Photography gear you shouldn't buy...

If you're starting out in photography, it's tempting to think you need all the gear straight away... you don't. If you've got a camera and an idea of things you might like to take photos of, you're most of the way there. In this video I detail accessories I'm always asked, but that you don't need, namely:

1:20 Filters
5:31 Drones
8:16 Expensive tripods
9:43 Gnarbox & SSDs
11:25 Cleaning kits
11:54 Calibrators
13:04 Loupedeck
13:58 L brackets

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MUSIC:

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[JamesonsTravels]

Avoid watching gear Youtube videos. As a beginner, it was a waste of time in the end. Ended up with gear I did not need. Consumerism got the best of me. Good video.

[Michaelajacksonfilms]

Tip: stop calling your self a beginner, but NEVER forget you are a beginner.

[johnnyc]

If you’re in USA, do yourself a favor and spend $80 to get the annual National park pass. For $80, you open up the entire country as a playground for your gear…regardless of your style.

[rev_dude]

For the tripod example (and many other things) I like to follow Adam Savage's advice: "Buy the cheap tool, see if you use it, then upgrade later."
If you get a cheap tripod and like the shots from it, then you can upgrade to a lighter, taller, more compact, etc. tripod later. If you find you dont use it, you didn't waste too much money.

[itikasingh]

I really like how you mention keeping a budget aside for travelling and not just obsessing over gear. I'd never thought about that before and now I can see that travelling really inspires me and allows me to diversify. So, thanks for that Pro tip!

[GeneWaddle]

Of course, everyone should invest in a 🐑 which can be trained to carry your gear and act as a tripod so you don't have to invest in one of those.

[TheWaterboarders]

Excellent video. My tip is to always buy a strap and always use it. I repaired cameras for 25 years and I would say if more people used straps, I wouldn't have had a job for very long. Even a wrist strap is better than nothing as long as you use it.

[MSmith-Photography]

Also, with a drone, there are a lot of places that have regulations that will prevent casual users from being able to use them.

[jlees]

I sometimes factor in lens cleaning when buying t-shirts, softness etc:)

[joshuamellema]

I shoot mostly film photography and have found filters especially useful. I see the benefit most often in shooting B+W. Using colored filters like yellow/orange/red helps to create different levels of contrast. I also use ND filters fairly frequently to get long exposure shots in bright settings.

[kirkserpes]

If you're into video though, a variable ND is a MUST have.

[donnykimbo]

I think extra batteries r pretty important as well

[GermanViking]

You covered pretty much everything, great video, I would like to add another point:
Get an used camera body or previous model and save for more lenses and a flash instead of an expensive camera with just the kit lens and nothing else 👌🏽

[enidrajm]

If you're doing product or landscape photography, get a tripod - preferably something sturdy. A tripod and a remote trigger have also proven quite handy in my early days of portrait photography because I can use myself as a model - no worrying about fatiguing the model when taking loads and tons of pictures. : ) James, totally appreciate you bringing up this topic.

[Kataxu]

Regarding UV filters: I will say that when I shot videos for a particular YouTuber, we definitely needed the filter for protection. Its a welding channel, so we had all manner of metal sparks from cutting steel, welding, and other flying bits of grit. I'd say the UV filter in similar situations is priceless for protecting your lens.

[Second_Opinion_]

Two things I was really glad I invested in right out of the gate, a good camera bag and a good camera strap.

[davidleale]

Wish you'd done this video 2 years sooner...! One of the best purchases I have made for my camera was a small wrist lanyard. as basically means when you out and about you can just have you camera in your hand but without the risk of dropping it. which means you take more pictures and try more shots as you don't have to stop and get your camera in and out your bag (I find it also more comfortable and convenient to a neck strap. as you have mentioned in this video everything else is basically superfluous until you get to a point where you sort of know what your doing and want to attempt specific shots that require some of the extra kit!


great video as usual.

[achimrecktenwald]

I would recommend to invest first into used camera equipment and lenses, especially if you want to go full format, as this kind of equipment is often quite expensive. There are places, where you buy used equipment that has been repaired, cleaned and checked and comes with warranty. Also, invest less into an expensive camera, but better look at great lenses.

[SharkPig_Media]

man, your self deprecating humor cracks me up every time. Love your channel. Informative, humorous and binging it currently

[MaxWoudenberg]

I bought a camera, I bought a lens, I was about ready to travel, but Covid-19 happened.


Luckily I live in a town with a decent sized forest and some meadows.