The Ultimate 'First Camera Purchase' Accessory TIER LIST! | The PetaPixel Podcast

Thanks to our friends at DxO for sponsoring today's podcast. DxO just released Nik Collection 9, the latest version of their popular editing suite that photographers have been using for over a decade. If you know Nik, you know Silver Efex for black-and-white and Color Efex for creative grading. Nik Collection 9 is the biggest feature update in years. If you want the full breakdown, our very own Michael Bonocore wrote a deep dive over on PetaPixel covering all the new features with real examples using his travel photography: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/27/8-ed... DxO is offering PetaPixel Podcast listeners 15% off any DxO software, including Nik Collection 9, by using the code "PetaPixel" at checkout at http://dxo.com. Thanks again to DxO for sponsoring today’s podcast!  -- Now saving when you shop for your favorite gear at B&H Photo is even easier with the B&H Payboo Credit Card which lets you Save the Tax — you pay the tax, and B&H pays you back instantly! (Save the Tax on eligible purchases shipped to eligible states.) OR you can pay over time with our 6 & 12 month financing (on minimum purchases of $199 for 6 months, and $599 for 12 months). Terms apply, learn more at http://bhphoto.com/payboo. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval. Payboo Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital Bank -- This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, Chris, Jordan, and Jaron discuss the week's worth of news, including a controversial story where a Gallery in New York sold an AI-generated, colorized version of an Ansel Adams classic, the Sony a7 V's latest firmware update, and what might be the rarest digital camera ever made. Plus, the three break out the tier list and rank every optional accessory that camera stores try to bundle with your first camera purchase. What's S-tier and what's F-tier? They dig into it! -- Check out PetaPixel Merch: http://store.petapixel.com/ We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio: https://creators.riverside.fm/Petapixel We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/petapixel -- In This Episode: 00:00 - Intro, and Chris's rage bait 13:11 - Chris's Wotancraft Pilot Collab sold out in under 24 hours: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/21/the-... 17:01 - NYC Gallery sold an AI-generated version of Ansel Adams masterpiece without permission: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/25/nyc-... 22:31 - Gallery owner says he has "every right to" do it: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/26/nyc-... 27:14 - Canon's separation of C and V cameras isn't working: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/24/i-fu... 34:06 - 7Artisans announced Z-mount's most affordable 135mm f/1.8 prime: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/20/7art... 36:36 - Sony a7V got a nice firmware update: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/20/new-... 39:05 - This might be the rarest digital camera ever made (via    / snappiness):   https://petapixel.com/2026/05/18/this... 42:48 - Camera Store Accessories Tier List 1:22:16 - What have you been up to? 1:26:17 - Tech support 1:31:00 - Feel Good Story of the week: https://petapixel.com/2026/05/20/revi...