Sanyo Eneloop "pre-charged" batteriesWhen it comes to rechargeable batteries, your best bet is to load up on the newer "pre-charged" variety of NiMH batteries.

First, they're ready to go straight out of the package just like traditional alkalines. Second, and very much unlike regular rechargeables, they hold a charge for a long, long time with very little drain.  Generally, you can expect to have as much as an 85% charge a year after you've taken them off the charger (you can use your current NiMH charger). If you're familiar with rechargeables you've gotten used to not relying on them. I can't count how many times I've popped in a set of rechargeables taken off the charger maybe a day earlier and...nothing. That's an untenable situation. Thankfully you have "pre-charged" batteries available to you. They're fairly hard to find in stores as of this entry, but easy to find online.

I prefer Sanyo Eneloops myself and would recommend them if you only need a set or two. But, if you're like me and you need many sets of batteries I'd recommend getting various brands. By doing so it's easier to keep track of them in your bag. It's highly recommended that you always charge your batteries as a group and keep that set together. In other words, you don't want to mix batteries taken off the charger today with ones taken off yesterday. Always charge and use them together and you'll get more performance out of them. So if you have a set of Sanyo Eneloops, a set of Rayovac Hybrids, a set of Kodak Pre-Chargeds, a set of Duracell Pre-Chargeds, etc. it'll be easier to keep track of them.

By moving to the environmentally friendly pre-charged category of rechargeables NiMH batteries you'll have power and reliability when you need it. Pop a set or two of these batteries in your bag and don't worry about having power when you really need it.

Update on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 12:01AM by Mike James

In the December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, the magazine ranks Sanyo Eneloop at the very top of its list of rechargeable batteries giving it a rating of "Very Good".

In my own non-scientific tests, I've found the Sanyo Eneloop Pre-Charged batteries to provide the best overall performance.  Charge them, set them aside and they'll be there ready to go when you are.

Black Rapid RS-4 R-StrapDo your neck and back a favor and order a Black Rapid R-Strap now.

Black Rapid's latest incarnation of their "R-Strap", the RS-4 ($54), solves multiple problems plaguing photographers.

If you've got neck and back problems from that heavy dSLR and glass pulling you down with a conventional camera strap, you'll appreciate the sweet relief the R-Strap provides.

Rather than going around your neck, this great strap sits diagonally across your torso (think Chewbacca), spreading the weight around rather than concentrating it all on your neck.

As working photojournalists, my fellow PJ and I at the paper consider our R-Straps to be "essential gear". Since we've ditched our conventional camera straps, years worth of neck and back pain have been alleviated. The R-Strap is a simple, elegant solution to our problems...and we feel the difference.

When not in use, your camera rests at your hip. When it's time to shoot you grab the camera and bring it up to your eye. When you're done you put it right where you found it. The R-Strap is fully adjustable and should fit just about anyone.

Not having your camera bouncing around on your chest in front of you is very nice. Moving through crowds is a breeze and if you're wearing a jacket it's a lot easier to be lessconspicuous with your camera at your side.

If you're slinging two camera bodies you'll especially find the R-Strap an elegant solution to the problems you face in the field. If one R-Strap is not enough, Black Rapid has solutions for attaching two straps together via their CoupleR device ($16). This simple solution gives you the option of using two straps when you need that type of setup or going solo when you don't. A more permanent option of double gunning it is their newer Double Strap ($135).

Not matter what your needs, Black Rapid has an innovative solution.

Offset zippered CF pocketAt right you can see the offset zippered pocket which holds two Compact Flash cards in their protective plastic cases. Previous models had the zipper dead center, which was less-than-ideal when it came to getting your CF cards out quickly.

I found myself forgoing the zippered pocket on my old RS-2 for what should've been the cell phone holder. As the holder would not fit my iPhone, I'd use it to store my CF cards. Not ideal, but workable. So it's nice to see the RS-4 with the expandable zippered pocket offset rather than dead center.

New hardware (not pictured) secures your camera to your RS-4 so you have peace-of-mind knowing it will stay put. The hardware allows for a great deal of movement allowing you to get the shot without the hardware getting your way.

