Recommend some trinkets

[Ariston]

Gear talk is fun, but it usually centers on cameras and lenses. What are some accessories you find particularly useful? Here are a couple from me:

1) Nikon AR-4: I recently picked this up to use with my F. It actually has the old-fashioned cable release, too, and is the best built cable release I've ever seen.

2) Nikon DR-3: I picked this up after sticking my face in the mud trying to get a low enough perspective with my FE. I just used it for the first time today, and it is just great. It's like having a waist-level finder that doesn't scramble my brain by mirroring the scene.


What can you recommend? These are 35mm accessories, but I would like to hear about MF and LF recommendations, too.

 

[MattKing]

Rotating tripod adapter for the Mamiya 645. I have the older style, which was designed for the older versions of the cameras, but with care respecting orientation, works great with my 645 Pro.
One of these:

 

[narsuitus]

What are some accessories you find particularly useful?

I find Cokin-type filter holders very useful. I have Cokin adapters (49, 52, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77, 82mm) that allow me attach my filter holder to lenses with varying filter sizes.

I can then insert round Cokin filters or rectangular Cokin filters into the filter holder. This allows me to buy one filter for a variety of lenses with different sized filter threads instead of buying a variety of filters for a variety of lenses with different sized filter threads.

For example, I could use the same Cokin filter holder with a round Cokin polarizing filter and/or a rectangular graduated neutral density filter on the following cameras with the appropriate adapter:
Calumet 4x5 inch large format view camera with 90mm lens and 82mm adapter
Fuji 6x9cm medium format rangefinder with 65mm lens and 67mm adapter
Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR with 28mm lens and 49mm adapter


Cokin filters and holder by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Auer]

A dream catcher is handy, as is a rabbits foot.

 

[foc]

A dream catcher is handy, as is a rabbits foot.

Or some chicken bones for casting under a full moon.

Or how about one of these.

 

[Auer]

Or some chicken bones for casting under a full moon.

Or how about one of these.

Far less magical, but I see the value here.

 

[RLangham]

A nice CdS clip-on meter is always nice. Mine is a spiratone and can meter for normal, tele and wide.
So is a spot meter. I have a soligor spot sensor I that's at least serviceable. It would take two mercury cells but a dead alkali cell and a fresh alkali cell is actually close to the same voltage.

Handle flashes can't be underestimated as one of the best camera accessories out there. More battery life, an extra grip, and often a stronger flash than a shoe mount flash, and you can use them on cameras with no shoes without a separate bracket.

For that matter I'd still own my Canonet GIII even if I never shot film in it. Using it as an integrated meter, rangefinder and flash computer (emphasis on this last point) for another camera such as a large format is a massive convenience.

And you never have enough hippy straps.

 

[Huss]

Does having a Leica dangling from your neck count as a trinket?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Does having a Leica dangling from your neck count as a trinket?

Trinkets with Glam: Wide, Normal and Telephoto Rolleis hanging around the neck.

 

[Huss]

Trinkets with Glam: Wide, Normal and Telephoto Rolleis hanging around the neck.

Isn't there a size cut off when a trinket becomes a trunket?

 

[ic-racer]

I have drawers of accessories. But they are all necessary items for various purposes. Non really 'optional' or 'trinkets.'

 

[RLangham]

I have drawers of accessories. But they are all necessary items for various purposes. Non really 'optional' or 'trinkets.'

You must do a wide variety of specialty photography then.

 

[ic-racer]

You must do a wide variety of specialty photography then.

I'm thinking of things like the elaborate array of parts required to attach a flash and grip to the 3003 series camera. Or the array of cable releases, or solenoid and electric release and a myriad of film backs, and or adapters and rangefinder spacers and film back spacers, etc of the Horseman Technical cameras.

You could take this as a negative comment on "over-engineered" systems that require such complexity for simple things. Personally, however, I LIKE complex mechanical things

 

[Sirius Glass]

Trinkets with Glam: Wide, Normal and Telephoto Rolleis hanging around the neck.

Isn't there a size cut off when a trinket becomes a trunket?

Trinkets with Glam: Wide, Normal and Telephoto Rolleis hanging around the neck. ==> Back bending.

 

[Les Sarile]

Spiratone used to have trinkets galore for sure!

I'm still on the lookout for one of these . . .

Instead I have the most advanced self timer in photographic history . . .

 

[Ariston]

Spiratone used to have trinkets galore for sure!

I'm still on the lookout for one of these . . .

Instead I have the most advanced self timer in photographic history . . .

That's definitely new to me! It's a lot different from my son's trail cam.

 

[Cloudy]

I couldn't do without the teleconverter and the cheap set of close up filters that I used to use when shooting tight portraits with my Zenza Bronica Sq-Ai (RIP).
People who are really into their glass will deem me quite mad, using a teleconverter and cheap filters on a good lens, but it worked for me, so hey oh.
The lens was the standard 80mm f2.8 Zenzanon with a x2 teleconverter and this set of filters I got on Ebay (unknown brand, probably made in China).

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I couldn't do without the teleconverter and the cheap set of close up filters that I used to use when shooting tight portraits with my Zenza Bronica Sq-Ai (RIP).
People who are really into their glass will deem me quite mad, using a teleconverter and cheap filters on a good lens, but it worked for me, so hey oh.
The lens was the standard 80mm f2.8 Zenzanon with a x2 teleconverter and this set of filters I got on Ebay (unknown brand, probably made in China)

Your photography is HOT! loved Loved LOVED your website.

 

[Cloudy]

Your photography is HOT! loved Loved LOVED your website.

Aww thank you so much, I'm glad you like my work!
I remember your thread about being a bit stuck photographically, have you had a chance to think about a project yet?

 

[rick shaw]

 

[Tim Gray]

A little on the pricey side but I love my Really Right Stuff BC-18 micro ball head. Pairs well with a tabletop tripod or a larger tripod. Really stable, easy to adjust, and compact.

 

[rick shaw]

Arca-Swiss C1 Cube Geared Head has been on wish list for a long time, but I just can't pull the trigger.