ISO 200 • 1/400 sec. • f/7.1 • 35mm lens...14: pimp my A7 14-5 I advise using the best-quality...

ISO 200 • 1/400 sec. • f/7.1 • 35mm lens

14-1

14Pimp My A7Accessories to Expand Your Camera’s Creative Potential

If you bought your camera with a lens, then you basically have everything

you need to begin shooting with your a7-series camera. I took great care

to ensure that almost all of the techniques in this book can be utilized

with your basic camera setup. But depending on the type of photography

you’re doing, there are some accessories that can really come in handy.

Although some accessories aren’t necessarily essential, they may improve

the look of your images.

Let’s start with some must-have accessories for your photography.

14-2 S o n y A 7 S e r i e S : F r o m S n A p S h o t S t o G r e At S h o t S

External Chargers and Batteries

My first suggestion, way back in Chapter 1, was to

buy an external charger and carry extra batteries

with you. Sure, you can always plug the cord that

came with your camera into an electrical outlet to

charge your camera battery, but it’s pretty hard

to shoot when you’re doing that. Much better

to purchase a Sony BC-TRW travel charger and

an extra battery or two and take them with you

when you’re out shooting (Figure 14.1).

Vertical Grips

Sony vertical grip VG-C1EM (for the a7, a7R, a7S) and VG-C2EM (for Mark II cameras)

(Figure 14.2) hold two batteries, which allows you to double the battery life of the camera.

When the first battery runs out, the camera automatically switches to the second. The

grip also adds a second shutter release button positioned for vertical shooting. The grip

adds a bit of heft and gives you more to grip when shooting with longer, heavier lenses.

Figure 14.2 the VG-C1em and VG-C2em vertical grips have a vertical release button and allow you to double your battery life.

Figure 14.1 BC-trW travel charger and spare np-FW50 W batteries

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Filters

There are several kinds of filters you’ll probably want to keep in your camera bag. In the

film days, I used to carry a whole set of pale orange “warming” and pale blue “cooling”

filters to adjust the color temperature of the scene. But now I simply adjust the color

temperature in-camera or in post. Here are a few filters you’ll want to consider.

UVUnlike other authors in the From Snapshots to Great Shots books, I’m not going to suggest

that inexpensive UV filters are a great investment for protecting your expensive lenses.

I won’t tell you not to protect your lenses with a filter, but you should realize that pro-

tection comes at a price. I’ve seen far too many examples of the image quality of great

lenses ruined when someone put a cheap piece of glass in front of them, so just make

certain it’s the highest-quality filter you can find—not a $10 add-on you got hooked into

buying when you ordered your camera.

PolarizingThis one ranks right up there at the top of

the list of must-own photography accessories.

You won’t find many landscape photogra-

phers who don’t have at least one polarizer

in their camera bag. Sony’s own circular

polarizing filter is a great choice because it’s

made with the same glass and coatings used

in your Zeiss lenses (Figure 14.3).

Light travels in straight lines, but the prob-

lem is that all those lines are moving in

different directions. When they enter the

camera lens, they are scattering about, creating color casts and other effects. The polarizer

controls how light waves are allowed to enter the camera, letting only certain ones pass

through. So what does that mean for you? With a polarizing filter, blue skies will appear

darker, vegetation color will be more accurate, colors will look more saturated, haze will

be reduced, and images can look sharper.

Figure 14.3 Sony’s circular polarizing filter is made with the same Zeiss glass and coatings as Zeiss lenses.


Most polarizers are circular and allow you to rotate the polarizing element to control

the amount of polarization that you want. As the filter is rotated, different light waves

will be allowed to pass through, such as those from a reflection on a lake. Turn the filter

a little and the light waves from the reflection are blocked, making the reflection disap-

pear. Another benefit of the filter is that it is fairly dark, so when used in bright lighting

conditions, it can act as a neutral density filter (you’ll learn more in the next section),

allowing you to use larger apertures or slower shutter speeds. The average polarizing

filter requires an increase in exposure of about one and a half stops. This won’t be an

issue for you since you will be using the camera meter, which is already looking through

the filter to calculate exposure settings. You should consider it, though, if your intention

is to shoot with a fast shutter speed or use a small aperture for increased depth of field.

Neutral Density (ND)Sometimes there is just too much light falling on your scene to use the camera settings

that you want. Most often this is the case when you want to use a slow shutter speed but

your lens is already stopped down to its smallest aperture, leaving you with a shutter speed

that’s faster than you want. Maybe you want to make moving water look “smooth” in

bright sunlight, or you want shallow depth of field when shooting video and there’s simply

too much light, even for ISO 100.

