What are the essential accessories for a new Canon EOS 90D?

Question

I just dropped a ton of money on this Canon EOS 90D body and now I am completely overwhelmed trying to figure out which accessories are actually must-haves and which are just a waste of money because my bank account is literally crying. I've been saving up for months working extra shifts at the cafe here in Portland and I finally pulled the trigger, but I didnt realize how much extra stuff I'd actually need just to get out the door and start shooting. I'm feeling super frustrated because every YouTube video tells me something different and I only have about $200 left in my budget for the next month before I head out to shoot my cousins wedding.

I'm currently torn between two different setups for the power situation. Option one is sticking with official Canon gear, specifically an extra LP-E6N battery and maybe a basic Canon brand bag, but that eats up almost my entire $200 right there just for one battery and a pouch. Option two is going the third-party route with a Neewer or Wasabi Power battery grip kit that comes with two batteries and a charger for like $65. I've heard horror stories about off-brand batteries swelling or dying fast but the price difference is insane and I really want that grip for the vertical shutter button since I do a lot of portraits. Is the risk of third-party gear actually real or am I just being paranoid about my new camera blowing up?

Also I'm stuck on the memory card situation and it's driving me nuts. I'm looking at a single 256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro vs getting three or four smaller 64GB cards. I'm worried if I get the big one and it corrupts I'm totally screwed for the whole event, but I'm also really prone to losing small things so having a bunch of tiny cards floating around in my bag sounds like a recipe for disaster. Since I'm doing 4K video too I know I need the faster V30 or V60 speeds but the price jumps so fast. Which of these setups is actually going to give me the least amount of headaches for a beginner?

donna.washington · Accepted Answer

Stumbled upon this today and man, I feel that budget stress. Regarding what #1 said about "> Is the risk of third-party gear actually real", I would definitely suggest being careful with those dirt-cheap battery kits. I once used a no-name battery in my old setup and it actually swelled up inside the compartment so bad I had to use pliers to get it out. Nearly ruined the whole body. Since you're shooting a wedding, you might want to consider just getting one genuine Canon LP-E6NH Li-ion Battery and skipping the grip for now. It sucks not having the vertical button, but having a camera that doesnt shut off randomly is way better. For storage, I'd probably grab two Samsung PRO Plus 128GB SDXC V30 cards. I always split my shots across two cards just in case one goes bad. Better to lose half a day than the whole wedding... honestly. Also, make sure to get a decent cleaning cloth like a MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths 6 Pack because Portland weather is unpredictable and a single smudge can ruin your 4K footage. Stay safe out there.

TechTrekker · Answer

> Is the risk of third-party gear actually real or am I just being paranoid about my new camera blowing up? Listen, I have shot with the 90D for quite a while now and I have tried many different power setups over the years. You are not being paranoid, but you might be overthinking the danger. I have used the Wasabi Power LP-E6NH Dual Battery Kit for years without my camera ever catching fire or melting. The real issue with off-brand cells is they often lose their max capacity faster or have weird reporting where the camera thinks it has 30% left and then it just shuts off. For a wedding, that unpredictability can be a bit stressful. If your bank account is hurting tho, grab the Wasabi kit. The savings are just too good to ignore when you are starting out. I would skip the cheap battery grip for now, honestly. Those budget grips often have loose connections that can make your shutter button act up right when you need it. Just carry the extra batteries in your pocket. On the card front, I strongly suggest a middle ground. I have seen way too many people lose tiny 64GB cards in the grass or at the bottom of a bag. Grab two SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC UHS-I V30 cards instead. They are fast enough for the 90D's 4K video and 128GB is the sweet spot. In my experience, having two cards is the best way to ensure you do not lose everything if one corrupts, without having a dozen tiny things to track.

christopher.davis · Answer

Saw this earlier today but I was out shooting. I went through the same panic when I got my 90D. I actually did a wedding once where a cheap card corrupted halfway through and it was the worst feeling ever, so I get the stress. If you want that vertical grip feel without the Canon price tag, I have used the Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Canon 90D and it gets the job done. It feels a bit cheaper than the official one but the buttons work fine. For power, look at Powerextra LP-E6NH 2-Pack with LCD Charger which usually runs under 40 bucks and I haven't had any swelling issues with them. Memory card tips:

Get a couple Lexar Professional 1066x 128GB SDXC UHS-I Card GOLD Series cards.

128GB is the sweet spot for 4K video without being too many tiny cards to lose.

Get a Pelican 0915 SD Memory Card Case so they dont get lost in your bag. The 90D is a beast but it eats batteries in Live View, so definitely grab that grip.