24 Best Cheap and Useful Photography Accessories 2022

Photography doesn’t have to be expensive.

This is a list of 24 best photography accessories we found that are also affordable and will do the job just as good as more expensive gear. Some will help you at taking more professional pictures, while others are accessories for before/after photographing, like transferring the shots, setting up the background or to use your equipment wirelessly.

When you decide to buy something for your camera through our links, you also automatically support our work as we receive a small commission.

Quick list of our 24 best cheap photography accessories:

 

1. Neewer 5-in-1 Light Reflectors
2. Neewer TT560 Flash
3. Tripod – Dolica AX620 62″
4. Magic Fiber Cleaning Cloth
5. Lighting Cube for Studio Photography
6. Rain Cover for Camera and Lens Setup
7. Wireless Remote Control
8. Neewer Flash Softbox
9. Stabilized for Video Recording
10. Prime Lenses
11. Giotto Rocket Air Blower
12. LimoSTudio 700W Studio Photography Kit
13. Lexar Professional 32GB SD Memory Card
14. Lexar Professional 64GB CF Memory Card
15. USB 3.0 SD Card Reader
16. Wireless Transmitter & Receiver Flash Trigger
17. Altura Camera Backpack
18. Entry Level DSLR Camera
19. Seagate 1TB USB 3.0 Hard Drive
20. USB 3.0 Flash Drive
21. Macro Extension Tubes
22. Neewer CN-160 Video Light
23. B+W Lens Filters
24. NIX Digital Photo & Video Frame

Our List of the Best Cheap Photography Accessories

 

1. Light Reflectors

The Neewer 5-in-1 Light Reflector is the cheapest yet most effective way to make your shots look way more professional, as you’re able to directly send to light to wherever you want. You can either bounce the flash or natural sunlight, and use any of the 5 different colors to make the shot look brighter/warmer/softer (perfect for portrait and product photography).

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

2. Flash for DSLR Cameras

The Neewer TT560 Flash is hands down the best flash out there and it works with Canon, Nikon, Pentax and all other DSLR cameras! It’s also way more affordable than their official flashes, and is just as powerful and easy to use.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

3. Tripod

I think every photographer should have a tripod, it’s the easiest and most effective way of getting sharp images. A tripod like the Dolica AX620 62″ is a must for long exposure photography (stars, fireworks etc.) but is also a big plus in landscape, studio, real estate and architecture photography. Combined with a wireless remote, your images can be 100% blur-free.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Also recommended: Joby GorillaPod Tripod

4. Magic Fiber Cleaning Cloths

If you happen to get any visible marks/fingerprints on your lens, LCD screen or similar devices, a Magic Fiber Cloth (6 included) is excellent for cleaning until it looks better than new. It’s also washable in case you get it dirty.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

5. Lighting Cube for Studio Photography

 

If you’d like to photograph smaller objects but don’t have the necessary studio equipment or a lot of light, the Neewer Studio Light Cube will nicely soften any available light and make your product shots look more professional. You also get 4 different colored backgrounds.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

6. Rain Cover for Camera and Lens Combination

If you often shoot outdoors and enjoy taking pictures of nature, wildlife and love exploring, chances are your photography trip stops when the weather conditions get bad. To protect your camera and lens, and to get even more amazing shots, we recommend you to get a cheap but solid Altura Rain Cover.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

7. Wireless Remote Control

If you’re into landscape, night or slow shutter speed photography, you know it’s impossible to hold the shutter button for seconds without causing the camera to slightly move. This is where a wireless remote control such as the Pixel RW-221 (Canon) comes handy as it allows you to wirelessly control your camera’s shutter button.

Get the Pixel RW221 for Nikon DSLRs here.

Also check out the Amazon’s Remote Control that goes for just $8.49. It’s lighter, smaller and way simpler (better for casual photography and group shots).

8. Flash Softbox

It’s rarely recommended to fire a flash directly onto your subject as it just makes the shot look amateurish. You’re much better of with a cheap softbox like the Neewer Translucent Softbox that you simply attach to the front of your flash and the rest is history. It makes the light softer and doesn’t make those harsh shadows you’re used to seeing.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

9. Stabilizer for Video Recording

Record lots of videos with your DSLR? If you ever tried to record smooth moving scenes or simply wanted as minimum shake as possible, it’s quite hard to do it the way we originally hold a DSLR. The Roxant Pro Stabilizer is a cheap accessory that supports all cameras (DSLR, GoPro, phones etc.) up to 2.1lbs, meaning as long as you don’t use a telephoto lens on it you’re ready to go.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

10. Prime Lenses

Prime lenses are sharper than most zoom lenses, and are way cheaper as well. Their bigger apertures also allow you to get a blurry background and/or shoot in low light without any issues.

• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
• Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM

• Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S
• Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S

You can look at our most popular lenses for Canon and for Nikon here.

11. Rocket Blower for Sensor/Lens Cleaning

Using a blower like the Giotto AA1900 Rocket Air Blaster is the easiest, safest and cheapest way of cleaning your lenses and filters (simply blow the air to remove dust).

