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Equipment for newbie | Kit / Clothing / Equipment | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Equipment for newbie

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sarahlou85

28DL Member
28DL Member
Hi all I am very new to this and I am going to start exploring area in devon where i know there are old derelict buildings. The question is i have no idea where to start to buying equipment. I know the basics, torch good footwear and camera. But what kind of camera would i need and is there anything else i need?
 

chills

Queller of the uprising
Moderator
Welcome to the site!

Have a read of the following link to help you get a feel of the site and how things work:

On the site there’s a torch guide which will be able to advise on the best torches for your budget and needs. See this here:

As for kit including cameras, it’s really dependent on what budget your is and what you’re really looking to get out of it.

I myself use my phone and get some great shots, it’s all about how you use it and light the location.

Alternatively, you could probably get away with a cheap entry level DSLR. I started with a Canon 350D which would probably put you back less than £100 now. However, there’s no point in getting a good camera if you’ve got no clue to use it!

Take a look at some tech reviews and other posts here on the site as similar questions have been asked before.
 

Bikin Glynn

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Hi all I am very new to this and I am going to start exploring area in devon where i know there are old derelict buildings. The question is i have no idea where to start to buying equipment. I know the basics, torch good footwear and camera. But what kind of camera would i need and is there anything else i need?

that really is an open ended question depending on budget & what you want to achieve.
Obviously a DSLR with the widest poss lens is best but can cost a fortune & as a lot of us have found out can easily get broken exploring.
I use a 10-20mm lens most of the time but carry a 18-200 in case I want to get any high detail shots. a tripod is a must too but again lightweight compact ones can cost a lot.
A lot of people just use phones these days though & I would say they only struggle with long exposure stuff.

Generally I keep my kit as small as poss, I have decent boots, stretch fit jeans (best exploring trousers Iv found & £10 off ebay) gloves mainly for anto climb paint.
A super expensive hand held torch & a head torch which all fits in a shoulder camera bag.

I have other stuff too like a 45ft rope ladder & grappling hook but thats a bit extreme lol
 

Wastelandr

Goes where the Buddleia grows
Regular User
Camera wise two good entry level DSLR cameras are either the Nikon D3100-D3500 series or the Canon EOS 1300D. The newer models will cost a few hundred pounds, the older models you can get on ebay for £100 ish. Both come with good wide-medium zoom lenses and are great for learning photographic techniques.
 

KPUrban_

Surprisingly Unsurprising
Regular User
Good footwear, torches and a reliable phone (for if the worst should happen) are all good essentials.

The camera type depends on your preferences, how "in to" photography you are, budget so on and so fourth.

Most people will, rightly so, suggest an entry level DSLR but it might be worth doing one or two locations with your phone. So that you get a feel for the hobby, first instead of spending all your money and realising you hate it as having camera gear sitting around doing nothing is a rather depressing sight.

Might be worth looking through YouTube, Facebook, Google ect at reviews for cameras within a given budget.
 
Last edited:

paulpowers

Massive Member
Regular User
Hi all I am very new to this and I am going to start exploring area in devon where i know there are old derelict buildings. The question is i have no idea where to start to buying equipment. I know the basics, torch good footwear and camera. But what kind of camera would i need and is there anything else i need?

To be honest a camera isn't needed
A decent torch and solid footwear is all you really need

If you want a camera I'd recommend getting a cheap DSLR to learn how to take photos then look at something better when you're sure it's what you want to do
 

Siimot

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I bought a second hand EOS 1100d and 10-22mm lens for just under 250, the camera body was under £100
You could spend a bit less on a lens but wide angles are really that cheap :(

Other camera's i use is my sony hx50 compact camera, its old but does the job when i don't want to carry the SLR around.
 

ALBA Adventures

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I always have a 0.5L water bottle and a first aid kit in my backpack. Just in case. ;)
For caves, ROC posts, tunnels, etc. a hard hat and a spare flashlight. Safety boots and rubber boots with steel toe caps and soles would also be appropriate. And also cut-resistant gloves...
 

RookBarkwater

28DL Member
28DL Member
Broad question. As others have said it depends on what sort of budget your going for and what exactly you intend to do, but here's a general loadout without getting too extreme:
Shemagh - [I wrap some food in it]
Energy Bars
Nalgene 1L
Additional water as necessary
Flashlight Primary [Larger, think maglite]
Flashlight Secondary [smaller, think nitecore]
Digital Camera
Go-Pro
Spare Batteries
Glowstick x 6
Flare x 2
Back-Up Phone [cheap button phone, 3 x prepaid SIM cards on different networks, spare battery, all wrapped in plastic bag and rubber banded]
Phone
Powerbank
Notepad & Pen/Pencil
Compass
Pocket Knife
Multi-Tool
Dust/Mold Mask
First Aid Kit
 

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