(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best digital camera accessories

Thanks /u/lamic

I looked through your post and recommendations, it looks awesome! I know I really should wait for the Hero5 but I'm not sure if I can wait.


I started to put a list of things I want/need into a spreadsheet, to start looking at Price. I have Amazon Prime so I'm thinking about ordering everything through Amazon.


Can you take a quick look through my list and see if everything checks out and if I missed anything for "Basic" operations? Then could you make any more recommendations, or let me know what my next purchases should be?

• GoPro HERO4 SILVER- $338
  
  
  
• Memory Card Lexar 64GB- $35, Looks like the cheapest one between Sandisk Extreme and Lexar, Lexar currently is the cheapest on Amazon
  
  
• Batteries - Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack)- $22, Read a few reviews and people said they like these batteries a lot. Should give me enough juice and let me know how long I can record with, until I'm completely dead.
  
  
  
• Protection Lens - $7 I really just need to lens protector, in the reviews people are saying some parts don’t fit the Hero4 only the Hero3. Or should I put the $20 version off the actual GoPro site?
  
  
• GoPro The Tool – $4, Like you requested and reading some comments it looks like it would be worth it.
  
  
• A basic Card Reader - $7, did a quick google search on best card readers this one popped up for best for it’s price.
  
  
• SANDMARC® Pole - $40, Looked up some reviews and people tend to like this one. It seems like is always recommended to have some kind of stick or holdable mount to start off with. Also could you go into a little more detail about mounting the GoPro?
  
  
• Pelican Case -$25 I like the idea of it being waterproof and I like to be organized with my stuff. So this looks like a perfect fit. And it will be an awesome case to travel with.
  
  
• Kingston 5-in-1 Mobile Companion - $35 I was watching some videos and it seems like this could be a cool little gadget to have. I would mostly use it for “mobile uploads to Hard Drives”. Working in IT I know how important it is to have backups, and this will let me get around bringing a laptop to the resort and other stuff. This is the video I’m referring too that shows you how to upload to a HD with out a computer.
  
  
  So with everything in my cart I’m sitting at $488 which is with in my budget.
  
  I’m still reading about the remote. That might be something we add down the line. I think I’ll be pretty content with just my phone app or getting the “waterproof touch screen” case cover too.
  
  Do you think this is a good setup? Will this get me going? Do you have any recommendations, or anything that I should add or not buy yet?
  

If you're just getting into it, I would consider a camera body that costs $500 USD or less. My own personal recommendation is the Sony A6000. The body and kit lens is small and compact compared to a traditional DSLR like the Canon T6i and performs just as well. It also has the option of being able to mount vintage lenses on it due to it's smaller form factor and the lens mount being closer to the sensor. This means you can get good but cheap manual lenses from back in the day for often times $100 USD or less plus a $18 USD converter mount.

If you have any questions about this camera system (i own the A6000) or in general, please feel free to ask either through comments or pm me. Shameless plug (https://instagram.com/snappedbyandy for example photos)

Also. It sounds like you want to take a lot of landscapes, and for that you want a lens with a low focal length. Now, the kit lens that comes with cameras is nice and all, but if you want some real stunning pictures, you'll get a better quality prime wide-angle lens. "Prime" meaning the lens can't zoom and "wide-angle" meaning you have a wider field of view. Since it doesn't need to move, there's less glass needed, and the quality of the picture is better. Something that's 12mm to 20mm should do the trick. I'll link a personal recommendation below should you choose to go with the A6000.

Again, i want to emphasize to buy used if possible. Especially on lenses. You'll get severe discounts compared to buying something brand new. Typically people take good care of their lenses, and if you can meet the person before buying, a little legwork can save you a bundle of money.

Camera with kit lens (i recommend buying used/refurb locally if possible)

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Mirrorless-Digitial-3-0-Inch-16-50mm/dp/B00I8BICB2/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1539180473&sr=1-5&keywords=a6000&dpID=41AEqhgdLtL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Recommended wide angle lens for landscape with the A6000:

https://www.amazon.com/Rokinon-Ultra-Angle-Mount-RK12M/dp/B00JD4TAWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539180938&sr=8-1&keywords=rokinon+12+e+mount

an example of a good vintage lens:

https://www.amazon.com/Minolta-MD-50mm-Japan-Mount/dp/B008QFXYYU/ref=sr_1_16?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539180558&sr=1-16&keywords=minolta+rokkor

an example of a converter to convert the mount of a vintage lens to the Sony E-mount

https://www.amazon.com/Fotasy-NEX-VG30-NEX-VG900-NEX-FS100-NEX-FS700/dp/B00E5T5BJW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539180630&sr=1-3&keywords=md+to+e+mount&dpID=41RFJ6J3P1L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch


Guy with a dedicated blog to attaching vintage lenses to the Sony E mount system (he uses a Sony A7, which is more expensive, but the A6000 uses the same mount system, so it still all applies):

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/affordable-manual-lenses-for-the-sony-alpha-77r7ii7rii-and-7s/

I'll do my best. I don't know many technical terms, and I'll likely be editing this as I remember more things, so beware. Also I'm including solutions to a lot of mistakes I made, so this is long:

Setup:

• Before you go, take a picture of a distant object (building, tree...whatever), and make a mental note about where the focus ring on your camera should be. For my 50mm lens, I need to have the focus ring rotated nearly all the way to the left. This will come in handy later. (http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/media/upload/tutorials/stillcams/rebel_lens.jpg)
  
  
• Download Stellarium (http://www.stellarium.org/) and check to see what the sky will look like when/where you plan your shoot. Also make sure you understand which direction the stars will be drifting in. In N. California, at 9:30 at night, on Sept 18th, facing NE, Andromeda drifted upward and slightly to the left.
  
