Must have DSLR accessories?

[Advanced Photo]

If your camera swings around too much, just shorten the strap, it's too long.

Which works to an extent, however when your carrying a heavier lens the shorter strap length puts more pressure on the shoulder, and also puts the camera into my ribs. I don't like carrying the camera that way, makes it hard to reach and the ribs on my right side have been broken several times and cracked several more, so it's not really all that comfortable to have the camera positioned there.

Anything longer than that and it does introduce swing. So it just wasn't a great option for me. Might work better for people who aren't quite so tall, or for folks that don't mind having something against their ribs like that. Didn't work for me.

I see. That makes sense. I am tall as well, but don't have any trouble with things touching my body.
Besides. I bet you cut quite a figure in your dapper looking vest.

http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/12525/13170337_5.jpg?v=8CF1D2DA24D2D70

 

[Scatterbrained]

As far as straps go, I've done the Black Rapid thing for 5 years. Then I switched to the Luma Cinch. A much better strap. The Peak Design Slide works using the same concept. I have both. For just one camera I feel the Luma Cinch works better and is more comfortable. Both strap largely eliminate the swinging experienced with standard slide straps like Black Rapid.

As for essential accessories. Well, if I recall, the 80D has wifi, so you should be able to control the camera via your smartphone, either with the Canon app or a third party app like DSLRController. I haven't used a shutter release in years. Everything is controlled via my phone or tablet.

Another essential would be a TTL capable speedlight. Something like the 430 or 600 from Canon. Learning to use on camera bounced flash will be a huge step forward for your photography. Check out the book "On Camera Flash Techniques for Wedding Photographers" by Neil Van Neikerk. It gives you a start to finish course on how to use an on camera flash.

Naturally, a good tripod would also be quite useful. Even if it's just to be able to get yourself in the photo.

If you're just getting started in photography I'd recommend paying for a one or two month subscription to KelbyOne and starting with the beginner videos, work your way through to the more advanced content.

 

[robbins.photo]

I see. That makes sense. I am tall as well, but don't have any trouble with things touching my body.
Besides. I bet you cut quite a figure in your dapper looking vest.

http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/12525/13170337_5.jpg?v=8CF1D2DA24D2D70

I did some boxing in my youth, and "Dapper" is not a word I think people have ever used to describe me.

Disturbed. I get that one occasionally. But dapper? Nope.

 

[astroNikon]

I did some boxing in my youth, and "Dapper" is not a word I think people have ever used to describe me.

Disturbed. I get that one occasionally. But dapper? Nope.

Don't worry.
If it makes you feel any better most of us think you are highly disturbed.

 

[robbins.photo]

If it makes you feel any better most of us think you are highly disturbed.

As long as it's noted for the record that that is an laypersons observation and not a clinical diagnosis, I'm ok with that...

Lol

 

[TCampbell]

Straps:

I dislike the factory "neck" straps and find that with a heavy lens, they aren't comfortable around your neck and if you put them on your shoulder they aren't as secure.

I switched to the Black Rapid "sling" type strap. It's MUCH more comfortable and good for all-day use -- no fatigue.

But I was annoyed that I had to attach the strap via the tripod bolt at the bottom of the camera. If I want to use a tripod (and I often do) I have to "unbolt" the sling straps' bolt, then thread on my "quick release plate" and then attach it to the tripod. There's some irony in the idea that the "quick release plate" has to be attached and removed all the time (there's nothing "quick" about that).

Then I discovered that Acratech makes a clamp ("Swift Clamp") designed for use with the Black Rapid. This allows you to permanently attach a quick-release plate (the "arca-swiss" type dovetail plates) and you can go from strap to tripod and back to strap again very quickly because the "strap" actually uses a locking lever clamp (much like the tripod saddle's clamp) and no need to take anything apart. I was a bit shocked at the roughly $150 price tag... but I DO love how well it all works (I've been using it for years, it's very solid & durable.)

The one accessory that I haven't noticed anyone mention yet are filters.

For the most part, you don't usually need filters for a DSLR camera, but there are two types of filters that are particularly useful and for which there is really nothing you can do in Photoshop to replace having the actual filter.

These two filters are:

1) The "circular polarizer" (often abbreviated just "CPL"). A circular polarizer is nearly identical to a standard linear polarizer except that in-camera auto-focus systems and metering systems are often fooled by polarized light and don't work well with a linear polarizer. A "circular" polarizer is a piece of glass with two layers... the front layer is a standard linear polarizer, but the back layer is something called a "quarter wave plate". It fixes the issue that auto-focus and metering systems have when using polarizers.

The polarizer cuts reflections off shiny surfaces (shooting through glass and trying to get rid of the reflections on the glass), water, etc. But even the reflections caused by shiny leaves is cut causing foliage to photography much "greener". Haze in the air becomes less reflective and that makes the the sky photograph "bluer".

Polarizers are highly effective when the source of light is originating form the side. If the source of light is nearly directly behind you (sun at your back) then you'll find the polarizer doesn't work as well.

2) Neutral Density ("ND") filters. These come in specific density levels... they're basically sunglasses for your lens. You might be thinking you'd just take a faster exposure. But sometimes you actually WANT to keep the shutter speed low (to help blur running water... or to help photograph subjects in motion to create motion blur (shooting a race where you are following the "car" but allowing the background and road to blur -- implying a sense of high-speed motion in a still shot.) The filters simply cut the light to the lens so that you can shoot at a slower shutter speed (or a wider aperture if you want a shallower depth of field) than would otherwise be possible. They basically make slower exposure settings possible.

The filters are made in various diameters (thread sizes) to be able to screw onto the front of your lens(es). If you own multiple lenses, buy the filters for the largest diameter lens you own. You can get something called a "step up ring" to allow use of a larger filter diameter on a smaller diameter lens.

Better filters have quality anti-reflective coatings so they'll reduce the probability of flare, ghosting, or other annoyances that can happen when you use a filter.

The major assessors that I think just about everyone should have (excluding things like lenses and memory cards) are:
- tripod
- circular polarizer
- a flash that can be used either on-camera or off-camera

 

[Advanced Photo]

The only real must have accessory is the one you need for a project to be completed satisfactorily.
And extra batteries.