Your DSLR and Beyond

If you're buying a DSLR for the first time ever, you may believe that all you really need to buy are a few simple accessories, such as a camera bag and an extra battery. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. When you purchase a DSLR you're going to have to invest in a few more things than the basics. Here's why:

Number one, DSLRs only come with just enough features to take average looking photographs in a limited number of settings. So in order to make the most of your camera, you'll need additional items to widen the range of subject matter you can take, as well as help you produce the professional, high end images that most people hope to achieve with a DSLR.

Number two, since a DSLR is a major investment, you'll want to do everything you can to protect it. A camera bag is of course a good start, but there are a few more items you should get to protect it even further.

If you're currently in the dark as to what to buy for your newly bought camera, below is a list of six very important accessories you should consider getting. While the last two suggestions are optional, the first four, in my opinion, are necessary to not only protect your DSLR, but make the most out of it.

Additional lens

When you purchase a DSLR, it will often come with what's known as a "kit" lens. It's sort of like a starter lens that you're given to allow you to start using the camera right off the bat, rather than have to go through the hassle of buying the body first and then shopping around for a lens.

The great thing about kit lenses is just that-- they allow you to shoot as soon as you get the camera. But there is a downside. For one, because they are in fact "starter" lenses, their quality is not usually the best. That's not to say they're bad, but their performance is usually about average. What that means is that if you're buying a DSLR to take super, duper sharp photographs with vibrant colors, you're bound to be disappointed.

Another downside is that feature-wise, they tend to be limited. For example, the zoom range-- which is usually 18-55mm-- is generally not enough for those who really like to zoom in on objects from a great distance (examples: animals at a zoo / safari, baseball players from the stands, singers at a concert hall, etc). Kit lens also tend to not be "fast enough"--i.e., have a wide enough aperture. At the time of this writing, there are virtually no kit lens with apertures larger than 3.5.

So at one point you'll want to upgrade your lens for something of better zoom range, quality, and fastness. You may even want to get really adventurous and nab a more specialized lens such as a fisheye or prime lens (a lens with a fixed focal length that tends to create really sharp pictures).

Before going ahead and adding a new lens or two to your repertoire, make sure to check your camera's specs to find out which lens are compatible. The last thing you want to do is buy that perfect lens, only to find out it isn't compatible!

Tripod

One of the reasons why you bought a DSLR was most likely to start taking noise-free photos in dim lighting without the benefit of flash, since you can't really do this with point and shoots.

If you're serious about pursuing this type of photography, then you're really going to want to invest in a decent tripod. This is because natural photography in low light settings requires exposures too long for handheld shots. Without a tripod, most shots will be blurry-- and yes, even with so-called "image stabilization" settings switched on.

If the prospect of lugging around a full-sized tripod scares you, you have an alternative- the mini tripod. As the name suggests, this is a much smaller version of a tripod. Because it's so small, lightweight, and portable, it can be a very handy alternative to carrying a normal-sized tripod. Just a caveat before you buy one, though-- make sure the mini tripod you choose is sturdy enough to carry your particular model and its lens, or else you'll wind up with a broken camera if it tips over from the weight!

Card reader

If your DSLR comes with a cable making it easy to transfer your photos to your hard drive, why buy a card reader?

Two reasons. For one, to preserve battery power. Because you need to have your camera on while transferring photos, you drain your battery in the process. With a reader, you can bypass the camera altogether and hook the card straight to the computer itself.

Secondly, readers are much faster at transferring data than your cable, anyway, so even if you can spare prematurely draining your camera battery it's better to just have one just for the sake of speed.

Of course, you could save money by not buying a reader at all and sticking to your cable, but trust me-- it's worth it. You not only save money in the long run on batteries, the process of moving photos to your hard drive goes much faster.

Large capacity memory card

Having owned a point and shoot prior to your first DSLR, you may have had no problems shooting with a low capacity 1-2 GB memory card. But if you're especially interested in shooting in MPs larger than 8 (say, 10-12MP) and in RAW format, then a higher capacity memory card (4 GB and above) is definitely in order. This is because large MP and RAW format images garner larger file sizes than standard JPG photos shot at 8 MP or below. So unless you don't mind only being able to take only 70-100 pictures on a memory card, upgrade!

UV filter
Believe it or not, no matter how careful you are with a camera, the unexpected can still happen to it. Objects can accidentally hit the lens or for whatever reason, your camera may drop and hit the ground.

Because of the potential for this type of accident, one method of protection that many people have come up with is to screw a UV filter onto the lens of their cameras. Should the camera be dropped or get struck with some severity, the filter "saves" the lens by taking the brunt of the force. This isn't just mere theory; quite a few photographers can testify to instances when it was a filter and not their expensive lens that cracked during an accident.

Not all photographers are sold on UV filters as a form of protection, though. Currently, there's a lot of debate raging about their usefulness. Some people swear by them; others argue that they're unnecessary and degrade image quality. In the end, it's really up to you whether to purchase one. My advice is that if you do decide to get a UV filter to make sure that it's not only of the highest quality, but that you diligently maintain it by cleaning it of dust and smudges. If you don't, you will indeed be compromising image quality for the sake of security.

LCD screen protector

Just like a lens, the LCD screen on a DSLR is very susceptible to cracking if you should drop your camera or God forbid, something hit it. Even if you treat it with kid gloves, there's the possibility of accidentally scratching it. This is why you might want to invest in an LCD screen protector, which adheres to the back of your camera and covers your screen.

The most basic type of screen protector is made of plastic film. Although quite handy, these come with a few issues. For one, if they're poorly made, they can decrease visibility of your screen. Two, they're not really long-lasting and require being replaced every so often. Three, they may protect your screen from smudges and scratches but not from more major impacts. Four, more often than not when applied they result in annoying little bubbles that are hard to squeeze out. If there's anything good that can be said about them is that they're a good way of temporarily protecting your camera before investing in a better protector.

Another type of LCD screen protector is made of glass. This is the better type of LCD screen protector in that it's more durable and offers better protection. The only downside is that it's more expensive. Also, because it's made of glass, it's cut to specific dimensions, which means you have to do a little hunting to find one cut specifically to the dimensions of your camera's LCD screen. Although makers of these types of protectors will try to make them for as many different models as possible, there's a chance that you might not be able to find one that fits your particular camera.