Photography gear you shouldn't buy...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ต.ค. 2019
- 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
Also a huge thank you to Lumix for sponsoring this video. I've been using the G9, G85 and the G90 for a long time now and the stabilisation in them is immense. Find out more here: www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer....
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Avoid watching gear TH-cam 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.
Strong name sir
Love your videos
This applies to any hobby, honestly. I wager most kit is aimed at the guy just starting or having just started. Some thing apply to specific taste, but you develop that through exposure and practice.
I think it depends on why you are watching a gear youtube video. For me for example it's gives me an idea of what higher end gear can do especially when compared to more budget friendly or even cheap gear.
I've tried to. Waiting on an a6000 and one 35mm prime lens (the stock one is coming with the camera) a few batteries and a dummy battery as I've heard the A6000 can overheat when doing video but I've yet to hear of it when a day battery is in. A University Student but I feel like this would be a good camera for me to use and when I get out or try to expand what I'm doing.
Tip: stop calling your self a beginner, but NEVER forget you are a beginner.
Man i really like this advice, i gonna keep it in mind ✌🏻🇵🇷
MICHAEL A JACKSON wut does this mean
@@herbalgiles9468 keep the mindset of a begginer but the appearance of superfly.
MICHAEL A JACKSON oh that’s a good quote
@@herbalgiles9468 It means don't put yourself down but remember you still need to improve.
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.
@@davidguyette2586 Permits are required for professional filming. This video is clearly directed towards those who are just getting started in PHOTOGRAPHY and even if they are doing video, they probably won’t be doing any professional work. Also, What do you mean by “nonsense”? Somebody who makes a simple video to preserve memories or takes a pleasant picture just for themselves is nonsense? I truly hope I am wrong in my understanding of what you said because if I am right, that is an awfully ugly thing to say. No video and no picture is nonsense if you are doing it with the goal of reflecting back to that time in your life.
@@johnnyc4717 Well said. Bitter people it seems.
@@davidguyette2586 correct!!
I got mine and it paid for itself in no time on 1 road trip.
@@davidguyette2586 I found out you cant do night painting photos in moab arches NP. Makes sense tho since I could have imaged before the rule how many light painters there were. Messing with night critters
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.
Cheapo tripods are usually absolutely fine. I don't understand how some can get so expensive.
@@lsamoa cheap is relative, a
@@mcbean1 Sure there are some crappy tripods. But the point you're missing is that there are very good tripods available for very cheap. There's no reason to spend a fortune on one.
@@lsamoa well that depends, for a new photographer $500 might seem like a fortune, but I would consider that a cheap tripod and you're right for $500 you can get a good tripod
@@mcbean1 You can get a pretty good tripod for 50 quid mate lol
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!
Awesome - no worries :)
i do it like once a month,take a bus,spend $40 bucks or less and go somewhere,...
Also, with a drone, there are a lot of places that have regulations that will prevent casual users from being able to use them.
Definitely, good point! :)
Italy, for example.
@@billywindsock9597 And Canada
Try flying drone in Seoul)) It's instant jail time in the best case scenario. I standby on buying a drone because of all the restrictions.
Add Iran to the list... a travelling couple were recently jailed for flying a drone in Tehran without prior permission.
Mind you, doing anything in Iran is likely to land you in jail!! 😨
Nice to see someone NOT selling!
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.
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.
haha! Do you have any in stock?
@@JamesPopsysPhoto Currently in training, but they are proving to be a bit stupid as I believe you have found too. 😒
Now there we have a man who speaks truth, do you know if I can order a one from Mr. Popsys' website?
Haha my dog has detachable saddlebags with his harness but he's prone to diving in mountain tarns and my cameras not weather sealed 😒
Sheep’s are best tripod. Shoot landscapes all the time lol.
I sometimes factor in lens cleaning when buying t-shirts, softness etc:)
I disagree with him on that. Buy an inexpensive lens pen. Your shirt could be dirty, sweaty or covered in dust.
that's funny! I was never going to admit that!
A Lens cleaning pen is like $7.00 and is far better than a T-shirt or even a good microfibre cloth ;)
that's a true profoundly intimate relationship
@@stjohnimagery a 7 dollar pen isn't going to be very good by itself, but coupled with a 30ml bottle of lens cleaning fluid, it'll do wonders. Just like a microfiber cloth with cleaning fluid
I think extra batteries r pretty important as well
Donald Kim: Agreed.....that's the first accessory I buy whenever i get a new camera.
Yep. My main two cameras are the Sony A7S and Ricoh GR II. They'd both be close to useless without spare batteries.
Because I'm always on top of charging my batteries, anything over 3 batteries has been a waste of my money. One time I got 6... Never used them
same! that is the first one I bought, especially for nowadays camera that didn't give you external charger (Fuji X-T30 didn't give ones).
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.
When I was shooting black and white film, I found a green filter the most useful outdoors, because it had a much lower factor than a red filter, and rendered the sky darker without affecting foliage. for portraiture, the choice of film determined the look as much as a filter. Ilford Delta needed a red filter to render skin right, but FP4 needed no filter.
If you're into video though, a variable ND is a MUST have.
Definitely! I have bought one with every new lens I have bought.
Exactly!
@@SuperJoePardo Why ? just buy a big ND filter and use step down rings.
