The Deliberate Decision - When To Go Manual With A New Lens

More to the point - when to go outside the normal boundaries of the manufacturer's lens line. When to break away and decide to explore new territory. When to take command yourself.

Well the manufacturers of digital camera bodies all give you lenses from their stables that are perfectly suited...each to its own mount. They have generally worked long and hard to have a wide variety of optics in all sizes and focal lengths  - and they will generally have a range of prices for them as well. You pays more, you gets more, but since the lenses are good to start with, the extra costs can sometimes be a diminishing return.

Enter the independent lens makers - companies who may have a license to use the mount of a certain camera but are not restricted as to what the other specifications need to be. They can search for the niche market that wants a particular focal length or maximum aperture. They sometimes elect to leave out auto-focus and auto meter connections to make the lens universal - they figure that if you are advanced enough to want a specifically special lens, you are capable of focusing and stopping down yourself.

The stop-down question is not even addressed in many cases - you get a good old click-stop aperture ring and are in command of it every time you shoot. If you are a maximum-aperture freak you just cello-tape the aperture ring open and let it go at that...put the camera on aperture priority and let it sort out he exposure. In most cases it will guess better than you can anyway.

So here's what I found in the special shelf - a Zhong Yi Creator 85mm f:2 lens. Totally manual, but with the sort of feel and finish that make it as good as the big boys. I think it would be the lens for someone who wanted to do street portraiture quietly and from a distance. So, of course I used it for lots of other things...

Out on the street it does react quickly - no AF or metering to get in the way, and you can stand and stop cars as they go past at 50 kph. Choose a high enough ISO and you can stand at a race course and stop the action good. f:2 lets a lot of light in.

Likewise if you use it as a stand-off standard lens. It would be a an excellent optic for separating the background from a face - hence the street portraiture.

And lastly, it is actually quite nice in a studio set, though here it is stopped down to f:11.

The action of the lens is extremely smooth and the aperture ring has clean click stops. Oddly enough they have an f:16 stop between f:11 and f:22 but do not mark it as such.

Note that there is a good bayonet fitting for a lens hood but none is packed in the box - presumably it is an extra.

March Madness

Well, it's started again - the business of spot sales per day in the shop.

Monday  today - 21st of March.

30% off of all bags, tripods, monopods, memory cards, and screw-in filters.

In store goods only. Purchase today only.

 Spot deal, do the deal, get the deal.

Good deal.

Advert

Down The Home Straight - Day 12 - And It's Filters And Cards

Okay. You've borne with us for the last 12 trading days as we've sung the syren song of photographic retailing. You've steeled yourself not to buy any more camera systems. You've steeled yourself not to buy any more lenses. You've even carbon fibre'd yourself not buy a new tripod...even though your old one has only two legs...

What can we say? If you are determined to be unhappy there is only so much we can legally do to cheer you up. But we'll have one final try.

Today. Camera Electronics. Filters and memory cards.

Buy one, get another of the same value  - or less value if that is your wish - for free. That's it.

You get to choose from San Disk, Hoodman, Hoya, Kenko, and B+W products. All top quality goods. All applicable over most brands of camera and lens.

And all useful in the extreme for digital shooters. Don't look on it as indulgence - look upon it as opportunity.

Heck, the writer of this blog is going down to the shop and snag a coupla memory cards. I've got a trip coming up and I don't want the hassle of downloading stuff onto a tablet - I'm just going to fill cards and be done with it. They are THAT cheap!

Day 10 - And The Fujifilm Fans Get Yet More Discounts

Fujifilm X-series cameras are some of the best choices for amateur and professional photographers and right now getting the goods has never been cheaper.

On Day 10 of the 12 Days For Christmas Camera Electronic will be reducing the prices of the camera bodies and of the lenses that go with them - and would also like to remind the customers that Fujifilm themselves have a large number of cash-back offers for that same gear.

