EBL sent us their Updated 808U Battery Charger with eight AAA batteries. It has a flexible design that might appeal to photographers.

Note: EBL sent us the Updated 808U Battery Charger. However, this is a completely independent review. All thoughts about this item are our own.

Pros

• A clever design allows you to charge AA or AAA batteries in each bay.
• Each bay uses independent IC control, meaning that you can charge a combination of AA and AAA batteries.
• Has two USB ports for charging other various items…and they have a nice, snug fit.

Cons

• I can’t really think of any.

EBL Updated 808U Battery Charger — Technical Specifications

All of the technical specifications for the EBL Updated 808U Battery Charger are from the EBL website.

Battery charger

• Input: AC100-240V 50/60Hz 15W Max
• Output 1: DC 1.2V 1000mA
• AA: 1000mA Full load single slot charging current: 230~250 mAh
• AAA: 500m A Full load single slot charging current: 125mAh
• USB Output: DC 5V 2A
• Product Dimensions 1.1″D x 3.7″W x 7.2″H
• Item Weight 9.87 Ounces

Battery specifications

• Voltage 1.2V
• Battery Type Ni-MH
• Rechargeable Yes
• Weight of Single AA Battery 24.8g/0.87oz
• Weight of Single AAA Battery 13g/0.46oz
• Dimensions of AA Batteries (50.3±0.3)*(14.3±0.5)mm
• Dimensions of AAA Batteries (44.35±0.3)*(10.35±0.25)mm

What’s included in the review copy (there are numerous options on the page):

• 1 X EBL 808U Battery Charger
• 1 X AC Power Cable
• 1 X User Manual
• 8 x 1100mAh Rechargeable AAA Batteries

EBL Updated 808U Battery Charger — Ergonomics and build quality

Ergonomics

It is easy to place the batteries into the charger. The charger is large enough so that it lays flat. I know that sounds ridiculous, but sometimes if there is a kink in the power cable, accessories such as battery chargers can sometimes flop over.

USB cables fit snugly in both the USB ports. I’ve had numerous devices that don’t offer this. I like to know that my USB cable is less prone to falling out and has a good connection if I am charging my flashlights, camera batteries, phone, and other devices.

Build quality

The Updated 808U Battery Charger seems to be solidly. As mentioned, the USB ports are nice and snug, and there are no seams or ill-fitting pieces anywhere to be found.

The battery bays are also snug. I turned the charger upside down and shook it several times. All of the batteries remained in place.

The batteries

The eight included batteries use what EBL describes as “ProCyco technology”. I Googled this, of course, but it seems to be a proprietary phrase from EBL. EBL says that this technology helps batteries maximize their fullest capacity, enabling them to charge and recycle up to 1200 times, and up to 500 times for deep charging and discharging cycles. The website states that a normal amount is 400 times.

I’ll quote EBL for the batteries’ structure: “Embedded seal structure expand the space of crystal lattice, make more room for hydrogen, so EBL batteries will holds 80% power after 3 years benefit from its concentration to low self-discharge project.” So yes, the batteries are designed to hold their charge longer.

EBL Updated 808U Battery Charger — In the field

I took the charger and batteries on a short night photography trip. The included power cable was reasonably long for the desk area.

Some of my other small, lightweight devices are prone to twisting on their sides if there is a kink in the power cable. Not so with this battery charger, which lays flat.

I found the addition of the two USB ports to be valuable. The EBL charger was able to charge almost all of my devices. You won’t need to hunt around for as many outlets. I plugged in one Pentax battery charger and one USB-chargeable flashlight, and didn’t need more than that.

With the added ability to charge any combination of AA and AAA batteries simultaneously via the independent IC controls, this battery charger quickly became rather useful. AAA batteries are used in a number of photography-related gear, including intervalometers and remote intervalometer devices.

Final thoughts

Here’s where I make my usual comment about chargers. I am red-green colorblind, also known as deuteranopia. Approximately 8% of males have this, so it’s not unusual. 

The EBL smart charger uses red and green lights to indicate the status of each battery. While ordinarily, this poses a problem, EBL designs their green lights so they glow considerably brighter. You have no idea how useful this is.

Of course, I do wish that manufacturers of charging devices used different methods to indicate when they were charging, and when they were fully charged. For instance, chargers could have blinking lights to indicate charging, then simply stop blinking. Or they could use red to indicate charging, and blue to indicate that it’s finished.

But how EBL addresses the lights is an effective one, and for that, I am grateful.