The way around this problem is to use a

neutral density (ND) filter to make the

outside world appear to be a little darker.

Think of it as sunglasses for your camera.

ND filters come in different strengths

(Figure 14.4), labeled as .3, .6, .9, and so

on. They represent a one-stop difference

in exposure for each .3 increment. (Some

ND filters can be labeled 2, 4, and 8 for

the same exposure increments.) If you

need to turn daylight into dark, the .9 (or

8) ND filter will give you three extra stops

of exposure. Figure 14.4 nD filters come in varying densities, or darkness values, so you can select how much light gets through for the the effect you desire.

1 4 : p i m p m y A 7 14-5

I advise using the best-quality ND filter you can find, because once again, a cheap filter

can ruin the quality of a great lens. As their name implies, good neutral density filters

should truly be “neutral” in color. Avoid ones that have a color cast.

A great filter for this is a Vu variable neutral density filter, which lets you vary the amount

of density from two to eight stops. Since variable ND filters aren’t cheap, I’d advise buying

one in the largest filter size you need and using inexpensive step-up adapter rings on your

smaller lenses. Using a step-up ring to an oversized filter also helps prevent vignetting

when shooting with extremely wide-angle lenses.

Graduated NDAnother favorite of the landscape photographer, the

graduated ND filter has the benefits of the standard ND

filter but graduates to a clear portion (Figure 14.5). This

allows you to darken just the upper or lower portion of

your scene while leaving the other part unaffected. This

filter is most commonly used to darken skies that are too

bright without affecting the ground area. If a regular ND

is used, the entire area will get darker and there will be

no visible change in the brightness ratio between the sky

and the ground.

You can purchase the graduated ND as a screw-on filter,

but many photographers prefer to use the larger 4x5-inch

(100x125mm) version, which allows them to control exactly

where the filter transitions from dark to transparent.

There are many different options in graduated ND filters,

such as the density factor (number of stops) and how gradual the transition is from dark

to clear. A hard grad filter has a very distinct line where the filter goes from dark to clear.

This is usually the better choice when there is a flat horizon line to work with, like where

the sky meets the ocean. A soft grad filter has a more gradual change from dark to clear,

with the darkest area at the top and then a very gradual change to the clear area of the

filter. This is the better choice if you have uneven horizon lines like you might find when

photographing a mountain range.

Figure 14.5 A 4x5-inch two- stop graduated nD filter allows you flexibility in placing the horizon line.


Figure 14.6 the oben Ct-3481 carbon fiber tripod with a Be-126t ball head extends to 68 inches yet folds to a compact 18.9 inches.

Tripods

If you buy only one accessory for your photography, do yourself

a favor and make it a tripod. In general, any tripod is better than

no tripod at all. A tripod helps you take sharper photos and lets

you shoot in any lighting condition. So how do you go about

choosing the right one for you? The main considerations are

weight, height, head, and of course, cost.

The weight of your tripod will probably determine whether

or not you will actually carry it along with you farther than

the parking lot. Many different types of materials are used

in tripods today. The lightest is carbon fiber, which is

probably the most expensive as well (Figure 14.6).

More than likely, you should consider an aluminum

tripod that is sturdy and that has a weight rating

that is suitable for your camera and lenses.

Make sure that the tripod extends to a height

that is tall enough to allow you to shoot from

a comfortable standing position. Nothing

ruins a good shoot like a sore back. Taller

tripods need to be sturdier to maintain a rigid base for

your camera. You will also want to consider how low the

tripod can go. If you want to do macro work of low-level

subjects such as flowers, you will need to lower the tripod

fairly close to the ground. Many new tripods have leg

supports and center column mechanisms that allow you

to spread the legs very wide and get the camera low to

the ground.

The other determining factor when purchasing a tripod is

the type of head that it employs to secure the camera to

the legs. There are two basic types of tripod heads: ball

heads and pan heads. Ball heads use a simple ball joint that

allows you to freely position the camera in any upright

position and then clamp it down securely. Ball heads are

flexible and quick to use, especially if they include quick-

release clamps, as the Acratech GP does (Figure 14.7). You

can find them at www.acratech.net.

Figure 14.7 this Acratech Gp ball head has a quick-release clamp for ease of use and efficiency.

1 4 : p i m p m y A 7 14-7

Figure 14.8 really right Stuff quick-release plate

Quick-release plates and L-bracketsThe biggest pain of using a tripod is tightening and loosening

the tripod threads into the camera baseplate. That’s where

quick-release plates come in handy. The Arca-Swiss

dovetail has become the industry standard

quick-release, so you’ll find a wide range

of compatible quick-release plates and

L-brackets. My favorites are from Really

Right Stuff (Figure 14.8). You can find quick-

release camera plates and L-brackets for

a7-series cameras at www.reallyrightstuff.com.

