Landscape Photography Equipment

Landscape photography, even more than some of the other schools of photography, relies heavily on specialized supporting equipment. If you are new to landscape photography, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with choosing the right equipment. Be fear not, LandscapePhotographyGuide.net will guide will help you choose the best landscape equipment!

Putting together the perfect camera kit for any type of photography is expensive but one day every photographer takes that one shot that seems to make every penny worth it and with preparation and forethought, such a shot will come.  With the correct equipment and preparation it may come sooner than you think.

Cameras

When it comes to choosing a camera for landscape photography, it is a question of striking a balance between resolution and portability.  Of course, resolution is probably the most important of these.  A good camera will help to identify the fine detail of the landscape, providing sharpness and clarity and gives you the further possibility of printing the image to a large format without losing any of the crisp color and finer elements of the original.

Film vs. Digital

Film cameras still provide the best detail with  4 x 5” large format, field cameras as a starting point but they are rather awkward  and carrying them comfortably over any distance can be an issue for many people.

If money is no object then the newer digital, medium format cameras made by companies such as Hasselblad and Mamiya provide up to 60MP.  Despite being a little chunkier and heavier than your average DSLR, they do provide greater ease of use than their film counterparts but lenses can be expensive.  A 40mm f4 (equivalent to 25mm focal length on 35mm camera) for example, costs around £4000. The same lens for a DSLR, such as the Nikon Nikkor 25mm f1.4 lens, would cost about a quarter of this.  There are also digital 'backs' for old film, medium format cameras but all of this requires more space and hauling (and more space than I have here to begin discussing them)

So, let's move on the options if your camera of choice is to be the ubiquitous DSLR.  Of course, these cameras not only provide excellent resolution but also solve the problem of portability.  The great advantage of them is that they can be pulled from your bag to snap a grinning friend in a bar just as easily as they can be used for serious landscape photography.

When it comes to choosing a DSLR an important distinction to be made is choosing between a camera with a crop frame and one with a full frame.

Crop Camera vs. Full Frame Camera

The old 35mm film cameras set many of the measurement benchmarks used for current DSLRs .  On a film camera, the size of the rectangle through which light could pass to affect the film measured a standard 24mm x 36mm.  Subsequently, the size of the sensor in a modern DSLR is still measured by this standard and, therefore, a digital sensor conforming to these dimensions is referred to as a full frame sensor or as having no crop-factor.

It is not simply that a full-frame sensor captures “more” of a landscape: this is determined, to a far greater extent, by the choice of lens.  Choosing a camera with a full frame sensor (such as a Canon 5D mk2 or Nikon D700) means cleaner images.  This is because if you take, for example, two cameras with precisely the same pixel count on the sensor, the cropped sensor (or APS-C) will have these pixels 'squeezed' into a tighter space, whereas the pixels on the full frame sense light with greater accuracy and definition, providing sharper image quality.  In low light the full frame can provide 2 or 3 stops of light advantage over its APS-C equivalent meaning less noise and a cleaner image.

For example, if you plan on landscape photography becoming your primary photographic pursuit then a worthwhile investment might a lens such as the Canon EF-S 10mm – 22mm f3.5/4.5 or Nikon Nikkor 10mm – 24mm f3.5/4.5 wide angle zoom lenses.    Using these lenses on cropped sensors (such as a Nikon D300 or  Canon 500D) will give you an equivalent (approximate) focal length of between 16mm and 40mm.  Yet on the full frame, the focal length of the lens is the focal length you will get.  A cropped sensor has it's advantages in wildlife or long distance photography but for landscapes you'll get much more from a wide-angle lens with the full frame sensor

For landscapes, buying full frame may incur a cost premium for the camera body but you will get more quality and width from the lens than a cropped frame camera can provide. The idea, however, that there is any difference in ISO performance between the two cameras is something I have not experienced from my use of both types. There are quite a few claims about Full Frame sensors delivering better ISO performance, so it’s a feature you may want to keep in mind.

What's the Best DSLR Camera for Landscape Photography?

The best camera for landscape photography, is without a doubt, one that uses a full frame sensor. The image quality, we have found, is superior. We personally recommend the Canon 5D Mark 2 which is Canon's full frame camera. Nikon also has their own (highly rated) full frame camera too. But don't think that you need to pony out $3000 dollars on a full frame camera to take good landscape images -- you can certainly take stunning images on entry level DSLR cameras too. Skill, technique, luck, and the right equipment all play a role in getting the perfect shot, but don't let anyone tell you that you need the best equipment or the most expensive equipment to succeed.