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

12. Studio Photography Kit

The LimoStudio 700W Studio Photography Kit comes with everything you need in order to start your own studio photography! This kit comes with lights, softbox reflectors, light holders and a carrying bag. Best of all, the complete kit costs less than $75.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Also recommended: LimoStudio 600W Kit

13. SD Memory Card

You can never have too many memory cards. The Lexar Professional 32GB 1000x card supports up to 150MB/s reading speed and is blazing fast in any camera. If you take lots of pictures or 4K videos, this is your best option. There are also bigger sizes available, and they all come with a downloadable Image Rescue 5 software in case you accidentally delete your shots.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

14. CF Memory Card

In case your camera uses CF cards or perhaps both CF and SD, the Lexar Professional 64GB 1066x is even faster than the card above. It’s perfect for both thousands of still images and loads of video recording, Full HD or 4K. It’s our most recommended CF card on all of our lists!

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

15. USB 3.0 SD Card Reader

Transferring images directly from your camera can be a slow process, especially if your camera supports USB 2.0 only. Get yourself a Transcend USB 3.0 Reader for $6 and save tons of time.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

16. Wireless Transmitter & Receiver Flash Trigger

Using an external flash on your camera is better than using the built-in one, but the real fun starts when you use that flash off the camera. You can position the light wherever you want and even fire multiple flash units at the same time. The Phottix Wireless Flash Trigger Set works on all cameras that have a hot shoe mount and is really easy to set up. If you’re into portrait, product and studio photography, this is a must.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

 

17. Camera Backpack 

The Altura Photo Camera Backpack is great for carrying your DSLR with 2 extra lenses and a bunch of other accessories. It’s lightweight and perfect for traveling, and is designed so you don’t have to take it off every time you’d like to use the camera (it can easily be rotated to the front of your body).

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Also recommended: AmazonBasics Backpack

 

18. Entry Level DSLR Camera

If you don’t already own a DSLR and want to get an affordable one that’s perfect for beginners, check out the Canon T6 and Nikon D3300 bundles.

You can see the most popular DSLR cameras here.

19. External Hard Drive USB 3.0

The Seagate 1TB Hard Drive easily has the best price/performance ratio, with 1TB and USB 3.0 (also supports 2.0) which is enough for storing around 200,000 shots and hours of video footage. All of my disks are from Seagate and I’ve never had any issues.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

20. USB 3.0 Flash Drive

It’s always handy to have a USB with you, even for non photography purposes. The Samsung 64GB USB 3.0 is also waterproof, shockproof and X-ray proof.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

21. Macro Extension Tubes

If you’re thinking about buying a macro lens but don’t know if it’s really for you, for $15 you can get Fotodiox Macro Extension Tubes (Canon) and as long as you’re not shooting in low light, the quality is actually amazing! Got a Nikon? Check out the Xit Auto Focus Macro Tubes.

22. Video LED Light

The Neewer CN-160 Video Light is perfect for recording videos on a budget, especially when done indoors in bad light. Simply put it on your camera and choose between the full power or put on a diffuser to make the light softer.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

23. Lens Filters

You’ve probably heard that it’s better to break a $15 filter than a $600 lens, and it’s true. Scratches, water, dust, you don’t want any of this on the front element of your lens, which is why buying a filter is a must! Don’t get the cheapest out there though, as they show too much flare and might even degrade the overall quality. Instead, check out the B+W Filters and choose the size for your lens.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

24. Digital Photo & Video Frame

A digital photography frame like this is perfect for displaying all of your best shots, either at home, work or an exhibition. It can also display videos up to HD resolution, has a motion sensor and features USB and SD/SDHC memory card slots for easy uploading.

• Buy the 12″ NIX Digital Frame
• Buy the 8″ NIX Digital Frame

Still not sure what to buy?

Unfortunately we don’t all have endless amounts of money to spend. So if your budget is limited we’ve paired down our list to the top 5 things we’d recommend buying for your camera first.

1. Neewer TT560 Flash
2. Tripod – Dolica AX620 62″
3. Prime Lenses
4. Lexar Professional 64GB CF Memory Card
5. Altura Camera Backpack

If there’s camera gear you’re looking for that we haven’t covered yet make sure to check out our sister site, Best Photography Gear. We have advice on the best cameras, lenses, and more! You can also reach out there for additional advice on what to look for.

The gear listed above are our consistent favorites. Although there are certainly times of the year where there is some other great gear on sale. For example, due to its shear size and popularity Amazon Prime Day may be a good time to buy. To stay up to date on the best options available we’ve put together a guide to help keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the options. Our guide to the best Amazon Prime Day deals for photography gear will help you select items that you need, not stuff just because there’s a sale.

If you miss out on Amazon Prime Day, or didn’t want to sign up to be a Prime Member to access some of the deals then check out our list of the best Black Friday Photography Deals.