IDK agree with #4 (in my use case)... I shoot on the beach and front element protection give me peace of mind when the wind is blowing sand into my lens
I don't know geographically where the beach is that you shoot, but at mine, the blowing sand is only half of it. We also have issues with salt spray. I didn't know how bad it was until one night I was at my neighborhood watering hole across the street from the beach and noticed something. I looked up at the lights in the parking lot and saw clouds of salt spray billowing by. Salt spray is gritty and it adheres to surfaces.
Sea spray is pretty bad for kit in general. A long time ago I used to film sailing events from a rib as well as from the shore. The biggest thing was corrosion with the actual camera, gimbal and any tripods that had aluminium exposed ... and the place that had the worst damage was the metal on the lens mounting point, especially when the lens didn't have a rubber gasket. In the second year, I bough all new kit and made sure they all had those. As for front elements, they were rock solid through the whole experience. 😁👍
One warning is to not use the blower too long as if it starts to degrade it can start making its own mess by blowing rubber particles. I would never blow in to the camera but each to their own. I actually tend to leave a polarising filter on my favourite zoom lens as it protects and acts as a grad filter outdoors though with a loss of a stop overall which is no big deal. Scratching a lens may not impair performance much but it will kill any resale value. Need to be careful having a lens protected only by a hood out of a carriage window behind a steam engine throwing clinker or on a sand blown beach etc..
Thanks for your thoughts Michael. I can completely understand using one when behind a steam engine. I did a shoot in an iron ore casting factory and had one on each of my lenses, so for specialised circumstances they are useful. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Speaking of the UV filter, or a clear non UV filter... there are many situations I opt to use such filter to protect the front element. Especially in the spring and early summer, when there's a lot of sticky polen and dust flying around.
Like you, I was surprised to see that the humble UV filter had been included in the list of equipment to avoid. All my lenses have UV filters on them, not because I need to remove any UV light but in order to protect the front element of the lens. I often take photos of active sports and from time to time it is inevitable that some mud lands on the lens. When this happens it is easy to replace the filter and then carry on shooting. I would not want to try and wash the lens when outside as it would be very easy to scratch or damage it.
I'm with you on all except the uv filter. Still making up my mind on yjat. I always use my lens hood, BUT once still scratched my lens while my camera was over my shoulder in a shop. I turned or moved such that a display rack simply nailed the center of my front element. A uv filter would have physically protected it...
I agree with Andy. I know that if you're using a hood you get a barrier in many if not most cases protecting the lens. That said, it's not 100% protection and there may be that unusual case as Andy described or another object hitting the lens mostly when using a shoulder strap. I look at a UV lens as double protection for that expensive lens you bought for your camera!
Ooooh, yes, that'll make you want filters on every lens in an instant!! 🙈 The great thing with photography is that there are so many different ways to get the same result and it is so customisable for each and every one of us. I think I was put off UV filters a long time ago when I was photographing some surfers. The images kept on coming out soft and I didn't know why, I was trying different settings, different positions, I was cleaning the front element ... but once I removed the filter, they became a lot sharper ... and that was with an expensive one as well. ... Thanks for watching 😁👍
Like some of the other comments I tend to use UV filters when I am on the beach or in a very dusty/sandy environment. I have quite a few from the 'old days' and although I do not leave them on the front of the lens anymore, I do screw them onto my lenses when packing for a trip. It just gives me a bit of peace of mind for the journey. Once there I take them off again. Or am I the only one who has managed to lose a lens cap.
Having worked in a camera shop for a while. This made me realize that UV filters are mostly used to get more money out of your pocket. They really do take away some of the image quality (sharpness). I've also seen scratched front elements (that's multiple, not just an incident), because of the broken glass from a UV filter. We should realize that our front elements are usually more resistant to bad things than our UV filters. Plus, a scratch on your front element will most likely only hurt the resale value, not your image quality. Lens hood always on for me. I've only scratched a lens once. Minolta 28-135, that's the old beast that didn't have a lens hood.
@@mdw1927 in sandy environments, especially on the beach I tend to go with a polarizing filter instead of a UV. When the sun is out it gives the sky so much more details, and does the same with respect to safety for the front lens against damage, salt, water and dust. On a boat I would never get the camera out without a filter, therefore having UVs still, but most of the time in my rack.
my worst gear I have ever bought was the Arsenal 2. I tried to love it, took it with me on many adventures but after the first few shots at each location I totally disagreed with the settings and ended up going back to full manual to get it right. learning full manual and how each setting affects the picture and committing that all to memory and practice has been the single most beneficial tool to my photography.
Haha! I always wondered about the Arsenal camera assistant. Like you said, it is so much bewtter to learn how to use the camera, instead of relying on an automated system. With flash photography, I learned to shoot in manual everything, so I knew if something was wrong I could change one setting either in the camera or on the flash to get the desired results. It is so much better in manual mode once you understand it. Thanks for watching and commenting Trevor, much appreciated 😁👍
Referencing the UV filter thing, several of my Canon lenses (some being expensive L versions) are only weatherproof with a filter fitted. They aren't sealed at the moving front lens element. Given that I am often out in dusty weather having the front lens moving within a fixed column of air rather than sucking dusty air in behind the front lens is worth the minimal loss in contrast, resolution or sharpness.
That's a good point Wayne. I think I got frustrated early on when I was shooting surfers and the images were coming out soft. Ended up narrowing it down to the filter ... When I took it off, they were much sharper. Thanks for watching 👍
I got into digital painting before photography, and have used a drawing tablet for editing for awhile now. It's very fast for masks and manual edits, and makes a less efficient workflow with free software tolerable. Someone using some of the smarter photoshop tools like when there is a neural filter that does the exact effect they want will still be faster than me, but for more advanced edits with no premade tool, a tablet might be the fastest option with good results. It's also great for digital sculpting. However, don't buy one new, certainly not a new wacom. Pick one up from a thrift store first for $5-10, or buy a new huion tablet for $60.
The Pentax K3iii has a night vision display mode for the rear screen, and can also light up the viewfinder markings in red; great in low light. Another great accessory are Zeiss lens wipes. They work very well, and are individually packed, so always new and clean. I buy them in boxes of 200, and cheapest by far is Costco, at £9.99. But even at the £20 some places charge for them, they are just 10p each. I just keep a few in each camera bag.
Thanks for the tip Roger ... I'll definitely go and have a look for those lens wipes from Costco! That's great that Pentax does the night vision mode, at least some camera manufacturers have an astrophotographer in the engineering department! Thanks for watching 😁👍
I'm certainly an amateur photographer but a couple things I'd like to add. The lens filter is best used to protect your glass in situations where particles in the air are particularly bad, like factories or festivals where people throw water or color powder, etc... I have an Insta 360 OneX2 and I absolutely love it! Is it good for still images, or high-quality landscape videos? Not at all. What it is good for is an action camera, and in my opinion that's all it's good for but it makes an amazing action camera. I use mine for snowboarding, snorkeling, mountain biking, etc... If you try to use it outside of that lane you'll be disappointed but I'd certainly not call it a gimmick. Finally, also check out Cotton Carriers for camera mounts/harnesses. I got their Skout G2 and have absolutely loved it, and the price was pretty nice too. They have a few options depending on what you need. All that said, I appreciate this list and I'm going to be checking out more of your content. Thanks for doing what you do!
Thanks for your thoughts Gary. This is why photography is so great, there are so many different ways to customise our cameras and kit. You are right about the 360 camera, it does make a good action camera, although not quite the quality of a GoPro or DJI action cam, but in part of the advertising and marketing campaigns, they do talk about using it to shoot now and reframe later and I just wish they had made it a higher resolution camera, especially with the 1inch model and the X3. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I still use a UV filter if they come with kits if I can't notice any difference in image quality. It's really for cleaning. Basically, when I have to clean the front of the lens, I'm a lot more comfortable 'rubbing' the UV filter with a cleaning cloth than the glass of the lens itself. I like to keep my wiping cloth clean, but you never know if it caught something that could scratch glass.
fully agree on the uv filters, however my camera is exposed to grit and grime on a regular basis (dusty mx tracks etc) so I still want some protection on my expensive lens BUT instead of uv filters I use clear glass ones by hoya! saved at least two lenses so far :)
I agree with everything you said except the editing tablet. For me, I can’t imagine not having it. I even use it as my mouse when doing other things. There is definitely a learning curve, but a tablet (again, for me) is a top 5 must have. Thanks for sharing!!
@@Trish12303 I'm left handed and the tablets have a left handed mode in the settings, all you need to do is flip the tablet around and you don't touch the buttons with your writing hand anymore, the tablet for me is a must for masking and anything that needs fine detail :)
The main reason that I still use a UV filter is that I'm clumsy. Lens coatings are far superior than they were in the dim and distant past but fingerprints are still not good news if not noticed and cleaned off quickly.
I've done some pretty elaborate panoramas that I couldn't have done without a panorama head Especially when you incorporate foreground elements Although I definitely don't think everyone needs a panorama head Also I think a tablet can be a great tool to have available, there are some tasks that are just much easier to do with a tablet, like masking out a sky or touching up a headshot The precision of a stylus is very handy
The list is personal of course. For me I didn’t like the capture clip as it put all the weight on one side. Instead I use a chest pouch that is central, offers protection for the camera, but still affords quick access. On the other hand I really like the Wacom tablet for brushing during editing because it helps me get smoother strokes for making selections. I don’t use any of the custom buttons on the device, just the pen. Thanks for the suggestion about a swiss army knife. I take a Leatherman, but as you say it’s heavy. Is there a Swiss Army knife that has an allen key?
And that's the great thing about photography, there are so many customisable things to have and use. Good point about the Allen key, I just have a single Allen key in my bag as it takes up so little space and weight. Thanks for watching and commenting Stewart. 😁👍
A very minor accessory that I've gone back and forth on: a lens cap holder.. It's an elastic band that wraps around your lens and attaches to the front of the lens cap. It comes in handy when shooting handheld as you can just drop the cap and shoot. But when shooting on a tripod it's not as convenient because you don't really want it waving in the wind.
Thanks for sharing Stephen. I can see how it would be good for handheld shooting but not so good for tripod work. I think the bane of almost every photographer is remembering which pocket they put their lens cap in!! 😆 Thanks for watching 😁👍
Hi, a lot of good points, thanks! My favourite piece of equipment to stay at home when hiking or for day time photography is the tripod. I know, some people are lugging theirs around because it makes them look like a pro. As to astrophotography, the quick-release may be convenient but it is the weak point in the set-up.
Good list. I have had a Swiss Army knife laying around for years. It’s going directly into my kit. Re. UV filters: 1) Not sure how you have a lens hood on when you are using step up rings for filters, unless you remove the ring and filter all the time. 2) I have had a lens, with a lens hood on that was saved by a UV filter. Admittedly it’s very rare, and that said, I’ve had lenses saved by the lens hood as well. 3) I don’t buy cheap UV filters, and I test every lens I put them on to make sure there is no IQ loss. The only lens I have that shows loss is the Sony 200-600 (with any filter I’ve tried). 4) I obviously struggle with this decision a lot. I LOVE the capture clip when I have my backpack on, but recently I’ve reduced my lenses to 2 for lightweight hiking, and I picked up a Wotencraft shoulder bag that is amazingly easy to get in and out of. The camera is just as easy, if not easier, to access as with the clip, the bag makes a great shelf to hold a lens while swapping without getting down on the ground, and the camera is better protected. That shoulder bag was my favorite gear purchase last year. My worst purchase was a Manfrotto Pixie tripod. It is just too flimsy, and there is no way to put a quick release head on it. I replaced it with a Leofoto LS-223CEX small tripod and I love it.
Thanks for sharing David. Great to hear your experiences with both UV filters and lens hoods. It is amazing how flimsy some tripods really are, so thanks for the tip about the Manfrotto Pixie tripod. Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@marchinderickx8193 I use a Nikkor 40 mm macro a lot and the front element is quite deep set. It's a nightmare to clean and since I get up close and personal with all sorts of plants and bugs, I find a (good quality) filter at the front protects well. My 18mm lens however is mostly used to point at the sky at night. Just a lens hood. As for useful stuff: Never regretted my lens-warmer for astro-work. Had a few long timelapse sessions ruined on finding the front element misted up.
My take on a protective filter: I used to take a fair number of rock climbing photos while hanging from a harness. The filter was a "requirement" until the day it actually saved the lens. Then I found out that the force that damages the filter also breaks the lens and, in my case, the front element was close to the cost of a filter. A lens hood, however, is absolutely required. Lens hoods are just a little bit flexible and that does a lot to protect the lens and its internal parts from shock damage. They also keep rocks and fingers off the front.
@@mikesphotography This is the reason I use them too only in my case its more likely to save the coating of my lenses. Near the sea with stormy weather the salts and sand that blows definitely do a number on them. And for the price they have, U rather throw away a filter every year then a lens.
I agree that a tablet is overkill just for moving sliders; but first time I used a tablet, it moved me forward, allowing for drawing in a natural way, for drawing masks, dust spotting and retouching in general - much better than what I could do with a mouse. Plus add to it that I am used to use a mouse with my right hand despite being a left-handed person in most other aspects. My left hand is so much better at those fine movements - I use the pen tablet with my left hand and keyboard and mouse with my right. As for your top piece of gear, my choice is a Cotton Carrier harness to securely hold two camera bodies - similar to your choice of Peak Design clip, but to keep two cameras at the ready and with a single-handed rotate-release. I am a big fan of clip-in filters when it comes to full-spectrum converted cameras - the hot-mirror clip-in turns that camera back into a regular camera without having to deal with individual front-attach filters for each lens. Or use one of the numerous IR filter choices, or a noise pollution astro filter. And yes, I would deal with that filter in a favorable environment.
Thanks for your thoughts Lars. Interesting that you are good with the tablet being a left handed person. Like you I am left handed but trained myself to use the mouse with my right. I think I got annoyed at having to put the pen down every time I wanted to use a shortcut key command on the keyboard as they seem to be designed for the left hand ... but I probably should have stuck at it a little longer. The cotton carriers look great and the benefits over the capture clip on a rucksack are that you would still have the chest mount even if you took off your bag. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Two accessories I have found useful are (1) a fanny pack (in front) for quick lens changes and (2) a small LED light box for lighting up the foreground in dim or night shots.
Such a fanny pack is my way for vacation and sport events. With an external lens bag for the tele I have the camera with zoom and a superwide immediately accessible. And I can still move well and carry a rucksack or whatever.
Great talk! I have one exception. The statement that no filter is needed on a blower device, to me, seems a little bit too broad based. Your dust blower device, imho, should ALWAYS have a filter on it. As an Engineer working for a water processing company, I developed, tested & released a water filter which removed 3/4 of all viruses (re: small, figure 3 microns) and all bacteria and anything larger. In the lab and production, we did not test it with water as it would make filter unusable for sale. I and manufacturing production did test with a precision air particle tester, which we set, again at 3 microns. We had a stringent test requirement before the filter was allowed to be shipped. I can attest that the air in the hvac controlled lab nominal had 180,000 particles per cubic-foot and 240,000+ particles in the spring when pollen count was high. Many of these particles were relative large. I know its not in metric (i'm now retired and too lazy to convert lol), but i think everyone will get a sense that it is a lot of particles, regardless of the volume. They waft around and in time do collect. You may have good luck with your sensor camera and I do with my slr Nikon D850 where I only have to keep the mirror clean. But i think your comment needs to be amended. Other than that, your program was exceptional! Keep up the good work!
