A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

[coupekid]

OK, whilst giving commentry on my kitten pics, it occured to me that although my 50mm lens is currently my favourite peice of kit for my photography, it is also the cheapest at around 70-80 pounds.

I often hear people comment about photography, and its associated high price, but, our hobby doesnt have to be expensive does it?

So my question to you all is this:

What is your favourite peice of camera kit, that is also resonably priced?

You never know, we may get some gems come up in this discussion that we can all adopt!

[Ian]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

OK, whilst giving commentry on my kitten pics, it occured to me that although my 50mm lens is currently my favourite peice of kit for my photography, it is also the cheapest at around 70-80 pounds.

I often hear people comment about photography, and its associated high price, but, our hobby doesnt have to be expensive does it?

So my question to you all is this:

What is your favourite peice of camera kit, that is also resonably priced?

You never know, we may get some gems come up in this discussion that we can all adopt!

Reasonably priced? What exactly does that mean!?

I really like the power grip/portrait mode release on my camera - it completely alters the handling in a positive way, especially with longer lenses.

Does that count?

Ian

[coupekid]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Reasonably priced? What exactly does that mean!?

I really like the power grip/portrait mode release on my camera - it completely alters the handling in a positive way, especially with longer lenses.

Does that count?

Ian

Wow, a response

Resonably priced can mean anything Ian, but I like to think that the performance out weighs the price. For example, the results that I get from my 50MM lens is far greater than I would expect for a sub 100 pound lens.

Compared to my 300mm lens which was over 300 pounds, I would say that the 50mm lens was reasonably price.....even cheap!

I was speaking to guy at work who purchased two double sided hand held reflectors for a fiver, theres another example.

Sometimes people knock up their own little peices of kit as well, which would count

[yoshi]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

What is your favourite peice of camera kit, that is also resonably priced?

As far as a DSLR is concerned, it's yet to be found. My guess is that even if I can find and get a favourite one (camera/lenses) in future, whether I can agree that they are reasonably priced is another story.
I think I would stick to spot measuring in my next purchase. High fps is not very essential for my style of photography but appreciate faster writing speed of memory cards. These are the areas where technology is developing tremendously so in that sense it could be hard to continuously think that a certain gear is my favourite for longer time (say, a decade or longer).

In some rare and happy cases like EF50/1.8, you can say that. It has been favorably accepted by both pros and advanced amateurs since its introduction of the first generation well more than a decade ago (the current one is the second, I reckon) and many pros are actually using it.

Pros' comments are influential but for a hobbyst like me, I might be influenced but not always with more probability. Do not take me wrong, please. I'm not talking about the specific lens here any more.
(First generation of 50/1.8 was on my wish-list in the early 90's. I just preferred a zoom then.)

If I may include film gears, I can reply to your question directly. It has been OM for me and for OM, I mainly used lenses with fixed focal length for a long time. Later when I started to walk a long distance, I gradually started to use zoom lenses more often. The favorite ones could change according to change of photography style. I preferred combination of 24-48mm, 50-250mm and a macro lens (either 50mm or 90mm, sometimes the both) those days. In a small bag I could carry everything then.
Incidentally 24-48mm had a bad reputation and I knew that even before purchasing- but it was comfortable to carry it.

yoshi

[Cogito]

[coupekid]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Perfect Neil, exactly the sort of stuff I am looking for!

[Gez]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Not unlike my trusty Minolta tripod which I have had many years. It's about the size of a table top tripod and is made out of metal. The legs each have different reaches which means it can support a camera with a long lens easily. It also doubles as a chest brace. An invaluable bit of kit.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

[Stephen]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

I've been thinking about this one on and off for a while, essentially I don't have any killer gadgets that I use on a regular basis and were cheap. My lenses are all Canon L series. I don't have mini tripods except a small gorillapod which I have rarely used. I have 2 Canon 5xx series flashguns which I can use in sync. I did buy a wireless remote at one point but it was not reliable so I stopped using it.

Then I remembered one thing I use every time I use my background roll for home studio work. It stops the roll from unravelling itself. I only use a wooden pole through the centre of the roll and unlike the pucker ones you can buy there is nothing to lock off the roll and stop the weight of paper pulling the rest of the paper off the roll.

So what is this wonderful gadget?

A clothes peg ........................................well it works for me

[Pol]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Then I remembered one thing I use every time I use my background roll for home studio work. It stops the roll from unravelling itself. I only use a wooden pole through the centre of the roll and unlike the pucker ones you can buy there is nothing to lock off the roll and stop the weight of paper pulling the rest of the paper off the roll.

So what is this wonderful gadget?

A clothes peg ........................................well it works for me

LOL ... you've just reminded me of my own 'killer gadgets'. I use a drawing pins to fix a length of cloth over a clothes airer.

