Photography Gear to AVOID! *What to Get Instead* 

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

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

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 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!!

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.

Helpful suggestions and common-sense advice, all nicely presented with zero fluff. Both entertaining and informative. Thumbs up!

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.

Excellent job! All the info you have shared with us is going to be so helpful. Thank you so much.

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.

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!

Great video. I totally agree with your #1, the camera clip. Like you, the price put me off initially, but I am really pleased with this gadget and I wouldn't be without it. This simple, well made and indespensible piece of kit has been worth every penny.

amazing video man, keep at it!

Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always and awesome tips 👍👌

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

Great video Mike. Thank you.

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.

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..

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Your the man Mike my favorite channel learning alot from you thank you❤.

I still have the g13 collecting dust in a closet! I agree with everything on your list. The capture clip really changed my photography

Absolutely agree, particularly with regard to the Wacom tablet.

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.

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 ❤

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 :)

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.

Such great advice, can't believe I haven't bought that Peak Design clip yet. Just keep putting it off.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nice video Mike, and spot on (for the most part...lol). I absolutely love my Contour Shuttle...and I use it daily! I also love my StreamDeck when I edit as well.

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.

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 :)

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

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.

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.

Thank you, it is easy to be carried along by the latest equipment fad.

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.

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.

Great video!

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

Really good video. Good information for a beginner I wish I would have had this when I started out 40 years ago. Lol. Thank you so much for taking the time

The L Bracket was an absolute game changer! I hated turning the camera on the side of the ball head! It is definitely my favorite accessory I own.

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.

I use a Loupedeck Live and I love it.

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.

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.

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!

Nice one Mike,

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.

Definitely agree on those filter, last time I used them I ended with dust on my sensor, took ages to clean it. The photos were good but had to edit them, another mistake I made was buying a wide sigma lens, this is basically my lack of experience and knowledge more than the lens. I get better shots with my kit lens. Hopefully one day, I’ll advance my skills to be able to understand how best to use the wide lens. I think you mentioned this in a previous video.

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.

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

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!

Awesome. I have all the same must haves in my bag! Comes with trial and error over a long period I suppose.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Your videos are so practical and useful. Love your videos :). By the way, one gear that i was excited about but found it a waste of time was the Gnarbox. Once i bought an IPad Pro.. it changed my workflow for the better :).

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!

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 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.

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…

Great Video, i just talked about the swiss army knife, they have several spezial ones and i was wondering that they have not made one for Photography (because they have for hunting etc..) i live close to the factory, maybe i pass by 🤠 best thing for me is a microfiber cloth! Buy some and have them always with you

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.

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.

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.

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

I use adapters to use some rifle scope anti glare filters to make wild life thorough a bit easier

So agree with everything. Specifically the Wacom tablet! Mine is just collections dust in a draw. Setting up better sensitivity on the scroll wheel is so much better than using pressure with a digital pen.

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.

💯 my Peak Designs clip has paid for itself many times over. Best piece of gear.

02:51 maybe it depends on the camera, but i saw really foggy landscape images when shooting on top of a mountain, while visually there was perfectly clear sight. Like 15 years ago with a compact camera. Since then i use UV-filters without ever questioning them

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.

A drawing tablet is my favorite mostly because I'm a digital artist but I have found that it's quite useful for photo manipulation like making selections using lasso tool which is like impossible with a mouse 😂.

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.

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.

I also carry a combination USB battery charger/flashlight that's also solar-powered. Really handy bit of kit.

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.

New to your channel, thanks for your content. Capture clips can mever be praised enough! When I was new to photography I took an evening course. The photographer who lead the course explained why she always had uv filters with her or a clear glass filter. She had been in Iceland and among others took pictures of geysers. She discovered "water specks" on the front of a lens. They were impossible to remove, the expensive lenses were more or less RUINED because the minerals had reacted with the coating or whatever. Had she had uv filter on they would have been lost but not the lenses per se.... If I could suggest a reply video on your part about uv filters given that the majority of comments here that disagree with you are about uv filters? "I don't use uv filters but maybe you do?" Since it seems like there are certain situations where a good "filter" is essential and others unnecessary. Personally when I think I might need them I tend to put them in the bag and use sparingly. Finally about "best" equipment: spare batteries and back lens caps. The latter if switching lenses and the lens cap falls into an irretrievable place you are otherwise one lens cap short.

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.

the one piece of kit i can't live without... (kinda useless for landscape photography though) is a good strap.... i do streetphotography.... with an uncomfortable strap if my neck/back hurts the shoot is less fun and i'll be less motivated... a good strap will never hurt and i can spend 8 hours walking the streets.... countless pictures have been missed because people went for a stylish leather strap that's not comfortable enough

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

thanks for this, rocket blowers, I have three now, came free with each lens I bought from my retailer... a great bit of kit you shouldn't pay for, just buy a good lens and ask for one complimentary.

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.

Totally agree with the best! Those clips really changed my photography. I’d probably put cheap tripods into the top 5 worst 😁

My Fujifilm camera has a red light option for the rear LCD and it makes me so happy

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!