I understand what you’re saying about the tablet especially the Wacom but the shuttle has improved my editing speeds probably at least by half cutting down time
I completely agree about bodies and lenses. I'm using some of the same lenses that date all the way back to my Nikon D100 from 15-17 years ago. Those lenses have been atop several camera bodies since then, and undoubtedly have a few more to go before they're done. They've even survived a DSLR to mirrorless transition, using an adapter. That said, my advice to anyone is to carefully select your lenses, and to buy the highest optical quality you can afford while choosing a decent body that matches your use case. Don't get too mired into specs, or listen too much to the online manufacturer fanbois. You can spend hour after hour comparing specs in order to choose the very best camera ever made (until a year or two from now, of course) but it really comes down to this: does it work for you? For example: a Nikon D7ii is a superb landscape and general use camera. Its weakness is its focusing speed and frame rate, which is a negative for quick action photography, but unless you are doing something like sports or wildlife photography, it's more than adequate. Compare that to the new Nikon Z8, which has the same MP count, but does offer a 20 frame buffer and improved focus speed. It's a baby Z9 for action shooters, but is more expensive than the Z7ii. Look at the two...decide what you'll be shooting the most, then choose accordingly.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Charles! You're completely right. If it works for you, then it is doing the job you got it for, so no need to worry about other kit. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I throw high quality UV filters on all my lenses, I often shoot indoors without a hood so it's just that smidge of protection to make me feel better. Also I don't mind wiping dust off the UV filter with my shirt or something not 100% dedicated just to lens cleaning. 100% agree on not buying the "greatest and newest." I recently "upgraded" to a new-to-me Canon 5D mk IV which is such a feature packed, pro camera, that I know will take me years to grown into and master.
Thanks for your thoughts Chorazin! The Canon 5D mkiv is such a great camera and will be for years to come. I had the 5d mkiii before switching to Sony and I do sometimes miss that camera. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have a Shuttle Pro V2. I haven't programed all the buttons but if you are editing video and you want to get an edit point at a particular frame then then the two wheels allow to easilly move the playhead to exactly where you want.
Thanks for your thoughts David. I just didn't end up getting on with it ... I have my own set of keyboard shortcuts for premier pro and they work on any computer I use ... when I used to forget the specialised keypad ... so I suppose I should have been a little less forgetful. 😆 Thanks for watching 😁👍
I've got my canon setup to display red colours and black. It goes so easy in the eyes at night. During the day I don't mind using the other colour schemes
This clearly showing different people have different way of doing things and preference. I for one love the clip in filter and can't live without one, I use bunch of super wide like Sigma 14 1.8 kind of lens, with the clip in filter, it just so easy, i ditched my big square filter many years ago, I love those so much and I even bought a few Natural light filter for my Astro modified A7 III and Z7 when shooting milky way , again with another lens doesn't take regular front filter such as the Sony 14GM which I also use a set of rear filter on it too, the clip in filter is just so easy to install and remove, it takes no more than 10 second. Another piece of crucial equipment for me is the Wacom Intuos tablet. it speed up my process so much and I don't even want to touch my mouse now. I have been using my RRS multi Pano kit and it's another essential piece of gear for me and yes, I do hike with it. i have the heavy duty version and the light version for different situation but it's with me most of the time. I have a few Peak Design Capture camera clip, but I hate it when use it while hiking, so I only use it when I am walking around the city with a tiny camera set up like A7RIV + Zeiss Loxia type of set up.
Thanks for your thoughts Danny. This shows that our great hobby is so customisable that everyone can have their own way of doing things and there are the tools out there to do it. Thanks for watching 😁👍
On that last tip I can say I love that you said that. I am building up a Sony focused kit because I also plan to do video as well and I see that a lot of brands use sony lenses so I’d like to be able to buy the least amount of lenses per camera so my kit is still portable. So sharing lenses might help a lot
I use a protective filter if there is going to be debris, or if im near the ocean and there is going to be salt water. I also use one when I want to walk around for a while without the lens cap. Otherwise, I leave it at home, because it degrades the photo quality. For me, a protective filter is less about dropping the lens, and more about small things flying at the lens. also, couldn't recommend the capture clip more. Definitely a must have for anyone. I now use a camera bag that is smaller than my camera, just to hold lens caps, an extra lens, and batteries. The freedom of having a camera securely on the outside of the bag, and also super accessible is just incredible.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. There are definitely times when a UV filter would be essential. I was just tainted when I kept getting soft images because of it. The capture clip is fantastic isn't it!! Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thanks for another informative video Mike, I agree with most of what you say. The only exception is that I use a clear UV filter normally when it’s wet. Decided to get the Atoll collar after getting the opportunity of using one on my Sony👍 Disappointed that the snow has not yet arrived , was looking forward to some snowy woodland work.
Thanks Barry! We had a massive dumping of snow over the last 24 hours. It started yesterday morning and didn't stop ... although at about lunchtime it turned to rain. It is days like this that I wish I had a 4x4!! 😆🙈 It'll be interesting to see how you get on with the Atoll mount. I notice that smallrig have pretty much copied that design now as well with one of their new mounting options. www.smallrig.com/SmallRig-Rotatable-HorizontaltoVertical-Mount-Plate-Kit-for-Sony-Alpha-7R-V--Alpha-7-IV---Alpha-7S-III--Alpha-7R-IV.html As always thanks for watching 😁👍
One piece of gear I recommend is the Leofoto quick change plate system. It comes in 4 different sizes. It consists of a base receiver and a top plate. The most common use, but not limited to, is to attach the base to the top of your tripod, then attach the plates to different heads. The base has a twist lock that secures the plate to it. It's a game changer for more quickly changing out tripod heads. Among other heads, I have a plate for my star tracker, and then I also have a receiver and plate for my declination bracket and the dedicated ball head that I use just for my tracker. It makes setup so fast and easy. I disagree about the pano rig/gimbal. I fashioned my own pano rig with two indexing pano bases with soft stop detents (large one for horizontal and small one for vertical) and some Arca plates and rails I already had. It's fairly compact, but most importantly it takes the guesswork out of shooting for overlap because of the adjustable soft stop detents. If you're an experienced photographer, you may have a better sense of shooting and giving yourself enough overlap to stitch together a sequence of images. But amateurs, such as me, and especially because I do primarily nighttime photography, benefit from the consistency it offers. I would not say that it's a MUST-HAVE item, but I wouldn't say it should necessarily be avoided. I've found it to be very helpful, especially if doing a multi-row pano. I guess it just depends on how interested you are in panoramas, how comfortable you are, intuiting a sequence for a panorama, and how much you're willing to invest in gear to help with it. But I don't think it's worth spending a lot of money on. I think I spent $150 or less on all the individual pieces that make up my pano rig, and I can use it like a regular gimbal whenever needed.
Thanks for your thoughts Derek. If you are specialising in nighttime panos, then a pano head with those soft click points for the angles is a great tool. I've shot a few night time panos and they are a nightmare to get right with the overlap without one. This is more for landscapes that you can see ... and once you get your eye in and make sure you can see something in your frame that was in the last frame then it is fine. I suppose the thing with this list is that it is for general shooters, whereas a lot of the things I don't like are more for specialised uses. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Awesome video Mike! That editing, it just kept the information flowing so smoothly, amazing work! My favorite piece of advice actually reminded me of the first reason I found your channel years ago, which is astrophotography. Ever since I still haven't had the chance to do it lol. But yes, I will buy a light with red option :D Thank you again!
Thanks so much!! Great to hear you liked the pacing as well. Been working on that a lot recently. It's a bit tricky to get right sometimes ... Can you tell I am missing astrophotography!? For next weeks video, I got one or two shots of the stars and immediately realised that I hadn't been out for so long under the night skies!! At the moment, I'm working on getting a rig that will film at night, so once I get that sorted, I'll be making more astrophotography videos again. As always thanks for watching 😁👍
My hint for getting started with astro is to just do it. You won't regret the time spent under the stars. Even if the results are initially underwhelming.
@@mikesphotography Well I do miss it, but won't complain cause the new content is fantastic! Really excited now to see new astrophotography content. If I remember correctly the ones from before were from Dubai? Now with more mountains in landscape I image the captures will be even more scenic.
@@luxdalet thanks very much!! Yep, the older stuff was in the desert of the empty quarter south of Abu Dhabi, the new astro videos will be in the mountains here in the UK. I'm just working on a night vision camera at the mo ... Once I get it working, it'll be awesome! 😁👍
Joby doesn't cost as much as you said, although I can confirm that the leg segments do wear out. Nevertheless, I find it extremely helpful and he head is well designed. But it's not heavy duty. Gimbal is a very specialized thing. Drone - borrow or rent when you need. Overall, you have it right. Just learn to shoot, record and light and keep the money in the bank.
This is a really good list. I bought the Peak Design V3 a few months ago and just received a 3 Legged Thing L-Bracket designed specifically for the Capture Clip V3. It’s a brilliant combination that is super reliable. I’m glad I’m not the only one to make dud purchases. I bought the Lytro Illum thinking it was the future of photography. I still have it…
Thanks very much Pete! The three legged thing L-bracket does look like a good one to get. Oh wow, I haven't heard that camera name in a while! What was it like to shoot with? As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Was going to ask Mike about his experience with the Capture Clip and L Bracket. I don't see any that mention compatibility with the clip. Which model did you get?
@@kencawley3121 I bought the short one (Ellie Short PD).I had maybe a mm spare, but didn’t want to risk it for AUD$100. The great thing is you can extend the side bracket out to give access to doors and screen flips.
@@mikesphotography I really loved the Illum, particularly for macro. You could get really close and achieve a 3D result. I gave it up mostly because the 40MP sensor was reduced to just 4MP to achieve their results. And then they left the Mac software 1 version less than Windows and killed development of the app all together.
I just bought some Kolari clip-in filter for my IR camera and I think you review is accurate, but it think it also depends on the type of photography that you do. I shoot mostly IR 720 with vintage lenses and I have a full spectrum camera, so the ability to change my lenses without the need to own multiple filters or filter adapters is great. I also sometimes what to shoot just regular photography in some every specific projects, and that clip-in Hot MIrror filter is really great for the same reasons. But that's the very specific type of photography that I do. If you need to change the filter clip mid shoot, I can see how annoying this must be.
Hi Douglas, They are very much specialist bits of kit, and even though they might not be good for general shooting, for special situations like yours, they would be great. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Nice video, there are some modern zoom lenses which are internal zoom and focus but the front element does move in and out inside the barrel, my AF-S 16-35/f4 Nikkor being a good example, if using in dusty or windy or wet conditions (beach shoots) then a good quality protective filter is on the front of the lens to stop the ingress of crap into the lens. Also, some good quality microfibre cloths should be in your bag to keep your lens /screen clean in those typical british conditions.
Good point with filters helping stop dust and dirt from being sucked in to the internal zoom lenses ... and yes microfibre cloths are a must as well. Thanks for watching Martin 😁👍
I think having a very accurate editing monitor and or tablet is almost a must that is why I love my editing tablet not to mention touching up a photo becomes so much easier and faster with a stylus
Great to hear you got on with your stylus. This is the great thing with all of the tools and accessories we have, so many customisable options. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Great list. I agree with and have your top 2-5, but have not tried the capture clip. Have been looking at them but at $100+ Canadian, it seems a bit much for a hobbyist. Maybe I will put it on by birthday wish list. The worst gear I purchased was very cheap external drives for my pictures. Fortunately I had two back-ups to my main drive as the main and one of the back-ups failed. I think it would be devastating to lose all my photos. The reason I keep two back-ups is that one stays at home for easy access, and the other stays in my office at work just in case my home burns or floods. Really enjoy your channel and learn something new every time. Cheers.
That is another good one Michael! I buy the WD hard-drives for backing up, and like you, I make sure I have 2 copies of everything. I also have a dropbox account with all of my finished edits on there at full res. Then if I did lose all of the drives, I still would have access to my photographs at decent resolutions. Great to hear you're enjoying the channel, lots more to come!! Thanks for watching 😁👍
Oh interesting!! Thanks for letting us know Ahmed! If I was a full time astro shooter, that could convince me to switch camera brands. 🤔 Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thank you, Mike. First of all I like your rhethoric which makes it easy to understand you even for a non-native English listener. Certainly, necessary accessories are subject to kind of individual liking. Just want to add that I‘m in full support of using a head torch, and here even more the one which allows for red light, too. Red light won‘t disturb while still you‘ll be able to control your camera.
Thanks so much Reinhard! Great to hear my videos are easy to understand from a non native English listener. This is the great thing with photography, we have so many ways to customise our kit that the possibilities are endless! Thanks for watching 😁👍
Peak Design capture clip is amazing, love the change it's made for my work flow particularly in the field. My only real criticism is I wish they made one that used a Falcom 38 clip instead of the PD clip. I've moved almost every other quick release on my video cage over to an F38 and it's awesome for quickly attaching and detaching monitors, mics, handles etc. (I'm a video guy) but the only cam clip I have is the almost identical but not quite interchangeable PD plate. This results in my either having to change out my f38 mount from the bottom of my cam or to put the PD plate on a less than optimum carry position. If I could get every other accessory I need on a PD plate instead of a F38 plate then I'd do that instead but the PD plate seems to have a much more limited use case.
@@Perceptence they are a slightly different size. I suppose a company could make one axis fit the peak design and the other axis f38... However, I doubt that would happen.
I'm inclined to agree with you on the clip-in filters, that fit behind the lens, they are a pain to fit, however the 10stop ND filter comes into it's own with wide angle lenses with a bulbus front element, where a flat glass filter on the front of the lens comes in eye wateringly expensive. I also find that on the Sony a7r4 I use the clip in UV filter to protect the sensor from dirt and dust, and this seems to work.
Thanks for your thoughts Clifford. Good to hear you are getting on with certain clip in filters. You are right about using them with lenses without filter threads. I originally bought this to use with my 14mm samyang lens ... but then dropped it not long after. 🙈 Thanks for watching 👍
I've had two lens saved by a uv filter, one the strap failed and it smashed the lens hood and cracked the filter but the lens was fine. The second time I was following a model up steps and she kicked he heel out behind her for a pose for another photographer who was with me in front, her heel smashed the filter on my 300mm 2.8 but again the lens survived.
Thanks for a great video, Mike. I agree with your comments: the Capture Clip is so liberating, Swiss Army knife is so useful - I have fixed innumerable hotel doors and drawers with one, L bracket is such a time-saver. However the Wacom Intuos Pro is excellent, too. I love it.
