During its CES 2019 keynote, AMD has announced the Radeon VII graphics card, AMD’s latest and most powerful of its kind for consumers. As expected, this is AMD’s first 7-nanometer (nm) graphics processor (GPU), and improves upon AMD’s previous best graphics card in every way.
Built upon AMD’s Vega 20 GPU using its Graphics Core Next 5 architecture, this GPU boasts a boost clock speed of 1,800MHz – about 14% faster than the Radeon RX Vega 64. However, the GPU’s base clock speed is unknown at this time.
Otherwise, the GPU touts twice as much video memory as the previous model at a whopping 16GB of HBM2, brings up its pure throughput to 13.8 teraflops (TFLOPS) compared to 12.7 TFLOPS before, thanks in part to now 13.2 billion transistors inside – over another billion more than the previous generation.
All that power translates to smooth 4K gaming well above 60 frame per second. On stage, AMD demoed the Radeon VII playing Devil May Cry V running at 4K and a frame rate counter on the top left stayed well above 100fps. We also saw The Division 2 running smoothly at 4K, but there was no frame rate counter displaying fps.
The power of 7 nanometer
That amount of transistors inside the GPU is only possible through the 7nm process, which has been a bit of a unicorn of the computing world for a few years. Only within the past four months have we seen 7nm processors in the wild, particularly from ARM through the Apple A12 Bionic and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx.
AMD is the first to 7nm graphics processing, and it could see the company quickly close the gap between its GPUs and Nvidia’s latest RTX GPUs, which are still way back on 12nm but are offsetting that with machine learning techniques.
Ultimately, the 7nm process allows this GPU to increase performance by 25% overall, by AMD’s measure, over the previous model without impacting power draw. Yes, this GPU is likely to have the same 295-watt thermal design power (TDP) as the previous model, meaning little to no change to your system should be necessary to upgrade.
Speaking of which, AMD says that Radeon VII will launch on February 7 bundled with Devil May Cry V, Resident Evil 2 and The Division 2 for $699 (about £550, AU$980). That’s 100 bucks more than the previous generation, so we’ll be the judge of whether the price hike is worth entry into our 7nm future in a full review.
Check out all of TechRadar’s CES 2019 coverage. We’re live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.
What does 2019 look like for Samsung TVs? The South Korean manufacturer is, as always, firing on all cylinders.
We’re seeing Samsung driving new modular panel technologies, pushing the limits of 8K resolution, and expanding the scope of its in-house Bixby AI, without forgetting to offer some of the best mid-range televisions out there.
For now though, there’s little by way of concrete product names or release dates for 2019 – with one or two exceptions. At the CES 2019 tech expo we caught sight of a new 75-inch MicroLED TV named ‘The Window’, as well as a 98-inch version of its existing Q900R 8K QLED television.
Samsung is pushing its designer series of televisions like The Window, The Wall, and The Frame, and we’re likely to see upgrades and enhancements to existing models over the coming year.
We’re also expecting upgrades to last year’s range of high-end QLED (quantum dot LED) televisions, which included the Q9F, Q8F, Q7C, Q7F, and entry-level Q6F, which we’ve listed for you below. There’ll certainly be more of Samsung’s UHD models – now prefaced with the letters ‘NU’ – and, at the cheaper end, some more traditional HD TVs.
With so many models to take in, we thought it’d be beneficial for to see the entire line-up, from the high-end QLED to the entry-level TVs, all on one page. Most are sets released in 2018, but we’ll update this page as their new variations get announced.
It’s worth noting that a lot of the specs listed below could potentially change as we get closer to the retail release of these screens, but for the most part the specs you see here should be the components that make it in the final product.
Samsung’s MicroLED is modular, meaning it can be built in a variety of different shapes and sizes
Samsung 2019 TV technology
Most of the technical advances we see in 2019 will be iterative, rather than anything wholly new from Samsung.