This means you score a lower price here in the shop today and Fujifilm further reduce your costs when your cash-back payment hits your bank account. The lenses can be very economical indeed!
I know - I've taken advantage of the Fujifilm cash-back offers in the past and They are smartly and efficiently done.

Now the figures:

Basically, you can trim 20% off the price of the X30, X100T, X-E2, X-T10, and X-T1 bodies - then score cash-back from Fujifilm on top of this.

X-T1 body/black: You pay $ 1039 and Fujifilm has a cashback of $ 100 on top of this.
X-T1 body/black + 18-135mm lens: You pay $ 1758 and get a cashback of $ 300
X-T1 body/graphite silver: You pay $ 1199 with a $ 100 cashback
X-T1 body/graphite silver + 18-135mm lens: You pay $ 1998 and get a $ 300 cashback
X-T10 body black/silver: You pay $ 719 for a $ 100 cashback
X-T10 body black/silver + 18-135mm + 27mm: You pay $ 1439 for a $ 500 cashback
X-100T black: you pay $ 1159
X-E2 body/silver + 18-55mm lens: You pay $ 854 for a $ 200 cashback
X-30 silver/black: You pay $ 495

If you'd like to add some X-series Fujifilm lenses to your bag - and we ALL would - you get 10% discount in the shop and a heck of a lot of cash-back from Fujifilm. All of the following have a $ 200 cashback available from Fujifilm:

XF 14mm f:2.8                       You pay $ 791
XF 16mm f:1.4                       You pay $ 1149
XF 18mm f:2                          You pay $ 530
XF 23mm f:1.4                       You pay $ 925
XF 27mm f: 2.8 pancake        You pay $ 359
XF 35mm f:1.4                       You pay $ 537
XF 56mm f:1.2R                    You pay $ 989
XF 56mm f:1.2R APD           You pay $ 1580
XF 60mm f:2.4                       You pay $ 572
XF90mm f:2 R LM WR         You pay $ 1114
XF 10-24mm f:4 R OIS          You pay $ 989
XF 16-55mm f:2.8 RLM WR You pay $ 1304
XF 18-55mm f:2.8-4                You pay $ 629
XF 18-135mm f:4-5.6              You pay $ 899
XF 50-140mm f:2.8 R LM OIS WR  You pay $ 1682
XF 55-200mm f:3.5-4.8            You pay 665


Heading picture: Taken with Fujifilm X-E2 and 35mm f:1.4 XF lens. '62 Pontiac Catalina in British Columbia.

Click here for the immediate purchase! 

Day 9 - Nine for Nikon - Nikon For You

Finally, eh? All you Nikon shooters have been reading our 12 Days for Christmas and wondering if you was forgot...well, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus and he is dipping into the Nikon bag today.

The chiefest thing to note is that there will be delightful discounts for this Monday on cameras, lenses, and speed lights. This is made much more delightful in the case of certain selected items by the fact that Nikon Australia are also giving substantial cash back payments when buyers register their purchases.

See what we mean - here is a list of the goodies with a note of the "was" and "is today" price attached. You'll see that there is 10% discount coming off a number of lenses...and 15% coming off camera bodies and a couple of camera/lens combos. When you get to the speed light section the discount becomes 20%. Here goes:

Nikon AF-S 105mm f:2.8 Micro VR IF-ED lens  was  $ 1169  today  $ 1052

Nikon AF-S 60mm f:2.8 ED Micro lens  was  $ 759  today  $ 683

Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f:2.8G ED N lens  was $ 2649  today $ 2384 + $ 300 cashback

Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f:4G VR ED lens  was $ 1599  today $ 1439

Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f:2.8E ED VR lens  was $ 3096  today $ 2786

Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f:4 ED VR lens  was $ 1599  today $ 1439

Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f:3.5-5.6G E VR lens  was $ 1439  today $ 1295

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f:2.8G VR MkII lens  was $ 3089  today$ 2780 + $ 300 cashback

