Scribbles and Snaps

Lens Loop is a relatively new product which started its life as a Kickstarter project. It’s a simple camera strap made from seatbelt webbing designed as a budget alternative to similar solutions on the market. I received my Lens Loop just before our trip to Tokyo, so I had an excellent opportunity to field test the strap.

Lens Loop is a very simple product which consists of two components: an adjustable strap and a mount screw. But its simplicity, along with the low price, makes Lens Loop an ideal solution for photographers who don’t feel like forking out for more expensive alternatives like BlackRapid straps. I used Lens Loop with my Nikon D5000, and the combo served me well during the entire trip. The only niggle is that the strap is slightly too wide for my shoulders, so I had to adjust it regularly, so it didn’t rub on my neck. With Lens Loop you can have your camera resting on your hip, or you can sling it on your back. In both cases, the camera remains easily accessible, which allowed me to bag several shots that I would have otherwise missed. In fact, I was surprised how handy this seemingly simple solution actually was. If you shoot mostly indoors, Lens Loop is not a product for you, but it can come in rather useful for those practising the art of street photography.

Disclaimer: I was the project’s backer on Kickstarter, but I’m not affiliated with Lens Loop in any way.

Despite the conventional wisdom that digital photography is an expensive hobby, I’ve found that the most useful stuff in my camera bag doesn’t actually cost a lot of money. For example, the Nikon wireless remote control costs only about $15 dollars, and you can get an unbranded version for even less. It may sound like a nice-to-have kind of thing, but it can prove to be an indispensable tool in many situations like night photography and self-portraits. True, you can use the camera’s timer, but the wireless control is so much more convenient.

Decent macro lenses are obscenely expensive, but if you want to dip your toes into the macro photography waters, you don’t need to take out a bank loan. Instead, buy a set of Kenko Extension Tubes that turn your kit lens into a rather capable macro tool. I bought mine from the Cameta Camera eBay store, but you can find Kenko tubes for your camera model in many Web and brick-and-mortar stores.

If you are looking for a good yet affordable tripod, consider something like Velbon DF10ML. Although it’s only 25 inches tall when expanded, the tripod can come in handy in many situations such as low-angle landscape and indoor photography. When folded, the tripod is only 11 inches tall, so you can easily tote it around.

Finally, the most obvious and arguably the best purchase is a Flickr Pro account. $25 buy you unlimited uploads and storage, the ability to create an unlimited number of sets and collections, access to your original files, useful statistics, and ad-free browsing and sharing.

The Manfrotto Modopocket tripod is probably the most useful accessory in my photo bag (and it’s the only Manfrotto product I can afford).

Technically speaking, Modopocket is not a tripod, but a cleverly engineered foldable stand for stabilizing your camera. The clever part? You can attach Modopocket to your camera and just leave it there. The tripod weighs a mere 50 grams, and once folded, it doesn’t take up much space. Better yet, Modopocket sports its own mount thread, so you can use your camera with a regular tripod without removing Modopocket.