This week a collaboration between fine-art photographer David Yarrow, Gib Singleton Gallery, Relévant Galleries, and The Lodge at Vail announced a special unveiling of David Yarrow’s new Vail collection. David Yarrow enlisted legendary model, Alessandra Ambrosio, to depict iconic locales in his first Vail series. 

Locations include The Lodge at Vail, Vail’s original hotel built in 1962, and historic locations like the Minturn Saloon. Connecting to Vail’s rich history, David Yarrow’s new artwork evokes the destination’s style and elegance. Some of the destination’s most iconic locales reach new heights through David Yarrow’s artistic interpretations. 

Join David Yarrow as he unveils this new collection on March 15, 2024, at Relévant Galleries’ 4,000 square foot Vail location on East Meadow Drive. Interested guests should visit the event page and RSVP to join from 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  

Scottish artist David Yarrow is now considered to be one of the best-selling photographers in the world. He is represented by over 40 galleries in America and Europe and over the last six years, sales of his work are in excess of $140 million. David refuses to be conveniently categorized within a genre of photography and his career, which started with the famous photograph of Diego Maradona in the World Cup in Mexico City in 1986, has taken him on a relentless journey around the world. His subject matters have included sports stars, wildlife, supermodels, and frontier towns. Since Covid, he has spent much of his time working on a personal anthology of the Wild West of America and tried to tell new stories that entertain rather than teach. He identifies as a storyteller as much as he does a photographic specialist. 

Philanthropy is core to the business culture of David Yarrow Photography and over the last seven years, over $13 million has been raised for charities across the world. The focus was initially on conservation, but now there is more of a focus on health, and in particular, pediatric cancer care. 

In 2023, the David Yarrow Family Foundation was established to raise further funds for cancer care and research, but also to support the arts in Scotland. The foundation is run by Jane Yarrow and David and Jane’s two children, Jade and Cameron. 

David Yarrow Photography is based in London, but the print shop and studio are in Los Angeles, where David’s son Cameron spends much of his time overseeing the U.S. business.  In 2019, David was flattered to receive the Great London Scot Award for Outstanding Achievement. 

What makes a “good” photo? This is a difficult question to answer because, like many types of art, determining whether a photo is “good” or not is an extremely subjective process. Perhaps this is why one photographer is under fire on TikTok for mentioning their starting rate is $8,500 for their laid-back, sometimes blurry, wedding photography aesthetic.

Katie (@Tripp.photo) posted a TikTok about their wedding photography rates after someone with a $2,000 budget inquired about their services. The video has a song that says, “You think I’m psycho, don’t you, mama?” To which TikToker @hausdrama responded, “Maybe just a tiny little bit.” They then walk viewers through some of Katie’s photographs to see if the price is, in their opinion, justified.

“What I did see is she’s a really big fan of blurry photos,” they say while showing a picture of rings Katie posted on Instagram. “I just feel like the jewelry placement—it’s just not working.”

They go on to show images of wedding dresses and a few brides that Katie photographed.

“I would say posing wedding dresses for a photo is not her strong suit,” @hausofdrama says about Katie’s photographs.

The video by @hausofdrama has over 2.8 million views and over 4,000 comments as of this article’s publishing.

Many in the comments section agree with @hausdrama’s critique of Katie’s photographs.

“It’s giving … astigmatism,” says one comment.

“Some of these photos remind me of the artsy ones I took with my iPhone 4s…,” mentions another.

@haussdrama 8.5k 😮‍💨 #photographytips #photographersoftiktok #trippphoto #weddingphotographer #weddingphotography #photographypricing #dramatok #haussdrama #trendingnow #viralvidoes #unpopularopinion ♬ original sound – 🍉Haussdrama🍉

Considering the buzz that @hausdrama’s video got, they decided to make another video where they compared Katie’s prices to those of other wedding photographers featured in an article on Brides.com. In this video, they explain that several other photographers in the article charge more than Katie for their starting rate. However, many also mentioned that they adjust the packages they offer to be compatible with their client’s budgets and that they’re open to conversations. @hausdrama states that it doesn’t seem like Katie did this and that making a video talking about people who can’t afford their services is rude.

In a twist of events, many folks in the comments section of this video disagree with @hausdrama’s drag of Katie’s rates and photography.

“Sh*t like this is what made me stop making content. The internet is full of bullies. She’s a mom. This is her livelihood. Imagine trying to ruin that just because you can’t afford her/she’s not your specific style,” says a comment.

