My Top Three Favorite Camera Accessories!
I buy a lot of camera gear. Some call it an addiction, but I look at it as market research 🙂 It helps when you have a business centered around photography, for sure! Of all the gear I own though, there are three essential piecesI put on every camera I have.
I recently purchased a 665nm IR Converted Sony a7. She was beautiful when I took her out of the box, but then I noticed how naked she was. I couldn’t let her go out in public like that so I ordered the three things that I just cannot live without anymore. These pieces of gear are not for looks and style though, they all serve a very important purpose, and I buy them for a reason.
An L-Bracket
This is first because it is the most important for my style of shooting and the pieces of gear that I own. I only purchase all Arca Swiss compatible items to ensure all my camera bodies will mount on the ball head that I am using. For those who may not be familiar with Arca Swiss, it is a style of tripod head adapter that is uniquely universal and not proprietary to any one company.
Last year I had a big Manfrotto head. I loved it. It was sturdy, it locked my camera in place like no other tripod head I had used in the past, and it was always reliable in any shooting conditions. However, it had one big limiting factor. It had a proprietary adapter that only worked with Manfrotto ball heads, and the extra plates weren’t exactly cheap. I would find myself forgetting them at home when I needed to attach another camera body. I know that is a camera gear “first world problem” but when it happens to you enough, you get pretty irritated!
After a couple of frustrating outings, I decided to switch over all my tripod heads to Arca Swiss and purchase Arca Swiss compatible L Brackets for all my camera bodies. Now I don’t worry about extra plates because the Arca-Swiss L-Bracket slides right into the tripod head. Oh, the things I wished I’d known when I first started shooting!
Tip: Don’t go buying some $180 L bracket, that is highway robbery and absolutely ludicrous. Amazon sells Neewer and Haoge L Brackets for nearly $20 a piece no matter the body. Save that money for a good ball head. Just go to Amazon and type your Camera name + L Bracket and buy the cheapest one with the best reviews. Seriously, it’s a stinkin’ piece of metal; the $180 version is no different!
The exact L Bracket I purchased for the a7.
A Good Strap
A good camera strap is essential. I am not a fan of the straps that come with the Sony cameras. They are dainty, ugly, and are very painful after a long day of shooting. I prefer something a bit more comfy for hiking with versatility when shooting on a tripod.
I prefer the Peak Design Summit Edition strap. Their limited edition blue or red strap is very comfy with gel impregnated inside the webbing strap. They also have a unique quick disconnect system that is awesome for long exposure photography because you can remove it if it is windy as to avoid camera shake.
Furthermore, being a former FAA certified Master Parachute Rigger, I find their attention to detail incredible. From the unique quick disconnect design to the stitch patterns and hardware selection, they have my vote. I am a hard one to win over in that department.
A Screen Protector
I cannot tell you how important a good screen protector is. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy and elaborate, but that little piece of plastic film will save you years of heartache. All it takes is one wrong move, and the LCD screen can get scratched, dinged, broken, or chipped. I have purchased many of these screen protectors, and I am glad I have. You should look for something clear.
You should look for something clear. Some of these say they are clear, but they have a dull matte finish that can make your LCD screen appear pixellated and fuzzy. Others are perfectly translucent and, if installed correctly, will install so seamlessly they look like the naked LCD.
I have purchased so many of these screen protectors from various companies that I cannot recommend any one brand that is better than the others, but I did snag this one for the a7 that you see in the video.
So what are your top 3 accessories that go on your camera?
For Blake, it's all about the art and process synergy. He dives deep into complex topics and makes them easy to understand through his outside-the-box thinking so that you can use these tricks in your workflow today!
One piece I use all the time and it is an accessory, is the Giottos Rocket Blaster. This is used daily at a minimum and often several times a day. When I am out hiking, dust is attracted to my lens!
#1 I don’t like the L-bracket because you have to remove it to replace the battery.
#2 I like the Black Rapid strap because the camera slides so easily into position without having to take it from around my shoulder.
