Least useful accessory products for photography.

There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. With the instant feedback of digital
cameras it is now marketed to help with white balance. I guess they get
good grades for a quick switch of "benefit".

Second would be the little add on widget for the monitor on DSLR's to
shade them from the sun (and I fell for that one). What really counts
is what shirt or jacket you're wearing: all white - you can't see the
screen.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

Alan Browne wrote:

There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. With the instant feedback of digital
cameras it is now marketed to help with white balance. I guess they get
good grades for a quick switch of "benefit".

Second would be the little add on widget for the monitor on DSLR's to
shade them from the sun (and I fell for that one). What really counts
is what shirt or jacket you're wearing: all white - you can't see the
screen.

There's all the stuff that comes in a 'kit' package.
Here's a typical setup:

# 4GB SD Memory Card (better than the typical 256K card g)
# USB Card Reader for SD Memory Card
# EN-EL9 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack -- This battery is in addition to the
standard battery which is included with the manufacturer supplied
accessories, so you get a total of 2 batteries in this package.
# Digital Concepts Universal Digital Camera Screen Protector- Using the
screen protectors alows you to protect your LCD screen from dust, dirt,
fingerprints,and scratches.
# Deluxe well-padded, weather-resistant, shockproof carrying case.
# Three piece lens care and maintenance/cleaning kit

Add also:
# worthless tripod
# 28-135 lens (10 year old overstock sold with a DX kit)
# stupid software for downloading & organizing

--
Paul Furman
www.edgehill.net
www.baynatives.com

all google groups messages filtered due to spam

"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...

There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. With the instant feedback of digital cameras
it is now marketed to help with white balance. I guess they get good
grades for a quick switch of "benefit".

Second would be the little add on widget for the monitor on DSLR's to
shade them from the sun (and I fell for that one). What really counts is
what shirt or jacket you're wearing: all white - you can't see the screen.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.



1. Has to be the Spirit Level for Hot Shoe mounting.

Totally useless unless you know for certain that the plane through the hot
shoe is horizontal, when the plane through the sensor is vertical.

And the Sight Glass is so small that it is impossible to know that the
bubble is centred.

2. The bit of string with sticky bits at either end, sold as a Lens Cap
retainer.

When I am taking photos the last thing I want is something dangling off the
end of the lens, and getting in the way.

Roy G

Roy G wrote:
"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. With the instant feedback of digital cameras
it is now marketed to help with white balance. I guess they get good
grades for a quick switch of "benefit".

Second would be the little add on widget for the monitor on DSLR's to
shade them from the sun (and I fell for that one). What really counts is
what shirt or jacket you're wearing: all white - you can't see the screen.


1. Has to be the Spirit Level for Hot Shoe mounting.

Totally useless unless you know for certain that the plane through the hot
shoe is horizontal, when the plane through the sensor is vertical.

And the Sight Glass is so small that it is impossible to know that the
bubble is centred.

2. The bit of string with sticky bits at either end, sold as a Lens Cap
retainer.

When I am taking photos the last thing I want is something dangling off the
end of the lens, and getting in the way.

I was thinking of both of those too, but wasn't sure they were totally
useless...


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

Paul Furman wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:

There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to
help people nail their exposure. With the instant feedback of digital
cameras it is now marketed to help with white balance. I guess they
get good grades for a quick switch of "benefit".

Second would be the little add on widget for the monitor on DSLR's to
shade them from the sun (and I fell for that one). What really counts
is what shirt or jacket you're wearing: all white - you can't see the
screen.

There's all the stuff that comes in a 'kit' package.
Here's a typical setup:

# 4GB SD Memory Card (better than the typical 256K card g)
# USB Card Reader for SD Memory Card
# EN-EL9 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack -- This battery is in addition to the
standard battery which is included with the manufacturer supplied
accessories, so you get a total of 2 batteries in this package.
# Digital Concepts Universal Digital Camera Screen Protector- Using the
screen protectors alows you to protect your LCD screen from dust, dirt,
fingerprints,and scratches.
# Deluxe well-padded, weather-resistant, shockproof carrying case.
# Three piece lens care and maintenance/cleaning kit

Add also:
# worthless tripod
# 28-135 lens (10 year old overstock sold with a DX kit)
# stupid software for downloading & organizing

You need something to pile in the attic or crawl space...

I was thinking, though, in terms of third party widgetry...

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

* Alan Browne wrote :

There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. With the instant feedback of digital
cameras it is now marketed to help with white balance. I guess they get
good grades for a quick switch of "benefit".

