We invite you to read our selection of very cool and essential DSLR accessories that you should consider.
The time to select the essential DSLR accessories to face your next great vacation adventure can be more complicated than you can imagine. The great unknown is: to travel comfortably and lightly or to carry all the equipment that you have? Before trying to answer the previous question you need to do an even more important one: What kind of pictures do you expect to take? When preparing your backpack to make a trip, there are many scenarios and possibilities with which you can get to bump so, taking some time to think about which pictures you want to find on the way back, will be fundamental.
That is why, in today’s article, I have prepared a list of the main aspects that you should pay attention to, if you want to travel comfortably but, at the same time, without losing any great photography. Very cool and essential DSLR accessories.
Aspects to take into account when choosing the material:
Trip type: Couples
Means of transportation
When deciding what to take on a trip, the way you are going to move is essential. Moving in your car is not the same as traveling by plane, bike, or on foot. The way you are going to travel will determine how much material you are willing to carry. The material weighs, and nothing is more tiring than loading with various objects that you will not use.
Type of route
Do you go to a fixed and safe place where you can store the material that you will not use? For example, if you are going to photograph landscapes in the morning, maybe you take the tripod and the wide-angle, but if you go to do portraits of the locals in the afternoon, maybe prefer a medium focal instead of the tripod and the wide. Or, on the contrary, are you going to be changing places every little time?
In this case, you may be more interested in traveling with the minimum necessary for your comfort. I assure you that carrying too many things is one of the worst things you can do when you are traveling. In the end, you can become so tired that you do not feel like taking the camera out of the backpack.
Number of days
It is not the same to be outside for a week than a month. In the first case, perhaps you can dispense with carrying a computer where you can download your images or even a hard disk where you go back up. On very long trips, it is important to have a device where you can download your photographs. So you have the information on the memory cards and another device that will make you back up, and even if there is a situation where you have no space on the cards, you can empty them knowing that you have them stored in a safe place.
Soak up the place
Buy a guide and/or look for information about where you are going. Look for related images and decide what interests you to see and what does not, get inspired by them, and take ideas because based on the type of images or where you go, you will need one type of material or another. Equally important is that you get soaked up in the local customs, know what is good to photograph and what is not, and you can avoid some serious situations.
Basic accessories on any photo tour:
Backpack
The backpack is the most important camera accessory for travelers. The most important thing is that it is comfortable, and light and allows you to handle it agile when taking out or storing the camera, lenses, and so on. If you have several compartments so you can have everything organized, much better, and if it is waterproof, it would almost be perfect. If it is not perfect, do not worry, but organize it well and try to get the best of it.
Buy the best camera bag here
Body
If it is a pleasure trip, with a body you will have more than enough. If you have two and you do not want to change your optics at any moment, you can take both, but the weight will also have to be multiplied by two. A good option, and less weight, is to accompany your SLR with some compact to capture images that do not need too much technique (Selfies or group photos), so you also make sure that if unfortunately, one fails you in the middle of the trip, you always have other.
Buy the best camera here
Lenses
In case you have several lenses, think about what kind of images you want to do. Are you passionate about the landscape? The portrait? Fixed focal points?
Teleobjectives (55-200mm approx.)
Very useful to approach situations that you can not or do not give repair access to. The standard openings are usually more closed than those of other lenses, and the more open, are more expensive, so bear in mind that they are lenses that a priori need sufficient light.
Wide-angle (12-20mm approx.)
The classics for landscapes, because they are the ones that allow you the most framing.
Focal medium (50-70mm approx.)
The 50mm is the one that most resembles human vision. You can also find it as a fixed focal with a large aperture, which will allow you to shoot in low-light conditions.
Off-road (18-200mm approx.)
If you have enough leftovers with one of these off-road lenses, you only have to carry one of them. They are designed to be “right” at every distance, though they can never match the more specialized fixed or focal optics in quality. Whatever you decide, do not forget the front or back covers!
