Photography Gear to AVOID! *What to Get Instead*

Today I talk about the photography gear and accessories I regret buying, wasting my money ... and also talk about the things I can't live without; the things that stay in my photography bag all the time.

If you have a different camera google L-bracket and the name of your camera.

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My Equipment list:

Filming camera gear:

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My Favourite online Photographers:

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Thanks

Mike

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Timecode:

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#mikesmithphotography #onlocationphotography #photography #landscapephotography

[stkuj]

IDK agree with #4 (in my use case)... I shoot on the beach and front element protection give me peace of mind when the wind is blowing sand into my lens

[DavidWood]

0:00 introduction
0:21 5th best: Rocket blower
1:09 5th worst: panoramic head
1:41 4th best: Swiss Army knife (or multitool)
2:13 4th worst: UV filter
3:03 3rd best: head torch
4:20 3rd worst: 360-degree camera
5:00 2nd best: L bracket
5:39 2nd worst: graphics tablets and other specialist controllers
6:38 the best: Peak Design Capture Clip
7:37 the worst: clip-in filters
8:24 advice for beginners

[goodmrgary]

I'm certainly an amateur photographer but a couple things I'd like to add. The lens filter is best used to protect your glass in situations where particles in the air are particularly bad, like factories or festivals where people throw water or color powder, etc... I have an Insta 360 OneX2 and I absolutely love it! Is it good for still images, or high-quality landscape videos? Not at all. What it is good for is an action camera, and in my opinion that's all it's good for but it makes an amazing action camera. I use mine for snowboarding, snorkeling, mountain biking, etc... If you try to use it outside of that lane you'll be disappointed but I'd certainly not call it a gimmick. Finally, also check out Cotton Carriers for camera mounts/harnesses. I got their Skout G2 and have absolutely loved it, and the price was pretty nice too. They have a few options depending on what you need. All that said, I appreciate this list and I'm going to be checking out more of your content. Thanks for doing what you do!

[trevormuhlestein]

my worst gear I have ever bought was the Arsenal 2. I tried to love it, took it with me on many adventures but after the first few shots at each location I totally disagreed with the settings and ended up going back to full manual to get it right. learning full manual and how each setting affects the picture and committing that all to memory and practice has been the single most beneficial tool to my photography.

[andybusard]

I'm with you on all except the uv filter. Still making up my mind on yjat. I always use my lens hood, BUT once still scratched my lens while my camera was over my shoulder in a shop. I turned or moved such that a display rack simply nailed the center of my front element. A uv filter would have physically protected it...

[wayneholmes]

Referencing the UV filter thing, several of my Canon lenses (some being expensive L versions) are only weatherproof with a filter fitted. They aren't sealed at the moving front lens element. Given that I am often out in dusty weather having the front lens moving within a fixed column of air rather than sucking dusty air in behind the front lens is worth the minimal loss in contrast, resolution or sharpness.

[michaeld]

One warning is to not use the blower too long as if it starts to degrade it can start making its own mess by blowing rubber particles. I would never blow in to the camera but each to their own. I actually tend to leave a polarising filter on my favourite zoom lens as it protects and acts as a grad filter outdoors though with a loss of a stop overall which is no big deal. Scratching a lens may not impair performance much but it will kill any resale value. Need to be careful having a lens protected only by a hood out of a carriage window behind a steam engine throwing clinker or on a sand blown beach etc..

[grenzviel]

I still use a UV filter if they come with kits if I can't notice any difference in image quality. It's really for cleaning. Basically, when I have to clean the front of the lens, I'm a lot more comfortable 'rubbing' the UV filter with a cleaning cloth than the glass of the lens itself. I like to keep my wiping cloth clean, but you never know if it caught something that could scratch glass.

[reinhardgrossmann]

Thank you, Mike. First of all I like your rhethoric which makes it easy to understand you even for a non-native English listener. Certainly, necessary accessories are subject to kind of individual liking. Just want to add that I‘m in full support of using a head torch, and here even more the one which allows for red light, too. Red light won‘t disturb while still you‘ll be able to control your camera.

[rogerbradbury]

The Pentax K3iii has a night vision display mode for the rear screen, and can also light up the viewfinder markings in red; great in low light.
Another great accessory are Zeiss lens wipes. They work very well, and are individually packed, so always new and clean. I buy them in boxes of 200, and cheapest by far is Costco, at £9.99. But even at the £20 some places charge for them, they are just 10p each. I just keep a few in each camera bag.

[BGTuyau]

Helpful suggestions and common-sense advice, all nicely presented with zero fluff. Both entertaining and informative. Thumbs up!

[philipcooper]

Speaking of the UV filter, or a clear non UV filter... there are many situations I opt to use such filter to protect the front element. Especially in the spring and early summer, when there's a lot of sticky polen and dust flying around.

[nl]

I got into digital painting before photography, and have used a drawing tablet for editing for awhile now. It's very fast for masks and manual edits, and makes a less efficient workflow with free software tolerable. Someone using some of the smarter photoshop tools like when there is a neural filter that does the exact effect they want will still be faster than me, but for more advanced edits with no premade tool, a tablet might be the fastest option with good results. It's also great for digital sculpting. However, don't buy one new, certainly not a new wacom. Pick one up from a thrift store first for $5-10, or buy a new huion tablet for $60.

[shadow.chicken]

I use a protective filter if there is going to be debris, or if im near the ocean and there is going to be salt water. I also use one when I want to walk around for a while without the lens cap. Otherwise, I leave it at home, because it degrades the photo quality. For me, a protective filter is less about dropping the lens, and more about small things flying at the lens. also, couldn't recommend the capture clip more. Definitely a must have for anyone. I now use a camera bag that is smaller than my camera, just to hold lens caps, an extra lens, and batteries. The freedom of having a camera securely on the outside of the bag, and also super accessible is just incredible.

[DanielleWhite]

Your point about not getting the latest and greatest is why I held off on mirrorless: wait for the used market to get stocked up.

[jacobmillward]

On that last tip I can say I love that you said that. I am building up a Sony focused kit because I also plan to do video as well and I see that a lot of brands use sony lenses so I’d like to be able to buy the least amount of lenses per camera so my kit is still portable. So sharing lenses might help a lot

[kevingreiner]

The L Bracket was an absolute game changer! I hated turning the camera on the side of the ball head! It is definitely my favorite accessory I own.

[grahvis]

If you are using a prime lens with a round lens hood, a cap to fit the lens hood can be handy.
The Pentax K70 does have switchable night mode.

[ThisRandomGuyYouDidntNotice]

fully agree on the uv filters, however my camera is exposed to grit and grime on a regular basis (dusty mx tracks etc) so I still want some protection on my expensive lens BUT instead of uv filters I use clear glass ones by hoya! saved at least two lenses so far :)

[caroliensche]

02:51 maybe it depends on the camera, but i saw really foggy landscape images when shooting on top of a mountain, while visually there was perfectly clear sight. Like 15 years ago with a compact camera. Since then i use UV-filters without ever questioning them