  
• Next, you'll need a dark area. Use a light pollution map like http://darksitefinder.com/maps/unitedstates-15color.html. I live near San Francisco, so I had to drive 90 miles to get to an area that was dark enough for decent pictures ("green" on the light maps).
  
  
• Make a list of what you need to be sure about: Camera, set to RAW, charged battery, memory card, tripod, tripod head...
  
  Taking pics:
  
  
• I setup my camera and tripod, and aim it towards the first star I see on my screen. However, if your camera isn't focused at least a little, the stars will be so blurry you can't find them. So it helps to know roughly where your focus needs to be (that's why we made that mental note about it earlier). Once you've found a star, adjust your focus as necessary and get it as pin-point sharp as you can.
  
  
• Helpful: An android tablet or laptop. There are free DSLR apps that will give you a live view from your camera, instead of relying on your camera's tiny screen. REALLY helps with focusing and reviewing your images. You can often adjust the camera settings from them too.
  
  
• Now that I'm setup and focused it's time to find Andromeda, so I aim my camera towards it. Problem: I don't know if I'm aimed directly at it, so I take a long exposure at a high ISO. This makes the galaxy much more obvious, so I can find it when I review my picture.
  
  
• Because the earth rotates, the stars drift. Remember when we checked Stellarium, Andromeda was drifting upwards and slightly to the left. I try to aim the galaxy towards the bottom of my frame so as the galaxy moves across the sky, it moves from the bottom of my frame to the top and I don't constantly have to re-adjust my camera.
  
  
• For the 50mm 1.8 lens (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-Standard-AutoFocus-Lens/dp/B00005K47X/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411340725&sr=1-2&keywords=canon+50mm+1.8+lens): Once you've got your aim and focus ready, check that you're taking pictures in RAW, set your exposure to 6 seconds, set your ISO to 1600. Longer lenses will need more light, and offer you shorter exposure times, but you'll get a larger view of the object.
  
  
• I use a remote trigger, lock it in the "take pictures" position, and let the camera fire for 10-15 minutes. Then I check the most recent picture and make sure the galaxy is still in the frame. If it's not near the top of the frame, I keep going for a bit longer until the galaxy starts to get close to the opposite edge of the frame. (Remote: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KDQPWM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
  
• If you need more pictures, re-adjust the camera and keep going. I shoot until I collect at least 500 shots.
  
  
• Now that you have your pictures, you'll need dark frames. We'll use these later to correct errors the camera makes. Put the lens cap on, and with exactly the same exposure time, and the same ISO, take at least 20-30 shots. Don't wait too long, these frames work best if the camera's sensor is still hot from the previous shoots.
  
  
• Now you need bias frames. Again, we'll use these to correct camera errors. Keep the lens cap on, and set your exposure time to the fastest your camera offers. For my T3i, that's 1/4000th of a second. Take 20-30 shots.
  
  Processing:
  
  
• Helpful: When I load my pictures onto the computer, I make 3 folders "Light" "Dark" "Bias". Sometimes I'll find I have high ISO, high exposure "looking for the galaxy" pictures mixed in with my regular pictures. I find the easiest way to identify them is to view my pictures in Windows Explorer and select View - Details. This lists the pictures along with the date they were taken, file size, etc. I add Exposure Time, Focal Length, and ISO to the detail columns and now I can see exactly which pictures are throwaways. I put the pictures of the galaxy in the Light folder, Darks in the Dark folder, and Bias in the Bias folder.
  
  
• Use Deep Sky Stacker, load your Light Frames, and click "Check All". Then load your dark frames, then your bias. These will check automatically. Then click Register Pictures.
  
  
• Under Stacking Parameters, I use Mosaic Mode under "Result" and Kappa Sigma Clipping for the Light, Dark, and Bias frames. Click OK
  
  
• Click Recommended Settings and click any link that's blue. This will automatically pick the best setting for you. Click OK and start stacking! This should take at least a couple hours from start to finish.
  
  
• You'll end up with a picture of nearly NOTHING! But now when you brighten it up the stars and galaxy will emerge and you'll end up with FAR less noise. Deep Sky Stacker used those dark and bias frames to identify what in your pictures is just useless noise, and eliminated it. Deep Sky Stacker also has a very crude adjustment tool to brighten images, but you can use Gimp, Photoshop, Lightroom, or another image editor to really play with the brightness, levels, and curves to get the best image possible.
  
