While the 2010 Photo Marketing Association trade show (PMA) doesn't officially get underway until tomorrow, invited press were given, as per usual, a three-hour preview of new cameras and accessories during "Sneak Peek," held the day before.

It was barely sufficient time to catch a sideways glance at all the goodies and take in the odd demo, given how many exhibitors were crammed into stalls in a compact ballroom that afforded only the narrowest of passages. Not for the quality of the wares but for the congestion, it somehow ended up resembling a flea market.

Many pundits are bracing for a less-than-banner show here in Anaheim, CA, what with the economy still in the dumpster; and Canon's long having declared itself to be a no-show.

Based on Sneak Peek, I gather that we'll see relatively few blockbuster camera introductions here. That's hardly surprising, considering that most majors had announced their models during CES last January, or over the past three or four weeks.

But there are plenty of gadgets and gizmos that attest to a healthy spirit of innovation in this industry. The first exhibitor I encountered, Aputure, is a case in point. The Shenzen China-based remote photography specialty firm showed a nifty wireless DSLR Viewfinder.

Available for most Canon and Nikon DSLRs, the kit consists of a transmitter that the user attaches to his camera's hot shoe, and a receiver resembling a point-and-shoot compact. Users located up to 100m away can preview the image via the receiver's 3" 230k-dot LCD (that comes with a hood to permit use under glaring light), and snap the pic at the appropriate moment. The MSRP is in the US$250 range.

The Swedish Bob-L-Bee brand of plastic, hard-shell cases has long sold to extreme users online. Now in its fourth generation, Bob-L-Bee says it's seeking retail distribution. The slick-looking backpack aims to protect motorcyclists, bike riders or any person moving at speed from the DSLRs or notebook PC inside (and vice versa); and now this protection is offered in a distinctive briefcase style. The backpacks sell for around US$299.

Another neat idea hails from Clik (distributed in Canada by Digitec Trading), which also specializes in bags designed for extreme activities. Clik's latest innovation, the Body Link, consists of a front-body SLR harness bag with a built-in, telescopic twin-rail camera/camcorder mount. It's designed to accommodate a standard ball head. At US$185, it provides a unique, stable platform; especially for those seated.

I covered Tamrac's ZipShot tripod only a few days ago (February 12) in this space, but it was fun to see it in the flesh. The extremely lightweight and compact 44" tripod (you undo a couple of elastic bands, hold it by its head and give it a mild shake to have it unfurl) is less violent uncoiling itself than I'd feared. While there's no mistaking it for a Gitzo carbon-fibre masterpiece, I was amazed at how well it coped with my Pentax K7/16-50mm f2.8 DA* zoom combination (which can't be too far south of the specified three-pound load limit). But the tiny Tamrac will hold firm if you can spare 10 seconds or so for the jiggle to subside, and use a remote control or timer.

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