CAMERAS

I used to carry Canon cameras, in fact I used them for 30 years. While I was a Canon guy, I messed around on the side with a sweet little mirrorless Fuji system for a while and learned quickly that mirrorless gear is where it’s at. When Sony brought their A7RII to market, I made the complete jump to mirrorless and I have not looked back. For me, Sony’s Alpha cameras meld the best of all worlds. I enjoy very high image quality, resolution, and low light performance that gives my images the sharpness and pop I crave, while the autofocus and image stabilization systems make up for my softening eyesight. I now use the A7RV as my main workhorse camera. I keep my camera fitted with a Really Right Stuff L-bracket which give me secure mounting options on my fleet of tripods, clamps, and gimbals. All of my cameras also have Peak Design’s brilliant little anchor pucks on them for when I want to sling the cameras or attach a hand strap.

Along with my Sony kit, I am now deeply smitten with the Leica Q3 that I purchased in 2024. With the same resolution as the Sony A7RV, the little Leica packs a punch and the flawless 28mm lens is the sharpest lens I’ve ever used. I love the Leica’s design, build and image quality. While there are many people out there buying Leicas as status symbols, I consider it a powerful camera with durability and utility my Sony kit can’t match.

Not pictured here is the camera I actually use the most… my iPhone 16 Pro Max. I love having such a powerful smart camera in my pocket. I use it every day. The phone is really three cameras in one with the 1x, .5x and 5x systems in play. Combine them with the baffling computational photography that apps like Halide use and I can make some amazing images with it. As a bonus it’s waterproof, so buh-bye GoPro. Since it’s also a super computer, I can use it to process the shots it makes and post them online. It’s the future of photography today.

ACCESSORIES

Photography brings clutter, and I hate clutter. I used to carry a whole bunch of stuff in my camera bag every time I went out to make photos. Over the years that bucket of crap has been winnowed down to the bare essentials, and how I carry these items has evolved as well. I no longer use one bag as my camera bag. I’ve learned that every situation and opportunity requires different carry options, so I have several bags I use depending on how I intend to carry my stuff. By using a pouch to hold my accessories, I can jump from bag to bag without having to hunt through pockets looking for all of the little things I like to have on hand. The pouch I use needs to be organized and compact, or I’ll get frustrated digging through it and fling it off a cliff. I’ve chosen the brilliant Evergoods Civic Access Pouch (CAP) as my accessories “desk”, and it’s proven a game changer for me. The way the pouch opens is the key. The top flips open and down, allowing the pouch to stand open on any flat surface in a wedge configuration. Inside the zippered lid I keep long and often-used items like pens and tools. It can be opened from inside or outside the pouch. In the main compartment I keep everything else except my collection of microfiber lens cloths and business cards, which I keep in the front slash pockets. I love the elegance of the pouch. Now let’s dive in to what necessities I bring with me when I head out:

Tools

I carry a few tools that I consider critical. I’ve had tripods and other gear fall apart in the field, and having the tools on hand to fix things will save your shots. I often carry a Leatherman multi-tool, a Swiss Army knife, a Really Right Stuff tool, and Peak Design’s clever hex key set. The Leatherman does heavy work and has pliers, which come in handy. The Swiss Army knife has more delicate tools like a fine blade and tweezers (so handy!). The RRS tool holds all of the bits I might need to repair a camera, lens or tripod. The tool’s handle is hollow and carries a lot of bits, and the extras ride in a tiny canister. The RRS tool is also airline-friendly and will go with me when the bladed tools have to stay home. The Peak Design hex key is so small and light that it’s a no-brainer. It has the hex wrench sizes my tripods use, so if I don’t want to carry the entire accessory pouch, I can just toss that key into my pocket and go. I keep it on a short lanyard with a red pinch LED light.

Power & Light

My cameras can be recharged via an external USB battery pack or from a car outlet, so I carry a short USB-C cord in my pouch to use for that purpose. Not pictured here is the USB battery pack as I usually carry that in the car. I prefer the Anker packs. I carry an extra Sony “Z” battery for my cameras, but I usually don’t need it as those things last all day in most situations. For light, I always have a headlamp in my bag. The Biolite LED headlamp pictured is tiny and provides plenty of illumination for hiking in the dark and digging around in my bag. It has a red LED, so I can use it at night without disturbing other people or ruining their exposures. I have that little pinch LED light that also works great for finding things in the dark. I have made an effort to replace all of my battery-powered accessories with rechargeable models that can be juiced up with the aforementioned USB battery packs. My headlamps, flashlights, microphones, cameras, and smart devices are all plug-able, so no more AA or AAA batteries for me.