Thanks very much David, haha, the Swiss Army Knife really comes in handy doesn't it ... but it is heartbreaking when you forget to put it in the hold luggage and the security check take it away, I've lost many a knife like that... 😫🙈 Great to hear you do get on with the wacom tablet, I think it just wasn't for me. 😁👍
Very good advice indeed, for new photographers! My top 2: Head lamp with red light and a multi-tool/knife! I also carry a first aid kit a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. The case is watertight and has a very light small carabiner so I can clip on the outside of my pack on those rare occasions I'm packing the proverbial "Kitchen Sink" on a shoot which happens almost NEVER these days! As to filters. Yes, true today the UV isn't really needed but a very high-quality clear filter gives that extra security when out and about, but you can't skimp on price. They run, depending on size anywhere from 35USD/25GBP up to 125USD/100GBP and are very worth it. As good as the coatings are on lenses today, one errant nearly invisible bit of grit rubbed over your lens by a cleaning rag or even a brush can ruin your day! I'd rather blow 100 to replace a filter. Now, not actually my worst gear, just less than expected was the purchase of one of the VERY FIRST EVER Peak aluminum travel tripods! They wanted "Fort Knox" for the carbon version, though at a big discount in the kickstart period which is when I made the purchase. That was still not worth the expense and not much lighter than the aluminum version. I found the stability compromised because the legs fully extended, tended to be very flexible and felt a little flimsy. The carbon version is a somewhat stiffer. I bought it because I fell in love with the elegant design and compactness. Guess what, 3 extra pounds and I still carry my Slik 780DX Pro around on a daily basis. That also has the height I like, up to 77" as, 60" +/- 1-3" is for midgets (oops not PC) but it's true for me as I'm tall and old and hate bending over even a little, unless the shot requires it. I came up with large format field cameras and Christ All MIGHTY the tripods were heavy and built like tanks. Ansel used to pack his gear deep into the upper regions of Yosemite on pack mules! So, I still really like a tripod that feels solid and doesn't ALWAYS require sand bags or my pack hanging underneath to make it secure. Again only 3-4 pounds extra weight and I can still pack in with 2 bodies (if both are mirrorless: QUITE light weight) and a couple of lenses. Often I'll go with my D850 and my Z7, two lenses and my FTZII quite happily slinging my 780DX along. We used to carry 70 pound plus packs with camping gear and equipment so a little 12-18 pound nicely padded pack is nothing. It seems a little frivolous, this trend that's almost become everyone's personal competition/obsession to see how light you can make your carry and still carry the MOST gear even when 90+% of us NEVER use most of the gear we carry in. Of course, if you're a wildlife photographer predominantly and lugging around titanic focal length lenses then by all means it is necessary to really work at keeping the weight as manageable as possible. Most of the young Turks I see today are bending their backs under the ridiculous burden of a couple of mirrorless cameras and a few lenses, and going on and on about how light they try and pack and they're ONLY out on a day trek. For most of my day outings I carry one camera on the tripod over my shoulder and with a 24-70 or a 24-200 quite happy, skipping along whistling a ditty, small extras carried right in my cargo pants! NO need for a pack or to "Look" like I'm a serious photographer because I'm also carrying my darkroom along with me as Ansel did on occasion pack in on mules a portable darkroom. For beginners I always advise: buy a good camera without too many bells and whistles and even the kit lens is often a good little wide to tele zoom lens, and stick with that. Do your research and ask questions of the sales reps or dig into the pro forums. Look at the major brands, Fuji, Sony, Nikon, Canon and decide on the one you like best. For the beginner it can be daunting but know those I mentioned are all good quality equipment. I happen to be Nikon loyal for almost 50 years now. There's less difference between major brands than back then. Pick your brand, and buy a good body anywhere between 500-800 USD and 1000+ USD. The reason I say this is that you'll keep your body longer than lenses and you don't need to buy a bunch of primaries or different zooms if you're beginning, just a good mid-range wide to moderate tele and as you improve your skills, trade that lens for a better lens or two and build as you go. Just what Mike implied here at the end. AND REMEMBER THIS as a beginner: LEARN TO SHOOT ON MANUAL! Even disable the auto focus at the start just to really get used to looking through your viewfinder instead of always at the live view back! Don't forget to adjust your diopter, that tiny little knob on the side of your viewfinder! Using the viewfinder makes composition more accurate in my opinion, more intimate, and removes visual distractions. When I compose, I NEVER use the live view back unless it's necessary!
I went and spent the extra money on a nice headlamp with a zoom function for my late night treks through the mountains . But completely agree with your list but I feel a knife and flint stone is also very handy as a photographer, because you definitely never know when you could use a fire ❤
I've had a uv filter stuck on a lens and only got it off with a jar opener device last week. Week before out shooting Northern Lights and filter left a series of circles on my photograph! I knew that would happen, but the filter wouldn't come off. The head lamps you mentioned are a pain for other photographers at night, especially on occasions like Northern Lights. No fun when people walk about with them on while you're trying to capture a special event! Think I'd like an L bracket.
Oh I know that feeling of having a stuck filter. It is so annoying and a jar opener is sometimes the only way to get rid of it. Unfortunately that is a fact of life when going to any public place and shooting at night. It's better for people to have head-torches and not injure themselves instead of falling over everything just to please others. Although the annoying ones are the people that leave it on constantly even when they have set up. I tend to have it on for as little as possible when there are others around. I remember shooting on the south coast of the UK years ago at Durdle Door at night, and whilst I was taking a set of photos, someone turned up with one of those really powerful police search lights...I was annoyed at first, but once I changed the settings, I got some quite funky looking shots with the light shining onto the subject. L-brackets are great inventions, although if you use a cable release instead of the self timer, then they can be tricky to use as the L part is on the same side as the cable mounting point. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Best gear I have bought in years: Atoll collar which replaces a L bracket. Does not block my ports or flip screen. It allows me to rotate landscape and portrait without removing the camera from tripod and therefore keeps composition relatively positioned. It allows native use with Peak design capture clips but also gives me a second point of contact for my Fusion black rapid plate. It changes the camera lens more to a nodal point for panoramas. It has a click feel for major rotational degrees. It is light and packable without taking off. It allows inverted tripod connection while the camera rotates upright. It works with my canon RF to EF adapter (with the extension piece). I know I am missing something . This thing is the best engineered thing in my kit.
I have a full spectrum camera which I use for infrared and find the stc clip in ir filter the best solution for my scenario. I don't use the camera for anything else so the clip in filter stays in place. Better than having lots of ir filters for my different lenses
Love it. I was just considering a Wacom. Nope! The other thing in my kit is an ancient bottle of lens cleaner with a tiny brush on the end. That and a cloth works wonders. How do those smudges get there???
In one of your previous videos I saw the camera clip on your shoulder and thought wow I like that, like you I'm thinking of the cost but have just bought an alternative on Amazon, hoping it's here tomorrow. Excellent video, I did buy the pano head back in 2019 but now just do everything in post processing, so much easier, I also think another best gadget I bought was the Intervalometer, have used it so much for timelapse videos
Which backpack clip did you get? I have a new one coming (the f38 from ulanzi) that I will be testing out that is half the price of this one from peak design. It'll be interesting to see how it lasts. Thanks for watching Robert 😁👍
I have a love hate relationship with my capture clip. It makes it so much easier to take pictures on the go, but it uses a different mounting plate than my tripod and it's really painful to have to always switch it in the field. So I find when I'm going for a hike without a tripod. I bring the capture clip, but if I'm going out for a day of dedicated photography I leave it at home
Oh interesting. I'm guessing you have the manfrotto RC2 tripod plate? If so, Peak Design do make a dual compatible plate: www.peakdesign.com/products/dual-plate?gclid=Cj0KCQiAx6ugBhCcARIsAGNmMbiWGkgpY5MkSm3Do5NJPUhNVAdlun6eiXW6Mdp01zHqtzWEx49KzoEaArQYEALw_wcB (Don't know why Peak Design used such a long URL for this one) 🙈 I hope that helps. Thanks for watching Lou 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Wow, I bought this a while ago, and I hope i wasn't too green to understand the different types of plates. I will pretend this plate wasn't available back then :)
Haha! No worries at all. To be honest, they don't advertise it well at all, I only stumbled across it a while back when looking for different plates for the capture clip. 😁👍
Bold topic for a vid, risks off-putting bad stuff makers. Kudos for the bravery and unique subject, Mike. Boy, the snow sure disappeared quickly, didn’t it.😊 Picnic table getting to be a channel thing - nice. Five letters in avoid match five items in each group - clever. My 3-way pano head does double duty for precise compositions in macro, especially focus stacking. Agree on UV filters - used to buy one for each new lens but stopped. Clip in filter was a new one - never saw them before - don’t like the idea of placement/removal risks to gear. Agree on Wacom (although my hunch is that you will get rmuch push-back); I wasn’t patient enough to get used to the pen; went back to mouse. 360 cam more fun than function (like disappearing stick). Swiss Army knife - in prior vid you used a separate screwdriver on the L-bracket, as I recall. Would also suggest the French Army knife (every tool is a corkscrew😂 - old joke.) My addition would be for light-weight shoots - instead of an expensive-looking bag, I use a repurposed army surplus canvas gas-mask bag (no kidding); cut up yoga mat makes good dividers. Cheers!
Haha!! Well I started this one at the top of Cader Idris in Snowdonia, whilst filming next weeks video, then a bit of weather came in so I went back down to the car and it cleared up again! The joys of the British weather!! 😆 I have been tempted to do some editing videos at the picnic table, but the only problem is when it gets really busy there. Haha! I am getting a little pushback on the wacom movement! 😆😆 Always fun taking sides though!! Good idea about using less expensive looking bags ... especially in dodgy areas! As always thanks for watching Paul 😁👍
Perfect Video, Thank you. I just start out (again) after I was away from shooting with DSLR's vor more then 20 years.... the last three years I was shooting exclusively on Smartphone and for a quick shot or location scouting I still use it. But when I wanted to go back to a Camera, I looked for a not to expensive option and found a good deal on a Canon M6 MII. Yes I know Canon gave up on the M-Mount but thats OK since I mostly by EF-S Lenses anyway that I can keep later. So far I have no intention to get rid of the M6 since I really like it :) I fell for the UV Filter... so that's my worst buy I guess.
That is great to hear!! The M6 is a great little camera and like you said, with the adapter, you can use ef-s lenses which are so much cheaper than the mirrorless rf mounting lenses. Thanks for watching 😁👍
The purpose of the UV filter is to protect through energy dispersal. This is what has made cars so much safer than in the 50s, for example. Not dropping the lens straight down on the lens front. I have tested UV filters on every lens I have owned for 30 years and found there is not any loss of quality. Perhaps with a cheap filter (I have even seen plastic which would stop energy dispersal). I do not have a high megapixel camera to test with. But I would think I would just buy an even better quality UV filter.
Some great tips here! Personally I especially support the last one for beginners: I just switched *back* from Sony Alpha 6000 to Nikon D7100. Why? Just because of these lenses and accessories you can buy for a bargain price easily for the Nikon. Bought a formidable Tamron 90mm Macro in condition A for less than 150 Euros last week. Try this with a Sony Alpha!
as for the L-bracket, its tends to restrict the use of a flippy screen (ofcourse there solutions for that too). So I opted for the Atoll (switching from portrait to landscape orientation). Other brands like ulanzi and Smallrig have produced it too.. (in preorder now). I haven't really tested it extensively and I am curious how it will hold the camera after time. But the advantage is that I can put it on a different (in my case Sony) camera in case I decide to upscale the body. And even my gf can use it on her older camera. Ah if you buy nd-filters. buy a bigger size (and use stepping rings). I use freewell magnetic nd's.. and the mounting ring adds more protection for the lens.. Ah about filter sizes: I have 2 lenses (67mm) and my gf has 2... also 67mm. Its rather accidental but very convenient too... so my UV filter is still in use. Starting out with photography.. (FF) you tend to spend quite some money on gear. so I think the extra protection can give people some peace of mind also.
No worries John, this is why photography is so great. There are so many different ways to get to the same ending and what works for one, might not work for another. Great to hear you really like the wacom tablet ... maybe I just didn't give it enough time. Out of curiosity, are you left handed or right handed?
I think my problem was I am a lefty but have gotten used to the mouse in my right hand. So as it is more like writing, the wacom pen felt so alien in my right hand ... having it in my left hand was ok to draw with ... But then all the main shortcut keys are designed for the left hand so I ended up having to put the pen down a lot and my right hand ended up being pretty dormant ...😆🤦🏻♂️
@@mikesphotography i dont relly use he short cuts on the wacom i use mostly the pen i also when first used it i put away the mouse and forced myself to only use the wacom
I think I'd put the lens pen with the dust rocket. Overall though, I've gotta say, your list is bang on. However, I've never used a clip in filter, but have considered it, so it was great to heard your honest feedback. I wasn't looking to get an ND that would be changed in and out, rather a clear filter I could keep in as a shield to the sensor.
Thanks so much Scott ... a lens pen is also a must ... I just ran out of spaces in the 5 top things. 😆 It would be interesting to see if a clear clip-in filter would help or hinder. I have heard that some people say they have trouble with them getting in to the shot with wide angle lenses, but I think this must be for 14mm or 12mm lenses as it works fine with the 17mm widest lens I have. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I want to like the capture clip for your backpack, but haven't been able to make it work with my L Bracket. I certainly don't want to remove the L bracket to use the clip and then put the L bracket back on to shoot on the tripod. How did you get it to work?
Hi James, It is a little annoying, but with my L-bracket, I have the mounting screw holes, so I just attach the peak design plate to the bottom of the L-bracket. A bit like in this video at the time code of 5 minutes: ruclips.net/video/ZUqQqTB-Ldk/видео.html Three legged thing make an L-bracket with the peak design capture clip in mind, but I think they have just permanently attached the clip to the bottom of the L-bracket, you can see it in this link: amzn.to/3ZDnqhp I hope that helps Thanks for watching 😁👍
Bought the Cotton Carrier but returned it after found it was too small for my ball head and didn't work well with an L Bracket. Bought the extra bit for use with an L bracket, but it didn't solve my problem. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to not constantly pulling my camera in and out of my bag.
Hi Ken, I always wondered about the cotton carrier. They actually got in contact with me a while back, but I politely declined the offer of one of their harnesses. I already have a harness for the gopro so didn't want to be wearing any more things than I need to for filming. I do prefer the capture clip as it ends up being part of my rucksack strap and doesn't get in the way. The only downside is that when you take your rucksack off, the camera is left dangling on the strap, so then you still have to find a place to put it, so I always have space for it inside my bag. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I got a Wacom tablet years ago before I even got into photography. I do use it once in a while for blending parts of images together, much more so when it's two separate exposures of foreground and sky from milky way photography or something similar. It's quite useful in that situation, although I wouldn't say it's mandatory.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Wacom tablet. This is the great thing with all of these tools at our disposal, we can find one that works for each and every one of us. Thanks for watching 😁👍
I've had my Swiss Army knife since my first visit to Chamonix in 1993. However I find my Smallrig Camera Tool far more versatile and lives in my Vanguard Veo Shoulder Bag, that does not scream "Camera bag with expensive kit inside, please mug me a.s.a.p" And my Rocket is approaching 15 years of faithful service. If I could suggest one thing that I could NOT do without, it would have to be my Tripod Levelling Head. Rather than spending ages trying to adjust the legs, it takes seconds to get my camera level for photos or filming and panning left to right. But there is one hill that I am willing to die on, and that is a UV filter on all my lenses, only to be replaced by ND filters if filming.
Haha!! They'll never take me alive!! 😆😆 I like your firm stance on UV filters!! I've just never really liked them. I think it came down to me shooting some surfers with a long lens, and on the first day, the photos were soft ... I couldn't figure it out, but then I removed the UV filter and they were much sharper. So probably my fault for not spending enough on the filter! 🙈 Thanks for the recommendation about the smallrig camera tool. I'll have to check that out. But the swiss army knife is a hill that I am willing to die on ... and I'll be armed and ready!! 😆😆😆 Thanks for watching Frank 😁👍
I got a Quick release clip from another no brand, and it works perfectly. Cheap and still Arca Swiss compatible, which is important when you switch between hand held and tripod.
Most definitely. A few people have mentioned that they have trouble when trying to attach the peak design clip to their arca swiss tripod heads, but I have never had any problems and mine is cross compatible. Thanks for watching 😁👍
WOW, Mike. So many of the points you made I have experienced myself. One of the worst items I bought was a hand strap, it was sticky, in the way, and made me sweat. The one thing I 100% always have in my bag is a moisture package or silica gel pack. Japan is high humidity and I believe England is as well. Surface rust stopped as soon as I added it. Best of all you can pick them up for free and even if you buy them them are dirt cheap. Stay safe and warm.
