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September 2009 issue...
Hoodman
(the same people who make the HoodLoupe that I can’t live
without) came out with their own brand of high-speed UDMA
memory cards that are the highest-quality, highest-speed
cards I’ve ever shot with. I’m using these almost
exclusively now, and the fact that they’ve had zero failures
makes it hard to use anything else. Their 4-GB compact flash
cards go for $139.99 and their 8-GB cards are $249.99. You
can definitely find cheaper memory cards, but one day,
sooner or later, you’ll pay for it. 
Anyone
that has ever used a DSLR outside in bright sunshine knows
that it can sometimes be tough to see the LCD on the back of
the camera. Yes you can get a rough idea whats going on but
when you are trying to check critical focusing or exposure
with the histogram it can be tricky and I normally resort to
unzipping my jacket and trying to view it inside, or
removing my jacket and throwing it over my head if its a
bright day. When you have miles of snow surrounding you on
all sides, each flake seemingly reflecting the sunshine
directly at your LCD it can prove very annoying! But not
any more……I recently picked up a newly updated version of the Hoodloupe Professional from the US company Hoodman who specialize in screen shades for a variety of photographic and video applications. The new version fits up to a 3″ screen and provides the perfect solution to my problem. The Hoodloupe can be worn around the neck, and when it is time to review your shot simply place it over the screen and look through the adjustable eyepiece. The optics are crystal clear and really allows you to check your framing and exposure as if you were in a darkened room. Its is coated in a layer of grippy rubber and feels solidly made but also very lightweight. When its not in use it also comes with a very nice, thickly padded case so you can stuff it in your pack and not worry at all about damaging it. The eyepiece has a smooth motion and works just like that of a pair of binoculars with a +-3 diopter to accommodate people with glasses.