Super Joe Pardo where did you buy them and how much did u pay? Tryna find some good ones🙏🏼
100%... There's no way to lock a stopped down wide open aperture while maintaining 180* shutter without one unless it's evening.
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.
Regarding UV filters: I will say that when I shot videos for a particular TH-camr, 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.
First thing I buy. Got 6 lenses since 2016 & only ever remove them to clean them.
(Arc) Welding puts off massive amounts of UV as well so it's one of the rare situations where the UV filters probably appreciably helped with image quality as well
What channel was it if I may ask?
I think a lot of the tools and gear shown in this video have their valid application where they are absolutely necessary. However, this video adresses mostly photography beginners :D
As a beginner you only need three things and that is practice, practice and practice.
I don't know why I never got the notifications for these replies until now, but I was on Chuckee2009.@@jaredhammonds8255
About that MacBook: Apple did a recall on those screens. It’s a design flaw. I had the same problem and they replaced the screen for free.
Was about to write the same thing. He has to see this.
@@oamoe apple still sucks my dude
Ha just written this above. Probs should have read more comments. Apple replaced 2 of my MacBook screens because of it. One of them was 4 years after the initial purchase too
@@calsspace2043 oh gawd. I thought the "apple VS pc/android" wars were over. go get some fresh air
they replaced mine too, but the new screen just did the same shit... its a protective coating that just the retina versions of the 2014 pro (maybe 2013?) model has and rubs off. You can completely remove it with rubbing alcohol or like I did, Listerine (mouth gurgle thinggy). Tbh it was completely worth it, since the replacement program is over. Ah, also, fuck Apple for not solving the issue.
I see heads exploding with your monitor colors explanation, lol!
haha!
@@JamesPopsysPhoto Well perhaps you could condense this answer, lol. If it works for you then that's great. I think sometimes people overthink things when they don't even grasp the basics, learn the fundamentals and the rest will fall into place.
It's the same with audio mixing - it's great to monitor on top end speakers but you need to listen to it on ear buds and in the car before you know you've nailed a mix.
@ALJ Studios definitely, mixing on the grot box!
The reality is people colour correct then push the colours, so it doesn’t really look like the actual scene at the time of the photo. I personally have no problem with this as I see photography as art, but I do know for some application true colour is required. But my point is, for the beginner, just push the colours, and that is how you learn to adjust. Make mistakes, then you realise what looks right for your eye.
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 👌🏽
Thanks mate, and great point :)
Two things I was really glad I invested in right out of the gate, a good camera bag and a good camera strap.
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.
i literally got the nifty fifty and i was ready to shoot portraits and the next week we were told to stay home 😭
i got lucky and have an old trash dump that was converted into a a park and is now a trail/prime photo location for sunsets/sunrises.. i also have some nature preserves around... just until COVID stops...
During Covid is the best time to go into the National Parks here in the US.
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.
Let's say for example, you want to get into the Sony A-Series. I'd recommend you should start with a used camera, like a Sony A7 or A7II or even the APS-C Line. Maybe they are not the newest, but they're still VERY GOOD cameras. Then invest in good lenses. Further down the road, you can invest a newer camera, like an A7III or better. It will save you money and you can collect so much experience. Remember: Not the cameras make good photos, a trained photographer does. Greetings from Germany :)
There are some bargains out there! :)
The Canon EOS 6D and 1D Mark II cameras have 20 megapixels, both are full frame. The G9, GH5, Olympus OM-D EM 1 Mark II and OM-D EM 5 Mark iii have 20 megapixels. For some purposes, the G9 and EM1 Make II match or exceed the 1D II in wildlife photography.
The MFT cameras I know about have a base ISO of 200, a stop higher then the 1D X Mark II. Typically, primes are faster than F2, another stop. Don't overlook these cameras for photography in low light.
I'm pretty well convinced that Full Frame is one of the things beginners should avoid. TH-cam makes it out like you must use Full Frame, as does a lot of the Internet in general. The issue is the size and weight. I have an 80D, which to some (an old photo buff I used to work with) is a compact camera, but to me is about as big as is practical to ever carry by hand (vs in the back of my car). Then the lenses. I can walk around with the 17-55 F2.8 on it, but that's not going in a pocket (I tried with rather large winter coat pockets, didn't work). And that's an EF-S lens. Which is smaller than EF lenses. To compare, I have a 55-250 EF-S lens - I can actually fit that in my largish pockets. I thought the F2.8 constant aperture zoom was important, so to "replace it" I got a 70-200 F2.8 L v1 EF lens. It's not pocketable at all!. It weighs pounds more than the EF-S lens, and in use is great, but needs extra support vs the EF-S lens that will just hang off the camera easily.
Also, the 17-55 has IS, whereas the 24-70 EF lenses I've looked at online don't for some reason. So less features there ??
The only place where I'm not sure is the Canon mirrorless - all the glass is for RF mount, and that doesn't just click on the EF-M APS-C mirrorless like EF does on the APS-C DSLRs. I think this might be a mistake for Canon, as I understand the Full Frame mirrorless does work on APS-C for other manufacturers.
I rock an old D80 I originally bought brand new, and picked up a D7100 early last year that I love. I scored 3 used lenses last year that have been fantastic: Sigma 10-20, Nikkor 55-200 VR II, Nikkor 28 2.8D. The Nikkor 55-200 is absolutely insane for the 80 dollars I paid for it!!
