Mostly, I’m an online shopper, especially when it comes to electronic goods as Internet prices are usually the most competitive although I’m not averse to shopping on the high street as long as the price is right. It’s always nicer to have that instant gratification of taking a new purchase home rather than waiting for the courier to arrive.

Anyway, the time had come to buy a new Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro lens (I’d tested a friend’s previously and loved the results) so I checked online and found that the best price was £349 from Warehouse Express (not including the £40 Canon cashback offer). Jacobs were £0.99 more expensive and Jessops were way off the mark at £379.99.

Of the three, Jessops and Jacobs both had stores in the city centre. So, off I went. Naturally, my first stop was Jacobs, but they didn’t have the lens in stock. I was a bit surprised, since the lens appears to be quite a popular choice. Anyway, I remembered that Jessops would match the price of competitors selling the same products at a lower price so I made my way over to the store.

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Photography has gone through many evolutionary stages since it was invented. Each of these stages featured technologies that pushed it forward into the next stage. Consider concepts such as:

• autofocus to take the work out of making sure your subject looks sharp,
• the digital imaging sensor which provided a non-permanent method of recording images as an alternative to burn-once silver halide film,
• the RAW image file format that allowed much tweaking of a photograph’s exposure and colour balance after it’s been taken.

Now get ready for what is likely to be the next evolutionary stage in photography…

Refocussing after a photograph has been taken!

Imagine never having another out-of-focus photograph or being able to refocus an image onto another point at any time after the shot was actually taken.

Refocus Imaging are developing a method of capturing an entire light field entering a lens and then applying computational photography to focus the image using software.

See for yourself, the results are amazing!

Camera shake is one of the most common causes of blurry, hand held photographs and are often caused by using lower shutter speeds or longer focal lengths without any means of stabilisation.

The problem has been addressed somewhat with the introduction of image stabilisation technology that effectively counteracts any small amount of camera movement, but this solution places an extra drain on your cameras battery and usually comes at a premium.

If you don’t have image stabilisation built into your lenses or camera body then the cheapest and most effective way to minimise camera shake is by using some sort of fixed support such as a tripod or monopod.

Now, carrying a tripod or monopod around with you on location might not be permitted or practical. Here’s a cheap and pocketable alternative to using a monopod.

… Or you’ve just dropped it 200-feet during an aerial shoot. What are you going to do?

With typical SLR photography equipment costing hundreds and even thousands of pounds, any loss or damage could be rather expensive to rectify.

It’s possible that a household contents or travel insurance policy would cover any damage or loss, but it’s worth checking what restrictions are in place e.g.

• If you’re covered for everywhere you’re likely to go - you may not be covered whilst you’re traveling or for the complete length of your trip.
• If you’re covered at all times - some policies might have time restrictions e.g. leaving equipment unattended in a car overnight.
• Whether all of your equipment is insured - there may be an upper limit on the value of a single insured item.
• There may be minimum security requirements that must be met.
• Whether you’re covered if you’re earning money from photography - professional photographers usually attract different rates. Make sure you’ve got the right sort of cover.

With specialist insurance cover available from under £100 per year, it makes good sense to get your expensive equipment covered as soon as possible if it’s not already covered by an existing policy.

Here’s a few UK-based insurers to get you started:

• Aaduki Multimedia
• photoguard
• e&l Insurance
• AUA Insurance

For that extra bit of security, you could also invest in a safe. They’re becoming quite popular and can even be purchased at your local B&Q store for under £50.

I’ve had my camera gear for a few weeks now, but have only just got separate insurance cover for it.  I do feel better knowing that it’s all covered now.