By Daniel Dern

From chargers and cables, to mini-tripods and back-up services, having the right accessories for your digital camera can be the difference between the right picture, just an okay picture or even no picture at all. Here are some accessories that all camera-toters should have.

Let's start with the essentials:

Spare batteries: In addition to what's in the camera, you should always carry at least one or two spare, charged batteries with you. A good rule of thumb is "one in the camera, one in your pocket, one in the charger." AA users should also pack a fresh set of Lithium batteries.

Battery charger and cable: You should always have two charger set-ups—one that goes with you and one that stays home. If the batteries charge through a USB port, have an AC/USB power adapter (they're small and cheap). AA users should consider a heavier-but-much-faster 15-minute charger like Energizeror Duracell instead of the less expensive, but slower, regular chargers.

Extra media (SD or CF card, etc.): Pack a spare card or two; they're cheap and small. The odds of filling up a 2GB or 4GB media card are pretty low, but it could happen. Also, it's easy to forget to check if your regular card is in the camera before you leave.

Camera case: Especially for non-"clamshells" and for cameras with no lens cap—spend the ten to twenty bucks for a protective case. Even a little bit of dust in the lens mechanism can keep your camera from working.

Lens cleaner tissue: They're small and inexpensive, but use them carefully.

Lanyard/strap for camera: Today's small cameras are all too easy to drop or lose. Save yourself the worry and invest in a strap or lanyard for your camera.

ID tags (for loss recovery): Invest in a highly-affordable pack of loss prevention/recovery labels, which have a toll-free phone number, URL and unique ID number. Check out StuffBak.

Add-on Flash: For shooting indoor subjects more than 10 feet away, consider an add-on flash; it'll cost between fifty to several hundred dollars. Bu, first make sure it works with your digital camera and specific model. And if you know how to use them, consider a flash "bounce" card.

Tripod (or monopod or other mount): For when you want to be in the picture or steady the camera, consider a tripod. There are many types and shapes available including the cheap, credit-card-sized folding Fozi Tripod, to the flexy-legged Gorillapod, as well as regular small tripods.

Cable, media reader for data download/transfer: Be sure to bring your camera's data transfer cable (which may be the same as the battery charging cable). Also bring a USB media card reader (they're small, and cost $6-$20), in case you want to view/upload your photos through a borrowed computer that doesn't have media slots.

Lens filter, lens cap: The lens is one of the most important—and easily damaged—parts of the camera. A "skylight" filter protects against fingerprints and dirt while you're shooting. A lens cap adds more protection when the camera isn't in use. For removable/interchangeable lenses, a "back cap" protects the other side of a lens when it's not on the camera, and a "body cap" protects where the lens goes into the camera body.

Viewfinder hood/magnifier: This lets you see the LCD in bright sunlight and is absolutely necessary if you are using an add-on wide-angle or telephoto lens.

Feature-added SD Card: WiFI, GPS, etc.: If your camera doesn't have these features built-in, you can get SD cards with Wi-Fi, GPS (for "geotagging") or backup services—one less thing to carry.

Other lenses: If your camera supports interchangeable lenses (or add-on adapters), consider extending your wide-angle capability (for when you can't back up far enough) or zoom ability.

Unless you're shooting for a wedding or such, the above should cover your basic camera care and usage needs. Remember to label your name on everything and capture the moments that you'll look fondly on for years to come.