Camera Lenses for Landscapes

Lenses are a personal choice. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the right lens for landscape shots.

  • Image Quality
  • Weight
  • “How Wide”

Image Quality
This is very important for landscape images. Landscape photographers are notoriously picky about having the highest quality images. Picking a lens for image quality often means looking at the “pro” level of glass. In the case of Canon lenses, pro-grade glass are denoted with an L. The image quality is better than non-L canon lenses and there is better build quality to the lenses. Each brand of camera will have their own version of the Canon L glass. Typically, expect to pay a premium for pro-grade glass. Depending on how fast the lens is (the lower the f-stop rating) you can expect to pay anywhere from 600 dollars to 4000 dollars (or more) for a single such lens.

Weight
Weight is a factor for landscape photographers because to get the perfect image often requires some serious hiking. You don’t want to carry around massive lenses because it’s harder to get around.

How Wide
Typically most people consider “wide angle” lenses landscape lenses. The reason is that you typically want to capture as MUCH of the scene as possible and wide angles give you that ability. Wide angles simply make landscapes (with the right composition) so much more dramatic.

More About Specific Lens Recommendations
The lenses mentioned in the previous section, and their equivalents for Sony, Pentax et al, cover a good scope of possibility for general landscape photography.   For Canon EF-S and Nikon DX cameras with cropped APS-C sensors, the Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 is a decent alternative in the same kind of price range. 

Having owned both Tamron and Sigma lenses I can safely say that the build quality of the Sigma lens feels more robust.  I will presume you already have the obligatory 18mm – 55mm (as it usually comes boxed with most cameras) so a further advantage of these wide angle lenses is that they reach 20mm so will take you comfortably up to the 18mm start point of your next lens. For landscapes the f3.5 aperture is more than sufficient because for this type of photography you will probably want to stop down to more than f3.5 for greater depth of field.

I personally use and abuse Canon lenses – I feel they offer the best in terms of image quality, if you use their pro-grade L lenses. However, Tamron and Sigma will typically give you better “bang for your buck” since they are cheaper than comparative Canon L lenses.

Assuming you have a full frame camera but do not want to invest as heavily in a lens exclusively  for landscapes, or you have purchased the camera body without the 18mm -55mm, then a good option might be something like the Tamron 17mm-50mm f2.8.  Although not great for speed of focus it provides a more modestly priced all-rounder for portrait or landscape.

As I have suggested, your choice of lens will, of course, depend on whether you want to work solely on landscapes or use your camera for a wider range of photography.  If you do want a broad  choice of lenses for general use but would like to occasionally dabble in landscape then a 50mm f1.8 is great lens to have on board, but it is especially useful for composing panoramas.  It's light, portable, inexpensive and although not particularly wide, might also be a good choice for more detailed work like architecture, crashing waves or images concentrating on one precise, detailed area of a landscape.

Hardly any other factor in how a shot will turn out is as critical as the choice of lens and it is only by trial and error that you can begin to make the right choice of lens more of the time.  Practice means that as you look at the landscape stretching out in front of you, you'll begin to visualize the image you want to create and can immediately opt for the right lens to do the job.  Over time you may develop a fondness for a particular focal length or style but before buying an expensive prime, wide angle or super-wide-angle, it is always a good idea to carry a lens that will give you a good range of focal length to play with.

Remember that landscapes are not always sweeping vistas, but rather any photographic representation of the physical world. A selection of lenses covering anything from 17mm to 70mm ought to cover an adequate range of possibilities and from this you can begin to discern focal lengths that you have a tendency of returning to again and again.

Canon Landscape Lenses

If you own a Canon body, there are a couple landscape lenses to look at:

  • Canon 10-22mm EF-S
  • Canon 17-40L mm
  • Canon 16-35L mm
  • Canon Prime

If you have a crop sensor camera, then you’ll have to go with the 10-22mm lens to get wide angle. If you own a Canon 5D or 5D Mk2 body, then the 17-40L will be ultra wide as will the 16-35L. The difference is that the 16-35L is a faster lens (it goes down to 2.8 f-stop while the 17-40L is only 4 f-stop). Personally, I prefer the 17-40L because it’s less than half the cost of the 16-35L and significantly smaller/lighter. For pure landscapes, it’s your best bet (especially if portability and weight are factors – say with hiking or travelling). If you want a lens that you can use both for landscapes and portraits/inside shooting, then the 16-35L is more recommended because of the lower f-stop.