Haha! That's excellent, it means I am making the right videos!! 😆 The humidity is not too bad this time of the year, but in the summer time, it does get hot and unbearable quite quickly. In Thailand, it was really humid, to the point where all the local photographers keep their kit in a dry cabinet. Whenever we would head out, I would have to wait for my camera to warm up so the front element didn't instantly fog over!! it's funny you should mention the silica packs. Whenever I get a delivery with the small ones in the box, just through habit, I chuck them into the bottom of my camera bag to help get rid of any moisture. I should really do what you do and buy the better ones! 😆😆 As always thanks for watching dude 😁👍
I do have to disagree about the tablet and a Loupedeck. Both have sped up my editing by a bunch. I will always have the two on my editing desk. Well worth the money once you get used to them.
I think a stream deck, since its screen buttons could potentially replace the things you showed around 6:19. Its just a bit of set up times putting pictures and/or text with each button.
Most definitely. They are good for people who have the time to set them up and build up their muscle memory for them, or for professionals who do the same tasks every day // every week ... but for the hobbyist who takes a few shots at weekends or maybe once a month, then it is not so practical. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Great tips, Mike. Gratefully, I've only done one "Don't." I feel some ND filters coming on. I do need to try the L-bracket. Especially after I've used my telephoto lens. I usually have the ball very tight so the lens doesn't droop during the shot. What about gimbal mounts? Do you use one? It's very tempting but something is holding me back.
Thanks Jon! With ND filters, I'd go for the circular ones, and the ones that are magnetic. they work really well and once you have an adapter for each of your lenses, you can attach and remove them really quickly. Do you mean a gimbal tripod head? If so, I think they are great for aviation and wildlife photography, when you are stationary for a while but a bit bulky for landscape photography and hiking. As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Great video. But I have to add myself to the list of viewers that have to disagree with you on the Wacom. For me it's SO much easier using this to make selections, brush in masks, etc. Also, the clip in ND filter is a favorite of mine. I have the Kase brand and it came with a tool to help you put it in and take it out. ND filters can be expensive as hell and when you have 5 lenses and 4 of them have different filter sizes, you either have to drain the bank account or do without for most of your lenses. The clip on is one size fits all and does the job. I put it in before going out in the elements and leave it until I get home. If I want to shoot without an ND, I use my backup camera.
Interesting to hear that Kase have a tool to help get it in and out ... that would have been handy with the stp optic one I have. In talking with the people who disagree with the wacom comment, most people who like it are right handed (with a few exceptions), I think it is due to me being left handed but learning to use the mouse with my right hand ... so I have gotten used to using shortcut keys with my left hand ... however, with a pen, it still has to be my left hand, so when I got one, I was constantly putting the pen down to go for the shortcut keys and my right hand felt dormant ... it just seemed to be really inefficient. Thanks for watching 😁👍
Been trying to think what my best and worst accessories are, that aren't covered in your video. And I think I've got it. For both categories it's tripod. When I first started out I bought a cheap (ish) tripod and it was horrendous. It wasn't very stable, it was a hassle to attach the camera and get it level, it was clunky to set up and set down. So I didn't use it much. I subsequently went out and spent a lot of money on a carbon fibre tripod that is light, strong, sturdy, has an arca swiss plate (so works with the Peak Design clip etc), really quick to put up and down, and now I use it all the time and my photography has really benefited from it.
Nice! There's nothing worse than a dodgy tripod ... And nothing better than a really good efficient one! As always, thanks for watching and commenting James! 😁👍
Those rocket blowers absolutely will blow dust (or worse) onto your sensor. If some kind of fungus or mold spore gets in there it will proliferate and then when you attempt to "clean" your sensor, you'll actually make it exponentially worse. I've switched to the sticky pen for on-the-go sensor cleaning.
Right tool for the job. A pano head is a must for high quality panoramas when your subject matter is close up and you want to avoid stitching errors. For landscapes, if one cannot hand hold to get the shot, more practice is needed. I agree that for landscapes, a pano head is overkill. As to the one shot 360, your implementation is not what the camera is designed for. Wrong tool for what you want to be able to do. One shots are designed to capture and display everything around you, not to be used to crop in later. It is not the fault of the 360 one shot that it cannot be used the way you want to. If I am going to shoot 360 a panorama, I will display the entire panorama. Not a gimmick but a tool that, when used correctly, can produce excellent results.
That is what they were originally designed for, however, many film makers crop in on the frame afterwards ... also insta360 use that as part of their marketing campaign, so it is probably an evolutionary path of the product. Thanks for watching 👍
One thing I really regret buying is the Rotolight Aeos Pro kit. It cost a fortune and I've used it on maybe three jobs. I found that I just really don't like working with continuous lighting. The Aeos is a nice light, but to me it's bulky, clumsy to set up and move around and I just haven't gotten my money's worth from it. Now that I have a studio, I have found some uses for it, but if I could go back and talk to the 4 years ago me, I'd tell me not to spend that much money on it.
I still use film and still use filters, and have a stack of different types from hoya and cokin types. Swiss army knife very usefull in many differen t uses and spheres. Dont forget a penny coin can tighten up tripod nuts. Head torch very usefull fro. Working on the car, walking in the woods, to diving. But always have a back up or spare batteries atleast. In case it goes down.
Great info once again Mike --glad to know im nae totally daft I also blow out the end of the lens as well as the sensor.... the multi purpose knife thing i'll give a miss since i rarely take tripod so my 10p bit does just fine ... lol. Might purchase the 'clip on' though
Nikon has night vision in viewfinder and display, as well as extra features under “starlight view” all geared for nighttime/Astro photography. Also sensor shield - physical shutter for when you swap lenses.
Thanks for the list. But it is personal preferences - I like 360 degrees camera, I have Insta 360 ONE-R, it helps to film myself during roller skating or longboarding. But I agree 5.7K video is not enough, it should be more like in 8K-16K resolution range. And when uploading to youtube by default it uses avc1 codec, so there are tricks to trigger vp9 encoder. Overall I really like it. I have a Wacom graphical tablet too, I don't use it often, but sometimes when masking complex patterns having pen in the hand feels more natural than mouse. I always have a blower in my bagpack, but rarely use it - I prefer changing lens quickly, that way I have to clean my sensor every 1-2 years and it is kind of OK. Plus one for Peak Design camera clip - extremely convenient thing, I can't believe it took me so long to get one. Now I'm considering to have a second set, when I have a second back pack.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Oleg. It very much is personal preference thing and it is great that we have so many different options these days to take great images and videos with. Thanks for watching 😁👍
The Peak Design camera straps with anchors have made my life easy. The straps are wonderful (the broad one for a 150-600 mm is a no-brainer) and the smaller 1 inch ones for unbelievable comfort. Getting rid of the strap when shooting in a studio or when I'm not walking around for hours, is really fast. I still have a Minolta mini tripod which is sturdy as a rock and I've been using it for long exposures or comfort when on low point of view. The one I regret, is a Gorillapod. Very popular at the time and seemingly a great solution, but it's never as stable as needed and therefore useless. I can put 5 kg on the Minolta, but not on the Gorilla. However, I must disagree about the UV. It can definitely protect against fine dust and sand or mud. Besides that, Canon advises a protecting filter on the 17-40 mm f/4.0 L for complete environmental sealing. I haven't noticed that on other manuals, btw. The protecting filters I use (not on all lenses and definitely not in a studio) are of high quality because I think that a wonderful lens deserves that. They repel water and dew much easier also.
Thanks for your thoughts Jos. I agree with the gorilla pod. It very much is a great idea, but not that strong. I prefer having a small travel tripod and keeping the legs retracted. This does a much better job. As for UV filters, I think I was tainted when photographing kitesurfers. I was doing everything I should have been to get sharp images, but wasn't getting the results I wanted ... but as soon as I took off the filter, they came out much sharper. Since then I haven't used a filter, and I've shot from the desert in the Empty Quarter to a muddy mottocross track in rainy Wales and haven't had the need for one ... but I suppose that shows I am a bit of a gambler when it comes to kit! 😆 Thanks for watching and I hope you are enjoying my videos 😁👍
Such an interesting list. I have different needs from many, as a photographer with neuromuscular problems who often shoots in a wheelchair, carrying his equipment in a messenger bag in his lap. THE BEST Agreed on the blower - such a useful tool for blowing off front elements, back elements, sensors, viewfinders, rear screens and my glasses. I carry a multi-screwdriver tool from Smallrig in my camera bag - it is small and light, it does all I need in the field and it is OK to take in an aeroplane cabin. I always have a Swiss Army knife in my hold luggage just in case. A head torch isn't the easiest thing to work with for me - I carry a rechargeable LED torch in a belt pouch. My cameras all have L brackets. The Capture Clip would be useless for me. I use a Peak Design wrist strap hooked to an anchor on the bottom of my L bracket, and rest the camera on top of the messenger bag. THE WORST I never bought a panoramic head and I can't see the point with modern high-resolution cameras and stitching software. I have a tripod with built-in levelling and a head with a separate pan feature. Level the tripod, lock the head, unlock the pan and shoot away with plenty of overlap. Normally I install my camera in portrait mode using my L bracket when shooting a panorama. If I was into more complex panoramas, I'd use an app-controlled gimbal to take the pictures - I'm pretty sure some of the recent DJIs can do this. UV filters - you knew this one was going to be controversial! I use my hoods all the time unless I have a front-mounted filter on that won't fit inside the hood. However, the hood on my ultra-wide is pretty shallow (not enough to shield the front element from precipitation), also I can struggle with dexterity problems when I'm tired. I keep UV filters on all my lenses when I don't have a different filter mounted - but they're all B+W MRC or nano MRC. I realise that you don't need UV filtering with a digital camera and that even a good filter is degrading the image somewhat, but they have saved me from front element damage. I'd rather pay out to replace a UV filter than have to pay my insurance excess (and lose my no-claims bonus) to have a lens rebuilt with a new front element. I have never wanted a 360-degree camera. I've only ever used my phone, a DSLR (I've now sold all my DSLR equipment) or my mirrorless cameras. I'm probably the unusual photographer that doesn't own a GoPro or similar action camera. Graphics tablets and other specialist controllers are a lifesaver for someone like me with huge problems in his hands and arms. If I'm bulk adjusting images or editing video then my Loupedeck CT is invaluable. I also love my Wacom gear. The important thing is that you have to make the commitment to build the experience with these tools; the same applies to the specialist keyboard I use most of the time. Unless you are someone like me who has a disability-related reason to use these tools, casual and hobby users should probably save their money. That said, for those who are intensive Lightroom Classic users, the Loupedeck Live is relatively small and inexpensive, can be configured to your individual requirements and has deep integration into Lightroom Classic via a plugin. I wouldn't have the dexterity to install a clip-in filter and would be terrified of damaging the glass covering my sensor. Screw-in filters work well for me.
Thanks for your thoughts David, great to hear how you go about getting your photographs. I bet the specialist controllers are fantastic for you and your needs ... and I think that's what is great about photography and all of these different inventions. There are so many options and so many different ways to get the same result and what suits one person might not suit another. Thanks for watching 😁👍
A beanie light hat also useful for astro shoots too, especially as close sight is dodgy esp at night. L bracket definitely a god send, might invest in the Swiss army knife though
Very nice . For me my very best and my most useful piece of equipment is the 3 legged thing Elie PD on my PD on capture camera clip v3 . It’s my every day use.
Agree with you on the Wacom tablet. I really wanted to like it. I just found that it was more fiddly and gave me less control than the trackpad on my MacBook. I suppose if I worked with it long enough, I may have come to like it, but I didn't find enough upside to using it over the trackpad to put a lot of time into it.
I think that is the biggest thing with something like the wacom tablet. You have to use the tool enough to get used to it to see the benefit from it. I have another theory as well as to why I didn't get on with it. I am left handed but use the mouse with my right hand ... so to use the wacom tablet, I am drawing with my left hand, but then to use any keys or shortcut buttons, I have to put the pen down and use the keyboard because most shortcut keys are designed around the left hand. And then this leaves my right hand pretty much doing nothing. If I was right handed, it would just be a case of swapping out the mouse for the wacom tablet ... and then learning how to use it properly! Thanks for watching WM 😁👍
great video & tips, i have just purchased the capture clip & its a game changer, as is the l Bracket, no more messing with the ball head & repositioning the tripod Thanks for the other tips, i will be adding a swiss army knife into the camera bag
IDK agree with #4 (in my use case)... I shoot on the beach and front element protection give me peace of mind when the wind is blowing sand into my lens
That is a good point. I've photographed a lot of kitesurfers ... and the sand and wind on the lens can be quite disconcerting.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I don't know geographically where the beach is that you shoot, but at mine, the blowing sand is only half of it. We also have issues with salt spray. I didn't know how bad it was until one night I was at my neighborhood watering hole across the street from the beach and noticed something. I looked up at the lights in the parking lot and saw clouds of salt spray billowing by. Salt spray is gritty and it adheres to surfaces.
Sea spray is pretty bad for kit in general.
A long time ago I used to film sailing events from a rib as well as from the shore. The biggest thing was corrosion with the actual camera, gimbal and any tripods that had aluminium exposed ... and the place that had the worst damage was the metal on the lens mounting point, especially when the lens didn't have a rubber gasket. In the second year, I bough all new kit and made sure they all had those. As for front elements, they were rock solid through the whole experience. 😁👍
I use UV filters because I photograph dogs at close distance & they tend to jump in my direction 🤣😬
The “degradation” from a UV filter will never be noticed.
0:00 introduction
0:21 5th best: Rocket blower
1:09 5th worst: panoramic head
1:41 4th best: Swiss Army knife (or multitool)
2:13 4th worst: UV filter
3:03 3rd best: head torch
4:20 3rd worst: 360-degree camera
5:00 2nd best: L bracket
5:39 2nd worst: graphics tablets and other specialist controllers
6:38 the best: Peak Design Capture Clip
7:37 the worst: clip-in filters
8:24 advice for beginners
Thanks, you saved me a lot of time
One warning is to not use the blower too long as if it starts to degrade it can start making its own mess by blowing rubber particles. I would never blow in to the camera but each to their own. I actually tend to leave a polarising filter on my favourite zoom lens as it protects and acts as a grad filter outdoors though with a loss of a stop overall which is no big deal. Scratching a lens may not impair performance much but it will kill any resale value. Need to be careful having a lens protected only by a hood out of a carriage window behind a steam engine throwing clinker or on a sand blown beach etc..
Thanks for your thoughts Michael.
I can completely understand using one when behind a steam engine.
I did a shoot in an iron ore casting factory and had one on each of my lenses, so for specialised circumstances they are useful.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Speaking of the UV filter, or a clear non UV filter... there are many situations I opt to use such filter to protect the front element. Especially in the spring and early summer, when there's a lot of sticky polen and dust flying around.
There are always exceptions to almost any suggestion. Pollen is a bit of a nightmare to get rid of.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Like you, I was surprised to see that the humble UV filter had been included in the list of equipment to avoid. All my lenses have UV filters on them, not because I need to remove any UV light but in order to protect the front element of the lens. I often take photos of active sports and from time to time it is inevitable that some mud lands on the lens. When this happens it is easy to replace the filter and then carry on shooting. I would not want to try and wash the lens when outside as it would be very easy to scratch or damage it.
