With consumer-level digital cameras, the primary accessories are digital film (media cards) and batteries. Additional lenses, converters and external flashes are important, but they mostly apply to higher-end cameras such as Canon's PowerShot G5 and Sony's Cyber-shot V1.
But then there are those secondary extras you can't live without, regardless of what camera you use. We'll show you some of the cool and useful accessories that make digital photography a sweeter experience, this week on "Fresh Gear."
SmartDisk FlashTrax
SmartDisk FlashTrax is a hard-drive multimedia device complete with an integrated CF (type 2) card slot and 3.5-inch color LCD. Available in 40GB ($549) and 80GB ($699) models, FlashTrax is perfect for emptying a media card full of data without using a PC. When attached to a PC via its USB 2 interface, FlashTrax functions as a portable hard drive with drag-and-drop support.
Transferring data from a media card to the FlashTrax couldn't be easier. After you insert a card, pressing the "copy" button next to the card slot initiates a download of all data into a unique date-stamped folder on the FlashTrax hard drive. SmartDisk's thoughtful engineers enabled this copy function to operate without the LCD, although the display does provide more detail regarding transfer progress.
Our CF-to-hard-drive image transfer tests with the FlashTrax resulted in an average transfer rate of 0.64 MBps. The FlashTrax was over twice as fast as Belkin's Media Reader for iPod. When off-loading to a PC, the iPod takes a slight lead thanks to its efficient FireWire interface.
Sporting a composite video output, the FlashTrax made displaying images and content on a larger screen simple. The included IR remote was a nice touch despite the odd button layout.
We found file navigation became increasing sluggish when browsing larger files. The inability to browse for audio tracks without interrupting playback was another letdown.
Weighing in at 12 ounces, the FlashTrax comfortably fits in a coat pocket. Also, its clam-shell design protects the LCD from inadvertent damage. It's powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and additional batteries are available for $70 each. SmartDisk also sells a $50 4-in-1 CF card adapter that supports SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Secure Digital, and MultiMediaCard (MMC) formats.
If you're looking for a portable storage device to off-load content from full flash media cards, you won't go wrong with the user-friendly SmartDisk FlashTrax.
Belkin Media Reader for iPod
A great idea for digital camera and iPod owners, the $109
Belkin Media Reader lets you off-load your media card when you're away from your computer. The FireWire reader runs on four AA batteries, includes transfer status LEDs, and protects media slots with a sliding port cover.
Slightly larger than the iPod, the attractive little reader supports CompactFlash Type I/II, SmartMedia, SD/MMC, and Memory Stick. Unfortunately, you can't view images on your iPod, but something tells us that's not far off.
Although it's useful for iPod-owning photographers, its 0.29 MBps transfer speed from CF media to the iPod's drive was surprising slow. Fortunately, off-loading from the iPod to a PC is quite zippy.
SanDisk ImageMate 8-in-1 Card Reader/Writer
This product is a must for any camera (or gadget) junkie. I've had a 6-in-1 reader at my desk for ages and I use it every day. The
SanDisk ImageMate 8-in-1 Card Reader/Writer adds xD and Memory Stick Pro to the packed lineup. Add blazing-fast USB 2.0 transfer speeds and driverless operation and you'll be ready for anything. For $25, you'll never be caught incompatible again.
Cheap tripod
Spend $10 on a tripod. It'll be the best money you'll spend for your digital camera. My tripod lets me keep my camera steady, and that's a great thing since I tend to hold the shutter open while shooting flash-less photos in dark rooms. If you're into photo tricks, or if you've got an unsteady hand, invest in a tripod.
Olympus PT-018 Underwater Housing for the C-740 or C-750 Zoom
One snorkeling excursion is all it takes to understand the joys of underwater photography. The $259
Olympus PT-018 is impressive with its futuristic see-through polycarbonate shell. Use it with a C-740 Zoom or C-750 Zoom (the midrange cameras with 10x optical zooms) to explore depths down to 131 feet. The coolest aspect of this protective case is the set of large cylindrical buttons that physically trigger the buttons on the camera.
Extra media
The camera you just bought comes with 16MB of memory. Even with a 2-megapixel camera, get more. Trust us. The idea behind the digital camera is to shoot as many photos as you want. Take hundreds of photos at a time. Experiment and learn. You'll be surprised at what you shoot.
Luckily, media prices have gone south. Today, the average price for 64MB starts at just under 50 cents per megabyte. Nice.
