We all love new cameras and lenses, but quality photography accessories are just as important.
We spend a lot of time thinking about which cameras and lenses we should buy. You could even say we fetishize about them, but for some reason we never seem to do the same for photography accessories. Photography accessories such as filters and even computer accessories can make our lives as photographers so much easier. They help us get the images we want in-camera, or they make it easier for us to get the result we want during post. After the break, we will share some photography accessories that are not only game-changing, they’re also super affordable.
Many photographers who are just starting (and honestly, even those who have been around the shutter a few times), can be intimidated by the sheer amount of accessories available. The photography accessories market can be a minefield, and it can sometimes be hard to determine their worth, or how they could change the way we work for the better. But we can say that the photography accessories we have listed below are true game-changers. Check out some of the accessories we use to help us achieve better results, below.
Irix Light Pollution Filter
Light pollution filters are great for cityscape photographers who like night shots, and for astrophotographers who need to cut out the glow of sodium lamps that are still used in many cities. The results we got using this filter were eye-opening, to say the least. It’s one of the must-have photography accessories for photographers who like night shooting. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Nice, textured grips around the ring of the filter make it easy to handle
- Fantastic build quality
- No loss of image quality
- It really does what it says it can do. Sodium lights will no longer cast yellow hues in your night pictures
Cons
- Honestly, nothing we can think of. It just works
Buy now starting at: $73
Neewer Complete ND Filter Kit for Cokin P
Don’t let the price of this graduated and neutral density filter kit fool you. This kit has everything you need to break into the world of grad and ND filters. With it, you will be able to produce stunning shots in-camera, which means you will save a ton of time in post. If you want to take your landscape images to the next level, this kit is well worth the very low price. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Loads of filters
- Loads and loads of very well built (though we’ve felt better) step-up rings
- Easy to use ND filter holder
- Very affordable at only $21
- Comes with a nice case to carry everything
- Great image quality
Cons
- Filters are prone to fingerprint smears
Buy now: $20.99
Western Digital My Passport Wireless SSD
The Western Digital wireless SSD allows you to back up all of your images wirelessly or via an SD card while you are out in the field; you don’t even need a computer for it to work. If you’re an event photographer, a wedding photographer, or even a landscape photographer who wants peace of mind knowing your work has been backed up and secured, this wireless SSD is for you. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Internal Battery
- Rugged build
- Built-In SD Reader (at USB 3.0 Speeds)
- Access Wirelessly from Phone or Computer
- Sync with Dropbox and other cloud services
- Built-In Encryption Options
- Based around a fast SSD
- Can use to charge a phone or other accessories in emergency
- Compatible with both Mac and PC out of the box
Cons
- Battery life could be better
- Connecting directly to a computer (as in, via a cable) was finicky
- SSD Limited to SATA/USB 3.0 speeds
Buy now starting at: $199.99
Pro Tip: Where would we be without SD cards? These little plastic marvels are the heartbeat of what we do, but are you getting the most out of them? Most modern cameras are capable of using UHS-II SD cards now, but many photographers are still using UHS-I cards, which means they aren’t getting the most out of their camera. UHS-II cards used to be expensive, but now, you can pick up these super-fast cards for little outlay. Check to see if your camera can use UHS-II cards: if it can, snap some up.
Breakthrough Photography X4 Circular Polarizer
Circular polarizers are another one of the must-have photography accessories. These filters are easy to use, they allow photographers to cut down reflections and cut through glare from shiny surfaces, and they are also great at making blues pop, which makes them perfect for landscape photographers who want a stunning sky, or gorgeous water in their images. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- High build quality
- Nano Coating is dust resistant, water repellent, and easy to clean
- Weather resistance said to be designed specifically to resist saltwater
- 25-year guarantee
- Greater light transmission is beneficial for stopping motion (in sports or wildlife photography, for example)
Cons
- Difficult to remove
- Greater light transmission is detrimental for blurring motion (in landscape photography, for example)
Buy now starting at: $129
Datacolor SpyderX Elite
Making sure our monitors are correctly calibrated is far more important than people think, especially if you plan on printing your work. When it comes to making accurate edits, you simply must have a properly calibrated monitor; otherwise, all of the work you do during post will be worthless. The Datacolor Spyder X Elite is easy to use, it offers a fast, streamlined calibration process, and it’s also affordable. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- We like the design with the lens addition
- White matches lots of Apple’s products
- We like that it now has soft proofing and Tablet preview
- ReCalibration is incredibly fast
- This is the fastest Spyder yet
Cons
- Old USB style
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- It’s still mostly the same product as before
- The software could use a serious graphical and design update
Buy now: $234.19
Haida Red-Diamond 10 Stop ND 100x100mm Filter
If you have always wanted to do long exposure photography during the bright daylight sun, you need a neutral density filter, and this ten stop ND from Haida is a winner. We absolutely loved it when we reviewed it; it produced images with no color casting and its nanocoatings helped with reflections. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Cuts down a lot of light, making daytime long exposure photography possible
- No discernible color cast
- Industry-standard filter size – can be used with most filter holders on the market
- Nano-coating on both sides keeps the filter waterproofs and minimizes reflections and scratches.
Cons
- Honestly, none with the filter itself; the storage case could be more robust though (it scuffs pretty easily)
Buy now: $152
Haider Filter Holder Review – Buy now: $99
Pro Tip: Tripods are, of course, another one of the must-have photography accessories. There are so many on the market, though, and that can make it hard to make a good decision. Fortunately, we have reviewed a lot of tripods, so if you are unsure which to buy, head to our review sections and read up before making a decision.
Loupedeck+
Let’s face it, we spend an awful lot of time playing around with our images during post, and while modern software makes this process pretty easy, there are photography accessories on the market that can make your life even easier. The Loupedeck+ is a keyboard-like device that has dials, dedicated keys, and sliders that you move to edit your images. That’s right, no more awkward keyboard combos to remember. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Improved build quality compared to the first generation Loupedeck
- Mechanical keys provide much better tactile feedback
- Significantly more customizable than the original
Cons
- Lacks basic tilt adjustments
- No wireless connectivity option and cable is non-removable
Buy now: $249
Wacom Intuos Pro Creative Pen Tablet – Small
If you want even greater control over your edits, you might want to check out the Intuos Pro Creative tablet from Wacom. This small tablet is perfect for the photographer on the go, or for those with small workspaces. But, this small tablet packs a big punch. The Pro Pen makes it easy to touch up even the most difficult areas in your images, and this model won’t break the bank. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Small and lightweight makes it easy to travel with, and it doesn’t take up much desk space
- Pleasant to use and makes editing fine details easier thank to the 8,192 levels of pressure
- The Bluetooth connection makes setup clutter and cord-free
- Pro Pen is incredibly comfortable to use and offers levels of control that will delight
- Designed for both left and right-handed content creators
- Great battery life
- Works with all major photo editing suites such as Photoshop, Lightroom, and Capture One
Cons
- Initial setup takes a while as you need to input commands and keystroke manually
- Overall, the software is not the most user-friendly program
- The plastic used on the tablet is a fingerprint and grease magnet
- The pen stand that houses the extra tips can be hard to open
Buy now: $239.99