I'm still in love with my Canon 70D, first thing I bought for it was a new lens, an 8mm fisheye because I felt that's what I want to do, ultrawide photos. Still using it today, also bought a 24mm wide lens because I started to think that sometimes 8mm is way too wide.
Everything in photography is a learning curve, try testing stuff, see what's good for you and in time you'll figure it out what works for you best and what you want to do.
Cheers, good video! 🍻
As a newb in photography, I purchased almost every single thing in his list. I still have my $500 carbon fiber tripod that I hardly ever use. lol.
Over the years of landscape photography camera sensors and lenses have gotten so good that I really only bust out the tripod for the 1 second and longer exposures. Usually a couple of times per trip.
My new Z6 mirrorless has in body stabilization now as well so all my landscape prime lenses are so much sharper handheld (where I start to get lazy after hiking 10 miles) like they never were before.
Instead of spending a boatload of money on a carbon tripod, buy the cheapest plastic model for $30 bucks. It will fulfil the same and only purpose, it is light when traveling! Use them with a remote or self timer and you get the same results. Yeah and use the $470 difference in price for an airline ticket to somewhere to take photos :)
@@cccycling5835 i’m sorry but there’s no way you’re holding a camera still enough by hand for a whole second.
@@tehMaloWalo of course not, but the built in stabilization tech in modern cameras compensate for it.
@@TheFrontyer not a whole second… maybe close to 1/5. but no not a whole second.
I think you are pretty spot on with all of your assessments. Especially for beginners. Find out what you love to shoot first, then build your gear around that. For me, I love long exposure water photography, so a tripod and an L bracket are a must have, but if I were a portrait photographer they wouldn’t be as necessary. Great video! 👍🏻
Thanks fornaming it how it is! I find especially L-Brackets and Filters get hyped way too much and everyone tells you to buy them.
Love your videos, keep it up!!!
Thanks! :)
Yeah I don't know what the deal is with these L brackets, there is a thing called ball head on my tripod, landscape or portrait LOL
@@reneweisz9157 L brackets are a bit of a niche thing, but if you do panoramics simply tilting the ball head will move the camera way off the nodal point and that messes the stitching, especially if doing a big 2D grid such as 6x3 images, say. But for most users it's just a quick way of tipping the camera over without changing the ball position(which takes a while to re-level etc) I also prefer the fact that my L bracket is flat along the bottom of the camera without a chunky arca plate in the middle so it sits smoothly on a table or wall when needed. But definitely a nice-to-have, not essential for most folks.
@@alangauld6079 My Manfrotto ball head locks in for horizontal movement which makes it work not only for panorama but also video if you want too. I am sure other ball head brands offer the same function. I guess that why I don't get the point of L brackets. Hey whatever works for people, happy shooting :)
@@reneweisz9157 I'm not totally sure what you mean, but panos normally get shot with the camera in portrait format and most ball heads need the camera body to be dropped down to the side to do that. Then when you swivel the head the body swings in a wide arc which makes it much harder to stitch. With an L-bracket(or dedicated pano gimbal) the camera body stays above the point of rotation so stitching is easier. This is especially true when shooting multi-layered panos - eg a 6x3 grid of images.
man, your self deprecating humor cracks me up every time. Love your channel. Informative, humorous and binging it currently
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.
Sorry David :( Thanks for watching :)
@@JamesPopsysPhoto I blame Thomas Heaton for his beautiful landscape videos. thankfully I could not afford lee filters at the time!
@David Leale very good advice on using a small wrist lanyard instead of a full neck strap, which sometimes get in the way.
I'm sure I remember seeing one company whose wrist straps and minimalist slings were actually really expensive.
Could you recommend a good value wrist lanyard?
@@richie1326 www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01LN64GZO?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title if the link works. Cheap and cheerful.
Oh man, the default neck strap. I use it, but it mostly gets in the way. Of course, the problem of having the Camera in a bag is then it's a production to get out to use, and then you're stuck still carrying the bag too, and it's kind of like why? I asked for, and got a Glide One strap for Christmas, and need to try putting it on the Camera (and taking off the Canon strap). It's supposed to let the Camera hang by your hip yet be easy to pull up to use. Failing that, I might try the wrist / hand strap - at least it'll be easier to put back in the bag.
I feel like this was a really strong, no nonsense video. I love the practical advice and the mindset. Great work!
For me, one of the better/worse investments I made was buying my camera in one of those cheesy bundle packs off of Amazon. It cost about an extra 200$ for various parts, and was WAY overpriced for how bad the quality was, but it's given me a good chance to mess around with a bunch of different types of photography without sorting through a ton of brands, paying shipping costs, etc. Telephoto adapter, wide angle adapter, close up lenses, a few cheap filters, bag, tripod and some miscellaneous junk. The quality of the gear is terrible, and the SD cards failed within the first two days, but it's been a great opportunity to figure out what parts of the field peek my interest.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that uses my t-shirt to clean my lenses. 😅
you mean James uses your t-shirt ;-)
haha!
I really like my tripod as it slows down my pace and helps me to do a variety of things. There I would say buy you a decent tripod so that you do not need to repurchase it later on. When I first started I bought cheapo tripod and it started to be very wobbly after the first half-year of usage.
Color calibrators are a really good tool if your intent is to print out your own pictures on paper. That way you know that what you see on your screen is an accurate representation of the picture you are going to get. Otherwise yeah they are kind of a waste of time :)
*IF* you want to use a tripod then spend some money. Cheap tripods just don't work. I have 3 or 4 cheap tripods - all crap. And that cheap x 4 is the same price as the posh one I now have that works beautifully.
