIM cards to the proper size in order to fit into the newer iPhones. I also feel that when traveling, regular size SIM cards are easier to find than the smaller SIM cards used in the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5.

Something else that bothers me about the new iPhone 5 is that it uses a new charging/syncing cable/adapter. This means that if I purchase it, the "dock" that I have on my radio won't work with it.

Apple has stopped including Google Maps and YouTube with the newer iPhone 5 (at least with the new iOS 6) . However, by the time most of you read this, there will probably be standalone apps for each of these.

As someone who has a Blackberry (Blackberry Bold 9700), an iPhone (iPhone 3GS), and an Android (Nexus-S), I see the pros and cons of each of the devices. The phone that I currently "use" the most would be my Blackberry Bold 9700. The main reason for this is that I find it easier to type on a physical keypad as opposed to using a virtual on-screen keypad. I haven't upgraded my Bold 9700 to the Bold 9900 because I'm unsure about RIM's future and because their built-in e-mail and built-in browser requires the use of RIMs servers, I don't want to be stuck with a device where over 50% of what I would want to use it for no longer works.

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Belkin Conserve Valet Smart USB Charging Station Review

I've been using my Belkin Conserve Valet Smart USB Charging Station for a few months now and I thought that now was the perfect time to write my review about it.

The major selling points for the product is that it allows for the charging of up to 4 devices at a time (USB charging) and it automatically shuts down to prevent overcharging and eliminates standby charging.

I've used the device to charge my GPS unit (TomTom Go 930), my iPhone 3GS, my Blackberry Bold 9700, and my Samsung Nexus-S at the same time using the device. According to the documentation, if the electronic device requires too much power to charge, the Belkin Conserve Valet Smart USB Charging station won't be able to charge as many devices at the same time. I have not used my Belkin charging station to charge my HP TouchPad nor did I use it to charge the Blackberry Playbook that I had evaluated when it first came out since I am sure that the Belkin station wouldn't be able to charge either of these tablets because of the amount of power they require in order to charge.

The only device that I've had problems charging from my devices listed above is my Blackberry Bold 9700. For some reason, it will only charge from one of the USB ports and using the shortest (included) USB cable. Moving/Using the exact same cable in a different USB port on the Belkin USB charging station produces an error message on my Blackberry informing me that the device is incapable of being charged from the unit.

Another thing that I noticed when my Blackberry Bold 9700 is plugged into the Belkin Conserve Valet Smart USB Charging station is that even though all my devices plugged into the unit are fully charged, the charging station would continually charge them for up to a few hours before turning off. However, when my Blackberry Bold 9700 is not plugged into the Belkin charging station but my other devices (iPhone 3GS and/or Samsung Nexus-S) is plugged into the unit, the Belkin charging station powers off within a reasonable amount of time after the devices are fully charged.

Because the Belkin Conserve Valet Smart USB Charging station powers off once it detects that all devices connected to it are charged, this can present problems. For example, if you decide to charge your smartphone too early (prior to you taking it), it might no longer be fully charged when you remove it from the charging unit such as if you decide to charge it when you come home after work and then you forget to "recharge it" before you go to bed, by the time you wake up the following day, your smartphone will no longer be fully charged and might not even have enough power to last the entire day.

Other than the shortcomings that I've already mentioned above, there isn't much that I don't like about the Belkin Conserve Valet Smart USB Charging Station and I have no problems recommending this unit.

If you have any questions/comments regarding this blog entry, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the comments section below. Please note that comments are moderated and any comment that contains a URL link (whether embedded or not) will automatically be flagged as being spam and will not be posted.

HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer Review

I had an ink jet printer (Canon) over 15 years ago and after using it for about two years, I stopped using it since at the time I had access to a laser printer and was using that. Eventually, the inkjet printer nozzle got clogged since I wasn't using it and after fixing it one year, I eventually sold it.

