Photography News Issue 42

73 Accessories test

Photography News | Issue 42 | absolutephoto.com

SRB P Size Elite Filter Holder (£35) Stand: F71

Tether Tools Case Air Wireless (£180)

Novo Explora T20 kit (£240) Stand: B91

22 Lee Filters Big Stopper range (from £70) Stand: G81 Using extreme ND filters creates great long-exposure images, and the best known is Lee Filters’ Big Stopper. But there’s more to Lee’s long-exposure range than that. The Big Stopper is a high-quality glass filter that cuts out 10 stops of light, so extending your exposure time from, say, 1/60sec to 15sec. But knowing photographers need variety, Lee has created the Little Stopper and the Super Stopper NDs. The Little Stopper reduces light by six stops (1/60sec to 1sec), so it’s useful when light is already quite low. Finally there’s Lee Filters Super Stopper ND with a strength of 15 stops (1/60sec to 8 minutes), which allows incredibly long exposures even shooting with wide apertures in full daylight. leefilters.com

Sunbounce Bounce-Wall 2 (£60) Stand: E62

Stand: G92 To appreciate some products you need to see them in action. Tether Tools’ Case Air Wireless is one such piece of kit. Slotting onto your hot-shoe, and connecting via USB, the Case Air creates its own wi-fi hotspot. Sync to this with your PC, tablet or phone, and you’ll have full camera control and image review capabilities from up to 45m away. You can monitor the action in live- view, change exposure and focus settings remotely, and shoot video. There are also bracketing, HDR, time-lapse, and focus-stacking modes. The free-to-download app works on Apple and Android devices, andMac andWindows PCs, and the system is compatible with a huge range of cameras, so take yours and give it a try. flaghead.co.uk

Make sure you take a look at SRB’s new P Size Elite Filter Holder, made from high-grade aluminium, with an anodised finish. This filter holder fits P Size (85mm) square filters and the Elite filter range. The Elite Filter Holder simply clips onto the adapter ring on your lens using its unique mechanism; this makes attaching and removing the holder very quick and simple. P Size square filters can then be slotted in, and the holder will take up to two at a time. But the holder also accommodates SRB’s new Elite range, specifically designed for the holder, and using a threaded circular design. These screw into the centre thread of the holder, eliminating light leaks. There’s also a handy rotating mechanism at either end of the holder. srb-photographic.co.uk

As Novo’s top-of-the-range carbon fibre tripod, the Explora T20 kit comes with an Arca Swiss compatible anodised aluminium CBH-46 ball head, and provides a maximum working height of 189cm. But thanks having four legs sections it also closes to a very packable 53cm. Using the widest 23º leg angle, and with the included short centre column attached, you can shoot down to 28cm. Composed of 8x layer carbon fibre poles, and employing twist-type rubber leg locks, the tripod and head combo weighs only 2.3kg (1.70kg legs only), but has a maximum load capacity of 20kg. Check out the Novo Explora T20 tripod kit on UK Digital’s stand and if you like it you’ll be able to save £60 on the RRP. novo-photo.com

Modifying flash is key to top results and the Bounce-Wall 2 is the smallest reflector in the Sunbounce Lighting System and an entirely unique product which can create lively and professional-looking studio light from any speedlight with a pivotable head. The Bounce Wall is designed and engineered to be lightweight, manoeuvrable yet robust, attaching to the tripod mount on your camera and extendingup to 20in awayusing a foldable bracket arm. Reflected from the Wall, your flash is softened for a more natural, bounced look – but one you can get even in the open. The basic kit comes with a single 20x28cm silver reflector, but there are six different reflector finishes available in all, allowing you to create perfect lighting in a range of different settings. tetenal.uk.com