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8540tomg · 01-29-2009, 06:38 PM

Hi all,

We all, well many of us, buy a lot of accessories/gadgets for our cameras. It’s a lot like LBA in its own way. What is the single most useful accessory/gadget you have ever bought for your camera? What puts it at the top of your list above all others?

Tom G

Nick Siebers · 01-29-2009, 07:08 PM

Hard to choose from many useful gadgets, but the best value/price ration has to be a flash I picked up at my local thrift shop. Branded "Black's" (apparently a camera chain in Canada that sold house flashes) it does bounce, swivel, zoom, and best of all has a little front flash for contrast control. I tested the trigger voltage multiple times before putting it on my DSLR, and it works like a charm. It makes snapping indoor shots of my kids a breeze, with almost any lens I own - even the slowest. Of course natural light shots are still the best, but it has been great to say "so long" to blurry high ISO poorly white-balanced-from various light sources junk shots.

Mechan1k · 01-29-2009, 07:48 PM

Rocket Blower ... hands down the best.

**Marc Langille** · 01-29-2009, 07:49 PM

Cabled remote for landscape and similar shots. Obviously combined with a tripod, it's a winning combination.

(Right behind it is a flash for macro work, and a rocket bottle blower. I like clean... )

Cheers,
Marc

KungPOW · 01-29-2009, 07:50 PM

A good tripod.

panoguy · 01-29-2009, 08:15 PM

Neoprene LowePro neckstrap (I think made by OpTech). Totally takes the weight off my neck when walking around. Transferred it from camera to camera over the years, and now that I look at it, might be time for a replacement...

Blue · 01-29-2009, 08:25 PM

Originally posted by Marc Langille

Cabled remote for landscape and similar shots. Obviously combined with a tripod, it's a winning combination.

(Right behind it is a flash for macro work, and a rocket bottle blower. I like clean... )

Cheers,
Marc

Same here right down to he flash for macro work.

marcdsgn · 01-29-2009, 08:31 PM

1) Manfrotto monopod. Much loved, much used. Was very handy to have while travelling Europe and New Zealand.

2) Cheap eBay remote flash-triggers and a pile of cheap secondhand flashes, and a few homemade bounce-diffusers. Don't know why I waited so long to get into strobism!

pdo · 01-29-2009, 09:05 PM

get a Robin Myers grey card. It's cheap and useful for getting accurate color.

8540tomg · 01-29-2009, 09:06 PM

Hey - You guys are cheating. I said single most useful.

It almost goes without saying the tripod will be number one for most. It is for me as well but I tend to think of the tripod as a neccesity rather than an accessory. For myself I think the Battery grip for my K10 is the one accessory I use all the time. It is always on the camera adding extra battery power, a sure grip and storage for the remote and extra memory card. I don't leave home without it.

Tom G

felix68 · 01-29-2009, 09:09 PM

A got a cheap grey card, less than $5 if I remember correctly, and now my white balance is perfect whenever I need it to be.

Steinback · 01-29-2009, 09:18 PM

I think I would count neck strap at #1, camera bag at #2 and tripod at #3. Those 3 give me the ability to keep my camera secure both when I'm using it and when I'm carrying it. At about $10 each my blower and lens pen are also near the top of the list in terms of keeping a camera in usable condition.

**Ron Boggs** · 01-29-2009, 09:36 PM

Yes, the tripod is a necessity not an accessory. Same for flash unit(s)...I'll list the one--ok three--things that are not in every kit, but since I've fallen in love with them will likely always be in mine...

Really Right Stuff Macro Flash Bracket, helps a flash dolt like me do almost pro caliber flash work with macro up through portrait distance. Oversized version for big 600mm superteles for catch lights in critter eyes...

L brackets for camera bodies (to make that mandatory tripod even better)--switch from horizontal to vertical without changing composition--way cool...way functional. Does it count as one to have an L bracket on my K10D, 67II and XpanII?

Waterproof Rigid Pelican cases with dividers not foam--I cable lock them into my vehicle for safety at trailhead--can't carry everything on hikes, travel them in boats with no water worries, check them as baggage in airports and bounce them around the back of my truck without worries when traveling "the road less traveled by". Color coded black ones for 35mm/digi and gray Pelicases for medium format and pano. Extra case for accessories that don't fit in normal kits--Quantum Turbo battery, extra flashes and flash cords, remote control items, tools etc.

stevebrot · 01-29-2009, 10:13 PM

Tripod.

And if that doesn't count...gray card...

Steve

**Just1MoreDave** · 01-29-2009, 10:56 PM

KatzEye. I haven't bought much else, making this an easy winner, but this focusing screen makes using MF lenses much more practical, and also makes using AF lenses easier. It opened the door to using many cheap fast primes.