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f:4G VR IF N ED lens  was $ 1849  today $ 1664 + $ 100 cashback

Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f:4.5-5.6 VR ED lens  was $ 799  today $ 719

Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f:4.5-5.6 ED VR lens  was $ 3590  today $ 3231

Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f:5.6E ED VR lens  was $ 1849  today $ 1664

Nikon AF-S 20mm f:1.8G ED lens  was $ 1040  today $ 936

Nikon AF-S 24mm f:1.4G ED lens  was $ 2695  today$ 2426

Nikon AF-S 24mm f:1.8G ED lens  was $ 1097  today $ 987

Nikon AF-S 28mm f:1.8 N lens  was $ 920  today $ 828

Nikon AF-S 35mm f:1.4G ED lens  was $ 2449  today $ 2204

Nikon AF-S 35mm f:1.8G ED lens  was $ 765  today $ 689

Nikon AF-S 50mm f:1.4G lens  was $ 589  today $ 530

Nikon AF-S 50mm f:1.8G lens  was $ 289  today $ 260

Nikon AF-S 85mm f:1.4G N lens  was $ 2295  today $ 2066

Nikon AF-S 300mm f:4E PF ED VR lens  was $ 2679  today $ 2411

Nikon D4S digital camera body  was $ 6999  today $ 5949

Nikon DF digital camera body  was $ 2844  today $ 2417

Nikon D810A digital camera body  was $ 4496  today $ 3822

Nikon D810 digital camera body  was $ 3465  today $ 2945

Nikon D810 + AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f:4G IF ED VR  was $ 5064  today $ 4304 + $300 cashback

Nikon D750 digital camera  was $ 2275  today $ 1934

Nikon D750 + AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f:4G IF ED VR  was $ 3874  today $ 3293 + $ 300 cashback

Nikon D610 digital camera body  was $ 1797  today $ 1527 + $300 cashback

Nikon SB 910 speed light  was $ 588  today $ 470


Click here for a last minute purchase

Day 8 - When Canon Drops The Bundle - You Pick It Up!

Canon have a unique sort of marketing deal around this time of year - they do double cash-backs. When you purchase a product over a certain price you get a stated amount of cash back from them.  If you purchase another Canon product at the same time, you end up getting a double cash back. Our chaps at the sales conter will let you know the exact details but have a look at some of the special prices that Camera Electronic are doing for the 8th Day of Christmas Specials and look at what can be coming back to you:

Canon EOS 5D MkIII, 5Ds, and 5DsR bodies with an 11-24mm f:4L USM wide angle zoom lens - the Landscape Bundle

w/5DMkIII - RRP $ 8898  Special price $ 6499  After $ 500 Double Cashback $ 5999

w/s5Ds - RRP $ 10198  Special price $ 7999  After $ 500 Double Cashback $ 7499

w/5DsR - RRP $ 10598  Special price $ 8299  After $ 500 Double Csahback $ 7899


Canon EOS 5dMkIII, 5Ds, and 5DsR bodies plus a 50mm f:1.4 lens - The Nifty Fifty Bundle

w/5DMkIII - RRP $ 4778  Special price $ 3499  After $ 500 Double Cashback $ 2999

w/5Ds - RRP $ 6078  Special price $ 4999  After $ 500 Double Cashback $ 4499

w/5DsR - RRP $ 6478 Special price $ 5299  After $ 500 Double Cashback $ 4799


Canon EOS 6D body with a 100mm f:2.8L IS - The Macro Bundle

RRP $ 3768  Special price $ 2499  After $ 400 Double Cashback $ 2099


Canon EOS 7D body with a 100-400mm f:4.5-5.6 lens - The Sports and Wildlife Bundle

RRP $ 5778  Special price $ 4199  After $ 400 Double Cashback $ 3799


Canon 70D body with an 18-135mm IS STM lens and a 50mm f1.8 STM lens - The STM Bundle

RRP $ 2098  Special price $ 1599  After Double Cashback $ 1299

Same deal as yesterday - one day only.