“Why are you so mad at artists making good money?” another viewer asks. “Let her be successful & thriving girl it doesn’t hurt you.”

“If a client inquired with me and said their budget is 2k and I charge 6.5k (minimum) nothing I offer will fit their needs. it’s literally fine if you can’t afford my services,” another photographer mentions.

As you can see, the internet is at odds about whether Katie’s prices are justified and whether @hausofdrama even has a right to comment on them. While some say the photos lack skill, others believe it boils down to personal preference and that photographers have a right to set prices that work best for them and their livelihoods.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Katie via email and @hausofdrama via TikTok for comment.

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Metamorphosis will showcase four artists whose work highlights how experimentation, process innovation and relentlessly pushing boundaries can unlock eco-consciousness and impact. The four multi-media artists, Almudena Romero, Hannah Fletcher, Edd Carr and Scott Hunter, were selected on the strength of their innovative and unconventional approaches and early critical acclaim as emerging artists.

Riccardo Pasqua, CEO of Pasqua Wines, said: “As we approach our centennial year, we are delighted to be supporting Saatchi Gallery to instigate this show, underscoring our cross-generational commitment to innovation, creativity and unconventional approaches. Each of the artists demonstrates what we have always believed to be true – that through experimentation and pushing boundaries we can unlock progress.

“This international collaboration builds on Pasqua’s strong heritage of arts patronage, its commitment to making art accessible to the public and its unique belief that innovation is born from a profound, appreciative knowledge of history and tradition. We believe that creativity needs to be cultivated with love and care, just like the land. Pasqua has spent almost a century innovating the future of wine production – and we couldn’t be more delighted with this pairing.”

Since 1985, Saatchi Gallery has provided an innovative platform for contemporary art. Exhibitions have presented works by largely unseen young artists, or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. This approach has made the Gallery one of the most recognised names in contemporary art.

Pasqua’s support of the show – which is announced as family winery, Pasqua, heads into its centenary year – reflects the inherent creativity and innovation of the brand’s DNA and values, which was recognised on internationally after the company won the coveted “Innovator of the Year” Award by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, for unlocking a series of remarkable evolutions for the wine industry. The coveted award recognized Pasqua’s longstanding investment in research and innovation, which led the winery to be dubbed “laboratory of research”, by Wine Enthusiast Magazine and is the result of three generations of stewardship by the Pasqua family.

Info about Metamorphosis: Innovation in Eco Photography & Film
29th May Private View – Strictly invitation only

Images and works of the artists HERE

Image Credits
© Scott Hunter from the Entropy Series, Entropy #11
© Almudena Romero. The Act of Producing. The Pigment Change.
© Hannah Fletcher Redox Reactions. Studio Waste Waters on Canotype Coated Paper, 2022
© Ed Carr. FILTHY BEAST WORSHIP, Print on Japanese Shrine Paper, 2023

About the Artists
Hannah Fletcher is an artist based in London, working primarily with photographic materials and processes, and is the founder of Sustainable Darkroom. Hannah Fletcher works with and researches the intricate relationships between photographic and not-so-photographic materials, questioning the life cycle and value of materials by incorporating waste from her studio and workshops back into the system of making. Fletcher also co-directs London Alternative Photography Collective, is a facilitator of sustainability within the arts, and has been mentoring and tutoring in ecologically minded art practices since 2019.

Almudena Romero is a British and Spanish visual artist based in London. Her practice uses photography to explore ways of representing, seeing and understanding. Romero’s works focus on how perception affects existence and how art shapes perception.  Almudena Romero holds an MA in Photography from the University of the Arts London and a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communications. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has delivered courses, lectures and talks at universities, museums and institutions nationally.

Edd Carr is an artist based in the UK. Adapting photographic processes into moving image – his work depicts our relationship to ecological crisis and the wider nonhuman world. Edd is also one of the leaders of the Sustainable Darkroom, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the research, development, and advocacy of eco-friendly alternatives to analogue and digital photography.

Scott Hunter is a multidisciplinary artist based in Kinghorn, UK. He studied MFA Contemporary Art Practice at Edinburgh College of Art. Through the use of experimental photography, scientific processes, and ecological research, Hunter’s work challenges anthropocentrism by creating new representations of the landscape that contest traditional attitudes of landscape photography. His artistic exploration extends to sculpture and installation, pushing the boundaries of the photographic image.

