advice
Reader Query: External Canon Flash
“I am just about to buy the 430ex flash. Now that can go straight onto my camera, right? I guess its going to take a heck of a lot of fiddling to get that thing working right. Do i need a remote for it while its on my camera, or will it work in sync?
As for off-camera flash, well I’ve started reading the strobist blog but I guess I will have to compile a list of what I need to buy… What do you recommend? Stand and umbrella? What kind of remote system do you have for using your flash off-camera?
I’m guessing that I need to purchase a hot shoe adaptor as I dont have the socket on my 400D …or do I? lol.. are these specific for Canon only or can i get one on eBay? I think that’s my main question for now 
” - Kerrie.
How To Survive Your First Wedding Shoot
So your friends have heard about your photography habit; they’ve seen what wonders you have presented to the world via your Flickr page, and now they’ve gone and done it… they’ve entrusted the most important day of their lives to you and you alone, and have asked you to take their wedding photos!
Don't worry - we'll do what we can to get you through the day! (Photo by Stuart Mackenzie)
Before you had the time to see sense you agreed, and now as the day draws near the vague niggling worry has built to a palpable gnawing of panic in your gut. There’s no getting out of it now, so let’s see if we can’t help relieve some of the worries and get you focused on the important things: › Continue reading
Got the Camera. What Do I Buy Next?
So you’ve finally got that DSLR that you’ve been waiting months, maybe years, for – doesn’t it feel great? Only problem is, now you have it, your eyes have suddenly been opened up to the astounding plethora of accessories, add-ons and gadgets out there all pleading with you to buy them. All trying to convince you that your photographs will only ever be good if you acquire them. But beware, some of those little trinkets, they be liars! They promise the moon on a stick, when in reality they can’t even deliver the stick.
Before you part with those hard-earned greenbacks, here’s my advice on which bits of kit you should consider adding to your shopping list (and which you definitely shouldn’t) along with the reasons why…
Something To Put It In...
High Priority (Essential Purchases)
Camera Bag: Well, are you going to carry it around your neck all the time? I think not. The number of bags out there is quite astounding. Try to focus on the style of bag you want: rucksacks are good for distributing weight, shoulder bags provide fast access, messenger-style sling bags are a halfway house between the two… A little tip, always buy something that’s a bit bigger than you think you need. You’ll be running out of space before you know it. Bags are one of the few camera accessories it’s quite tricky to buy online, without actually seeing and holding it – they’re never what you expect when they arrive!
Insurance: I know – boring, right? But not as boring as being without a camera if you drop yours off a cliff-edge (I’m sure it’s happened before). You may receive certain levels of cover from your Contents Insurance – but dedicated photographic equipment insurance is something I would highly recommend. I use these guys – and although (touch wood) I’ve never had to make a claim, it’s something I wouldn’t be without. And make sure you keep your kit list up-to-date with your insurer – every new item you buy (with a value you can’t afford to write off) – add the details to your list (with photoguard you can do this online). › Continue reading
Instant Film Heaven (Without Breaking The Bank)
standing on the bench
You may or may not have already read Paul’s earlier post about saving Polaroid (if you haven’t - what are you waiting for! durrh). In the post he gets all gooey-eyed and nostalgic about the pleasure of taking photos with instant film and I have to say I agree with him – there is nothing quite like it.
I can’t put my finger on what it is about instant film that is so appealing above and beyond digital photography which if anything is even more instant! Maybe that is part of the appeal. Instant film makes you wait and watch the picture be revealed where as digital appears on our lcd screens in the blink of an eye…..where’s the build up and dramatic pause? Traditional film goes too far in the other direction and makes us wait to get the film developed. That’s not good enough for some of us impatient photographers. We want to see the magic happen. That’s maybe where instant film fills a void. It’s got the instant gratification of an instant photo that you would get on a digital camera and all of the alchemy and magic appeal you get with film.
Sadly though with the impending death of Polaroid film, as Paul mentioned in his article, the price of Instant photography is sky-rocketing with packs of film selling for more than your grandma on eBay. There is I’m pleased to report one often overlooked alternative. Instax! › Continue reading
CameraFile: SuperSampler (AS3.0)
SuperSampler (in blue rubber finish, phwoar...)
Camera Model: SuperSampler (AS3.0)
Manufacturer: lomography.com
Format: 35mm film
Type: Multi-Lens Compact (No Focus)
Price: £47.85 (from official Lomography Shop) / £25 (from Amazon marketplace seller)
Reasons to Buy: A truly unique multi-lens camera, with four panoramic 20mm plastic lenses arranged in a row which (when the shutter is pressed) fire in sequence capturing four concurrent images on a single 35mm frame over a period of 2 seconds (one every 0.5 seconds), or 0.2 seconds (one every 0.05 seconds, in high speed mode). The results are instantly recognisable and incredibly cool.
It doesn’t use batteries, just pull the ripcord before each shot and let the wonders of clockwork (or whatever secret black art it is that provides the SuperSampling power) do its magic!
There are a minimum number of controls on the camera. Aside from the ripcord and the shutter release, there’s a switch to change between high speed and normal mode, another small switch to open the back panel in order to load/remove film. A film rewind button (which needs to be depressed while manually rewinding the film)… and that’s about it. There isn’t even a viewfinder to worry about (well, strictly speaking a small rubber rectangle is provided which slots onto the side of the camera and is supposed to be used as a ‘viewfinder’ – but I recommend you just leave this in the box. This is a fun camera which you should just randomly point at things, without worrying about composition!). › Continue reading
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