Some Basic Beginner Photography Equipment That You Might Need

The Basics

This guide is for anyone thinking of investing in some beginner photography equipment. I’ve listed below the basic items you will need to get started.

DSLR

If you want to pursue photography with any form of seriousness whether it be as a hobby or a career then you need to get yourself a DSLR. An entry level DSLR is perfect as it will have more than enough features for you to get your head around when your learning.

You could even save yourself some money by purchasing a second hand camera. Check to see if your local camera store sells second hand goods and if they provide a warranty on those goods.

Ebay is also a great place to look for second hand camera’s but look for listings with a lot of information and photos, check out the sellers refund policy and always buy with PayPal to protect yourself if your purchase doesn’t go to plan.

Lens

Most DSLR’s are sold with a kit lens. This is usually a basic 18-55mm zoom lens and is a great place to start. It will also most likely be the cheapest package price available to you.

Once you learn more about photography, lenses and the types of subjects that you like to photography you may want to upgrade your lens. That’s why its best to experiments and learn with a low cost lens to begin with before you spend the big money to upgrade.

If you’re not a fan of the kit lens then you can ask to buy the body only. Another good starting lens that you may want to pair up your DSLR body with is a 50mm prime lens. There is a great website on prime lenses here if your not to sure which lens to get.

Camera Bag

Aside from purchasing your camera there are a range of accessories that you will need to buy at the same time. If you have just spent a lot of money on your camera and lens then you really want to protect them.

Look for a camera bag with a decent amount of padding both on the sides and the bottom. It should be waterproof or have a rain cover and have space for your accessories such as memory cards, filters, notebooks or your wallet.

There are three styles of camera bag – the messenger bag, backpack and sling. Try them all out to see which feels most comfortable to you.

A nice bag to begin with is the Tamrac Velocity range and there is a review on the Tamrac Velocity 7x model you should check out if you are interested in this bag.

Memory Card

You can’t start taking photos without one of these! Memory cards are getting larger and larger every day. Think about what mode you will be shooting in. Raw photos will take up a lot more space than JPEG photos.

Also think about your workflow.

Will you be able to get to a computer to download your pictures at the end of the shoot or at the end of the day? If so then you may not need a huge memory card. If you are going to be traveling for long periods of time without the ability to download then a large card may be necessary.

Some people choose to buy 2 or 3 smaller cards to mitigate the risk of one failing. It all comes down to personal preference.

Lens Filter

You don’t need to start buying lots of filters straight away however there is one filter you should purchase before you walk out of the camera store. A UV filter is more of a protective filter than anything else. It will screw on to the end of your lens and protect it from getting scratched or damaged.

Filters come in various sizes so you need to purchase one that matches the diameter of your lens. If in doubt someone at the camera store will be able to advise you.