Shot in the dark

For the spy at heart, the Midnight/Shot NV-1 Night Vision camera should be an essential part of your gadget arsenal. Although its specs don’t hold up to conventional cameras (a lacklustre five-megapixel lens, limited settings and no optical zoom), it does capture photos in the dark. When switched to night-vision mode, the lens allows infrared (IR) light to enter, exposing things you wouldn’t normally see. But, with its lightweight build and equally light feature set, you can only get a clear IR photo within three metres of the subject. There's also a lack of independent settings between the two modes. When auto-flash was on in regular mode, then switched to night vision, the auto-flash didn’t automatically shut off, which gave me completely washed-out photos. For the price, it’s not a bad toy for the budding spy or underhanded roommate waiting to capture you drooling while you sleep. (US$150)

Camera ready

The moment the ads appeared touting the simplicity factor behind the Olympus E-PL1, I signed up for a loaner. Blending the ease of a point-and-shoot with DSLR quality meant that, within minutes after unpacking it, I was shooting without having to slog through a hefty manual. It feels solid to grip, the body is coolishly retro and the iAuto mode is as versatile and clever as the best of ’em. The large red button used to start and stop the video recording is impossible to miss, and the HD movie mode comes with an auto-focus option, which is also dead easy to use. I’m a sucker for art filters, so I promptly fell in love with the grainy B&W filter and used it to shoot a 50th anniversary party that made everyone look like they swaggered out of a James Dean flick. All the usual digital camera fare is fairly intuitive, but I found it a bit clunky to change the settings on the fly, so I ended up getting lazy and using the iAuto mode. (US$500)

Designed for the Backcountry: The F-Stop

For years, a camera backpack meant a bag with awkward shoulder straps, best suited for short trips on well-worn trails. Then F-Stop stepped in with its line of packs designed with backcountry in mind.

Even the smallest of F-Stop’s mountain line, the Loka, easily carries everything a pro shooter needs for a multi-day assignment. Water-resistant and sturdy, the narrow pack clings to your body, leaving you free to ride, ski or hike the burliest lines, and be exactly where you need to be when the action unfolds. ($279)

Keep it Close: The Lowepro Chest Harness

How many times have you wanted to take a photo, only to realize your camera was buried in a backpack? The Lowepro Chest Harness keeps your kit handy all day—whether you are skiing, climbing or hiking. The Toploader Zoom AW can easily carry a camera body, two lenses and plenty of cards and batteries.

I’ve used this exact combo on all of my long journeys. After 17 years and 2,000 days in the field, it’s still as good as new. Cheap, effective, durable, this combo is a must for active shooters. (Chest Harness, $27; Toploader Zoom AW, $40)

Pint-size power with Iomega SSD

Whether an ace or an amateur, it’s a good idea to back up your photos in something as mobile as you are. Solid State Drives are a great choice due to their speed (twice as fast as regular hard drives) and durability (no moving parts). Although pricey, not all of them are as equipped as the Iomega SSD Flash Drive.

Available in 64, 128 or 256 GB models with a USB 3.0 port (the next gen of USB tech), it's housed in a smooth matte casing the size of a cellphone that boasts a three-metre drop-protection promise. The only downside is the same for all other SSDs—price. Although you could tie the cost to the new version of USB, the wide gap between price and storage capacity is still a deterrent for most consumers. (From US$230)

Shot in the dark

For the spy at heart, the Midnight/Shot NV-1 Night Vision camera should be an essential part of your gadget arsenal. Although its specs don’t hold up to conventional cameras (a lacklustre five-megapixel lens, limited settings and no optical zoom), it does capture photos in the dark. When switched to night-vision mode, the lens allows infrared (IR) light to enter, exposing things you wouldn’t normally see. But, with its lightweight build and equally light feature set, you can only get a clear IR photo within three metres of the subject. There's also a lack of independent settings between the two modes. When auto-flash was on in regular mode, then switched to night vision, the auto-flash didn’t automatically shut off, which gave me completely washed-out photos. For the price, it’s not a bad toy for the budding spy or underhanded roommate waiting to capture you drooling while you sleep. (US$150)