Nikon users that want fast and moderately priced fixed focal length wide-angle lenses may find Nikon's line-up lacking. Størker Moe thinks the Sigma 24 mm f/1.8 EX DG may be worth looking at for the budget-minded Nikon user.

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If you still take photographs using colour negative film, you probably scan them for web use and digital post processing. While Nikon's Coolscan scanners produce excellent scans, the software Nikon supply (Nikon Scan 4.2) does not have many friends.

Størker Moe thinks that ColorNeg from C-F-Systems cures the blues (and the magentas).

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A company called Pixel and located in Shenzhen, China has just launched radio triggers that it calls “wireless TTL cords” and that it claims is compatible with the TTL of Nikon's and Canon's dedicated flash systems.

The units are known as as TR-331 (Nikon), and TR-332 (Canon).

Details are sketchy at the moment, and the “English” text on Pixel's home page is machine translated gibberish that does not make much sense. However, according to the specifications, it communicates on the 2.4 GHz frequency (unregulated worldwide), provides 15 selectable channels, and works at distances between transmitter and receiver up to 65 meters. The units uses CR-2 3 V lithium batteries (2 in the transmitter, 1 in the receiver),

Users report that the units are compatible with TTL, but that the “cord”-reference should be taken literally. They are replacements for an off-camera flash cord, not for the the light-based systems that Canon and Nikon use to control several remote flashes wirelessly.

One source of information about these units is this thread in the strobist group on Flickr. Some of the early adopters hang out there.

As for pricing, the units typically sell on eBay for USD 206 for a transmitter/receiver pair, with USD 120 for each additional receiver.

However, if you can manage without TTL, USD 30 will get you a nice poverty wizards kit.

As of December 27, the site has got a major makeover. We've adopted a new theme, moved the main menu from the left sidebar to the top, and made it possible for vistors to post comments and questions. Enjoy!

Recently, I found out that I really needed a flash bracket and an off-camera shoe cord to go with it. On eBay, I found two inexpensive of clones of the Stroboframe Quick Flip 350 and the Nikon Off-camera Shoe Cord SC-28.

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I just bought an infrared remote control unit to trigger my camera without touching the shutter button. This particular unit is sold under a number of different brands, including Jianisi, Jue Ying and Phottix. Prices vary between vendors. I bought mine from Hong Kong vendor and paid USD 3.49, including postage. I ordered the one called "Jianisi", but the unit I received was branded "Jue Ying". The unit is actually made to work with for different camera systems (Pentax, Nikon, Canon and Konica-Minolta), and it works as advertised for those I've tested it with.

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Since 9/11, more and more photographers report that they are being hassled by police and security guards. While there are no laws against using a camera in a public place, photographers have been harrassed, questioned, detained, arrested, apprehended, bullied and intimidated. We're told to watch out for photographers, especially suspicious ones.

In an article in The Guardian, security export Bruce Schneier reveals why: While there is no evidence that real terrorists take photographs - movie terrorists do. Schneier calls this a movie-plot threat.

As a result, we get movie-plot security, which, unfortunately, only works in movies. If security focuses on photographers, and terrorists don't take photographs, the money and effort spend on bothering photographers are wasted, and the public are taught to fear something there is no reason to be afraid off.

Follow this link too examine my interpolation test.

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