Samsung is pushing forward with its MicroLED panels, which feature millions of microscopic blue, red, and green LEDS for an incredible level of color and light control. On the large end, there’s the new 219-inch model of Samsung’s The Wall, and on the less-large-but-still-large end, the 75-inch The Window – made possible by smaller, more compact clusters of LEDS – with both looking ahead to a flexible future where you can customize your TV shape for any size or aspect ratio you please.
The virtual assistant Bixby will be one of the few common features across Samsung’s MicroLED, QLED, and Ultra HD lineups – alongside various Samsung smart appliances, phones, and speakers.
An ‘improved AI algorithm’ will make your Samsung TV better at recommending and displaying relevant TV content and apps, with expanded use of Bixby voice controls through your Samsung remote – as well as compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart home devices. Not to mention some smart Remote Access features for connecting to other devices through your TV.
The addition of Bixby will also allow the TVs to be compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings smart home platform. Together, Bixby and SmartThings will allow you to control your home from the comfort of your couch, giving you voice control over everything from smart lights to your Samsung SmartThings-enabled refrigerator. This may not be as beneficial for those folks who aren’t quite ready to buy into smart home tech yet, but it’s a nice addition to those of us who already have.
On the software side, Samsung sets will be getting AirPlay 2 support for streaming iTunes content from Apple devices. 2019 will also be the first time Apple has offered a dedicated iTunes app for movies and TV shows for a non-Apple manufacturer – for now exclusively on Samsung TVs.
Of course, the star of the show for Samsung in 2019 is still the QLED TV screen – essentially a variation on traditional Quantum Dot LED-LCD panels that feature a peak brightness between 1,500 and 2,000 nits. For a reference point, that’s about twice as bright as the competition from 2017 and four to five times as bright as the HD/SDR TV you’re used to watching.
We’re likely to see wider expansion of Samsung’s Ambient Mode. When the TV is turned off, Ambient Mode helps the TV mimic the color and pattern of the wall on which the TV is displayed, so that it blends seamlessly into home décor.
It can also play music and display information about the news, weather, and traffic as well. While at first limited to QLED TVs, we’re hoping to see the mode trickle down into more affordable devices too.
Many high-end Samsung sets also feature the OneConnect box, which outsources all of your HDMI, power inputs and the like into a piece of hardware separate from the TV, preventing a mess of cables hanging down from your new display.
Ambient Mode and Samsung’s signature Invisible Cable will help these TVs seamlessly blend into their surroundings.
Samsung Designer Series
The Wall (available in 143, 219 inches): Almost too big to be true? The Wall may not fit on most living room walls, but it’s a testament to Samsung’s desire to impress – featuring millions of microscopic LED for a huge level of color contrast and brightness control over each pixel. Made of a modular series of panels, the size is technically variable, though Samsung is still selling it in general size configurations as a starting point.
The first 143-inch model released in late 2018, though we now know a whopping 219-inch version is coming this year. Whichever you’re looking at, you can be sure to expect an absolutely insane price tag.
The Window (available in 75-inches only): A smaller, but still objectively huge variation on The Wall television above. It’s still modular, meaning you’ll be able to vary the size somewhat at installation – and we’re expecting it to hit some time in 2019.
Samsung’s classiest TV got another upgrade last year, and we’ve heard word that a version of The Frame with a QLED panel is on the way – which feels necessary, given that the picture quality was the only thing letting this gorgeously made hunk of metal down. Blending form and function, this style-focused television may be the most attractive television Samsung has put out.
Samsung QLED 2018 Models
Samsung Q900R QLED TV (available in 65, 75, 85, 98 inches): Unbelievably, Samsung’s monstrous, 85-inch 8K TV is still considered a QLED TV. It’s the top of the list for numerous reasons – size and resolution being the most obvious two – but also its ability to use artificial intelligence upscale SD content to 8K HDR.
