Photographic gadgets test report & review

Last week I wrote about the difficulties encountered using a camera tripod around London.

Someone posted on Digital Camera Review
a suggestion to use string to stabilise a camera when taking a long exposure shot.

YesBut has had his boffins' working on the suggestion. And here are the results.

Rather than just using one length of string stretching taught from the tripod socket to the ground. The string 'A''A''A' is wrapped around the waist, threaded through the waist band and secured tightly to the camera wrist strap and pulled tight over the lens.

This image stabilization system retains the tripod configuration, providing longitudinal and lateral constraint - while allowing the user to pan the camera.

YesBut's boffins, the geniuses they are have come up with other world beating pieces of technology.

Firstly the piece of string marked 'B'. Unfortunately the top end of the string is out of view. It is tied to a Global Positioning System satellite - or rather it will be as soon as they overcome some minor difficulties. In addition to giving the exact location a photograph is taken, it can also be used to dry cloths. The boffins assure me it will be available for general release after July.

You buy a shoulder bag or haversack and it cost £5, may be £10 or £15. Sew a couple of straps inside, call it a camera equipment bag and multiply the price by a factor of 5 or 10 . YesBut's boffins reassure me they will not set exorbitant prices for their new range of purposely designed photographers clothing.

The Photographers Pullover incorporates unique ventilation ports 'C', these will ensure photographers arms are maintained within an optimum temperature range irrespective of camera settings.

They have also designed a photographers wo0lly hat 'D'. Naturally a SRL woolly cap will cost more than a point & shoot cap. Also the price must naturally reflect the model of SRL used.

Offensive weapon

I took the above photograph last week. I subsequently spoke to the photographer in the picture - she works for a company specialising in architecture photography, she was spending all day taking time lapse shots of the City of London. The 0ther two figures are Community Wardens, this was the third time that day she had been asked to prove her identity and give an account of what she was doing.


Last Saturday I walked around unchallenged taking shots with my G9 camera. Unfortunately the images were not as good as I desired, so Tuesday afternoon I retraced my steps in the hope of achieving better results.

But things were different, three times I was challenged by security staff. I knew the reason, even before they spoke.

"You've stopped me because I'm using a ******?"
"Yes".

What had made me such a security risk?

The photos taken were, above passengers waiting to board a London Underground train, and below part of the River Thames flood control barrier at sunset.

The difference between Saturday and Tuesday - as with the young photographer - I was using a tripod!

A hand-held G9 camera, no problem. A G9 attached to a tripod, judging from security personnel reaction it becomes as threatening as a weapon of mass destruction.

Reading various message boards and forums it can be seen photographers are increasingly being harassed by the police and security staff, particularly if they are using tripods.

Its still not against the law in the UK to photograph in public - well in theory, in practice its a different story.