About Pasqua Wines
PASQUA VIGNETI E CANTINE is a Veneto wine company, owned by the Pasqua family. Founded in 1925, the winery is recognized worldwide as a producer and ambassador of prestigious Veneto wines. The company’s ambition is to bring into the future, with renewed stylistic codes, all the winemaking experience consolidated over 100 years of history. Today, working alongside President Umberto are his sons Riccardo, Chief Executive Officer, and Alessandro, President of Pasqua USA. With the presentation of the Pasqua House of the Unconventional manifesto, today the company aims to be a research laboratory, a space for dialogue, where quality and creativity are the protagonists.

About Saatchi Gallery
Since 1985, Saatchi Gallery has provided an innovative platform for contemporary art. Exhibitions have presented works by largely unseen young artists, or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. This approach has made the Gallery one of the most recognised names in contemporary art. Since moving to its current 70,000 square feet space in the Duke of York’s Headquarters in Chelsea, London, the Gallery has welcomed over 10 million visitors. The Gallery hosts thousands of school visits annually and has over 6 million followers on social media. In 2019 Saatchi Gallery became a registered charity, beginning a new chapter in its history.

For further information, samples or imagery, please contact Colangelo & Partners:
Carlotta Ribolini: [email protected]
Irene Graziotto: [email protected]

Media Contact

Carlotta Ribolini, Colangelo & Partners, 7186038827, cribolini@colangelopr.com

SOURCE Pasqua Wines

Canon Europe today released a video series to showcase its upcoming immersive exhibition – a photography exhibition you don’t need to see. World Unseen will be held at Somerset House, London between 5-7th April, in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Developed in collaboration with leading creative agency VML UK, the World Unseen campaign will today see four films go live across the Canon website with social teasers on Meta platforms and Canon’s owned channels ahead of the exhibition itself.

The series dives into the personal stories of visually impaired individuals – including expectant mother, Karen Trippass, British disability activist, Lucy Edwards, North America’s only blind conservationist, Lawrence Gunther, and British Champion Skier, Menna Fitzpatrick.

Through conversations with renowned photojournalists and an ultrasound practitioner, the films follow a blind mother-to-be as she feels the outlines of her baby scan, while others feel imagery through detailed braille descriptions and life-like textures. The work demonstrates the power of imagery to transform our world, capturing the raw emotion and impact of individuals experiencing photography in this tactile way.

The films are powerful demonstrations of the inclusive imagery on show at the World Unseen exhibition in April. The experience has been designed for and with blind and partially sighted people, using elevated prints, immersive audio descriptions, and braille – to ensure as many people as possible can appreciate it.

Sighted people, too, will gain a better appreciation of the partially sighted experience. Each image will be obscured in ways that simulate different types of visual impairment, from glaucoma to diabetic retinopathy. While it raises awareness of the importance of accessibility in arts and cultural spaces, it also draws attention to how inclusive design makes experiences better for everyone.

Through its proprietary PRISMAElevate XL software and Arizona printer series, Canon has been making arts more accessible for blind and partially sighted people for many years, supporting many art galleries and museums globally with tactile printing and braille signage. However, this event marks Canon’s first completely accessible, immersive experience.

“Photography is an incredibly powerful medium that can push the imagination and we want this experience to be accessible to everyone. This exhibition was created with blind and partially sighted people in mind to share imagery and the stories behind them in an entirely new way. With Canon’s elevated print technology, we hope all visitors will feel a deeper connection to the emotions and stories that imaging can bring to life,” says Pete Morris, brand and sponsorship senior manager, Canon EMEA.

The exhibition will feature works from world-renowned photographers and Canon ambassadors, including multi-award-winning South African photojournalist Brent Stirton and renowned Brazilian Photojournalist, Sebastião Salgado.

San Sharma, creative director at VML UK added, “World Unseen makes photography more accessible and immersive for everyone. And, in doing so, it changes the way sighted people understand the visual impairment experience. It’s a privilege to work on a creative idea that means so much to so many people, and I hope it inspires others to be more inclusive in their work too.”

VML UK has worked closely with Canon Europe and RNIB to ensure all elements of the World Unseen campaign meet accessibility standards, including website pages, video audio descriptors and the exhibition experience.

Dave Williams, inclusive design ambassador at RNIB, concluded, “The World Unseen exhibition opens up the world of photography and enables more blind and partially sighted people to experience the emotive stories, and physical touch, of these iconic images. As a braille user, it’s fantastic to be working with Canon to raise awareness of the possibilities of textured print and to see in action how technology can make art more accessible for people with sight loss.”