As of this writing, the FastenR-2 (the part that attaches to your camera) and the ConnectR-2 (the part that attaches to the RS-4 on one end and the FastenR-2 on the other) come standard with your RS-4.

If you still have the older hardware, I'd highly recommend doing what I did and order the newer versions. The FastenR-2 slides easier along the RS-4 and has a barrel locking mechanism. The ConnectR-2 is now low profile making shooting vertically more comfortable and fits snugly against your camera.

Black Rapid has taken an already incredible product and made improvements which make it a truly amazing product and one I highly recommend.

For more info: BlackRapid.com

Camera MuzzleIf you've ever shot in a concert hall, a church or other venue where silence is golden and been shot angry looks from those in attendance due to the noise from your camera's shutter (and mirror) and wondered how to remedy that problem you have some options.

The first (and most expensive) is the Jacobson Sound Blimp; a 3 lb. aluminum allow case which dampens most of your camera's noise. The downside is it's expensive ($1,125 with lens tube), it's bulky and it's hard to access controls. But, you'll be quiet as a church mouse.

A more reasonable, cheaper option is the $130 Camera Muzzle.

It's made of a soft, padded material which, while not as soundproof as the Jacobson Sound Blimp, is good enough for most situations. It will dampen the sound to the point where it's barely noticeable. But, it IS noticeable so keep that in mind. If you're shooting during quiet portions in plays, recitals, etc. your camera can be heard. A workaround is to shoot when it's not so quiet of course. With the Camera Muzzle you'll be able to shoot events where you would otherwise be an audible nuisance. It's important to be as low profile as possible and get the job in a professional manner. Being a distraction at these events will not endear you to those who are there in support of their loved ones. The Camera Muzzle will allow you to shoot with confidence that you're minimizing your camera's noise.

As a side note, I've found that the unusual looking aspect of the Camera Muzzle draws peoples' attention as they try to figure out what it is. By drawing their attention they'll now become more aware of your camera's noises. So in that respect it defeats the purpose...momentarily. Once people go back to ignoring your presence it's not a problem. In darker venues you'll blend in better and you'll be that much quieter.

This great product comes with a lens baffle for a 70-200/2.8 size lens, but I've found that it just gets in the way and have stopped using it.  You'll need to get used to using your camera without looking at the controls as once this device is around your camera you won't be able to see them.  There's a plastic window for your LCD screen up top and your rear LCD screen will be visible as well.

While not perfect, for $130 you just can't beat the Camera Muzzle.  I'm now able to shoot in venues I couldn't otherwise as my camera's noise would've been an unwanted distraction. The Camera Muzzle has paid for itself many times over.  I consider it to be "essential gear" and it's yet another tool available to me as a photojournalist.

Gary Fong LightsphereThis great product is always in my bag when I need to shoot a portrait, but don't have the time or space to set up a multiple strobe system with Pocket Wizards.

Looking like a plastic Tupperware™ bowl sitting atop your strobe, this innovative device will greatly improve your portraits.

When you shoot with direct flash the results are usually harsh as you're throwing all that light forward. You tend to wash out your subject and create a nasty drop shadow behind them. That's not ideal. It's pretty awful actually.

By using a light modifier like the Lightsphere ($39.95), you change what's happening to the output of your flash. In the photo you'll see that you point your strobe upward rather than forward. In doing so, when your strobe fires you're sending the light in all directions. While you're throwing a lot of it upward to bounce off a ceiling (ideally), the light is going to be sent all around the room. By doing that you're popping some light in places it wasn't going otherwise. This will soften the lighting greatly, fill in the shadows and produce a vastly more pleasing photo.

The downside to the Lightsphere is that it takes up a lot of space in your bag and at some point you could lose the inverted dome. This is a minor gripe though. The results you'll get with the Lightsphere is worth having to find room for it in your bag.

I make sure to bring the Lightsphere with me to a shoot unless I'm in a situation where it'll get in the way and I need to be more mobile. In that case I rely on my Sto-Fen OmniBounce ($16.95). That product forms to the end of your strobe and doesn't add much bulk at all so you'll have no problem moving through a crowd. The Lightsphere isn't ideal in that regard.

Both the Lightsphere and the OmniBounce are available in various sizes to accommodate most strobes out there.