  
• Helpful: If DSS goes through the whole process, and ends in an error, look through your pictures. Make sure the darks are all dark, the lights are all light, and delete frames that look funky (airplane flying through them or something). Maybe try stacking just the first 50, or the first 10...play around with it until you find out what's wrong.
  
  Did I leave anything out? Any questions?
  
  VERY HELPFUL VIDEO: http://youtu.be/e0JSTF8SGi4

Yeah, the L lenses are Canon's premium line. They're mostly dust and weather sealed, and all-metal, and as you go down from them in price they're more plastic and sometimes more prone to dust intrusion. They still usually do a pretty good job though.

There's also a decent selection of non Canon lenses if you find you're looking for something outside the "normal" range, but aren't looking to weigh buying a used car or an L lens. There are 400mm and 500mm "telephoto mirror lens"es that are set up like a small mirror telescope for your camera. It won't be anywhere near as nice or crisp as an L lens, and most are manual focus, but they're only a few hundred bucks if you find that you'd want to try something like that out. There's also lens rental websites if you want to try a nice lens before you buy it, or only have a need for it for a few days or a week.

I hear good things about some, but it can be a mixed bag as far as build and image quality, so staying away from those to begin with may be wise. I was gifted a very lightly used 30D a year and change ago and I still have yet to dive in, as everyone's shorthand differs and I don't have enough time to sort through it. But I started with a used 18-55, got a 24, and just bought a refurb 24-105 L, so it's kind of to each their own.

Amazon(+ grip)has them for cheaper, but if you know this one is of superior quality and has been taken care it may be worth it. Seems a slightly overpriced for a camera made in 2008, unless they throw in a lens. (and TBH the 4gb card is not worth much and sync cables, charger, battery are standard).

Unless you need the weather sealing of the 50D (i.e. heavy rain/snow/sand) you can go with something like a NEW T6 and get a lens or a NEW Nikon D3400 with lens

edit: I also want to point out while the stock lenses are good for most environments you might also want to save/get some additional lenses (used lenses are a great option).

When it comes to the close up and extremes you'll be looking for a macro lens. My goto on the job is the 100mm 2.8 L (the non-L lens is a pretty good place to start. I've actually got a used and abused one going, get in touch if you're interested). You might also want to consider the 50mm 1.8 (you can find a better price than that). It won't give you the super close ups but it will give you some real depth of field to start working with.

Lighting... that kit might be slight overkill with the backgrounds. Those lights also don't let you use new modifiers as you continue your journey. You may find you prefer the look from a softbox than an umbrella and you're kinda stuck with those. I would consider these if the price stays low...
Having said all that, it's important to start somewhere and that's not a bad place at all!

There aren't really any steps to follow to get into the business. The best advice I can give is to shoot! Keep shooting! Learn, ask, watch youtube videos. Start looking at the photos you like and try and work out how they were lit. Look into food styling.

When you're confident in what you can do, try going into a local restaurant and offer them a little shoot for free. Maybe offer them 1 photo and the option to buy the others if they like them. Work breeds work.
That's all the advice I can think of at the moment but you can message me if you have any questions!

edit: Links and bits

I am just an amateur/hobbyist when it comes to photography but I do love taking pictures of tiny things. My camera is a Canon 200D and the only macro lens I have just now is the EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro which does ok but I am wondering if I can get anything with better magnification/quality for a somewhat affordable amount of money.

I have been looking at this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-100-2-8-Macro-Lens/dp/B00005KHRX but it's stretching my budget to its limit (and perhaps a little past it). Does anyone have any recommendations for me?

Here is an image of a fly in a web I took with the existing lens to give an idea of quality (https://www.dropbox.com/s/qgzmljr6jwdterk/IMG_0612.JPG?dl=0), would really like more magnification than this if possible (the example was taken with my old camera which is a 1300d)

Any recommendations would be welcome

Alright so unfortunately I wont be able to get the Tokina 11-16mm because there really no way I can afford it at the moment. But I came up with a new set i'm trying to choose from, a couple from the ones you showed me and one I found after googling.

I don't know if me telling you this will help you help me at all but i'm mainly going to be using the lens I buy for video. I am starting to be a cameraman for a friend of mine and I go with him to his performances on stage and record him. I'm also going to use it for music videos. So any lens that's good for that and is wide angle is what I want.

Anyway, the lens are:

Rokinon FE14M-C 14mm F2.8
(I have this one first because I found this video on youtube and I was pretty amazed by the quality of the video, I don't know if it's because the camera is a T3i or what, I like it.)

[Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5]
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G7PIBC)

and the Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4

I'd recommend one of these suckas, especially if you think she might combine cooking & taking photos. Photography is all about light, and one of these speedlites is an awesome and affordable way to get a better understanding of that. Read the reviews to get an idea of how kickass these things can be.

Alternatively, I learned photography by taking pics of the night sky. It was the most interesting thing to me and is what drove me to learn more about taking photos. I bought one of these, which allowed me to take pics with crazy long shutters on my T2i and also do cool stuff with star trails. I remember being so damn pumped when I took that photo with my T2i, the stock lens and a $10 shutter release.

Coupling the release with the tripod is a nice combo. The flash is great for indoor stuff.