Day 7 - Sony Gets A Turn At Your Wallet - And You Get A Dip Of Theirs

This year Sony has leapt ahead with new equipment and now is the time to benefit from this and the Christmas crush to get a substantial cash back return. Here is the layout of the offer for today only:

A. Sony a7MkII plus a 24-70 lens has an RRP of 3798. Today the price is $ 2777 and you get a $ 200 Visa redemption.

If you're feeling flush you could add a 16-35 lens or a 70-200 lens for $ 1599 and get an additional $ 400 Visa redemption as well.

B. Try a Sony RX 100 Mk IV compact zoom camera with an RRP of $ 1399 for only $ 1239....and then take an additional CE cash back of $ 100 to lay it low at $ 1139.

C. For the mirror-less fans - a Sony a6000, a 16-50mm, and a 50mm f:1.8 lens  - it runs an RRP of $ 1797 but today it can go out at $ 999 and then you can skim out another $ 150 Visa redemption. Wooo.

D. Sony a7MkII again - this time with a 28-70 lens at an RRP of $ 2698. It comes down to $ 2066 and then you get the $ 200 Visa redemption as well.

Note: Tis the season to be jolly and charitable and all but don't go mad. Buy the a7MkII for yourself and give the RX 100 MkIV as a fancy gift. Heck, at these prices you can afford to give two of 'em.

Day 6 - Panasonic Steps To The Cash Back Plate

Well, the 12 days of Christmas are swinging along pretty well. On Wednesday the 16th of December the Panasonic micro 4/3 fans get their chance to touch the money.

There are a number of items on offer well under their normal price and in some cases they are also bolstered by $ 150 cash back offers from Panasonic themselves. This makes them very good purchases indeed. Look at these:

DMC-GX8 camera body for $ 949...

DMC G7 body plus 14-42mm f:3.5-5.6 II ASPH lens for $ 599

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 15mm f:1.7 ASPH lens for $ 649, get $ 150 back = $ 499

Panasonic Leica D Summilux 25mm f:1.4 ASPH lens...again pay $ 649, get $ 150 back = $ 499

Panasonic Lumix G Leica Nocticron 42.5mm f:1.2 lens pay $ 1740, get back $ 150 = $ 1590

Panasonic Lumix G 7-14mm f:4 lens pay $ 1149, get back$ 150 = $ 999

Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f:2.8 lens pay $ 949, get back $ 150 = $ 799

Panasonic H Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm f:2.8 ASPH lens pay $ 1149, get back $999

The GX8 and G7 can very well be the all-purpose go-to cameras for every traveller or family shooter here in Perth, with the added incentive of some pretty zippy video work. Unbutton your purse, Mortein the moths, and get down to the shop for  a good buy before it is goodbye.

Image: Tokyo with a Panasonic GX7 camera

Day 5 - New Glass For Less Grass - Sigma and Zeiss cashbacks

Well, that's an interesting combination - Sigma and Zeiss.

Both top quality lens manufacturers that deal in different operational concepts - one looking to make a number of value-packed zoom lenses and one seeking the prime market. The good thing for users of Nikon and Canon camera bodies is that many of their products can be found with mounts for these brands.

But consider - you might find Sigma or Zeiss lenses on a lot of camera bodies. We can think of Zeiss lenses on Fujifilm X-series, Sigma on Olympus and Panasonic, Zeiss on Leica M bodies, and a number of Zeiss's devices associated with Sony.

Come to think of it there are adapters that allow these products onto a lot of micro 4/3 or other mirror-less bodies. A bit of a juggle sometimes but surprisingly do-able nonetheless if one is prepared to focus and set apertures manually. A lot of studio closeups for this column are taken with an adapted lens that started on a DSLR and now fronts a mirror-less camera. It's not speed-demon work but yields a fine focus.