Tripods

Some of the best photography captures the elements at work upon the landscape and this sense of movement can be dramatically captured in a photograph.  What you do not want is for the elements to compromise the stability your tripod. A cheap tripod is not really an option. Even when using high speeds, if the tripod is wavering about in the wind or unsteady in any way this can be the deciding factor in ruining a well composed and considered shot.  Again, buying a tripod is really about striking a balance between lightness, rigidity and stability.  It is worth asking yourself if you intend to carry the tripod long distances or whether you intend to use it for other types of photography too.  Tripods come in a variety of materials, weights and prices, but for landscape photography, where some arduous trekking is needed, Carbon fibre (CF)  really is the best option both in terms of lightness and rigidity.  However, if you intend to use a large telephoto lens with a CF tripod then this rigidity can be compromised somewhat.  When looking at a tripod it is probably best to look at buying as three separate components.

  • Leg Set
  • Head
  • Levelling Base
  • Quick Release System
  • L-Plate

What's the Best Tripod for Landscape Photography?

Picking out the right tripod depends on the person's needs. In our opinion, a good landscape tripod is ONE that's highly portable in the field -- landscape photographers are often highly mobile, forced to travel great distances to take the perfect shot (plane travel, car travel, hiking, climbing, etc). Because of this, lightweight and portability are key.

We recommend the Gitzo 1541T as the best landscape tripod. It's only 2.5lbs with a ballhead on it, extends to over 5 feet, and when folded is only 16 inches long -- small enough to shove into any suitcase or bag/backpack. It's expensive though, at over $500 dollars.

 

Leg Sets

The reason not purchasing the tripod as a set is that there is a great deal of difference in how the legs or head lock and how the whole thing feels.  It's always best to tailor all of this to suit your requirements. Where you may be able to buy your camera and lens online with some degree of certainty, a tripod really is an area where you need some contact with the object before buying.  If you have no experience of a particular tripod then getting out to a store and physically handling them is the best bet.  Basalt tripods come in a little cheaper than CF but in terms of their composition there is little to choose between them. Nonetheless, basalt costs a little less.  Aluminium has more weight than both of these materials and less vibration dampening but is cheaper still. The Gitzo 1541T is a great CF tripod for travelling at the high end of the price range.  In the mid range a basalt Gitzo GT1830 Series 1 Tripod offers a good alternative.  In terms of aluminium something like the Manfrotto 190XWNB Wilderness Tripod will cost around £110 but don't expect to get anything of any real quality below this price range.

Levelling Base

The levelling base, although not essential, is a really useful piece of kit to have.  The levelling base sits between the leg set and ball head giving you some fine tuning if the legs are on uneven ground.  Rather than fiddling with the leg extensions to get the bubble level on ball head correctly aligned, you can do this on the levelling base before adding the head.  Like I have said, not exactly essential but a handy supplement and if you've spent good money on the tripod and head then it is a relatively inexpensive addition.  You can pick up a great quality Erratic Levelling base for £80.  Other versions are available from Lindhof and Gitzo. Some ball-heads, like the Erratic GP, incorporate the levelling base so that you can be confident of the camera staying true to the horizon when you're creating panoramas.

Ball Head

A ball-head mount really is the only choice when it comes to stability and is a solid investment.  You have a fair amount of expensive equipment riding on it so it is not an investment you should skimp on.  Although something decent can be expensive, it's an item you can expect to be using for many, many years.  Using a cheap video head really isn't an option.  Not only are pan / tilt heads less smooth to use but also more difficult to carry as the handle(s) invariably protrudes, plus you will end up needing to lock the head via two separate orientations. 

Other than the ability to rotate smoothly and point in a 360 direction, the major advantage with a ball head comes with how easily they lock into place.  Some cheaper heads don't lock smoothly and by the time you have locked the head in place the framing of the shot has changed.  For any degree of certainty look to one of the bigger companies such as Manfrotto or Gitzo.  Get to store and choose the one that feels right for you.

Quick Release System

Once you buy a tripod, one important factor that you need to consider IS how you are going to put the entire system together. The best system is called the Arca-Swiss Quick Release System and involves a special quick-release plate installed on the tripod ballhead and a screw-in plate mounted on the camera itself (or you can mount an LPlate instead). This system allows you to release the camera from the tripod with a simple flick of a switch or lever. There are a number of other Quick Release Systems out there, but by far, the Arca-Swiss is the most popular and the most convenient to use.