If you're feeling SUPER crazy, consider the famous "nifty fifty." My biggest frustration with the kit lens when I had my T2i was that it was practically useless handheld in low light, and it was hard to achieve any shallow depth of field, which are two pretty big draws to DSLR photography. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II changed that all.

It can be had for under $100 used on Amazon, but I'd check your local Craigslist. Everyone Canon shooter has owned this lens at one point, and I've seen them for as low as $50 on NYC CL.

I would go for the 50mm lens and a tripod, throw in the shutter release and flash if you're feeling super generous. It would set her up for a very long time if she is serious about photography. If all the stars align, you could probably get the lens + tripod + shutter release + flash for under $150 but it's not very likely.

ah yea then the a6400 is perfect for you. If you want a faster aperture with zoom, it isn't cheap by any means, but the most reasonably priced lens I could find was a Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 for roughly $900. of course you can look at the G Master lineup if you want the absolute finest glass for the camera but those are $1200+ for the cheapest. You wont find larger zoom ranges with faster apertures with very few exceptions. keep in mind the APS-C crop factor makes the 28-75mm look like a 42mm-112mm. the Fstops will be roughly 4.2 after you account for the crop factor, but i think it will manage.

In terms of super fast lenses below F2, id say look at primes, but for the most part, they wont be pin-sharp unless stopped down to F2 and higher, but that's more than enough for low light. If you want an artsy lens, Kamlan 50mm F1.1 Mk1 is a fully manual lens that isnt super particularly sharp but can make really really artsy images, still videos. if you dont want to absolutely cripple your bank account and still have the autofocus and decent super fast apertures, you can look at Sony 35mm F1.8, Sony 50mm F1.8, or Sony 85mm F1.8. Those are kinda budget lenses. what you are paying for is the fast apertures, not necessarily the quality of the glass itself. If you look at Sony G or Sony G Master, you are looking at spending more per lens but obviously at increasing quality. You could look at some Sigma glass as well. Zeiss is expensive but good.

anyone else have other recommendations, I'd say the tamron 28-75 is decently low light and zoom for both applications.

The SL2 is a subcompact, so really small. Good camera, though. If you have big hands, just you may want a larger body. The T6 is outdated at this point, so that's not a particularly great price. I would recommend the t7i as it just hit the market:

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Camera-18-55mm-75-300mm-Accessory/dp/B078J9VHYK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539737504&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=t7i&psc=1

One additional thing I would suggest-- all soon-to-be photographers doubt me on this until they see the staggering difference it makes on their photos-- a 50mm f1.8 lens. They're cheap and deliver excellent optical performance for the dollar. Having a wide aperture lens will be critical for action shots. Amazing for portraits as it gives you that creamy background blur. Will be a great lens to learn the importance of aperture and the fundamentals of exposure.

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Filter-Blower-Pouch-Keeper/dp/B015BMSQS4/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539737701&sr=1-5&keywords=50mm+1.8

If that's the case, I would start with the upgraded lens that the 80D can come packaged with: the 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM (make sure it's the STM!!) is a solid choice. It's a perfectly fine "do it all" lens that's able to give you a nice range of wide angle to telephoto while you figure out what you really want to shoot later on down the line.

Any extra money could go towards some AF extension tubes which can help you give macro a try at a more reasonable price before buying a dedicated macro lens.

I bought a 50mm 1.8 that came with a kit of 3 filters and some additional products on Amazon. It's an incredible lens for both photography & video that I highly recommend. It is a wide angle so unlike the kit lenses with zoom it's range will require you to move around a lot more so keep that in mind. I am still figuring out when to use the filters it came with, so far I haven't really used them.

The other lens I just purchased is a novelty lens called the Helios 44m-4. These lenses come imported from Russia and is strictly a manual lens. If you really want to learn manual like I do, I'd recommend getting this one, the price of the lens ranges from $40-$60 which is a bargain for how gorgeous these shots come out! Haven't utilized the video too much yet but so far I am loving it. You also need to buy an adapter ring for Canon if you plan on purchasing since it is a none Canon lens.

Those are the ones I have so far!

I rented the 11-16 F 2.8 and loved it , but I wanted a little more scope so I decided to get the Tokina 12 - 24 F4

LOVE IT one of my fave lenses.

http://www.amazon.com/Tokina-12-24mm-AT-X-124-Lens/dp/B001LD51H2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396042795&sr=8-2&keywords=tokina+12-24mm+f4

Can you connect some kind of remote to the camera? The connector looks something like a headphone jack, but it would probably be easiest to just search for name_of_camera remote on amazon - it should look similar to this and would allow you to expose however long you wish, for a set length or in an interval.

Although just having a longer exposure isn't actually as helpful as you might think - the trails just start overlapping (this is 92s) and at some point the pictures just kind of all look the same - having control of exactly when the exposure starts and ends is very nice.

I posted this mainly to showcase my new lens (Kamlan 50mm prime f1.1) which I just recently found out about (and I thought the lens was amazing especially for the price) and the looks of fake anamorphic lenses. I used a filter which had an oval shaped hole (for the oval bokeh effect) and a thin wire vertically down the middle (for the lens flare streak). I also recently got an ND filter which is great with the high speed lens so I can keep a very shallow depth of field during the day.

