Must Have Digital Camera Accessories

Author — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:55:49 +0000

Every photographer will tell you that there are some digital camera accessories that are absolutely necessary, and of course, there are some that would just be nice to have. We won’t talk about the “oh my gosh, I gotta have its.” The must haves are the accessories you need to keep your camera safe and to always get the shot you want.

Bags

A bag or case for your digital camera is an accessory must. Digital cameras are small and somewhat delicate–small enough to fit in your pocket or your purse and delicate enough that they don’t tolerate a lot of dropping and banging around. Camera bags can be small, but they need to protect your camera. Some bags are hard and crush resistant, while others are padded.

When looking for a camera bag, think about how you will typically carry the camera. In your hand? Over your shoulder? In a backpack or bag? On your belt or in your pocket? Then, think about what items you will typically carry with it, for example, extra batteries, a lens cloth, or the instruction manual.

Be Prepared Accessories

If you want to be sure you will always be able to take that great shot of your son or grandson hitting a homerun, or your daughter or granddaughter sliding into home plate, you need to have two essential digital camera accessories: an extra battery and an extra memory stick or card.

Some batteries for digital cameras can be pricey, especially if they are rechargeable. Bite the bullet, buy the extra battery and make sure it is charged and ready to go. Other digital camera batteries are disposable, so it never hurts to have a couple on hand, and one in your camera bag.

Even if you have the largest capacity memory card or stick, it is still a wise photographer that keeps an extra on hand as one of the essential digital camera accessories. The capacity of the memory stick or card won’t help you much if the card gets damaged. Keep a spare.

A lens cloth may seem like a trivial accessory for your digital camera, but if you’ve ever taken a series of pictures with a speck on your lens, you’ll appreciate having a lens cloth on hand. The great thing about digital cameras is that you can see the specks right away.

Tripod

Tripods vary in size and expense. But some sort of tripod is another essential digital camera accessory that you cannot be without. Tripods can allow you to set up a shot, set the timer, and be in the photo when the picture snaps. Some are small enough to put in your camera bag.

Once you’ve gotten the essentials, look to the camera’s manufacturer for specialized accessories. For instance, if you have a Canon, the digital camera accessories, such as detachable flashes, are very often brand specific.

Okay you’ve got your essentials, you are ready to go and conquer the world with photographs with your digital camera and accessories.

Three Things To Look For In A Digital Camera

Author — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:40:39 +0000

Whether you are buying your first digital camera or looking to replace an old one, you’ll have a positive shopping experience if you know what features you want and need and what price you can afford. With brands and features as prevalent as shampoos, this can be a daunting task. Once you’ve considered the following questions, you’ll be armed with enough information to get exactly the camera you want for a price you can afford.

Who and How Will Use the Camera?

The first thing to consider is: who will use the digital camera? Will a spouse also be using this camera? Or your teenager? If more than one person will be using the camera, you will need to look at the durability, ease of use, battery life in a slightly different way than if you will be the sole user of the digital camera.

The second thing to consider is: how will I/we use the digital camera? What are my/our photographic goals? Think about how you will share your photographs. Will you be printing large images? Will you be sending images via email or publishing them on the Web? Perhaps you or someone in your family is a scrapbooker and will be using actual prints. The answers to these questions will tell you how much resolution you need. Resolution is measured in MP (mega pixels). The higher the resolution, the better the prints.

How and who uses the camera will also factor into what digital camera accessories you will need.

How Much Storage Capacity Do I Need?

The amount of storage capacity you need depends on how many photos you take at a time and how often. Some digital cameras have only internal storage capacity, which means that once you reach the capacity, you must download the pictures before you can take more.

Another option is to purchase a digital camera that uses a removable media, such as a PC card or Smart Flash. With removable media you store more photos on an external device and your digital camera’s memory is expanded so it can hold more pictures.

What Kind of Lenses and Modes Do I Need?

The most common lenses are telephoto or zoom lenses and wide-angle lenses. Most digital camera users want some degree of zoom. Price usually determines how much zoom they purchase.
Some cameras have a macro mode which allows you to bring the camera very close to the subject and not lose clarity and resolution. If you love taking pictures of bugs on leaves, or just leaves themselves, this might be an important mode for you to have on your digital camera.

The last step, if price is an issue, is to prioritize your wants and needs. Now you are ready to go and make a satisfying purchase.

Photography » Digital Camera Accessories

Must Have Digital Camera Accessories

Three Things To Look For In A Digital Camera