What Should You Have in a Beginner Photography Kit?

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When getting started with photography, deciding what equipment you need and what you don’t can be overwhelming. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that more photography gear exists than ever before. Second, social media is full of influencers pushing products left and right.

Because of this, how on earth are you supposed to choose what to include in your beginner photography kit? That’s where we come in! In this photography guide, we’ll share the essential equipment every photographer should own, regardless of experience level. Additionally, at the end of the article, we’ll share a handful of other items to invest in to keep growing your kit.

With that in mind, join us as we help you discover how to build the ultimate beginner photography kit!

Check out the video above by James Popsys to learn more about photography gear beginners ACTUALLY need.

Choosing the Right Camera for Your Beginner Photography Kit
Your Beginner Photography Kit Needs a Good Lens (or Two)
A Tripod or Tripod Alternative is a Must for Your Beginner Photography Kit
Other Must-Have Accessories for Your Beginner Photography Kit
Recommended Photography Gear

Choosing the Right Camera for Your Beginner Photography Kit

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The most important gear in any beginner photography kit is your camera. And while many people today use smartphones for photography, phone cameras still can’t compete with the results of digital cameras.

When shopping for a camera, crucial things to consider are the camera's features, size, ease of use, and price. Key features to look at are resolution (megapixels), autofocus, video capabilities, and lens compatibility. As for price, you can find great deals on pre-owned cameras from our good friends over at MPB.

New photographers searching for a reliable and affordable first camera will love the Sony Alpha a6000 or the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. On the other hand, the Canon EOS R8 and Fujifilm X-S20 are excellent cameras for slightly more experienced photographers who want a newer camera with more advanced features.

Your Beginner Photography Kit Needs a Good Lens (or Two)

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You don't need to worry about lenses if you have a point-and-shoot camera with a built-in lens. However, if you own an interchangeable-lens camera body, such as a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you will want to invest in one or two good lenses.

The best place to start when creating your beginner photography kit is with a “kit lens.” They might not be the highest-quality lenses, but their versatility and budget-friendly prices make them ideal learning tools for beginner photographers. Usually, there are a few different kit lenses to choose from for every camera.

Then, for your second lens, we recommend getting a prime lens. The most popular focal length for beginners is 50mm because of its flexibility, compact size, and high maximum aperture. 50mm lenses are perfect for travel, street, and portrait photography. Get the scoop on 50mm lenses in my video above!

Another critical thing to remember is that each camera manufacturer uses a unique lens mount system, so pay extra attention to this when deciding which lenses to buy. Here are links to lenses for different lens mounts:

Learn More:

A Tripod or Tripod Alternative is a Must for Your Beginner Photography Kit

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Another must-own item for photography is a sturdy and dependable tripod. Tripods stabilize your camera during shooting, leading to sharper, higher-quality images. While they help in any situation, they are especially important when shooting in low-light conditions. For example, night photography and long exposures are nearly impossible to capture without a tripod.

If you are a video content creator, tripods are even more useful since they are the best way to guarantee footage with little to no camera shake. Gimbals and drones are other fantastic stabilization tools for video.

The only negative of most tripods is that they tend to be heavy and bulky. If you are shooting in a photography studio, weight isn’t a concern, but anywhere else, you will be better off with something smaller and lighter, like the Octopad.

The Octopad is a unique tripod alternative ideal for on-the-go photographers who need an ultralight yet stable device. It weighs less than two pounds, and its patented design ensures it stays still even on sloping, uneven, or wet/slippery surfaces.

If that wasn’t enough, it’s also compatible with other photography accessories like external microphones, lights, monitors, gimbals, and so forth. By pulling double duty (well, something more like quintuple duty!), you get a multi-functional gadget that can help you create better photos and videos alike.

Whether you’re traveling, doing street photography, or simply running and gunning for portraiture, landscapes, architecture, or something in between, Octopad is the ideal tripod solution. Heck, I use it with my GoPros for shooting B-roll, and have even used Octopad to stabilize my GoPro on my Jeep’s dashboard to fashion a dashcam situation. This thing is that versatile!

Other Must-Have Accessories for Your Beginner Photography Kit

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So, there you have it! Every beginner photographer should start by investing in three pieces of gear for their kit: a camera body, lenses, and a tripod. Only once you have those three photography essentials should you consider adding more items to your beginner photography kit.

Depending on your needs and budget, here’s a list of other must-have photography accessories to save up for:

A camera bag/backpack
Spare camera batteries and memory cards
A camera/lens cleaning kit
Lens filters and lens hoods
A camera strap/camera clip
An external hard drive for photography
Photography lighting equipment
A computer and photo editing software

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