Must have camera accessories? - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

09/24/2008 01:15:47 PM · #1

Hello, me again, sorry if i come across as bugging you folks, but i know i can count on your opions here.

So....canon EOS 450D is the camera of choice. It looks like i am going to go for a Canon 18-55 mm IS stock lens to start with then get something a little bigger in the near future, maybe even at the same time if my ebaying goes as well as it has been.

Now then, this brings me to camera accessories. With the camera and lens choices more or less sorted out i need to be looking for those *must have* items. I think i will need to purchase the following:

Camera Rucksack
Battery Grip
Maybe more memory
Tripod
Filters (UV perhaps for lens protection)

These i think are a good start..If i can find these in a reasonable bundle i will be more than happy, otherwise i am looking a cheap but the best quality possible. If... i can find the camera+lens and all these items in a bundle reasonably priced then even better.

Does anybody have any recommendations for their own experience i should consider.

Many thanks again for you folks taking the time to help me out here. I am normally the type to buy on impulse and i am trying to avoid the wrong decsions here.

My budget is looking a little more healthy than before and now stands at about Â£600 - Â£650 :)

Anti-Martyr

Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro

09/24/2008 01:21:26 PM · #2

Flash. Don't forget a flash. The 430EX might be a good choice for you.

If your battery grip can support AAs, I'd strongly recommend buying enough Sanyo Eneloops to fill it instead of the Canon batteries. It's much cheaper and those batteries are beasts. I use 8 in my MB-D10 for my D300, and I charge them maybe every month or two.

jan_vdw

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/24/2008 01:21:37 PM · #3

You're off to a good start. Spend a bit more on the accessories, like get a Manfrotto tripod or equal quality brand.

Something that I can't be without is a remote switch for the camera. I like playing in low light and using long exposures, this really helps.

Do you have a good flash? Maybe invest in one of those also.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

09/24/2008 01:29:12 PM · #4

I like the Lowepro Slingshot AW-100 slingpack. Carries nicely and lots of storage. Here is a detailed review of it that I wrote on Epinions.com.

UV filters is one of those dead-horse topics that nobody can agree on. I use one. The general advice it to get a good one, and not the bargain brands.

I don't use a batter grip, but I do have a couple of spare batteries. Aftermarket, by Ultralast. So far they are holding up fine and they hold more power than the Canon battery that came with my 350D. Not sure if you can get that brand in the UK.

Get a memory card wallet to keep them organized, especially since the Sd cards are small enough to easily get lost in a camera bag, you'll want to keep them together.

vxpra

Pentax K100D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

09/24/2008 01:30:26 PM · #5

Originally posted by jan_vdw:

I've found a cable release, and an infra red remote to be invaluable with my K100 (I think you can get both for the 450D as well). The IR remote was a throw in when I bought the camera, I had never really used one before and just tossed it into my bag so it wouldn't get lost. About four weeks after I bought the camera I found myself photographing an interior and had one spot where I just could not find a spot to mount a light, I was by myself and ended up having to hand hold the light with my camera about 20 feet away. There was no way I could set off the self timer and run up the stairs, get the light in place before the camera went off. The IR remote saved my butt.

I've also used it quite a few times when doing light painting shots.

rlewis

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

09/24/2008 01:40:48 PM · #6

I may have missed an earlier thread on this, but one of the first accessories I would buy is a polarizing filter. Anytime your photograph includes water, you will probably need it. It also takes glare off objects and pops clouds out of a blue sky (assuming you are at a 90 degree angle to the sun).

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

09/24/2008 01:42:20 PM · #7

Originally posted by Anti-Martyr:

The price of the 430EX seems to be a little too out of my range at present. Is there anything cheaper that preforms well?

Yospiff - Ilike that Lowpro bag and will be bidding on one shortly. :)

jan_vdw

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/24/2008 01:54:50 PM · #8

I've used a Sunpak 383 flash before, not too bad, it is a manual flash, but it does the job.

I also have a Lowepro slingshot 100AW bag, it works really well, but gets really small really quick.

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

09/24/2008 02:25:06 PM · #9

I have the Lowe Slingshot 100 and like it, but it does, as previously noted, get small fast. A good ready-go bag for local shooting. I almost added the slingshot 200 bag for more space, but I just got and used a KATA DR 467 (now available with a free monopod!) on an international trip--totes laptop and full SLR with accessories very easily. The pack looks pretty nondescript, and does not advertise that it contains camera gear. The padded section lifts out as a whole if you want to use the pack for other purposes (and I can drop that padded section into a canvas messenger bag for an instant conversion to a even less obvious camera toter :-)

I have a gitzo carbon fiber tripod with an arca swiss ball head from my 4x5 view camera days--works well, but if you want to get low to the ground, etc., a more flexible tripod system is probably a better bet.

