Photo Accessory News

I’ve had to replace a failing computer hard drive more often than I’d care to remember. Fortunately, I’ve learned my lesson: my workstation now includes external drives as both backup and primary storage. I routinely move content from the computer onto one external drive and back up to a second drive. (I usually prefer to transfer memory card files first to the computer, so that my backups will include these; then I move those files to the external drive when a project is completed, making sure that they are synced to Lightroom.) Unfortunately, the cost of all this may amount to the price of a second camera body or new lens, but it’s money well spent, as you’ll realize the first time a drive goes down.

Want to add a little speed to your imaging workflow? Lexar just introduced a new 128GB capacity model of their Professional 2000x SDXC UHS-II memory card. The 128GB Lexar Professional 2000x SDXC UHS-II card will be the fastest UHS-II memory card available at this capacity on the market.

The Lens Bracelet: Transform your passion for photography into a unique fashion statement for yourself or someone you love. The Lens Bracelet is a soft silicone replica of the focusing ring of a lens featuring the embossed lettering you’d normally find there like 50mm, AF/MF and even lens grip ridges. This bracelet is one size fits all (7 inches) and since everyone has a favorite lens type, you can choose the focal length and camera that best represents you: 50mm prime in Canon or Nikon, 24-70mm zoom in Nikon, or 70-200mm in Canon. Two bracelets are included in each set. The Canon set has a retail value of $25, the Nikon Pro set is $25 and the Original set is just $15.

There are two important facts about flash photography that everyone should understand: The first is that a simple external flash mounted atop a camera (or used remotely for even better results), can make a huge difference in photographs when shooting indoors or out. Number two is that the use of an accessory flash is much easier than most photographers think.

This comprehensive macro tutorial from the Naturefold YouTube channel is designed for those new to the genre. Yet, everything discussed will prove equally helpful if you've given closeups a try and were disappointed with your results.

As the name implies, the Fotodiox LED Studio-in-a-Box is a self-contained tabletop studio that features interior LED lighting that has a daylight color balance of 5600 Kelvin. The CRI, or Color Rendering Index, is 85 (on a scale 0 to 100).