Digital Camera Accessories

Digital camera accessories increase the versatility of digital camerasand enhance a photographer’s hobbies or professional practice.

While some accessories such as batteries and flash memory cards are essential, other digital camera accessories such as special lenses, tripods and docking stations are primarily geared towards professional photographers. However, the amateur hobbyist can also find value in dabbling with them.

Memory Cards: Essential Digital Camera AccessoriesDigital cameras come with a certain amount of built-in memory. Higher end cameras have not only more built-in memory than less expensive cards, but they can also take photos at higher pixilation. However, the higher the pixilation, the more memory a photo file requires.

Some people may find the built-in memory that comes with digital cameras woefully inadequate. Special occasions, such as vacations or weddings, as well as beautiful scenes are both situations in which a photographer should have enough camera memory available. For this reason, most photographers consider additional memory an essential.

Memory cards differ depending on the digital camera model. A card that fits one camera won’t necessarily fit in another. Before purchasing a camera, determine what type of memory card it will require.

How large a memory card do you need? The larger the memory in the card, the more pictures you can take. However, keep in mind that larger memory cards tend to be more expensive. Avid and professional photographers should buy the largest memory card they can afford and should consider traveling with several memory cards to ensure they will always have enough memory on hand.

TripodsTripods are usually essential accessories only for the professional photographer. An amateur photographer with shaky hands may find tripods useful in preventing blurriness.

For macro (or close) photography, tripods are wonderful digital accessories. The more you zoom in on an object, the more sensitive digital cameras become to movement. Consequently, even the steadiest photographer may avoid ruining a photo by using a tripod.

People tend to think of tripods as a piece of cumbersome, heavy equipment. While this is true to some extent, lightweight telescoping tripods are surprisingly light and compact.

Lenses and Filters
Lenses and filters are basic tools of the professional photographer that the average person is unlikely to need. Lens filters are designed to take photos in different lighting conditions. While attachable lenses improve the telescopic power of digital cameras, filters produce special photographic effects, varying from soft fuzziness to sharp brightness.

For the average photographer interested in taking vacation and family photos, extra lenses aren’t necessary digital accessories. Avid amateurs, on the other hand, may find that a selection of lens accessories can greatly improve their photographs.

Batteries
Batteries can hardly be considered digital camera accessories: the best digital camera in the world is useless without power.

The type of battery needed depends on the model of the digital camera. Many cameras run on four AA batteries and are capable of draining less than an hour of normal use. Rechargeable Ni-Mh batteries and a battery recharger are very helpful accessories for digital cameras running on AA batteries. Carrying extra batteries can also be helpful if you lack a charger.

Some digital cameras come with rechargeable lithium batteries that provide several hours of battery life when fully charged. Even so, professionals often prefer to carry extra charged batteries to avoid running out of power.

AC Adapters
While photographers can live without a digital camera AC adapter, they’re handy digital accessories that can save a fortune in AA battery costs! AC adapters allow photographers to hook their cameras directly into electric outlets to recharge the camera without batteries.

Photo Printers
While computer images of photos are convenient, you may want to print and frame your photos. A good quality photo printer saves money in the long run because printing digital photos at photography stores can be expensive. Photo printers come in all shapes and sizes, depending on your printing needs.

Docking Stations
Docking stations are digital camera accessories that efficiently transfer images from the camera to the computer.

Instead of connecting your camera to a computer every time you want to download your images, a docking station can be permanently hooked up to the computer. When you wish to transfer images, you simply place the camera in the docking station and the process begins automatically. Although the docking station isn’t the most essential digital camera accessory, it is a convenient luxury.

Portable Storage Devices
Portable storage devices store photos outside of the photographer’s computer. They can store up to one hundred gigabytes of images.

Portable storage accessories are especially advantageous to travelers or those who have filled (or plan on filling) their digital camera memory. Without access to computers or additional memory cards, photographers can just load the images into the portable storage device directly from their camera. Ultimately, portable storage devices allow the photographer to free up more of the camera’s memory while still saving the photos taken.

Software Programs
Digital cameras come with software editing programs that are often quite basic. Photographers who invest time in editing and altering photos should consider more advanced photo-editing software that has significantly more features and editing options.

Camera Bags
Once a photographer has a digital camera and a few digital accessories, he will need an effective way to transport all of his equipment. Specialty bags protect the camera and other delicate accessories.

Of course, a photographer with only one or two digital camera accessories won’t need a camera bag as elaborate as a professional photographer’s. Bags with enough padding to protect the camera and sufficient pockets for batteries, tripods and other digital camera accessories are generally the best choices.

Digital camera accessories vary in their importance to different photographers. While professional photographers find certain accessories essential, amateurs may find digital camera accessories a nice addition to their hobby. Regardless of your proficiency, batteries and memory cards are essential for you to get the most use out of a camera.