I also like my Gorillapods (one larger, one pocket sized for the compacts).

The 7day shop 5-in- refectors are very useful too.

Pol

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

So what is this wonderful gadget?

A clothes peg ........................................well it works for me

I have a DIY flash diffuser made out of the box my business cards came in and a bit of tesco carrier bag. If I want different colours I have to go shopping at different stores

[kennykodak]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

i lecture at the university in the evenings. here is a handout on creating a gadget bag written for students on a budget. maybe someone here will find something useful.

Photography




Creating a gadget bag
• Old shoulder bags such as army gas mask bags disguise its contents and do not advertise a bag full of expensive equipment.
• A spare camera battery should be accessory number one.
• A small beanbag makes good insulation in the bottom of the camera bag and can also be used for a low-level tripod. Bean bags can be laid on car hoods or anything else for lightweight easy to carry camera support. Also useful in "worm's eye view" photography in nature photography.
• Carry a large plastic trash bag that is rolled up. This bag can be used to lie on during low-level photography when the ground is wet. Holes can be cut out for head and arms to use as a poncho. In a downpour, the camera bag can be paced in the trash bag for added protection.
• Always use an UV or Skylight filter over the lens. This doesn’t really improve the image much but becomes cheap insurance against potential damage. Remember that you can not use use more than three filters at any given time, the thickness creates vignetting of the corners of the image.
• A lens hood should also be used for protection. These do increase the image quality of photographs by blocking extraneous light from striking the lens and causing flare.
• Carry a zip lock sandwich bag. Cameras can be placed in these during humid or cold weather. Going indoors or outdoors will cause condensation to form on the bag rather than the lens. While shooting in bad weather, a hole can be cut in the bottom for lens insertion. Place the camera lens through the hole and tape to around the lens hood. Place hands through zip lock opening and use in poor weather. Remember this is not waterproof, only an umbrella. Don’t forget to use a skylight or UV filter over the lens.
• A wrinkled piece of aluminum foil rolled up in a small ball can be smoothed for an instant light reflector.
• A kitchen tablespoon can be used with an electric flash. This will create a fill light while using the flash in bounce light. This is especially useful in creating catch lights in eyes, adding that sparkle of light that is devoid in bounce light.
• A gentleman’s handkerchief can be used with electric flash to reduce flash output.
• A black or a white piece of pantyhose with a small hole cut in the center can be used for a low key or a high key vignetter. Strong rubber bands for attaching to lens hood.
• Clean empty red web onion bags can be filled on location with rocks or other heavy objects to weight down tripods and reflectors against the wind.
• One or two empty 35 mm film cans, the opaque ones, may be used for changing film under emergency conditions or to keep small objects from getting lost. take a jacket and zip it up and then turn jacket zipper side down. place film can and camera inside jacket. place jacket in green trash bag. fold under bottom of jacket inside bag as well as the neck. insert hands through arms of jacket for instant darkroom. remove jammed film film and place in film canister. tape and make film can, "open in dark only."
• A small piece of window screen about 4x4 inches with the edges taped to prevent falling apart and scratching other items will make stars on highlights or diffusion on portrait photography.
• A round magnifying glass can be held in front of the camera lens for close up photography.
• A small piece of gray card, about 6 inches square, for metering.
• Several small pieces of colored gel material. This would be like old report covers and cut to about 6 inches square. Can be kept with gray card. These will be used with electric flash to create interesting colored light sources.
• Small pump spray bottles like the ones used for hair spray can be used to spray water droplets on plants for nature photography.

[Stephen]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Some great tips there John, many thanks for posting them.
I've just remembered I always used to carry a supply of small pieces of white card and elastic bands which were used on the flashgun in the upright position to reflect some light forward.

Nikon guns used to have such a reflector built in, not sure if they still do. My piece of card was often a conversation starter and people didn't know what it was for

These days though I have a Stofen diffuser permanently on my Canon 580EX

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Great List of items + good tips

Another thing I use is a "Life" Emergency Blanket:

It's made from "Kelvalite" has highly reflective surfaces (as good as foil) It's 9x8x3 cm folded up but opens to 215x150 cm

Not only a great reflector but can, and has been used to keep the wind off the model and wrap them up in, while I faff about setting up.

[kennykodak]

Re: A discussion for all, gadgets, lenses etc

Great List of items + good tips

Another thing I use is a "Life" Emergency Blanket:

It's made from "Kelvalite" has highly reflective surfaces (as good as foil) It's 9x8x3 cm folded up but opens to 215x150 cm

Not only a great reflector but can, and has been used to keep the wind off the model and wrap them up in, while I faff about setting up.

that reminds me of a guy hanging an open umbrella from a tree limb. next he takes a frosted shower curtain liner and hangs it around it creating a circular wall. instant changing room for his model on location.