I like my tripod so I have an "L" bracket and it's great when you're out in the field! It gives you more points to connect a strap and adds some protection to the camera as well.
@@spikehodge5412 Agree, although cheap tripods do make reasonable light stands if you also do any studio work... But you don't need to spend more than $100 initially. More expensive ones will be more rugged, taller, and lighter, but you don't need that to start with.
For printing, I find a printer profiler even more useful than a monitor calibrator. Good monitors come pretty close to sRGB standard but you need to profile your printer every time you change paper and/or ink. You can use manufacturers' paper/ink of course but that gets expensive quickly if you print a lot and even then they vary slightly between batches.
Love this video! I'd definitely add expensive camera bags to this list. I bought one, but I find myself using normal backpacks with neoprene covers for my lenses and camera. That way I can carry my camera and clothes and other stuff for travel.
Overall, I think we all like to buy new, shiny gear to excite us to take photos. I guess the point is to spend that money and only buy gear when you find yourself not being able to take photos without a particular piece of kit. At that point, you won't need to ask what to buy. You'll already know what you're missing.
Great comment! Here is one piece of advice I agree with whole heartedly! And I'm guilty. Took me forever to just start using my good, light framed ZULU 30. a 200-500, a 14-24 in cases I can just grab from the top. some soft oddments in the bottom (like a towel! everyone knows you have to have a towel! ). packs a nice travel tripod in a side pouch and a 2nd D850 body. 1st D850 around the neck sports a 28-300. pockets for certain filters (I didn't start last week!) There might be a speedlight in there sometimes. ready to go!
Thanks, James, for being a voice for spending more time on photography and less worrying about gear. :)
Glad to do it :)
As always, thank you. Had to chuckle about filters. The only filter that I carry, these days, is a polariser, but I still have all of my coloured filters (and cameras) from back in my B&W film days when they really were necessary. Memories!
If you get an underwater housing the red one could still come in handy :)
Love your list. As a point of difference, I do tell beginners to buy a tripod. But not a high end one. Cheapest you get get, I tell them. Reason is that a tripod is a good way to learn tech aspects as well as composition. You can put your camera on a tripod and that keeps it steady while you tweak aperture, shutter and ISO, so you can see the effects in a controlled environment. Helps you learn the boundaries of your gear and how those settings add to creative effect. I also use it as a compositional teacher. Taking the time to lock things down on a stand helps you slow down and look closer. But I see your reasoning, and agree that the ultimate best teacher is getting out and shooting.
This is probably the best video on starting out in photography and gear i've seen in a long while. There are a few of you that are very down to earth on all kinds of gear. I really liked this. Thanks a bunch!
Thanks so much :)
Thanks for the great advices.... some of them were in a wish list for ages but did not buy them because they cost a lot and finally were less essential
I appreciate the thoughtful video. I suspect the "required" gear depends on what kind of items you regularly shoot.
I really appreciate this video. It kind of frustrates me that these companies will jack up prices because they have convinced the market that it makes so much of a difference and that you really do need it no matter how expendable it actually is. And it frustrates me more how much it works To the point it’s hard for photographers to make a profit
I am not new to photography but getting back into it and setting up a fresh kit. So I thought I would watch this. I was nodding and saying “yep” on so many of these things because I bought them when I was learning. Very good reminders. While I was in my career I used external drives for all my work and backed them up on another one…and we had a break in and someone stole all of them :( and a few days later my hard drive died. I lost all my work besides the small ones for online. So forget those, or use them as a 3rd back up. Use the cloud, your hard drive and 3rd the external drive when you have something you really care about keeping
I've kept every file my cameras have ever made. It's nice to go back and look through old files, especially when I'm doubting myself and find images from years ago that are as good if not better than what I can do now. It's nice to find reminders of why I continue lugging my gear about shooting stuff.
Good point :)
My rule about filters: Only use a filter if it will enable you to get MORE information about what is really there onto the film/sensor, AND you really want that extra information. Never use a filter that will take away or block information. You can always remove that information later, but you can never get it back if you blocked it with a filter.
not true with ND
Filters don’t add more information…they serve to subtract or tweak light rays in a way to give a particular effect.
@@z4ng3tsu1ch1g0 he said that filters enable you to get more information into your camera, not that they add information. a UV filter blocks UV rays that are stopping the camera from seeing colors; if UV rays aren't doing that then the filter will just sit there and make it harder for the camera to see. a ND filter basically stops the camera from being blinded so that it can record more colors instead of just all white
When it comes to tripods I completely agree with you. That' why I went out and purchased one. Wait. The one I bought was a carbon fiber travel tripod. And it cost me $125. So there it is. I couldn't resist the offer. Now that I have a tripod I have used it several times. Which is strange for a street photographer. But I have started to do night and very early in the morning photography and the tripod is required. Yes I could place the camera on a rock or in the street and get some interesting works but when you are 6'3" it can be a strain to lay down in the middle of the street to compose your pictures. Especially when it is Hwy 111 in Palm Springs.
All kidding aside the tripod has created another avenue for my photography. One that I would not have ventured into without the tripod.