As for memory, I recommend the Sandisk Extreme III or IV series cards--I got one "ultra 2" puppy and it is just to dang slow for me. The Extreme III 4G cards have come down in price, and if you watch amazon, the 8G guys drop down to nearly the same price as the 4G every few days....

I also have this: Iomega eGo 160G and it works well if you travel with a laptop--you can backup your images to this while traveling (and I also copied my stuff to my laptop drive, so that served as two separate copies--I could erase the cards and go shooting again) The 250G size goes for only a bit more, and the price seems to vary some with the color of the housing.

Finally, I use and love straps from UpStrap with the great non-slip pad. I also have the bandolier version--extra long, great for an over the opposite shoulder sling carry instead of hanging around the neck. Lots of choices here full list read carefully. Great camera bag straps, too....

Message edited by author 2008-09-24 14:30:26.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/24/2008 02:29:05 PM · #10

scarbrd already knows what I'm going to say, but I swear the best photography accessory I have bought is my waterproof hiking boots. :)

Message edited by author 2008-09-24 14:45:58.

EstimatedEyes

Fujifilm X-T5

Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR

09/24/2008 02:33:17 PM · #11

How about a Campdapter hand strap? Read about it on a post like this a while back, and its one of my favorite -- and of course most well used -- accessories.

That, and my circular polarizer filter.

A bit behind, but just as useful is an ND filter (for blurring waterfalls and rivers during the day), a Joby Gorillapod for traveling and hiking and other times when I don't want to carry the big carbon fiber pod with me (but make sure you get a hot shoe level to use with it.)

Oh, yeah, and lenses. Lots of lenses. They make a real good accessory for your camera. :>P

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

09/24/2008 02:44:48 PM · #12

i would get the things first that you need in order to take certain photos that you want to take, in other words the things that are prohibiting you from taking a shot you wish to get. A battery grip is nice but not really a necessity, more of a convenience that you can live without at first since a spare battery is much cheaper and the canon's can take a large number of shots per each battery. I would go for a Camera Bag, memory cards, tripod, cable release/remote, spare battery and maybe some filters such as ND or polerizers. Some of those may be more important than others depending on what you are shooting. If you are shooting nature, then Doc is spot on, there is nothing worse than wet feet while hiking..well a wet 5D of course;) I am serious about the water proof boots, it not the creeks or water that gets your feet wet, it's the morning dew.

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

09/24/2008 03:09:59 PM · #13

Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:

How about a Campdapter hand strap? Read about it on a post like this a while back, and its one of my favorite -- and of course most well used -- accessories.

THANKS!!! I have been looking for the right handstrap for a long time--no joy until now: this looks ideal, and the design that allows easy use of a neck strap at the same time is just great. And a nice version for my g9 too!! Order placed :-)

Message edited by author 2008-09-24 15:10:15.

cdrice

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

09/24/2008 03:30:53 PM · #14

This might be moving on a slight tangent from what you're looking for, but I personally consider "must haves" to include an Expodisc and/or WhiBal card.

Oh, and a press/media pass. :P Harder to buy those, though.

Oh-oh, and if it would apply to how you travel and shoot, I'd also recommend a GorillaPod - that's another must have for me, but not for everybody.

dd1989

Fujifilm X-T2

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

09/24/2008 04:05:26 PM · #15

A nice microfiber lens cloth, c'est important!

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/24/2008 04:17:30 PM · #16

Originally posted by dd1989:

A nice microfiber lens cloth, c'est important!

I don't think anyone has listed a sensor cleaning kit yet ...

ericwoo

Nikon Z7II

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S

09/24/2008 04:25:47 PM · #17

Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:

How about a Campdapter hand strap? Read about it on a post like this a while back, and its one of my favorite -- and of course most well used -- accessories.

Ant issues with this strap?

pastortimmr

Pentax K100D Super

Pentax SMC-F 50mm f/1.7

09/24/2008 04:46:34 PM · #18

I highly recommend a hand strap (like the campdapter that was recommended already) - let's you hold your camera with one hand while relaxing it, instead of gripping it the whole time. I'm also not a fan of neck straps- they always get in the way.

