Photography News Issue 47

Photography News | Issue 47 | photographynews.co.uk

30 Accessories test

Buyers’ guide Best new accessories Your camera is the centre of your kit, but sometimes it’s the stuff you add to it or use around it that makes all the difference to your pictures. Yes, accessories are the kingmakers of photography, and here’s PN’s pick of the latest...

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1 CitizenCX2 printer £840 Dye sublimation printers are the standard if you want high- quality prints quickly; that’s why they’re the choice of photographers working events (and wanting to make money from it). Citizen’s CX2 is a great example. It takes a 6in paper roll and prints up to 9x6in images, taking under ten seconds to do it on the highest quality setting. Of course, smaller traditional formats like 8x6in, 7x5in and 6x4in are available, as well as square 6x6in and panoramic 6x2in. The finish is controlled by the temperature of the print head, so you can also get matt or gloss photos without the need to change the paper or the ribbon. The paper and ribbon are easy to load via a slide-out drawer to the front, and it weighs only 12kg. photomart.co.uk

Manfrotto Xume filter adapters from£34.90

GodoxWitstro AD200 flash £269

4 WesternDigital 3TBMy PassportWireless Pro £210 These days, hard drives are as vital a part of a photographer’s kit as slide- holders and photo albums were in the days of film. And like those, they’ll run out of space for pictures eventually. So when you feel the need for a new one, check out Western Digital’s My Passport Wireless Pro, a drive that packs in some exciting features other than speed and bags of storage. With Wi-Fi connectivity as well as a USB 3.0 connection and a build in SD card reader,youcaneasilybackuppictures. It’llalsorunforupto10hoursbetween charges, and there’s a USB 2.0 port for backwards compatibility. Available in sizesup to4TB, thedrive is compatible with iOS/Android devices, and Windows or Mac operating systems straight out of the box. wdc.com

5 NitecoreUSBbattery charger £23.95

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Manfrotto’s range of Xume filter adapters are so handy that you wonder why someone didn’t invent them earlier. The problem being solved here is mounting screw- threaded filters on your lens; something that’s never easy when working in the dark, or the cold, and which becomes even more tricky if the filter is gritty, or badly threaded. The Xume system solves this with the power of magnets. A lens adapter screws into the accessory thread, and a filter holder attaches to the filter itself. With them in place it’s a simple matter of pushing the filter on, where magnetism holds it in place. Prices range from£9.95/£24.95 for a 49mm holder/adapter to £12.95/£29.95 for an 82mm version. manfrotto.co.uk

The Witstro AD200 is a new flash system marrying many of the best aspects of speedlites and location flash heads. It has a decent 200Ws output and power is manually adjustable through eight steps down to 1/128. Juice is provided by a lithium-ion cell promising at least 500 full power shots on a single charge, and the flash’s recycle times are good, too, at 2.1sec on maximum output. Asawireless flash it fullysupports Canon, Nikon and Sony TTL flash systems, as well as sporting a integrated radio receiver, which is compatible with Godox X1 triggers. It’s small and light, and supports lots of modifiers, too. You can find out more in our first test, this issue. godox.co.uk

When you’re travelling it’s a good idea to minimise the amount of kit you take with you; leads and chargers are a good example. Not only does taking loads of them add weight to your bag, you can end up with an annoying tangle. SwitchtoUSBchargingdevices can help – all you’ll need is one USB- equipped travel plug and a lead. Nitecore makes a neat range of camera battery chargers powered by a USB connection. The chargers are slimline and light, and have a lead built in, so even more space is saved. Available for Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, Leica and GoPro cameras, Nitecore chargers also display battery information like power level as well as temperature, current and voltage. cameraclean.co.uk

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