Many L-brackets are designed to allow you to remove the battery without removing the L-bracket. At least there are some on Amazon for my Nikon D500.
These L-brackets have a big enough opening so you can still access the battery with no problem.
L- bracket, Not in my Nikon 810D
A screen protector is a must and like you I use Expert Shield. A good camera strap is also a must only I went for a Matin as it came highly recommended in a UK Camera Magazine, So far I have not been disappointed. My final item which doesn’t really go on the camera is a set of Lenspen cleaners.
Did you get the anti-glare or the clear style Expert Shield? What about you Blake?
How long (how many years) does it last?
I have the normal one, not the anti glare. The anti glare ones tend to pixellate the screen too much and through off the image IMO. I have had some of these on my cameras for 3+ years without replacing them. It depends on how well you apply them. Make sure no dust is caught under the shield and that the edges are flush with no hangover.
Two favorites:
#2 – The Nikon S9900 I keep in the center console of my car. Compact enough, versatile, sufficient quality, good battery life, always there even on trips to the grocery store!
#1 – The foam strap I bought about 32 years ago. I think it might be wetsuit material, but what I do know is that it is soft, a bit stretchy, conforms to my body, doesn’t slip, and comfortable for long periods. It is a bit dirty and sweat-stained, but shows no sign of deterioration in any of the materials, stitching, etc. It was probably a store-brand, but it is unmarked, and I’ve never seen another like it.
I agree with the L bracket, a must have item. One item I would recomend is the Acrateck GP ballhead. A bit expensive but well worth the price. This ballhead is very sturdy, easy to clean due to its open design. Best feature is the ability to switch the mount plate flipping the ballhead over and bringing the pano plate to the top. This makes it much easier to level, no more trying to level the tripod, all done from the ballhead, also good for vertical pano’s when using the side mount on the L bracket.
Yes indeed, the acratech ballhead is the best. I like the Sony screen protector for my old A7 and it’s replacement the A7rII. I got a huge gouge in it a few days after putting it on the A7, when I took it off to sell the camera the screen was as perfect as the day I bought it.
Dave:
Acratech makes quality stuff and they are lighter than RRS ballheads. I use RRS brackets with a Acratech Panoramic Head w/ a lever release.
I use a leveling base with the pano head. I set the tripod to about level and use the leveling base to aline the horizon. The pano head only moves in 4 directions (tilt up & down plus rotation cw & ccw) which is fine because no matter how I compose my shot I stay level to the horizon.
Cal
Decent tripod….can’t limit this conversation….
Agreed! However, I am talking about things that go ON the camera and live ON the camera. A Tripod is a necessity, but it is not always on the camera. So, what accessory to you need on your camera aside from a good tripod?
You don’t NEED an L-bracket unless you use a tripod so in a way the tripod/l-bracket go hand in hand. That being said I love my Neweer $16-20 Sony L-brackets. Insane to spend $180 for this kind of item…
True, but most people that visit the site are landscape people so that tid bit helps… alot!
I’ve grown to like the PacSafe Carry strap for my cameras. It’s not a quick release but is designed to be safe from slashers and the like in that it has metal cords running the length and the connection to the camera resists cutting as well. Non-affiliate Amazon link: https://smile.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0064NU1EM/associatizer-20/
Seeing as i am now a full Sony user, I have a battery grip on both my A7R and A6300.
Polarizing Filter would be 2nd
And detachable neoprene camera strap
Do you use the strap with your Sony A7RII? I have a Really Right Stuff L bracket and I’m trying to figure out if can attach a strap to that bracket??
I do, but I don’t use RRS. I attached my strap to the L bracket. The Neewer one has slots for it.
RRS has a small clamp, B2-MAS that clips onto any ACRA Swiss “L” plate that I attach a Black Rapid or Peak strap
Blake,
Strap: I almost (don’t you just love qualifiers?) always clip my camera to D-rings on the shoulder straps of my back pack, camera pack or harness using Op/Tech system connectors. This keeps the weight off of my neck. I have spring clips on each end of the connectors and 1.25″ split rings on my heavy D810. Easy to attach and quick to remove when using a tripod.
