Upgrading Your Camera Gear: Top Digital Camera Accessories You Didn’t Know You Needed

As a photography enthusiast, you’ve likely spent a decent chunk of change on a nice digital camera body and some good lenses. However, the camera and lenses are just part of the equation. The right accessories can take your photography to the next level while making your shooting experience smoother and more enjoyable. Here are some of the top digital camera accessories you probably didn’t even realize you needed.

Extra Batteries and a Charger

Running out of battery at a crucial moment is one of the most frustrating things that can happen during a photo shoot. Having backup batteries ensures you can keep shooting when your camera battery dies. Third-party batteries cost a fraction of the OEM ones. Get at least two spares. While you are at it, pick up an external charger. It allows you to charge one battery while using another in your camera.

Memory Cards

You likely have a decent-sized memory card for your camera, but more storage is always easier. Extra SD cards mean you can shoot more photos and videos without stopping to offload. Class 10 and UHS-I cards provide faster writing speeds for less buffering and lag time. A 64GB or 128GB card costs around $20 these days. Also, look at getting a waterproof card if you plan to shoot near water – it can prevent heartache if your gear gets splashed or wet.

Camera Bag

The camera bag that came with your digital SLR is probably handy for basic storage and transport. But when traveling or shooting extensively, you need something more heavy-duty. Look for a roomy messenger-style camera bag, backpack, or rolling case that provides ample padded compartments for multiple camera bodies, lenses, accessories, and personal items. This protects your expensive equipment and makes accessing gear convenient.

Tripod

If you want to take sharp landscape, macro, nighttime, or long exposure photos, a sturdy tripod is essential. Tripods eliminate blur caused by camera shake, allowing you to shoot with slow shutter speeds and low ISOs for the best quality images. An adjustable aluminum tripod with a smooth pan head provides stability while enabling composition flexibility. Other handy features include twist leg locks, bubble level, and a hook for weighing down the tripod.

Remote Shutter

Release A remote shutter release control attaches physically or wirelessly to your camera, enabling you to trigger the shutter without touching the Camera Gear. This comes in handy for tripod shooting, particularly with slow shutter speeds, as it eliminates vibration that can cause blurry images. These are also great for self-portraits, so you don’t need to run into the frame. Cable releases connect physically, while wireless remotes use infrared, Bluetooth, or WiFi and offer extended range. Related Article: Tech Gadgets

Lens Filters

Lens filters serve multiple purposes reducing glare, enhancing color and contrast, balancing uneven lighting, and protecting the front lens element. Every photographer should have UV, Polarizer, and Neutral Density filters in their kit bags. UV filters protect lenses from dirt, dust, moisture, and scratches. Polarizing filters reduce reflections and enhance saturation and contrast. Neutral density filters allow you to shoot with wide apertures in bright light by reducing the light entering the lens.

Flash Accessories

Having an external flash opens a world of photographic possibilities. But you can further augment flash capabilities with accessories like flash diffusers, bounce cards, and gels. Diffusers soften the harsh direct lighting effects of flash. Bounce cards angle light towards ceilings for softer, indirect illumination. Colored lighting gels add dramatic effects to flash photography.

The world of camera accessories is vast, and delving into it can easily take up almost as much obsession as the Camera Gear and lenses themselves. Don’t go overboard buying every gadget and doodad available. Do some research, know what will be genuinely useful for the type of shooting you do, and invest in purposeful accessories that fit your style and needs. The right accessory can open creative possibilities rather than just cluttering your camera bag with unused stuff. Focus on accessories that solve recurring problems and limitations you encounter in capturing images. The rest may just end up in garage sale fodder.