This article presents the top 5 pieces of equipment for photographers, compiled based on user opinions. These photography accessories will be useful for both beginners to hone their photography skills and professionals who know what they’re doing. The lens hood is an important part of the equipment. It allows you to protect the lens from damage. If you want to know what is a lens hood and how to choose one, you can read about it on Skylum’s blog.

photography

The everyday lens

Experienced photographers have lenses with different focuses in their arsenal for a variety of shooting. For beginners, however, in order to “get the hang of it,” professionals recommend buying a zoom lens for everyday use. It’s easier to change the focus. For example, a goal at a soccer match is best captured at a focus distance of more than 70 mm. But for portraits, the optimal distance is 50 mm. For landscape photography, the ability to change focus will also be a plus.

Lenses with a variable focus value of 24-70 mm are in high demand among photographers. Such a lens allows a beginner to try different areas of photography. If you can afford it and want to expand your capabilities, you can also buy a 28-105 mm zoom. It makes it easy to create diverse works.

You should consider your options and prioritize for yourself, from most to least important.

  • Lenses that scale, such as the 14-42mm, 16-50mm, 18-50mm, 18-55mm, or 18-105mm lenses. These are fairly versatile lenses, and using them will give you a clear idea of what special lenses to buy in the future;
  • A prime lens that does not scale, such as 25mm f/1.8, 35mm f/1.8, or 50mm f/1.8. Fixed focal length lenses are especially good for portraits and “shallow focus” photos;
  • A telephoto lens, for example, 55-200 mm. This type of lens allows you to photograph distant subjects, which may be necessary when photographing wildlife or sports, although not all photographers need this feature in the first place.

Professionals who need to take a close-up shot of a bird in a tree today and a football player’s facial expression at a crucial moment tomorrow choose lenses with a zoom of 70 to 300 mm for their daily work.

External flash

At first glance, the need for such an assistant may seem questionable. After all, cameras have a built-in flash. However, there are a number of reasons to get a good external flash.

  • It is more powerful than the internal one. Often, the built-in flash is not powerful enough to shoot from a distance of more than 5 meters. An additional device will make it possible to shoot objects at a greater distance, and when working with wide-angle lenses, you can fill a large area of the frame with light.
  • External flash has a faster recharge speed. Compared to the internal flash, it has shorter intervals between shots. Allows for burst shooting (unless, of course, you are using an original accessory and not a fake from China).
  • External models have adjustable settings. It is convenient for the photographer. It becomes possible to set the parameters of the flash according to your needs. You can adjust the angle of view, power, and even the level of automation. Also, an external gadget allows you to point its “head” in the right direction or move the flash a little further from the camera. The photographer can play with light to create interesting creative works.
  • This is standalone equipment. Once you buy an external flash, you can use it with several cameras. This device is battery-powered, so it won’t drain your camera’s battery.
  • The external flash has add-ons that expand the photographer’s capabilities. These include light diffusers, additional chargers, and more. A good external flash is a useful piece of equipment for both beginners and pros.

tripod

Tripod

This equipment is used not only in photo studios. Although some photographers dislike working with tripods because of their bulkiness and the need to carry them everywhere, there are types of filming that you can’t do without this assistant.

To take close-up photos, a tripod is essential, because even the slightest camera shake can ruin the shot.

Portrait photography

A tripod helps a photographer create good-quality portraits and self-portraits even at home. For portrait photography, perfectly adjusted light is extremely important, and the slightest movement of the camera can negate all lighting settings. For the same reason, a tripod is indispensable for studio photography.

Landscape photography and photography of architectural objects

To get good pictures, you often have to set up the equipment for a long time, catch the shot, or wait for a ray of sunlight to fall on the object at the right angle. As a result, your hands start to shake and the photo is at risk of being ruined. This is where a tripod comes in handy.

Night photography

To take great photos at night, you need to increase the shutter speed and set a good exposure. The shutter speed can be increased to several minutes, during which the camera should be pointed at the subject and be still. If you take photos handheld, the photos are likely to be blurry and fuzzy. Therefore, those who like to take pictures at night should also purchase a tripod.

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Camera

A good camera should be like an extension of the shooter’s hand. It should be used effortlessly to make shooting as easy as possible. So, which camera should you choose?

The best choice for many photographers to start with is an entry-level DSLR (DSLR) or a mirrorless digital camera. The difference between these two types of cameras is that DSLRs have a viewfinder based on a mirror behind the lens at a 45-degree angle to its optical axis. This allows you to see directly through the shooting or auxiliary lens. Mirrorless cameras have no mirrors, which makes them smaller and lighter. There is nothing wrong with using a camera that you already have, even if it is a smartphone camera. You can take great pictures with any equipment, as long as you know its limits and capabilities clearly.