There is always big discussions among photographers about their gear – what’s best, what they choose and why.  As some one who loves photography, but doesn’t have the budget of a full time photographer my choice of gear reflects my desire to get the best quality I can with out breaking the bank.  I have carefully researched all my options each time I have bought equipment and made a decision on what I think would best suit my needs. So what’s in my bag? 

Since writing this post I have upgraded my whole kit and switched from Canon to Sony.  The reasons?  Well mainly 4k video, size for travelling and cost.  I liked the range of lenses I had so look for something similar. My kit now looks like:

• Sony A6300 – this middle of the range mirrorless body is great.  If offers so much when compared to other options in the price range.  I was able to sell off my old gear and do the switch for the price of just upgrading my camera body.  Has lots of features which I am still exploring and learning to use.
• Sony 18 – 105mm F4 – once again this is my all purpose lens that stays on my camera most of the time when I am out and about.
• Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro – for lack of an affordable 100mm macro I went with these two combined.  I use this for most I my still life and food photography that I do in my home studio.
• Sony 55-210mm – I have been doing a bit more nature photography so added this for the zoom.
• Tripod – an essential for landscape and still life photography
• Remote Shutter Release – for those times where I have long shutter speeds
• Filters – N.D. and polorizing filters for those outdoor moments
• Tethering Cable – a great addition for still life and food photography.  I often shoot tethered to my laptop so I can make minor adjustments and clearly see on large scale the results.

If you are interested in the choices I made when I had a Canon here they are.

• Canon 60D – a step up from the digital rebel I had in my introduction to the world of digital photography.  This was a gift from a photographer friend when I was in a hard place that I am so thankful for and have enjoyed using it ever since.
• Canon 15-85mm 3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens – This is a great all purpose lens for when I am out and about.  Although I have had some issues with vignetting at the wide end I am happy with the quality of the lens, the range it has as well as the bonus of Image Stabilisation which I enjoyed using in darker environments like at the Skins of Fire Show, Kelly Tarltons, and Chinese New Year. Another great feature is the reasonably close focus distance.
• Canon 50mm 1.8 “Nifty 50” Lens – This lens was one of the first lens I bought after my kit lenses and I still love it and the nice effect of a wide aperture on the images I take.
• Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro Lens – I got this lens as a Christmas present last year.  To be honest at the moment it is on my camera 90% of the time, I use it for almost all my food photography, as well as enjoying the macro aspect of it. Check out my 52 week macro challenge for some images shot with this lens

You might notice the lack of a telephoto lens on this list.  For years I had a cheap 70-300mm lens in my kit that barely got used.  Since selling it there hasn’t been a day yet where I have felt the need for it or missed it.  This really reflects my style of photography, working more with still life subjects, or getting out and about exploring that require wider angles.

What I have shared with you here is my personal opinion and what I decided to go with.  This is not a “professionals” kit, it is a kit that works well for me as some one who focuses on still life and some travel photography.

If you need advice on different lens and equipment I highly recommend The Digital Picture.  It has great reviews on a wide range of products, and clearly outlines the pros and cons of each with examples and comparisons. (This is primarily reviews of Canon and Nikon Products)

Coming Soon
Carting it Round – Bags