Who says you have to spend a lot of cash for good photo gear? Here are two must-have items for less than $100.

The Card reader: There is no other accessory I recommend more than a good memory card reader. Plugging in your camera to transfer files can be a pain, especially if you need to install drivers. It is also typically slower, eats up valuable battery life and keeps you from using the camera. For less than $50, and usually closer to $20, a good USB2 card reader is a solid investment. I’ve had good luck with the various Sandisk models.

The Strap Upgrade: If you’ve walked around with your camera for any significant amount of time, you know the straps that come with most cameras are uncomfortable at best. One of the best purchases since my camera has been a quality strap. I went with an OpTech Pro Loop camera strap. It is wider to distribute the weight across my neck and is made of comfortable and flexible neoprene for comfort. The difference was amazing after taking the big lens on a several hour zoo excursion. It also has quick releases so you can take the strap off if your bag is too small to accommodate a strap attached. Even better is that the two connectors left on the camera connect to each other for a makeshift hand strap. The Pro Loop can be found online at B&H for about $20.