WHAT’S IN MY CAMERA BAG? A complete gear list
As a photographer and videographer I often get asked by other photographers or those interested in photography, “what camera should I get?”, “what’s your favorite camera bag?” “what gear do you use?” so in this blog I’ve created a complete gear list for what I personally use in my camera bag.
In this blog I cover:
- Bag
- Camera bodies
- Lenses
- Lighting
- Audio
- Misc extras
- How I use my kit
CAMERA BAG
Photographers are always going to need a suitable camera bag to protect equipment from damage and weather.
Like most photographers, it feels like my camera bag of choice is always changing. I’m constantly on the hunt for the perfect bag and, 8 years in, I still haven’t quite found the perfect one.
The two that I’ve landed on currently are the McKinnon Nomatic 35L Camera Pack and the Wandrd Prvke 41L.
- The Wandrd Prvke 41L
I use the Wandrd Prvke 41L for the majority of my jobs. The 41L is the biggest Wandrd Prvke on the market. For comfort you can’t go past the 41L with its comfortable padding on the back and shoulder straps. It sports a hidden passport pocket, strong magnets in the tote handles and a velcro-and-roll clinch strap webbing organization to name a few.
- The McKinnon Nomatic 35L
I use the McKinnon Nomatic 35L when I need to carry a ton of gear to a job. Because it was designed with travel in mind, it has both camera and clothing sections allowing space for your time on the road. You can, of course, just use it solely for camera gear if you choose. It has removable folding dividers, expansion and external carry straps allowing you to pack in a way that suits you.
CAMERA BODIES
I use two camera bodies: the Canon EOS R3 and the Canon EOS R6.
This is my main camera and what I shoot ALL of my work on. It’s extremely fast, can shoot incredible photo and video, and has a durable, weather-sealed construction for my field work in inclement weather. This camera can react as quickly as you do, even to fast changing scenes.
A fantastic camera that doesn’t see nearly enough use by me. It’s great for low light shooting and all in all, is a well-balanced camera. This mostly stays in my bag in case my R3 breaks down, but I will sometimes use it on a harness for a wedding ceremony when I want to have two cameras on me. Always a good idea though, to have a back-up camera when you are doing a shoot on the road, or anywhere else, for that matter.
CAMERA LENSES
This lens is what I shoot the vast majority of my work on. Versatile for landscapes, wide shots of the couple, as well as getting in nice and close for more intimate shots and delivers a beautiful background blur. This lens is designed to go the distance with challenging shooting environments in all conditions.
Fantastic portrait lens and what I use for extra “reach” when I’m shooting from further back. Again, this lens produces beautiful background blur for those perfect portrait photos. It’s also great for those low light situations and indoors. You can shoot with confidence into the light too with no flare, ghosting or reduced contrast.
I honestly don’t use this lens all that much anymore as I gravitate towards my 85mm lens more. This lens is still great for detail shots though, as well as for additional reach if I’m shooting at a distance from my subject. The macro also creates even background blur when isolating distant subjects. It also has the capability of increasing the auto focus speed making quick shots happen easily.
This lens is my backup lens. I could shoot all of my work on this lens if I had to, so I bring it with me everywhere to make sure I’m covered if something breaks. This is a photographer’s number one piece of advice – always have backup!
I use this lens almost exclusively for video purposes. I film my YouTube videos with it as well as use it for vlog-style capture when I’m on the road. It produces sharp images from the centre to the periphery and is also impressive in low light performance.
LIGHTING
I mostly utilize natural light when I’m out shooting, but every once in a while, I’ll need to supplement the available light with some artificial light.
This is a powerful flagship speedlite flash and allows you to creatively light your subject over a wide range of distances and large areas. It has the option of color filters that you can put over the front of the flash head to match the colour temperature of the flash to the ambient light.
AUDIO
Because I capture video alongside my still imagery, I need to make sure I have a competent audio setup to capture vows, story narration, and any ambient audio that may need documented.
This mic is designed to deliver exceptional audio in a wide range of recording settings. It’s compact and lightweight and has become the industry standard mic for vloggers. I love it!
- Zoom H6
The H6 is the best in portable recorders. It’s very versatile and from podcasting, to music, to filmmaking it’s your go-to recorder. I’d say it is your complete, portable recording solution.
You’ll never know how you sound until you hear it for yourself. Available in wired or wireless, the Shure In-ear monitors offer crystal clear audio and comfort all rolled into one.
MISC ITEMS
These filters work wonders with video and allow me to dial down my exposure so I can open up my aperture to get that nice, shallow depth of field on brighter days.
Gotta back up those images! I use G-Drive SSD products almost exclusively as they’re reliable, rugged, and fast. We all know, from experience, the importance of backup!
I don’t use this much, but it’s incredibly helpful to have two camera bodies on me for wedding ceremonies and fast-paced video jobs. This harness is comfortable and strong and has served me very well.
- Extra Batteries for everything! Always!
HOW I USE MY KIT
- For Couples Sessions and Elopements:
For smaller sessions I mostly use my R3 body with the 35mm and 85mm lenses. I’ll bring the 24-70 in my bag in case a lens breaks, but I mostly keep things very simple. Like I have previously said – always have a back-up. I guess I can’t say it enough!
- For Weddings and Larger Events:
For larger jobs, I’ll use the Rose Anvil camera harness to carry both the R3 and the R6. I’ll often put the 35mm lens on my R3 and the 24-70 or the 85 on the R6 so I have a wide and telephoto option.
I’ll also carry my flash and any other equipment I need in my backpack, so I have everything easily accessible at any moment.
- For Jobs with Video:
My kit doesn’t change all that much when I shoot video – I’ll still use the R3 with the 35mm lens and swap out for the 85 for longer, telephoto shots. But I’ll also have my audio equipment in my bag for when I need to capture vows, narration, or ambient audio.
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