I found myself needing a printer again recently and decided to purchase an all-in-one printer. For me, I didn't really care about faxing (although it would be a nice feature to have) and I was interested mainly in printing, scanning, and copying. I did some research on the internet and solicited some advice from friends on my Facebook. It just so happens that one of my friends had purchased an HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer and he had very good comments about it. One of the things that he mentioned was that it uses less ink than the other ink jet printers and he personally vouched for this since after a few months of printing every day, he was still using the original ink cartridges that came with the printer. He mentioned that there were 3 HP Officejet 8600 printers (Pro, Plus, & Premium). I opted to purchase the Pro version since it was the one that my friend had, it was the least expensive, and the additional features in the Plus & Premium version although nice to have, I didn't consider the additional price to be worthwhile based on my usage.

First of all, the HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer is considered to be a home-office type of device so it is somewhat more expensive than a lot of the entry-type (home) all-in-one printers on the market. It is larger/bulkier and seems more sturdy than the other printers that I saw while I was shopping for a printer in the store.

What I like about the printer is that it is wireless and supports both wired and USB connections. Since the printer is away from my computer (and away from my wireless router), I opted to use mine in wireless mode.  According to the documentation, it supports B, G, and N. I had no problems connecting to any one of my three wireless routers using WPA encryption. Another nice feature that I like is that the printer can upgrade/update its own internal software/firmware without the need of a computer. This is different from updating the computer's printer software drivers/application.

One other thing that I like is that it has an enclosed paper tray as opposed to some of the other inkjet printers where you put the paper standing up into the paper slot. I'm not sure how much paper it accepts into the tray but according to the documentation, it says that it supports 250 sheets.

It supports direct printing from memory card (SD/MMC, MS/DUO) as well as USB memory stick. There is an LCD display touchscreen which is used to preview images as well as to navigate through the menus.

The Pro version (which is what I have) supports automatic duplex printing. Unfortunately, it doesn't support automatic duplex copying (the Plus & Premium versions support this along with some additional features).

The HP Officejet Pro 8600 has 4 independent/separate ink cartridges so that if one of the cartridges runs low, all you have to do is replace that one cartridge as opposed to replacing a cartridge that has all the colours. The cartridge types that it uses is 951 (or 951XL) for Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow whereas for Black it uses 950 (or 950XL). The XL cartridges print ~2x more pages. For example, whereas according to the specifications the HP 950 ink cartridges prints up to 1000 pages, the HP 950XL ink cartridges prints up to 2300 pages.

This printer also supports HP's ePrint and Google Cloud Print. What HP's ePrint allows you to do is to print certain types of documents (mainly Word, Adobe PDF, Excel, JPG, and PowerPoint) from any internet device that is capable of sending an e-mail since the printer is assigned a unique HP ePrint e-mail address. I've tested the ePrint feature (printed a photo while I was at work to my home printer) and it works very well. After adding the printer onto my Google account as a Cloud Printer, I was also able to print from Google Chrome on my PC as well as on my Chromebook to my HP Officejet Pro 8600 at home while I was physically at work.

I tested the scanning, printing, and photocopying and they all performed relatively well. Printing is relatively fast although I'm not sure about quoted/documented speeds of 13 to 32 ppm depending on print quality. I tested the printing a picture to the printer and to be honest, I was not overly impressed with the colour print quality for pictures. However, perhaps this was due to the paper that I was using. Another thing to mention was that when the picture print-out came out of the printer, the paper was not "flat" and the shape and texture was similar to a piece of paper being sprayed with water and allowed to dry. This obviously was not the case when printing regular printouts where the colour/ink does not encompass every square centimeter of the paper.

The device scans in either JPG or PDF and will either store the files onto a computer (where the  HP Officejet Pro software is installed) or it will store it onto a USB memory stick. I did have issues scanning directly from the printer onto my computer but I believe that it is probably a problem with my computer as opposed to the device (since my friend who has the same printer informed me that he did not experience this issue). The error message that I would receive on the LCD display would be a connection issue even though my computer was connected to the same network/router that the printer was connected wireless to. I would also occasionally get a small warning on the task bar indicating that the connection to the scanner was lost but then it would reconnect a few seconds later. When scanning from my computer using the HP Scan software, I didn't experience any issues.

