Gear I Use - 2019 Edition
Table of Contents
With the holiday season upon us, I realized that I have yet to post about what gear I am using and why I like it. Please note that no one sponsors me, so all of this is the gear I use.
NOTE: This article does contain some affiliate links that help fund our adventures and creative projects.
Cameras
Sony a7RIII (Amazon | Adorama)
The Sony a7R III is my primary camera and what I shoot every day, and my second camera from the a7R line. It was a marked improvement from the previous generation. It was clear that Sony listened to the feedback it got from users to improve the camera. The 4th iteration, a7R IV (Amazon | Adorama) is out on the market, but I had not upgraded yet, simply because of how close the timeline was between when I purchased the III and when the IV was released.
Sony a6400 (Amazon | Adorama)
This is my backup body the main reason that it is my primary camera for underwater photography. I can still leverage all of the lenses from my primary camera. It also doubles as a lightweight vlogging camera. While I wish it had in-body stabilization (IBS), it has been a great addition to my bag.
Lenses
What most people interested in landscape and outdoor photography will quickly notice about the trio of lenses I have listed below is that two of the 3 are not zooms. Most advice on lens selection is to start with the lens holy trinity: 16-35, 24-70, and 70-200, then you are covered from 16-200. This is what I had done. The problem with these lenses from Sony, especially the G-Master version, is that they are heavy. When you are on mile 9 or 10 of a hike into the mountains for an adventure through a city, this weight gets heavy. When I reviewed my favorite shots from the past year and what focal length they were shot at, the overwhelming majority of them were at 24mm, 50ish mm, and 200mm. Armed with the knowledge about how I shoot, I sold two of my three zoom lenses and went to the primes below.
Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM (Amazon | Adorama)
Most G-Master (GM) lenses are big and bulky, with a ton of glass. This is not true for the 24mm. It is light and razor-sharp. This is the lens I find stays on my camera the most. I love this lens and can't recommend it enough. You don’t have to take just my word for it. You can find a host of reviews on YouTube as well.
Sony 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss (Amazon | Adorama)
The Sony 55 f1.8 Z has been out almost as long as the Sony a7 series cameras have been around. Yet, even with all the new glass released since this one, it remains one of the highest-rated lenses for the Sony FE mount system, according to DxoMark.
Sony 70-200 f/4 G (Amazon | Adorama)
The Sony 70-200 f/4 is now the only zoom lens in my bag. While there is an f/2.8 version of this lens, when I look at what apertures I shoot the most, f/4 is fast enough for my needs.
Tripod
The lifeblood of any landscape photographer. For years, I used a 3 Legged Thing Punks tripod (Amazon | Adorama). I liked it, but when I looked at my work, I needed a taller tripod that didn't require extending the center post to increase stability. I combined the Gitzo Mountaineer Series 3 long (Amazon | Adorama) with the Sirui K-40X ball head (Amazon | Adorama). It has been a rock-solid combination, and I have really been happy about my choice.
Bags
Like many other photographers, I have a closet full of camera bags. All showed promise, and most of them had some great features. Over the past year, the kit I have used the most has been the Shimoda Designs Explore 40 (Amazon | Adorama). This bag was released via Kickstarter and has been my workhorse. They have recently released another Kickstarter campaign for Action X (Kickstarter), which I have also supported. I ordered the Action X 50, which addresses many of the feedback they received from the first round.
What is your favorite gear? Comment below and tell me what equipment you could not live without.