5'1" here, and even for me it is a strain to lay down for a picture ;-)
(Btw not claiming that one has to buy a tripod when one is just starting with photography, but I am happy with the one I bought and do use it regularly)
I also just bought a carbon fibre tripod. Infind it crucial for maximum sharpness! Also opened up a new area of photography. I think it's worth it. Be careful of cheap ones though!
I paid about $30 - $40 for my tripod. Quality wise it's middle ground but solid. Have had it several years. Still solid, hasn't weakened any. I bought it because I knew I was going to do low light photography with no flash so I wanted a way to have a steady camera. It's aluminum not carbon fiber. I would say if you plan on low light photos or group shots you want to be in a tripod is a must. However it doesn't have to be the latest and greatest. Just check out the displays and find a reasonably priced one that feels solid. Check online reviews for brand reviews for recommendations. A friend got me a monopod last year for Christmas since I had been talking about getting one to try. Haven't used it yet but plan to. Health issues have kept me from going out for photos but working on it.
Some tripods fold up nicely, you wouldn't know you had one lol.
@@williamneuman7783 I rarely use my tripod to hold the camera steady during shots - IBIS takes care of most of that. But they are pretty much essential for bracketing, focus-stacking, panoramics, and just holding a composition while waiting for the light. Also, you can dump a tripod in the middle of a stream or rock-pool without getting wet feet! Of course, most of those are not things beginners do much of...
I bought an entry level camera last three months ago than I was confused to buy with so many gears in so many times. Now I could calmed down my mind. Thank you so much for your suggestion.
i just got a gobe UV filter for my first digital camera that bought a month ago to protect it lol but still love your video. It's happy to see someone talks about what not to buy instead of what to buy, and prove that going pro does not mean going fancy everything
Thanx, great advice James! I've looked into tons of the fancy thing-a-bobbers to buy and came to same conclusion... just more money to waste at first! 👍
Great video! One thing I’d slightly disagree with is the drone. Starting out I made enough money in a month off drone videos for businesses to pay off my drone. It was the easiest thing for me to make money off of personally. Everyone has a camera, but I took the time to learn to fly and it paid off. Again, great video!
While I never plan, especially when going to an unknown place, I do have a vision in mind that somewhat matches the terrain and time of day. A sense of discovery and adventure ensues and usually the vision is realized even beyond expectations... very satisfying way to experience photography at its most free and creative level. Thanks for the great videos, I am a fan!
Thanks so much :)
I'm so glad I found your channel! All your videos are high quality, the content is amazing and on point, not clickbaity or sensational, and I do actually learn a lot from them. Also your personality is cool and I like the pinch of humor in your videos :D
One thing I don't understand is why you only have 137k subs as of now, should be millions already!
Famous photographers from the past used old cameras with 5 megapixel cameras yet produced amazing award winning photos
When were you born? Famous photographers of the past used cameras with film! Learn about the history of photography before making such weird comments!. When I won a world first price once many years ago, Nikon sent me one of their first 5 megapixel cameras, it was ok, but never came close to what I could do with film.
@@helmutschillinger3140 real photographers use wet plates! 😀
@@helmutschillinger3140 When were you born? Famous artists of the past used canvas and oil to portray their vision! Learn about art before making such weird comments!
And people like you, sir, are the reason why many people think we photographers are stuck-up snobs. Snapit Happy was making a good point: Don't obsess over megapixels, since they won't magically transform your bad photo into a good one, butinto a bad photo you can print bigger. And by missconception Megapixels is one of the things people look up for most when getting cameras, or the reason why I've heard many times "But my phone has more Mpx than your camera thus is better!"
@@AlbertoDsign well put
@@montagecentral1379 Thanks! Sometimes I'm worried I don't convey well what I'm trying to say...
Always buy your tripod in person.
Feel it, touch it, hold it.
It must be strong, rigid, stiff to hold your camera.
You wouldn’t want flimsy metal legs supporting your expensive camera.
Bought a carbon (chinese) one about 4 years ago for $80 on AliEx...couldn't be happier.
Induro was my pick...
If i would go with a cheap option I think Ritz Gear tripod could be an option
Thanks for great videos. Regarding Gnarbox, your comments are valid but I would like to mention that as someone who does a lot of trip photography at times when I do not have a laptop with me, such a backup system is very much appreciated. I actually use a competitor to Gnarbox and have found it very re-assuring to back up daily photos, in the hotel, from my sd cards to a drive
I can see why everyone is talking about your channel, it's full of useful advice. Essential for me is a case, or half case. I know you pros frown on them, but I'm clumsy and they do cushion a fall. I'm quite happy with my Panasonic cameras myself.
UV for protection it could be a pretty good investment. Imagine you are on a dusty, muddy o "wattery" situation, and there's some wind or whatevers gets into your lens, it could get it pretty dirty, if you have the filter on you could take it out and keep shooting.
based on my experience, I still beginner/amature, and will never graduated from that status, but already use camera for photo & video for 6 years+.... my tips is very similar with you, but here my addition on that plus extra from me:
1. If you LOVE to shoot portrait with big aperture lenses, buy ND filter is really can be a good investment, as it allow us to use largest aperture lens on sunny day. it will help to cut brightness, especially on older camera that didn't had high enough shutter speed. so if you camera is cannot break 1/2000 or 1/4000 when shoot F1.2 or up, they tend overexpose the images, even on ISO 100 or 200 (based on my experience on Fuji X-A1), ND filter will definitely help, and you didn't need bought ND 1000 or big number light that, ND 10 or ND 8 is already help you allot in this case.
