ACCESSORIES
A collection of ten fun-yet-functional products out there for photographers
A roundup of new goodies to consider
A YEAR WITH MY CAMERA WORKBOOK 1 WEBSITE: ayearwithmycamera.com PRICE: £20 / $25
A Year With My Camera is an excellent free, year-long photography workshop that takes complete novices away from shooting in auto mode in less than six weeks, and then moves on to composition, light and creativity. This workbook is designed to accompany the course and is perfect for anyone new to photography.
SHIMODA WOMEN’S STRAPS WEBSITE: shimodadesigns.com PRICE: £32-£36 / $34.95-$39.95
Many women find the straps on camera backpacks uncomfortable after a long period of use. Shimoda’s solution is a series of three straps – Simple Petite, Simple Standard and Technical Standard – that can be used in place of the usual straps on its backpacks. Once you have found the right fit for you, they make a big difference.
DJI OSMO POCKET EXTENSION ROD WEBSITE: dji.com/uk PRICE: £69 / $69
We love the Osmo Pocket, but its angle of view is tight for vlogging. Using this telescopic extension rod moves it further away from the user’s face for a more comfortable experience. It’s more than just a selfie stick because it connects electronically to the Pocket, and there are controls on the handle.
PROFOTO C1 PLUS WEBSITE: profoto.com/uk PRICE: £469 / $499
Raise your iPhonography game with this easy-to-use flash and continuous light that pairs seamlessly with an iPhone (7 or later) running Profoto’s free app. The app makes controlling the power output and colour temperature easy, while the magnetic mount allows the supplied diffuser to be used with or without grids and creative gels.
MANFROTTO 244 MICRO WEBSITE: manfrotto.com PRICE: £104 / $199.99
This attaches to a video rig or tripod via its 3/8-inch screw
(with or without the two-pin anti-rotation device) while the 1/4-inch screw at the other end can hold a light, mic or other accessory. A single control adjusts the friction of the two joints.
COSYSPEED STREETOMATIC+ WEBSITE: cosyspeed.com PRICE: £125 / $129.99
Thanks to an ingenious magnetic sliding catch, this small bag enables easy access to your camera. With internal dimensions of 155x205x90mm, it’s ideally suited to carrying a mirrorless camera and a lens or two, and the strap extender means it can be worn across your body or around your waist.
MOVO VXR10 UNIVERSAL CARDIOID MICROPHONE WEBSITE: movophoto.com PRICE: £31.13 / £39.95
Whatever camera you use, one of the best ways to enhance your video is to use an external microphone. The Movo VXR10 comes with cables to connect it to a camera or a smartphone, plus a shock mount and furry windshield. Its price makes it a good choice for vloggers.
RUCPAC SLIDE WEBSITE: rucpac.com PRICE: £39.99 / $49.99
This broad, adjustable strap can be worn across your body, around your neck or on your shoulder while the dual clip attachments keep your camera secure. The two sliding adjusters work well, enabling the strap to fit all sizes of photographer, and the grippy strips keep it on your shoulder.
PEAK DESIGN TECH POUCH WEBSITE: peakdesign.com PRICE: £48 / $59.95
Even a short trip requires a lot of small essentials like smartphone cables, a power bank, adapters, a card reader and portable hard drives – all stuff that’s easy to lose at the bottom of a large bag. Peak Design’s Tech Pouch has a concertinalike design, with pockets to keep everything organised.
KASE WOLVERINE CIRCULAR MAGNETIC FILTER ENTRY-LEVEL KIT 77MM WEBSITE: kasefilters.com PRICE: £225 / $237
Kase includes two neutral density filters (ND8 and ND64), a polariser filter, a magnetic adaptor and a smart carry pouch in this kit. The adapter screws onto the front of your lens and then the filters snap easily on and off. Step rings allow the kit to be used on smaller lenses.