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 systems make up for my softening eyesight. I now use two full-frame Sony cameras for my work. For situations where I need blazing autofocus speed and high frame rates, I turn to the brilliant A1 Mark II. When pixels are more important than responsiveness, I use the A7R Mark V. Both cameras will work very well in any case, so they compliment each other. For much of my work I use these cameras with their respective battery grips, which allow for easier vertical shooting and handling in fast-paced sessions. When I need to mount one to a tripod or clamp, I attach 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 17 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 4x 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.
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.
Zeiss 85mm F1.8 Batis
My oldest Sony-mount lens, the Batis has a dreamy smoothness that makes it great for portraits. I love the form factor of the lens and the little OLED screen on the barrel is really nice.
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 more I use this delicious lens, the more I love it.
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.