After getting frustrated with a slow memory card reader for a number of years, I recently bought a SanDisk Extreme FireWire compact flash memory card reader, which is rated at 40 MB/s read and write performance.

I've always been happy with the SanDisk memory cards I've used in various cameras, and decided that a genuine SanDisk memory card reader would be a good option.



The SanDisk card reader comes well packaged, and with a clean design showing just a SanDisk logo on the top of the actual card reader, it looks very business-like.

Build quality is just what I would expect from SanDisk - the card reader is well-built, robust, with good quality cables, and clean styling.

I recently purchased a Yongnuo OC-E3a Canon TTL flash cable from Deal Extreme (an online store based in Hong Kong) for just USD$24.86, with free shipping.
The Yongnuo OC-E3a cable is less than one third of the cost of a genuine Canon OC-E3 cable, which retails for USD$69.95.



A TTL flash cable allows you to get your flash off your camera's hot shoe, while still maintaining full ETTL communications with the flash. This can be useful when using a flash bracket or light-stand to hold the flash, or even when using one hand to hold the flash away from the camera body.

It's not limited for use with flashes - you can use a TTL cable for mounting a Canon ST-E2 wireless transmitter remotely from the camera. This can be handy if you are using the ST-E2 to control one or more remote flashes wirelessly, but where the flashes are outside the forward-pointing optical transmission of the ST-E2 (ie, the flashes might be to the side, or even behind the camera, and without sufficient reflective surfaces to bounce the infrared signal from the ST-E2 to the remote flashes).



The Yongnuo cable is a clone of the genuine Canon OC-E3 TTL flash cable, but is significantly cheaper than the genuine article from Canon.

Yongnuo OC-E3a TTL flash cable

The Canon ST-E2 is Canon's dedicated wireless flash transmitter, designed to be mounted on a camera's hot-shoe, and can trigger one or more Canon flashes wirelessly in E-TTL mode.

When mounted on a camera's hot-shoe, the Canon 580EX and 580EX II flashes can also be used as a master device for triggering and controlling multiple remote Canon flashes in E-TTL mode.

However, there are a number of differences in functionality between using a 580EX / 580EX II as a master, and using the ST-E2 as a master device, with advantages and disadvantages for both options.

The tables below summarise the differences between using a Canon ST-E2 or a Canon 580EX / 580EX II as a master flash trigger, with differences highlighted using a different background colour.
Details were sourced from Canon's technical specifications and user manuals, as well as the results of my own testing with the ST-E2 and 580EX II.

The Phottix Aster is a new product from the Asian Phottix, and it has some interesting features not found in the Phottix Tetra (I reviewed the Phottix Tetra several months ago).

The Phottix Aster is designed for triggering one or more off-camera flash units, either wirelessly from the transmitter, or optically from any other flash.

Thanks to HK Supplies for providing a Phottix Aster for review purposes.



A wireless flash trigger is designed to trigger one or more flash units that are located away from the camera, without requiring a wired connection between the camera and the flash units.

Off-camera flash allows a photographer to get much more creative with lighting, and the Strobist website has served to educate many more photographers in the use of off-camera flash lighting.

Aster receiver (left) and transmitter (right)

Features:

• wireless mode - remotely trigger receiver with transmitter on camera hot-shoe
• light mode - optically trigger receiver from another flash
• 4 wireless channels
• PC sync input on transmitter
• PC sync output on receiver

I recently bought a Canon ST-E2 wireless flash transmitter, and have been enjoying the convenience of E-TTL for off-camera flash photography.



The Canon ST-E2 is Canon's dedicated wireless flash transmitter, designed to be mounted on a camera's hot-shoe, and can trigger one or more Canon flashes wirelessly in E-TTL mode.

That's right - the ST-E2 provides remote E-TTL functionality. The ST-E2 communicates with the camera via the hot-shoe, and the ST-E2 communicates with the flashes via infrared to determine the flash power required.

While on a recent shoot, my backup camera, a Canon 350D, completely locked up and stopped working. I briefly removed the main battery to attempt to reset it, but the 350D still failed to turn on after a freshly charged battery was inserted.
The lens and memory card were then removed, and the main battery was pulled out for a few minutes, but after re-installing the battery, it still failed to turn on.

I had been using the camera out in the sun on a hot 37 degree day, and thought that potentially the heat had affected it. After cooling the camera down for a while in the air-conditioned coolness of my car, it still refused to turn on.

I gave up on the 350D for the time being, and had to resort to using a single camera body for the rest of the day. I like to have a wide lens on one body, and a long lens on the other body, allowing a wider variety of focal lengths without having to swap lenses. Being reduced to a single camera body was an inconvenience, but it wasn't a show stopper, and this experience emphasises the need for a backup camera body when doing an important shoot!

