Better gear does not make you a better photographer. If anything, I think it’s the other way around. Having said that, gadgets are important. After all, a photographer without a camera is hardly a photographer. Also, new and better gadgets are always exciting! So, below you will find a list of all the gear I use on a day-to-day basis to create my images and videos. You are more than welcome to use this list as an inspiration or a guideline, but as always – remember to exercise your best judgement and only pick whatever works best for you.
I own or owned all of these items and have paid for them with my own money, so I’m not affiliated with any of brands mentioned. If I express an opinion about a particular item, that’s only because I really think so. However, I should mention that the links below are Amazon affiliate links and I will get a small commission from Amazon if you click on them and then proceed to buy something. It won’t add anything to the price you pay and I will be forever grateful if you choose to support me that way. I work on this site and my Youtube channel in my own free time and every little bit helps to keep me going.
Stills photography
Sony A7 III – my main camera for both stills and video. When it comes to versatility and overall value for money, A7 III is really hard to beat. The image quality is outstanding and it is a real pleasure to use, despite some of its drawbacks (weather sealing in particular leaves something to be desired). Highly recommend this camera.
Sony 24-105 mm F4 lens – my go to lens for pretty much every situation. It’s incredibly sharp, covers an impressive range of focal lengths and is simply an amazing well-rounded lens. I love this lens and I’m sure you will too.
Sony 70-200 mm F4 lens – my long lens for more intimate landscape photos and (very occasional) sport or wildlife photography. With my style of photography, I honestly don’t find myself using it all too often, but when I do, I’m quite happy with it. Sometimes, I would’ve preferred a longer range offered by 100-400 mm, but what this lens lacks in focal length it easily wins back in size and weight.
MeFoto Roadtrip classic – my tripod, it’s reasonably lightweight and generally reliable (although I had some screws fall out and the ball head eventually broke down). If you’re just buying your first tripod, this is a great choice for its price/value ratio. It’ll easily survive a few years of use (and abuse) until you’re ready to move to something more robust. For more seasoned photographers, there are probably better options.
Breakthrough Photography X4 Polarizer – my polariser filter. A polariser is an absolute necessity for any landscape photographer and once you are serious about your craft, I definitely recommend investing in one. And as far as quality goes, Breakthrough Photography filters are one of the best out there.
Breakthrough Photography X4 ND filter – much like a polariser, an ND filter or two is something that just needs to be in your kit. While Breakthrough Photography ND filters are on a pricier side, they come with great quality that I absolutely love.
Sony remote release – the official Sony remotes are bulky and expensive, so I went with this cheaper one. As one would expect, it does the job, but if a remote trigger is something you use frequently, I would definitely recommend looking for something better.
Video
DJI Ronin SC – this gimbal is a recent addition to my video gear and one that I absolutely love and can totally recommend. Not too heavy, not too bulky (fits in both my backpacks just fine), very reliable and the results are simply outstanding. Keep in mind though that it’s just enough to balance my Sony A7 III with a 24-105mm on it. For anything heavier, I suggest looking for other options.
Panasonic Lumix G7 – my backup vlogging camera. For its price, its a great little camera that does 4K, has a flip out screen and is near perfect for vlogging. It’s largest weakness however is a horrendous autofocus that honestly got me infuriated a few times. If that’s something you can live with, I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Panasonic 12-60 lens – my main vlogging lens, which I got with as a kit lens with the body. The range and aperture is enough to cover 95% of my vlogging requirements and for video I almost exclusively use this lens.
Panasonic 25mm lens – my video lens for low light situations or when I want to achieve shallow depth of field. Covers the remaining 5% of my vlogging needs.
DJI Mavic Pro – while a little old by now, Mavic Pro is still a fantastic drone. For anyone serious about filming, Mavic 2 is surely the way to go, but if you’re just buying your first drone, original Mavic Pro is a great choice. I did have some issues with gimbal on my first two copies but DJI has replaced both with no questions and it’s been working flawlessly ever since.
Yi 4K – my action camera for underwater shooting, mounting on cars and other situations where using conventional camera is not straightforward. Much more affordable than a GoPro and does what it’s supposed to do incredibly well.
Rode VideoMicro – my vlogging microphone. Great quality for great price.
JOBY GorillaPod – my backup/video/vlogging tripod.
Polaroid ND Filters – a set of inexpensive ND filters for my Lumix camera.
Camera bags
Bags are important. And as any photographer will surely tell you, just one is never enough, so here are the bags that I use.
Lowepro Flipside 300 AW II – though not frequently talked about on social media, this is my absolute favourite camera bag. I originally bough it for shorter trips but since then found myself gravitating towards it more and more frequently. It’s small enough to look like an everyday backpack, yet has plenty of room to fit most of my gear. It’s beautifully and carefully designed, very comfortable to wear and honestly just ticks every possible box. And it’s very affordable too.
Shimoda Design 40L – my second main camera backpack. Some call it the perfect camera backpack. I would simply say that it’s a great bag for longer trips and international travel that has ample room for all my gear and some additional items. Very comfortable to wear and use and my go to choice for more difficult hikes and unpredictable weather conditions. However, I’m personally not a huge fan of its tripod holder design and lack of water bottle holder.
Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW – my original backpack. Many Youtubers’ favourite, it’s very robust, reliable and can handle anything thrown at it. I would still choose it when I want the best protection for my camera gear. Its biggest disadvantage though is its weight. At 2 kilos of weight, it’s not something I want to lug around for extended periods of time.
Other useful accessories
Peak Design Camera Clip – an absolute necessity for anybody who likes to photograph and hike.
Anker power bank – ever had you phone batter die? Yeah, me too. This will solve it.
Hot shoe covers – if you’re a Sony user, absolutely get yourself a set of these and keep them in your bag at all times. A hot shoe cover on a Sony can be a source of issues when left exposed to the elements, so I strongly advice to have it sealed whenever not used.
Gear I’ve used in the past
Everything changes with time. As we evolve and grow, so does our gear. And so, here are some of the items I’ve used and enjoyed in the past but have since moved on from. Still, these are near and dear to my heart and are excellent choices for a lot of people.
Canon 80D – my main stills camera of the past. Don’t use it ever since I switched to Sony, but still miss it sometimes and wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for a reliable and inexpensive camera for photos and video (though the latter only if you don’t need 4K).
Sigma 18-35 1.8 lens – simply the best lens for landscape photography for the Canon APS-C users. Absolutely pristine sharpness and image quality. Love this lens.
Canon 55-250 lens – my Canon long lens. Quite honestly, I’m not too happy about the sharpness of this lens, but it does the job and is really affordable.
Canon 10-18 lens – my wide lens on the Canon system for when that Sigma is just not wide enough. I’m not entirely happy with its image quality, but I use it very rarely.
Canon 85mm 1.8 lens – my occasional portrait lens, which I don’t take with me very often because I mainly do landscapes.
Canon remote release – I’m not a big fan of wired remote releases and this one from Canon does a fine job for me.
HOYA Polarizer – my old/backup polariser filter.
