What Makes a Good Camera Bundle?

The “goodies” that come in a camera bundle vary widely. You can be sure that there are great DSLR and Mirrorless bundles, which will save you a lot of money as you get your collection of camera gear started. However, you can also be sure that there are some bundles out there that have just thrown in some cheap, low quality items to make it seam like it has a higher value.

Below is a list of items you need to consider as you evaluate what bundle you want to buy.

What to look for before buying a bundle?

Lenses. We have zoom and prime lenses. Zooms allow you to change the focal length (get closer/further away), while primes have only one focal length (can’t zoom). Both types have advantages and disadvantages, but if it’s your first time buying a DSLR, we recommend you to get it with the kit zoom lens.

Many bundles also come with 2 or 3 extra lenses, and you can save a lot of money compared to buying them separately later. You can check out the best lenses for Canon and Nikon DSLRs here.

Memory Cards. To save your images, you need a memory card. Since new cameras have a lot of megapixels, we recommend you to get at least an 8GB card, with 32GB being the sweet spot. If you buy a 24 megapixel DSLR, you can store around 5000 shots on a 32GB card, which is a lot. While you can always delete and format a memory card, there are situations where you need as many shots as possible (weddings, events, traveling), which is why we recommend you to buy more than 1 memory card.

We recommend you to stick to only 3 brands; Lexar, Sandisk and Transcend. If you buy something cheap, the card might stop working when you need it the most. Even if you get free memory cards in a bundle, unless they’re from those brands, do not use them if your shots are important to you.

Tripods. Most tripods in bundles are cheap and not sturdy enough for big DSLRs. We don’t recommend you to use them unless you’ve got some small point and shoot camera. Unfortunately, there aren’t many good tripods under $100. If you’re a landscape, interior, night time shooter or just want to be safe and get sharp results, you’ll need to spend quite a lot.

Again, don’t use cheap tripods, you risk destroying your entire camera setup. To see why you should use a tripod, check out this link.

Wireless Shutter Release. For long exposure photography (think fireworks, stars and light trails), you’ll want a remote control, wired or wireless. They’re perfect because you don’t have to hold your finger on the shutter button, and you also reduce the amount of blur on your shots. They’re usually cheap and you can find them in almost every bundle, although more expensive models do come with more features (intervals, time-lapses etc.)

Bags. You can never have too many bags. Sometimes you want a bag where you can put all of your stuff in it, but sometimes you want something small and light to carry just 1 extra lens.

Flash. Light is what ultimately makes a photograph. By having the ability to “make/control the light”, you can really get some stunning shots. Unfortunately, flash units in bundles are bad and not recommended from us. So if your bundle comes with one, that’s fine but plan on probably buying a flash separately if you want to have one for your photography. For your convenience we created a list of the 3 best flashes we’ve found for under $100. If you’re planning on portraits, product shots, or wedding photography a flash is almost a must. Using only an external flash or combining it with natural light often results in amazing photographs.

Lens filters. Would you rather buy a new lens filter for $20, or replace your $500 lens in case you damage something? Accidents do happen, and many of us have hit the front element while shooting. However, don’t get the cheapest filters available as they may reduce the overall image quality and introduce more flare on your shots. Stick to Hoya and B+W filters.

Cleaning kits. Never hurts to have an air blower or a cloth for cleaning your gear.

Can’t find what you want?

I know it’s tempting to feel like you have to find a bundle that has absolutely everything you want to have. As we mentioned above, camera bundles are a great way to save money on useful gear but don’t worry too much about finding the ‘perfect’ one.

These are a lot of affordable accessories that will do the job just as good as more expensive gear. While you might have to buy these items individually, our sister site, Smashing Camera, has created a great list of 24 best photography accessories.  This list will give you a good idea of what things you may want to supplement your bundle with.