Testbench
Under £50
Eyelead Sensor Dust-Sticking Bar
● £35 ● www.speedgraphic.co.uk
Eyelead's Sensor Dust-Sticking Bar (SCK-1) is one of the most effective accessories we've used to remove dust safely from a camera's sensor. The gel on the sticking bar is formulated to capture dust without damaging the sensor and leaves no residue behind. After the dust has been removed, dab the bar on special cleaning paper, with the higher adhesion of the paper retaining the dust and enabling the sticking bar to be reused. It's important to note that the SCK-1 version should not be used with Sony or Leica sensors; instead it's imperative to use the SCK-1S (red) version.
Photo Boards
● From £18 ● www.photoboards.org
If you're struggling to find the perfect backdrop on which to shoot product, food or lifestyle images you'll want to take a look at these. The 40x40cm (£18) Photo Boards are ideal for small items, while the larger 60x60cm (£30) designs offer better space for more complex still-life set-ups. The company has larger 80x90cm boards in its range too, all in a variety of styles. Fantastic results can be attained using these boards under natural light and the website offers a visual idea of what can be achieved using them.
Hähnel Universal Flash Accessory Kit
● £49 ● www.hahnel.ie
This flash accessory kit provides you with everything you need to start getting more creative with your hotshoe-mounted Speedlite. The kit is made up of different light-diffusion accessories, which includes a honeycomb grid, flash reflector, filter holder with seven coloured filters, foldable light-beam snoot and flash bracket to aid with supporting a flashgun off-camera and attaching an umbrella. Each light-diffusion accessory attaches using a Velcro accessory strap, of which five are supplied in the kit.
Kenro Kenair Master Kit 360ml
● £24 ● www.speedgraphic.co.uk
The Kenair air duster removes dust and dirt from negatives or slides, as well as computers, camera exteriors and other equipment in a matter of seconds. It emits a powerful and controllable blast of air to get dust and dirt out of those hard-to-reach places. If you like to keep your camera kit in pristine condition, add a can of Kenair to your shopping list. With the Master Kit you get a reusable valve, meaning when you run out you'll only need to buy a refill canister (£14).
PhotoTEQ pin badges
● £10 ● www. phototeq.com
Sought after by those who'd like to show off their love for the craft of photography, these pins have become very popular due to their faithful reproduction of a wide variety of classic cameras and films. So whether you want to show your love for Rollei cameras or Ektachrome film, you're bound to find one for you.
Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries
● £13 (pack of 4AAs) ● www. amazon.co.uk
Fed up of having to buy fresh batteries for your flashgun, triggers, and so on? Eneloop Pro batteries with their extra-strong performance are ideal for devices with high power consumption and can be recharged up to 500 times using a standard NiMH charger – great for the environment and your wallet.
Spudz lens cloths
● £8 ● www. phototeq.com
Spudz microfibre lens cloths are available in different sizes, with 6x6in examples starting around £8 and 10x10in cloths costing around £14. The cloth is attached inside a neoprene pouch, complete with a hook that allows you to attach it to a zip or stow it away inside a pocket. Well suited to cleaning lenses, they're also great for cleaning screens and sunglasses. To clean the cloth, simply handwash it with mild detergent and hang it up
