Canon 5d accessories reviewed
Canon 5d accessories to improve your photographs
Do you need some accessories for your Canon 5d? The Canon eos 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii is an exceptional camera that are one of Canon's best selling digital camera of all time, and when you take a look at these digital slrs it is easy to see why. The eos 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii are pro-sumer level digital cameras designed for enthusiasts and professional use. With its full frame, 21 mega pixels, stunning image quality and user friendly features the eos 5d mark ii certainly packs a punch.
In order to get the most out of the eos 5d mark ii you are going to need some essential accessories, many of which that are not only expensive but also a total waste of money and not worth buying.
Before you get your credit card out and spend your hard earned cash on some accessories for your eos 5d mark ii make sure you check out this lens to ensure you don't go and waste your cash.
Canon 5d accessories - landscape lens
As a result of the 100% view finder and the massive 21 megapixels the Canon EOS 5d mark ii is a great camera for landscape and seascape photography. Arguably, you can use almost any lens for landscape photography, however if you want wide shots you are going to have to buy a decent wide angle lens.
The best wide angle lens is the Canon EF16mm - 35mm f2.8L, however it does come at a price. Whilst this lens is not cheap the additional cost is definitely worth it, of you have the spare cash available of course.
If you do not have the funds to buy Canon's best landscape lens, don't worry as there are other wide angle lenses available from manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron that will fit you EOS 5d mark ii. These third party lenses are more affordable than the Canon EF16mm - 35mm however they are still capable of producing some exceptional images when used correctly.
Canon 16mm - 35mm f2.8L USM lens
If you want the ultimate wide angle lens for the Canon eos 5d mark II you ned to take a look at the EF16mm - 35mm f2.8L lens. This is a professional grade lens that is tough, durable and built to last. The image quality is absolutely superb and the colours are bright, vibrant and punchy but not over saturated.
The Canon EF16mm - 35mm f2.8L is a wide angle lens that is perfect for landscapes, cityscapes and seascape images. It is not cheap but then it is a top quality bit of glass that will provide years of service.
Canon 5d accessories - Other landscape lenses
Canon 5d accessories - Portrait lens
The Canon EOS 5d mark ii/ Canon eos 5d mark iii is also a great portrait camera, therefore a good portrait lens is another must have accessory. A good portrait lens is typically a prime lens with a focal length of 50mm - 85mm, with a wide maximum aperture to 'blur' out the background.
There are plenty of decent portrait lenses made by Canon and other third party manufacturers, including the likes of Sigma, Tamron and Tokina that will fit your Canon 5D, so getting a portrait lens should not be too difficult. Out of all the different portrait lenses available I would have to say the Canon EF50mm f1.8, f1.4 and f1.2 lenses are by far the best. What's more is they offer fantastic value for money too.
Canon 50mm f1.8II USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
If you want a lens that gives plenty of bang for the buck this is the lens to buy. The Canon EF50mm f1.8 is a 50mm prime lens that is capable of taking some stunning images with bright and vivid colours that aren't over saturated and realistic. This lens may feel more like a child's toy than a serious bit of photography equipment but it is a top performer.
The best thing about this lens, other than the image quality of course, is the exceptionally low price. If you only ever buy one prime lens make it the Canon EF50mm f1.8.
Canon 5d accessories - Other portrait lenses
Full line up of Canon lenses
If you want to view the entire range of Canon lenses, both prime and zoom, in one convenient place please click here
Canon 5d accessories - Flash gun
The Canon EOS 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii does not have an inbuilt flash therefore an external flashgun is an essential accessory to add both fill in light during the day time, and as a primary light source when ambient light levels are low.
The Canon 580EX flashgun is argued to be the best flash available, however it is very expensive. The 580EX is a powerful flash that is packed full of features, most of which you will never use. Even though the 580EX is a superb flash gun there are others out there that offer much better value for money. Examples include the Canon 430EX and those made by Metz and Nissin.
Canon Speedlite Flash For Canon Digital SLR Cameras
For the most powerful portable flash gun for your Canon eos 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii take a look at the Canon 580EX. This top of the range flash is simply awesome and is jam packed full of features that will transform your flash photography.
Like all Canon products it isn't particularly cheap and there are other more affordable alternatives out there but this is a tough and durable flash gun that is built to last and last. It really is an excellent bit of kit.
Canon 5d accessories - Lens filters
If you are intending on using your Canon EOS 5D for landscape photography you are going to need some filters. Regardless of what people may say about creating effects in the post processing stage with software there are some filter effects that can't be replicated. Consequently, you are going to need circular polarising filters, ND filters (to create long exposures) and graduated ND filters (to balance out the sky and the land).
You can use screw in type filters for all your landscape photography, however the best option is to use a square filter kit made by Singh Ray, Lee or Hitech.
Are camera lens filters really needed?
- Which camera lens filters do I need?
Many people think that in the age of digital photography camera lens filters are no longer needed. Whilst photo editing software, such as Photo Shop, can replicate many filter effects there are some filter effects that editing software simply can't r
Canon 5d accessories - Memory cards
Every Canon EOS 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii owner needs several memory cards on which to store their images. When shooting with the Canon EOS 5D you won't need super fast write speeds therefore you can get away with slower cards. That said, the EOS 5d dumps a lot of data on to the card so you will need good quality memory cards.
You can buy memory cards that can hold thousands of photos however I would recommend buying several smaller capacity memory cards as opposed to a couple of large capacity ones just in case one of the memory cards fails. Modern day memory cards are not prone to failing like the old ones did however I don't take the risk and spread my photos over several memory cards.
Canon 5d accessories - Battery grip
A battery grip not only gives your EOS 5d mark ii or Canon eos 5d mark iii more power, hence making it last longer, but it makes shooting in portrait mode easier and more comfortable, which is great when you are snapping images of people.