Overall I think this setup I have going on is awesome and great if you’re on a budget.

Here are the links to everything:

[Kamlan Lens - 50mm prime f1.1]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTBNBK6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rS85BbNM25A4A)

[Anamorphic Lens Filter]
(https://www.vid-atlantic.com/products/cinemorph)

[Variable ND Filter]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JL4IN50/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_i5vNeCpM6rfD6)

Mirror lenses tend to not be zoomable (Just trying to think of the optics for one and I can't). A search for the lens shows a very long "birding" lens. Not particularly fast (its an f/8-f/16) but if you pump the ISO high enough, its ok for a starting for wild life.

That said, your mirror lens approach is a good one. One can find an 800mm f/6.3 (even faster than the 420-800 zoom) for about $100 also. (amazon). I would certainly suggest the OP to consider getting that one for astrophotography. AS its a much shorter (physical length) and lighter, it will be easier to use on a tracking tripod mount.

My week is crazy. At work we have a production roll out that effects all of our customers. What this means is all this week up till Thursday will be working late making sure everything is ready to go for the roll out. On Thursday, I have to come in and work a normal 8-5 shift, go home and decompress for about an hour, then get back on my computer and work with everyone to get the roll out done. This typically goes until 12-2am in the morning. Friday, I have to come in at my normal time and hope we didn't break anything so we don't have a ton of calls to support. Fun times. :)

catdog
Item

Oh man, that's a nice camera! You're going to have tons of fun with that.

You do probably want to use the bulb setting, although you don't have to. I think the a6000 will do up to a 30" exposure without a remote. I use this timer because it lets you totally customize and automate your picture-taking. For example, you can do a nighttime time-lapse movie by taking, say, a 30 second exposure every 2 minutes for 6 hours, and you can program that all into the remote so that it will work while you sleep. Definitely a worthwhile investment if you want to get into any kind of photography.

Here are some examples of a light painting experiment we did in my dining room http://imgur.com/a/vN4ko

I use a Canon but here's my "for dummies"/quickstart guide to light painting:

1. Set camera to M
   
   
2. Set exposure to the longest possible (on my camera it's 30 seconds)*
   
   
3. Set aperture. In the examples we used f/22. Experiment and see if you like the outcome. Now that I think about it. We had some problems with making that much light to show up. Something like f/8 would've been nicer to work with
   
   
4. Wear dark clothing, turn off all the lights
   
   
5. Hit the shutter then stand in front of the lens.
   
   
6. Paint! We used a cell phone with a flashlight app. Get creative. Sparklers, fire, LEDs, flashes, flash lights or anything that lights up can be used to paint
   
   
   
   TIP: if you're working alone, set the self timer to 2 seconds so that you have time to move in front of the lens before the exposure starts*
   
   *TIP: if you set the shutter speed to BULB then it will keep it open for as long as the shutter button is held down. Most remote-shutter releases have a LOCK or HOLD position that is very useful. You can buy a remote for under $10 on amazon. (You don't need to go name brand for this, it's just a button)
   
   TIP If you want to use BULB mode but down have a remote, you can
   "hack" it by using tape to keep the button down*

Got the xt-20 two months. I love it. I primarily shoot street and I haven't enjoyed the act of using a camera this much in a while. You will still face some challenges of moving to a mirrorless system though - its not as fast as my Nikon. But that tradeoff is worth it for how compact, beautiful, and nimble this camera is. I also suggest buying a hand grip. If you have big hands, it will be hard holding it. Here's the one I got. The official one is 3x more expensive.

I got a Minolta 50mm f1.7 from Amazon but it didn't come with a lens cap. What size lens cap (front & back) can I get that will fit this lens? Amazon links appreciated!

Yeah it was. I think it turned out well alright, though if I had enough equipment I would have set up a t2i or t3i and plugged in an intervalometer. I did a timelapse of it with my Canon 7D while I was in Chicago on youtube and can be seen here. http://youtu.be/uCNi22wqjqg.

I like this option because you have higher ppi to make a better quality image and more control with the image style.

I'd recommend these:

https://www.amazon.com/Meike-Automatic-Extension-Mount-NEX-5R/dp/B00BXZ9ALQ

Meike Automatic Extension Tubes work great and the AF remains good. I use them on my A6500 as well as my A7R and the results are fantastic.

Now, that said, I do have and use actual medical/military lenses dedicated and made for macro work as well. There is a noticeable difference in quality BUT for the average person and even most photographers, the difference is negligible, especially considering the price differences.

Looking for a one lens option for landscape photography, and long exposure landscapes, and occasional wildlife if the opportunity arises. Thinking about getting a Nikon D5200. I would prefer to use one lens as I hike into remote areas.

Would like some input from some people with experience. Is the nikor lens worth the extra $? I'm sure as a beginner I wont be able to tell the difference, but in 2-3 years would I be wanting something better? I would prefer to buy once.

lenshero.com suggested these two lenses:

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF

• Gorillapod- really cool and fun to use (My uncle's friend actually owns the company!)
  
• A prime lens is definitively a good idea.
  