I'm with you on all except the uv filter. Still making up my mind on yjat. I always use my lens hood, BUT once still scratched my lens while my camera was over my shoulder in a shop. I turned or moved such that a display rack simply nailed the center of my front element. A uv filter would have physically protected it...
I agree with Andy. I know that if you're using a hood you get a barrier in many if not most cases protecting the lens. That said, it's not 100% protection and there may be that unusual case as Andy described or another object hitting the lens mostly when using a shoulder strap. I look at a UV lens as double protection for that expensive lens you bought for your camera!
Ooooh, yes, that'll make you want filters on every lens in an instant!! 🙈
The great thing with photography is that there are so many different ways to get the same result and it is so customisable for each and every one of us.
I think I was put off UV filters a long time ago when I was photographing some surfers. The images kept on coming out soft and I didn't know why, I was trying different settings, different positions, I was cleaning the front element ... but once I removed the filter, they became a lot sharper ... and that was with an expensive one as well. ...
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Like some of the other comments I tend to use UV filters when I am on the beach or in a very dusty/sandy environment. I have quite a few from the 'old days' and although I do not leave them on the front of the lens anymore, I do screw them onto my lenses when packing for a trip. It just gives me a bit of peace of mind for the journey. Once there I take them off again. Or am I the only one who has managed to lose a lens cap.
Having worked in a camera shop for a while. This made me realize that UV filters are mostly used to get more money out of your pocket. They really do take away some of the image quality (sharpness). I've also seen scratched front elements (that's multiple, not just an incident), because of the broken glass from a UV filter. We should realize that our front elements are usually more resistant to bad things than our UV filters. Plus, a scratch on your front element will most likely only hurt the resale value, not your image quality.
Lens hood always on for me. I've only scratched a lens once. Minolta 28-135, that's the old beast that didn't have a lens hood.
@@mdw1927 in sandy environments, especially on the beach I tend to go with a polarizing filter instead of a UV. When the sun is out it gives the sky so much more details, and does the same with respect to safety for the front lens against damage, salt, water and dust. On a boat I would never get the camera out without a filter, therefore having UVs still, but most of the time in my rack.
my worst gear I have ever bought was the Arsenal 2. I tried to love it, took it with me on many adventures but after the first few shots at each location I totally disagreed with the settings and ended up going back to full manual to get it right. learning full manual and how each setting affects the picture and committing that all to memory and practice has been the single most beneficial tool to my photography.
Haha! I always wondered about the Arsenal camera assistant.
Like you said, it is so much bewtter to learn how to use the camera, instead of relying on an automated system.
With flash photography, I learned to shoot in manual everything, so I knew if something was wrong I could change one setting either in the camera or on the flash to get the desired results. It is so much better in manual mode once you understand it.
Thanks for watching and commenting Trevor, much appreciated 😁👍
Referencing the UV filter thing, several of my Canon lenses (some being expensive L versions) are only weatherproof with a filter fitted. They aren't sealed at the moving front lens element. Given that I am often out in dusty weather having the front lens moving within a fixed column of air rather than sucking dusty air in behind the front lens is worth the minimal loss in contrast, resolution or sharpness.
That's a good point Wayne.
I think I got frustrated early on when I was shooting surfers and the images were coming out soft. Ended up narrowing it down to the filter ... When I took it off, they were much sharper.
Thanks for watching 👍
I got into digital painting before photography, and have used a drawing tablet for editing for awhile now. It's very fast for masks and manual edits, and makes a less efficient workflow with free software tolerable. Someone using some of the smarter photoshop tools like when there is a neural filter that does the exact effect they want will still be faster than me, but for more advanced edits with no premade tool, a tablet might be the fastest option with good results. It's also great for digital sculpting. However, don't buy one new, certainly not a new wacom. Pick one up from a thrift store first for $5-10, or buy a new huion tablet for $60.
The Pentax K3iii has a night vision display mode for the rear screen, and can also light up the viewfinder markings in red; great in low light.
Another great accessory are Zeiss lens wipes. They work very well, and are individually packed, so always new and clean. I buy them in boxes of 200, and cheapest by far is Costco, at £9.99. But even at the £20 some places charge for them, they are just 10p each. I just keep a few in each camera bag.
Thanks for the tip Roger ... I'll definitely go and have a look for those lens wipes from Costco!
That's great that Pentax does the night vision mode, at least some camera manufacturers have an astrophotographer in the engineering department!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I'm certainly an amateur photographer but a couple things I'd like to add. The lens filter is best used to protect your glass in situations where particles in the air are particularly bad, like factories or festivals where people throw water or color powder, etc... I have an Insta 360 OneX2 and I absolutely love it! Is it good for still images, or high-quality landscape videos? Not at all. What it is good for is an action camera, and in my opinion that's all it's good for but it makes an amazing action camera. I use mine for snowboarding, snorkeling, mountain biking, etc... If you try to use it outside of that lane you'll be disappointed but I'd certainly not call it a gimmick. Finally, also check out Cotton Carriers for camera mounts/harnesses. I got their Skout G2 and have absolutely loved it, and the price was pretty nice too. They have a few options depending on what you need. All that said, I appreciate this list and I'm going to be checking out more of your content. Thanks for doing what you do!
Thanks for your thoughts Gary.
This is why photography is so great, there are so many different ways to customise our cameras and kit.
You are right about the 360 camera, it does make a good action camera, although not quite the quality of a GoPro or DJI action cam, but in part of the advertising and marketing campaigns, they do talk about using it to shoot now and reframe later and I just wish they had made it a higher resolution camera, especially with the 1inch model and the X3.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I still use a UV filter if they come with kits if I can't notice any difference in image quality. It's really for cleaning. Basically, when I have to clean the front of the lens, I'm a lot more comfortable 'rubbing' the UV filter with a cleaning cloth than the glass of the lens itself. I like to keep my wiping cloth clean, but you never know if it caught something that could scratch glass.
fully agree on the uv filters, however my camera is exposed to grit and grime on a regular basis (dusty mx tracks etc) so I still want some protection on my expensive lens BUT instead of uv filters I use clear glass ones by hoya! saved at least two lenses so far :)
Clear filters would definitely be a must in your case.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
If you are using a prime lens with a round lens hood, a cap to fit the lens hood can be handy.
The Pentax K70 does have switchable night mode.
I agree with everything you said except the editing tablet. For me, I can’t imagine not having it. I even use it as my mouse when doing other things. There is definitely a learning curve, but a tablet (again, for me) is a top 5 must have. Thanks for sharing!!
No worries Patty, thanks for watching. 😁👍
Out of curiosity, are you right or left handed?
@@mikesphotography Right handed. My husband is left handed and I can totally see that it would be more difficult for him to use a tablet.
@@Trish12303 I'm left handed and the tablets have a left handed mode in the settings, all you need to do is flip the tablet around and you don't touch the buttons with your writing hand anymore, the tablet for me is a must for masking and anything that needs fine detail :)
@@Trish12303 Why? you go into the setting, tell it you're left-handed, and flip the tablet around on the desk
@@gaza4543 He tried. It just didn’t work out for him. Maybe the way he wraps his arm to write? Not sure. He just couldn’t adjust to it.
Helpful suggestions and common-sense advice, all nicely presented with zero fluff. Both entertaining and informative. Thumbs up!
Thanks very much 😁👍
The main reason that I still use a UV filter is that I'm clumsy. Lens coatings are far superior than they were in the dim and distant past but fingerprints are still not good news if not noticed and cleaned off quickly.
Haha! That's a great reason to keep using them!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I've done some pretty elaborate panoramas that I couldn't have done without a panorama head
Especially when you incorporate foreground elements
Although I definitely don't think everyone needs a panorama head
Also I think a tablet can be a great tool to have available, there are some tasks that are just much easier to do with a tablet, like masking out a sky or touching up a headshot
The precision of a stylus is very handy
Thanks for your thoughts John. 😁👍
The list is personal of course. For me I didn’t like the capture clip as it put all the weight on one side. Instead I use a chest pouch that is central, offers protection for the camera, but still affords quick access. On the other hand I really like the Wacom tablet for brushing during editing because it helps me get smoother strokes for making selections. I don’t use any of the custom buttons on the device, just the pen.
Thanks for the suggestion about a swiss army knife. I take a Leatherman, but as you say it’s heavy. Is there a Swiss Army knife that has an allen key?
And that's the great thing about photography, there are so many customisable things to have and use.
Good point about the Allen key, I just have a single Allen key in my bag as it takes up so little space and weight.
Thanks for watching and commenting Stewart. 😁👍
Yeah I got a cheapo wacom bamboo and its more than enough for making selections, feathering and cutting out/masking objects.
Don’t forget hand warmers, the kind that heat up when you open the package and they are exposed to the air. I go through dozens of packs every winter.
Ah yes, good point!! I could have done with some of those last week when I was out in the snow!! 😆
Thanks for watching 😁👍
A very minor accessory that I've gone back and forth on: a lens cap holder.. It's an elastic band that wraps around your lens and attaches to the front of the lens cap. It comes in handy when shooting handheld as you can just drop the cap and shoot. But when shooting on a tripod it's not as convenient because you don't really want it waving in the wind.
Thanks for sharing Stephen. I can see how it would be good for handheld shooting but not so good for tripod work. I think the bane of almost every photographer is remembering which pocket they put their lens cap in!! 😆
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Hi, a lot of good points, thanks! My favourite piece of equipment to stay at home when hiking or for day time photography is the tripod. I know, some people are lugging theirs around because it makes them look like a pro. As to astrophotography, the quick-release may be convenient but it is the weak point in the set-up.
No worries, and thanks for sharing your thoughts Moritz.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Good list. I have had a Swiss Army knife laying around for years. It’s going directly into my kit. Re. UV filters: 1) Not sure how you have a lens hood on when you are using step up rings for filters, unless you remove the ring and filter all the time. 2) I have had a lens, with a lens hood on that was saved by a UV filter. Admittedly it’s very rare, and that said, I’ve had lenses saved by the lens hood as well. 3) I don’t buy cheap UV filters, and I test every lens I put them on to make sure there is no IQ loss. The only lens I have that shows loss is the Sony 200-600 (with any filter I’ve tried). 4) I obviously struggle with this decision a lot. I LOVE the capture clip when I have my backpack on, but recently I’ve reduced my lenses to 2 for lightweight hiking, and I picked up a Wotencraft shoulder bag that is amazingly easy to get in and out of. The camera is just as easy, if not easier, to access as with the clip, the bag makes a great shelf to hold a lens while swapping without getting down on the ground, and the camera is better protected. That shoulder bag was my favorite gear purchase last year. My worst purchase was a Manfrotto Pixie tripod. It is just too flimsy, and there is no way to put a quick release head on it. I replaced it with a Leofoto LS-223CEX small tripod and I love it.
Thanks for sharing David. Great to hear your experiences with both UV filters and lens hoods.
It is amazing how flimsy some tripods really are, so thanks for the tip about the Manfrotto Pixie tripod.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
On a 16-35mm lens, the lens hood is very small to protect the lens
@@marchinderickx8193 I use a Nikkor 40 mm macro a lot and the front element is quite deep set. It's a nightmare to clean and since I get up close and personal with all sorts of plants and bugs, I find a (good quality) filter at the front protects well.
My 18mm lens however is mostly used to point at the sky at night. Just a lens hood.
As for useful stuff: Never regretted my lens-warmer for astro-work. Had a few long timelapse sessions ruined on finding the front element misted up.
My take on a protective filter: I used to take a fair number of rock climbing photos while hanging from a harness. The filter was a "requirement" until the day it actually saved the lens. Then I found out that the force that damages the filter also breaks the lens and, in my case, the front element was close to the cost of a filter.
A lens hood, however, is absolutely required. Lens hoods are just a little bit flexible and that does a lot to protect the lens and its internal parts from shock damage. They also keep rocks and fingers off the front.
Thanks for sharing your experience Daniel. 😁👍
@@mikesphotography This is the reason I use them too only in my case its more likely to save the coating of my lenses. Near the sea with stormy weather the salts and sand that blows definitely do a number on them. And for the price they have, U rather throw away a filter every year then a lens.
I agree that a tablet is overkill just for moving sliders; but first time I used a tablet, it moved me forward, allowing for drawing in a natural way, for drawing masks, dust spotting and retouching in general - much better than what I could do with a mouse. Plus add to it that I am used to use a mouse with my right hand despite being a left-handed person in most other aspects. My left hand is so much better at those fine movements - I use the pen tablet with my left hand and keyboard and mouse with my right.
As for your top piece of gear, my choice is a Cotton Carrier harness to securely hold two camera bodies - similar to your choice of Peak Design clip, but to keep two cameras at the ready and with a single-handed rotate-release.
I am a big fan of clip-in filters when it comes to full-spectrum converted cameras - the hot-mirror clip-in turns that camera back into a regular camera without having to deal with individual front-attach filters for each lens. Or use one of the numerous IR filter choices, or a noise pollution astro filter. And yes, I would deal with that filter in a favorable environment.
Thanks for your thoughts Lars.
Interesting that you are good with the tablet being a left handed person. Like you I am left handed but trained myself to use the mouse with my right.
I think I got annoyed at having to put the pen down every time I wanted to use a shortcut key command on the keyboard as they seem to be designed for the left hand ... but I probably should have stuck at it a little longer.
The cotton carriers look great and the benefits over the capture clip on a rucksack are that you would still have the chest mount even if you took off your bag.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Two accessories I have found useful are (1) a fanny pack (in front) for quick lens changes and (2) a small LED light box for lighting up the foreground in dim or night shots.
Such a fanny pack is my way for vacation and sport events. With an external lens bag for the tele I have the camera with zoom and a superwide immediately accessible. And I can still move well and carry a rucksack or whatever.
Just don't call it a "fanny pack" if you're in the UK ... It has a very different meaning here. 🤔😆
Thanks for the tips on what you find useful. 😁👍
Great talk! I have one exception. The statement that no filter is needed on a blower device, to me, seems a little bit too broad based. Your dust blower device, imho, should ALWAYS have a filter on it. As an Engineer working for a water processing company, I developed, tested & released a water filter which removed 3/4 of all viruses (re: small, figure 3 microns) and all bacteria and anything larger. In the lab and production, we did not test it with water as it would make filter unusable for sale. I and manufacturing production did test with a precision air particle tester, which we set, again at 3 microns. We had a stringent test requirement before the filter was allowed to be shipped.
I can attest that the air in the hvac controlled lab nominal had 180,000 particles per cubic-foot and 240,000+ particles in the spring when pollen count was high. Many of these particles were relative large. I know its not in metric (i'm now retired and too lazy to convert lol), but i think everyone will get a sense that it is a lot of particles, regardless of the volume. They waft around and in time do collect.
You may have good luck with your sensor camera and I do with my slr Nikon D850 where I only have to keep the mirror clean. But i think your comment needs to be amended. Other than that, your program was exceptional! Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your feedback. 😀👍
I understand what you’re saying about the tablet especially the Wacom but the shuttle has improved my editing speeds probably at least by half cutting down time
Great to hear you're getting on with the shuttle pro. 😁👍
Out of interest are you left or right handed?
I completely agree about bodies and lenses. I'm using some of the same lenses that date all the way back to my Nikon D100 from 15-17 years ago. Those lenses have been atop several camera bodies since then, and undoubtedly have a few more to go before they're done. They've even survived a DSLR to mirrorless transition, using an adapter. That said, my advice to anyone is to carefully select your lenses, and to buy the highest optical quality you can afford while choosing a decent body that matches your use case.