L-Plate

A simple device allowing you to quickly convert from landscape to portrait orientation without flipping the camera off the tripod's centre of gravity.  This makes changing orientations a simple affair without having to touch the tripod itself or do any readjustments. For landscapes, this special plate can save a LOT of time.

Try to buy for stiffness rather than lightness because some photographers have complained that L plates can cause images to soften.  This could be because when the mirror or shutter vibrates, the increased distance between the camera and tripod cause a small oscillation, but generally they work fine and most users find them indispensable.  Don't buy anything generic but instead buy specifically for your model of camera.  The type you buy will also depend on whether you use a battery grip.

We recommend going with the Really Right Stuff L-Plate’s. They are custom manufactured for your specific camera model and fit like a glove. They are pricey, at around $150 dollars but the quality is worth the price.

Filters

Filters can drastically alter the look of your pictures. A landscape photographer, to take good images, MUST master the use of filters. Let me repeat this: you cannot be a good landscape photographer without an intricate understanding of how to use the right filters at the right time. If you want to take sunset/sunrise photos with balanced exposure, you will absolutely need to master the use of GRAD filters.

Thread or System Filters?

Many photographers prefer to use Cokin or Lee filter holders.  Because the lens may already have a threaded UV filter it can be unwise (and fiddly) to start piggy-backing threaded filters one after another. This will only increase the possibility of lens flare and vignetting at the outer areas of the image. The filter holder systems made by these companies mean that filters come as square plates that can be either slotted into the holder or held in place magnetically.  There are more than 200 Cokin filters available for each of their holder sizes. A filter holder not only makes changing filters easier but also gives you the opportunity to experiment with a wide variety of colored gelatin filters made by companies such as Lee and Roscoe. You can purchase these filters more cost-effectively as kits made specifically for landscapes. Make sure you buy the correct system for your lens and that the filter has complete coverage over your widest angle.  This is especially relevant for full frame sensor cameras.   There should be no problem, however, on cropped sensors. If you do opt for a system filter set then it is worth investing in a wallet for storage of the filters.

UV Filter

Generally best to buy one, with the correct sized thread, for every lens you own to protect the glass and sensor from harmful UV, grit and dust.  You can buy these as square filters but their point, to me at least, is entirely lost.  A UV filter has no discernible effect on the overall image.  Best to opt for a high quality, multi-coated filter to reduce any chance of lens flare.

Polarizing Filter

Polarizing Filters are a must have for landscape photography.  Light bounces around in many directions, and from reflective surfaces some of this light passes too directionally into the lens.  This is why the sunlight dancing on the surface of the sea or moisture on leaves can often read as heavily over-exposed areas of a photograph.  A polarizing filter omits this light and can be rotated to give some control over the different waveforms of light permitted to the lens.  The result of this is that skies appear bluer and clouds hang more dramatically on this deeper background. The polarizing filter allows you to see something of the depth of a body of water because of the decreased surface reflectiveness and gives vegetation an intense lustre.  One slight disadvantage is that because of the decrease in available light you will be forced to shoot at a lower speed, but the light you're preventing is not of the helpful variety. Be certain to buy a circular, rather than a linear filter as the latter will confound the camera's white balance and autofocus.

Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filters

Graduated Neutral Density Filters are another important filter for giving you maximum control of the light, particularly where the sky may be over-exposed or appear much brighter than the rest of the image. GRAD filters are probably the most important filter for landscape photography -- without them, you get uneven exposure. See those amazing landscape sunset shots with a bright, beautiful sky, a huge burning orb of a setting sun, and a wonderfully exposed foreground and background? Those pictures are made possible because of GND Filters. 

In essence, one half of the filter permits less light, graduating through to full light.  These filters can help to create some parity of exposure between sky and ground.  Don't confuse GND with colored, grey graduated filters These are not the same and will only change the color of the light rather than decreasing its intensity.   There are 6 different strengths of ND grads but it's probably worth choosing the weakest of these filter blocks which decrease light by either 1, 2 or 3 stops. 

The most cost-effective way to purchase is as a full set from either Cokin or Lee.  The filter sets start at around $100 although Lee Filters, whilst (arguably) better, are more expensive. If you want to go with a higher quality GND filters, you can look at the offerings by Singh-Ray. Grads are available in smaller sizes (by Cokin) and larger sizes. It's best to go with the larger size grads as you can use them with wide angle lenses and you can hand hold them to the lens in a pinch.