That evening, I removed the main battery, as well as the internal date/time battery (a small 3V CR2016 battery used to maintain the camera's date and time), and left the camera overnight. The next morning, after re-installing both batteries, the camera still failed to turn on.

While googling for information on the problem, I found this thread on dpreview.com that described the same symptoms.

In that thread, someone suggested the following sequence as a potential cure for a lockup:

1. Turn off the camera
2. Remove both camera batteries
3. Close battery cover
4. Turn on/off switch to "On"
5. Let camera sit for at least 15 seconds
6. Turn on/off switch to "Off"
7. Re-install both batteries and turn camera on

Following this sequence caused the 350D to come to life again, thus saving me from having to take the camera in for repairs.

Setting the on/off switch to "On" with both batteries removed appears to be the key step that I had previously missed. I'm guessing it's required to ensure any residual power in the camera's circuitry is completely discharged, thus allowing the camera to completely reboot.
(Closing the battery cover is also important, as the camera's on/off switch is disabled if the battery cover is open.)

Note that removing the date and time battery will predictably reset the camera's date and time. However, it won't cause the camera to lose any other configuration data, such as custom function settings.

Have you ever had a camera fail at a bad time during a photo shoot? How did it fail? Did you have a second camera body with you at the time? Did the failure impact the photo shoot?

When taking macro photos, you need plenty of light on the subject, to allow a reasonably large DOF (depth of field), yet keeping a reasonably fast shutter speed, and a low ISO. As a result, ambient light is typically insufficient, requiring the use of a flash.

However, using a bare flash will result in harsh lighting with harsh shadows, so it's important to diffuse and reflect the light to create a more pleasing photo.

This post provides details of the very cheap homemade reflector that I use for macro photography. Note that I can't claim credit for the idea, but I first saw it here on flickr.

Last month, I described how you can make a cheap flash clamp for holding a remote flash, using cheap clamps and a 1/4" bolt, available from your local hardware for a few dollars (as per the photo on the right).

However, with the full weight of a flash attached to the end of the clamp handle, particularly if the flash is mounted on top of a wireless trigger, the clamp and flash isn't particularly stable.

To improve the stability of the flash clamp, another 1/4" bolt can be added to the clamp, much closer to the jaws of the clamp.

Mounting a flash on this bolt closer to the clamp jaws provides a more stable solution, as the majority of the weight is now attached to the clamp much closer to the jaws.

If using wireless triggers to trigger the flash, the flash can be attached to the trigger's hot-shoe, and the trigger then attached to this new bolt on the clamp.

Alternatively, the wireless trigger could be attached to the bolt on the end of the clamp handle, and a PC sync cable can then be used to connect the trigger to the flash, as shown in the photo below.

improved version of the cheap flash clamp for holding a remote flash,
with a Canon 580EX II being triggered by a Phottix Tetra wireless flash trigger

After a few months of rumours about the Canon 7D, specifications have been confirmed, and details are now available on on Canon's website. dpreview.com have already published a review of the Canon 7D.

Note that it's not a replacement for the 5D, but the 7D fits into the Canon lineup between the Canon 50D and the 5D.

The 7D is not a full-frame body like the 5D, but has an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor (1.6x crop factor), larger viewfinder, a new AF system with dedicated processor, can shoot at 8 fps, and supports 1080p HD video recording.
Interestingly, it also has an integrated Speedlite transmitter, allowing the 7D's built-in flash to control multiple groups of multiple flashes.

Here's a brief summary of the specifications of the 7D:

• 18 megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C size)
• dual DIGIC 4 image processors
• ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800)
• 8 fps continuous shooting
• full HD (1920x1080) movie mode with manual exposure control
• large viewfinder with 100% field of view
• new 19 point auto-focus system
• magnesium body
• built-in Speedlite transmitter
• 3 inch rear LCD

It looks like the retail price for the Canon 7D body is going to be around USD$1699 (AUD$2020), and amazon.com have it available for pre-order.

Have a look at dpreview.com's review for more information on the Canon 7D, or the Canon Australia website for full specifications.


Update (September 2009): QualityCamera Sales Australia anticipate that the Canon 7D body price will be around AUD$2399, and they are taking pre-orders.

The Phottix Tetra wireless flash triggers are yet another low-cost photography accessory from the Asian Phottix, and are designed for triggering one or more off-camera flash units. The Tetra can also be used to trigger studio lights with the included PC sync cable.

Thanks to HK Supplies for providing a Phottix Tetra with two receivers for review purposes.



A wireless flash trigger is designed to trigger one or more flash units that are located away from the camera, without requiring a wired connection between the camera and the flash units.

Off-camera flash allows a photographer to get much more creative with lighting, and the Strobist website has served to educate many more photographers in the use of off-camera flash lighting.