Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

Welcome to Ernest's World - the repair workshop at Camera Electronic. You will be amazed. You will be astounded. Try not to touch anything...

In particular, try not to touch the "Sony" charger that he has opened for repair on the workbench. We say "Sony" because that is what the white label on the top says, but there is no way in the world that this has ever been a Sony product.

Oh, it looks like it from the outside - there are the guide rails and the pins that accept a standard Sony lithium-ion battery, but when Ernest opened the casing the circuit board told a different story.

Look at the components - 1970's style resistors and capacitors. Look at the assembly of the parts on the board. They fit where they touch and they touch in very few places.

Look at the screw that holds the device together. If you think it looks like something that would normally secure an MDF cabinet, you could very well be right...

Ernest is not a man given to harsh judgements, but his verdict on this was "fire hazard".

Did this come from a reputable Sony dealer? I am betting it did not. It has the look and feel of eBay or a discount electrical shop. Someone was intrigued by the low price for it and either decided to sell it or buy it - when what they should have done is run out the door to avoid it.

Well, not for Camera Electronic. Our Sony IS Sony, and Sony are good. They stand by their equipment and by us...so if you are tempted to get that free shipping bargain from somewhere that need not be named, remember that you could well be getting the electrical surprise of your life.

The Three C'S - Bringing Order To Disorder

We at Camera Electronic love order and abhor disorder and therefore we are in complete accord with the desires of the Manfrotto company to bring organisation to the studio. Here are three items made by Manfrotto to do just this.

They look like little white plastic C's with added lumps. They are from three separate Manfrotto packets - the 064, the 206, and the 093. They're referred to in the catalog as cable clips in the three sizes.

You know how the electric mains cable for the studio monoblock heads is plugged into the back of the heads and then dangles down to the floor? And curls itself around your leg when you are just standing there doing nothing? And pulls you to the ground? Those of you who saw the film "Anaconda" will recognise the circumstance instantly.

Well these three sizes of cable clip prevent this. They attach to the different-sized tubes of a Manfrotto light stands and the little channel at the side carries the AC wire up and down close to the stand. The wire can slip up and down as you adjust the stand and only allow it loose when it is close to the floor.

They are not expensive accessories, but as measures to promote studio safety they are priceless.

Note that the Manfrotto catalog thinks the other two round holes are to put allan keys in. Heaven knows whether this is the case...

Security Checks For Photographers

Having just been through Perth International on a flight to Singapore recently - and having been compelled to visit every stall in the fair as far as security checks went - I am conscious now of  safety and security of photo gear while in transit.

It is no longer sufficient to just wrap Neville the live python around  your camera bag and tell everyone to stand back. You need to lock it. To that end the Pelican people have incorporated a set of metal re-inforcements for their waterproof cases and you can order brass combination locks that have a long steel loop to slide into the holes.

The zippers on Lowepro bags are closed with runners that have matching metal loops - butt them together and put a little padlock in there. Or a nut and bolt, if you want to be cheap.

Finally, you might as well I.D. your bag with something that they can't tear off - the Think Tank ID tag has a metal cable attachment and metal tag. Engrave it yourself badly or get someone else to do it neatly  and it will save you arguing with someone at the luggage carousel.

Nothing will save you, however from the moment when the load finally exceeds the limits of the bag and it bursts like a bombshell. Even Neville has his limits.

Think Safety - Work Safely

Here at Camera Electronic we are committed to safety. We avoid alcohol, tobacco smoke, and soft drinks. We take daily exercise on our very own Stairmaster Model One. All day... Our computer screens have been fitted with crash bars so that when we punch them we do not damage our hands.

Other photographers would do well to take care in their studios and darkrooms. Of course the darkroom is somewhat of a rarity these days, and the colour darkroom even more so, but the chemistry in there can be savage. Half the stuff in a colour developing line will peel your skin off and the other half will kill you dead. But you end up a nice colour...

Turning to the studio, have you noticed that most of the light stands have tripod legs and are black? And they have heavy weights on the top - strobe heads and all. This is a perfect combination of circumstances to allow you to stumble into them in the dark and knock them over. The average amount of light emitted by a studio strobe is enough to render the painting of the stand legs black something of an overkill - wise people wrap some bright yellow or orange tape round the legs and the trunk of the stand so that it can be seen in the gloom. Not as cool and sexy but a whole lot safer.

Likewise the business of putting the rolls of paper up on holders above the subjects. You can suspend them with triple hooks and autopoles and such, but you would be wise to provide additional legs for those poles. If that puppy tilts over and lets three rolls of Superior paper onto the sitter from 3 metres up you got a lot of ' splainin ' to do Lucy. I had it happen once but fortunately we could just wrap up the body in the 11 metre roll of paper and leave it under a railway bridge...

Water on set? Electricity on set? 240 V ac electricity? Floor packs? Trailing wires? 24 -hour direct dial to the Coroner? All set.

Drone coverage of the wedding? Or the real estate? Unless you have someone from Omaha flying the thing, be aware that it may impact on your target. If person from Omaha is flying their own drone, you can definitely expect an impact on the target...

Is your flash working? Look into it and trigger it off. Now you know. You won't be able to see for an hour but at least...now you know. Use the time to stumble around until your shins find the edge of the table.

Like the outdoors? Pack 45 Kg on your back and clamber up the the top of Bluff Knoll. the Australian Association of Chiropractors has a pile of cards up there for you. If you like the water, you can balance on the edge of the rocks as the surf comes crashing in. The SES loves an afternoon out...Say hey to my nephew as they load you into the basket.