What are some popular sound recorders and related accessories

Recording Foley sound consists of four main components:

• An assortment of microphones to suit the different things you record
• A digital audio workstation, typically a computer, with software such as Pro Tools installed on it
• An audio interface that allows you to connect your microphones to your computer
• A sound-proofed, acoustically dead room

I'll go into some detail on each:

Microphones have their own personalities.  They vary in pickup pattern, such as an omnidirectional cardioid mic:

Vs. a much more directional shotgun mic:

In a controlled studio environment, cardioid patterns are probably the most popular.  Its more faithful omnidirectional recording gives you the most flexibility, and you don't have to worry about needing directionality to eliminate unwanted sound.  Microphones also vary in terms of frequency response.  These two graphs compare the how well sounds of a range of frequencies are picked up by two different microphones:

You can see that the Oktava has a much more consistent response over a wider range than the Shure.  If you wanted to record a more accurate, complete representation of a sound, you're probably going to want the Oktava.

However, maybe you don't want to pick up the 16 kHz high pitched noises, and maybe you also want to avoid some of the lower frequency rumbling, maybe from a subway passing by.  The Shure mic will eliminate some of the extraneous sounds, giving you a higher "signal to noise" ratio.  The bigger this ratio, the more easy it is to cover up unwanted noise with other sounds, or perhaps music.  The Shure is particularly sensitive to 5 kHz sounds (slightly higher than your piano can play, and also around where Sean Connery's "s-sounds" would be).  Perhaps a sound you're recording is shrill enough where these frequencies are important.  You have to experiment and get familiar with frequency ranges to know what mic is best for what.

One very important factor is the type of technology behind your recording mechanism.  The audio equipment company "Sweetwater" has a brilliant page on some of the details here:  Studio Microphone Buying Guide, but the two main factors you want to consider are overall sensitivity and durability.  In a controlled studio environment, durability is not enough of a concern to go with a "dynamic microphone", which uses a less-accurate but more durable mechanism to pick up audio.  Condenser microphones, which rely on a capacitance-altering diaphragm, are much more suitable:

In terms of the electronics, capacitance varies as the distance between two oppositely charged plates varies, and this capacitance is outputted as the microphone's signal.  ("Earthed" means grounded by the way)  You can have a large or small diaphragm, which determines the sensitivity of the mic.  A large diaphragm moves less easily, similar to a dynamic mic, but is great for picking up loud, lower-frequency sound effects such as footsteps or doors shutting, very common in foley.  With the reduced sensitivity for these recordings, you pick up less unwanted noise and your recording is cleaner.  The ultra-expensive Neumann U87 is a popular example of a large diaphragm condenser (LDC) mic:

But for a very responsive diaphragm that needs to pick up subtle details in a recording, the small diaphragm condenser (SDC) mic is the way to go.  Probably a good idea if you're trying to record a door squeak, or putting keys on a table.  High-end SDC mics are often "capsule mics" that let you switch out the condenser based on your needs, like this Schoeps model:

The question, however, addressed indie/low budget filmmaking, so rest assured, there are much cheaper options.  I heard Peter Jackson leaned toward Rode mics, which certainly caters toward lower budgets.  The SDCs are more affordable and more versatile, so lean toward those as your first choice.

You'll need a digital audio workstation (DAW) to record your audio and do whatever tweaks you want to it.  Nowadays, foley artists do most of their work on a computer using DAW software:

This is where you'll clean up noise, combine sound effects, trim the unwanted portions of your recordings, etc.  You'll also need to use this software to play back the video that you're creating sound for.  You'll see when to start and stop making galloping sounds by watching Tonto's horse, and you'll see when to slap your own face, when the woman reacts poorly to a male chauvinistic pig.  Avid Technology's Pro Tools honestly is the most frequent software I hear in use, but the screencap is actually from an almost-free software called "Ardour", which happens to be multi-platform and Linux-friendly.

You'll need to get your recording from your microphone to your computer.  You can't just hook up an XLR cable between the two.  You'll need an audio interface.  One simple option is Avid's "Fasttrack Solo":

If you need multiple options, Avid has a "Duo" model, or you can shop elsewhere, but you can see that big black plug input on the left.  That's where the XLR goes in.

The last thing, which is a bit beyond the scope of this question, is a dedicated sound-dampening, sound-proofed room, stocked with whatever junk you need for each sound.

A lot of this expensive equipment is a waste if you don't get that.  There are plenty of primitive ways to soundproof a room, but the best bet is an underground basement with quiet ventilation and no neighboring busy rooms.  Certainly not everyone has this luxury, and a "low-reach" cardioid mic certainly helps, but you can avoid echo by doing what you can, with carpeting and textured walls, perhaps covered with foam or even blankets.  And no one really has more "accessories" than the Foley artist, so all the clutter actually helps with the sound-dampening too, since sound gets reflected in different directions off it.