• You probably don't need to get a fancy remote shutter, a simple one will do (I use a 10 dollar one that I bought a few years back)
  
• you can never have too much memory!
  
  EDIT- I failed at bulleting

if your spending that much money for a UPS, you might as well look at something like a 3rd party battery grip like this http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Battery-Digital-Cameras-Package/dp/B000VUIXOO

Yes I do have a few recommendations! It just so happens that I had a go with my brother's 550d + 60mm Canon this weekend. The image I took can be found here. For more combinations of the 550d and the 60, my brother's photostream offers some more examples.

I have also heard really good reviews about the Canon 100mm but you need to be in a spending mood if you are going to venture there. In fact, a photo added to ITAP today uses this lens, see what you think.

Hope this helps!

Any reason you must go Nikkor when there are some very quality third party lenses?

I was pushed to this lens from a couple of different Flickr groups, and the work I have seen come out of this lens is stellar.

http://www.amazon.com/Tokina-12-24MM-Digital-Canon-Cameras/dp/B001LD51H2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1302356172&sr=8-7

The price is certainly better. And from what I've read, the Tokina is better than the DX lens and nearly as good as the full frame from Nikon.

Also it might be a good time to look into getting a battery-pack. I love these things! When I first got into photography, I only got one, not because I needed battery life, but because I thought it made the camera look better hahah.

Canon Version

I bought the official grip from Fuji (MHG-XT10), which was painfully expensive. It marries perfectly to the body, though, in terms of size, weight, materials, comfort - it makes a big difference in handling and looks great. At the time, the only other options I knew about were cheap looking plasticy grips off Ebay.

However, if I was buying a grip today, I would probably go for the recently released Meike XT20G, which looks to be a copy of the Fuji grip at less than half the price.

If you want the ultimate budget option, consider Meike macro extender tubes for e mount. The plastic tubes reduce the minimum focal distance of any lens by attaching between the lens and the body. This effectively turns any lens you already own into a macro lens. When I first started buying gear, I used a vintage Canon FD 50mm with FD-to-E adapter, and these extender tubes. The whole setup cost < $40, and it took beautiful macro shots for wedding rings, insects, etc.

The zooms.

If you have the budget, I would even consider picking up a Superzoom as a carry on lens. I have this Sigma: http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-250mm-3-5-6-3-Nikon-Digital/dp/B001PGXEGA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347203812&sr=8-2&keywords=sigma+18-250

It's not my best lens for anything, but it's my best lens for everything. When I go on vacation and I'm not planning on any serious photography, I bring this, and maybe a 50mm.

In the bag it's no bigger than the 70-400 but it's infinitely more practical and doesn't cost much in the grand scheme of things.

I used to have Ciesta half case http://www.amazon.com/Ciesta-Genuine-Italian-Leather-Jacket/dp/B00II6HJ8O?ie=UTF8&keywords=sony%20a7%20half%20ciesta&qid=1465411877&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3. It didn't have an opening for the battery so I ended up having to remove it every time I change battery which is pretty often for A7. Another thing I don't like about half case is that you cannot just pop it into the tripod easily. So after that I changed to using the L-place instead http://www.amazon.com/Neewer%C2%AE-Release-L-Plate-Arca-Swiss-Standard/dp/B00K1W0KJ8?ie=UTF8&keywords=sony%20a7%20l-bracket&qid=1465411783&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1. I removed the left side so I'm only using the bottom part because I hardly attach my camera vertically on a tripod. Using the tripod with the L-plate is much easier. It also gives me extra grip because a have freaky huge hands. For a compact bag, try Tenba Cooper 8. It's kinda expensive though but very durable and worth its price.

Just got my first DSLR- a Canon 70d with the kit 18-135 3.5-5.6 lens- and I'm very interested in getting the Canon 50mm 1.8 STM lens. My only question is, there are listings for The lens itself for $125, then there's stuff like the lens with all kinds of accessories for $125 as well, even still from Canon. Reading the reviews, the accessories are far from the best, but is there really any reason at all not to get the kit?

This is the one that I use. It helps because the body (pretty much all current mirrorless bodies actually) is vertically too short and the l-bracket adds just enough height to make it much more comfortable to hold.

New with a DSLR, I'm going to buy a remote wired shutter release to help me with long exposure shots (startrails, etc), for my Nikon D7100

I see an inexpensive one for $7.50, is that good enough? Is there anything more I should be looking for? The one I'm looking at.

Yep, super cheap too; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXZ9ALQ/

Oh okay. The one i'm looking at on Amazon has a shutter lock and unlock as well. I'm guessing that would just allow me to lock the button so the shutter doesn't open?

https://www.amazon.com/Fotasy-Mcable-Mechanical-Photography-Exposures/dp/B008OD1BNK/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1500140212&sr=8-19&keywords=cable+release+shutter

I got the Fotasy grip which helps with handling and protects it a little from falls.

If you use a tripod grab an old school cable release. I love how Fuji adds these screw mounts in the shutter release however it would be nice to quickly override it in case it's not working.

also got some soft shutter buttons- which do fall off.

and a screen protector- but I'm clumsy so that's up to you.

I've got about 6 batteries. I got the double charger but it's pricey.