  • Cokin              ND2X, ND4X and ND8X.
  • Lee                  .1, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9
  • Singh-Ray *all levels

Types of Grad Filters

  • Hard Grad Filters
  • Soft Grad Filters
  • Reverse Grad Filters


There are also options for how smoothly the gradient makes the transition from dark to light, termed as hard edge and soft edge filters. Hard edge filters are useful for shots where there is an unbroken horizon -- shots over the sea, grasslands, or other such settings where the horizon is clear and uninterrupted. Soft Edge grad filters are for shots where the horizon has objects in it -- mountains, trees, buildings, and such. Reverse Grad Filters are special filters produced by Singh-Ray which have a dark gradient near the center of the filter. That gradient becomes more reduce away from the center of the filter. This filter is really for one type of shot: sunrise/sunset pictures where there is a concentration of brightness near the center of the image.

If you purchase only one set of GND filters then it's probably best to ere on the side of caution and choose soft edge.  With hard edge you can often find yourself working the shot around the filter rather than the filter working for your shot. If you can afford it, you should incorporate both hard and soft filters. You can "stack" grads together if you need even more control, though this does introduce some dicoloration into the image, sometimes.

Our recommendation is this:

  • 3 Stop Soft Grad Filter
  • 3 Stop Hard Grad Filter
  • 4 Stop Reverse Grad Filter

We've found that most high contrast lighting conditions can be controlled with a 3 stop soft/hard grad.

How to Hold Grad Filters to Your Lens?

There are a couple ways.

Use a Filter Holder: You can utilize something like the Cokin Filter Holder or the more expensive Lee Filter Holder. This allows you to hand hold your camera while using filters (not usually recommended). If you use a filter holder, you also don't introduce vibration (since you are not touching the filter) into the picture taking process which allows you the maximum quality.

Hand Hold It: Another option is to just hold the grad filters directly against your camera lens. This is certainly the easiest and fastest method since you don't have to carry around a filter holder and fiddle with it. However, hand holding a filter may introduce vibration into the image. Because the filters are pressed against the end of the lens, you may also scratch them (in fact, you WILL). Some grad filters (depending on the brand) may be close to 200 dollars per filter so you do risk damaging them. The scratches, if you have enough of them, WILL degrade the image quality somewhat.

 

Neutral Density Filter

These are useful for when you need to stop the light down for shooting longer exposures in bright daylight. They are especially  useful for controlling how you would like moving water to appear. Again, like GND filters they are best purchased as a set:

  • Cokin              ND2, ND4, ND8.
  • Lee                  0.3Full, 0.6Full, 0.9Full

 

Red Filter

Color filters are relatively inexpensive.  For truly dramatic photographs a red filter is a great addition to your collection.  They create a stylized depth and intensity.  They add a vast amount of contrast and work well to deepen foliage and create tone separation on cloudy, blue skies.  If you are venturing into black and white landscapes a red filter comes into its own. Many of the color filters available will create some interesting effects and buying color filters as a set (of three primaries) is a good start and give you a greater range of possibilities. Color, graduated filters are another option to keep in mind, as are color correction filters although on a tight budget it's always possible to try out color changes in your imaging software.

Warming Filter

Warming filters come in a wide range of colors from pale salmon pinks to light golds and ambers.  As the name suggests these filters generate some warmth into an otherwise flat or cold scene.

Neodymium / LP Filter

Although not exactly an essential filter a Neodymium or Light Pollution filter can have some uses especially of you plan to shoot at night or include star laden skies as part of the landscape. Predominantly designed and used for telescopes, these filters bypass the wavelengths emitted by low-pressure sodium lighting and other unnatural light. If you plan to shoot a landscape in, or close to, an urban environment at night then the images can often become overwhelmed by an intense orange glow, usually made worse because you are working with longer exposure times.  Neo-D or LP filters help to overcome this by permitting starlight and reflected light from the earth, leaving the sky the intense black or deep magenta it ought to be. This is very much a specialist filter and requires some research before buying but for Canon EOS, Astronomik make a truly effective CLS Light Pollution Filter.

Specialty Filters

There are a variety of specialty filters you can get that combine different filter types into a single one. Singh-Ray make some such filters. For example, you can get their LB Color Combo which combines a Warming Polarizer with a Color Intensifier filter. This filter is great for shots with a lot of color as the colors are greatly pumped up (more natural looking than say doing so in PhotoShop). This filter is especially great for Autumn colors.