Circ. polarizers are a must for sky, landscape, water and reflection

I also love my Delkin pop up shade - protects my display, but also comes in handy for viewing your shots when you're outdoors.

EstimatedEyes

Fujifilm X-T5

Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR

09/24/2008 07:10:54 PM · #19

Originally posted by ericwoo:

Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:
How about a Campdapter hand strap? Read about it on a post like this a while back, and its one of my favorite -- and of course most well used -- accessories.

Ant issues with this strap?

Only if you leave it on the ground during a picnic or get honey on it. Otherwise its ant free, all the time.

Seriously, the only issue I have with the strap is that the Arca bracket does not have a cutout for the detent pin in your tripod head. But the bracket itself is sturdy and tight, and clamps into my Acratech ballhead with no problem.

Message edited by author 2008-09-24 19:15:44.

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

09/24/2008 07:29:09 PM · #20

The LowePro Slingshot 100 AW, as mentioned earlier, looks to be a good bet. I particularly like the all-weather cover. About Â£ 45

A decent tripod from, say, Manfrotto, will come to some Â£150 but will practically mean that you will not need to get another one (unless you want to use more than one at once). IMO, better to stump up for a sturdy one from the off, rather than be disappointed when all your shots turn out blurred, because the tripod is shaking.

Definitely a polarising filter, again as already mentioned. About Â£ 50

For me, a battery grip would be a near-essential item, as I shoot largely hand-held and largely in portrait orientation. About Â£ 130

A 430EX is about Â£ 200

A 4Gb Extreme III would be about Â£ 40

This bundle (all as priced at Warehouse Express) is right inside your budget.

I love spending other people's money :)

Good luck, mate.

Leica 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario Elmar-T ASPH

09/24/2008 10:06:28 PM · #21

Mr Pants, thanks for taking the time to post those items for me and you are right they are inside my budget.........if i dont get the camera, lol. Nice to see you again BTW :)

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

09/25/2008 03:59:36 AM · #22

Originally posted by Axleuk:

Mr Pants, thanks for taking the time to post those items for me and you are right they are inside my budget.........if i dont get the camera, lol. Nice to see you again BTW :)

Aaaah, I get it now. Sorry, I misunderstood.

MAK

Leica CL

09/25/2008 05:49:51 AM · #23

To be fair Axle mate you will regret it if you buy a crappy tripod. go for a manfrotto used you can get a good deal on one from ebay. Again with the flash, someone here Timfythetoo I think was selling a Sigma 550 cheap, go used mate. The cam is nice and shiny and new so you can love it and polish it every night but get a grunty used beaten up old manfrotto that has been around for years... cos it will be around for many years to come.

The grip is a must mate.. that extra battery power is needed. I also remember someone saying about using AA's in the grip. I just tried this the other day because my Canon batts in the 450D was flat so I had to use the rechargable ones from my old flash and I have to say they are really bloody strong. I was shocked totally how good they are. I was expecting a couple of hours from them but it has already been a couple of days and still full power..

09/25/2008 07:41:32 AM · #24

I think, after reading several of the posts here that i will opt for a Manfrotto tripod. Is there any particular one i should be on the lookout for?

Not long to go now. I have started to buy the accessories. If i get the camera from overseas (USA) i am going to have to go through the agonising wait for 5 - 7 days for its arrival :( but i suppose the time will be spent doing more research and reading more tutorials and the likes.

So, these are definates then:

- Canon 450D with a stock 18 - 55 mm IS Lens (Purchased from Ebay Â£430 delivered (but i get it next day, so i'm happy)
- Canon 1.8 50mm Mk2 Lens - (Purchased off ebay for Â£65 new)
- Hoya 52mm Circular Polarizing Lens (Purchased off ebay for Â£15)
- Sandisk Extreme III 4 Gig SDHC (Purchased off ebay for Â£20)
- Velbon 200R Tripod - (Purchased from local Camera shop with Free Bag Â£69.99)
- Camera Rucksack (Just bought the Lowepro 200 AW D Slr for Â£44 delivered)
- Battery Grip ((Just bought this one) Ebay Linkies Â£42 Delivered
- Leather Hand Strap (Just bought this one Linkies
- 10M Long Range Remote(Purchased from ebay Â£7.29 delivered)

Things i want but cannot afford right away:
- Flash - Canon Speedlight 430

My ebaying is doing better than i expected. I might even be able to get the Manfrotto Tripod and perhaps the 1.8 50mm Mk2 lens tomorrow(edit:went ahead and got the lens):)

Message edited by author 2008-09-26 08:24:16.