2. subject on tripod, I kinda agree. you actually don't need that if you do not use often. I do bought the cheapest one and happy with it as I only need for my camera standing still for video or when I do long exposure. above $75 is kinda overkill for my need, so $12-20 ones is just fine and most of the time I let them open, never collapses it to compact form, sitting in the office corner as mainly we use it for livestreaming.
3. on to Display Calibrator, I never bought it as I can rent it on camera rental place that I go to (yup, lucky me), but I kinda think is quite essential if you not use an out-of-factory calibrated display with LCD panel that not reach 99% sRBG, for example my LG Ultrafine UL600 is perfectly fine for my daily task & job... but if you bought a professional display that able display 100%+ Adobe RGB, that is maybe a consideration to had, as many professional monitor need constant calibration every 3 month.
4. on to Drone, never want to have it, except on my office need. we kinda already thought to have ones, as it help create a beautiful B-Roll for our investment project, which many of it is property/real estate. but that is the only one we kinda need it. So at the end, we just hired someone who has ones to shoot for the project, rather buy one, as it more make sense for us for now.
5. If you do many video along side photography, a good stable handheld gimbal/stabilizer is maybe a good list to have. my office had ones, and even we not often use of it, but it does help create many great b-roll for many our project, and that much more better than having a drone or rent it, as majority of time when shooting a investment project I really do need one. Also another good one having gimbal: it help stabilize non-OIS lenses, as my gear had some several non OIS lenses, having gimbal is really help to get smooth video when panning or walking. but remember, invest one that IF you often do video as well. if you just focus on photography, better spend extra to get in-body IS cameras, as it will more better option rather relying tripod/gimbal.
6. invest on really good SD/CF/any storage card and Batteries. simply my experience, we always need extra pieces of both of those in our bag. for SD card, on my experience: bought a really good spec card 1 level above the standard one, for example: I always use Sandisk Extreme (gold ones) rather Ultra, as it does had better endurance (many my Extreme last longer compared Ultra... I do had some Ultra, but from 4 pcs, only 1 is survived, but all my Extreme is survived from all those video/photo. I don't need Extreme Pro, as all the job I do is already fulfilled by Extreme. Also, try bought the biggest storage that you can buy with the budget, it will help you shoot allot more picture/video before running out storages. For batteries, well 1 batteries is never enough in my book and buying 3rd parties is also okay if you not had a bugdet to buy a original ones, but check any review for those brand before decide which one you bought. I had tried Wasabi & Patona ones after read so many reviews about them, and most of the time, they work flawlessly and the total charge cycle life they had is almost touch the original ones, in this case my Wasabi is died 9 month earlier, and my Patona is slightly longer at 7 month earlier than the original that came with the camera (I consider them died when they starting bulging really bad).
7. the last one: Flashgun/strobe, is good to had ones, but considered it based on you need or you style. For me, it become non-essential tool by me at one point, until my current job (which is dealt with Real Estate). if many your work can be fulfilled with natural light, flashgun or strobe is not a good ones to bought, especially if you a really-really beginner. I even bought my first one, a really cheap one with GN 33, after I consider to had one for helping me take photo for products that my office sold through website, and often shoot product until night due so many new upcoming product that we need to sell, so having flashgun is really big help at that time. But after that is just rarely use, usually I take that out when taking profile picture for my boss or when we need an image for media coverage. Just recently, after 3 years sitting on corner and use very-very-very rare, it finally become another irreplaceable tool I deed as I work for Investment company that many times related to real estate, as we need to shoot a room interior with non-IS lens (10mm wide), and many those room is not well lit for able shoot on 1/125, so having flashgun is a really big help again.
Great video, I'm so glad I watched. I was actually a little surprised by a couple of them. Like the filters and tripod for one. Many other articles/videos I've seen actually suggest these beginner must haves but don't really go into detail about WHY they are a must have. I was very close to spending $160 on a new tripod when I already have a cheap Walmart tripod that I bought for $20 a while back that will do exactly what I need it to.
I have a bad habit of getting really into a new hobby and going all out buying new equipment and gear, then a few months later, I've moved on to something else. Photography is a little different, as I got very interested in it years ago with my photography class in school. Now that I've been spending more time on it and getting better skilled, I am investing a little more into the hobby. So I am glad you helped me avoid costly mistakes.
Subscribed right away! Keep up the good content!
I'm in the first 6 months of using a DSLR in manual mode and taking pictures. Loved this video, really useful, and it all makes perfect sense to me. Earnt you a subscriber, looking forward to seeing the rest of your content.
Awesome - thanks for watching :)
I have an L bracket on my camera at all times basically for the same reason you use lens hoods. just to protect it when forget how to use my hands, and drop it at least once a month.
SUBSCRIBED!!! You Had Me At "Dont Think Anyone Really Cares"
Great video, full of very sound advice, thanks. I'm not a new photographer, quite the opposite, but I'm new to your channel, having been coralled in via your two mates in your Lake District outing. I like your style, both photographic and generally, and very much look forward to seeing more of your stuff on here.
I'm SO glad you mentioned tripods! I've been hemming and hawing for years now and some photographers swear by them but I'm very much a keep-it-simple gal and don't want to haul around any surplus. In a previous lifetime I used a tripod only for long exposures.
