What Photography Equipment Do You Need To Get Started

What Photography Equipment Do You Need To Get Started The Best Camera Equipment For Beginners ChaptersWhat Are The Best Cameras For Photography?Here Are Is Short List Of Some Of My Personal Favourites.Photography: How To Choose A Camera Lens?What Are The Different Photography Accessories?How Expensive Is It To Learn Photography?When you are first starting out, it can seem like there is so much to do just to get started on the path of following your hobby or passion. Photography equipment is no different, there are such a plethora of devices, gadgets and accessories that it can be hard to know where the necessity starts and the unnecessary want begins.Pocket Wizards, Quadcopter drones, hot shoe, external flash kit, E mounts, Prime lens, back up cameras, ring flashes, chargers, tripods, reflectors, straps, camera bags, wireless triggers, studio lighting kits and that is not even to mention the editing, print or image protection implications.If that all sounds like gobbledygook to you, then I am happy to say that to start in photography the only kit you are going to need, is you rself and a camera suitable to capture your vision. But even as simple as this sounds it can get pretty complicated.Let’s take a look at some of the critical components needed to start out in photography.Cameras do not take amazing photos, people do. Photo Source: UnsplashSony RX100 III â€" 20.9 MP Sensor, continuous shooting, fast lens and pop up viewfinder.Mirrorless CamerasMirrorless cameras are like DSLRs but without the mirror hence the name. Being mirrorless makes them as light as a point and shoot but with almost all of the punch of a Digital SLR. It also has an interchangeable lens, real-time electronic viewfinders and is full of manual and auto features. They are much more expensive than a point and shoot camera. Great for the enthusiast and professionalGood Examples:Sony A7 IIâ€" 24.3 MP sensor, Fast autofocus, build in image stabilization, it is small and light.Fuji X-T1 - 16.3 MP sensor, continuous shooting, tiltable LCD and water and dust resistant.DSLRsDigital DLSRs are like mirrorless cameras except they have more lens options, longer battery life, slightly bigger sensors and generally a faster focus. They are big, bulky and heavy but give excellent results. Especially if you like action photography DSLRs will be the perfect companion. They are well suited to the professional photographerGood Examples:Nikon d7100 â€" 24.1 MP sensor, Full HD video and continuous shootingNikon d800 â€" With a 36.3 MP Sensor, it’s one of the highest resolution DSLRsCanon Eos 7d mark ii â€" 20.2 MP sensor, high-quality photos and videoNikon d750 â€" 24.3MP sensor, shoots 6.5 frames per secondCanon Eos 5d mark iii â€" 22.3 MP sensor, and dual image processorThe most important thing that you need as a photographer is your camera and a stack of memory cards. Photo Source: UnsplashExample of a wide angle lensNikon 35mm NIKKOR lensMacro PhotographyA macro lens gives you access to photographing subject close up. Depending on the lens you can photograph in great detail the fur on the back of a honey bee, the legs of an ant or the pollen of a flower. This is the ultimate ultra close lens that lets you capture what the eye usually cannot see clearly. There are many types of lenses, and the type you choose depends on how close you want to be to your subject. These lenses are incredibly sharp so make sure you have a steady hand while shooting. The focal length is roughly 50mm - 160mmExample of a Macro lensCanon 100mm Macro lensTelephoto LensesA telephoto lens is a lens that you would have seen the paparazzi use or the lens you often see on safari. They are usually big, noticeable and heavy, but you don’t need to be anywhere near your subject so you can take fantastic pictures from far away. Great for Street views, sporting events, landscapes and wildlife shots. They have a focal length of 135mm - 300mm + and you will need a steady hand or a tripod to use it effectively.Example of a Telephoto lensNikon 200mm - 500mm lensHow does this equipment help me to capture a better photograph? If it doesn’t then you probably don’t need it. Photo Source: UnsplashWhat Are The Different Photography Accessories?The most important thing that you need as a photographer is your camera (camera+Lens) and a stack of memory cards. Once you have these, you have everything it takes to be a great photographer. But sometimes other things are needed based on your requirements.Such as if you want to be a studio photographer then studio lighting and flash accessories will be required. If you're going to photograph different kinds of environments, prime lenses will be essential to help you get the best out of your image. If you're going to take long exposures then a Tripod, monopod, and Gorillapod will be your best friend. Or maybe you just need the simple camera carrying bag or camera strap to keep your camera safe.There are thousands of photography accessories out there, but before you start looking for something, the primary thing to ask yourself is how does this help me to capture the best photograph? If it doesn’t then you probably don’t need it.How Expensive Is It To Learn Photography?My formula for a great photographer isHave the vision to see a great photograph 40%Having the skill to capture that image 40%Having the right equipment to capture that image 20%As a beginner with a camera all you need now is the knowledge to learn how to best capture your subject. Being a great photographer doesn't take lots of experience, but it does take having these 3 things come together to capture a moment in time.You can study in a variety of ways, and the cost would change from free to expensive depending on your choice.Self-study using lots of practice, library books and online resources (free)Working as an apprentice to a Professional Photographer (Free to Moderate)A photography course or workshop taught by a tutor, either one to one or in a group environment. (Very moderate to expensive)A professional qualification like a degree (Expensive)Prices are very subjective in photography and depend on your level, who you chose to teach you and where you choose to be taught. For example, a degree in London can cost almost twice the cost of a degree in northern England. Taking online photography courses.  will be cheaper than taking face to face photography courses. If you are a beginner, you will pay more than an enthusiast who just needs a refresher. The most important thing is to set your budget and search for the solution that suits your circumstances.If you are just starting out you might be tempted to buy the most expensive and best quality photography equipment with all of the bells and whistles. But if you speak to any seasoned professional photographer, they would probably tell you that this is a rookie mistake.Buying everything outright you may find that you never use half of the stuff. Photography can be expensive but it doesn’t need to be, so if you want to get started but appreciate saving your pennie s it would be best to invest your money and time in the most essential items. Leaving the rest for when the need arises, building your kit slowly.Remember photography isn’t about if you have the coolest kit. When a person looks at your photograph, they don’t think about if you had the latest pocket wizard or tripod. All of that falls away into the background because the primary focus is always going to be the quality and composition of your photograph. If it doesn't make your photo better then you probably don’t need it.