Anyway, there is to be a $200 cashback for these items today - Tues the 15th of December. $ 200 is large coarse money for many citizens and not to be disparaged by any means.

By the way, when you stop by the Sigma cabinet at the front of the shop take some time to inspect the aluminium lens barrel from a Sigma lens that is displayed there for effect. It is comforting to see the level of precision that is buried under the black paint.

Day 3 And Madness Grips The Populace!

Naw. That's not true. Madness gripped the populace a long time ago - round the time the when reality television shows set in...We do what we can in the photographic trade to counteract it - by giving people real-life things to do.

Today's specials center* around the Tamron lenses. This brand has always had a keen following here in Australia and the advent of the digital cameras started the company out on a quest for better optics and more reliability. Today's Tamrons have that in abundance - and on Friday the 11th of December DSLR shooters get a chance for massive savings. Look at these:

AF 17-50mm f:2.8 XR Di II VC lens Manu. price $899 - was $595 - Friday Special---$495

SP AF 24-70mm f:2.8 Di VC USD lens Manu. price $1399 - was $1099 - Friday Special---$999

AF 28-300mm Di VC PZD lens Manu. price $1149 - was $1039 - Friday Special---$939

AF 15-30mm f:2.8 SP Di VC USD lens Manu. price $1690 - was $1565 - Friday special---$1465
note: there may be a delay on Nikon fitting lenses...

SP 150-600mm f:5-6.3 Di VC USD lens Manu. price $1399 - was $1249 - Friday special---$1149

SP AF 90mm f:2.8 Di VC USD macro lens Manu. price $849 - was $695 - Friday special---$595

SP 70-200mm f:2.8 Di VC USD lens Manu. price $1699 - was $1349 - Friday Special---$1249
note: there may be a delay on Nikon fitting lenses...

Tamrons run a full two year warranty too.

* Yo, J.

Now's The Time For Christmas Cheer...

The start of November is finally here.
Take some advice from the blogging hack
And get some Olympus money back.

Thank you, thank you, here all week...*

What's more important is that Olympus actually HAS got a Christmas gift promotion going from now until Christmas Eve. You have 48 days to get yourself some Ho Ho Ho dough. Read on:

Purchase selected OlympusOM-D cameras or lenses and receivea Chritsmas gift from Olympus posted directly from the North Pole. The eligible product purchases are:

OM-D E-M1
OM-D E-M5 Mk II
7-14mm f:2.8 PRO lens
8mm f:2.8 PRO lens
40-150mm f:2.8 PRO lens
40-150 f:2.8 PRO lens with 1.4 teleconverter

The Christmas gift won't be a surprise - it'll be $ 200 cashback. Your valid purchase dates started on the 1st of November and continue to 124th of December 2015.

You get your claim in through their webpage:

www.Olympus.com.au/promotions

And yes, they do say you prepaid EFTPOS will be express posted from the North Pole. I couldn't think these things up, folks. If you get a polar bear or two bemused Inuit in a kayak at the front door use the new Olympus gear to take a picture...

* here the rest of the week: www.hrhoa.wordpress.com

SNAP SALE! Staff Decision - Get 'Em While We Can Get Away With It

We've come to momentous decision down here to put up a SNAP SALE for Vanguard camera bags and cases. The pricing guns are chattering away like Maxims and the bags are piling up like...umm....oh let's just say we're having a sale.

25% off all new Vanguard. And Vanguard are good bags. They are an imaginative accessory company who have devised camera and lens carriers in all sorts of sizes and shapes.

Some are dull and professional and some are bright and fun. Backpacks, slingers, messenger bags, video boxes, belt and pocket bags. Black, blue, red, green, orange...Hey, take your pick and take 25% off while you do.

Score.

PLUS.....25% off selected Think Tank Bags. Not everything - selected. But come down a browse and se if your desire is in our selection - and score again.

Print Big - Save Big - Epson Cash Back

Winter is upon us but the Epson company does not intend to sit around and be cold. Neither should you....they have a couple of offers for the printers amongst you that will warm you up without having to burn money.

