It’s exciting to purchase a new camera, but there’s a lot more to it than just the body and lens. There’s a whole range of camera supplies out there that can cost you an arm and a leg. But you don’t need every single one of them.

One of the first things to learn when you start out with your new camera is figuring out what accessories are essential and which ones are optional. For starters, this can be quite confusing. A lot of people break their banks buying a lot of gear that they really don’t need hoping to improve their photography and cinematography skills. Apart from the fact that a lot of it depends on the ability of the person to frame a shot and to use the available lights to their advantage, beginners have to be careful what extras they get. This article will help you make the right choices as a beginner when you are accessorising your camera.

Four essential camera accessories to buy

The biggest challenge people often face after getting their first camera is figuring out what else they need to buy. Because photography and cinematography equipment is expensive, one has to be really careful about accessorising the camera. A hobbyist photographer doesn’t need a high-end external monitor. Likewise, a cinematographer doesn’t need an external Speedlite flash. Here is a list of essential items that anybody with a camera must have. While this is not a comprehensive guide to all kinds of camera accessories out there, this article will help you get started with your journey.

Camera bag

A camera bag is an absolutely necessary part of your gear. If your camera is too big to fit in your pocket, you need to get a camera bag. If you don’t have a camera bag, you’re more likely to leave the camera at home, which means you are missing opportunities. Buy the bag from a store that will allow you to return it within a fair timeframe. However, don’t try to cheap out on the bag. Your camera bag is the first level of protection for the valuable gear inside it. A good bag will protect the camera against bumps and weather. So, get a bag with sufficient padding. Also, consider the space inside the bag. If you want to carry one or two additional lenses with you, it is better to be able to fit them all into one large bag.

Memory card

It’s tempting to buy the largest, fastest one when you are shopping for memory cards. Luckily memory card prices are falling all the time. But unless you are a professional photographer, 64 GB of space is more than enough. After all, that is a lot of shooting! A large memory card means you are putting a lot of eggs in one basket. Instead, pros tend to buy many smaller cards. That way, if one card fails, your photos are not completely lost. It is also a good idea to have a combination of large and small cards. Card speed is also important. But this depends on what you are shooting. The Class 10 cards would be fast enough for still photography and HD video.

Filters

A circular polariser filter is one of the first filters that any photographer should add to the camera bag. If you feel like using a wide aperture or long shutter speed on a bright day, you should also get a variable neutral density filter. ND filters will help you minimise reflections, cutting the amount of light coming into the camera. Most other filters are completely optional. Moreover, these days it is possible to emulate the effect of those filters during post. Some stores recommend a UV or safety filter for the front of your lens, but many photographers think that you shouldn’t use a UV filter. A lens hood will give you better protection than a UV filter.

Flash

The first requirement for a great photograph is to get the lighting right. In situations when there is not enough natural light, an external flash can be quite helpful. Even though many DSLRs come with a built-in flash, external flashes are much brighter and customisable. While built-in flashes produce hard shadows, you can use reflectors to soften the light with an external flash. Moreover, high-quality flash can produce lights at different temperatures. If you want to create better lighting, use synchronised flashes and try to emulate natural lighting.

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