Photo Accessory Reviews

Dads and tools go together like crooked public servants and greasy bags of banknotes. Photographers tend to tote tools, too. Put it all together (minus the politician) and we just might have the perfect Father’s Day gift suggestion. And it comes from SOG, a company with a rich and venerated heritage.

If you’ve ever taken something apart to make it better, or enjoyed building something from Lego bricks, you’re going to love the Platypod Pro. It’s the world’s most compact base for a tripod head, according to its label, but that’s selling it short—it’s really much cooler than that. 

Just as certain as the crocus and grape hyacinth that burst on the scene seemingly from nowhere, another sure sign of spring is my reliance on a few familiar gadgets to help me celebrate the season. Here are three of the accessories I’d be hard pressed to do without.

Looking for a camera strap that was designed with as much insight and creativity as your camera? Here’s a second look at a company that first caught my eye two years ago. 

Some cameras, including my classy and not-so-cheap Sony RX100, charge through the USB cable. There’s no need for a separate charger; simply plug the adapter into the wall and the small connector into the camera. There are pros and cons to this system.

Desktop photo inkjet printer release cycles are glacially slow compared to those of digital cameras so it was something of a surprise to learn Epson was going to launch the 13-inch SureColor P600 Professional Photo Printer this morning. While the printer model name has changed from Stylus Photo to SureColor to bring the line under a global branding umbrella, the P600 (P stands for “photo”) takes its place at the top of Epson’s 13-inch photo inkjet printer line, which continues to include Stylus Photo and Stylus Pro models.

The unsung hero of our age is the rechargeable battery. Can you imagine using a cell phone, digital camera or notebook computer without high capacity, long lasting batteries? The battery technology of choice for the past several years has been Lithium Ion. Here are five things you need to know about it—for your own safety and convenience.