I downloaded a copy of the user guide (which describes some of the HP Officejet Pro 8600's features as well as troubleshooting instructions) and stored it *HERE*.

All in all, I'm satisfied with my recent purchase of my new HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer. The only thing that I would have liked is that if it had some of the features of the Premium or Plus versions at the price of the Pro version. I also find the ink cartridges to be a bit expensive but I'll see how long the current ink cartridges last (since the printer is supposed to use ~50% less ink and most of my copying/printing is mostly in draft mode).

If you have any questions/comments regarding this blog entry, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the comments section below. Please note that comments are moderated and any comment which contains a URL link (whether embedded or not) will automatically be flagged as being spam and will not be posted.

Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight/Flash Mini Review

I got the chance to try out the Nikon SB-910 AF speedlight/flash about a month ago and I thought that I would write a mini review of it. I didn't use it a lot but during my testing on my Nikon P5100 and on my Nikon D5100 D-SLR, I didn't encounter any issues with it.

The Nikon SB-910 AF is the update to the slightly older SB-900 AF. According to the reviews and videos that I've seen regarding the SB-900, the SB-900 has an overheating problem. According to these reviews and videos, after taking ~25 pictures with the flash in relatively short duration, the SB-900 would stop working in order to protect itself from overheating. The SB-910 doesn't suffer from this.

From what I've seen, the Nikon SB-910 accomplishes this by reducing the intensity/power of the flash so that you can continue to take pictures without fear of overheating the flash or the flash going into "cooldown" mode.

I've tested the SB-910 AF by flashing it manually while it wasn't connected to my camera (using the button on the flash) and it continued to flash even after 50 flashes where I would use the flash approximately 2 seconds apart from one another.

The Nikon SB-910 AF comes with 1 diffusion dome that fits over the flash and 2 filters (1 for when using it in incandescent light conditions which is orange in colour and 1 for when using it in fluorescent light conditions which is green in colour). It also comes with a small speedlight stand and a very nice soft case. There are 2 manuals/booklets with the SB-910 where one of the booklets is the user manual and the other booklet is a sample of pictures taken with the flash.

The Nikon SB-910 uses 4 AA batteries. During my tests, I used NiMH batteries and got good results (relatively fast recharge time between flashes and decent battery life).

What I like about the SB-910 is that unlike my smaller SB-400, the flash head tilts up and down as well as rotates horizontally. It also supports Nikon's new i-TTL system. Something else that the SB-910 includes remote/wireless support.

Unlike my smaller SB-400, the SB-910 has a display screen and has a lot more features and functions (categorized by an LCD panel with a menu system via a variety of buttons and a dial). The SB-400 only had a status LED and the locking switch. During my limited testing, I didn't do a lot of testing with the different features on the SB-910.

What I like about the SB-910 is that it allows for more control than the SB-400. However, this more control has 1 drawback and that is that the photographer using it must know what he/she is doing. In my opinion, this might be a bit overwhelming to D-SLR photographers just starting out. Another thing that I like about the SB-910 is that the flash head can be tilted/rotated so that you can employ "bounce" flash photography techniques. The SB-910's flash is of course also more powerful than the SB-400 which allows for light to go further and allows for the photographer to get properly exposed pictures which are a bit further away.

I tested the SB-910 on my Nikon D5100 D-SLR as well as on my point & shoot Coolpix P5100 and it works with both cameras. However, as you can see from the photos above, on the Coolpix P5100, it looks very awkward and feels very awkward/heavy since the flash is heavier and larger than the camera itself.

Nikon SB-910 AF on Nikon Coolpix P5100

Nikon SB-910 AF on Nikon D5100 D-SLR

If you have any questions/comments regarding this blog entry, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the comments section below. Please note that comments are moderated and any comment which contains a URL link (whether embedded or not) will automatically be flagged as being spam and will not be posted.