Accessorizing Your New CameraPhotography can rapidly turn into a hobby of collecting. I’ve known many people, men mostly, who never get around to shooting film as they are too busy hunting for the accessories that are going to make shooting such a breeze, they will be able to make up for all the years they have spent not putting any film through the camera. This is why my list of accessories is so short. Furthermore, I don’t think you should knock yourself out getting them. Most of the items here should only be bought when you have found a use for them. A hand strap is the exception. 35mm SLRs must have some sort of strap or you are asking for trouble.
The StrapI don’t use neck straps, so I can not speak for their qualities. I use a 14 inch nylon dog collar. It is attached to the right hand strap lug on my camera. The camera and my right hand are locked together, essentially one unit. I have a second strap, which goes over my shoulder and loops back on itself. This has a safety snap for the camera. I made this out of some military surplus straps. Total cost about six dollars. The BagCameras used to come with a brown leather covering officially called an Eveready Case. Most people who actually used their cameras called it the neveready case, due to it’s amazing ability to get in the way, prevent changing film, and deposit parts of itself down steep ravines you’ve just spent an hour climbing out of. If your camera has one of these devices, find a hole and bury it. Instead get some sort of bag that will ride on one hip. You can use an official camera bag, or a diaper bag if you are worried about becoming a target for thieves. Don’t spend a lot of time or money on your first camera bag, as you will soon realize your are going to need more than one. I have somewhere between four and five bags. There is a very small bag that holds either one lens or a pile of film and a few filters. IT will not fit a camera. Next is a bag that holds up to three lenses or other accessories. The camera still does not fit. The third is Big enough for two camera bodies, and three lenses, plus several other accessories. Number four will hold bags number two and three fully packed. Number five holds other stuff but I can get some camera stuff into it - if necessary. The TripodThere are a million guys on the web who will tell you to get a tripod. I’m one of them. I differ from some others though, in allowing that you might not want or need a tripod for the time being. I told you this was a radical manifesto, didn’t I? Unless you know exactly what you are going to do with a tripod, let it wait. Walk around with your camera for a while, have fun, use the built in flash, learn the features, use up some film, look at the pictures, get familiar. For standard outdoor daylight stuff with a 28-105 lens, you can do a hell of a lot of shooting using just your self, and the various supports you’ll find conveniently left lying around just for your pleasure. There are phone poles, low walls, high walls, very high walls, car hoods - your OWN car hood please - even the ground can come in handy. The time to buy a tripod, is when you discover that you need one. There are just some things a tripod does better than a low wall - move three yards north, for example. When you buy a tripod don’t look for bargains. There used to be a saying "a poor tripod is better than no tripod". This is no longer true - if it ever was. A cheap tripod can vibrate for a long time after you’ve let go of the camera, and a very cheap tripod can fall over, depositing your multi-hundred dollar camera on the ground, possibly in more than one piece. In choosing a tripod there are three qualities to seek out. You want one that is Light, Sturdy, and Cheap. Unfortunately, you can only get two of these qualities at a time. Cheap, sturdy tripods are not light, and light tripods are either not cheap or they are not sturdy. Most decent pods are going to run a hundred dollars or more with a head. Without a head you can’t use them. It’s like the camera, which needs a lens to be effective. For tight budgets I recommend Bogen/Manfrotto tripods. The 3001 legs with a 3025 or 3030 head are very reasonable in price and do the job. I use the 3221w legs, which can be extended taller than the 3001, and have combination ball/spike feet. The spikes come in handy on soft ground - or in tough neighborhood. In the field I use a 3262QR head which is a light duty ball head. It does not add a lot of weight to tote around. At home I have a heavier ball head, and a pan head for doing panoramas. For those willing to spend the money there are Gitzo magnesium tripods. You will have to ask the rec.photo.equipment.35mm forum which one is best, as I have never used a Gitzo. They have a cool finish reminiscent of Bell and Howell movie projectors from the 1950s. The RemoteOnce you have a tripod you need a remote. It’s like ham and eggs, or ham and cheese. If you have a modern camera you will probably need the remote designed for your specific model. Some will give you the choice between "wired" and "wireless". Each type has advantages and dis-advantages, so get both. By using the remote you are decreasing the amount you have to touch the camera. This not only decreases possibility of knocking the camera off target, but also the vibrations that will be inevitable using your finger to release the shutter. The FlashI am the worst person in the world to recommend flashes. I rarely use them, and when I do it’s usually more than one in a studio set up. I will say that the flash built into most cameras is not going to make your photos look very good. You remember Uncle Harpo’s pictures of your wedding? He used the built-in flash. When you decide to step up to a real flash look for one that is "dedicated" to your camera. The Grey CardThe world’s cheapest camera accessory. It will save you money on film. At ten to fifteen dollars how can you miss? Get a grey card. Trust me, it’s worth it. Remember you will need it to take the Grey Card Walk - look for it under Techniques! Return to top |