The 3 Best Camera Accessories

For the professional or budding photographer, there are many different cameras out there for all types of situations. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that there is also a wide range of accessories available on the market that can not only enhance photography but help to protect the equipment carried.

Tripod

The tripod was invented in the 1820s as a portable stand with three hinged pairs of legs. It was invented by Sir Francis Ronalds from Croydon. He would sell 140 of his stands between 1830 and 1840. The design was soon copied by others. For use in photography, it is invaluable as it allows for the camera to be kept still when taking images. All you need is a flat piece of ground to make use of it.

Lenses and Filters

The first camera lens was invented by Charles Chevalier soon after Louis Daguerre had invented photography in 1839. His lens was an achromatic landscape lens. This means that it was a lens containing two elements that reduced chromatic aberration. Different lenses today allow a photographer to take close-up shots from a distance, using telephoto or zoom technology, and to shoot panoramic views using wide angle lenses. Macro shots, or very close-up shots, almost like a microscope might view, can be taken to show the minutest details of an object. It is the quality of the lenses that plays an important part to how good a picture can be captured. They are an expensive part of the camera.

Filters which are made from glass or resin are attached to the camera lens. They block or filter certain colours, or light types, from coming into the camera. They can change the mood of a picture and create various effects. Examples of filters include graduated neutral or strong density filters, skylight filters, and polarising filters. The polarising filters can make the sky look a nice deep shade of blue. The kind of blue that you could liken to the sea on a beautiful hot and sunny day.

Camera Bag

A good strong bag is vital to keep your camera and its lenses well protected. The qualities that a good camera bag should have are that it should be well padded and have removable inserts to separate the different accessories. Camera bags can be customized to suit the requirements of the photographer. What you want to make sure is that one piece of equipment is not left touching another and that detachable lenses have caps on to protect them from being scratched.

Many photographers will want to carry two cameras, so will require extra space inside their bag. This is so that they can switch seamlessly from one camera to the other. Both cameras will be set up with different lenses or filters to quickly cover two possible photo opportunities. A good deal of photography is taken quickly before the shot is missed. With digital technology, the quality of images can be improved upon later. Having said that, a good deal of time can be spent waiting for the right shot. This includes sports photographers waiting for the most newsworthy action or those trying to capture the most endearing views of our feathered friends, either in the garden or in the wild.

In summary, these three types of accessories would seem to be the most useful aid to the photographer. The tripod which allows for steady pictures to be taken whether you have a steady hand or not or cannot hold the camera still and straight because of the windy conditions. The lenses and filters which allow for shots to be taken at different distances and to display different colours and tones that natural conditions would not allow. The camera bag is necessary to keep the camera and all its accessories safe. After all, the best cameras do not come cheap. Trying to think of other accessories would have us add to the list a lens hood that can block sun and other light sources to prevent glare, and other tools of the trade which help with improving the lighting conditions.

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