Top 9 Camera accessories that you must have for your DSLR

The cost of DSLR cameras have been brought down to such an extent that most people are opting for them rather than point and shoot cameras. DSLRs have a wide aperture which allows the entry of more light than a point and shoot camera. This produces better photographs than the latter.

If you have a DSLR and want to do more with it rather than only take photos of your family at gatherings, then here are the top 9 accessories that you must have with you to turn pro.

Lens
A lot of people believe that owning a good camera is equivalent to being able to click great photos. However, the lens being used is more important than the body of the camera along with your skill behind the lens. DSLRs are usually provided by a VR Kit lens which is great for learning the tricks of the trade. However, for better quality photos, you have to go beyond them.

Lenses available are of two kinds- fixed or prime with a single field depth which does not zoom out or in. Zoom lenses can zoom out and in through numerous depths. One of the lenses that you can have is the nifty fifty with a 50mm focal length and aperture of f/1.8. The lens is quite versatile and comes at a low price compared to different lenses. However, the lens is a fixed one and you have to focus by yourself. Another lens that you can consider is the f/1.8 with focal length of 35mm which is also fixed but is auto focused. The Tamron SP AF 17 to 50mm, f/2.8 Di-II XR SP LD IF Aspherical Zoom lens and the Tamron AF f/2.8 90mm SP MF/AF Di Macro Lens 1:1 is a great buy.

Remote and Tripod
In case of low light, the camera lens must stay open for long for entry of more light. This means your photos shall be blurred or grainy unless the camera is steadied on lightweight tripods. You could also get the wireless remote which will free you from moving the camera when the button is pressed. Both the devices are handy when clicking family or graduation photos or selfies even. These devices are not very expensive and make a big difference to your photos. The remote costs around $30 while the tripod is $30. You can get these camera accessories online.

White Balance Cards
If you want the white balance in your photos to be perfect, then these cards would come handy for adjusting the camera’s settings. Even though for every day photos, they are not essential. But for those special photos that you will be sending for contests or uploading on your website, the white balance cards would help a lot.

External Flash
The Neewer Flash Speedlight is a great one to get as it works with Canon and Nikon devices. It costs less than $40. Seasoned photographers would agree that the flash is not a great device to be used as it bathes the subject in a harsh light. However, for photographing dark interiors or during night time, they are needed. An external flash usually bounces of the camera’s inbuilt flash from the ceiling which softens the harsh flash that the camera originally produces.

Eye-Fi Card
The Eye Fi Card wirelessly and automatically uploads photographs from your device to your PC. It has changed the way photographers handle their camera completely. Whenever you are at home or reach home, the photos clicked shall be uploaded to your laptop. The new photos are usually uploaded on the camera while the old photos stay till you press delete. Because it is cordless, it works every time and you can save hours from uploading the photos.

UV Filter
Professional photographers usually swear by the accessory. They are usually meant for filtering UV light out but they also have a twin purpose of protecting your camera’s lens. The filter is placed on the top of the lens for protecting it from dust, impact, scratches and grime. You can find them among camera accessories online, costing anything between $5 and $100 based on the quality. If the lens that you use is of a high quality, then you should use higher quality filters.

Extra Batteries
Although it needs no saying, but we often forget the need to carry extra batteries. You would not want to be stuck at a photoshoot or vacation when your battery bar moves into the red zone. Charging the battery may not be possible and finding replacements on the spot would be difficult.

Great news is that trustworthy off-brand backup batteries are available on sites selling camera accessories online. If you can live with the use of non-branded batteries such as those not from Nikon or Canon, you will be able to save fifty percent on the expenses. You can find out more about back-up batteries for your model by entering the number of the battery that was bundled with the device on the internet and read customer reviews about the most suitable one.

Camera Case
It would be futile to re-emphasize the need to have a camera case but even those who would want to protect their DSLR postpone the purchase of the case. Even though you think you will have the camera in your hands or around your neck mostly, you still have to have the case. When you are travelling you will be travelling with many accessories such as memory cards, extra lenses, card readers, filters and extra batteries along with cleaning kit. When you know what kind of stuffs you have to store in your bag, you will have a clearer picture of the kind of backpack or bag you need. You should go for a bag which has a lot of external protection and padding for making your equipment safe when you are working outdoors.

Cleaning Kit
Irrespective of whether you use a UV filter or not, you should have these items as a part of your cleaning kit.

1. Microfiber cloth for wiping smudges and fingerprints
2. Dust blower for blowing away specks of dust and dirt
3. Brush and cleaning pen combo for fingerprint free, precise lens cleaning