The 65, 75, and 85-inch sizes will put you back a pretty penny – check our review link below for more pricing info – and the price tag will only be higher for the incoming 98-inch model…
Samsung Q9FN QLED TV (available in 65-, 75- and 88-inches)
The first reasonably affordable TV in Samsung’s QLED line-up is the Q9FN. This year you can expect Ambient Mode and better black levels alongside the screen’s insanely iridescent peak brightness. Also new last year was the switch from an edge-lit design to a Direct Full Array panel which – we assume – will offer that improved contrast ratio Samsung’s touting.
Samsung Q8FN QLED TV (available in 55-, 65- and 75-inches)
Moving down the line a bit is Samsung’s Q8FN QLED TV. Like the Q9FN, you’ll see a switch from last year’s edge-lit design to a Direct Full Array panel, Ambient Mode and the addition of Bixby. The Q8FN only uses around a tenth of the backlight dimming zones as its Q9FN sibling – which it can’t compare with – but still looks a treat.
Samsung Q7CN QLED TV (available in 55- and 65-inches)
The Samsung Q7F was the golden ticket to 2017’s QLED line-up. Offering one of the best price-to-performance ratios in the entire line-up, it was the Q7F that roped droves of AV enthusiasts into buying a QLED TV. The 2018 Q7FN then added Ambient Mode and the addition of Bixby.
Samsung Q6FN QLED TV (available in 65-, 75- and 82-inches)
Last up in the QLED line-up is the Samsung Q6FN QLED TV. It was a special edition that Samsung added around the holidays last year, and now it appears the TV has claimed a permanent spot in the line-up. We know the Q6F is a bit less bright overall than the rest of its Quantum Dot-equipped brethren but if you’re looking for some of the same spectacular colors at a spectacular price, it appears as though the Q6FN will be the best place to get it.
A sequel to last year’s MU8500, the Samsung NU8500 Curved Smart TV is almost identical to the NU8000 but features a curved screen instead of a flat one. The NU8500 uses an edge-lit LED LCD panel and a quad-core processor. Expect both HDR10 and HDR10+ support in addition to Bixby and Samsung’s Smart TV platform. This is Samsung’s premier curved TV that doesn’t have the QLED moniker.
Samsung NU8000 (available in 82-, 75-, 65-, 55- and 49-inches)
Underneath the NU8500 is the flat Samsung NU8000. Available in a few additional sizes, you’ll find the same edge-lit LED LCD panel and quad-core processor as the NU8500, not to mention HDR10 and HDR10+ format support. If you can accept a plain ol’ flat TV instead of a curved one, you can save yourself about $100 by opting for an equivalently sized NU8000 model.
Samsung 2018 UHD TV Models
Samsung NU7300 (available 55-inches curved or 65-inches flat)
Stepping down once more, we now come to the NU7300. This screen features Samsung’s PurColor picture technology, making this one of the last TVs in the series to feature Wide Color Gamut, but scales back its effective refresh rate to 60Hz (what Samsung calls Motion Rate 120).
Samsung NU7100 (available in 75-, 65-, 55-, 50-inches)
The last entry in the 2018 NU Series is Samsung’s NU7100. Like the 7300, you’ll find PurColor and the edge-lit panel powered by a quad-core processor. What are you losing? Bixby. The good news is that you’ll have your choice of screen sizes – the NU7100 will come in a 50-, 55-, 65- and 75-inch variation.
Samsung FHD 2018 Models
Samsung J5000 (available in 43-, 48-, 49- and 50-inches)
As far as we know, Samsung will just offer a single series of Full HD TVs in 2018, the Samsung J5000. The series will come in a few different sizes, puzzlingly three of which are between 48- and 50-inches. The FHD screen will have a 60Hz refresh rate and wide color enhancer, but no smart TV system of its own.
