Photography Gear Upgrades You Should Make in 2020

Posted by Kenko Imaging USA on Jan 20, 2020

Photography Gear Upgrades You Should Make in 2020 image

^{Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash}

My photography gear has been through a pretty rough decade. My photography gear and I travelled to three continents, multiple countries, and survived a small flood in my house.

If your photography gear is like mine, it may be time to think about upgrading your photography gear for the new year.

So, we put a list together of essential photography accessories for 2020.

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A Better Camera Strap

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The first photography accessory I forget about in my photography gear bag is my camera strap, which if I’m being honest receives the most wear and tear of anything because its out in the elements with me.

If you’re looking to upgrade your photography gear, think about starting with your camera strap since it can really make or break a shoot based on your comfort.

My favorite camera strap is the MoneyMaker Solo by Holdfast.

With all of my photography gear and outdoor gear I try and pick a company that supplies a lifetime guarantee on their products, so at the turn of the next decade I won’t be looking for another camera strap.

Holdfast will send you another camera strap free of charge if yours breaks down over time, and at $175, it’s a pretty cheap investment for a lifetime of comfort.

HoldFast MoneyMaker Solo v1 from travis peters on Vimeo.

The MoneyMaker Solo is aesthetically pleasing, it comes in six different colors, and it isn’t one size fits all, which I find rarely works with a camera strap.

Holdfast actually sells the MoneyMaker Solo in three different hand sizes and a different version for righties and lefties, so you know you’re going to get exactly the right size.

The camera strap also won’t slide around on your shoulder due to their stabilizing technology. You can have this camera strap out in the rain and moisture, because all of the D-rings are made out of stainless steel which doesn’t rust.

Overall, this is the best camera strap money can buy you for your 2020 photography gear update.

An Upgraded Lens

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^{Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash}

This is one of the more conventional things you might think of replacing when you’re thinking of buying new photography gear.

Lenses can get scratched and dirty over time, which may require professional cleaning and professional cleaning is expensive.

But, moreover, you may just want to be a little more creative with your shots and that requires a new lens.

If you don’t have a nifty fifty, I’d push you to buy this essential photography gear for the new year.

an upgraded lens image

This nifty fifty by Canon, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, is a great place to start. At $125, it isn’t out of anyone’s price range for a good quality lens.

This lens performs well in low light, it has a 4.8-star review on Amazon out of 2,000 reviews, and it’s going to perform so much better than your kit lens.

Don’t have a Canon? No worries...every camera manufacturer has a similar lens at a roughly similar price!

Learn More:

An Easy-to-Use Light

Seth Terwilliger reviews the Hakutatz Pocket-Sized Light in the video above. This crowd-funded light features lights in white, amber, and RGB, and as the name suggests, fits in your pocket.

Plus, this light comes with a companion app that allows you to control the light from your phone.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you didn’t realize you were going to need artificial light, this is the photography gear upgrade for you in 2020!

Think about it...one of the primary keys to a great photo is great light, and this little guy produces even, clean, beautiful light that is far superior to the flash on your camera.

You can use it as a key light or fill light for portraits, as a background light for videos, and even light paint landscapes with it. And that’s just the start!

Additional Batteries

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^{Photo by Ramiz Dedaković on Unsplash}

Unfortunately, extra batteries for your camera are not cheap. Yet, they are one of the most important photography gear upgrades you should make in 2020.

If you’ve ever found yourself with a dead battery right when you most need your camera, it’s the most frustrating feeling in the world.

While people traveling for long distances in developing countries may need to invest in additional batteries more than the average photography, there have been times when I caught myself needing power in the middle of New York City and it took me a desperate hour to find a Starbucks with a free electrical outlet.

So, next time you’re purchasing a camera body, do yourself a favor and get the package with an extra battery.

A Polarizing Filter

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It shocks me how many photographers nowadays don’t have a polarizing filter. Polarizing filters got a bad name a few decades ago because the quality of the images you could get was not all that great. I’ve found that people in my generation tend to remember this period and look down on polarizing filters because of it.

But, that’s a mistake because polarizing filters in 2020 are incredible. They allow you to capture better landscapes with contrasty skies, more detailed rainbows, and bodies of water without glare. They also reduce atmospheric haze so distant landscape elements are cleaner and crisper.

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Plus, my favorite polarizing filter by Kenko Nyumon is just $43. It’s called the Kenko Nyumon Slim Circular Polarizing Filter and it’s created by the best-selling filter manufacturer in Japan.

It never gets snagged while you’re putting it on your lens, for ultimate ease of use, and it uses a multi-coated glass that repels water, smudges, and other contaminants. These filters also have multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings that helps minimize flare, ghosting, and other aberrations.

Do you have any other photography gear upgrades you’re trying to make in 2020?