Remote Commanders

In Chapter 9 we talked about using your self-timer. Sony’s RM-VPR1 remote control with

multi-terminal cable, or Sony’s Smart Remote Control app for your smartphone or tablet,

allows you to trigger long exposures without touching your camera.

Another remote trigger that comes in handy is Sony’s RMT-DSLR2 remote commander

(Figure 14.9). This wireless release triggers your shutter by sending an infrared signal to

the camera’s remote port, ensuring that you don’t shake the camera as you fire it.

Macro Photography Accessories

Extension tubesExtension tubes are like spacers between your lens and your camera. The tubes are typically

hollow, and their sole purpose is to move the lens farther away from the camera body.

A lens can get only so close to a subject and still be able to achieve a sharp focus. This is

because as the subject gets closer, the focal point for the lens moves back to a point where

it is behind the image sensor. Using an extension tube lets you move that focal point

forward by placing the rear of the lens a little farther away from the camera sensor, thus

letting you get the lens closer to the subject and enlarging it in your picture.

Figure 14.9 Sony’s wireless rmt-DSLr2 remote commander allows you a hands-off approach to triggering a tripod-mounted camera or achieving extra-long exposure times.


Although Sony does not manufacture

extension tubes, third-party manufacturers

do. Vello EXT-SFED deluxe autofocus

extension tubes (Figure 14.10) are built

with electronic contacts that support auto-

focus and automatic exposure, and they’re

sold as a set of two tubes for E-Mount

lenses: a 10mm tube and a 16mm tube,

which can be used individually or stacked

together. The longer the tube is, the

greater the magnification factor. The tubes

are best used with lenses that are 35mm in focal length or longer. (A wide-angle lens will

have such a short focusing distance that you will be right on top of your subject.)

Close-up filtersAnother way to jump into macro photography is by using a close-up filter. They’re avail-

able in varying magnifications but tend to be a little more expensive than extension

tubes. This is because they are usually made of high-quality glass that works in concert

with the lens. The filters and lenses can have some advantages over tubes, too. Because

they screw onto the front of your lens, they don’t interfere with any of the communication

functions between the lens and the camera body. They also result in less loss of light,

so exposures can be slightly shorter than when you’re using extension tubes. They do,

however, work similarly to tubes in that they allow you to shorten the minimum focus

distance of your lens so you can move closer to your subject, thereby increasing the size

of the subject on your sensor. Close-up lenses usually come in magnification factors like

+1, +2, +3, +4, and +5. They can also be stacked, strongest to weakest, to increase the

magnification factor. Quality close-up filters aren’t cheap, so buy one for the largest filter

thread you need and use step-up rings for your other lenses.

When comparing extension tubes to close-up filters, I prefer extension tubes. I’m always

hesitant to put another piece of glass, no matter how high quality it is, in front of the

glass in my lens. Extension tubes do not contain any glass, so there’s no potential flaw to

hinder the quality of my image.

Figure 14.10 Vello eXt-SFeD deluxe autofocus extension tube set

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Hot-Shoe Flashes

The a7-series cameras use the Sony multi-interface hot shoe, which allows the camera

to be paired with many new accessories for stills and video production. Sony makes four

flashes that fit directly into the multi-interface shoe: the HVL-F20M, HVL-F32M, HVL-F43M,

and HVL-F60M (Figure 14.11). The HVL-F20M is perfect when you want a soft fill of flash

up-close or when you want to wirelessly trigger another Sony flash. The HVL-F32M and

HVL-F43M are nicely balanced in size to a7-series cameras. The HVL-F60M tops out this

line with a guide number of 60, for when you need maximum power.

Figure 14.11 these Sony flashes will add power and flexibility to your flash photography.


Flash Triggers

Flash triggers like PocketWizards (Figure 14.12) are the best way

to fire studio flashes with a7-series cameras. The transmitter

fits right into your camera’s multi-interface shoe to trigger

the receivers placed on your strobe packs. PocketWizard Plus III

transceivers offer 16 channels plus multiple zones. If you don’t

need that many channels, you can save a few dollars with

their scaled-down version, the PocketWizard PlusX.

Reflectors and Diffusers

The easiest way to shape light is with reflectors and

diffusers. Reflectors bounce light back onto your

subject from a solid surface of white, silver, or gold.

