Over the years, I’ve used a variety of cameras,
and today I want to share some of the accessories I’ve been really glad I bought.
From must-have tools for shooting to protective gear for your camera,
these items have made a big difference in my photography.
They’ve also helped me keep my gear in great shape—so I could resell it at a higher price
when upgrading to a better camera.
If you’re planning your next step up, these picks are definitely worth checking out.
Velbon Family Tripod EX-440
You may not be able to imagine many situations in which you would use a tripod, but it is actually a very useful item.
For example, a tripod is essential for the following scenes:
- Photographing the fantastic effects of waterfalls
- Photographing light trails
- Photographing fireworks
- Photographing sunrises and sunsets
- Photographing stars
- Photographing night scenes
There are expensive tripods that cost thousands of yen,
but I wouldn't recommend something that expensive for a beginner.
You can buy one for as little as a few thousand yen. Even at this level, they're still quite practical, so I recommend them.
Manfrotto Mini Tripod PIXI
The EX-440 tripod introduced earlier is quite lightweight, but some people may want something lighter and easier to carry.
In that case, we recommend the PIXI.
It's very convenient to carry around.
What's more, this Manfrotto tripod can be folded up like a stick and held like a grip.
This means it's easy to use for shooting videos such as vlogs, so it really kills two birds with one stone!
This is an especially popular mini tripod.
protective film
As mentioned at the beginning, if you want to sell your camera for a high price, it's important to prevent scrapes and scratches.
This is especially important for cameras with touchscreens.
That's why we highly recommend using a screen protector.
Protection filter
If you drop your camera and the lens breaks, even if you buy it new, it will become junk and its value will plummet.
Even if you attach a protective filter, it does not guarantee that the lens will not be damaged, but we recommend attaching one as insurance.
*The RF-S18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM has a filter diameter of 49mm. For other lenses, check the filter diameter printed on your lens cap and choose a filter of the same size.
K&F Concept Camera Cleaning Kit
We recommend the K&F Concept camera cleaning kit, which also comes with a lens cleaner.
It's a three-piece set that includes a blower, cleaning pen, and cleaning cloth.
Camera sensors are very sensitive.
If there is dirt on the sensor and you wipe it with a cloth, it will get even dirtier, and you can see at a glance that something has touched the sensor.
I've had mistakes like this myself,
but you can use a blower to blow away tiny dust particles and keep it clean.
Using a cleaning pen allows you to remove dust without scratching the lens surface.