Best Mirrorless Camera Accessories to Consider

A mirrorless camera is a professional digital camera that doesn’t have a reflex mirror, a pentaprism or an optical viewfinder. One of the benefits of this type of camera is that it’s mechanically simpler, smaller and lighter than a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera. To enjoy using it, you’ll need to add the best mirrorless camera lenses and several essential accessories to your photography kit. If you want to enhance the features of your mirrorless camera, you might consider using accessories that you already have for your DSLR.

While smaller than a DSLR camera, a mirrorless camera is equally powerful and requires similar accessories as other interchangeable lens cameras. Must-have mirrorless camera accessories help photographers take advantage of, and improve, their cameras’ features and protect their valuable photography equipment.

Lens filters fit at the front of camera lenses and serve both creative and protective purposes. The lens filters to consider include ultraviolet (UV), neutral density, circular polarizing and infrared (IR) filters. A UV filter prevents moisture, atmospheric haze and airborne particles from ruining the photos you take. Use a neutral density filter to minimize the effects of bright light and for long-exposure photography. A polarizing filter reduces glare from highly reflective surfaces. IR filters are designed for infrared imaging and landscape photography.

While filters protect lenses while you’re using them, lens caps will help protect your investment by sealing the lenses off when you’re not shooting with your camera. Use them to protect the best mirrorless camera lenses in your collection from dust, dirt, scratches and smudges.

Tripods are ideal for holding and stabilizing cameras during photo shoots. You need one for outdoor photography, especially when taking long hikes. When considering its size, the best tripod for a mirrorless camera is a lightweight, travel-friendly one. If you find a regular tripod too long or heavy, consider getting a mini tripod. It’s smaller, shorter and easier to set up in a hurry, so you don’t miss the perfect photo op. Consider getting a gorilla pod if you like to shoot from unique perspectives. This tripod model has bendable legs to help mount your mirrorless camera on poles, rails, trees and even moving vehicles.

Handheld stabilizers are also must-have mirrorless camera accessories if you plan on shooting lots of videos with your camera. They’ll help you avoid blurry and shaky videos when shooting while walking or taking tracking shots. For the best video stabilization, look for a mountable, three-axis gimbal stabilizer that can power your mirrorless camera and offers features like auto-tuning and time-lapse setup.

It’s always a good idea to have some extra batteries on hand when shooting with digital cameras, especially with mirrorless cameras. Spare batteries are also must-have mirrorless camera accessories because these cameras use up more power than DSLRs. This is because they need to power their LCD screens and electronic viewfinders. Besides keeping extra rechargeable batteries in your camera kit, find a USB battery charger to keep these spare batteries topped up so they’re ready to use when you need them.

A power bank also comes in handy when you need to charge a depleted camera battery. This is essential for shooting outdoors, at lengthy events, and whenever you’re far from a wall outlet. To avoid having to take a break to charge back up, find a lightweight power bank you can mount to your camera without significantly making it bulkier.

Photographers often use camera remotes to trigger the shutter release while away from their cameras. This is especially true if you’ll be hopping into a group photo yourself. This accessory is also useful for taking discreet nature shots in the wild without being detected by your animal subjects. Camera remotes may use infrared or Bluetooth connectivity to trigger the shutter release. An infrared remote must be in the camera’s line of sight, while a Bluetooth remote doesn’t have this requirement and has a longer range.

If you’re passionate about long-exposure photography, then an intervalometer is an essential mirrorless camera accessory to have in your kit. Use it to trigger the shutter release remotely and repeatedly to avoid camera shakes and blurry images. Before you get one, check that your mirrorless camera doesn’t have a built-in intervalometer. Plus, some remote triggers can also double as intervalometers.

Protect your investment by carrying your expensive cameras with neck, shoulder and wrist straps to prevent accidental drops during photo shoots. The best camera straps for mirrorless cameras are those made of tough, weather-resistant materials and with adjustable lengths, strong anchor links and a detaching mechanism that makes removing cameras easy. Choose a hand or wrist strap if you prefer not to have your camera dangling down your front or off your hip where it can inadvertently bump against hard surfaces. The best hand strap for a mirrorless camera is one that uses a snap-resistant material and a buckle to tether your equipment to your wrist.

If you’re researching how to store a mirrorless camera, then you should consider a compact camera bag or a case. You’ll need a case to protect your camera for moments when you choose not to lug around a bulky camera bag. This is a smaller protective shell for the camera and a lens. Look for a soft-shell case or pick a neoprene one if you’re looking for a water-resistant camera case. The best mirrorless camera bags are compact yet have ample storage spaces for multiple lenses and accessories.

The essential accessories you need for your mirrorless camera are items designed to protect it and improve its performance. Besides lenses, popular mirrorless camera accessories include lens filters and caps, tripods and gimbals, backup power, extra memory storage and protective gear to carry and secure your valuable equipment.