Digital Camera

Canon IXUS 150/Canon PowerShot ELPH 140 IS Sensor:  16.0 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD  Lens:  8x optical zoom, 28-224mm-equivalent focal range  Screen:  2.7-inch LCD, 230,000 dots  Max continuous shooting rate:  0.8fps  Max video resolution:  HD 720p The IXUS 150 may be light on your pocket, but it isn't light on features, packing a 16-megapixel sensor and Canon's powerful Digic 4+ image processor. It'll also record HD video and there are several art filters to play with, too. It's a breeze to use as well, thanks to features like Live Mode that allows you to see the effect of setting changes in real time, plus there's a help button to explain various functions. Once you get familiar with the camera, you've also got the ability to manually tweak several settings. Unlike some cut-down compacts, the IXUS 150 doesn't sacrifice speed. It's quick to focus and you won't have to waste time waiting for the screen to clear before you can snap a...

Canon is bringing its latest mirrorless camera, the EOS M3, to the US after all. The Japan-based manufacturer announced this compact shooter back in February, but now people in the States will have a chance to get their hands on it. A follow-up to the M2 from 2013, the M3 features a 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, Hybrid AF III focusing system and Digic 6 image processor -- all specs found on the Rebel T6s and T6i DSLRs. Just as well, Canon's new mirrorless comes with the same battery type (LP-E17), focus peaking and dynamic stabilization as its bigger siblings, so you can expect similar performance from a camera that's wrapped in a much smaller package. What's more, you'll get NFC, WiFi and 1080p recording at 24, 25 and 30 fps, while the max ISO range is set at 6,400 and 12,800 for video and pictures, respectively. The EOS M3 is Canon's third mirrorless camera, following the M2 and the original M. Announced in February 2015 (13 months a...

 Locating a tiny creek through online research and discussion with other fishermen, then hiking in and actually fishing it sucessfully is truly rewarding. Such was the case for one of my recent fishing trips in the San Bernardino National Forest.  Armed with my ultralite fishing gear, I located this miniscule watershed and proceeded to catch many healthy Redband-strain rainbow trout in less than an hour. All fish were quickly released back into their mountain stream environment, colorful patterns and all. The creek has been through a lot, with natural disasters and manmade problems really hurting the fish population. Still, some fish still exist here, as evidenced in the video I took of the trip: 

Recently got my hands on the SJ7000 , courtesy of GearBest, a new budget-priced action camera. Got to take it out on a long fishing trip to the Eastern Sierra. Check out the review AND the footage of the awesome fishing trip I had in this part of California! Overview The SJ7000 is yet another action camera aiming for the bargain market, with a host of neat features. At first glance, it looks just like the popular SJ4000, which I have also reviewed. In fact, it's basically a clone of it but don't take this as a bad thing! The cases are compatible, batteries, and even actual camera size are virtually identicle. Two main differences: SJ7000 sports a different software and the SJ7000 has a much larger back LCD screen, making viewing photos and adjusting settings much easier.  SJ4000 on the right, SJ7000 on the left Accessories The SJ7000 comes with a ton of accessories. Most action camera come with at least a few extra attachments, but the SJ7000 really piles them in. It's GoPr...

Yet another interesting and affordable action camera has been released, the Git1 action camera , from producer GitUp . I couldn't wait to get my hands on one, and thanks to the developers I was able to try it out, while surfing, fishing, hiking, and just plain relaxing a summer trip to one of the wonderful beaches we have in Southern California. With an impressive Sony CMOS IMX322 image sensor and 160 angle of view, I had high hopes for the Git1 and I was not disappointed.  Features: The Git1 arrived in a smartly-packaged box and, and as the pro model of the GitUp Git1 action camera, it comes with a waterproof case and several attachments. These attachments include the typical GoPro style ones such as mounting pads, handlebar grips, angled brackets, and screws. You'll notice I said GoPro style, because all these mounts are GoPro attachment compatible. That's a huge plus and something I'm a big fan of, and that many action cameras have adopted. It's nice to have a v...

  Stopped by Jackson Lake, near Wrightwood, California. This little lake on the NE side of the San Gabriel Mountains is reportedly stocked with rainbow trout intermittently, in addition to have a popular of sunfish, catfish, and largemouth bass However, when I arrived, I was taken back by the very limited amount of water that remained. It is just another reminder of California's current drought and another example of poor fishing in the region. The shoreline was receeded and the bottom of the lake was visible from the shore at most angles. Furthermore, most of the water reachable with a cast from the shore was less than 1ft deep. Very discouraging; the fish population is likely mostly gone as well. There was several 2-3" sunfish hanging around one set of reeds, but that was the extent of finned friends to be spotted.  Save yourself the trip for now, don't bother with this little lake! Hopefully the upcoming El Nino will fill it back up, for a long time. 

I really enjoy action cameras, from the ultra-affordable models to the high-end hard to find versions. As such, I am always excited to come across new and unique action cameras. Thus, when I found out about the Cansonic UDV-888 , I knew I had to try it out. It's unlike most any other action camera I have reviewed, as it combines a slick waterproof case design with a huge array of dash camera options.  Click below for more after the jump! Features The Cansonic UDV-888 is both a dash camera and an action camera. For the former, it offers easy windshield or dashboard mounting with adhesive backing to a ball-and-cup socket attachment. A host of awesome customizable features to best protect your vehicle are included, such as motion-detection, impact/collision/car keying detection, GPS compatibility/tracking/GNSS, G-sensor accelerometer, in addition to standard looping, auto color/white balance/exposure options, 140 degrees wide angle viewing, playback mode, Android and iOS app co...