The Really Cheap Accessory

The really cheap accessory is often the most expensive choice on the rack. People who buy their computers at pop-up market stalls can confirm this, but not on-line...

I learned it by cheaping out on socks...when I used to wear socks. I was horrified at the price of good Australian mills' wool socks at regular shops so I bought bargain ones from cheap vendors. You wouldn't think that socks could cause pain and embarrassment but you'd be wrong. You can also get into trouble with the good socks but at least your feet are warm while you're doing it.

I got a subsidiary lesson when I decided to get a no-name camera battery as a spare. This was a good idea while it was in the spare pouch...I could keep it charged and feel secure. It was only when I started to use it regularly in rotation with other batteries that the real nature came out.

And that was the problem. The battery was poorly made and started to break down early. The nature of this meant that the body of the battery started to accumulate gas and to swell. I discovered that it was stuck in the camera and would not slide out. Fortunately the repairman at Camera Electronic was able to extract it by magic and then launch it in a high arc toward the bin. Thereafter I bought proper Fujifilm batteries and never had a moment's trouble from them.

The only instance? Naw, I racked up a number of painful lessons buying cheap synch cords over the years. Three shots, put them away in the gadget bag, and then they don't work ever again - the wires inside so very thin that the mere act of coiling the thing up fractures them. But a proper Canon or Nikon synch cord lasted for decades.

And a memory for all the older film shooters. Chemist's special film...also known as supermarket stock. Respooled and reboxed from somewhere as a house brand. It was like going to the casino every time you put one in your camera. Except that every so often you have a win on the pokies. And their colour is better.

Moral? Buy the proper brand at the proper price and be proper happy.