Getting Instant Photo-Gratification

When it comes to keeping pace with technology, camera gear is no slouch. Whether incorporating new digital systems or solving simple shooting or transporting challenges, these new products will please professionals and amateurs on the go. Items may be available in area stores.

Point, shoot, click: Sony, ever the technological pioneer, has married a micro-notebook computer with a digital camera, all in one compact unit. The easy-to-use VAIO C1 PictureBook measures 9 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches thick and weighs 2 1/2 pounds. But it is a full Windows 98, 266-MHz Pentium system, with 64 megabytes of RAM (upgradable to 128 megabytes) and a 4.3-gigabyte hard drive.

There’s a lithium ion battery, an integrated modem loaded with the Internet service provider AOL, an 8.9-inch display, an excellent 90% full-size keyboard and an external floppy drive. (A CD-ROM drive is optional.)

The real fun is the built-in camera, housed in the top bezel of the display. Using the screen as a viewfinder, press the capture button to snap a photo or record up to 60 seconds of video. (You can even take a self-portrait by swiveling the lens to face you.) Another click launches a program that automatically attaches the image or video to an e-mail without any separate devices or cables.

Sony VAIO C1 PictureBook is about $1,800 (but rebates are widely available) at stores or by mail order from Sony, telephone (888) 318-7669; Internet https://www.sony.com/direct-dpc.

X-ray protection: Airports worldwide are using increasingly powerful X-rays to scan checked and carry-on baggage, creating threats to unprocessed film. Sima, which makes protective lead film shields, has created a new batch of bags that block these higher doses of X-rays. The largest and most powerful is the FilmShield XPF 20, a soft lead-lined bag with a Velcro closure designed to protect 400 and 800 ISO film. (The bags also are recommended for slower film that will pass through repeated X-rays, which have a cumulative effect.) The bag holds 15 rolls of film or six rolls plus a small point-and-shoot camera.

Large Sima FilmShield XPF 20 is $39. Tel. (800) 345-7462; Internet https://www.simacorp.com.

Keeping gear dry: Taking camera gear into wet weather or using cameras during water sports can be risky. Domke’s OutPack Dri-Safe bags are lightweight protective carrying cases designed to keep photo equipment and film dry, cushioned and clean. The bags are made of thick pack cloth with a ripstop nylon interior and a waterproof liner in between. The bags are available in two sizes, a 7-inch-by-7 1/2-inch-by-3 1/4-inch model for full-size SLR models and accessories, or a 7-inch-by-3 3/4-inch-by-2 1/2-inch size for a small point-and-shoot camera and accessories. The roll-top closure has quick-release buckles, and there are exterior mesh pockets.

Domke OutPack Dri-Safe bag is $29.95 for the small model, $39.95 for large. For a nearby store, call the distributor, Tiffen/Saunders, tel. (716) 328-7800; Internet https:// www.saundersphoto.com.

Sunshade: Sun glare can ruin even the best photo opportunity: If the sun is in the photographer’s eyes, it’s hitting the lens as well. The Flare Buster is a lightweight 4-inch-diameter foam shade that attaches to an 11-inch flexible metal arm that mounts onto any standard camera hot shoe (where the flash is attached). The shade can be moved around.

The kit also includes two special-effects vignettes, as well as silver, white and gold micro-reflectors for casting golden or silver light on a subject. An included adapter screw allows the arm to be attached to the tripod socket of point-and-shoot cameras, which usually have no hot shoe.

Flare Buster kit with 15-inch arm is $19.95; it’s from G.V. Inc., tel. (888) 99-FLARE; Internet https:// www.flarebuster.com.

Underwater aid: Sealife, which makes easy-to-use underwater cameras, has a new kit that takes subsurface photography even further. The kit includes the company’s ReefMaster RC camera--waterproof up to 164 feet, with a built-in flash--as well as an external flash for additional light, a close-up lens with an underwater filter, a carrying case and a care kit. On land, the rubber-armored housing provides added shock protection. Or use it without the housing for a more compact package. It operates on two AA batteries, which are not included.

Sealife Underwater Camera Kit is $399. Sealife camera is sold separately for $189. For store locations: Pioneer Research, tel. (800) 257-7742; Internet https://www.pioneer-research.com.

Gear & Gadgets appears the first week of every month.