Welcome to the 12 Days of DSLR! We’re revisiting and updating 12 of our most popular posts to give you the jumpstart on making the most of your DSLR camera. This series is aimed at first-time DSLR owners as well as those who want a little more guidance for how the make the most out of shooting with a DSLR.
Day 6: Best Accessories for your DSLR, part 2 - splurges
Yesterday's 12 Days of DSLR highlighted some of Boost Your Photography's favorite inexpensive DSLR accessories. But if you are looking for an even bigger upgrade, may we suggest ...
Bigger Splurges
Lightroom and Photoshop. Post-processing extends the power of your photographs and is a must-have if you are interested in working as any kind of event photographer. Buying Lightroom and Photoshop together gives you the batch processing power of Lightroom with the photo editing and manipulating powers of Photoshop, all in one convenient package. Links: Lightroom and Photoshop packages.A Light Tent. A light tent is an incredibly powerful tool, especially if you are interested in product photography or showcasing smaller subject. Light tents are wonderful for photographing crafts, jewelry, or other items for selling online. They lend beautiful, even lighting and will really make your subject pop. Links: light tents or read more, product review.
A 10-Stop Neutral Density Filter. As mentioned earlier, a neutral density filter limits some of the light coming in to your camera lens, allowing you to use longer shutter speeds when shooting. The Lee Big Stopper 10-stop neutral density filter is the granddaddy of them all, reducing the incoming light by 10 full stops. These are the filters being used when you see the incredibly smooth flowing water shots or the impossibly silky waterfalls. This is one for my own wish list. Links: 10-stop neutral density filters.
Biggest Splurges
And now we get into the truly aspirational purchases.Tamron 18-400mm. The previous iteration, the Tamron 18-270mm , is my go-to lens and the one that is on my camera 90% of the time. I love this lens so much that I even wrote a post all about it over at Digital Photography School. This all-in-one zoom lens is perfect for traveling, parents, and anyone who prefers having a single lens with a lot of functionality. The 18-270mm version has since been upgraded with the release of the 16-300mm, which also means that the 18-270mm can be had for even less. If you have a full frame camera, you should investigate the 28-300mm version for full frames. Links: Tamron 18-400mm, 18-270mm, 18-270mm, and the 28-300mm or read more.
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 or Nikon 105mm f/2.8. This dedicated macro lens is one coveted by many photographers, and it has a wide applicability beyond macro and is a popular portrait lens as well. Now do not get me wrong, I love the fact that I can get macro effects with my close-up lenses and extension tubes, but if someone were to offer me this lens, it is one that I would never, ever turn down. If you love macro photography, this would be a great investment to make. Links: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 or Nikon 105mm f/2.8.
The Canon 7D Mark II. If I ever get up the guts (and the cash) to update my beloved camera body, this is where I will be looking. Amazing high-ISO performance, a 20+ megapixel sensor, and 10-frames per second, there are a lot of great things going on with the 7D Mark II. Links: Canon 7D Mark II.
Stay tuned for the rest of the 12 Days of DSLR!
Day 6: Best accessories for your DSLR, part 2: splurges
Want to learn more? Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is available from Amazon. Get the most out of your camera with practical advice about the technical and creative aspects of DSLR photography that will have you taking beautiful pictures right away.