External flash units can be costly, but they add quite a bit of flexibility to your photography. Light stands, umbrellas, flash brackets, and other accessories assist you. See Book 4, Chapter 3 for more information about using an external flash and accessories.
❯❯ External microphone: If you shoot video and your camera supports an external microphone, attach it to the accessory shoe and plug the cable into the camera, as shown in Figure 1-23. It’s possible to record professional-quality stereo audio with very little effort this way.
❯❯ Backgrounds: Paper or fabric backgrounds are important if you want to shoot portraits in a studio setting.
❯❯ Straps: Secure your camera around your neck or to your wrist with a cool strap.
❯❯ Tripods and other supports: Use a support to stabilize the camera when you can. Tripods, monopods, and other unique supports like the Gorrilapod (by Joby) are all very useful.
❯❯ GPS gear: If your camera doesn't have built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) and you want to add location information to your photos, you can add GPS with an external unit. It can imprint your photos with the latitude and longitude where you took the photos. The information is stored the same way the camera model and exposure settings are stored. You can also geotag your images with information collected from your smartphone.
❯❯ White balance cards: If the camera has a hard time getting the correct white balance (in general, photos should not have an overly blue or yellow color cast to them), pick up a white balance card. Mostly gray, they serve as a reference that enables you to calculate the correct color temperature of the scene. WhiBal is a good one. You can also use a white board or piece of paper as an economical alternative.
❯❯ Cases: You can go crazy with cases: large ones, small ones, tiny ones, and everything in between. Standard cases have a handle and a shoulder strap. Sling bags go over your shoulder and are easy to walk around with; you can get into them quickly. Backpack cases are best for hiking.
❯❯ Protective covers: You can buy silicon armor to keep your camera a bit safer than normal. See Book 1, Chapter 2.
❯❯ Underwater gear: When you’re shooting underwater, having the correct gear for you and your camera is an absolute necessity.
❯❯ Vests and other clothing: Buying specialized photography clothing gives you additional pockets to stuff lenses and other accessories instead of constantly having to dig through your camera bag. Plus you’ll look stylish and cool.
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❯❯ Eyecups: You can buy larger eyecups for the viewfinder. They make viewing more comfortable, especially if you wear glasses.
❯❯ Viewfinder diopters: If you can't adjust the viewfinder enough to correct for your vision, you may need to buy a viewfinder diopter that has a larger adjustment built in. See Book 1, Chapter 2 for more information.
❯❯ Power adapters: If you are shooting inside and don't want your camera constantly running out of power, buy a compatible power adapter and never change another battery.
❯❯ Remotes: Remotes are wonderful accessories for tripod-mounted cameras because you don’t have to push the shutter button to take the photo. This reduces photographer-induced camera shake. You can also lock them to take Bulb exposures. Figure 1-24 shows a Canon wireless remote.
FIGURE 1-23: Attach an external microphone for superior audio quality.
FIGURE 1-24: Remotes are totally worth it; wireless remotes even more.
I don't have the space to list every type of dSLR accessory. Use this list as a start and keep looking!
Embracing dSLRs
Ultimately, only you can decide if a dSLR is the right camera for you. Every system, every camera, and every technology has tradeoffs. Digital SLRs aren't as small as compact or mirrorless cameras, as cool as tablets, as handy as your smartphone, or as simple to use as a paper weight. However, they have a lot going for them.
❯❯ They take great photos. The dSLR is a fantastic tool that can help you take great still and moving pictures. That’s what this is all about. In addition, they are flexible enough to perform well in a wide variety of situations and lighting. Whether you use your dSLR professionally or as a family camera, you will appreciate the quality of the photos, especially compared to those you can take with most smartphones and tablets. You’re right in the action in Figure 1-25. As fun as other devices are, this shot would have been impossible for me to take with a smartphone, tablet, or a less capable camera.
❯❯ You can change lenses. Tailor your camera to take the photos you want. Shoot close-ups, sweeping landscapes, macros, ultra-wide-angle shots, telephoto action, intimate portraits, family gatherings, slow waterfalls, and everything in between. Invest in superior quality lenses to make photos look even better. Figure 1-26 illustrates the point perfectly. While the compact Canon camera is adequate, it will never have a lens other than the one it was built with. The Nikon dSLR, on the other hand, is sporting an outlandish 300mm telephoto lens. It can be swapped for something completely different in about 5 seconds.
❯❯ Focusing is a strength. Digital SLRs have world-class autofocusing technology and features. This is an important point. If you’ve tried to capture action or focus on a specific point using a smartphone or tablet, you know how frustrating it can be. Digital SLR autofocus technologies work with precision and flexibility to enable you to reliably focus on what you want, when you want.
❯❯ The viewfinders are awesome. The worst dSLR viewfinder is larger, clearer, brighter, and better (see Figure 1-27) than any viewfinder you’ll find on a compact or super-zoom camera, assuming it even has one. Many don’t, which makes you rely exclusively on the LCD monitor on the back. Under many conditions, LCD monitors are okay. However, they don’t work well in bright light. In addition, smartphones and tablets seem to suffer from display-lag at the worst time when taking photos. Digital SLR viewfinders outperform LCD monitors on most devices. And if you want to use the monitor on the back of the camera, you can.
❯❯ They have flash. Most dSLRs have a built-in (see Figure 1-28) flash that is capable of lighting your scenes and subjects. All dSLRs have a hot shoe on top of their viewfinder, which enables you to mount an external flash (and other accessories) that you can rotate, swivel, and bounce. Try that with your iPad.