Don't get too mired into specs, or listen too much to the online manufacturer fanbois. You can spend hour after hour comparing specs in order to choose the very best camera ever made (until a year or two from now, of course) but it really comes down to this: does it work for you? For example: a Nikon D7ii is a superb landscape and general use camera. Its weakness is its focusing speed and frame rate, which is a negative for quick action photography, but unless you are doing something like sports or wildlife photography, it's more than adequate. Compare that to the new Nikon Z8, which has the same MP count, but does offer a 20 frame buffer and improved focus speed. It's a baby Z9 for action shooters, but is more expensive than the Z7ii. Look at the two...decide what you'll be shooting the most, then choose accordingly.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Charles!
You're completely right. If it works for you, then it is doing the job you got it for, so no need to worry about other kit.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I throw high quality UV filters on all my lenses, I often shoot indoors without a hood so it's just that smidge of protection to make me feel better. Also I don't mind wiping dust off the UV filter with my shirt or something not 100% dedicated just to lens cleaning.
100% agree on not buying the "greatest and newest." I recently "upgraded" to a new-to-me Canon 5D mk IV which is such a feature packed, pro camera, that I know will take me years to grown into and master.
Thanks for your thoughts Chorazin!
The Canon 5D mkiv is such a great camera and will be for years to come.
I had the 5d mkiii before switching to Sony and I do sometimes miss that camera.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have a Shuttle Pro V2. I haven't programed all the buttons but if you are editing video and you want to get an edit point at a particular frame then then the two wheels allow to easilly move the playhead to exactly where you want.
Thanks for your thoughts David. I just didn't end up getting on with it ... I have my own set of keyboard shortcuts for premier pro and they work on any computer I use ... when I used to forget the specialised keypad ... so I suppose I should have been a little less forgetful. 😆
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I've got my canon setup to display red colours and black. It goes so easy in the eyes at night. During the day I don't mind using the other colour schemes
This clearly showing different people have different way of doing things and preference.
I for one love the clip in filter and can't live without one, I use bunch of super wide like Sigma 14 1.8 kind of lens, with the clip in filter, it just so easy, i ditched my big square filter many years ago, I love those so much and I even bought a few Natural light filter for my Astro modified A7 III and Z7 when shooting milky way , again with another lens doesn't take regular front filter such as the Sony 14GM which I also use a set of rear filter on it too, the clip in filter is just so easy to install and remove, it takes no more than 10 second.
Another piece of crucial equipment for me is the Wacom Intuos tablet. it speed up my process so much and I don't even want to touch my mouse now.
I have been using my RRS multi Pano kit and it's another essential piece of gear for me and yes, I do hike with it. i have the heavy duty version and the light version for different situation but it's with me most of the time.
I have a few Peak Design Capture camera clip, but I hate it when use it while hiking, so I only use it when I am walking around the city with a tiny camera set up like A7RIV + Zeiss Loxia type of set up.
Thanks for your thoughts Danny. This shows that our great hobby is so customisable that everyone can have their own way of doing things and there are the tools out there to do it.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
On that last tip I can say I love that you said that. I am building up a Sony focused kit because I also plan to do video as well and I see that a lot of brands use sony lenses so I’d like to be able to buy the least amount of lenses per camera so my kit is still portable. So sharing lenses might help a lot
I use a Loupedeck Live and I love it.
I use a protective filter if there is going to be debris, or if im near the ocean and there is going to be salt water. I also use one when I want to walk around for a while without the lens cap. Otherwise, I leave it at home, because it degrades the photo quality. For me, a protective filter is less about dropping the lens, and more about small things flying at the lens. also, couldn't recommend the capture clip more. Definitely a must have for anyone. I now use a camera bag that is smaller than my camera, just to hold lens caps, an extra lens, and batteries. The freedom of having a camera securely on the outside of the bag, and also super accessible is just incredible.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. There are definitely times when a UV filter would be essential. I was just tainted when I kept getting soft images because of it.
The capture clip is fantastic isn't it!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thanks for another informative video Mike, I agree with most of what you say. The only exception is that I use a clear UV filter normally when it’s wet. Decided to get the Atoll collar after getting the opportunity of using one on my Sony👍 Disappointed that the snow has not yet arrived , was looking forward to some snowy woodland work.
Thanks Barry!
We had a massive dumping of snow over the last 24 hours. It started yesterday morning and didn't stop ... although at about lunchtime it turned to rain.
It is days like this that I wish I had a 4x4!! 😆🙈
It'll be interesting to see how you get on with the Atoll mount. I notice that smallrig have pretty much copied that design now as well with one of their new mounting options. www.smallrig.com/SmallRig-Rotatable-HorizontaltoVertical-Mount-Plate-Kit-for-Sony-Alpha-7R-V--Alpha-7-IV---Alpha-7S-III--Alpha-7R-IV.html
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
One piece of gear I recommend is the Leofoto quick change plate system. It comes in 4 different sizes. It consists of a base receiver and a top plate. The most common use, but not limited to, is to attach the base to the top of your tripod, then attach the plates to different heads. The base has a twist lock that secures the plate to it. It's a game changer for more quickly changing out tripod heads. Among other heads, I have a plate for my star tracker, and then I also have a receiver and plate for my declination bracket and the dedicated ball head that I use just for my tracker. It makes setup so fast and easy.
I disagree about the pano rig/gimbal. I fashioned my own pano rig with two indexing pano bases with soft stop detents (large one for horizontal and small one for vertical) and some Arca plates and rails I already had. It's fairly compact, but most importantly it takes the guesswork out of shooting for overlap because of the adjustable soft stop detents.
If you're an experienced photographer, you may have a better sense of shooting and giving yourself enough overlap to stitch together a sequence of images. But amateurs, such as me, and especially because I do primarily nighttime photography, benefit from the consistency it offers.
I would not say that it's a MUST-HAVE item, but I wouldn't say it should necessarily be avoided. I've found it to be very helpful, especially if doing a multi-row pano. I guess it just depends on how interested you are in panoramas, how comfortable you are, intuiting a sequence for a panorama, and how much you're willing to invest in gear to help with it. But I don't think it's worth spending a lot of money on. I think I spent $150 or less on all the individual pieces that make up my pano rig, and I can use it like a regular gimbal whenever needed.
Thanks for your thoughts Derek. If you are specialising in nighttime panos, then a pano head with those soft click points for the angles is a great tool. I've shot a few night time panos and they are a nightmare to get right with the overlap without one.
This is more for landscapes that you can see ... and once you get your eye in and make sure you can see something in your frame that was in the last frame then it is fine.
I suppose the thing with this list is that it is for general shooters, whereas a lot of the things I don't like are more for specialised uses.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Awesome video Mike!
That editing, it just kept the information flowing so smoothly, amazing work!
My favorite piece of advice actually reminded me of the first reason I found your channel years ago, which is astrophotography.
Ever since I still haven't had the chance to do it lol. But yes, I will buy a light with red option :D
Thank you again!
Thanks so much!!
Great to hear you liked the pacing as well. Been working on that a lot recently. It's a bit tricky to get right sometimes ...
Can you tell I am missing astrophotography!? For next weeks video, I got one or two shots of the stars and immediately realised that I hadn't been out for so long under the night skies!!
At the moment, I'm working on getting a rig that will film at night, so once I get that sorted, I'll be making more astrophotography videos again.
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
My hint for getting started with astro is to just do it. You won't regret the time spent under the stars. Even if the results are initially underwhelming.
@@jdpjamesp Really appreciate it! As a software developer who consistently works overhours, I need to stop making excuses and follow your advice
@@mikesphotography Well I do miss it, but won't complain cause the new content is fantastic!
Really excited now to see new astrophotography content. If I remember correctly the ones from before were from Dubai? Now with more mountains in landscape I image the captures will be even more scenic.
@@luxdalet thanks very much!!
Yep, the older stuff was in the desert of the empty quarter south of Abu Dhabi, the new astro videos will be in the mountains here in the UK.
I'm just working on a night vision camera at the mo ... Once I get it working, it'll be awesome! 😁👍
Your point about not getting the latest and greatest is why I held off on mirrorless: wait for the used market to get stocked up.
That's a good way to think about it.
Thanks for watching Danielle 😁👍
Joby doesn't cost as much as you said, although I can confirm that the leg segments do wear out. Nevertheless, I find it extremely helpful and he head is well designed. But it's not heavy duty. Gimbal is a very specialized thing. Drone - borrow or rent when you need. Overall, you have it right. Just learn to shoot, record and light and keep the money in the bank.
One of the best things I got are the Folding Grips by STC (the same like the filters). I got them for all my Olympus/OMDS cameras.
This is a really good list. I bought the Peak Design V3 a few months ago and just received a 3 Legged Thing L-Bracket designed specifically for the Capture Clip V3. It’s a brilliant combination that is super reliable.
I’m glad I’m not the only one to make dud purchases. I bought the Lytro Illum thinking it was the future of photography. I still have it…
Thanks very much Pete! The three legged thing L-bracket does look like a good one to get.
Oh wow, I haven't heard that camera name in a while! What was it like to shoot with?
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Was going to ask Mike about his experience with the Capture Clip and L Bracket. I don't see any that mention compatibility with the clip. Which model did you get?
@@kencawley3121 I bought the short one (Ellie Short PD).I had maybe a mm spare, but didn’t want to risk it for AUD$100. The great thing is you can extend the side bracket out to give access to doors and screen flips.
@@mikesphotography I really loved the Illum, particularly for macro. You could get really close and achieve a 3D result.
I gave it up mostly because the 40MP sensor was reduced to just 4MP to achieve their results. And then they left the Mac software 1 version less than Windows and killed development of the app all together.
I just bought some Kolari clip-in filter for my IR camera and I think you review is accurate, but it think it also depends on the type of photography that you do. I shoot mostly IR 720 with vintage lenses and I have a full spectrum camera, so the ability to change my lenses without the need to own multiple filters or filter adapters is great. I also sometimes what to shoot just regular photography in some every specific projects, and that clip-in Hot MIrror filter is really great for the same reasons. But that's the very specific type of photography that I do. If you need to change the filter clip mid shoot, I can see how annoying this must be.
Hi Douglas,
They are very much specialist bits of kit, and even though they might not be good for general shooting, for special situations like yours, they would be great.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Nice video, there are some modern zoom lenses which are internal zoom and focus but the front element does move in and out inside the barrel, my AF-S 16-35/f4 Nikkor being a good example, if using in dusty or windy or wet conditions (beach shoots) then a good quality protective filter is on the front of the lens to stop the ingress of crap into the lens. Also, some good quality microfibre cloths should be in your bag to keep your lens /screen clean in those typical british conditions.
Good point with filters helping stop dust and dirt from being sucked in to the internal zoom lenses ... and yes microfibre cloths are a must as well.
Thanks for watching Martin 😁👍
I think having a very accurate editing monitor and or tablet is almost a must that is why I love my editing tablet not to mention touching up a photo becomes so much easier and faster with a stylus
Great to hear you got on with your stylus. This is the great thing with all of the tools and accessories we have, so many customisable options.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography always keep uploading the fantastic content man
Great list. I agree with and have your top 2-5, but have not tried the capture clip. Have been looking at them but at $100+ Canadian, it seems a bit much for a hobbyist. Maybe I will put it on by birthday wish list. The worst gear I purchased was very cheap external drives for my pictures. Fortunately I had two back-ups to my main drive as the main and one of the back-ups failed. I think it would be devastating to lose all my photos. The reason I keep two back-ups is that one stays at home for easy access, and the other stays in my office at work just in case my home burns or floods. Really enjoy your channel and learn something new every time. Cheers.
That is another good one Michael! I buy the WD hard-drives for backing up, and like you, I make sure I have 2 copies of everything. I also have a dropbox account with all of my finished edits on there at full res. Then if I did lose all of the drives, I still would have access to my photographs at decent resolutions.
Great to hear you're enjoying the channel, lots more to come!! Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thank you Mike. On the red light "request", Nikon has it in the Z9. You turn this feature on, and it turns the EVF and the back LCD panel red :)
Oh interesting!! Thanks for letting us know Ahmed! If I was a full time astro shooter, that could convince me to switch camera brands. 🤔
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thank you, Mike. First of all I like your rhethoric which makes it easy to understand you even for a non-native English listener. Certainly, necessary accessories are subject to kind of individual liking. Just want to add that I‘m in full support of using a head torch, and here even more the one which allows for red light, too. Red light won‘t disturb while still you‘ll be able to control your camera.
Thanks so much Reinhard! Great to hear my videos are easy to understand from a non native English listener.
This is the great thing with photography, we have so many ways to customise our kit that the possibilities are endless!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography 😀👍
Peak Design capture clip is amazing, love the change it's made for my work flow particularly in the field. My only real criticism is I wish they made one that used a Falcom 38 clip instead of the PD clip. I've moved almost every other quick release on my video cage over to an F38 and it's awesome for quickly attaching and detaching monitors, mics, handles etc. (I'm a video guy) but the only cam clip I have is the almost identical but not quite interchangeable PD plate. This results in my either having to change out my f38 mount from the bottom of my cam or to put the PD plate on a less than optimum carry position. If I could get every other accessory I need on a PD plate instead of a F38 plate then I'd do that instead but the PD plate seems to have a much more limited use case.
Thanks for sharing Daniel. I just checked out the F38 system and it looks great ... might have to get some to try them out.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@Perceptence they are a slightly different size. I suppose a company could make one axis fit the peak design and the other axis f38... However, I doubt that would happen.
I'm inclined to agree with you on the clip-in filters, that fit behind the lens, they are a pain to fit, however the 10stop ND filter comes into it's own with wide angle lenses with a bulbus front element, where a flat glass filter on the front of the lens comes in eye wateringly expensive. I also find that on the Sony a7r4 I use the clip in UV filter to protect the sensor from dirt and dust, and this seems to work.
Thanks for your thoughts Clifford. Good to hear you are getting on with certain clip in filters. You are right about using them with lenses without filter threads. I originally bought this to use with my 14mm samyang lens ... but then dropped it not long after. 🙈
Thanks for watching 👍
I've had two lens saved by a uv filter, one the strap failed and it smashed the lens hood and cracked the filter but the lens was fine. The second time I was following a model up steps and she kicked he heel out behind her for a pose for another photographer who was with me in front, her heel smashed the filter on my 300mm 2.8 but again the lens survived.
Thanks for sharing your experiences Wayne 😁👍
Thanks for a great video, Mike. I agree with your comments: the Capture Clip is so liberating, Swiss Army knife is so useful - I have fixed innumerable hotel doors and drawers with one, L bracket is such a time-saver. However the Wacom Intuos Pro is excellent, too. I love it.
Thanks very much David, haha, the Swiss Army Knife really comes in handy doesn't it ... but it is heartbreaking when you forget to put it in the hold luggage and the security check take it away, I've lost many a knife like that... 😫🙈
Great to hear you do get on with the wacom tablet, I think it just wasn't for me. 😁👍
Very good advice indeed, for new photographers! My top 2: Head lamp with red light and a multi-tool/knife! I also carry a first aid kit a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. The case is watertight and has a very light small carabiner so I can clip on the outside of my pack on those rare occasions I'm packing the proverbial "Kitchen Sink" on a shoot which happens almost NEVER these days! As to filters. Yes, true today the UV isn't really needed but a very high-quality clear filter gives that extra security when out and about, but you can't skimp on price. They run, depending on size anywhere from 35USD/25GBP up to 125USD/100GBP and are very worth it. As good as the coatings are on lenses today, one errant nearly invisible bit of grit rubbed over your lens by a cleaning rag or even a brush can ruin your day! I'd rather blow 100 to replace a filter.