Isn't it worth spending $32 for the peace of mind on something like this

I have* a Neewer remote that does pretty close to what you want, and I use it to do this.
It's a corded remote, so set the delay to however long it'll take you to get in the shot.
Leave the bulb alone - instead set exposure on your camera.
Leave interval at 1 (as low as it goes), and it'll take a picture every one second. Not quite burst, but close.
Set the number to however many photos you want to take.
Leave the sound on, and if you have good ears, you'll hear when it's done from where you are.

• I don't actually have a Neewer, I have some even cheaper knockoff version. I think they all come from the same factory anyway. Mine was $15. Just find what kind of remote plugin you need and search Amazon for that.

I bought this for my 7D (works for 5d), it has been trucking on for years. Never had a problem, however I wouldn't use the onboard backlight for illuminating the screen when it's dark because it drains the battery, which actually has lasted forever. However I just bought this a few weeks ago before the kickstarter fund ended. It's just about the best intervalometer that's going to be on the market. It can do bramping for sunsets and sunrises, plus the creator is planning on making it open source for more features to be added (controlling your camera via bluetooth with your ipad or iphone for example).

The lens is reviewed here, and I used a el cheapo intervalometer that works perfectly.

I admire your ingenuity but dude.

-)

The only lens that I have for my Canon Rebel T4i is a 135mm macro lens and I absolutely love it. It does close-ups as well as "far away" landscape shots. (:

you can buy a tiny lens cover for the Hero 4 - https://www.amazon.com/d/Professional-Video-Accessories/GoPro-Protective-Lens-and-Covers/B00F19Q3S8

I am unsure which lens to buy for landscape photography, I am unsure of buying this 10-18mm lens or this 18-135mm lens. Any help is greatly appreciated!

The general concept is really easy. Maybe it's just the times I've tried it, but I would have expected the moon to track a little more.

Most cameras should be able to let you do up to 30s of exposure. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but Canons don't have the functionality to go beyond that, while Nikon does (don't ask me about any others). Because it has a million different names, let's just say that if you own a Canon, you may have to get a doohickey to allow for > 30 seconds.

To start, I wouldn't even worry about filters. Just try out different times and aperture settings. If you want lights to have a more starburst type effect, you need to make sure you shutter smaller (larger f/#) and go for a longer time.

Here are some of my others:

https://i.imgur.com/wzt6fit.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o7wpcxj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Y1bw0SF.jpg

I have an X-T10 with the same issue and the only way to solve that is to get a grip like this one.

I'm going for the Sigma version: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PGXEGA/ which has "OS" = Optical Stabilizer. So that's no issue to me...

I'd prefer some kind of VR/OS at 250mm, but I haven't tested it yet so I can only guess. :)

No, the old kit doesn't work with the 3+, you need to get the new kit:
http://amzn.com/B00F19Q3S8
$19.99

They should've been clear in the description, I Googled the model number and then saw that the date the item was added to Amazon was September 30, 2013. I just got it the other day and it works fine.

What camera? You don't need one at all if you can install magic lantern, it's built into the software (what I use) - otherwise the cheap Amazon knockoffs (http://www.amazon.com/Shutter-Release-Timer-Remote-Control/dp/B0081EC08M/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1394018085&sr=1-5&keywords=canon+cable+release) work as well as the canon $100 ones (what I used before ML).

edit: ah, i see your have a nikon. maybe this one: http://www.amazon.com/GTMax-Digital-Shutter-Release-Control/dp/B00463ERCY/

Interesting choice of lens, don't see too many adapted FD lenses on Sony bodies. Have you considered a cheap set of macro tubes? These look good.

If you have a mac and a camera, just plug it in and have the Image Capture utility auto shoot every x number of seconds.

If not, either get a camera that has this ability built in, or get a timelapse specific attachment for your camera such as this one.

Once you have all the shots taken (I recommend 1 shot every 1 or 2 minutes) put them into a video editor (imovie works well but others should be fine) and set the frames to say .1 seconds each. Export that resulting series of frames as a movie and voila!

I made this timelapse using this technique.

OR

Get a smartphone timelapse app and just set your phone up to shoot the shots. Downside to this is that you wont have a phone for the duration of the print :( but it'll take care of almost everything else including exporting a video for you :)

i did try it and yes x-t30 feels small and i'm thinking to get a grip to it, something like this one

Well it doesn't seem anyone is interested/is to nervous of it being a scam so I'm just gonna post a few that I came across today. These might not all be good flips, that's why I want people who know what they're doing.

1. Sells for $75 https://www.amazon.com/Dirt-Devil-Accucharge-Cordless-BD20035RED/dp/B002FYYZFK/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1492536612&sr=8-1&keywords=BD20035RED Buy it here for $24
   
   http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dirt-devil-accucharge-bagless-cordless-stick-vac-red/9501185.p?skuId=9501185
   After fees that's $28 profit (not including inbound shipping
   
   
2. Sells for $16 https://www.amazon.com/GoPro-Protective-Lens-and-Covers/dp/B00F19Q3S8/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1492540296&sr=8-1&keywords=ALCAK-302
   Buy it here for $7
   http://www.bestbuy.com/site/gopro-protective-lens-and-covers-kit-black/1667096.p?skuId=1667096&productCategoryId= This leaves about $3.60 proft per unit, (without inbound shipping) which is about a 50% margin. To small for me to bother with, but someone might want it.
   
