Camera What/Which DSLR accesories to pick up?

m-jeri

m-jeri

A Nobody.
Skilled
Hi all..

I just now got my DSLR basic kit. Got a Sandisk class 4 8GB card also.

Now need to pick up few decent accesories. and i need to know the purpose of it also. coz no idea. Lowest price ones only i need. nothing fancy.

Most of the products will be from Uk/Japan if possible. else not much price diff from India itself.

1. Filters. whats the exact use of these??.. i saw even colored ones. i tght its just for lens protection. :S. which one to get? links please.
2. Hoods. whats the exact use of these??.. which one to get? links please. can one be used across any lens i get?
3. Bag.. I am sold in this one..Lowepro SlingShot 102 AW...
Price from UK also the same around.. are smartshoppers genuine and prompt.. shall i get it
4. Mem card.. thght of getting a 32GB class 10 one from mediahome.. think that be enough..
5. Need a screen guard. which one to get??. saw one if ebay for 550D.. same screen size.. shall i get it?
6. Dunno if i ever need a tripod.. so thats not in list..

Posting this now.. coz few people coming from over.. so if abroad..

anything else?

Any help appreciated.

m-J
 
1) A UV filter for the lens
2) No need for now... IMO.. But you can get one for ur kit if u want too to elimate flare in bright sunny conditions
And hood just makes your camera very intimidating which is never good in street photography and shooting people
3) You choose already
4) You can get the 32gb but will you need that .... I mean 16gb can store around 3500 shots... and Videos would be around enough in that 16gb also... So whats the point of getting a 32gb card instead get a extra battery if you dont already have one and a 16gb card
Also your battery wont last more than 300 shots I suppose... So do you think you will keep charging and filling it for 32 gb like 7000+ shots...
My entire Manali trip with 2 cameras and constant clicking didn't result in more than 800 shots.... :p
5) Screen guard... Get from a local camera vendor
6) Get a small light tripod as it comes very handy.... I have a Sony small one which fits in my bag and I carry it everywhere... Imagine carrying a good heavy tripod up a mountain ... But thats just my view point as most like heavy good tripod... I love the small Sony handycam tripods ...
 
1. Filters - Clear, UV, Starlight, are used most commonly to protect your lens from scratches,accidental knocks, reduces UV haze, add a warm glow to your pics respectively . Special effect filters like Polarisers, Neutral density, Graduated etc are for making skies look bluer, remove reflections, add grey touches to ur pics etc etc. A search in google will explain a lot more. If you are a beginner get a decent UV filter (Hoya, Tiffen, Marumi etc) and a polariser(Hoya) if you want do landscapes.

2. Hoods stop the sun from hitting your lens directly and causing flares and glare. Some lenses come with their own hoods. Buy one if u dont have one.

3. Pretty adequate if you don't plan on adding more kit in 1 years time.

4. 2 memory cards please. 16GB each. You are far better off with a spare incase one conks off.

5. Any screen guard will do.

6. Tripod is a must if you plan to do landscapes and low light & night photography. Invest in a decent one. Recommendation : Manfrotto 055x ProB, Vanguard Alta 263AT, Benro A-068 & BH00-M. With manfrotto and the vanguard u will have to invest in a head as well. Benro is gud for a not so hardcore photographer. You can consider others as well if u like. Just my suggestion.

Cheers
 
Any tools for lens cleaning like air blower, brush, microfiber cloth, alcohol(advisable?) we see in youtube videos? Are these readily available, if so at what price?
 
1. Filters :: UV filter for protecting the lens front, in dusty/grimy conditions , or if you are shooting from a moving vehicle.

For now, only 1 filter is enough. You can wait and get the others later as and when you feel the need.

2. No need for a hood, use your left hand to shade the lens if you have the sun just outside the picture frame, but hitting the lens with horrible flare.

3. Dont know, i have a shoulder bag :)

4. 2 cards, i think 2 X 8gb would probably be enough. I have 16 gb over 3 cards myself

5. dont know :bleh:

6. Considering something in this myself, and reading up on Zurg's comments. Its really quite a commitment to carry a tripod for me. Atleast until i get a backpack which has space to hook it on.
 
1. There are various kind of filters... UV, CPL, ND, GND, color filters etc... all have their own purpose.. Now a days UV is generally used for protecting the front element of the lenses.. they were rather imp during film era. CPL polarizes the light, i.e. make sky more blue cuts reflection etc... ND is used to stop down..

If U are too cautious about lenses get a good quality UV filter to protect them.. avoid cheap UVs, it will ruin the IQ and images with no benefit.... get CPL if in landscaping etc..

The color filters were used in film era for white balancing..

2. Hoods do the same thing what your head cap does in summer... as told, cuts off flare and glare.. many pro consider it as a must for lenses.. and regard it as higher than UV filters for protection

3. Choose the one U are comfortable with.... Take care that Slingshot 102AW dont go too small that U need to change it after getting any new lens

4. 16GB in all seems to be enough...8+8 GB class 10 seems good.. might need more if u r in HD video shooting... earlier people shoot JPEG and shoot too many photos.... As we grow and learn, there is a shift to RAW and less photos.. so it actually get balanced.