01-29-2009, 08:15 PM	#6
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Neoprene neckstrap! Neoprene LowePro neckstrap (I think made by OpTech). Totally takes the weight off my neck when walking around. Transferred it from camera to camera over the years, and now that I look at it, might be time for a replacement...

01-29-2009, 09:06 PM	#10
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461 Original Poster	Most useful accessory Hey - You guys are cheating. I said single most useful. It almost goes without saying the tripod will be number one for most. It is for me as well but I tend to think of the tripod as a neccesity rather than an accessory. For myself I think the Battery grip for my K10 is the one accessory I use all the time. It is always on the camera adding extra battery power, a sure grip and storage for the remote and extra memory card. I don't leave home without it. Tom G

01-29-2009, 09:09 PM	#11
felix68 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 281	Grey Card A got a cheap grey card, less than $5 if I remember correctly, and now my white balance is perfect whenever I need it to be.

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01-29-2009, 06:38 PM	#1
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	Your most useful Accessory Hi all, We all, well many of us, buy a lot of accessories/gadgets for our cameras. It’s a lot like LBA in its own way. What is the single most useful accessory/gadget you have ever bought for your camera? What puts it at the top of your list above all others? Tom G

01-29-2009, 07:08 PM	#2
Nick Siebers Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,165	Hard to choose from many useful gadgets, but the best value/price ration has to be a flash I picked up at my local thrift shop. Branded "Black's" (apparently a camera chain in Canada that sold house flashes) it does bounce, swivel, zoom, and best of all has a little front flash for contrast control. I tested the trigger voltage multiple times before putting it on my DSLR, and it works like a charm. It makes snapping indoor shots of my kids a breeze, with almost any lens I own - even the slowest. Of course natural light shots are still the best, but it has been great to say "so long" to blurry high ISO poorly white-balanced-from various light sources junk shots.

01-29-2009, 07:48 PM	#3
Mechan1k Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,891	Rocket Blower ... hands down the best.

01-29-2009, 07:49 PM	#4
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710	Cabled remote for landscape and similar shots. Obviously combined with a tripod, it's a winning combination. (Right behind it is a flash for macro work, and a rocket bottle blower. I like clean... ) Cheers, Marc

01-29-2009, 07:50 PM	#5
KungPOW Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,699	A good tripod.

01-29-2009, 08:25 PM	#7
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by Marc Langille Cabled remote for landscape and similar shots. Obviously combined with a tripod, it's a winning combination. (Right behind it is a flash for macro work, and a rocket bottle blower. I like clean... ) Cheers, Marc Same here right down to he flash for macro work.

01-29-2009, 08:31 PM	#8
marcdsgn Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery Posts: 265	1) Manfrotto monopod. Much loved, much used. Was very handy to have while travelling Europe and New Zealand. 2) Cheap eBay remote flash-triggers and a pile of cheap secondhand flashes, and a few homemade bounce-diffusers. Don't know why I waited so long to get into strobism!

01-29-2009, 09:05 PM	#9
pdo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Westminster CA Posts: 264	get a Robin Myers grey card. It's cheap and useful for getting accurate color.

01-29-2009, 09:18 PM	#12
Steinback Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: GTA, ON, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,673	I think I would count neck strap at #1, camera bag at #2 and tripod at #3. Those 3 give me the ability to keep my camera secure both when I'm using it and when I'm carrying it. At about $10 each my blower and lens pen are also near the top of the list in terms of keeping a camera in usable condition.

01-29-2009, 09:36 PM	#13
Ron Boggs Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: MT Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,350	Yes, the tripod is a necessity not an accessory. Same for flash unit(s)...I'll list the one--ok three--things that are not in every kit, but since I've fallen in love with them will likely always be in mine... Really Right Stuff Macro Flash Bracket, helps a flash dolt like me do almost pro caliber flash work with macro up through portrait distance. Oversized version for big 600mm superteles for catch lights in critter eyes... L brackets for camera bodies (to make that mandatory tripod even better)--switch from horizontal to vertical without changing composition--way cool...way functional. Does it count as one to have an L bracket on my K10D, 67II and XpanII? Waterproof Rigid Pelican cases with dividers not foam--I cable lock them into my vehicle for safety at trailhead--can't carry everything on hikes, travel them in boats with no water worries, check them as baggage in airports and bounce them around the back of my truck without worries when traveling "the road less traveled by". Color coded black ones for 35mm/digi and gray Pelicases for medium format and pano. Extra case for accessories that don't fit in normal kits--Quantum Turbo battery, extra flashes and flash cords, remote control items, tools etc.

01-29-2009, 10:13 PM	#14
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Tripod. And if that doesn't count...gray card... Steve

01-29-2009, 10:56 PM	#15
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	KatzEye. I haven't bought much else, making this an easy winner, but this focusing screen makes using MF lenses much more practical, and also makes using AF lenses easier. It opened the door to using many cheap fast primes.

Your most useful Accessory

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