The Camera Gear That I Use (and love!).
I get asked all the time “What brand of camera do you use?” “What exactly is in your camera bag?” “What is some of your favorite camera gear?” So I thought I’d take a minute and write it out and share a few pictures too.
My love of photography comes from my dad. He used a Canon, so it was only the natural choice for me. I’ve looked into other options over the years, but Canon is still my number one choice at the moment. As you’ll notice in the photo above I use a few “off brand” items. After owning some Canon brand flashes and doing some testing I found that I actually had more issues with the name brand products. This is why you will see me use the Yongnuo flashes and Godox battery packs. After over 4 years (knock on wood) I haven’t had an issue yet. Plus they are far less expensive and are even affordable for the hobby photographer.
This baby is my camera of choice!
I love it so much I have two! There are newer models now, but nothing with significant feature upgrades to make the jump appealing to me yet. If your interested in upgrading your camera or lenses I would suggest renting and try out a few options before you commit to a huge expense. I use borrowlenses.com regularly for rental equipment. I’ve even rented other camera gear to take on vacation instead of bringing my precious babies with me (lol).
Camera & Accessories
(2) Canon 5D Mark3
Sandisk Extreme Pro CF &SD cards
These little pouches from Think Tank are amazing. They help keep all the little things from getting lost. The Canon 5D Mark iii has dual card slots so I use both the compact flash and sd cards. I record RAW on both, so in case one of the cards becomes corrupted I always have a back up. I also like to use either the 16gb or 32gb cards. In my opinion there is a greater potential for loss of photos if I used a larger card and it was to get lost. It’s really important to me to take every possible precaution on wedding days because those photographs can never be recreated. You might think I’m a little extreme about the cards but I’m totally ok with that!
Lenses
I primarily use the 24-70mm in my photography. It’s really versatile, and the large majority of my personal photos were taken with that lens. For wedding photography the 50mm rarely leaves my camera. If canon brand lenses aren’t an option, Sigma lenses are compatible.
Flashes & Lighting
Yongnuo Wireless Flash Trigger
The particular flashes I use are manual. I have to determine and set the power output accordingly. This is a feature I prefer, though its not usually the popular method. They do make ETTL versions but I prefer to have full control. The battery packs help my flashes recycle faster and keep the batteries from draining quickly. I’m a natural light photographer, but I do use these for wedding receptions and night-time dancing! I love the flash triggers too! They are perfect for getting yourself into some family photos. I use them every year on our annual vacation. So much easier then running back and forth. And for about $30 they are a great product to have around.
Computer & Storage
WD 3TB Desktop Hard Drives (4)
I buy myself a new hard drive every year around black Friday. This was my latest purchase, I haven’t even opened it yet lol. Better safe then sorry right? This one here is to replace one of my original hard drives that I feel is getting a little too old. I love my iMac, I purchased it years ago from Apple. It was a refurbished model and has served me well for years. Going refurbished (with a warranty) is a great option to save a little money.
Bags
Think Tank Airport Security Case
I forgot to take a picture of my shoulder bag, so you’ll have to check the link. It’s a really gorgeous shoulder bag and has served me well. I will be starting to look into a backpack option to help with my back and neck pain (not photography related). Vanity has keep me from a backpack. Thankfully so many companies are making really pretty leather options now, so it won’t be so bad. ;p The suitcase is made by the same company that makes my card/battery holders. It holds everything else I need to have with me on a wedding day. Extra flashes, battery packs, cords, AA/AAA batteries, led lights, lenses, rain gear etc.
If your looking to invest in some new camera gear here are the links to my favorite stores.
*All the Amazon links are affiliate links. It was easier for me to link to Amazon for examples of all the products I use. I did not buy all my equipment from Amazon. The two companies above are the ones I use for purchasing my cameras and lenses. I’ ll price shop between all three for just about anything else I need.
Comment if you have any questions or leave a post telling me about what you bought!
