So I’m back on the Podcast case and kicking off with a quick visit to the Photography Show at the NEC where I was specifically looking once again for items, workshops or an accessories of interest to the outdoor user.
The show had a different feel to previous years and it may be due to the expense of stand space there, or a reflection on the downturn of the market while we all wait for those people in London to work out which is their arse and which is their elbow!
However it had been a very busy weekend by all accounts and I was hoping that Monday might see some interviewees with some enthusiasm left before the final day.
So we kick off with Joby and the Gorilla Pod. They had the usual arrange of supports for large and small cameras, but of specific interest to those outdoor video makers (cough cough) was the two fluid head video products which were mounted on Gorilla legs. The Video Pro 3K and 5K. They weren’t ball heads so you would have to get the angle just perfect when you fix the legs to some fence post or whatever. However they days most current cameras have a ‘horizon’ indicator in the viewfinder to make this easier.
Then we move onto SJ Cam. Manufacturers of very affordable Action Cameras which start at around £59. Working up to the Krypton which combines the strengths of top-notch optics, ultra sensitive sensor, and super high-performance processor to record your scenes in the most astoundingly detailed vivid images you have seen in an action camera, KRYPTON will be your camera where your smartphone dares not go.
There’s also talk about the new S9 series which doesn’t require case and comes with a larger capacity battery for longer hours use.
Drones. Lets face it we all lust after one to see how ‘good’ we look from the air and achieve our childhood fantasy of being able to fly. )I always fancied being a bit invisible myself too!)
The Phantom Flight School offers CAA approved training and guidance on how to get the best out of your drone and keep out of hot water and the newspaper at the same time. We touch on a range of aspects which need clarification when flying over public or private land.
Lowe Pro (not to be confused with a completely different and unassociated company Lowe Alpine) have a neat range of products which I could see appealing to outdoors users, who often carry sharp or lump items which they would prefer to keep away from their cuban fibre shelters when rubbing along in the rucksack.
The GearUp range would be perfect for the endless list of leads and connectors I seem to carry with me, plus data cards and such.
The Hardside range are very light by offer a tough outer shell, although designed for cameras and drones they are also perfect for the mains plugs and associated ‘pointy’ items which can cause mayhem to your expensive technical fabrics if left unprotected.
The Powder rucksack series is for the enthusiast which want a proper rucksack which will hold the camera equipment safely, but still have practical capacity for other outdoor gear to make the trip longer than just a few hours. Certainly this is overnight or longer and the fresh design offers some unique practical features for anyone looking for this kind of hard core carrying capacity.
Finally I thought it was about time we introduced a little bit of glamour into our show and Natasha J Bella did that in spades. The number of landscape workshop holiday/courses of offer were certainly reduced this year. The only other reason you might buy a camera is to take portraits of your loved ones and friends. Her workshop offers a completely different perspective to achieving this and so make sure you listen to the end.
I mention at the end of the show that I am attempting the first live stream for outdoor gear in conjunction with Montane as a trial run. The date is set for Thursday the 11th April 7pm on The Outdoors Station Youtube channel and I will be talking through the new Trailblazer 44 and Halogen 45 rucksack. You will have chance to interact with the program and ask questions, which hopefully I or Montane will be able to answer.
Pop along to the Youtube Channel and subscribe and you’ll get notification when I go live.
It could be fun or a disaster, but at least we are always trying something new.
Fingers crossed!