Most photographers I know are into gadgets.  Most photographers I know well would say I am into gadgets more than most.  I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite gadgets.  Some of these items will be photography related and some not.  But, all will be, for me, useful and/or fun.

One last thought before beginning:  I do not represent any of the gadgets I will talk about as the "best" example of the item.  I don't do extensive research, but I do some.  When I find a product that meets my needs I tend to stick with it.  A good example will be my first gadget.

Flying.  In recent years I have travelled a lot, seeking the great photo ops.  Last year I flew over 100,000 miles.  Even at 600 m.p.h. that's a lot of hours in travel mode.  Throw in the wait time at airports and it becomes hundreds of hours.  To pass the time I like to do two things:  read books and watch videos.  For this purpose I have settled on an iPad mini with retina display.  But that is a gadget for another post.  Today, I am writing about noise canceling headphones.  

For years I have used Bose headphones.  I tried the on the ear (QC3) model, the around-the-ears (QC15) model and the in-the-ear models.  Until recently the in-the-ear model wasn't noise canceling and so for the past 5 years, or so, I have travelled with the QC15's.  I really like the way the around-the-ear style shuts out all the noise going on around me and when the noise canceling circuits are activated the feeling of quiet is palpable. And, the sound of music is excellent.  My only complaint has been the bulk.  While not heavy, they take up a lot of space in the bag, space I would rather devote to photo gear.

Enter the QC20i.

Here is a photo of the two units, side by side:

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So, what is unique about the QC20's?  First, they are the first in the ear headphones I have been able to insert and they stay.  Second, they seem to have all the sound quality of the QC15's and you forget you are wearing them, which is very valuable on long flights.  Then, the battery that powers the circuitry is rechargeable, utilizing a USB 2.0 cable and standard charging sources, like the iPad charger or your laptop.  Finally, they fit in a pouch and can be stuffed anywhere.  The i model also includes an inline mic and iphone controller.

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_S5P0058 So, there you have it.  My favorite headphones.