From real camera must-haves to smart gadgets. Camera accessories are not only very useful, but can also take your photography to the next level. This applies to both the professional who is always looking for the latest gadgets, and the hobbyist who just wants to upgrade his camera equipment. That’s why in this blog I share my 7 personal favorite (in no particular order) camera accessories that every photographer should have!
#1 Lens filter (protector + UV)
Camera equipment itself is already expensive enough. It’s therefore better to be careful with your belongings, but there are also a number of accessories that will help you protect your equipment. A real must-have in that regard is a lens filter. Lenses are also quite expensive and the glass is of course extra vulnerable for scratches and things like that. Therefore, always place a filter (protector + UV) on your lens to give it extra protection against scratches, moisture, dust and discoloration due to UV.
#2 Peak Design Camera Straps
I don’t know about you, but just like with camera bags, I’ve always struggled to find a really nice camera strap. Because they always get in the way, are too long or too short, the strap does not fit comfortably, etc. But since I started using Peak Design camera straps, I don’t want anything else. These camera straps are available in different versions (neck/shoulder straps and wrist strap) and are all equipped with a handy click system with which you can quickly and easily detach the camera or exchange it with another camera strap. I personally have the Peak Design Leash and the Peak Design Cuff wristband that I use alternately, depending on the situation.
#3 Peak Design Clip
No, this blog is not sponsored by Peak Design, but I would like to mention one more item from the brand as a real must-have for photographers: the Peak Design Clip. For example, when you go hiking, it’s more comfortable to keep both hands free and only grab the camera when you want to photograph something. A camera strap is then less useful, because it swings back and forth due to your movements and therefore mainly gets in the way. That’s why I use the Peak Design Clip during these types of outdoor activities. This is a capture system that consists of two parts: the clip that you can attach to the strap of your backpack and a coupling plate for the bottom of your camera. This way you can slide the camera into the clip in one easy movement, after which it remains stable and secure on the carrying strap of your bag. With one press of the lockable quick-release button you can slide the camera out of the clip again. The clutch plate also fits most tripods. So you don’t have to change the plate every time you want to put the camera on a tripod.
#4 SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
To prevent the possibility of losing your photos as much as possible, it’s a good idea to remove the photos from a memory card after photographing and save them somewhere, preferably on your computer, an external drive and in the cloud. This way you have a backup of your files both physically and online. I use the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD to store my photos on an external drive, because an SSD is much less vulnerable than a hard drive. Furthermore, I like this specific type of SSD because it automatically synchronizes all my files after connecting it to my laptop and it can have a password that you have to enter as soon as the SSD is reconnected to a computer.
#5 Lightweight tripod
A (semi-)professional camera and a set of lenses is already heavy enough, while sometimes you also want to take some extra accessories with you. That is why it’s worth to look at weight in addition to the quality of your equipment. There are sometimes quite a few alternatives available that together make it a lot more comfortable when you have to carry everything with you. An example of this is a tripod. The more expensive versions are often made of carbon, which makes them extra lightweight. I have been using a carbon model from Rollei for years and are still really happy with it. The version I have is no longer available, but the Neewer 66 is a similar alternative. And do you use multiple cameras, for example because you also make videos with another camera, or do you have a telephoto lens? Then order extra coupling plates so that you can screw standard bodies and telephoto lenses under your camera bodies. This makes it a lot easier to use your equipment in combination with a tripod and change it depending on what you are going to photograph or film.
#6 Cleaning Kit
Your camera and the glass of your lens (or filter) can become dirty due to circumstances. Think of dust, but also stains because you accidentally bumped your hand against it. You obviously want to clean this to prevent it from showing up in photos and to ensure that your equipment lasts longer. I therefore always have a cleaning kit with me at home or in the camper/car when traveling with which I can thoroughly clean my camera and lenses in advance. Such a cleaning kit often contains a blower to blow away dust and dirt, a lens pen and/or a microfiber cleaning cloth that you can use directly on your camera and lenses to remove dirt and stains without scratching them.
#7 Extra memory cards and card case
You prefer to take extra of some accessories with you. This applies, for example, to batteries, but also to memory cards because you simply cannot take photographs with an empty battery or broken memory card. Additional memory cards therefore provide more security, but also offer you the option to save certain photo sessions on a separate memory card. However, memory cards are small and vulnerable. Therefore, keep them in a card case. This way you won’t lose them and you immediately protect the cards against moisture, dirt and bumps.
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