Camera Labs

Hi All,

I need to order some accessories for my new Olympus E-500 which I expect to receive next week.

-Tripod: As well as night photography, I'm hoping to take landscape pictures which may well need to be 'stiched' by some imaging software. I think the camera has to allowed to swivel about a fixed point - ie I can't simply lift and reposition the tripod. Would something like this do? :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/42-VIDEO-CAMERA-C ... dZViewItem

-Macro lens - I was also hoping to take some close up shots of flowers and such like. I can't afford a proper macro lens but I was thinking about 'close-up' lenses or 'extention tubes'. What should I go for?

-Other accessories: I will be using my camera outdoors a great deal. Can anyone suggest any relatively inexpensive accessories (eg. certain filters) that are particularly useful?

Thanks in advance,

Ibrahim

At that price you can try this tripod, but don't expect it to be stable.
By stable I mean: Do you really, really trust your tripod to carry your latest and greatest photo-gear (new Olympus and all!)
Perhaps later on with a big lens plus a flash
And tilt and swivel it with confidence, not expecting it to topple over
Well, just give it a try. But as soon as you suspect it to give up under the load, donate it to someone with a P&S...

As to macro: Well some people believe in extension tubes, some in close-up lenses.
My personal recomendation: the Canon 500D achromatic close-up lens because you don't have to dismount your lens (dust!) and they are simply the best quality. Be prepared to pay 100EUR (or equiv.) though and just make sure that the diameter fits your lens.
See also this thread: http://www.cameralabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4526

As to other accessories: I didn't believe in UV-filters until I got wet, wet, wet in New Zealand and had to clean/dry my front lense often. After that I went for this nice filter (buy Hoya HMC for good quality) purely for physical protection. A pol-filter is only for specialists - I use it in 5 out of 5000 pics...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Thanks for you invaluable advice Tom, as usual. The prospect of my latest and greatest photo gear toppling over is scary!! The accessories don't come cheap and definatly do add up (memory card, camera bag, tripod, filters etc)... something which is too easy to overlook:(

Incidently, I was thinking about getting UV filters if only to protect the lenses but I remember reading that they somehow reduce the quality of the images... I'm not sure to what extent this is true?

Actually, I will be going the Middle East where its very unlikely to rain. I will most likely be taking pictures under very bright sunlight - are there any filters that reduce glare, if that might be potential problem? Can you recommend any other filters that might be useful when taking photographs under such conditions?

No filters under these conditions, please!
Every glas-surface that you add to your lens hightens the risk of additional reflections, ghosting and glare
The best you can do is: Use the lens-shade
It also tends to keep fingers away from the front lens
If you someday feel that a front-lens protection is valuable then buy a filter that is multicoated on both sides! Hoya HMC is good and reasonably priced. Don't buy junk for 15$!

B.t.w.: Yes, you need a mem-card and the next important thing is a second battery, but as to the rest: You don't really need it immediately!
Reward yourself, when you see that your pictures are pretty with some of the missing gear, but don't hurry: You've already got all it takes to make excellent photos

_________________
Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses