What is the difference between MiniTT1 and FlexTT5? The MiniTT1 is a transmitter and it sits on top of your camera. The FlexTT5 is a transceiver (transmit + receive). This is where you place your flash. Also it can do what the MiniTT1 does as well as remotely trigger your camera.

They have many cool features but the best is of course wireless E-TTL (you can automatically control the intensity of the flash from your camera) and High Speed Sync (allows you to have super fast shutter speeds, way beyond your x-sync speed, to make daytime appear like nighttime.)

There are two versions to choose from - US or Europe. The difference is the radio frequency it uses to communicate with each other.

For Canon users, there have been some problems with interference between the Canon flashes (some models only) and the FlexTT5 which significantly reduces the working distance between your camera and flash. Apparently, the Europe version is less impacted. But PocketWizard has a special soft shielding sock which you can place over your Canon flashes to reduce the interference.

You can get a set of these from ebay (mightyphoto) for USD475. Note: CE = European Version. Alternatively, you can buy them from toppreise.ch for CHF516 (USD452) which is amazingly cheaper.

Click on the links below for the latest updates:

Lightroom 2.7

Camera Raw 5.7

DNG Converter 5.7

Check out the readme files for more details. Nothing major, mainly adds support for new cameras and fixes some bugs.

There is a neat little application for windows that does just that. When installed EOSInfo from astrojargon shows you the shutter count on your camera (you have to connect your camera to your PC). But what I really like about this application is that you can set your copyright info straight on the camera as well. This means that each picture that you take will be embedded with this information.

In general, Canon cameras lasts between 50,000 (low end older models) to 300,000 (high end pro cameras) clicks. You can check out a more comprehensive list here.

But before installing this application, do check out the astrojargon website to find out if your Canon camera is supported.

So where in the world is the cheapest place to buy the most basic MacBook Pro 15" ( 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 | 320GB 5400-rpm hard drive | NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 256MB | 4GB Memory) ?

If you're looking to buy the new MacBook Pro, here is a summarized list of the cheapest countries to get it.

Worldwide and Asia: Hong Kong - USD 1779 (HKD 13,788)

Europe: Switzerland - USD 2170 (CHF 2299)

Americas: USA - USD 1799

For more details, click on this Google doc.

The MacBook Pro comes in 13", 15" or 17". The 13" MacBook Pro has the Intel Core 2 Duo processor while the 15" and 17" have the newer Intel Core i5 or i7 processors.

For a photographer who uses Lightroom or Photoshop to process photos, probably the minimum you would consider is a 15" with an i5. The cheapest in this category is CHF2,299.- which comes with 4 GB of RAM, 320 GB hard disk, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with 256 MB graphics card which should be enough for photo editing. Admittedly, 320 GB of hard disk space will not cut it. You will probably need to invest in an external (or two) hard disk to store your photos while keep those precious hard disk space on your Mac for applications.

Note that being in Switzerland you can only get the weird QWERTZ keyboard from the Apple store which will make zou tzpe like this. But luckily you don't have to go to US to buy a proper keyboard. You just need to order online from the Swiss Apple Store! Delivery is completely free! What you have to do is after selecting the MacBook Pro of your choice, in the configuration section just select "Clavier rétro-éclairé (US) & Guide de l'utilisateur (Anglais)".

For the sake of comparison, let's look at how much a Dell would cost. For almost an equivalent configuration Dell costs CHF989.- and on top of that you will get an i7 processor and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD5470 with 1 GB graphics card! The MacBook Pro costs more than double with a lesser specs. But we always have to remind ourselves that we pay a premium for sleek design and usability.

So should you buy the new MacBook Pro?

Update: For those who are using PC with external drives formatted in NTFS, you can still access the files through a Mac. However, you won't be able to modify and save the files directly onto the external hard drive. This is where Paragon NTFS software comes in. Once installed on your Mac, you can share the external drive (including both read and write) between your Mac and PC.

Update 2: In comparison with the Apple Store in US, the prices there are about 20% more expensive in Switzerland. Interestingly enough prices of MacBook Pros in Malaysia are about the same as in the US with today's exchange rate. So basically, you pay more in Switzerland!

The inventor of the bag in his website explains:

Almost every time I pulled out my new SLR in public, my Argentine friends would quickly advise me to put it back in its bag to avoid my being robbed. While both my camera and I ultimately returned home safe and sound, I could recall at least two occasions during my trip when the forewarnings of my local friends narrowly saved me from a mugging. Both incidents occurred while my camera was out in plain sight, a beacon screaming, ‘Hey, look at me! I'm not from around here!’

It is a clever idea to hide your camera from view and ready to shoot without having to take it out of the bag. The only downside is that you can only have one lens and can't bring a tripod with you. But this is definitely better than missing a shot.

The bags come in two color - Fog Turquoise and Coffee Tree (basically gray and brown) and cost USD49 (+ shipping to Switzerland USD28).

Photo Sync allows you to download photos from your iphone to any computer using just your web browser and wifi connection. No cables are required. However, the iphone and computer must be on the same wifi network.

Just open your web browser on your Mac or PC and go to the we address (URL) shown on the iphone's screen when you launch the application.

This will load a web page showing all of the photos stored on your iphone. These images can be saved directly onto your computer by right clicking on the image and selecting save as. This app offers a handy way to download your photos without any cables.

FileHippo.com is simply the best place to look for all sorts of software and they guarantee that everything is spyware and virus free. They also keep a history of all the versions so that you can always return to a previous version if needed. But best of all, everything is free!

So what kind of software can you expect to find? Here's a list ...

Browsers and Plugins, Anti-Malware, Audio and Video, File Sharing, Firewalls and Security, CD and DVD Tools, Messaging and Chat, Anti-Virus, System Tuning, Desktop, File Transfer, Compression and Backup, Photos and Images, Office and News, Benchmarking, Drivers, Developer Tools, Networking and Admin

... and these are only the categories.

Picasa is definitely worth downloading for managing your photos, editing them and sharing. Also check out the most popular download list and try out Update Checker which updates all the software on your computer if they are outdated.

Epiphanie Bags are water-resistant, have paddings inside to protect your camera as well as your make-up kit, velcro panels to customize the interior and zipped pockets to store your memory cards as well as your lipstick, they look like leather and they are a brilliant idea!

They also come in 3 different colors and lovely designs. Each costs USD164.99 and they ship to Switzerland for an extra USD61.75 giving you a grand total of USD226.74. It is a bargain because you are getting 2-in-1, a camera bag as well as a ladies handbag. It is very convenient to carry everything in one bag especially when traveling.