Beginner Essential basic kit

Ok, I have my camera and 2 lenses - 18-55mm and 50-200mm - , maybe not the best glass but certainly good enough for starting out. I've also got a small camera bag that takes a DSLR with lens, and my spare lens is wrapped up in lots of bubble wrap and kept in a plastic bag (both are carried in a waterproof backpack (not a camera specific bag) when I'm out and about. As yet I've not discovered what I am more drawn to in terms of shooting, so I'm not thinking about specific lenses for now. I'll run with the ones I have until i discover my muse.

What should I be looking to add to this to give me a good basic kit to be going on with? I'm not thinking about waterproof clothing etc, I'm ok on that front, besides my skin is waterproof! lol I'm thinking along the lines of a tripod, a proper camera rucksack (that must have room for light waterproofs, pieces and juice!) , remote shutter release, filters etc. Or should I just carry on with what I have for now?
Are there miscellaneous items I should maybe keep in my bag that a novice wouldn't think of but could maybe utilise from time to time?

Also, I'm quite happy to 'bodge' things if it saves a bit of cash and still gets results, I reckon there will be something pleasing about getting a 'result' this way. For example, shower cap for waterproofing, that kinda thing. Could I use different coloured sheer stockings as a sort of filter? Or would that blur the image too much?


Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.


The pieces and bits of miscellaneous items...

Spare batteries. Buy yourself one more for now, then expand to extras if needed, when you have the budget or found out what your muse is. For example: If you do landscape photography, one spare battery in addition to the one that came with the camera is good enough, beside, you can always charge up one battery at a pub when you're having lunch. But photojournalist, well I don't know, I 'm guessing could carry half a dozen of spare batteries, because in the middle of a war torn town, during the heat of a battle, their cameras could be on maximum power, full shooting speed, drains the batteries quicker, and they can't afford to miss headlines by going back to the hotel to recharge the only battery they got. Would be a good idea if in addition to the battery that came with the camera, you try for two spares.

Cleaning kit. Usually lens cloth, blower brush, stuff like that.

Spare caps. Spare front lens caps if needed (assuming you have a habit of losing your lens caps). Spare rear lens cap in addition to the one already put on the rear of lens you're not using. You may also want to carry your camera's body cap, because sometimes you would take the lens off to clear the rear of the lens, but don't want your camera without another lens or a body cap on, and a big hole there, letting in some dust or flies.

Filters. Yes, while it is supposed to help with exposure, for example ND filters to help with adjusting exposures, it can doubles as starch proof for the front of your lens. Usually a skylight filter on front of your lenses, plus a spare in the bag, in case the current filter on the lens gets damaged, then replace it with the spare.

The rest can wait as you expand. Remote shutter release for example, can wait, because for now you could make do with the camera's self-timer.
 
Thanks for adding more tips, much appreciated.

I'm not sure what kind of Silica Gel it is, I got it in Jessops so figured it would be ok. It's good to know I can 'recharge' them though. Regarding lens caps, I tend to stick it in my pocket the second I remove it, more chance of me forgetting to put it back on than lose it, but I guess a spare wouldn't go amiss.

The blowers that people have mentioned. Is that the same thing that I'd see in a computer repair shop? An aerosol type thing with a sort of straw nozzle attachment like you get with a can of WD-40.
 
The blowers that people have mentioned. Is that the same thing that I'd see in a computer repair shop? An aerosol type thing with a sort of straw nozzle attachment like you get with a can of WD-40.

Nope! Never, EVER use compressed air!! If that is what you are referring to?

I have a Hepa Jet 2 - Overkill? Yeah to some maybe. But I've had it longer than I can remember & does the job perfectly.
 
Thanks for adding more tips, much appreciated.

I'm not sure what kind of Silica Gel it is, I got it in Jessops so figured it would be ok. It's good to know I can 'recharge' them though. Regarding lens caps, I tend to stick it in my pocket the second I remove it, more chance of me forgetting to put it back on than lose it, but I guess a spare wouldn't go amiss.

The blowers that people have mentioned. Is that the same thing that I'd see in a computer repair shop? An aerosol type thing with a sort of straw nozzle attachment like you get with a can of WD-40.