Second would be the little add on widget for the monitor on DSLR's to
shade them from the sun (and I fell for that one). What really counts
is what shirt or jacket you're wearing: all white - you can't see the
screen.

Gary Fong puffer "diffuser"?

Jeez, the list of flash diffusers alone could go on and on...

--
Troy Piggins

* Annika1980 wrote :
On Feb 4, 6:40Â*pm, Alan Browne
wrote:

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. Â*With the instant feedback of digital
cameras it is now marketed to help with white balance. Â*I guess they get
good grades for a quick switch of "benefit".
snip /
My Canon ST-E2 Transmitter sees limited action, and will see even less
now that I've got some Pocketwizards. Should have gone that route
from the start.

Keep it for your future Radio Poppers.

Just got some CyberSyncs myself, couldn't afford PocketWizards.
When I get some time I'll have to play with them. We can have an
off-camera flash shootout.

snip /
Finally, I just had to have a Wacom tablet for my Photoshop work. My
wife bought me one for Christmas one year, and it sits near my
computer gathering dust. I suppose if I did that kind of thing all
day long I might get the hang of it.

So you reckon they're not worth it? Seen them regularly
mentioned among PS/GIMP users, assumed they made life much easier
than a mouse.

--
Troy Piggins

Alan Browne wrote:
Paul Furman wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:

There are many, of course, but what are the photography products you
believe or know are most useless.

There's all the stuff that comes in a 'kit' package.

You need something to pile in the attic or crawl space...

I was thinking, though, in terms of third party widgetry...

OK here's one I got, a Manfrotto Long Lens Support:
http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/Product... ryid~158.html
It's three parts as a kit, a mini ball-head #482, extension arm #3253
and the part that clamps on your tripod leg: Art. 035 max load 15kg. The
idea is to put the mini-ball head in your camera body with a lens that
has it's own mount, for better stability. It doesn't work. I thought up
the idea myself then learned such a thing exists. It was about $60. It's
almost sort of useful for clamping a P&S to a pipe or something but not
really. Quality construction. The clamp thing is powerful. The extension
arm is from the center of their big pro tripods. But it doesn't help
with long lenses, there's still a little play and it's horrible trying
to adjust your view with the thing on. Maybe it helps with the enormous
setup in the illustration on that link.


--
Paul Furman
www.edgehill.net
www.baynatives.com

all google groups messages filtered due to spam

On Wed, 4 Feb 2009 17:35:06 -0800 (PST), Annika1980
wrote:

Finally, I just had to have a Wacom tablet for my Photoshop work. My
wife bought me one for Christmas one year, and it sits near my
computer gathering dust. I suppose if I did that kind of thing all
day long I might get the hang of it.


I've purchased three Wacom tablets. Never got the hang of the first
one and gave it away to a friend. Never got the hang of the second
one and gave it to my daughter. Went up to visit her, and tried it
again about 6 months later, and liked it. Bought the third one and
feel it's indispensable for making selections. I sit there with a
trackball under my right hand and the Wacom by my left (both can be
used at the same time) and switch back and forth.

Never did figure out why the third attempt worked so well.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:23:20 +1000, Troy Piggins
wrote:

* Annika1980 wrote :
On Feb 4, 6:40*pm, Alan Browne
wrote:

Top of my list is the "Expodisc" - this was originally marketed to help
people nail their exposure. *With the instant feedback of digital
cameras it is now marketed to help with white balance. *I guess they get
good grades for a quick switch of "benefit".
snip /
My Canon ST-E2 Transmitter sees limited action, and will see even less
now that I've got some Pocketwizards. Should have gone that route
from the start.

Keep it for your future Radio Poppers.

Just got some CyberSyncs myself, couldn't afford PocketWizards.
When I get some time I'll have to play with them. We can have an
off-camera flash shootout.

snip /
Finally, I just had to have a Wacom tablet for my Photoshop work. My
wife bought me one for Christmas one year, and it sits near my
computer gathering dust. I suppose if I did that kind of thing all
day long I might get the hang of it.

So you reckon they're not worth it? Seen them regularly
mentioned among PS/GIMP users, assumed they made life much easier
than a mouse.

I use the small Bamboo model with Photoshop and love it. Just for
selections, though. I use my trackball for everything else.

One thing I did notice: I get shoulder pain when I have a project
with a lot of masking/selection activity. Switching off between my
right and left hand almost eliminates that. Now I have a regular
mouse plus a trackball- one on each side - when I'm not using the
Wacom. Frequent switching helps a lot.

--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida