Lights, camera, go! A lot can be achieved with these three ingredients, but by no means everything. We provide you with the most useful accessories for your camera; Everything to pack when you first visit the store and some quirky ideas for later.
Let's start with the practical accessories that you should have in your camera bag. This is important for almost all photographers and is best purchased with the camera. At the end of the article, we will also introduce some accessories that can also be useful depending on the situation and photography style.
power supply
Picture 1: Welcome to buy batteries in family pack
Source: PCtipp.ch
The vast majority of cameras are sold with a battery and charger. A second charger can be practical, but is usually not necessary. However, the second battery is worth its weight in gold. Depending on what you plan to do with the camera, three or more batteries may make sense – especially when playing back video, Figure 1. Please note the CIPA ratings, shown in the images, for each camera battery charge. These are independent test values under extreme conditions. These tend to be very strict. In practice, it is usually possible to obtain many images. But: You can also use values as
Understand safety cushions. If you have enough battery life, even according to the CIPA rating, almost nothing will go wrong.
Pro Tip: Batteries do not like the cold and lose their charge more quickly at low temperatures. If you're outside in the winter, keep your batteries warm; Preferably close to the body. The battery in the camera especially benefits from warm conditions. A heat pad can help here.
storage
Image 2: CFexpress cards have become standard in modern professional cameras
Source: PCtipp.ch
Taking pictures without memory is possible, but it makes no sense. And: Memory cards are not included with most cameras. When purchasing a memory card, you should pay special attention to the following four features: type, storage space, speed, and quality, Figure 2.
The type should logically match the holes on your camera. Most consumer cameras use SD cards. On the other hand, professional cameras often rely on faster but also more expensive CFexpress cards.
Storage space depends largely on your requirements and budget. If money is no object, keep buying extra large cards. For photography, anything over 128GB is a bit of a luxury. If video is played, 128GB is the minimum value. Also keep in mind that for cameras that have two card slots, you can use them as a backup or redundant. Depending on which option you choose, you will have different space requirements.
The speed of the cards is mainly related to burst photos and videos. Most cameras with SD cards today are designed to take full advantage of the UHS-II standards. That is why this standard is currently recommended. You should avoid slower cards. The savings potential is fairly low anyway.
Finally, you should focus on quality when it comes to storage. Cheap memory cards are usually unreliable and break down more quickly. Avoid offers from the trash and rely on proven brands like SanDisk, Transcend or Samsung.
Pro Tip: If you mainly produce videos, check if your camera supports shooting to an external SSD – either via USB directly to the SSD or via HDMI to a recorder with a built-in SSD. Not only do you get a lot more memory for less money, but you can often use better quality levels that aren't possible directly on a memory card. Just remember that the SSD is attached to the camera and can get in the way.
Arch
Carrying your camera without a stand is great until it ends up on the floor and your expensive telephoto lens gets a glass break. You can prevent this by using a camera strap or similar solution. There are many variants: Most cameras come with a simple strap included in the scope of delivery. This is usually a black cloth strap with the manufacturer's name on it and narrower straps at the ends to attach the strap to the camera. Unfortunately, these straps are not particularly practical in practice and are harmful to the neck.
Photo 3: Shoulder straps like this one from BlackRapid are popular with professionals
Source: PCtipp.ch
Better options are a shoulder strap, Figure 3, or a hand strap, Figure 4. A padded shoulder strap is basically like a separate backpack strap that is placed over one shoulder. Finally, two thin strips of fabric are brought together and held by a screw that attaches to the camera tripod. The camera is hung on the side of the body and can simply be held up. With this option, you can also let go of the camera at once and use both hands. The shoulder strap requires more space and can be annoying if you're wearing a backpack.
Photo 4: The hand strap is small in size but a little less practical than the shoulder strap
Source: PCtipp.ch
The hand strap essentially attaches to the side of the camera and extends as a narrow band around the wrist. Providers like Peak Design also use quick release systems that allow you to quickly remove the camera from the strap. This type of composition is not particularly obvious, but the camera is always in your hand.
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