Cleaning

I’m a stickler for keeping my gear clean. I hate dust spots on my images, salt crust on my lenses and smudges on my glasses, so I am always within reach of a microfiber cloth. I carry several in my kit, and I supplement them with Zeiss disposable lens wipes for oily smudges and other stubborn stuff. For lenses, I also employ a Giotto’s rocket blower to clear dust from elements. I also use it on my camera sensors every time I get the chance. When I have persistent sensor dust or smudges, I use the Eclipse fluid pictured along with sensor swabs to to a thorough wet-cleaning of the sensors. Done carefully, it’s totally possible for anyone to maintain their sensors.

Memory Cards

If I’m being honest, I really don’t need to carry extra memory cards with me in the field. My camera holds two SD cards, and I have 128GB cards in there, so I have almost a ¼ Terabyte of memory in my camera. That’s plenty, even with my Sony’s 61MP sensor, to hold a day’s worth of RAW shooting. The reason I carry the F-Stop Gear SD card wallet is simply a security thing. As I fill cards, I put them in the wallet and keep the wallet with me at all times when traveling. Not shown in this picture is the little G-Tech external SSD that I connect to my iPad Pro each night to backup my images to. Redundant file backups are peace of mind when on the road. When I have good WiFi I download my files nightly to my iPad and to the SSD, and Lightroom on my iPad sends copies to the cloud, which syncs to my computer at home. When I get home I’ll have copies of my precious images on the SD cards, the SSD, my iPad, the cloud, and my home computer. How’s that for safe-keeping! As for the SD cards, I have a variety from different makers. I like Sony, Lexar and SanDisk cards and I prefer ones with 300mb/s speeds. On a long trip I will usually carry 1 TB worth of cards.

Filters

I do a lot of long exposure photography, and I think neutral density (ND) filters are absolute necessities. I use a set of PolarPro ND filters along with a circular polarizer when needed. I also carry a couple of step-up rings which allows me to use my filters on all of my lenses. All of these fragile filters fit nicely inside the Mindshift Gear Filter Hive Mini pictured here. I find the filter case super handy when I’m out doing long exposure work. I keep a small “S” carabiner on it so I can clip it to myself and have it close at hand when changing filters. A note: I’ve had these filters for several years and they are fantastic, but there are better options out there now.

Other Stuff

Rounding out this pouch of goodies are the other things I find useful when out shooting. A small roll of gaff tape is great for securing and repairing things. Everyone should have a roll of this stuff. I carry a small packet of Sugru for repairing things that tape won’t fix. Sugru is a silicone putty that cures overnight into a stretchy, strong and grippy rubber blob. You could repair shoes, tripod feet, camera bodies, lens rings, and luggage with the stuff. It’s pretty fun to play with. I’ve even used it to build up camera buttons to make them easier to find with my fingers. The little rubber-covered wires in the picture are flexible twist ties from Nite-Ize and I use them for securing cables and wrapping up things. They are handy for lots of uses, and since they are so small I can have them in the pouch and not notice them until I need them. Occasionally I need to write things down, and while I can do this easily on my iPhone, I do enjoy notebooks so I carry a small Field Notes Expedition notebook and Moleskine pen. I also have a Sharpie in case I need to write on something with some permanence. You’ll see in the picture a couple of straps coiled up. I use Peak Design anchors on all of my cameras (and on my big zoom lens). I normally have my camera on a tripod and in those cases I don’t want a strap flapping around in the wind, so I take it off. When I want to sling a camera over my shoulder I use the PD Sling strap. When I want to keep it in my hand, I use the wrist strap. The wrist strap also comes in handy for tethering the camera to a tripod, in case I fumble it. The last item in the pouch is my Sony Bluetooth Remote. When on the tripod, the remote allows me to work hands-free to limit vibrations. It’s a great remote, but when I don’t feel like using it I can use the 2-second timer in the camera and get sharp results.

LENSES

As much as I love to gush about cameras, the real magic happens in the glass. I have a collection of lenses that I rely on for my wide range of subjects and styles. Each has earned a place in my kit with great image quality, weather sealing and snappy autofocus.

The Primes:

Sony 14mm F1.8 GM

When I need to capture cramped spaces for an architecture client, or I want to gather in a sprawling landscape, I reach for the 14mm. For it’s wide field of view, it has a surprising lack of distortion.

Sony 24mm F1.4 GM

The 24mm focal length is wonderful for street, landscape and architecture images. I love how sharp this lens is, and with a maximum aperture of 1.4 I can use it for astrophotography and other low-light shoots like concerts.

Sony 50mm F1.2 GM

I have a hard time describing the look of this lens. It’s just special. It’s massive but deliciously sharp. I can shoot everything from portraits, dance, landscapes and architecture with it. It is one of my favorite all time lenses.