Rocket blower https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingjoy-AB..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=ZZVCJ4AYAA4JCGRYDZYE
 
Yeah, I think it was compressed air that I spotted, was gonna buy it tomorrow. Disaster averted! :)

Thanks for the link.
 
I think there are big and small versions of the original Giottos Rocket Blower, plus another smaller one with a tilting nozzle and various other knock-offs. Not sure the brand matters much, the bigger ones are better and check that there's a one-way valve.

QQ8bigc.jpg
 
I think there are big and small versions of the original Giottos Rocket Blower, plus another smaller one with a tilting nozzle and various other knock-offs. Not sure the brand matters much, the bigger ones are better and check that there's a one-way valve.
Some of the reviews of the knockoff claim that there's no one-way valve for the nozzle, so it can suck dust into the bulb from the front. Might as well get the original, which even seems to be cheaper at the moment.
 
Thanks.:)

I'll peep Amazon again and try to avoid the knock offs. I noticed a cheap one bundled with a micro fibre cleaning cloth and some sort of a pen? Noticed the tilting nozzle one as well, but it looks like the main thing to be looking for is the one way valve so that's what I'll go for, I'd imagine any old cloth would do provided it's one of those micro fibre ones (lint free and all that).
In fact, I'll likely be in town today to pick up memory for my laptop so I'll pop into the wee photography shop and see if they have any (can't recall seeing anything like that when I bought my camera though).
 
The Pentax Supaclean cloths are the best I've found:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pentax-Supaclean-micro-fibre-cleaning/dp/B00II2AYZS

but you always have to be careful with re-usable cloths that they don't pick up grit that can scratch your lenses. There's less risk of this with disposable Zeiss wipes, which are individually sealed and moistened with an alcohol-based cleaning fluid, and are only about 5p each if you buy a box of 200:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZEISS-Lens-Wipes-Pack-200/dp/B00IKGH2TI/
 
The blowers that people have mentioned. Is that the same thing that I'd see in a computer repair shop? An aerosol type thing with a sort of straw nozzle attachment like you get with a can of WD-40.
Nope! Never, EVER use compressed air!!
Using compressed air is much better than using the other stuff that comes in a confusingly similar can with a sort of straw nozzle attachment. I once tried to clean a focusing screen with WD-40 by accident. It worked about as well as you'd expect.
 
Does it stop the buzzing sound, and after lubrication do they start to fly round at speeds beyond their control? :D

It was the other way around - fly spray used instead of WD40 contact cleaner to sort a poor connection on the satnav. Amazingly, after half an hour with cotton buds etc, it still worked (y)

ps Warning: WD40 do a number of very different products, all branded WD40 and all in confusingly similar blue/yellow cans - just like fly spray :eek:
 
I only started photography recently and I started shooting on my Canon 700D which I still use and with a 18-55mm kit lens and a 50mm f1.8. I recently bought a tripod, shutter release remote and 24mm f2.8 'pancake’ lens and 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 wide angle lens.

They all help but I feel like I’m less creative and most of my time I’m spending on switching between lenses rather than thinking of composition for example. If I could recommend two things you should have would be a tripod for sure, and either 24mm or 50mm prime lens. They are not very expensive and they are amazing lenses. For me the 50mm f1.8 'Nifty Fifty’ is a must.
 
I only started photography recently and I started shooting on my Canon 700D which I still use and with a 18-55mm kit lens and a 50mm f1.8. I recently bought a tripod, shutter release remote and 24mm f2.8 'pancake’ lens and 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 wide angle lens.

They all help but I feel like I’m less creative and most of my time I’m spending on switching between lenses rather than thinking of composition for example. If I could recommend two things you should have would be a tripod for sure, and either 24mm or 50mm prime lens. They are not very expensive and they are amazing lenses. For me the 50mm f1.8 'Nifty Fifty’ is a must.

The "nifty fifty" is an awesome lens - much underrated but to me easily as good as any L glass lens.

And coupled with a set of auto extension tubes makes a great macro lens:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/albums/72157625975281497
 
As a newbie to this forum and photography, thanks for the advice on this thread. Many questions answered already.
 
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