That’s it! That’s the entire Samsung TV line-up for 2018. We’ll be grabbing as many hands on experiences as we can with these TVs as we can before they come out later this year, so come back to this page in a few weeks’ time to see how it’s progressed.
Cambridge Audio has unleashed the world’s first turntable to support AptX HD Bluetooth audio, meaning you no longer have to make a choice between listening to your beloved vinyls and experiencing cutting-edge audio quality.
Launched at this year’s CES 2019 convention in Las Vegas, the Alva TT supports 24-bit/48kHz audio streaming over Bluetooth to compatible amplifiers, speakers, and headphones, so you can listen to your records wirelessly, and in stunning AptX HD.
This should provide an sound quality that matches wired high-resolution audio, while retaining the uniquely warm sound of vinyl playback thanks to the built-in noise-reducing phonostage.
The heritage British audio company says that the Alva TT, supplied with cartridge, will be available to buy from April 2019 for $1,700 (£1,500 / around AU$2,400). The high-output moving coil cartridge will also be available to purchase separately for $500 (£450 / around AU$715).
A record year for vinyl
By removing the need for wires, the new turntable should provide you with more options in terms of placement in your home than ever before, making listening to your records a totally seamless experience.
The Alva TT also features a single piece tonearm, designed to reduced friction and deliver high levels of detail from your record collection.
Sales of vinyl records have surged in recent years, reaching a record high last year, with over 7.6 million LPs sold in the US by July 2018. The spending figures proved vinyl revival naysayers wrong – and with innovative new gadgets like the Alva TT bridging the gap between old and new audio tech, it looks like now is a great time to invest in a new turntable.
Following the announcement of the Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at CES 2019, Nikon has updated its lens roadmap for its full-frame mirrorless Z System.
As well as the 14-30mm f/4, 2019 will also now see Nikon launch a 24mm f/1.8 lens that was initially scheduled for a 2020 release. We can also expect to see 85mm f/1.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 optics, as well as the mighty 58mm f/0.95 Noct that we had expected would be launched at CES.
In 2020, we should see a 20mm f/1.8 (which was originally planned to be released this year), a 50mm f/1.2 and a 14-28mm f/2.8, as well as four as-yet-unspecified lenses. 2021 has seven lenses pencilled in for launch (down from eight originally), although Nikon is yet to reveal what these will be.
New data has revealed that the UK creates more AI jobs than any other European nation with more than half of them outside of London.
The robotic process automation company, UiPath analysed 30,000 job listings from the employment search engine Indeed to determine which countries and cities are hiring the most in the growing fields of AI and machine learning.
China continues to lead the way in the AI industry with 12,113 job postings followed by the US with 7,465.
The UK has the fourth highest number of jobs in the field and leads the way in Europe with 1,547 jobs, ahead of Germany (1,120) and France (763).
AI jobs in London
UiPath’s research also showed that London is one of the world’s leading cities for AI jobs creation with 744 job postings putting it ahead of New York and eighth overall in the world.
While London may have made the top ten when it comes to AI jobs, surprisingly the majority of vacancies are located outside of the capital. Of the 1,547 jobs, 803 are located outside of London with Cambridge (102 jobs), Bristol (62) and Manchester (47) being the best performing towns.
When it comes to the most popular AI jobs in the UK, data scientist was the most popular followed by software engineer, consultant, AI researcher and sales engineer.
Demand for jobs in both AI and machine learning is rising as these technologies begin to play an even larger part in the lives of consumers and now would be a great time to consider a career in the field.
Here’s a dirty little secret I’m about to share with you: I’ve never been convinced by gaming laptops. Sure, I’ve used and reviewed some seriously impressive – and powerful – gaming laptops, but they’ve always seemed a bit… pointless.
They are far too bulky and heavy to carry around, with pathetic battery lives that mean you pretty much always need to have them plugged into a power socket. You might as well have a desktop PC.
They are also incredibly expensive, much more so than buying – or, even better, building – a gaming desktop PC. That premium price is because they are supposed to be smaller and more portable than traditional PCs, but as I mentioned above, that’s debatable.
