You are about to go on a plane trip. You have packed your carry-on with your electronic devices and now it is time to add your cables. A cable is going to be needed for your phone , your laptop and/or your tablet. And if you have a camera chances are, especially if you do not live in the USA , that the battery charger also requires one.Worse yet, some of the small cameras come with a very long cable (up to 7 feet).
All of these cables may be ending taking space in your carry-on. Sure you could put in checking-luggage but either you are not checking any luggage and if you do, you are probably savvy enough about the art of traveling not to put cables in a checked-in luggage.
Fortunately , for most camera chargers, there is a way to get rid of one of these cables thanks to a little trick. Most these chargers use a “figure 8 shape” power cord.If you have any of these white Apple chargers ( like the one for i-pads or for laptops) they come apart to allow for different voltage uses and you can replace the cable as illustrated in the images.
Of course the version using a 220 volts is more clumsy and it is better to use the 110 version and using, if need be a standard 220 plug adapter.
For those who do not have an apple device , you can also find this easily in any international travel converter kit.
Always with you
On the photography forums, there seem to be some endless discussions extolling the virtues of camera X versus camera Y. But, while some people can discuss ad nauseam the respective merits of the latest Nikon versus Canon or Sony, one point is too often overlooked : the best camera is often (not always), the one that is always with you. I cannot count how many times I heard someone say that he (or she) missed a picture opportunity because they had left the big camera at the hotel or at home.
The bag inside your bag
One of the basic rules of traveling light is to have a piece of luggage for just what you need on your trip. But there are instances when you have extra stuff to bring back on your return journey (like maybe some large textiles from the local craft markets, some large gifts for your friends…). Of course, you could take with you a half empty luggage (especially if you have an idea of the size and weight of the extra stuff you intend to travel back with) but it is an unnecessary hassle, and exposes you to potential luggage fees or difficulties to find room for your luggage in the train, bus, plane…
[updated] Photokina 2014 : 5 facts to remember
As Photokina just closed its doors, it is time to make a small recap.
Here are , in my opinion, the 5 things to remember about this Photokina :
The Leica booth… Comparison between Panasonic LX100 and Leica D-Lux (updated 09/22)

Leica D-LUX 6 VS Ricoh GR
Leica booth
As Photokina takes place in Cologne every other year, it has a special importance for german manufacturer Leica. Therefore it is not a surprise to anyone that Leica chose to unveil many new products during the fair. This year is no exception with as many as 6 new products.
The Leica booth takes the entire hall 1 and is very spacious.
Even if you had no interest in the Leica products, you should keep time for the Leica booth as it features a huge gallery space displaying the work of many photographers.