When you enter the world of digital SLR photography, you find that there is a vast array of accessories at your disposal. It can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you’ve splashed out on hundreds or thousands of dollars to get the DSLR camera of your dreams. It’s easy to get carried away with all the accessorizing choices out there but there are only 10 items you truly need. Here they are:
Camera Bag
Whether you’re a pro or an enthusiast, you’ll have lenses, filters, cleaning kits, tripods and more to keep track of. It’s natural to want everything in one place, especially when your most important items need to be easily accessible so you’re ready to take that perfect spontaneous shot at a moment’s notice.
Plus your camera is likely to be one of your most valuable possessions. Given its worth, you’ll want to keep it protected. Most camera bags are padded to safeguard your most expensive equipment. They also come with padded compartments to better organise your accessories.
Tripod
Traditionally, tripods were lumbering pieces of equipment to carry around. Thankfully, today they can come in relatively compact versions for the hobbyist as well as sturdy yet lightweight devices for the serious photographer.
Tripods are undervalued. In fact, they’re one of the most important pieces of camera equipment available to improve your shots.
Why? Tripods keep your camera sturdy and minimise shaking while you’re taking pictures. That means you can take photographs using a longer shutter to much greater effect. If you want to capture quality night pictures, smoother shots of water, trails of car headlights, or even just panoramas, you’ll want a tripod to steady your movements.
Filters
You may just have a simple kit lens that came with your camera or perhaps you’ve upgraded to lenses with a specific purpose or better quality. Whichever one you’re using doesn’t matter; it’s one of the most expensive camera items you’ll have.
Camera lenses can range from just a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. And if you scratch that delicate glass, it becomes almost worthless.
Filters prevent lens damage. Screwed over the top of your lens, they take the brunt of any knocks or scratches, leaving the lens itself intact. Since filters are much cheaper than lenses (and so more replaceable) they’re an indispensable part of your camera kit.
Even better, filters can come in a number of varieties than can improve your shots. UV filters are generally cheaper and primarily used as a lens protector, whereas polarizing filters and neutral density filters change the way light is captured by your camera for better, richer shots.
Lens Cleaning Kit
Regular cleaning is an important part of camera maintenance, so you can ensure not just consistently better quality shots, but also a longer life for your camera. It’s good to frequently wipe fingerprints off your lens and screen and to remove dust particles from the body of your camera.
A lens cleaning kit typically includes a blower brush, a soft cloth, lens tissue and lens cleaning solution.
Memory Cards
There’s nothing worse than being unable to take the perfect shot because you don’t have enough available storage on your memory card. It’s always worthwhile carrying at least one extra memory card with you on a photographing trip.
That way you simply need to swap cards in the camera instead of having to review your images on the spot to delete and make space for more, which would waste valuable photographing time.
Extra batteries
As with lack of space, lack of power can be equally frustrating if it comes at the wrong moment. You don’t want to find yourself unable to take a photo you’ve been waiting for all night simply because your battery is running low.
Carry a secondary, charged battery in your camera bag and you won’t have to compromise on your shots to preserve your battery.
Lens Hood
Like filters, lens hoods have the dual purpose of protecting your lens while also improving your photos. Available in a range of shapes and sizes for different purposes, lens hoods block out sunlight that can cause unnecessary flare on your photos.
But they also cup your lens to protect it from bumps and scratches while you walk around – you don’t have to constantly remove and return the lens cap.
Neck strap
Most enthusiastic photographers like to carry their cameras around so they’re easily available for quick photographs. You’ll want to make sure you have a neck strap so carrying your camera is easier.
Neck straps provide added security against theft since you can wrap them around your neck or wrist. But using neck straps also protects your camera should you accidently drop it.