Another such filter is the Vari-ND Duo which combines an adjustable ND filter (to control lighting) with a warming polarizer. This is a fantastic lens for all shots with moving water (waterfalls, streams, etc).

They even have a new filter called the Vari-ND-Trio which combines a warming polizer, color enhancer, and warming polarizer!

Cable Release

Probably the cheapest bit of kit you'll carry but likely to be the one item you'd really kick yourself for leaving behind.  Why go to all of the trouble and expense of the best tripod and ball-head when the simple act of pressing the shutter could undo all of your hard work?  If you decide to opt for the infra-red, remote variety then get one with a sturdy on / off button because the cheaper versions tend to turn themselves on in your bag making expensive lithium batteries drain away in no time.  If you do have an IR remote shutter release then also get into the habit of keeping the battery and the unit separate when not in use. If you don't have a cable release the option is still there to use your timer settings to avoid contact with the camera when it matters.  However if you are trying to catch the precise moment a cloud breaks or the effects of wind on the landscape then this method falls short.

Note that you cannot do long-exposure night photography WITHOUT the use of a cable release.

Camera Bag

Across the board Lowepro really are the bag to beat for lugging your camera about and they offer a range of bags to suit every camera user.  Try to carry your kit as hand luggage for flights but if this is inconvenient then one of the hard cases made by Pelican should provide enough protection from baggage throwing ,world record attempts by airport ground crew.

A waterproof camera bag really is the best bet, not only to provide protection from the rain but (and even more damaging) from sand and grit in dry, arid conditions.  It's also re-assuring to note that if you choose a bag such as the Lowepro Dryone100 then, should you happen to drop everything into a raging torrent, the bag will float, keeping everything inside as dry as a bone.  If you are working in less inhospitable conditions then the outer, waterproofing shell can be unzipped leaving you direct access to your equipment.  These compartments, as with most Lowepro bags, are completely customisable to suit your camera and lens choice.  The downside is that retail, you could end up spending between £200 and £400 on a top model.

Under no circumstances use a bag that isn't designed for cameras.

If you are less adventurous or working on a tighter budget then the Fastpack series by Lowepro are a good choice and can be picked up for less than £100.  If it rains then throw a cheap, waterproof poncho over yourself and the backpack!

As a landscape photographer, cloud can often be a deciding factor in setting up for a shot, whether your inspiration comes from a dramatic thunder-head or picture-book cumulus.  One day, unexpectedly or otherwise, one of these clouds will suddenly decide to empty its contents right on top of you so if you can go for waterproof then do so. 

In an ideal world we would all clear the bag of our kit and clean the lenses before storing but more often than not lenses are left in the bag until the next outing.  If the bag has retained any moisture at the core then bringing the bag back into a warm environment could contribute to degradation of the lens and the camera, so again, a further reason to insure against all eventualities is to head for a waterproof model.

Other Useful Camera Accessories for Landscape Photography

 

Head Torch

A pretty straight-forward investment.  The chances are that at some point you will arrive at a spot where you will want to set up shortly before the sun has risen or just as it's going down.  You may also want to take a shot from a dark, rural location, overlooking a well lit scene such as a harbour or city-scape.  A head torch also has its uses if you have to trek across uneven terrain in darkness.  Nonetheless, in any of these situations you will want to keep both hands free and getting everything ready is not easy to do in pitch-black. 

Spot Meter

This allows you to gauge the level of light so you can make more accurate control it (say by using filters). Most digital cameras (certainly DSLR’s) have built in spot meters so you don’t really need a dedicated spot meter these days. However, having one can help and they may be easier to use and more accurate than your built in camera one.

Camera Rain Cover

For similar reasons a rain cover for your camera is also a good idea if you are setting up in conditions where it is threatening to rain or where water might be splashing near to you. Rain can really ruin your shooting IF you don't have a proper rain cover. The Kata E-690 GDC Elements Cover is a good option for use with shorter, wide-angle lenses.

Finally, just make sure you have done a mental check-list of any other necessary kit: the right clothing, food, maps etc... It may also be a good idea to have researched or purchased an almanac of local tide, sunrise and sunset times.  You can never have enough fully charged batteries and memory cards.  It almost goes without saying that a  mobile phone is another essential piece of kit for any emergencies (but mainly as an extra torch if the head-light runs out)