Sony 300mm F2.8 GM

I love the perspective a long telephoto lens provides, and the incredibly-crisp and lightweight 300mm is my choice for sports, events, wildlife and landscapes where a tight composition and a soft background are the goal. I can combine it with either of my extenders to increase my reach.

The Zooms:

Sony 20-70mm F4 G

My go-to for travel, the little 20-70 isn’t my sharpest lens by a long shot, but it’s sharp enough. The focal range is awesome for a simple walking around kit. When I use my Peak Design Capture Clip on a backpack, this lens on the Sony A7RV is a wonderful companion.

Sony 70-200 F4 G II Macro

My other travel lens, the compact 70-200 offers a very close focusing distance and therefore great macro capabilities. It’s so small and light. Combined with the 20-70 and the 1.4 extender, I can bring a massive focal range in a small package.

Sony 70-200 F2.8 GM II

Two 70-200’s? Why? Great question. The 2.8 is much sharper than the smaller F4 lens and the autofocus is a touch faster. Being a stop brighter also makes this lens my choice for low-light events, portraits, and so much more. Everyone needs a 70-200 in their kit. This one is Sony’s best but the F4 is so very close and brings macro to boot. It’s a toss up which is better.

Sony 1.4x Extender

Added to any of my long zooms, the extender boosts my focal length by 40%.

Sony 2x Extender

Added to any of my long zooms, the extender doubles my focal length.

TRIPODS

Back when I was a photojournalist I hated tripods. I just didn’t see the point. Ah, the ignorance of youth! I now adore tripods, and I have a collection that I cherish for their stability during long exposures, their utility when stitching panoramas, or when I’m using my camera’s amazing pixel shift mode. A rock-solid set of sticks (or a clamp) is absolutely vital in making images with sharpness. Images without sharpness might work when that shot is 2 inches across on a phone’s screen, but when people look closer they want to see details. I want to see details! Why have a $3,000 camera with a $2000 lens if your shaking hands ruin the shot? Tripods, people!

Tripods are like camera bags in that one is not enough. You need a big heavy one for rugged uneven terrain and howling winds. You need a light and compact model for walking around in a crowded place all day, and you need things that can work when tripods aren’t going to. My big beast is a Gitzo Systematic 4 section XL tripod topped with a Really Right Stuff BH-55. The pair provide uncompromising stability when nothing else will do. I could also put a tarp over it and live under it if I had to. The compact tripod I choose when I want to have the option of a tripod without lugging a tripod around is the sassy little Peak Design Travel Tripod in carbon fiber. It’s surprisingly stable for something that folds down to the size of a tall water bottle. It has a solid ballhead and I’ve had good luck with it in light winds. In the middle ground is the Really Right Stuff TVC-240 carbon fiber tripod with RRS BH-40 ballhead. This is the tripod I usually grab as it’s stable in all but the worst conditions but still small and light enough to strap to a backpack. Really Right Stuff tripods, heads and other gear are impeccably crafted works of mechanical genius. They cost a lot, but they are absolutely trustworthy. Also pictured here are the RRS micro tripod and ballhead. I carry this one where tripods aren’t allowed and it can also double as a grip for shooting hand-held video. It’s so small I can toss it into a pocket. The RRS Travel Clamp is not small enough to slip into a pocket, but I often carry it where tripods aren’t practical. I’ve clamped it to street sign posts in Copenhagen to take 30-second long exposures and they turned out tack sharp. The RRS PG-01 gimbal set in the upper right is perfect for shooting panoramas when the swing of the camera will introduce parallax to the shots, (that’s not good). I’ve used the gimbal on all but the micro tripod with great success.

Lastly, not pictured here are the various Magic Arms, C-Stands and other heavy metal flap trap I’ve accumulated over the years. Stabilizing your gear is a rabbit hole of equipment and I consider my kit a simple one. Just remember, with tripods and ball heads, you get what you pay for and the last thing you want is to find yourself at the end of a long trail facing a stunning sunset only to find your cheap flimsy tripod has a broken leg, or the silly head has dropped a screw somewhere along the way. Invest in good gear that will be there for you when you need to make an epic shot.

AUDIO GEAR

Usually, good audio is as important as good video, so I have a small kit of dedicated audio gear that I use when I’m vlogging or capturing other compelling footage. Pictured here are my basic audio recording tools. The microphone at the top is the simple but very good Rode Video Mic. I often use it atop one of my Sony cameras, but I can also connect it to the other equipment here. The Zoom H1 field recorder on the left is a tough little tool that I can use with the built-in mics or attached to the other gear. The Rode Wireless Go mic and receiver kit have allowed me to eliminate cords for the times I need to wear a mic and send the audio to camera. None of these things are super exciting, but they are useful. Like I said, good audio is important and I firmly believe that it makes no sense to craft awesome video if the audio that goes with it sounds like trash.