Must-Have Camera Accessories for Filmmaking and Photography
Latifah Muhammad
Shopping for camera accessories? Whether you’re a filmmaker or photographer, camera accessories are an essential part of getting the job done. Below, we put together a list of must-have accessories for photographers, videographers, and filmmakers, but many of the items on the list will work perfectly for content creation, gaming, podcasting, and live streaming. From lighting to camera bags, tripods, and lenses, you’re sure to find something useful to purchase for yourself, or as a gift for someone else. For more shopping recommendations, check out our list of great camera lenses for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, and best filmmaking cameras for all budgets.
Neewer Table Top 66 LED Video Light Set
Whether you’re a photographer, filmmaker, or avid live streamer, lighting is extremely important. This multi-functional video lighting kit from Neewer includes two LED lights with adjustable tripods, and eight filters in red, white, blue, and yellow. The video lights, which connect through USB, are designed with 66pcs energy-efficient SMD LED bulbs. Photographers might also want to pick up this pack of collapsible light reflectors on sale for $25.
Geekoto Compact Aluminum Tripod
The Geekoto tripod is great for landscape shooting, indoor/outdoor shots, night shots, and macro shooting. It features a 360-degree panoramic ball head, and weighs just over three pounds. Plus, it’s only 19” and you can use it as a tripod or a mono pod.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm Lens
For standard portraits and everyday use, the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G could become your new favorite lens. It has a 50mm focal length and a fast f/1.8 aperture that allows you to capture stunning images with a shallow depth-of-field so that your subjects stand out from their backgrounds.
The Jumper Photo Bag
The Jumper Photo Bag from Brevite is compact and lightweight, making it great for everyday use. The backpack has multiple compartments to carry your camera gear, and there’s a separate computer pocket that fits a 16” laptop, along with easily-accessible side pockets. It’s also multi-functional, which means you can use it for travel (the backpack has a special pocket for your passport).
Moment 18mm Wide Lens for iPhone
Most smartphones have very impressive cameras, but filmmakers still need to supplement the lenses to achieve cinematic quality images. This 18mm lens from Moment is a fantastic wide-angle lens that can be mounted on the outside of your phone to expand its focal range. If you’re looking to capture landscapes that are significantly larger than what fits in your iPhone’s camera frame, you’ll want this one in your kit.
Neewer SL-60W LED Video Light with Remote Control
The Neewer SL-60W LED Video Light delivers enhanced brightness and color rendering for photography and video recording. This versatile light is suited for outdoor photography, fluorescent lighting, videography, and for photographing children thanks to the continuous output lighting, to protect baby’s and kid’s eyes. The remote-controlled light has a cooling fan, and specialized protective cover to help prevent the LED beads from damage.
Nomatic + McKinnon Camera Bag
If you’re looking for a more expensive bag for your camera and more, the Nomatic Camera Bag is a good option for the price. Nomatic teamed with photographer and filmmaker Peter McKinnon for this durable and stylish bag that lets you pack and protect all of your camera necessities, while still leaving enough room in a separate clothing compartment for travel, or a place to keep your laptop. The bag features side zipper pockets for quick access to your camera when you need it. It also has thick padded shoulder straps, adjustable tension straps, and it expands from 35L capacity to up to 40L.
DJI Ronin-SC Camera Stabilizer
Built to go anywhere, the light and compact Ronin-SC is designed to deliver perfectly stable shots. This mirrorless camera stabilizer, made from magnesium and aluminum, supports a bunch of different camera lenses (it’s been tested to hold up to 4.4 lbs). The Ronin-SC comes equipped with high-strength composite materials to deliver robust performance at just 1.1 kg, and the modular, quick setup design makes it easy to pack up and carry.