Agreed with most everything you said. And while I agree that fancy hard drives like gnarbox or superfast SSDs are overkill, I would not discount the value of practicing good backup strategies for all your files, not just your best photos. And even if a photo is not a commercial success or award winner, it may have sentimental value because it is of a person or place that you may not get another chance to photograph and it would be a shame not to be more careful in preserving/backing it up.
All great tips. I agree with all of your advice. I learnt some of them the hard way, i.e. screen calibrator. Luckily a cheap one. You don’t know what gear is important until you know you really need it. If you’re asking “should I”, don’t.
That's a great way of putting it :)
Love your points btw, you are for sure the number 1 channel (and god knows I have seen a lot) that is down to earth and doesn`t sound like a commercial half of the time. I really learn a lot and it also helps me with my gear fear (I tend to go overboard) and especially the point about investing in trips. I live in the city surrounded by boring forests but Austria (my country) has a lot of wonderful spots (I have seen you been here) that I can visit and actually take more pictures and I think this will be most important for me cause right now I get a bit frustrated with urban/city photography and absolutely lame forests.
Thank goodness i found this video. I recently become interested with camera specifically action cam after a friend gifted me with a budget action cam. I was watching tons of videos of accessories that i need and even contemplating on buying a gopro 8 with money i dont have. I just got into this action cam hobby about 2 months ago. I should hold on to my horses and wait if i still have the passion at least after a year of doing it. Thanks man.
UV filter may be useful when you shoot something where you have real chance that something may hit the lense. Dirt may be flying away like motocross or airsoft and paintball. For Color wars even more protection may be welcome to keep you camera protected from the small particles.
Something I wish I realized earlier: If you do decide you need a filter, buy one that fits the biggest lens you have or think you'll have and just buy step-ups for the smaller lenses. Save money as well as camera bag space.
thats why i use a 82mm ND filter on a 43mm filter thread of the 35mm f2 fuji lens :P it looks so stupid but it matches all my lenses
@@ozerostrike Same here, except it's a 72mm filter on a 49mm lens. Doesn't bother me though. Anyone who's "in the know" will understand and appreciate :)
Good shout :)
Great advice! My camera was second hand and came with a kit lens, filters, and a bag. I'm using an inexpensive tripod from Amazon for astrophotography and lightening shots. I have only been shooting for about a month. Thanks for all of your help!
I agree with you on pretty much everything but monitor calibration. Particularly if you shoot commercial work where clients use your images for prints and catalogs, advertising, etc. Great video!
Pretty helpful video, although some of it is a bit subjective. I would add that, if one does feel the need for filters, buy them to fit the greatest diameter of all lenses you own or plan to buy. Use adapter rings to then make these filters fit every lens you have. Buy only one set of filters.
Back when I was doing more photography I found that a tripod was extremely useful (did mostly landscape and still life) but it didn't need to be particularly expensive. maybe these days with light weight digicams it is less of an issue.
Spent 14 euro for mine and it works perfectly. But most of the time I just carry a fotopro ufo tripod since it's way more versatile for the kind of photography I do. Problem is it doesn't work well with heavy gear.
Great explanations. No matter what piece of gear you mention, there will be someone who disagrees. For me, it's the tripod. I find myself using it more and more. It helps me think more about the scene and create what I hope is a better composition. When doing waterfalls or other scenarios for slowing down the shutter speed, it's a must. Thanks for posting this. I do agree with the other item you discussed. As one progresses, there might be a need for them.
Another excellent and relevant video mate. A lot of money is wasted on so-called "photography essentials" these days.
The last excellent thing I bought to improve my photography didn't really have anything to do with the actual pictures, it was the Peak Design Capture V3 - what a fantastic little accessory! A little pricey but I've found it completely worth it - that's what I would recommend for someone just starting out 🤙
Nd and polarizer filters are my favorites especially coming from cinematography.
A small bag or knapsack that you are really comfortable carrying you gear in, and provides some protection. Gear is only useful if you have it with you. I use a sling bag while biking, I can stop, swing it around, pull out the camera and shoot in seconds. Really great.
Great shout :)
Great video! I don’t necessarily agree with all the items, but the idea of not buying unnecessary stuff, I do. Thank you for helping people save some money!
Some very sound advice there JP, I especially like the travel bit,I've been a total nobber and every time a ad comes on for the next remarkable gadget I get it,latest was just last week with a Z frame thing that go's on the tripod,was only about £20 but soon as I got it I thought wtf have I bought that,now "another dust gatherer".
I agree with you for the most part. My thought is you choose rthe type of photography you want to shoot, get the minimum about of kit to do that genre and practice until you feel your good enough to invest in specialty gear.
Great shout Matthew :)
TLDR 1)CAMERA 2)LENSES 3)TRAVEL PRIORITISE THESE. YOU DON'T NEED OTHER STUFF.
Batteries batteries are important too i bought some Chinese knockoffs that work fine i learned the hard way when i went out for a night shoot and had my camera almost die but the anxiety alone made me buy extra batteries
And film, should probably buy some film.
I would argue that you need a memory card and a tripod as well. A tripod isn't as necessary for some, but for me, it's a nice thing to have because I have shaky hands.
@@joelonsdale I think he’s using DSLR. With those you don’t need film. But, a memory card is necessary. So, we should add that one to the list.
Don't need the travel either. Find locations close to home when you're first starting out. You'll be surprised with what you find. Save that money for more lenses.