White is the softest, whereas silver and gold have

a bit more snap and contrast. Diffusers are semi-

transparent material, usually white, that you place

between your light source and your subject. The

fabric does as the name implies: It diffuses the light,

spreading it out into a soft, low-contrast light

source that makes any subject look better. You

could make your own or buy one of the many

commercially available versions. Photoflex

LiteDisc 41x74” oval reflectors (Figure 14.13)

come in white/silver, white/soft gold, high-

contrast silver/gold, and diffusion. Westcott’s

6-in-1 reflector kit includes two diffusion panels

of varying transparencies, and it also has a

reversible reflective cover that slips over either

of the diffusion panels so that you can bounce

some fill light into your scene. Best of all, the

entire system is collapsible, so it fits into a small

package for traveling.

You’ll find more information on Photoflex

at www.photoflex.com, and on Westcott at

www.fjwestcott.com.

Figure 14.12 Sony a7r with the pocket Wizard plus iii

Figure 14.13 the photoflex LiteDisc folds down to a third of its open size for travel.

1 4 : p i m p m y A 7 14-11

Neck Straps and Wrist Straps

Your camera came with a strap. It might be exactly your style, but if it’s not, you have lots

of options. There’s no camera accessory we come in closer contact with than the strap.

You can find virtually any strap your heart desires online, so if you’re in the mood for a

hot-pink ostrich-leather camera strap, you’ll probably find it. The Think Tank V2.0 1-inch

double-sided non-slip camera strap is on all my a7-series cameras (Figure 14.14). It’s light

and flexible, and the double-sided non-slip surfaces prevent the camera from sliding off

your shoulder even when you’re wearing your favorite slick leather jacket (which should

give you a clue why I switched to these). If a wrist strip is more your thing, check out the

braided leather wrist straps from Annie Barton in Hong Kong (Figure 14.15). You can find

them at www.barton1972.com.

Figure 14.15 Barton braided leather wrist strap

Figure 14.14 think tank V2.0 1-inch double-sided non-slip camera strap


Camera Bags

I like to travel with my photo gear, and typically my travel involves flying. This means

that all my camera equipment will be traveling in the cabin with me, not in the luggage

compartment. I can’t emphasize this enough: Do not pack your camera in your checked

luggage! Thousands of cameras, lenses, and accessories are lost or stolen from checked

luggage every year. The best way to ensure that it doesn’t happen to you is to bring your

equipment onboard and place it in the overhead storage. I like to bring my laptop as

well, so I have found a couple of backpack camera storage systems that allow me to fit a

camera body, several lenses, some accessories, my laptop, and even some snacks into one

backpack-style bag that still fits in any overhead compartment.

One of the great advantages of Sony a7-series cameras is that you can travel with your

photo gear without it weighing you down. So you don’t want the bag you carry it in to

weigh you down either. Fortunately,

there are a few great options that won’t

weigh down your shoulder—or your

wallet.

My favorite walk-around bag is

Sony’s LCS-SB1 sling bag carrying case

(Figure 14.16). It’s a slim, body-hugging

bag that doesn’t scream, “Steal me, I’m

worth thousands!” Although it weighs

virtually nothing, it holds a lot. It can fit

everything I need for a day out shooting;

even a 70–400mm lens with the LA-EA4

fits neatly inside.

If you want to pack a bit more for a trip,

like maybe a tablet or laptop, you’ll want

to give Lowepro’s Urban Reporter shoulder

bags a look. They come in three sizes

depending on your needs. The smallest,

the Lowepro Urban Reporter 150, will

hold a couple of camera bodies and a couple

of lenses plus a 10” tablet. The largest is the

Lowepro Urban Reporter 350 (Figure 14.17), which can hold an entire mirrorless system

plus a 15” laptop. If you’re also a DSLR shooter, you’ll be able to carry two different kinds

of camera systems in it as well.

Figure 14.16 the Sony LCS-SB1 sling carrying case

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If you prefer a backpack that you can sling over your shoulder,

leaving your hands free for other luggage, Sony makes a couple of

backpacks that might be perfect for your needs. The Sony LCS-BP2

backpack is nicely sized for a couple of mirrorless bodies, lenses,

and accessories. Or you can step up to Sony’s LCS-BP3 backpack

(Figure 14.18), which holds three mirrorless bodies and four or

five lenses plus a 15” laptop, making it great for most of my travel

needs for the past few years. While it might be a bit large for an

a7-series camera and a few lenses, I like to pack as few bags as

possible when traveling, and the laptop compartment and extra

space allows me to pack chargers, cords, and hard drives.

Figure 14.17 Lowepro’s Urban reporter 350 will transport a mirrorless kit and your 15” laptop.

Figure 14.18 the Sony LCS-Bp3 backpack easily holds three mirrorless bodies with lenses, a flash, and a 15” laptop.


