We all have a need for extra lighting at some time; my epiphany moment when I decided I had to have an onboard light came while on holidays on Norfolk Island when on one of the tours, the location was almost pitch black to get the "feel" and I cpould barely see the tour guide.

Sadly after 10 years this Sony unit died when it was accidentally dropped and the "foot" for the hotshoe mount snapped. The second I bought in the UK but this was even more fragile despite the 30 quid pricetag and lasted 3 months.

I suspect my next purchase will last a little longer - that of the new Canon Speedlite 320EX.

As well as being suitable for video with a dsedicated LED light as well as a tradtional flash with vertical and horizontal bounce capability, it can also be used as a wireless slave via wireless. The Speedlite 320 has a built in tele/wide function too allowing adjustment of the illumination angle. Other pecs include:

• 0.7 - 22.9 range
• 0.1 - 2.3 sec recycle time
• Up to 1000 flashes battery life from 4 AA NiMh or alkaline batteries
• The Speedlite 320 has a RRP of $329

For more information see www.canon.com.au

By David Hague

David is the owner and publisher of AusCam Online. He has a background in media dating back to 1979 when he first got involved with photojournalism in motorsport, and went from there into technology via a 5 year stint with Tandy Computers. Following that, he ran a software distribution company on the Gold Coast and was one of the first to recognise the potential of Microsoft Windows.

Moving back to WA, David wrote scripts for Computer Television for video training for the just released Windows and Office 95 among others, and was then lured to Sydney to create web sites for the newly commercial Internet in 1995, building hundreds of sites under contract to OzEmail including Coates Hire, Hertz Queensland, John Williamson, the NSW Board of Studies and many, many more.

He went back into full time journalism as the Managing Editor for Channel 7's 'Gadget Guy', Peter Blasina's publications VideoCamera and Pixelmag, before starting Australasian Camcorder magazine when these publications were shelved. He lives at Sydney's Avalon Beaches nearly on the ocean front with dog Budweiser and in his spare time is a nut for motor sport, road safety, fishing, science fiction - especially Dr Who - and technology.

David can be contacted via david@auscamonline.com