Plus, while mobile hardware has been getting better, allowing gaming laptops to become almost as powerful as desktop PCs, you’re stuck with the components it comes with. While you can swap out and upgrade a desktop PC, a gaming laptop could soon become outdated.
So, yeah. Not a massive fan. But at CES 2019, I’ve finally seen some exciting gaming laptops that directly challenge all my preconceptions and prejudices. Could 2019 finally be the year I ditch my desktop for a gaming laptop? Perhaps…
Thin, light and plenty of battery
First of all, there have been a number of seriously sexy gaming laptops that disprove the notion that these devices need to be big, heavy and ugly.
Asus has done some good work here in the past with its Zephyrus range of gaming laptops, and at CES it showed off the ultra-thin ROG Zephyrus S GX701. At the tech show in Las Vegas, the company has packed some amazing tech into the most compact 17-inch laptop I’ve seen.
We’re talking Nvidia RTX 2080 graphics, a six-core 8th generation Intel Core i7-8750H processor and up to 24GB of RAM. All in a body that’s just 15.7 inches wide, while also being 18.7mm at its thinnest point.
In fact, Nvidia’s announcement of its mobile versions of its latest RTX graphics cards has meant CES has been flooded with compact laptops that pack some serious power.
New form factors
So, while pretty much every laptop manufacturer now has a thin gaming laptop packed with RTX goodies (even Samsung), it’s still all a bit boring. Thankfully, CES 2019 came to the rescue once again with a number of gaming laptops that try something really new and unexpected with their designs.
First up is Asus with its Mothership GZ700 laptop. Unlike traditional laptops (gaming or otherwise), the components are placed behind the screen, not underneath the keyboard. Speaking of the keyboard, it can be completely detached, turning the Mothership into a kind of crazy-powerful giant Surface laptop for gaming.
It’s great, and I like the fact that Asus has essentially said, “We know you can’t use gaming laptops like normal laptops, so let’s stop pretending you will and just go completely crazy.” More of this please.
Meanwhile, Acer – which has never liked letting Asus get all the attention – unveiled the bonkers Predator Triton 900, which packs hugely powerful components, while also placing its large 4K display on a “Ezel Aero Hinge”, which allows the screen to be angled and flipped and all kinds of stuff.
Does it look crazy? Yep. Will you use it? Probably not. But it’s trying something new, and that’s worth applauding, especially when it comes to the rather conservative world of gaming laptops.
Upgradable gaming laptops
Perhaps my biggest complaint about gaming laptops (just ask anyone who I’ve moaned to about this) is that despite costing huge amounts of money, gaming laptops can’t be easily upgraded. It means that no matter how fast and powerful your gaming laptop is, at some point it’s going to become out of date, and one day obsolete.
With a desktop PC, you can pretty easily upgrade most parts of it throughout the years, meaning it can last a lot longer, and you don’t have to buy the whole thing all over again. After a while, you can simply swap out the graphics card to give it a new lease of life, for example.
So, one of the most exciting announcements of CES 2019 for me was the Alienware Area-51m, which is a powerful gaming laptop that will allow you to upgrade the processor and graphics card later on. The CPU seems easy enough, but I’m not sure how the GPU will be upgraded – you may need to send it off to Dell.
So, not quite as easy as upgrading a desktop PC, but it means this laptop is far more future-proof than other gaming laptops, which is just as well considering the eye-watering $2,549 (about £2,000, AU$3,750) asking price.
So, this CES has left me more excited than ever about gaming laptops. I might not be ready to leave my desktop PC behind just yet when playing the latest games, but if companies continue to innovate in the ways I’ve seen at CES 2019, I’ll be very happy indeed.
Check out all of TechRadar’s CES 2019 coverage. We’re live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.
