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Befree GT XPro
The travel tripod you can rotate
M
anfrotto has completed its
Befree tripod collection
with the GT XPro, which
has been developed especially
for travel photographers who also
shoot macro. The GT XPro is the
first Manfrotto travel tripod to
feature the 90° centre column
mechanism found on the brand’s
larger models. This means the
column can be used in the
conventional ‘vertical’ mode, or
rotated through 90 degrees andextended like a horizontal ‘boom’
for low angle and macro shots- especially when the legs are
folded up to 180 degrees, The new
tripod shares the travel-friendly
credentials of the rest of the Befree
GT family, namely folding down
into a compact 43cm size. The GT
XPro will be available in aluminium
and carbon-fibre versions.
http://www.manfrotto.co.uk;
aluminium, £270/$340;
carbon-fibre, £410/$515
Leica bit of this?
New red-dot full-frame mirrorless camera
T
he latest full-frame mirrorless camera from the
iconic German manufacturer, the M-E (Typ 240) is a
24-megapixel CMOS-packing rangefinder body that
shoots 1080p video rather than the superior and widely available
4K, although a dedicated recording button does permit instant
video capture. With its bayonet M mount, the M-E is compatible
with nearly every Leica M lens. At up to ISO 6,400, though,
the M-E’s delicate ISO range may raise some eyebrows,
if the rather fetching anthracite grey finish doesn’t.
https://uk.leica-camera.com; £3,500/$TBCInstax Mini LiPIay
Film plus digital in one camera
F
ujifilm’s latest instant camera is
certainly an all-rounder – the Instax
Mini LiPlay takes and prints pictures,
and records sound. It’s also a hybrid, covering
both film (it produces 46 x 62mm prints) and
digital (a 4.9MP 1/5in sensor with built-in
memory for 45 images, expandable via
microSD). The Mini LiPlay’s fixed wide-angle
lens has an effective focal length of around
28mm, and there’s a built-in flash. A small selfie
mirror on the front will help frame portraits,
and thanks to built-in Bluetooth, you can
produce hard prints of images stored in your
camera phone’s library. Choose your Mini
LiPlay in a white, black or gold finish.
http://www.fujifilm.co.uk; £150/$160Have strapping fun
New Shimoda backpacks are designed
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emale photographers looking for a more
comfortable backpack fit – Shimoda is on the
case. Designed to fit the brand’s Explore 40
backpack, two styles of strap are available – Simple
and Tech – the latter featuring a stretch water bottle
and a zipped phone pocket. The straps have been
designed to eliminate
uncomfortable
pressure across the
middle of the chest, so
the contour of the strap
curves away from the chest,
and separate straps fit around
the sternum and abdomen.
Shimona is also launching
a range of inexpensive
accessories to customise its
Explore backpacks, including
panel wraps, accessory pouch,
passport wallet, booster strap
set and divider pocket kit.
http://www.shimodadesigns.com;
from £32/$40Go to http://www.digitalcameraworld.com for the latest news, reviews & techniques In Focus