   
3. My third just went out of stock as I was making this comment, sorry. Hope someone gets a little use out of this.
   
   Edit: Also this https://www.amazon.com/GoPro-Wrist-Housing-Official-Mount/dp/B00CTGGARU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492538694&sr=8-1&keywords=GoPro+-+Wrist+Housing Can be sourced for $15 here: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/gopro-wrist-housing-black/8316045.p?skuId=8316045&productCategoryId=
   Might be able to make some money as an FBA seller, but there's a newer version of the product and limited sales data so I don't know how that will turn out.

It depends on the ones you buy, maybe. Look for the metal connectors like these and you should still have autofocus... https://www.amazon.com/Meike-Automatic-Extension-E-Mount-NEX-5R/dp/B00BXZ9ALQ

I find wired shutter releases like these much more reliable than IR. www.amazon.com/dp/B005TCJJ9M/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_VA5Xub0DX47BM


I have had nothing but problems with using IR remotes. With IR you will have to sometimes dance around while pressing it to get it to work. A wired or RF release will work MUCH more consistently

I initially thought the same thing, that the A7 was too small for my hands. However, I purchased an L bracket (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K1W0KJ8?keywords=A7%20l%20bracket&qid=1453505134&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1) that attaches to the camera and I seriously couldn't be happier. The L bracket adds an additional 3 tripod mounting screw holes, gets the length just long enough for me to get my pinky on it, and doesn't add much weight. I love using my camera now.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aputure-Control-compatible-Inexpensive-Intervalometer/dp/B003Y34AK6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1417525971&sr=8-3&keywords=intervalometer+canon

That’s the one I’m using (or a different branded version of it). Very happy with it, does the job, no problems. Bought it 5 years back or so, still with the original battery.

First do as others have suggested and make sure you understand how it is supposed to work to focus, if you find it is not always working right the switch in your camera could be broken. You can get one of these to test it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G9TYHE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If that works all the time your button is broken, I picked up a used 5D and had similar weird intermittent problems then it totally stopped working, I took it apart and found the first piece of metal in the two stage switch had broken, it can be fixed but it requires taking basically the whole camera apart, my camera works great now.

The Tokina 12-24 is with in your budget then.

This lens is on my camera 90% of the time. Its decently sharp.

The pro Canons use a different connector from the axial plug of the low-end models.

https://www.amazon.com/Aputure-Remote-Shutter-Release-Intervalometer/dp/B003Y34AK6 or
https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Timer-Remote-Canon-D2000/dp/B005LT7CE2/

From my list that would be THIS

$30-40 is not a lot for a grip.

Here is one for $25:

http://www.amazon.com/MENGS-X-T20-L-Shaped-Compatible-Arca-Swiss/dp/B07DW559SP/

Here is one for $50:

http://www.amazon.com/Meike-Aluminum-Release-Bracket-Fujifilm/dp/B0759MTK61/

The official one is $110:

http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Metal-Hand-Grip-X-T10/dp/B00Z17LR36/

I picked up one of the Kamlan 1.1 lenses for my a6000. Hasn't come in yet though. Friday.

There's cheapo ones that have intervalometers and bulb timers too. Ex: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Shutter-Release-Remote-Control/dp/B0081EC08M

So something like this set?

Is this the lens you are using? If so, does it work with XT-2 without other adapters?


https://www.amazon.com/Kamlan-Aperture-Manual-Standard-Mirrorless/dp/B06XTBNBK6

It's cheap glass. It will look like shit. Use extension tubes for cheap option. You can get them off Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXZ9ALQ/

Mine is no longer available but this one is similar and quotes up to 100 hr exposure right in the specs

you can buy an intervalometer from amazon for $15 and use your t6i for time-lapse shots. they both share the same 24mp sensor, so image quality will be identical. If it was me, i would get the t6i, because of the higher focus points, but that's because I only take stills and 9 point is too low when you are taking stills.

Hey!

I got a little issue regarding my DSLR camera (Canon 4000D) (I know it doesn´t have a good reputation, but I just got started in photography and didn´t wanna spend too much money on my first camera)... So, the problem is, that I recently bought an intervalometer for my Canon 4000D to get started in taking time-lapses, but soon after I bought it, I realized that there is no port at my camera to connect the intervalometer with it. Also, the adapter cables I got from the package with the intervalometer do not fit.

The only 2 ports that my camera has are HDMI and (I think) mini USB b type. Do you know if there is any possible way to connect the regular jack connection from the intervalometer with my camera? Or connect an intervalometer with the camera in general.

This is the intervalometer I got:

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Shutter-Release-Remote-Control/dp/B0081EC08M/ref=sr_1_4?crid=34LO8ERMFRZWR&keywords=intervalometer+canon&qid=1555961227&s=gateway&sprefix=intervalometer+%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-4

I just can´t find any solution online and really wanna start doing time-lapses...