Photographers would be lost without the raft of camera accessories that support their photo shoots. From the bags used to carry their kit and the tripods that permit long exposures right down to the smaller essentials the keep dust away from sensors and lenses, photographers always have a handful of accessories that they couldn’t be without.
Here are some best camera accessories that deserve your attention. Whether you want to splash out on a sturdy tripod or a lighting solution, or just chuck a few useful extras into your kit bag, read on to get up to speed on what today’s photographer relies upon for their craft.
Best camera accessories in 2019
1. Rotolight NEO 2
A game-changing LED panel for photographers
Bi-color LED design for control
Zero recycle times
Overkill if you just need flash
Larger than most flash units
A lighting solution that makes conventional flashguns pretty much redundant, the NEO 2 employs an LED panel to offer both continuous light and flash, with zero recycle times and up to 85,000 flashes on a fully charged set of batteries. Functionality is bolstered by the further option of high speed sync shooting and built-in Elinchrom Skyport receiver, and you can adjust the colour temperature of the light in fine increments to suit the subject you’re shooting. How many regular flashguns can claims all this? Precisely zero.
2. Blackrapid Sport Breathe
Ditch your strap for this superior alternative
More comfy than standard strap
Works with 1/4in tripod thread
Somewhat pricey for a strap
Metal hook can come off
The straps the come with DSLRs and mirrorless camera might be fine for occasional use, but as any Blackrapid user will attest, they’re far from an ideal solution if you plan on carrying your camera for most of the day. This ingenious strap shifts the weight from your neck to your shoulder for comfort, and has a locking mechanism that keeps the camera in place by your side as you move.
3. Anker PowerCore 20100
Refresh your camera’s batteries on the go
Massive capacity
Great power-to-price ratio
Can’t be charged while using
No quick-charging tech support
This affordable powerbank boasts a powerful 20100mAh battery in a sleek and portable shell, making it a great option for keeping a compact or mirrorless camera battery charged when you’re not near a power source (providing it offers this through its USB port). And when you’re not using it to charge your cameras, you can keep you phone or tablet juiced up, with enough capacity to fully charge an iPhone 7 almost seven times over.
4. RØDE VideoMic Pro
Much loved for very good reason
Great sound quality
Lightweight
Battery fiddly to access
Mount makes it less sturdy
Still very much the affordable shotgun mic of choice for anyone intending to record high-quality speech with their camera, the VideoMic Pro has Rycote’s Lyre suspension system integrated into its design to separate it from the camera, thus reducing the chance of you operating the camera or lens being picked up on recordings. The built-in foam shield also minimses wind noise, so it’s great for shooting on location in addition to indoor use.
5. Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II Backpack
Bags of space and protection from the elements
Masses of space
All-weather cover and ventilation
Somewhat pricey for a backpack
Front-loaded laptop section not ideal
With enough space for a two DSLRs and zoom lenses attached, together with six additional lenses, a 13in laptop, and plenty of space left over for accessories, this stylish solution from Loewpro lets you carry everything you need for full day’s shooting in comfort. Loops on the side allow you to hook on a tripod, while the integrated All Weather AW cover provides extra protection should you get caught up in inclement weather.
6. Sandisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II card reader/writer
Super-fast reader for the latest SDXC cards
UHS-I and UHS-II support
Very compact design
Cheaper options available
Not much else
Great if your laptop or desktop computer doesn’t have a built in card slot (we’re looking at you Apple), this neat USB 3.0 card reader supports the very latest UHS-I and UHS-II SD card formats, as well as older non-UHS cards. Well made, while the design means neighbouring ports can be accessed.
7. Lastolite EzyBox Micro
Perfect for portrait photographers working alone
Compatible with many flashguns
Light and collapsible design
Only fits standard flashguns
A little expensive
Pop this lightweight mini softbox on your flashgun and it’ll soften its output without you needing to bounce it from any other surfaces. This makes it particularly useful for when you’re working outdoors, especially if you’re working alone and you don’t have a reflector to hand, and so it ideal for the mobile portrait photographer that might find themselves shooting on a range of locations.
