Accessories

Norm: Hi Alvin, what's up?
Alvin: I just wanted to ask you "What are the best accessories to buy to go with my new digital camera"
Norm: Some light, and that's generally free.
Alvin: Ok silly pants, "What are the best gadgets to make you look like a real photographer" I'm planning to get a 5 or even 8 megbyte digital camera and I may as well buy some decent accesories.
Norm: --(thinks to himself, more money than sense)--

--Long Pause---

Norm: Just three things to start, extra batteries, extra media card(s) and maybe a tripod
Alvin get as out his PDA and scribles in the list
Norm: Make that four, a towel!

Digital cameras are very hard on batteries, so ensuring you get a charger (not alloways included in the price) or that your camera uses rechargable batteries is essential more than an option accessory. It is a good idea to carry a spare (set of0 charged up battery(ies) if you are planning to take alot of photographs in a day/session.

With the lager format camera the media card fill up quickly. Being able to swap over quickly, without having to race back and download the images, means you can keep taking photos.

Batteries and extra media cards are something you should probably try to have included in the deal when bying a high end digital camera.

A tripod is really handy in many situtaions, such as for avoiding camera shake, taking panoramas, using the self timer and for night shoots.I didn't buy the lighest version and I'm glad I didn't! I got a cheaper alluminum channelling extendable tripod which is heavier that some of the fancier carbon fiber ones, but fold down to a reasonable size. Heavy means robust and stable in the tripod world.

A small white cotton terri towel (Face washer if you're australian) is also an essential if you are taking photos in the wild. It lets you keep things clean. A towel, as you would know if you have read "The Hitch Hitcker Guide to The Universe", is also the most useful travel accessory.

Alvin: Yes a smart tripod sounds just the thing
Alvin packs away his stylus and shuts his PDA
Alvin: Is that all?
Norm: A good camera bag is nice, and an inexpensive UV filter is recommended by a lot of photographers to help darken the sky in ladnscape shots.

I don't have a UV filter yet myself, but I haven't taken any good landscape photos in the middle of the day yet either!