Buy the best camera lenses here
Tripod
Before the classic question and decision to take it or not, think in general terms about what utility you usually give the tripod. If you are passionate about the long exposure, the time-lapse, the landscape, the rivers with silky effect, etc. then take it. If not, if you are one of those who always manage to forget it in a corner, those who prefer to go light and like the speed … then leave it at home, do not fool yourself, people do not change from day to day.
Buy the best camera tripod here
Essential DSLR accessories: Cleaning Kit
The simplest ones are very economical and always they must accompany you (and not only on the trips). The most basic ones usually have an air pear with a brush, microfiber cloth, and/or cleaning paper and cleaning liquid. The kit occupies the minimum and will be very useful for cleaning lenses, crystals, or mirrors without damaging them.
Buy the best cleaning kit here
Charger
They are neither cheap nor easy to find according to what place and what camera you have. So you mustn’t forget it. So if you can, make it one of the first things you put in your backpack (the camera is less likely to be forgotten).
Buy the best charger here
Batteries
If you still have only one battery, this is the time to buy a second battery. If you are going to spend your day photographing and away from outlets it is always a great option to take at least two. And even if you suddenly fail during the trip, you can at least have an extra and cover part of the day.
Buy the best batteries here
Power adapter
Find out what type of current and plugs have the place you are going to go to. Unfortunately, they are not universal, so inquire and, if you need an adapter, buy it before the trip. It may be difficult for you to find it there or you simply can not find it directly there.
Buy the best power adapter here
Various memory cards
As a rule, it is better to carry several memory cards of less capacity than a large capacity, as long as you take care of them and take special care not to lose any. If you only go with one and lose it or you get hurt, you will lose all the images. However, if you have several and some of them are lost or damaged, you will keep, at least, the rest.
Buy the best memory cards here
Essential DSLR accessories: Filters
It does not hurt to take any of these filters on a trip:
- Polarizer: Prevents glare on shiny surfaces and intensifies colors.
- UV filter: The easiest way to protect your targets. If you do not have one, it is highly recommended that you buy it (usually very economical).
- Neutral Density Filters: To reduce the intensity of light coming through the lens.
For example, if you want to take pictures with a wide aperture (say you want the background defocused) but you have too much light and even speeding up the images are overexposed, or if you want low speeds in situations of high light, etc. Within the filters of neutral density, you have different degrees or intensities to let more or less light pass.
Buy the best camera filters here
External Flash
An external flash does not take up too much or weigh too much. But, if you’ve never missed it if you guard it jealously in a corner inside your box practically untouched … leave it at home. On the contrary, if you use it at least from time to time, you enjoy its handling and its effects, then do not hesitate to add it to the suitcase.
Buy the best external flash here
Essential DSLR accessories: Lens Hood
When you are traveling, you usually photograph at all hours, adapting to the hours of light that you find in each place. Therefore, because you will not always be in the place indicated with the appropriate light, you mustn’t forget the lens hood to avoid flares or unwanted lights on your lens.
Buy the best camera lens hood here
Waterproof case for camera
Or in its cheap version, a plastic bag (although not comparable). It does not matter if you intend to go to the Sahara or Atacama or Gobi desert and rains an average of two days a year. Maybe that day you are the one that is there. So just in case, it is not bad to foresee it and have everything necessary to face the situation. Also, miss the rainy days with the wonderful images that offer us.
Buy the best waterproof case here
Notepad and pen
Yes, as in the old days. It will serve to point out the names of the places of the photographs, to record the best hours to photograph them, anecdotes, ideas … whatever you think.
Buy NotePad and Pen here
Checklist: Essential DSLR accessories
The human being loves the lists. Lists of New Year purposes, shopping lists, lists of all kinds. Lists we rarely met. But for once, I advise you to make the effort. Take some time to think and list all the necessary photographic elements for your trip. Once you have it in mind, make a list (on the computer it would be perfect because you can save it, modify it, and print it each time you go on a trip).