L-Bracket: A must! RRS brackets on my cameras and lenses and their clamps on my tripods and monopod.
LCD protector: Nah. I am not gentle with my gear – I use it. Over the years, with several different cameras, the only scratches on the LCD have been on the protectors because they are softer. Also, the protectors slightly defuse the LCD output, which may not bother most people, but I use a loupe for fine focussing manual lenses and the scratch or scrape will always be right where my important focus point is. In 5 years of beating on my D800 & D810 I several dents and scrapes on the bodies but none on the LCD.
Good thread. Cal
My three essentials are:
1 – A CP filter on every lens I own. No more fumbling with filters from lens to lens.
2 – A simple cube-shaped bubble level for the flash shoe. Essential for all ball-head users and only cost a few dollars on eBay.
3 – A wired shutter release with velcro attached to the back of the controller. When not in use, attach the controller to a tripod leg; when (and wherever) the tripod goes, so does the shutter release.
I prefer the BozStrap. You can use it an a camera sling but do not have to remove the strap from the L bracket in order to use it in a tripod. Many of the walking sling straps (like the Black Rapids) are screwed into the bottom of the L-bracket so you have to remove it in order to use a tripod. Not with the BozStrap.
I’m no professional like you peeps but one of my ‘must have’ things on my Canon is
.
.
.
.
a lens
🙂 🙂 🙂
Seriously though – does anybody have any experience of using a ‘hot shoe’ GPS device?
Mark.
That’s preposterous! 🙂
I haven’t used one, but I know some that love them.
My three essentials
1. Just got a new essential that goes on my iPhone rather than my camera:!
Lumulabs amazing head that fits on phone and measures: Color Temperature, White Balance, Flash and Ambient Exposure or Illuminance.
2. Hoodman – Hood Loupe so I can see the histogram on the back of my camera in bright daylight.
3. Platypod Pro Max.
3a. Gardener’s kneeling pad so I can take low level images in comfort on any surface without damaging or soaking my knees!
In-camera or in-lens stabilization is nice, but for longer shutter speeds you still need a good tripod. The accessory I have to have is either a wired or a wireless remote shutter release. In this situation, pressing the on-camera shutter button just doesn’t cut it. I had a Sigma DP3 Merrill that (once you adapted to its idiosyncrasies) captured images of truly stunning quality. But it had no support for a remote shutter release and capturing long exposures was so hit and miss (to my frustration, mostly miss) that I finally gave up and sold the camera.
I put decent quality UV filters over all my lenses for front element protection. The hot mirror filter that sits over your sensor blocks all UV so a piece of high-quality, optically clear glass would work just as well.
richard
—
– Which nationality is the symbolized by a single feline? Catalonia.
I hate straps that hang around my neck or over my shoulder. I have started using the Spider Holster. It puts the camera weight on my waist. I hang a tripod on the other side of the belt. Recently I was walking through a national park and I could not believe how liberated I felt with both hands free and nothing swinging on a strap.
1) Screen protector
2) Comfortable strap or tether of some kind
3) Flash bounce cards – very handy for modifying the on-camera flash for indoor shots. Hard to explain, but work great!
http://a.co/j53hKnK is the link for the Sony mirrorless models.
Very first thing is a UV filter formthe front of the lens. This came in handy recently when my partner dropped her camera and shattered the Filter but her lens glass was ok. Only problem we have now is, getting the Filter off the lens – it’s was so,badly dented that we can’t get it off the lens. Thanks Blake for trying.
Only two right now, a circular polarizer and an Optech Double Sling strap. The Double Sling was inexpensive and I was skeptical at first but it is a fantastic strap for anyone who uses 2 cameras. I use lower end Nikons and like to carry 2 with different lenses and I can backpack in the car -;0)