Now, not actually my worst gear, just less than expected was the purchase of one of the VERY FIRST EVER Peak aluminum travel tripods! They wanted "Fort Knox" for the carbon version, though at a big discount in the kickstart period which is when I made the purchase. That was still not worth the expense and not much lighter than the aluminum version. I found the stability compromised because the legs fully extended, tended to be very flexible and felt a little flimsy. The carbon version is a somewhat stiffer. I bought it because I fell in love with the elegant design and compactness. Guess what, 3 extra pounds and I still carry my Slik 780DX Pro around on a daily basis. That also has the height I like, up to 77" as, 60" +/- 1-3" is for midgets (oops not PC) but it's true for me as I'm tall and old and hate bending over even a little, unless the shot requires it. I came up with large format field cameras and Christ All MIGHTY the tripods were heavy and built like tanks. Ansel used to pack his gear deep into the upper regions of Yosemite on pack mules! So, I still really like a tripod that feels solid and doesn't ALWAYS require sand bags or my pack hanging underneath to make it secure. Again only 3-4 pounds extra weight and I can still pack in with 2 bodies (if both are mirrorless: QUITE light weight) and a couple of lenses. Often I'll go with my D850 and my Z7, two lenses and my FTZII quite happily slinging my 780DX along. We used to carry 70 pound plus packs with camping gear and equipment so a little 12-18 pound nicely padded pack is nothing.
It seems a little frivolous, this trend that's almost become everyone's personal competition/obsession to see how light you can make your carry and still carry the MOST gear even when 90+% of us NEVER use most of the gear we carry in. Of course, if you're a wildlife photographer predominantly and lugging around titanic focal length lenses then by all means it is necessary to really work at keeping the weight as manageable as possible. Most of the young Turks I see today are bending their backs under the ridiculous burden of a couple of mirrorless cameras and a few lenses, and going on and on about how light they try and pack and they're ONLY out on a day trek. For most of my day outings I carry one camera on the tripod over my shoulder and with a 24-70 or a 24-200 quite happy, skipping along whistling a ditty, small extras carried right in my cargo pants! NO need for a pack or to "Look" like I'm a serious photographer because I'm also carrying my darkroom along with me as Ansel did on occasion pack in on mules a portable darkroom.
For beginners I always advise: buy a good camera without too many bells and whistles and even the kit lens is often a good little wide to tele zoom lens, and stick with that. Do your research and ask questions of the sales reps or dig into the pro forums. Look at the major brands, Fuji, Sony, Nikon, Canon and decide on the one you like best. For the beginner it can be daunting but know those I mentioned are all good quality equipment. I happen to be Nikon loyal for almost 50 years now. There's less difference between major brands than back then. Pick your brand, and buy a good body anywhere between 500-800 USD and 1000+ USD. The reason I say this is that you'll keep your body longer than lenses and you don't need to buy a bunch of primaries or different zooms if you're beginning, just a good mid-range wide to moderate tele and as you improve your skills, trade that lens for a better lens or two and build as you go. Just what Mike implied here at the end. AND REMEMBER THIS as a beginner: LEARN TO SHOOT ON MANUAL! Even disable the auto focus at the start just to really get used to looking through your viewfinder instead of always at the live view back! Don't forget to adjust your diopter, that tiny little knob on the side of your viewfinder! Using the viewfinder makes composition more accurate in my opinion, more intimate, and removes visual distractions. When I compose, I NEVER use the live view back unless it's necessary!
Thanks for your thoughts Paul. 👍
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always and awesome tips 👍👌
Thanks so much for your kind words Miguel! 😁👍
I went and spent the extra money on a nice headlamp with a zoom function for my late night treks through the mountains . But completely agree with your list but I feel a knife and flint stone is also very handy as a photographer, because you definitely never know when you could use a fire ❤
I've had a uv filter stuck on a lens and only got it off with a jar opener device last week. Week before out shooting Northern Lights and filter left a series of circles on my photograph! I knew that would happen, but the filter wouldn't come off. The head lamps you mentioned are a pain for other photographers at night, especially on occasions like Northern Lights. No fun when people walk about with them on while you're trying to capture a special event! Think I'd like an L bracket.
Oh I know that feeling of having a stuck filter. It is so annoying and a jar opener is sometimes the only way to get rid of it.
Unfortunately that is a fact of life when going to any public place and shooting at night. It's better for people to have head-torches and not injure themselves instead of falling over everything just to please others.
Although the annoying ones are the people that leave it on constantly even when they have set up. I tend to have it on for as little as possible when there are others around.
I remember shooting on the south coast of the UK years ago at Durdle Door at night, and whilst I was taking a set of photos, someone turned up with one of those really powerful police search lights...I was annoyed at first, but once I changed the settings, I got some quite funky looking shots with the light shining onto the subject.
L-brackets are great inventions, although if you use a cable release instead of the self timer, then they can be tricky to use as the L part is on the same side as the cable mounting point.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Best gear I have bought in years: Atoll collar which replaces a L bracket. Does not block my ports or flip screen. It allows me to rotate landscape and portrait without removing the camera from tripod and therefore keeps composition relatively positioned. It allows native use with Peak design capture clips but also gives me a second point of contact for my Fusion black rapid plate. It changes the camera lens more to a nodal point for panoramas. It has a click feel for major rotational degrees. It is light and packable without taking off. It allows inverted tripod connection while the camera rotates upright. It works with my canon RF to EF adapter (with the extension piece). I know I am missing something . This thing is the best engineered thing in my kit.
Great to hear you like the Atoll collar. It does look like a well engineered bit of kit!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I have a full spectrum camera which I use for infrared and find the stc clip in ir filter the best solution for my scenario. I don't use the camera for anything else so the clip in filter stays in place. Better than having lots of ir filters for my different lenses
Now that is a fantastic way that the clip in filters are very useful. 👍
I use adapters to use some rifle scope anti glare filters to make wild life thorough a bit easier
Love it. I was just considering a Wacom. Nope! The other thing in my kit is an ancient bottle of lens cleaner with a tiny brush on the end. That and a cloth works wonders. How do those smudges get there???
Haha! Those smudges seem to appear out of thin air sometimes!! 😆
Thanks for watching 👍
My Fujifilm camera has a red light option for the rear LCD and it makes me so happy
Excellent!! It's great to see that some camera companies are really forward thinking!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Same for Panasonic!
My Nikon Z9 also has a red lcd and evf option.
I still have the g13 collecting dust in a closet! I agree with everything on your list. The capture clip really changed my photography
Haha! Ah, the good old G13! 😆
It's amazing how the capture clip does help so much!
Thanks for watching Curtis. 😁👍
In one of your previous videos I saw the camera clip on your shoulder and thought wow I like that, like you I'm thinking of the cost but have just bought an alternative on Amazon, hoping it's here tomorrow.
Excellent video, I did buy the pano head back in 2019 but now just do everything in post processing, so much easier, I also think another best gadget I bought was the Intervalometer, have used it so much for timelapse videos
Which backpack clip did you get?
I have a new one coming (the f38 from ulanzi) that I will be testing out that is half the price of this one from peak design. It'll be interesting to see how it lasts.
Thanks for watching Robert 😁👍
I have a love hate relationship with my capture clip. It makes it so much easier to take pictures on the go, but it uses a different mounting plate than my tripod and it's really painful to have to always switch it in the field. So I find when I'm going for a hike without a tripod. I bring the capture clip, but if I'm going out for a day of dedicated photography I leave it at home
Oh interesting. I'm guessing you have the manfrotto RC2 tripod plate? If so, Peak Design do make a dual compatible plate: www.peakdesign.com/products/dual-plate?gclid=Cj0KCQiAx6ugBhCcARIsAGNmMbiWGkgpY5MkSm3Do5NJPUhNVAdlun6eiXW6Mdp01zHqtzWEx49KzoEaArQYEALw_wcB
(Don't know why Peak Design used such a long URL for this one) 🙈
I hope that helps.
Thanks for watching Lou 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Wow, I bought this a while ago, and I hope i wasn't too green to understand the different types of plates. I will pretend this plate wasn't available back then :)
Haha! No worries at all. To be honest, they don't advertise it well at all, I only stumbled across it a while back when looking for different plates for the capture clip. 😁👍
Bold topic for a vid, risks off-putting bad stuff makers. Kudos for the bravery and unique subject, Mike. Boy, the snow sure disappeared quickly, didn’t it.😊 Picnic table getting to be a channel thing - nice.
Five letters in avoid match five items in each group - clever.
My 3-way pano head does double duty for precise compositions in macro, especially focus stacking.
Agree on UV filters - used to buy one for each new lens but stopped.
Clip in filter was a new one - never saw them before - don’t like the idea of placement/removal risks to gear.
Agree on Wacom (although my hunch is that you will get rmuch push-back); I wasn’t patient enough to get used to the pen; went back to mouse.
360 cam more fun than function (like disappearing stick).
Swiss Army knife - in prior vid you used a separate screwdriver on the L-bracket, as I recall. Would also suggest the French Army knife (every tool is a corkscrew😂 - old joke.)
My addition would be for light-weight shoots - instead of an expensive-looking bag, I use a repurposed army surplus canvas gas-mask bag (no kidding); cut up yoga mat makes good dividers. Cheers!
Haha!! Well I started this one at the top of Cader Idris in Snowdonia, whilst filming next weeks video, then a bit of weather came in so I went back down to the car and it cleared up again! The joys of the British weather!! 😆
I have been tempted to do some editing videos at the picnic table, but the only problem is when it gets really busy there.
Haha! I am getting a little pushback on the wacom movement! 😆😆 Always fun taking sides though!!
Good idea about using less expensive looking bags ... especially in dodgy areas!
As always thanks for watching Paul 😁👍
Perfect Video, Thank you. I just start out (again) after I was away from shooting with DSLR's vor more then 20 years.... the last three years I was shooting exclusively on Smartphone and for a quick shot or location scouting I still use it. But when I wanted to go back to a Camera, I looked for a not to expensive option and found a good deal on a Canon M6 MII. Yes I know Canon gave up on the M-Mount but thats OK since I mostly by EF-S Lenses anyway that I can keep later. So far I have no intention to get rid of the M6 since I really like it :)
I fell for the UV Filter... so that's my worst buy I guess.
That is great to hear!! The M6 is a great little camera and like you said, with the adapter, you can use ef-s lenses which are so much cheaper than the mirrorless rf mounting lenses.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
The purpose of the UV filter is to protect through energy dispersal. This is what has made cars so much safer than in the 50s, for example. Not dropping the lens straight down on the lens front. I have tested UV filters on every lens I have owned for 30 years and found there is not any loss of quality. Perhaps with a cheap filter (I have even seen plastic which would stop energy dispersal). I do not have a high megapixel camera to test with. But I would think I would just buy an even better quality UV filter.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Some great tips here! Personally I especially support the last one for beginners: I just switched *back* from Sony Alpha 6000 to Nikon D7100. Why? Just because of these lenses and accessories you can buy for a bargain price easily for the Nikon. Bought a formidable Tamron 90mm Macro in condition A for less than 150 Euros last week. Try this with a Sony Alpha!
Thanks very much!!
That is great... it is amazing what you can pick up for on the second hand market if you look hard enough!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Shooting from moving cars and at the race track, I keep the UV filter on because of all the debris that gets kicked up.
as for the L-bracket, its tends to restrict the use of a flippy screen (ofcourse there solutions for that too). So I opted for the Atoll (switching from portrait to landscape orientation). Other brands like ulanzi and Smallrig have produced it too.. (in preorder now). I haven't really tested it extensively and I am curious how it will hold the camera after time. But the advantage is that I can put it on a different (in my case Sony) camera in case I decide to upscale the body. And even my gf can use it on her older camera. Ah if you buy nd-filters. buy a bigger size (and use stepping rings). I use freewell magnetic nd's.. and the mounting ring adds more protection for the lens.. Ah about filter sizes: I have 2 lenses (67mm) and my gf has 2... also 67mm. Its rather accidental but very convenient too... so my UV filter is still in use. Starting out with photography.. (FF) you tend to spend quite some money on gear. so I think the extra protection can give people some peace of mind also.
Thanks for your thoughts Tom. I did do a video recently on an alternative to the L-bracket for cameras with flippy screens.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Sorry but i can not use anything but the wacom tablet now that i have gotten use to it Best product i have ever gotten
No worries John, this is why photography is so great. There are so many different ways to get to the same ending and what works for one, might not work for another. Great to hear you really like the wacom tablet ... maybe I just didn't give it enough time. Out of curiosity, are you left handed or right handed?
@@mikesphotography right handed mostly but id use both at times
I think my problem was I am a lefty but have gotten used to the mouse in my right hand. So as it is more like writing, the wacom pen felt so alien in my right hand ... having it in my left hand was ok to draw with ... But then all the main shortcut keys are designed for the left hand so I ended up having to put the pen down a lot and my right hand ended up being pretty dormant ...😆🤦🏻♂️
@@mikesphotography i dont use a lot of the shortcuts i still use the short cuts on my keyboard so i use mostly the pen on the wacom
@@mikesphotography i dont relly use he short cuts on the wacom i use mostly the pen i also when first used it i put away the mouse and forced myself to only use the wacom
I think I'd put the lens pen with the dust rocket. Overall though, I've gotta say, your list is bang on. However, I've never used a clip in filter, but have considered it, so it was great to heard your honest feedback. I wasn't looking to get an ND that would be changed in and out, rather a clear filter I could keep in as a shield to the sensor.
Thanks so much Scott ... a lens pen is also a must ... I just ran out of spaces in the 5 top things. 😆
It would be interesting to see if a clear clip-in filter would help or hinder. I have heard that some people say they have trouble with them getting in to the shot with wide angle lenses, but I think this must be for 14mm or 12mm lenses as it works fine with the 17mm widest lens I have.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I want to like the capture clip for your backpack, but haven't been able to make it work with my L Bracket. I certainly don't want to remove the L bracket to use the clip and then put the L bracket back on to shoot on the tripod. How did you get it to work?
Hi James,
It is a little annoying, but with my L-bracket, I have the mounting screw holes, so I just attach the peak design plate to the bottom of the L-bracket.
A bit like in this video at the time code of 5 minutes: ruclips.net/video/ZUqQqTB-Ldk/видео.html
Three legged thing make an L-bracket with the peak design capture clip in mind, but I think they have just permanently attached the clip to the bottom of the L-bracket, you can see it in this link: amzn.to/3ZDnqhp
I hope that helps
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Bought the Cotton Carrier but returned it after found it was too small for my ball head and didn't work well with an L Bracket. Bought the extra bit for use with an L bracket, but it didn't solve my problem. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to not constantly pulling my camera in and out of my bag.
Hi Ken,
I always wondered about the cotton carrier. They actually got in contact with me a while back, but I politely declined the offer of one of their harnesses. I already have a harness for the gopro so didn't want to be wearing any more things than I need to for filming.
I do prefer the capture clip as it ends up being part of my rucksack strap and doesn't get in the way. The only downside is that when you take your rucksack off, the camera is left dangling on the strap, so then you still have to find a place to put it, so I always have space for it inside my bag.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I got a Wacom tablet years ago before I even got into photography. I do use it once in a while for blending parts of images together, much more so when it's two separate exposures of foreground and sky from milky way photography or something similar. It's quite useful in that situation, although I wouldn't say it's mandatory.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Wacom tablet. This is the great thing with all of these tools at our disposal, we can find one that works for each and every one of us.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I've had my Swiss Army knife since my first visit to Chamonix in 1993. However I find my Smallrig Camera Tool far more versatile and lives in my Vanguard Veo Shoulder Bag, that does not scream "Camera bag with expensive kit inside, please mug me a.s.a.p"
And my Rocket is approaching 15 years of faithful service.