A battery grip also makes your EOS 5D look more "professional" which is good when carrying out assignments for paying customers. After all, if you want to be considered a professional you have to not only take photos like a professional, but look like one too.
Canon 5d accessories - Spare battery
The Canon 5d uses the Canon LP-E6 battery, which is a powerful battery. The drawback of this battery is they aren't as easy to come by as standard batteries, such as AAA or AA. When the Canon LP-E6 is fully used up you will have to stop taking images, which is not that great as you may miss the image of a lifetime.
If you want to shoot images all day long you are going to need at least two batteries, therefore it is always best to have a spare battery. Genuine Canon LP-E6 batteries are quite expensive and there are cheaper alternatives available, however I would always recommend buying the genuine Canon LP-E6 battery. The cheap replicas are underpowered and they don't last as long as genuine Canon batteries, so they are best avoided. So, a spare Canon LP-E6 battery is an essential purchase.
Canon 5d accessories - Camera strap
A Canon EOS 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii is an expensive piece of kit and whilst the body may be made out of magnesium alloy, hence making to tough and durable, the EOS 5d will not like being dropped on to the floor. The best way to avoid this is to use a camera strap at all times, regardless of whether you are using your 5D on a support or not.
Camera straps are cheap and are something that every Canon EOS 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii owner should have. So what's stopping you? Get out there and buy one - you may find that it could be the best few bucks you have ever spent one day.
Cotton Carrier Vest System for 1 Camera (635-RTL-s)
If you want the ultimate strap for your Canon eos 5d you need a Cotton Carrier harness. This device is simply excellent and allows you to carry your camera (with the lens attached) securely against your chest out of harms way, leaving both hands free. Using the Cotton Carrier harness you can get your camera ready to take a photo in a matter of seconds so you will never miss a shot again.
The Cotton Carrier harness isn't cheap but when you have a few thousand bucks of camera equipment to carry it is worth spending a little more to get the best strap/carrying system money can buy.
Canon 5d user guide
If you want to get the most out of your Canon eos 5d mark ii or 5d mark iii you are going to need to know how to use it properly. If you can adjust the camera settings whilst you are looking through the view finder and composing the shot your images will improve drastically.
In order to be able to change the settings without actually looking you need to know exactly how your 5d works, what all the knobs and buttons do and where you have to move them to make the necessary changes to the settings.
You can learn how to use your 5d through trial and error, however the easiest and quickest way is to use a Canon 5d user manual.
Canon 5d accessories - Tripod
If you bought your Canon EOS 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii for landscape and portrait work, and this is what most EOS 5d users bought their Canon 5d for, you are going to need a sturdy tripod to ensure you get pin sharp shots at slower shutter speeds.
A tripod is a landscape photographer's best friend and you have to make sure you buy the best and sturdiest tripod you can afford. Buying second best in a bid to save a few bucks is false economy and a waste as you will soon go out and buy a decent tripod, i.e. the one you should have bought in the first place. Believe me, I made that mistake and it was a costly one.
Tripods for your Canon 5d
If you are using your eos 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii for landscape photography you are going to need a tripod to avoid blurry phootgraphs resulting from camera shake. You need to remember that the tripod is a photographers best friend.
If you are in the market for a new, sturdy tripod you need to head on over to Amazon where you will find all the tripods you will ever need.
Canon 5d accessories - Camera bag
The EOS 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iii is an expensive digital SLR camera and you are going to want to make sure it is safe and sound when you are carrying it around with you between shots, or not in use. The best form of protection is a padded camera bag and there are loads to choose from.
When you buy a camera bag buy one that you think is too big since this will give you storage space for all your future photographic equipment and accessory purchases.
There are many different types and styles of camera bag and the ultimate decision will come down to personal preference, although I would highly recommend the rucksack type.
Camera bags for your Canon 5d
The eos 5d mark ii / Canon eos 5d mark iiiis an expensive camera and you are going to want to protect it and make sure it is safe at all times. The best way of storing your camera when it is not in use is to keep it in a padded camera bag, and there are loads of different ones to choose from on Amazon.
Photo Editing Software
If you are serious about your digital photography you are going to need some kind of photo editing software. Whilst we all try to "get it right in camera", and some people are more successful than others, all photographs will benefit from some editing. Even if it is just a bit of cropping to remove unwanted elements, or to make the subject stand out a bit more, there is always something you can do to improve each and every photograph you take.
There are several free photo editing programs available to download, but these are a waste of time. If you want access to all the features you need to edit your photographs you are going to have to spend some money and buy good software.
The best photo editing software on the market is Photo Shop CS, which is the choice software of professionals. Photo Shop CS is jam packed full of features and is very powerful, however it is difficult to learn to use and is very expensive. Photo Shop CS is simply too much for most people and is a waste of money.
The best alternative to Photo Shop CS is Photo Shop Elements. Elements is a cut down version of Photo Shop CS that has the most useful features, so it has everything you will ever need. Elements is user friendly, intuitive and very easy to use. Elements is also a fraction of the cost of Photo Shop CS, therefore it is great value for money. If you want some photo editing software there are a lot of products to choose from although I would highly recommend Photo Shop Elements.
Canon reading material
If you shoot a Canon dslr camera below are some other Canon related lenses that may be of interest. Please feel free to check them out!
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Have you ever been tempted by a Nikon camera?
If you have stumbled across this lens there is a high probability you already own a canon 5d mark ii or ii and are looking for some accessories to take your photographs to the next level. However, you may be interested in the accessories for the Canon 5d before you spend your hard earned cash and buy one. Whatever your reason for reading his, welcome to my lens.
I have a quick question for you. Have you ever considered shooting with a Nikon? Please feel free to expand your answer.
Have you ever been tempted by Nikon?
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