Humour and information in great harmony - love it 😄🙌🏼
I always enjoy your videos mate! Good job again!
PRESETS. the amount of people I know who have spent 100s on presets expecting them to make their photos magical :/
Money would be better spend on education, like actually learning how light works :)
I waited a long time, like 10 years, to spend $100 on a tripod. I'm really happy I did now, it's so much nicer than the cheap one I was using before.
nice maan. you saved up $10 a year!
bro 100$ for a tripod is nothing lol..... some tripods cost 10,000$ lmfao
I love your presentation. Very concise and informative. I have been shooting for quite a while and teach online sports and lifestyle photography to newbies. I fully intend to make this a share for them.
I’m so happy I talked myself out of a drone a couple years back. AND I’m with you about the expensive tripods. While I do love my tripod for Astro, I just don’t understand buying one that costs the same price as a premium lens.
"All the gear, no idea!" haha
As a photographer and film maker ND filters and a decent tripod are great investment good quality tripods come in handy for film makeing smoother paning
Christopher Buckenham photography But you’d generally go for a video tripod in that case. Different.
Hi James, love this video. All good, sensible advice and that's why you're, by far, my favourite photographer. Hope you can make it up to Edinburgh again soon. Best wishes, David
Thanks so much David, me too! :)
Good idea about keeping the lens hood in place in case you drop the camera and I agree on your list of don't gets. Very sensible.. Thanks.
Absolutely agree about the loupedeck! I have a £50 MIDI controller and a free lightroom plugin which achieves the same result as having the £300 loupedeck. People often think they need them because they see videos from youtubers who are paid to give them good reviews.
Seems like the sort of thing I'd love, for about 10 minutes...
@@JamesPopsysPhoto Yep its definitely overrated!
Great points to help us beginners out. I admit, I have a good inexpensive, collapsible travel Targums tripod. It is one of the few things I never leave home without. It’s a must for Aurora photography (I live in Interior Alaska, it’s what we do). Thanks for the real world tips!
Wow recommended came clutch with this video. Such an informative straight to the point video! New sub 🤞🏽
Great advice James. It's too easy to fall down the rabbit hole when it comes to buying camera gear. Access to information can be a good thing, but, not always. As a beginner you are looking at spending real, hard earned, money. I spent months researching gear before pulling the trigger on buying. I'm a bit of an outlier when it comes to photography as I am a one-handed southpaw. No cameras are made for my needs nor for anyone in a simular position. Your advice rings true for any beginner. Thanks for sharing James. Great stuff.
Great video. I would add flash gun to the list of don’t buys until you really really need one. I had one for years that moved from car to car and was more use as a paperweight.
I haven’t used a flash in years. I don’t think I ever will. Continuous light FTW!
Agreed. That money is better spent on a cheap wide-aperture prime - which will not only give better shots in the dark, it will also teach a beginner more about camera settings, and be very useful in many other situations. (It likely will even be a better paperweight)
I’d say spend a few bucks/quid on a microfiber cloth. They’re way safer on lenses than a shirt and do a better job at keeping your lenses clean. I like the Spudz cloths as you can clip them to your bag or strap or whatever so they don’t get lost and are connected to their own little travel pouch. Other than that, think this video makes some great points for new photographers feeling overwhelmed by where to start.
I'm definitely being a cheap skate... :)
@@JamesPopsysPhoto Or, you buy excellent tee shirts.
Very much the microfiber cloth! Problem with t-shirts and other bits of clothing is that you expect it can get some dirt on it - brushing against something, or carrying your kid (their shoes knocking on your shirt) and all the way there could be grains of sand or other sufficiently hard bits which will scratch the lens.
Microfiber cloth is super good. If you're spending hundreds of dollars on a lens (or an additional lens for your kit) then you can just buy some lens cleaning thing for a few dollars. Overpriced? Yeah. But they're only a few dollars at the camera store and come with some squirtable cleaning agent and a microfiber cloth.
You got the thumbs up for the tshirt cleaning advice. I do it all the time, lens is perfect, less faffing around I say!
Great advice James.
I bought an L-bracket for my D300 as I really don’t like 3 way tripod heads or ball heads and settled on a video head, largely for tele shooting wildlife, but for indoor portraits, there’s no longer a portrait option so an L-bracket works for me.
Other than these two situations, I hate tripods too and mine hides in the boot of my car.
My advice to people new to it, is buy widely and buy used, as you can always sell it on (if you don’t like it) without losing too much. eBay is your friend.
"SSD = tiny, little Harddrive", hahaha, I'm a computer science major and that was gorgeous xD Lovin' the video! Keep up! :D
Tripods are actually very useful depending on what type of photography you do
Just beginning the journey here and this video has really helped. Thanks.
Oh and subscribed!
Man I am so glad you did this video and I hope a lot of new folks watch it. I would have saved a ton 20 yrs ago. I really liked what you said about progression too- I started with medium and large format- I wanted to be the modern guy that made Ansel look like a scrub- Took me a bit to realize I won't be- ever- I think I am a bit thick so won't ever be him furiously developing master pieces. Now I just travel a lot due to my work and take photos because I go to great and weird places- Except London where I just end up getting drunk with my team there and either being too hammered, too naked and busy (rarely) or too hung over. Anyhow thanks for this- I think it should be required viewing- liked, subscribed