Video Accessories

SoundIn Chapter 11, we talked about Sony’s ECM-XYST1M stereo microphone. But if you‘re

looking to add XLR terminal inputs and audio level controls for a pro external audio input,

Sony’s XLR-K2M adapter and microphone kit is just the thing (Figure 14.19). It gives you

two XLR inputs and comes with a high-quality shotgun mic.

Video monitorsYour a7-series camera offers Live View video through your EVF and LCD, but there are

times that a larger monitor comes in handy when shooting video. Sony’s CLM-FHD5 HD

5-inch LCD video monitor gives you more surface area, making it easy to compose your

shot (Figure 14.19).

Figure 14.19 Sony’s XLr-K2m adapter and microphone kit offers premium-quality sound, and the Sony CLm-FhD5 hD 5-inch LCD monitor offers you a bigger area to frame your masterpiece.

1 4 : p i m p m y A 7 14-15

Video rigsVideo rigs and rails help you attach all the accessories you use on a video shoot. They have

threaded holes that allow you to attach monitors, focus rails, batteries, and anything else

you might need (Figure 14.20). The best and priciest are from Zacuto and Redrock Micro,

but many budget-priced alternatives exist in case you’re self-funding your indie opus.

Figure 14.20 the ikan tilta eS-t16 camera rig offers a video cage that’s a great start to building the perfect video rig for your needs.

The Small Stuff

Finally, there are a few small items I always pack in

my camera bag when I travel.

SD card casesNothing’s worse than searching around your camera

bag trying to find a tiny SD card. Digital card cases

can make order out of that chaos. The Pelican 0915

SD memory card case (Figure 14.21) will snugly hold

the cards in the removable shock-absorbing liner. The

water-resistant seal ensures that your cards will be safe

from moisture, even if the case is submerged in water.

To keep track of which cards I’ve shot, I turn the cards

face down once I’ve used them.Figure 14.21 the pelican 0915 SD memory card case holds 12 SD cards.


External hard drivesHard drives are really, really cheap. I always travel with multiple external hard drives for

redundant storage (Figure 14.22). Use the second as a backup for the first. When you fill

them up, buy two more—one day you’ll thank me.

Air blowersNever, ever, ever use canned, compressed air to blow dust off your sensor. The cans will

release fluid when they are tilted, and that’s the last thing you want to get on your sensor.

For this reason, I always use my Giotto’s Rocket Blaster (Figure 14.23). This funny-looking

device is great for getting rid of dust on your sensor. It uses a clean air path so that the

dust that you are blowing away doesn’t get sucked back into the ball and re-deposited on

your equipment the next time you use it. Always point your camera down when blowing

off the sensor. That way, any dust you dislodge falls out of the camera.

Sensor brushesIf the Rocket Blower can’t dislodge the dust, I move on to a VisibleDust SL-788 Arctic

Butterfly sensor brush (Figure 14.24). This negatively charged brush helps pull dust particles

off the sensor instead of just moving them around. This version includes an LED light so

you can see what you’re doing.

Figure 14.22 transcend military drop-tested 2 tB USB 3.0 m3 external hard drive

Figure 14.23 Giotto’s rocket Blaster dust-removal tool

Figure 14.24 VisibleDust SL-788 Arctic Butterfly with LeD light

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Sensor Gel StickWhen an air blower and sensor brush can’t do the trick, an Eyelead

SCK-1 gel stick is just the thing for really stubborn dust on your

sensor (Figure 14.25). It gently grabs the dust and lifts it off

your sensor.

LensPenFor really stubborn smudges on your lens, a LensPen (Figure 14.26) is a nifty little device

has a soft, retractable dust removal brush on one end and an amazing cleaning element

on the other that uses carbon to clean and polish the lens element. More information on

LensPen products can be found at www.lenspen.com.

Microfiber lens clothsA good microfiber lens-cleaning cloth (Figure 14.27) comes in handy for getting rid of

those little smudges and dust bunnies that seem to gravitate toward the front of my lens.

I keep a few of these in my camera bag; they can even double as lens wraps in a pinch.

Figure 14.25 eyelead SCK-1 sensor-cleaning gel stick

Figure 14.26 the Lenspen nLp-1 lens cleaning tool

Figure 14.27 microfiber cleaning cloth

Updates on a7-series camera accessoriesNew accessories keep coming out every day, so I’ll post updates to this chapter at

http://briansmith.com/gear/sony-a7-a7r-accessories.

ISO 200 • 1/400 sec. • f/7.1 • 35mm lens...14: pimp my A7 14-5 I advise using the best-quality...

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