What are Your Favorte Inexpensive Camera Do-dads/Accessories?

[lynnb]

Don't laugh.. part of a film carton identifying film+speed to shove into the cold shoe as a reminder. Why didn't all manufacturers put a holder for the film tab on the back of their cameras like Nikon does?

 

[ruby.monkey]

Match Technical's Bip mini soft releases for any camera that has a suitably-threaded shutter button, or Lolumina's stick-on equivalent for those without.

 

[MrFujicaman]

Those little bubble levels for the hotshoe-last batch I bought cost me 50 cents each.

 

[al1966]

Good foot wear, if your pounding the streets or stomping around the countryside comfortable footwear is worth every penny. Though I am lucky as Dr Martin's have a lower cost outlet store near us.

 

[Peter_S]

- Heliopan polarizing and (for film) yellow filters;
- Proper lens caps
- this black development sack for developing film (no need for a dark room).

 

[peterm1]

I have been buy a few camera lens adapters lately I shoot both M43 and SOny NEX mirrorless cameras and have lenses in M42,Pentax K mount, Exakta, Nikon, Leica M, Leica LTM, Canon FL and Canon FN mount that I enjoy using and trying. I also have some original Olympus 43 lenses that require an adapter to mount on M43 cameras. Between all these lens types and two mirrorless camera types that is a lot of adapters even accepting that some can double up (e.g. the two Canon lens types). In fact I am increasingly tempted to buy more lens marques given that "dumb" adapters are so cheap relatively speaking. Of course I also stack some adapters sometimes just for th ehell of it - such as Leica LTM to M then Leica M to M43.

 

[sepiareverb]

Film leader retriever
This little gadget is great for getting film out of the canister.

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Yes, this. Best version out there by a long shot, and even fits in a Kodak film canister.

Soft-releases, I like the Rapidwinder and Zhou ones.

An extra fine point sharpie, sadly discontinued now.

 

[lxmike]

soft shutter release for my Nikon F, forgot its name/number but it really works well and adds a bit of height to the shutter button🙂

 

[LKSC]

FlashQ infra red flash trigger by LightPix labs. A bit finicky, but small enough to stash away almost anywhere. Cheap and works.

I use it with a Rolleiflex. Although not advertised as being compatible with old film cameras with PC sync cords it does work - just need a sync cord adapter for the transmitter.

 

[farlymac]

soft shutter release for my Nikon F, forgot its name/number but it really works well and adds a bit of height to the shutter button🙂

That would be the AR-2. I have mixed feelings about using one because I sometimes trip the shutter accidentally. It depends on which camera I have it on though. It's more of a problem on the S2 than the F2.

A Voigtlander Kontur finder is my favorite item, as I got mine fairly cheap. I also like camera grips. They're inexpensive when you get them in a box lot of items.

PF

 

[Chris101]

Close-up lenses that work like a filter.

The only problem is you have to calibrate them to use a rangefinder.

 

[Dogman]

Lensmate thumb grips. I have them on all my Fuji cameras and they improve handling immeasurably. There are other brands besides Lensmate out there that may work as well.

Edit: I like Lensmate soft releases as well.

 

[PRJ]

Yes, this. Best version out there by a long shot, and even fits in a Kodak film canister.

I'll double ditto that! I rarely have to pull out the fancy Ilford one I have. The ilford is better than the cheap one only for stubborn rolls....

 

[webOSUser]

Reflective safety vest when shooting on a city street or at night.

 

[kshapero]

Mini soft release.
Can be had from the RFF chief in charge

https://www.cameraquest.com/inventor.htm

 

[RichC]

Reflective safety vest when shooting on a city street or at night.

I was going to say that - but for another reason!

I've spent the last 3 years on a photographic project in London, UK, but found I was getting disturbed by security and passers-by.

I was told that wearing a fluorescent work jacket makes you invisible, since everyone assumes that you're "official". I bought one off eBay with the generic wording "Project Services" on it.

Works a treat! Felt a bit self-conscious at first, but soon discovered that people simply ignored me! Well, almost: nothing's perfect - I attracted the occasional drunk (being bright yellow was a bit of a beacon I guess!), and was mistaken for a council worker a few times and asked about parking, hedge trimming and the like!

 

[NickTrop]

Ah -- here's another one I got in the mail a week ago from China. These were somewhat prohibatively expensive, now cheap on eBay for about $20.00. A 45 degree (/) or 180 degree (-) old school split-focus screen replacement for the original focus screen on your DSLR. Popped right in to my Nikon with no issue. Invaluable for focusing manual lenses on a modern DSLR.

 

[mich rassena]

I've gotten a lot of use out of an accessory rangefinder. They're really cheap used, less than $25, and often less than that. While you can't shoot at f2.8, they're accurate enough that f/8 works fine. They're even useful if you know the focal distance of a fixed focus camera, like a Kodak Tourist or a box camera (just rest it on the focal plane if there's no hot shoe). Just dial in the distance, do the Big Shot shuffle until the images line up, and take your picture. It's a nice feeling to use the camera to its full capability and take out the guesswork.

Another fun accessory is those big Vivtar handles. They have a shoe to mount the flash, which rotates, and a hole where you can thread a release cable through. They make hand holding a Mamiya C330 easy.

 

[css9450]

I was told that wearing a fluorescent work jacket makes you invisible, since everyone assumes that you're "official". I bought one off eBay with the generic wording "Project Services" on it.

Works a treat! Felt a bit self-conscious at first, but soon discovered that people simply ignored me! Well, almost: nothing's perfect - I attracted the occasional drunk (being bright yellow was a bit of a beacon I guess!), and was mistaken for a council worker a few times and asked about parking, hedge trimming and the like!

I thought I was the only one who used that trick! I have a safety-yellow jacket with reflectorized stripes like the kind utility workers wear; I wear it if I am trespassing or entering an abandoned building. No one looks twice, probably just assuming I'm with the city or the gas company or some other such official business. Cops just drive by and wave.

 

[creenus]

I have two in my car. Especially if I shoot alongside a highway. I live in New Mexico, where the drunk driving rate is one of the highest in the nation. I also have a hardhat to make me look more official! =)

Reflective safety vest when shooting on a city street or at night.