Photography News issue 26

Photography News Issue 26 absolutephoto.com

56 Accessories test The 12 gifts of Christmas Don’t settle for socks again this festive season – treat yourself, or the photographer in your life, to some sweet new gear Hey, it’s that time of year when thoughts start turning to sleigh bells, mulledwine and the birth of Jesus Christ. Andwhat betterway to celebrate the Saviour’s day, than by the traditional act of purchasing photographic equipment? After all, “the Lord is my light and my salvation”, it says in Psalm 27:1, and that’s basically talking about photography, right? Right? Anyway, if you’re looking to treat yourself to some swanky new kit and improve your shooting then you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find some of our favourite products from the year, and with a range of prices, there’s something to suit all pockets. Of course, Christmas is also a time to be given to, and if you’re fearing you’ll unwrap another pair of comedy socks or celebrity-chef cookbook, you might want to use this guide to influence your nearest and dearest. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to doing it. Step 1: Take a large red marker pen, ring the items you want (along with any additional info such as fit or filter size). Step 2: Position the paper under the nose of the person you’re trying to influence. Cough loudly. Walk away. Step 3: Act surprised when you open your requested gift on Christmas Day and thank all involved (including us!). Buyers’ guide

PHOTTIX Varos Pro BG flash/ brolly bracket £25

VANGUARD VEO 37 bag £69.99

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MARUMI DHG Super Polariser (77mm) £50

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PIXEL X800C/N Standard Edition flashgun £75

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DIGIPOWER 4-Port USB Wall Charger £45

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HÄHNEL Captur radio triggers £59.99

Phottix Varos Pro BG flash/brolly bracket £25

Hähnel Captur radio triggers £59.99

The X800C also has dual slave settings and a stroboscopic mode, allowing it to fire as fast 500Hz (500 times a second). Finally, to keep the flash up to date, and add new features, the firmware can be upgraded using its USB port. ukhighland.co.uk Technology is great, but it’s also hungry for power; and doesn’t it seem like you’re constantly charging your phone, tablet, and camera? What you need is a device that speeds up the process and makes you a cup of tea. The DigiPower 4 port USB wall charger can do one of those things, and do it very well indeed. As it’s name suggests, the unit is has four USB sockets that can be used simultaneously to charge your kit and its InstaSense feature means that the power needs of your device is detected and the fastest possible charge delivered. The DigiPower comes with UK and EU adapters which click in securely and with a weight of only 153g it’s great for travel. Best of all, it’s totally reliable and, like all the best technology it just gets on with the job while you concentrate on something more important – like that cup of tea. intro2020.co.uk 5 DigiPower 4-Port USB Wall Charger £45

inconspicuous. It’ll accept a DSLR with two lenses as well as various essential accessories, but what is really interesting is the bottom compartment, designed to take a travel tripod (a Vanguard VEO, naturally) but will also take a telephoto zoom. If you prefer, straps are available to hold the tripod strapped to the bottom of the bag. It’s also a dual-purpose bag that can be quickly converted to a day bag. Until 30 November, you can claim a Vanguard VEO 37 free if you buy a VEO 265CB carbon-fibre tripod. Visit Vanguard’s website for full details and to place your order. vanguardworld.com Digital processing has reduced the need for many traditional photo filters – but a polariser is one you still can’t do without. Improving contrast and deepening colours, a polariser is also vital for cutting out unwanted reflections on water or glass, something you simply can’t do in software. This Marumi Digital High-Grade Circular Polariser filter uses ultra-low reflection coatings on its glass, just like those found in lenses to increase clarity and, at only 5mmdeep, its satin black frame is slim enough to avoid any 3 Marumi DHG Super Circular Polariser £50

vignetting. Like all polarisers, you have to rotate the bezel to control the effect, and it turns with pleasing smoothness. For enhanced durability, the filter is designed to be scratch resistant and has a special coating to repel water and oil, making it much easier to clean. It comes in sizes from 37mm to 95mm, somake sure you mention the size you need in your hints... kenro.co.uk Adding extra speedlights to your set-ups can give pictures a real lift. It’s not just about power; an extra light used behind the subject, for example, can add an accent or separation, giving shots a little more sparkle. Striking a great balance of specification, handlingandprice, thePixel X800C or X800N is an obvious candidate to add to Canon and Nikon users’ kit. Not only does it have advanced features like E-TTL/i-TTL metering, wireless control (up to 50m) and high-speed sync (up to 1/8000sec) built-in, there’s also plenty of juice with a Guide Number of 60. At 1/1 power, the recycle time is a spritely 2.5sec, and at that level it can fire up to 180 times per set of four AA batteries. There’s subtlety too, with a manual setting down to 1/128 in 1/3 increments. 4 Pixel X800C/N Standard Edition flashgun £75

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Accessories are the unsung heroes of photography. Yes, cameras and lenses might get all the fanfare like some Hollywood celebrities arriving at a gala, but it’s the accessories that make things tick. They’re vacuuming the red carpet. They’re running security. They’re serving the drinks. This Phottix Varos Pro BG bracket is a great example; designed by pro photographers it lets youmount a hot- shoe flash and umbrella to a light stand or tripod, allowing the pair to tilt through 180º. This, of course, frees up all sorts of lighting possibilities which you can’t get when using a lighting stand alone. The unit is built from milled aluminium and its metal cold-shoe accepts any regular speedlight. There are 3/8in and 1/4in female threaded inserts, and male 3/8in and 1/4in screws are also included and the umbrella mount accepts shafts from 7-10mm in width. phottix.com

The Hähnel Captur is a versatile radio camera and flash-trigger system available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic cameras. The basic trigger and receiver set comes with leads and four AA batteries, which represents very good value. Additional receivers, which you’ll need if you want to trigger more than one camera or flash, are only £30 each. Being radio triggers, the Captur system can trigger without needing to stay in the line of sight, so you can place a camera or flash around a corner from you, or even in another room. The units pair up automatically when switched on, which means no fiddly little switches. For more complex set-ups you can use Digital Channel Matching (DCM) or open channel matching. The Captur doesn’t offer TTL or high-speed flash functionality but it ishighlyexpandable;addtheModule Timer (£39.99) or Module Pro (£99.99); the former allows time-lapse and long- exposure work (assuming your camera doesn’t have an integral intervalometer, while the Module Pro goes even further, allowing sound, light and laser-based triggering. Overall, a brilliantly versatile and affordable system. hahnel.ie

Vanguard VEO 37 £69.99 Vanguard’s VEO collection of

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camera accessories is designed for photographers who love to travel. The VEO 37 is a lightweight shoulder bag with a casual design that looks

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