If I could suggest one thing that I could NOT do without, it would have to be my Tripod Levelling Head. Rather than spending ages trying to adjust the legs, it takes seconds to get my camera level for photos or filming and panning left to right.
But there is one hill that I am willing to die on, and that is a UV filter on all my lenses, only to be replaced by ND filters if filming.
Haha!! They'll never take me alive!! 😆😆
I like your firm stance on UV filters!! I've just never really liked them. I think it came down to me shooting some surfers with a long lens, and on the first day, the photos were soft ... I couldn't figure it out, but then I removed the UV filter and they were much sharper. So probably my fault for not spending enough on the filter! 🙈
Thanks for the recommendation about the smallrig camera tool. I'll have to check that out. But the swiss army knife is a hill that I am willing to die on ... and I'll be armed and ready!! 😆😆😆
Thanks for watching Frank 😁👍
I got a Quick release clip from another no brand, and it works perfectly. Cheap and still Arca Swiss compatible, which is important when you switch between hand held and tripod.
Most definitely. A few people have mentioned that they have trouble when trying to attach the peak design clip to their arca swiss tripod heads, but I have never had any problems and mine is cross compatible.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
WOW, Mike. So many of the points you made I have experienced myself. One of the worst items I bought was a hand strap, it was sticky, in the way, and made me sweat. The one thing I 100% always have in my bag is a moisture package or silica gel pack. Japan is high humidity and I believe England is as well. Surface rust stopped as soon as I added it. Best of all you can pick them up for free and even if you buy them them are dirt cheap. Stay safe and warm.
Haha! That's excellent, it means I am making the right videos!! 😆
The humidity is not too bad this time of the year, but in the summer time, it does get hot and unbearable quite quickly. In Thailand, it was really humid, to the point where all the local photographers keep their kit in a dry cabinet. Whenever we would head out, I would have to wait for my camera to warm up so the front element didn't instantly fog over!!
it's funny you should mention the silica packs. Whenever I get a delivery with the small ones in the box, just through habit, I chuck them into the bottom of my camera bag to help get rid of any moisture. I should really do what you do and buy the better ones! 😆😆
As always thanks for watching dude 😁👍
I do have to disagree about the tablet and a Loupedeck. Both have sped up my editing by a bunch. I will always have the two on my editing desk. Well worth the money once you get used to them.
Good to hear your thoughts. Out of interest, are you left or right handed?
@@mikesphotography Right. The Loupedeck Live sits just to the left of my keyboard. Once I got it programmed, I can fly with this setup!
I think a stream deck, since its screen buttons could potentially replace the things you showed around 6:19. Its just a bit of set up times putting pictures and/or text with each button.
Most definitely. They are good for people who have the time to set them up and build up their muscle memory for them, or for professionals who do the same tasks every day // every week ... but for the hobbyist who takes a few shots at weekends or maybe once a month, then it is not so practical.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Great tips, Mike. Gratefully, I've only done one "Don't." I feel some ND filters coming on.
I do need to try the L-bracket. Especially after I've used my telephoto lens. I usually have the ball very tight so the lens doesn't droop during the shot.
What about gimbal mounts? Do you use one? It's very tempting but something is holding me back.
Thanks Jon!
With ND filters, I'd go for the circular ones, and the ones that are magnetic. they work really well and once you have an adapter for each of your lenses, you can attach and remove them really quickly.
Do you mean a gimbal tripod head? If so, I think they are great for aviation and wildlife photography, when you are stationary for a while but a bit bulky for landscape photography and hiking.
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Great video. But I have to add myself to the list of viewers that have to disagree with you on the Wacom. For me it's SO much easier using this to make selections, brush in masks, etc. Also, the clip in ND filter is a favorite of mine. I have the Kase brand and it came with a tool to help you put it in and take it out. ND filters can be expensive as hell and when you have 5 lenses and 4 of them have different filter sizes, you either have to drain the bank account or do without for most of your lenses. The clip on is one size fits all and does the job. I put it in before going out in the elements and leave it until I get home. If I want to shoot without an ND, I use my backup camera.
Interesting to hear that Kase have a tool to help get it in and out ... that would have been handy with the stp optic one I have.
In talking with the people who disagree with the wacom comment, most people who like it are right handed (with a few exceptions), I think it is due to me being left handed but learning to use the mouse with my right hand ... so I have gotten used to using shortcut keys with my left hand ... however, with a pen, it still has to be my left hand, so when I got one, I was constantly putting the pen down to go for the shortcut keys and my right hand felt dormant ... it just seemed to be really inefficient.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
One of my favorite things about my old Canon SL1 was it had a night vision option. Such a neat setting for an entry level camera.
Cool. Some cameras definitely are more forward thinking than others.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Been trying to think what my best and worst accessories are, that aren't covered in your video. And I think I've got it. For both categories it's tripod. When I first started out I bought a cheap (ish) tripod and it was horrendous. It wasn't very stable, it was a hassle to attach the camera and get it level, it was clunky to set up and set down. So I didn't use it much. I subsequently went out and spent a lot of money on a carbon fibre tripod that is light, strong, sturdy, has an arca swiss plate (so works with the Peak Design clip etc), really quick to put up and down, and now I use it all the time and my photography has really benefited from it.
Nice! There's nothing worse than a dodgy tripod ... And nothing better than a really good efficient one!
As always, thanks for watching and commenting James! 😁👍
Those rocket blowers absolutely will blow dust (or worse) onto your sensor. If some kind of fungus or mold spore gets in there it will proliferate and then when you attempt to "clean" your sensor, you'll actually make it exponentially worse. I've switched to the sticky pen for on-the-go sensor cleaning.
Thanks for your feedback. Like I said, I've never had a problem with them and I've been shooting since the mid 90s.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Right tool for the job. A pano head is a must for high quality panoramas when your subject matter is close up and you want to avoid stitching errors. For landscapes, if one cannot hand hold to get the shot, more practice is needed. I agree that for landscapes, a pano head is overkill. As to the one shot 360, your implementation is not what the camera is designed for. Wrong tool for what you want to be able to do. One shots are designed to capture and display everything around you, not to be used to crop in later. It is not the fault of the 360 one shot that it cannot be used the way you want to. If I am going to shoot 360 a panorama, I will display the entire panorama. Not a gimmick but a tool that, when used correctly, can produce excellent results.
That is what they were originally designed for, however, many film makers crop in on the frame afterwards ... also insta360 use that as part of their marketing campaign, so it is probably an evolutionary path of the product.
Thanks for watching 👍
One thing I really regret buying is the Rotolight Aeos Pro kit. It cost a fortune and I've used it on maybe three jobs. I found that I just really don't like working with continuous lighting. The Aeos is a nice light, but to me it's bulky, clumsy to set up and move around and I just haven't gotten my money's worth from it. Now that I have a studio, I have found some uses for it, but if I could go back and talk to the 4 years ago me, I'd tell me not to spend that much money on it.
Awesome. I have all the same must haves in my bag! Comes with trial and error over a long period I suppose.
Excellent!! It's definitely a case of trial and error ... And lots of junk in that drawer gathering dust! 😆
Thanks for watching Stephen. 👍
I still use film and still use filters, and have a stack of different types from hoya and cokin types. Swiss army knife very usefull in many differen t uses and spheres. Dont forget a penny coin can tighten up tripod nuts.
Head torch very usefull fro. Working on the car, walking in the woods, to diving. But always have a back up or spare batteries atleast. In case it goes down.
Thanks for your additions to the tips Kurt and thanks for watching 😁👍
Great info once again Mike --glad to know im nae totally daft I also blow out the end of the lens as well as the sensor.... the multi purpose knife thing i'll give a miss since i rarely take tripod so my 10p bit does just fine ... lol. Might purchase the 'clip on' though
Thanks very much Linda! If in doubt, a 10p coin always does the job when it comes to quick release plates!! 😆
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Nikon has night vision in viewfinder and display, as well as extra features under “starlight view” all geared for nighttime/Astro photography. Also sensor shield - physical shutter for when you swap lenses.
It's good that some companies are forward thinking.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Thanks for the list. But it is personal preferences - I like 360 degrees camera, I have Insta 360 ONE-R, it helps to film myself during roller skating or longboarding. But I agree 5.7K video is not enough, it should be more like in 8K-16K resolution range. And when uploading to youtube by default it uses avc1 codec, so there are tricks to trigger vp9 encoder. Overall I really like it.
I have a Wacom graphical tablet too, I don't use it often, but sometimes when masking complex patterns having pen in the hand feels more natural than mouse.
I always have a blower in my bagpack, but rarely use it - I prefer changing lens quickly, that way I have to clean my sensor every 1-2 years and it is kind of OK.
Plus one for Peak Design camera clip - extremely convenient thing, I can't believe it took me so long to get one. Now I'm considering to have a second set, when I have a second back pack.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Oleg.
It very much is personal preference thing and it is great that we have so many different options these days to take great images and videos with.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
The Peak Design camera straps with anchors have made my life easy. The straps are wonderful (the broad one for a 150-600 mm is a no-brainer) and the smaller 1 inch ones for unbelievable comfort. Getting rid of the strap when shooting in a studio or when I'm not walking around for hours, is really fast.
I still have a Minolta mini tripod which is sturdy as a rock and I've been using it for long exposures or comfort when on low point of view. The one I regret, is a Gorillapod. Very popular at the time and seemingly a great solution, but it's never as stable as needed and therefore useless. I can put 5 kg on the Minolta, but not on the Gorilla.
However, I must disagree about the UV. It can definitely protect against fine dust and sand or mud. Besides that, Canon advises a protecting filter on the 17-40 mm f/4.0 L for complete environmental sealing. I haven't noticed that on other manuals, btw. The protecting filters I use (not on all lenses and definitely not in a studio) are of high quality because I think that a wonderful lens deserves that. They repel water and dew much easier also.
Thanks for your thoughts Jos. I agree with the gorilla pod. It very much is a great idea, but not that strong. I prefer having a small travel tripod and keeping the legs retracted. This does a much better job.
As for UV filters, I think I was tainted when photographing kitesurfers. I was doing everything I should have been to get sharp images, but wasn't getting the results I wanted ... but as soon as I took off the filter, they came out much sharper. Since then I haven't used a filter, and I've shot from the desert in the Empty Quarter to a muddy mottocross track in rainy Wales and haven't had the need for one ... but I suppose that shows I am a bit of a gambler when it comes to kit! 😆
Thanks for watching and I hope you are enjoying my videos 😁👍
Such an interesting list. I have different needs from many, as a photographer with neuromuscular problems who often shoots in a wheelchair, carrying his equipment in a messenger bag in his lap.
THE BEST
Agreed on the blower - such a useful tool for blowing off front elements, back elements, sensors, viewfinders, rear screens and my glasses.
I carry a multi-screwdriver tool from Smallrig in my camera bag - it is small and light, it does all I need in the field and it is OK to take in an aeroplane cabin. I always have a Swiss Army knife in my hold luggage just in case.
A head torch isn't the easiest thing to work with for me - I carry a rechargeable LED torch in a belt pouch.
My cameras all have L brackets.
The Capture Clip would be useless for me. I use a Peak Design wrist strap hooked to an anchor on the bottom of my L bracket, and rest the camera on top of the messenger bag.
THE WORST
I never bought a panoramic head and I can't see the point with modern high-resolution cameras and stitching software. I have a tripod with built-in levelling and a head with a separate pan feature. Level the tripod, lock the head, unlock the pan and shoot away with plenty of overlap. Normally I install my camera in portrait mode using my L bracket when shooting a panorama. If I was into more complex panoramas, I'd use an app-controlled gimbal to take the pictures - I'm pretty sure some of the recent DJIs can do this.
UV filters - you knew this one was going to be controversial! I use my hoods all the time unless I have a front-mounted filter on that won't fit inside the hood. However, the hood on my ultra-wide is pretty shallow (not enough to shield the front element from precipitation), also I can struggle with dexterity problems when I'm tired. I keep UV filters on all my lenses when I don't have a different filter mounted - but they're all B+W MRC or nano MRC. I realise that you don't need UV filtering with a digital camera and that even a good filter is degrading the image somewhat, but they have saved me from front element damage. I'd rather pay out to replace a UV filter than have to pay my insurance excess (and lose my no-claims bonus) to have a lens rebuilt with a new front element.
I have never wanted a 360-degree camera. I've only ever used my phone, a DSLR (I've now sold all my DSLR equipment) or my mirrorless cameras. I'm probably the unusual photographer that doesn't own a GoPro or similar action camera.
Graphics tablets and other specialist controllers are a lifesaver for someone like me with huge problems in his hands and arms. If I'm bulk adjusting images or editing video then my Loupedeck CT is invaluable. I also love my Wacom gear. The important thing is that you have to make the commitment to build the experience with these tools; the same applies to the specialist keyboard I use most of the time. Unless you are someone like me who has a disability-related reason to use these tools, casual and hobby users should probably save their money. That said, for those who are intensive Lightroom Classic users, the Loupedeck Live is relatively small and inexpensive, can be configured to your individual requirements and has deep integration into Lightroom Classic via a plugin.
I wouldn't have the dexterity to install a clip-in filter and would be terrified of damaging the glass covering my sensor. Screw-in filters work well for me.
Thanks for your thoughts David, great to hear how you go about getting your photographs.
I bet the specialist controllers are fantastic for you and your needs ... and I think that's what is great about photography and all of these different inventions. There are so many options and so many different ways to get the same result and what suits one person might not suit another.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I think that strong repair tape, can be usefull, especially during long trip. You can rapair tripod, bag etc.
That is a good idea Jim. Might have to add that to the shopping list the next time I go shopping.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
A beanie light hat also useful for astro shoots too, especially as close sight is dodgy esp at night. L bracket definitely a god send, might invest in the Swiss army knife though
I've never used a beanie light hat ... might have to check them out.
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Very nice . For me my very best and my most useful piece of equipment is the 3 legged thing Elie PD on my PD on capture camera clip v3 . It’s my every day use.
That's great to hear Claude! I hear good things about three legged thing accessories!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Regarding clip in filter, can there be a 3d printed bracket to quickly slot filter in and out
Agree with you on the Wacom tablet. I really wanted to like it. I just found that it was more fiddly and gave me less control than the trackpad on my MacBook. I suppose if I worked with it long enough, I may have come to like it, but I didn't find enough upside to using it over the trackpad to put a lot of time into it.
I think that is the biggest thing with something like the wacom tablet. You have to use the tool enough to get used to it to see the benefit from it.
I have another theory as well as to why I didn't get on with it. I am left handed but use the mouse with my right hand ... so to use the wacom tablet, I am drawing with my left hand, but then to use any keys or shortcut buttons, I have to put the pen down and use the keyboard because most shortcut keys are designed around the left hand. And then this leaves my right hand pretty much doing nothing. If I was right handed, it would just be a case of swapping out the mouse for the wacom tablet ... and then learning how to use it properly!
Thanks for watching WM 😁👍
great video & tips, i have just purchased the capture clip & its a game changer, as is the l Bracket, no more messing with the ball head & repositioning the tripod Thanks for the other tips, i will be adding a swiss army knife into the camera bag
Thats great to hear Shaun, the capture clip is so good isn't it!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography The clip is fantastic for when out & about in the countryside, I also have the PD Cuff wrist strap when I'm out in the street