The Epson large format printers can be big, or not really so big. The Epson Stylus Pro 7900, 9900, 7890, and 9890 fit into the former category and the Epson Stylus Pro SP 4900 into the latter.

In each case they are the standard of the industry for their respective print sizes - we are lucky to have one sitting here for our shop sign and poster printing. It works a treat.

The real news today from Epson is that they are goong to run a cash-back program for the purchase of thes printers between now and the 15th of September.

For the Stylus Pro 7900,9900,7890,and 9890 you will get $ 1000 back from them.

If you choose a Stylus Pro SP-4900 you qualify for $ 500 cash back.

These are not offers to sneeze at - even if you do have a winter cold.

Last On The Counter - Best Price Epson

We are going to see a new model of the medium desktop Epson inkjet printer in a little while. We have already seen the replacement of the Stylus Pro R3000 with the SureColor SC-P600 for the small model - capable of prints to A3+.

The New SureColor SC-P800 will be capable of he same sort of printing as the P600 except it will have larger ink tanks and go up to A2 in print size.

Oddly, this is reminiscent of the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer...of which we have one brand new in its wrappings* on the counter. We want counter space so we are going to let the 3880 go at a bargain price.

Hoot on down here and sweep it away for $ 1695 - well under the normal sale price. Full complement of inks and a superb printer.

* Wrappings. Let me tell you about Epson wrappings. They have someone in their factory who is armed with a blue sticky tape gun and a mindless obsession for fastening things down. This person would be a demon at Christmas. There are nearly 50 pieces of blue sticky tape stuck to the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 to allow it to be transported safely - never mind the plastic wrapping, shaped foam blocks, and plastic chocks on a string, with which they also abound.

It is fun to find them all and will keep you engaged for the best part of half an hour. We've left them all attached so you can have the full experience.

Bag And Drag With Promaster - At A Bargain Price

Good news for all you enthusiasts who will be taking your portable studio flashes, light stands, tripods, softboxes, smoke machines, and electrical cords out to a show. Or a commercial shoot. Or a wedding. Or, heaven forfend, a family party...

Now you need not carry all your goods into the venue in four old Coles cardboard cartons. Or on your back in a hessian bag. Now you can look good and travel well - Promaster studio bags and boxes are on sale.

We've got a little mountain of them in the front bargain corner of the shop floor and we've decided to run them out at 50% off their marked prices. Some are wheeled, some are not. they all will make a difference if you have to haul a disparate lot of gear into a venue.

Not: The larger amount of gear you need to carry, the greater chance the building you will visit will have 43 floors and the shoot will be on the 42nd floor - and the elevator will be out...

Modern Moleskin - Nikon Pocket Note Taker

If you are constantly trying to remember something and reaching for a scrap of paper to record it...why not reach for a compact camera and take a picture of it?

You've got a phone with a camera? Move on, friend. you can do it for yourself.

You've got no phone? You want to give your kid a camera to go on holiday with that will not run up a credit card bill? Step up, friend. The Nikon L29 is for you.

89 Bucks - all up. You could pay more for the Moleskin and a fancy ball-point pen.

89 bucks buys you 19 megapixels, a 5 X zoom lens, multiple special auto programs - and the blessed ability to run on AA batteries. No more hauling yet another charger in your luggage ( and forgetting it in the last hotel before you fly home...) and no running out of power the other side of Meekatharra. Hooray for the local servo and the AA battery!

89 Bucks and you get a year's Nikon Australia warranty.

In store now.

Stacka Pods - We Make The Great Pyramid Of Cullmann

In the interests of having enough room on our second floor to turn around, we have corralled a lot of the Cullmann Magnesit tripods and made a pyramid of them on the sales floor.

They are new, but older stock. They will be sold at a considerable discount to our customers and there will even be a bonus discount if you pick a tripod from the top of the pile and do not compel us to restack it every five minutes.

