Photography News Issue 40

45 Accessories test

Photography News | Issue 40 | absolutephoto.com

Manfrotto Off road Hiker 30L backpack £150

9 Vanguard Alta Pro 283CT carbon fibre tripod £220 If you’re after an ideal tripod for cold weather shooting, consider carbon fibre legs – not just because the legs will be more comfortable to hold out in the big freeze, but also because any weight shed is good for energy conservation. Check out the Vanguard Alta Pro 283CT carbon fibre, which has a great mix of rock- solid stability and flexible working. There’s a maximum reach of 170cm (closed it’s 63cm) and a multi- angle centre column that lets you flip its position through 180° for working at low angles, all the while maintaining the tripod’s stability. The 28mm diameter, three-section legs adjust to 25º, 50º and 80º angles, and feature quarter-twist leg locks and spiked rubber feet, which are great for snow. Maximum load is 8kg. vanguardworld.com

Samyang 20mm f/1.8 ED AS UMC £430

Really Right Stuff L-Plate around £120

MacWet Climatec Long Cuff gloves £30

Winter shoots mean transporting not just your camera gear, but other kit to make yourself more comfortable, such as extra clothing and provisions, so you need a bag that does both. Weighing 1.9kg, Manfrotto’s Off road Hiker 30L is a great choice along those lines, with quick side access to its well-padded, modular camera compartment in the base of the bag, as well as a space at the top of the bag for day-to-day gear. There’s also an innovative camera strap on the front of the pack that allows your camera to be carried there. Its outer is made from water-repellent nylon and for more serious weather there’s a stitched in raincover. The camera compartment is removable when required, turning it into a regular hiking bag. manfrotto.co.uk

Prime lenses are getting more popular with landscapers and brands like Samyang have brought us fast apertures and wide focal lengths at affordable prices. Samyang’s 20mm f/1.8 is one such optic; a great option for low-light landscapes, which is available for Canon EF, Nikon and Sony FE, Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm X and Canon EOS M fits. As a manual focus lens, it’s perfectly suited to scenics, where you can work more methodically, and the focusing ring’s smooth action and long travel mean you can focus with great accuracy. The 20mm focal length lets you pack in a lot of scenery and helps enlarge frosty foreground detail if you shoot close to the ground at the closest 20cm focusing distance. intro2020.co.uk

The more time you spend in freezing conditions, the colder you’ll get and mechanical gear like tripod heads can start to freeze up, making even minor adjustments a chore. Anything that helps you work faster and stay warmer is a bonus; and this includes shooting with L-brackets, allowing you to switch from horizontal to vertical orientation without having to recompose, or alter the position of the tripod. Try Really Right Stuff’s L-Plates, which are compatible with Arca-Swiss style heads. Made from light, strong, precision machined aluminium, they also feature anti- twist flanges for the most solid fit between camera and plate, and they’re available for almost any DSLR body you care to mention. reallyrightstuff.com

Landscape can involve a lot of hiking, but also a lot of standing around, waiting for the right light, or for long exposures to tick down. And standing around in the winter is a sure-fire way to get cold, as you won’t be generating any heat through exercise. So in addition to a cosy down jacket and hat, invest in some decent gloves. These MacWet Climatec Long Cuff gloves are windproof, water- resistant and fleece lined on the back, while the Aquatec fabric used on the palm and fingers gives a sure grip and enough sensitivity to dial in settings without needing to free your fingertips. They’re available in sizes from 6 (XS women) to 12 (XXL men), and four pleasingly neutral colours. macwet.com photography