8. Spyder5Pro
Make sure your monitor is on point with this colorimeter
Great value for money
Takes environment into account
Might be a bit basic for some
Doesn’t profile printers
This Pro version of Datacolor’s Spyder5 aims to ensure that your monitor is displaying things exactly as it’s supposed to, so you can edit with greater confidence. It’s just a fraction pricer than the Express version, but its advantages of ambient light monitoring, broader range of calibration settings, and the ability see before and after results from your own images make the small premium worth it.
9. Adobe CC Photography Plan
Photoshop and Lightroom for an annual or low monthly fee
Industry-leading software
Constantly updated
Many strong rivals packages
Ongoing fee
Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography Plan rounds up the company’s best-known programs for photographers, namely Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic. It also throws in 20GB of cloud-based storage space to play with so you can access your masterpieces from a computer, tablet or smartphone, wherever you find yourself. The software is constantly updated, not just to add new features but also to provide raw support for the latest cameras.
10. WD My Passport 4TB Portable Hard Drive
Stylish, colourful, fast – what’s not to like?
Plenty of colour options
Mains-powered drives cheaper
Provided cable is a little short
Masses of storage space inside a compact casing, this 4TB drive is bus-powered for convenience, making it a take-anywhere option for the more mobile photographer. It boasts password protection to keep your images safe and automatic backup to keep it updated, together with protection against general knocks and scrapes. Not taken by the standard black finish? You can opt for one of seven other colourful option instead.
11. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (1TB)
Compact and rugged portable drive with fast transfer speeds
Rugged, pocket-sized design
Fast read/write speeds
Detachable cable
If you’re looking for something even more durable than the WD My Passport drive, then take a look at Sandisk’s Extreme Portable SSD. Not only is it rain, splash, dust and spill proof, but packed inside is a stable solid state drive (SSD), available in sizes from 250GB to 2TB. With fast read and write speeds, this compact and well-made drive offers quick access to your images out in the field.
12. Cotton Carrier Skout
Look mum, no hands!
Quick access to camera
Quality construction
Not suited to large cameras
Multiple sizes would be nice
If you want to be active with your photography – whether that means hiking or cycling with your camera, then Cotton Carrier’s Skout could be the answer. It’s a chest-style camera mounting system that’s designed to hold your camera close to your body, and allow quick access to it when you need it. It features a patented Twist & Lock mount system designed to keep your kit in a fixed position close to your chest so it won’t bounce round your neck when you’re on the move. When you want to stop and shoot, a simple twist of your camera will release it from its anodized aluminum hub. There’s also a tether to avoid accidents, and for added security. To protect your kit from the elements the Scout features a weather cover that your can pull over your camera, while there’s also a stash pocket that will accommodate a smartphone or credit cards.
13. Sigma USB dock
Handy device updates your lenses
Affordable
Wide range of mounts
Only works with more recent lenses
Software a little clunky
Sigma lens user? This affordable dock lets you squeeze every bit of goodness out of your optics. Just pop it onto the rear of your lens and use the accompanying software to update the lens’ firmware and fine-tune focus settings, and even adjust the Optical Stabilizer if you lens offers this. If you use of Tamron’s more recent lenses, you may also be interested it its own version, the TAP-in console.
14. Spudz Microfibre Lens Cleaning Cloth
Tiny but essential for keeping things clean
Tiny and weighs almost nothing
Small size not ideal for everything
A little fiddly to fold back in
Lens cloths may not be the most exciting accessories, but they’re essential for keeping your lenses, viewfinders, LCDs and other surfaces spotless. And this one from Spudz is more handy than most, as it folds into its own integrated cover when not in use to keep it clean. It costs next to nothing and packs away into a tiny space that makes its inclusion in any kit bag a no-brainer.
