Click to Enlarge 1,000 GIGS IN ONE JOINT
WHO? Prolific photographers -- like you! WHAT? Buffalo 1 Terabyte DriveStation Combo TurboUSB External Hard Drive. WHY? With a terabyte of storage (that's slightly more than 1,000 GB), you can rest assured that you'll have enough space to store or back up everything you shoot. This DriveStation uses Buffalo's TurboUSB technology, so your data transfers extra fast (or choose FireWire if you prefer). And the included Memeo AutoBackup software takes charge of making sure that every picture you store on your PC will be there, just in case your PC isn't. NOW! $250, STREET.
CARD SCORE
WHO? You want to keep shooting without flipping those memory cards in and out. WHAT? Sandisk 8GB Extreme III SDHC card. WHY? With the megabytes going up and up, and RAW capture on the increase, serious shooters may develop serious memory problems. But you can keep on shooting with a high-capacity card like the Sandisk Extreme III. It has Class 6 transfer speed (that means really fast) and is rated for use in very hot or very cold conditions. The price includes a MicroMate mini USB 2.0 card reader and RescuePRO software. NOW! $80, STREET.
RELIEF WITH TWO TABLETS
WHO? Frustrated Photoshoppers. WHAT? Wacom's line of Bamboo Fun tablets. WHY? Anyone who attempts to do any selecting or delicate retouching with a mouse knows the frustration inherent in drawing an elegant line with what's basically a small brick. Enter Wacom's Bamboo Fun series of tablets. Reasonably priced at $100 for a small size and $200 for a medium, these allow you to use a pressure-sensitive pen to do delicate work. And when you're working in other applications, the pen offers quick relief for those mouse-induced wrist aches. Now! $100-200, STREET.
LOCATION SENSATION
WHO? Budget-conscious shooters who want a serious strobe light that will perform equally well in the studio or on location -- miles away from the nearest electrical outlet. WHAT? JTL Mobilight 301 AC/DC monolight strobe with NiMH battery. WHY? It's well built, bright (300 Watt-seconds), and runs off wall current or an included NiMH battery that delivers up to 120 full-power pops per charge. Not enough capacity? One of JTL's numerous Mobilight accessories is a light (3 pounds!) Li-ion battery that promises 1,000 pops and can run multiple heads ($750, street). Other accessories include softboxes, wireless radio and IR remote firing systems. Other features: built-in optical slave, thermostat to prevent overheating, and a clever sliding bracket that repositions the head atop a lightstand to serve as a counterbalance for heavy light modifiers such as the 36x24-inch softbox. NOW! $330, STREET.
GREAT POD, FOR LESS WAD
WHO? Big-lens shooters looking for means of support. WHAT? Adorama Flashpoint F-2560 carbon-fiber monopod. WHY? You'd think carbon fiber were gold, given the price of most tripods and monopods made from the stuff. But demand is high because carbon fiber is light, and, unlike metal, does not conduct heat and helps damp vibrations. Adorama's monopod gives you a sturdy leg without a leg-breaker price. The four-section pod extends to 55 inches, and folds down to just under 19 inches. It uses twist locks, comes with both ½ -and 3/8-inch camera mounting screws, and can support up to 11 pounds. And it weighs just 10 ounces. NOW! $90, DIRECT.
SPACE-SAVING PRINTER
WHO? People who want to print and scan photos at home, but don't have a lot of desk space. WHAT? Epson Stylus Photo RX595. WHY? Here at Pop Photo, we've got plenty of desk space for big printers and scanners, but when we adjourn to our small apartments or cluttered houses at the end of the day, we appreciate the compact nature of an all-in-one, such as Epson's Stylus Photo RX595. Six individual ink cartridges serve up Epson's dye-based Claria Hi-Definition ink. Memory card slots accommodate any kind of card your camera might use and let you print without turning on your computer. A 2.5-inch color LCD and a handy set of controls on the front let you tweak your photos before printing. NOW! $130, STREET.
A MONITOR MONITOR
WHO? The one gnashing your teeth because the prints coming out of that fancy-shmancy printer look nothing like what's on the computer screen. WHAT? The Pantone Huey colorimeter. WHY? If you do any printing -- or if you just want to share photos that look their best -- this may be the best $80 you can spend. The Huey reads and analyzes the colors on your monitor (flat-screen or tube), enabling the included software to calibrate the screen for more accurate color. The device can also measure ambient light to adapt your monitor for changing room light. NOW! $80, STREET.
SHOESTRING QUARTET
WHO? The second-lens buyer going long. WHAT? Bargain 55-200mm zooms. WHY? Two camera makers and two independents have seriously shaved the cost of these basic lenses, which work out to an 82.5-300mm 35mm equivalent on APS-C digital SLRs and 110-400mm on Four Thirds system cameras. We tested the Sigma and it showed Very Good to Excellent SQF numbers, as well as a good showing in distortion and falloff tests.
The front filter rings of these lenses turn during focusing, which can drive you batty if you're using a polarizer. And not one is image-stabilized. But, hey, you get a sharp, well-made, light lens for little.
• NIKON 55-200mm f/4-5.6G AF-S DX: $170, STREET.
• SIGMA 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC AF: $150, STREET, in mounts for Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung, Sigma, Sony DSLRs. $180, STREET, for HSM version for use on Nikon cameras requiring AF-S lenses.
• SONY 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DT: $230, STREET.
• TAMRON 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di-II LD: $180, STREET, in mounts for Canon, Nikon, Sony DSLRs.
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