5. Get any decent one... dont go for too cheap ones.. since all the time U need to rub the nose with the screen :p (I tried putting some by myself but almost failed everytime.. will get it done by a shopkeeper now)

6. even if U plan for a tripod, Plz dont waste money in cheap 1k tripods.. At present U will feel like tripod is not a need (stand hi to hai akhir).. Later after 6 months or more U will realize their importance.. that time get a decent stable one with good head..:) Pro thinks tripod is a key to sharp photos (and we follow them blindly :eek:hyeah:)

7. Get a airtight box and silica gel to store the cam.. Dont let ur gear lie in a drawer or an cupboard just like other stuff.. Fungus often comes without invitation..

a-J :D
 
^^

Hey.... can u provide me with any links for the items in focus??

And the box.. i just keep it in my cupboard.. :S... thats bad i guess. Any DIY soln or readymade ones??.. where the hell i am gonna get a airtight box..??

the ones that we put food in perhaps?
 
m-jeri said:
^^

Hey.... can u provide me with any links for the items in focus??

And the box.. i just keep it in my cupboard.. :S... thats bad i guess. Any DIY soln or readymade ones??.. where the hell i am gonna get a airtight box..??

the ones that we put food in perhaps?
Click to expand...
1. Good CPL HOYA FILTERS - The Difference is Clear

2. what link to give for hoods :S

3. some good pieces from Kata, Lowerpo and tamrac are there... Kata D467i, Lowepro slingshot 202/302 AW, Kata 3n1 series.. some tamrac also there... google the name and U will get it

4. SanDisk Extreme® HD Video SDHC

or High Speed SDHC Card - SanDisk Extreme® SDHC

20 mb/s seems decent to me... Using the same..and happy :)

30mb/s could be brought for self satisfactory..

5. Even I m searching for one... Zagg and gadgetshieldz are quite talked in TE

6. U arent getting it right now... are U?? if yes.. I guess Brendon and other members can help U better.. I m outdated :p

7. pappu made it.. Tupperware etc will do it... Silica gel is another imp part of it.....if needed U can put a hygrometer too...
 
Get what you NEED.

Hello TE Forum.

To the OP's request for information I will share the following prejudices:

1. Buy only what you know you need. Don't just get stuff because you "think it might come in handy" or some such. One can accumulate a lot of stuff he does not need if buying by impulse.

2. You will need a UV filter, as it is useful to keep salt spray, sand, and kiddie smudges off of your prized optics. I would use them mostly only when needed for such protection. Some of them will cut the haze from the UV component in light in long distance shots. Some are not as effective as others. Hoya is a good brand. Buy thin, multicoated filters in black metal mounts. A circular polarized filter and a neutral density filter of two or three stops will probably prove useful at some point. Other filters should be bought only as a known need demands them, IMO.

3. A sunshade optimized for each optic is a must. It cuts flare and improves contrast. It protects the lens. You won't see many pros not using them. If one is concerned that a sunshade makes his camera have too strong a presence, then perhaps he needs a camera having a smaller form factor. This is one of many reasons that some pros preferred Leicas to SLRs a generation ago.

4. Get a couple of external terabyte drives or some other scheme to back up your images. The drives are cheap, considering all the other expensive investment that went into making your digital images.

5. Get an extra battery pack and keep it charged. An extra CF or whatever card too.

6. Invest in a rock solid tripod that does not wobble with the heaviest lens attached to the camera. It will not be one of the cheap ones that most beginners buy. Try them out before buying. A remote release is needed for the camera too.

7. Learn how to use lens tissue and lens cleaner fluid properly and keep them in your kit. You never know when that other re-useable stuff will become too contaminated to put on your lens again. With the exception of a soft brush to knock dust off of an optic, I try to NEVER use any cleaning device more than once on an expensive optic. Yes, alcohol is okay for cleaning a lens. The fog from your breath will work in a pinch.

8. Don't buy a camera case that reveals that it is photographic. It's like saying "Steal Me." Get one that allows instant access to its contents without digging when opened. It needs to be able to keep contents dry when it rains.

9. Take only what you need for a shoot. Plan for it ahead. Good luck.

Enough.

Henry
 
OT: He is the GMOD at JJM. And his experience in photography is extensive.

One of his point which Brendon stresses a lot too is to not skip on the tripod. Save up for a good tripod, but don't compromise on it.
 
woooohha.

Old thread bumped by the oldest member. And a very informative answer too.

Thanks Sir.

Honestly i am also thinking what u said exactly. First purchase IS a tripod. Need to get that night photos good. :D. And already have a good bag. Only pblm is "easy accessibility". :(
 
Hi Guys.

Thanks to each of you for the warm welcome here at TE. I'm truly honored to be in such good company. I hope we will enjoy many good conversations about technology going forward.

Happy day.

:)

Henry
 
Doesn't Nikon provide warranty for accessories like battery:huh:

Actually i was looking towards getting a Nikon EN-EL5 battery and i was under the assumption that Nikon would be providing 6months-1year warranty on the battery but one of the stores at fort whom i had contacted regarding the battery said this "Nikon Original EN EL5 Li-ion Battery does not carry any warranty. Nikon does not provide any warranty on any of there accessories":O

When i checked on Nikon India's site, it said the following:S
Nikon Service Warranty (Local Warranty)
4) THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWINGS:
• ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING BATTERIES, CHARGER, AC ADAPTOR, AND OTHER CONSUMABLES.
Nikon India Private Limited

PS: didnt know where to post this, so posted here since this thread is regarding accessories.:)
 
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