15. Manfrotto Element Carbon Fibre Big Traveller Tripod Kit
Carbon fibre kit for less than you think
Great price for carbon fibre
Included bag
Flip locks would make setup faster
Aluminium option sufficient for many
A set of carbon fibre legs and an aluminium ballhead kit that commands the same price as many aluminium legs alone, this all-in-one solution from Manfrotto has an 8kg payload, which is more than sufficient for the vast majority of camera and lens combinations. It extends to a respectable 164cm maximum height and you can even slip one of the legs out and use it as a monopod if you need to.
16. Beeway Memory Card Carrying Case Holder
A rugged case with plenty of space
Robust exterior
microSD slots are a nice touch
Yellow finish is somewhat loud
12 slots may be overkill
Many photographers have a small collection of SD cards, which are small enough to easily lose and not always sturdy enough to keep way from possible damage. This robust case from Beeway not only keeps up to 12 SD and 12 microSD cards secure in individual rubbered compartments, but its silicone seal keeps water and dust from getting in too.
17. SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC Memory Card – 64GB
Fast, rugged and affordable – a card that does it all
Free image-recovery software
Rugged design
Cheaper 64GB cards exist
Not UHS-II
With the average camera being compatible with hundreds of different memory cards, how do you decide on the best one? How about going for high-capacity, super-fast option from a renowned brand, with protection against water and shock and free image recovery software thrown in? This option from SanDisk ticks all those boxes and doesn’t cost a fortune.
18. Vanguard VEO AM-264TR
More powerful than your average monopod
Useful retractable feet
Flip locks allow for fast operation
At 900g, not the lightest
No case provided as standard
A sturdy monopod with a difference, the inclusion of three rubbered feet means you can place this down more securely that usual, while a ball-and-socket mechanism lets you tilt the monopod while keeping the feet in the same spot. Flip locks let you lock and unlock the legs at speed, while the 163cm maximum extension is about as long as many tripods can manage.
19. HOYA PRO1 Digital Filter Circular
Pro-spec filter in a range of sizes
Slim profile
Wide range of sizes
Some sizes are pricey
Can be fiddly to remove
Polarisers can be costly, particularly those designed for lenses with larger filter threads, but you needn’t spend a fortune for something that will just to do the job well. This affordable option from HOYA boasts a matte black finish and multi coatings to reduce reflections, together with a slim profile to keep vignetting out of the frame.
20. Giottos GTAA1900 Rocket Air Blower
Clean your kit safely with this handy device
Small and light
Versatile to clean many products
Less effective on stubborn particles
Doesn’t lift dust away, just moves it
A great way to quickly deal with dust and other particles from camera sensors, this classic kit-bag staple weighs next to nothing but is super useful. It’s also ideal for getting into hard-to-reach viewfinders and for giving lens surfaces a quick clean. The large chamber allows you to give a good blast of air, and as a contact-free method it’s safer than other approaches.
21. MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon C2350Q2T
Super-solid travel tripod in a range of colour options
Great finish
Excellent 12kg payload
Ball head could be improved
Heavy for a travel tripod
Need a rock-solid travel tripod that’s a little different to the norm? You’ve found it. Available in four different colours, this option from MeFoto has a massive 12kg payload but folds down to just 42cm, making it short enough to fit into the average bit of luggage or even backpack. You can also slip off a leg and use it as a monopod with the centre column.
22. Lee Filters Seven5 ND Grad Set Soft Edge
Classic landscape photographer’s filter triplet
Renowned quality
Works across many lenses
Needs holder and adapter
ND grad filters are found in any serious landscape photographer’s kit bag, and this triplet provides all the control one needs to balance brighter skies against darker foregrounds, with the soft gradation making them ideal against a gradually changing vista. They’re hand made and totally neutral to prevent any colour casts from forming too. Shooting a horizon? Go for the hard-edged filter set instead.
