Top 3 must have
C Coiro Leather Camera Strap
This strap is freakin' awesome! I had been on the search for something that I could dress up or down, was hands-free and that I felt would securely hold my camera. Since the strap is leather I anticipate this lasting many many years. I find the standard strap fits my needs just fine and I'm honestly impressed with the quality. For $65, this strap is a solid investment.
It comes in three colors and you can choose to have padding or not. They also sell a version that hold two(!!) cameras. There's tons of other little features you can get as well.
Top 3 must have
OSprey camera cube
Since I travel a lot with my camera, I wanted something that could be packed into a carry-on or that I could easily throw in my car. Insert the Osprey Camera Cube.
It comes in the a small and medium, I have both but I regularly use the small. Usually when I'm traveling I try not to bring every piece of gear I have. It comfortably fits my Sony a7ii with a lens and lens hood attached, a cleaning kit, the battery charger and extra battery and a small filler light from small rig.
I am in the market for a backpack, but for now this is easy to pack, serves its purpose and for $80 isn't all the expensive when you consider camera storage.
Top 3 must have
K&F Concept Cleaning Kit and Lens Filters
I refuse to leave the house without a cleaning kit and I think you should too! I wipe my camera down before and after a shoot because there's nothing like spending hours on editing out dust specks. This kit comes with a double sided lens pen (felt tip and brush), air blower, and a microfiber cloth. For $25, this is a really easy and cheap option.
I spent a decent amount of money on my camera, I'm assuming you did to, so there's no reason to put your glass at unnecessary risk. In fact I didn't take my camera outside until there was a lens filter and screen protector on it. The kit comes with UV filter, Polarizer filter and a neutral density filter. The lenses are have a metal frame and the kit comes with a convenient case for all filters as well as microfiber cloths. The lens kit is $35 making this a REALLY cheap option for an added layer of protection to your lens. I should also mention the lens cap DOES FIT over the filters! No need to remove them unless you need to switch them out.
Other needs/nice to have's
Peak Design Wrist cuff
I went through a couple of straps outside the one from Coiro before I found one I liked. I have really started to like Peak Designs products, although they are on the pricey side. I have this strap in Eclipse and it's the most delicious plum color. But it's nothing without functionality, this is one of the few that I trust. When you hang your camera from your wrist it automatically tightens, is easy to loosen and has their classic anchors.
Hot shoe phone mount
This has served me in many ways, one of them being some behind the scenes action and some small content creation projects. It attaches straight to the hot shoe, I did have to buy a separate one for my tripod which is fine. It's made out of metal that makes it feel like a much better quality than some others. The best part is that it has other hot shoe attachments on it, which is great for the filler light I have.
Smallrig led light
Speaking of lights....this light has been a great addition to my kit! This does not replace a flash but works well when you need to add just a little more brightness, particularly indoors. You can adjust the brightness, there is only one color setting, although SmallRig does sell others that do have colors. It works well with low lighting for closer shots so don't expect this to light up an entire room. It is a hot shoe attachment so can attach directly to my camera or my phone mount.
Portable Tripod
As I get more into the content creation side of photography I found myself needing a small tripod. So far I don't have too many complaints aside from it not having a quick attachment. I have to screw my phone mount or camera onto the tripod which is time consuming. For the time being it's fitting my needs but I am casually looking for another one. My favorite thing about this tripod is that it is about 8" long and SO easy to pack.
