Can anyone recommend me some decent accessories for Mrs Kryton’s Nikkon D3100 she’ll recieve next Tuesday? Thinking of a quality card, case etc but beyond that I don’t really know what she needs.

I know nothing, but would like to create a sub-present from Kryton Jnr which gets her snapping on day 1, without having to buy twice.

Circular polarising filter

Do you have a budget?

Cheap;
lens cleaning pen/cloth
air blower sensor cleaner
Hot shoe mounted spirit level

Mid range;
mini tripod or gorrillapod
Starter filter kit
Remote trigger

Top end;
Tripod
External Flash

I’d suggest a quick flick through one of the many photography magazines, they are normally full of this stuff

Memory card and a card reader are of course a good idea.

A reasonable tripod would be good for family shots, and if it does not come with it already, a remote control shutter release.

Get a good photography guide book? (learn to use A and S settings and manually control ISO)

My standard recommendation is always to get one interesting lens – a 50mm f1.8 (“nifty fifty” as they are often referred to), as that con really open up your photographic possibilities and make you go “oooooh” in a way that kit lenses cannot.

and you may as well get a nice lens hood to go with it:

HTH!

Kev

Keiran +1

I’d also add lens hood(s)and skylight/UV/protective filter(s)for whatever lenses she has. – You’ll need to know what diameter the lenses are usually they are 52,58,67,72 or 77mm.

Things like camera bags and tripods are a fairly personal thing I’d say. I’d steer clear and let her choose this sort of thing. Plus, y’know, women and bags… (-: I’ve been looking for the ideal tripod for months and still not bought one.

A good branded SD card, guide book, microfibre glass cleaning cloth are all no-brainers. CPOL filter is a nice toy to play with, but you’ll need to match it to the size of the lens (what’s the kit lens on the Nikon? 58mm?).

If you wanted to splash out a bit more I’d also second the nifty fifty idea; pretty much every Canon / Nikon owner has this lens because it’s so good and so damn cheap.

I really like the manfrotto mini tripod here, although I have the older version which looks smarter.

An after market guide book specific to that camera. Very useful.

Understanding Exposure by the loon that is Bryan Peterson. Also very useful.

The only accessories I carry are a Blackrapid camera strap and a spare battery. I use my T-shirt to clean my lenses (even the multi £k ones).

http://www.blackrapid.com/

Oh yeah, if you want a slightly quirkier idea, I have one of these and really like it, I’ve found it dead useful.

http://www.thepod.ca/red%20pod%20page.html

A good branded SD card, guide book, microfibre glass cleaning cloth are all no-brainers. CPOL filter is a nice toy to play with, but you’ll need to match it to the size of the lens (what’s the kit lens on the Nikon? 58mm?).

This is where I am. Kryton jnr is only 3 and his piggy bank isn’t very full, and daddy just bought £350 of camera 🙂

Its the VR 18-55? kit btw.

So what I need to know is – whats a good branded SD card/size and a “good” book please? From which I’ll buy from Amazon / Jessops online…..

Thanks

The Photographers Eye & Perfect Exposure by Michael Freeman are both pretty good books.

7 Day Shop is cheap for spare cards/batteries etc.

I’ve never had a problem with SanDisk or Duracell cards whether SD or Compact Flash.

**wireless** remote trigger – priceless if you plan to get photos together in interesting places.
GOOD solid tripod, cheapo light plastic ones are worth less than nothing, they make your life harder as you think the soft images are caused by something else.
A good book. I’ve yet to find one that lays out the details in a quick use way but some come close.

All 22 of my CF and SD cards are Sandisk FWIW. I’ve always worked on the ‘have spares principle’ so get say two 8GB ones as opposed to one 16GB. Same applies with batteries.

On the straps front, I’ve used Optech straps for over 20 years. I’ve heard good things about Blackrapids but as I use Arca plates and brackets, they’re no good for me.

All 22 of my CF and SD cards are Sandisk FWIW. I’ve always worked on the ‘have spares principle’ so get say two 8GB ones as opposed to one 16GB. Same applies with batteries.

On the straps front, I’ve used Optech straps for over 20 years.

Snap.

The D3100 comes with a decent embroidered strap in the box, I can see the benefit of those fancy ones, but she will have one. I was bought this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-Starter-Nikon-D3100-Camera/dp/B0050BXBBE/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1339678689&sr=1-6
kit after I got my camera and it’s all decent kit. The tripod is lightweight but much better than nothing, and can be made sturdier in wind by hanging a bag off the bottom. The bag is a nice snug fit with the kit lens on, but still room in the pocket for a filter, couple of wires, SD cards and a spare battery.

The D3100 doesn’t have the receiver built in for Nikon wireless remote, so I bought a cheapy wired one for a fiver or so from Amazon, but there are wireless ones out there cheap too.

I change my advice. you NEED one of these for shots of the kids and stuff:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/520646-USA/Nikon_2173_Telephoto_AF_S_Nikkor_600mm.html

might need a bigger tripod though.

HTH!

“Understanding Exposure” is a classic, but I’d perhaps say it’s a perfect second book. You need to know your way around the camera a bit first.

The For Dummies book is actually pretty decent. I was loaned a copy by a mate when I first got my camera, and it’s not a bad starting point.

i have to say you still need shoulder bag,flashgun,tripod,flash trigger,a UV filter for better photos on sunny days.

you can come here and see what is suitable to you.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/909153

I have gone through this process to some degree myself.

I have bought a tripod, battery grip, alternates lens, external flash and a bag.

Of these only the flash and the bag have actually been used. The flash has made a huge improvement to indoor shots.

On the bag front I would suggest you let her make her own choice. There are so many choices os size, style and colour out there it can be a bit of a minefield.

a UV filter for better photos on sunny days.

Ummm … digital sensors are more or less insensitive to UV, so this is a waste of money IMO.

Shops try to sell you them for “protection”, but I don’t like the idea of spending 1000 quid for a superb piece of glass and then covering it up with a number of extra layers of lower quality material.

Shops try to sell you them for “protection”, but I don’t like the idea of spending 1000 quid for a superb piece of glass and then covering it up with a number of extra layers of lower quality material.

I’m firmly in the ‘put a protective filter on the front” camp and if you’re a Canon shooter, the weather proofing of L lenses isn’t complete without a filter.

I’ve had enough rain, snow, mud, beer and sweat sprayed over my cameras over the years for this to be a no brainer decision for me.

Similarly lens hoods help with a bit of physical protection, especially if you have the ‘pleasure’ of a lens – concrete meeting.

re: the nifty fifty linked to by big scot nanny,
er, best to check whether this lens will autofocus on the D3100.
i have the D5000, next model up and it doesnt have a autofocus motor in the body so a lens which has the motor is essential if you want autofocus.
i went for http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-AF-S-35mm-f1-8G-Lens/dp/B001S2PPT0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1340098297&sr=8-4
it needs to be an AF-S lens, not just AF.
afaik.
brilliant lenses, both of them.

Similarly lens hoods help with a bit of physical protection, especially if you have the ‘pleasure’ of a lens – concrete meeting.

Agree with that bit 100%. I always carry my camera with the lens hood on – a protective item that improves images, rather than degrades them has to be a good idea.