As these are new stock they will all carry the Cullmann 10-year warranty.

Another Month, Another Cash Back Bonanza From Nikon

If you didn't buy a barrow-load of Nikon lenses before Christmas, now is the time to wheel on in. The money part is good.

Nikon is extending the idea of cash back until the end of this month on the following cameras and lenses:

1. Nikon D3300........................................Cashback of $ 50
2. Nikon D5200.......................................Cashback of $ 100
3. Nikon D610..........................................Cashback of $ 100
4. Nikon 1 AW1.......................................Cashback of $ 100
5. Nikon AF-S 14-24 lens.......................Cashback of $ 150
6. Nikon AF-S 24-70 lens......................Cashback of $ 150
7. Nikon AF-S 70-200 2.8 lens..............Cashback of $ 150
8. Nikon AF-S 80-400 lens...................Cashback of $ 200
9. Nikon AF-S 200-400 lens.................Cashback of $ 500
10. Nikon AF-S 35 1.4G lens..................Cashback of $ 100
11. Nikon AF-S 58 1.4G lens..................Cashback of $ 150
12. Nikon AF-S 85 1,4G lens..................Cashback of $ 100

That's a pretty good clean dozen products to offer, and as always these are pure Nikon Australia stock - you get all the benefits of dealing with the correct official importer.

The Nikon notice for this offer said that it goes from now until the 28th of February. You buy from us and claim through their on-line facility and it all goes swimmingly.

Some Flashy Deals With Elinchrom

I love writing advertising copy for this place. I get to use all the corny old tabloid headlines as they are appropriate to the products advertised. As yet, I have not been able to incorporate WAR ENDS! in 100-point black bold at the top of the sheet, but I am still hopeful...

Coming away from that, here's good news for anyone contemplating some studio or portable flash to give them a little more oomph than speedlights...Elinchrom has a series of deals for January and February that will put money back in you pocket and new gear in your hands.

We've just gotten the tear sheet for the following:

1. Purchase any Ranger Quadra Lithium-ion 2-head set and get a $ 500 cashback from Elinchrom.

2. Purchase any Ranger Quadra Lithium -ion 1-head set and get $ 300 cashback from Elinchrom.

3. Purchase a bundle offer with ELC 500 or 1000 set and get a free 44cm beauty dish with dedicated grid.

4. Purchase a bundle offer with the D-Lite RX 4 To Go set and get a free Spyder 4 Pro.

5. Purchase a bundle offer with the D-Lite RX 4 To Go set and get a free SpyderCheckr 24 and a SpyderLensCal.

6. Purchase a bundle offer with the D-Lite RX One To Go 3-head set and get a free Spyder 4 Pro.

7. Purchase a bundle offer with the D-Lite RX One To Go 3-head set and get a free SpyderCheckr 24 and SpyderLensCal.

8. Purchase a bundle offer with the BRX 500/500 To Go set and get a free Spyder 4 pro.

9. Purchase a bundle offer with the BRX 500/500 To Go set and get a free SpyderCheckr 24 and a SpyderLensCal.

All of these things work good in themselves and the combinations of them is even better. Hop in for your chop.

Rental Retro Revival - Two Nikon Gems In The Cabinet

I normally do not feature secondhand or ex-demo gear here on the blog....but this is different.

As you know, we cycle through rental equipment periodically at good prices, and with the full and correct warranties. Thus you can see some pretty good-looking Nikon and Canon gear at the front of the shop every so often. Now is one of the times.

The items that particularly caught my eye were the two Nikon Df camera bodies that have just been set out. The Df is the retro-styled full-frame body with the comfortable hand grip and full manual controls out in the places where they were during the film era. But the innards are pure Nikon digital, and cutting-edge too. You can customise the controls to operate  the way you want to and be sure of absolute resolution and noise handling. It's that good.

Do yourself a favour and come to look at them - best bargains so far for the year!