Finally pulled the trigger on a Z6II after months of debating and man my wallet is feeling it. I'm coming from an old D750 so the whole mirrorless thing is a bit of a learning curve for me. I've got about $400 left in my gear fund before my wife starts giving me the side-eye and I need to make it count because I have a couple of engagement shoots coming up in the Portland area next month and it’s probably gonna be drizzling knowing the weather here.

I've been doing some reading and everyone keeps saying I absolutely HAVE to get a CFexpress Type B card for the faster write speeds and the dual slot peace of mind but those things are like $200 just for a decent card and then another $50 for a reader and I'm sitting here thinking... do I really need that right away? I have a bunch of fast V30 and V60 SD cards from my old setup and I'm wondering if I can just get away with those for now or if the camera is gonna chug if I'm shooting bursts. My logic was that I could save that money for a better strap or maybe an extra battery instead.

Speaking of batteries I keep seeing the MB-N11 grip mentioned everywhere. Some guys on the forums say it's a must-have for the ergonomics especially if you have bigger hands but it makes the camera so much bulkier. I like the idea of the extra battery life for a long day but is it total overkill? I also saw some people recommending those SmallRig cages even if you aren't doing video just for the protection and the extra grip but then some other people say it's just extra weight you dont need if you're just doing stills.

Then there is the screen protector thing. I never used them on my DSLRs but the screen on this thing feels so much more exposed since it tilts out. Is that just me being paranoid? I'm trying to figure out what is actually essential for day-to-day use versus what is just nice to have gear head fluff. If you had 400 bucks to rig this thing out for professional-ish work what are the absolute non-negotiables for you? I'm especially torn on the card situation...