What’s In My Camera Bag?

What’s in my camera bag? Whether you’re nosy or looking for inspiration on some photography gear and accessories, WELCOME. I hope you’ll enjoy diving into the mess that is my camera bag. Along with showing off what’s in my camera bag, I’m going to provide some pros and cons about each product. This way, if you’re in the market, it’ll help you weigh your options.

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The Bag

Well… I’ll need to break the news immediately. I currently don’t use a camera bag – it’s a cube! My bag was stolen last August while I was in Costa Rica, and I haven’t replaced it yet. What I have been using is my Peak Design cube.

 

Pros:

1. It has openings on two opposite sides of the cube to access at-the-ready cameras. I’ve mostly heard good reviews from wedding photographers who alternate between two different cameras frequently. Personally, I keep my lenses at the ready to have an easier switch out since I only use one body.
2. It has little loops on the corners, and I’m able to hook my camera strap onto the cube so I can easily carry it around.
3. Awesome for traveling.
4. Super customizable!

Cons: 

1. I don’t recommend using the cube as a main camera ‘bag’.
2. It requires a specific amount of space and can hog up space in your suitcase. Choose your cube size wisely.
3. A bit pricey.

When I get around to getting a camera bag again, I will probably go with Peak Design. I have a few of their products, and I’ve been really happy with them. I also love how customizable everything is.

 

The Camera Body

I have a Canon 5D Mark IV.

Pros:

1. Full frame! Love having a full frame camera so much.
2. Works wonderful in low light situations before having to rely on a tripod or cranking up the ISO/Shutter speeds. (Such as before sunrise and after sunset.)
3. She’s a durable badass. I’ve had my camera in the pouring rain, super cold weather, desert heat – and she’s performed without giving me any trouble.

Cons:

1. Expensive for just the body. I sought out the body when it went on sale, and that was $3200, when it was close to $3700 regularly. However – I checked for the sake of this post, and it’s currently $2500 REGULAR price.
2. It’s heavy before any lenses are attached. I had to get a new tripod to hold up the camera! I’m not saying it’s 100 pounds, but I was using a Canon Rebel T6s before. (If you’re looking for a lighter option, but still want full frame – check out Canon’s new mirrorless cameras!)
3. POTENTIAL Con – There aren’t really any automatic settings on this camera. I mean the little mountain icon, or the running guy, or the little flower… all of that is gone. You need to know how to use the manual settings of a camera, or plan on diving into learning. I like the freedom, but that may not be the journey everyone is on.

The Lenses

EF 24 – 70mm f/2.8 II USM

I purchased this lens with my Mark IV. I was using an 18 – 24 (I think?) EF-S lens, and the Mark IV can only host EF lenses. I wanted to keep a wide angle lens in my rotation. I really adore this lens, but I think I would have liked the 16 – 35mm better. So if you’re looking to get a wide angle lens and are debating between the two, get the 16 – 35.

 Pros:

1. Great in low light. The aperture is 2.8, so this can really let in a lot of natural light before I need to make dramatic adjustments. I prefer shooting freehand, so I think that’s why I like that so much. The less I need to break out my tripod, the better.
2. Get a little zoom for your buck with the wide angle if that’s what you need. (Keep in mind, it does not equate to a telephoto zoom.)
3. Durable AF, and I love that it comes with a nice pouch and a hood.

Cons:

1. Heavy. Even though I’m used to this lens and my Mark IV by now, it does weigh on me on long(er) hikes.
2. A bit expensive, currently $1900. As I said before, if you’re budgeting for a wide angle lens and are unsure, spend the money on the 16 – 35.

 

EF 70 – 200mm f/2.8 

I traded my 70 – 300mm to help pay for this upgrade. It’s really wonderful and the images are insanely sharp!

Pros:

1. Sharp images. The autofocus is beautiful.
2. I know this seems like an odd one, but it doesn’t expand at all when zooming in, it stays the same size.
3. Fabulous in low light situations.

Cons:

1. It’s heavier than my previous zoom lens.
2. I can’t physically get too close to my subjects. I have to be a certain distance away. 
3. It’s a bit finicky with the auto focus at times. I think this has to deal with proximity ^. 

 

EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

I hated this lens when I first got it. Everyone told me to get a ‘nifty fifty’, and I regretted the purchase. This little devil just sat on my bookshelf collecting dust.

When I started to get into photography more, I realized I was using it on my Rebel, which is a crop sensor. So, it wasn’t like having 50mm at all, it was like having 80mm. Keep that in mind if you have a crop sensor camera!

Pros:

1. GREAT for portraits.
2. Cheap. ~$100-$125.
3. It really is a nifty fifty.

 

Cons: 

1. Not so great for crop sensor cameras.
2. POTENTIAL Con – I forget about this lens often because I rarely shoot portraits and I favor my wide angle lens the most.

 

CP Filter

I’ve always had a circular polarizer. I love what it does with water and it can really help colors and reflections pop. PolarPro is a really great brand and I’m pleased with their products, customer service, and warranties. *Tip: make sure to check the size of your lens to order the appropriate size. Filter sizes can be found by looking at the lens itself.

Pros:

1. Lightweight and comes with a soft case and hardshell case.
2. Super durable and easy to wipe with a microfiber cloth.
3. Super easy to install/uninstall.

Cons:

Expensive. For the CP filter for my wide angle lens was ~$200. (They have since revamped their pricing.)

 

Tripod

I favor shooting freehand. However, if I know I’m shooting the Northern Lights (learn how to shoot them here!), then I’ll bring the tripod. At the very least, my tripod is always ready to go in my car.

I purchased my Ranger tripod rather last minute from Amazon. I had just busted my Rebel a couple weeks before a trip to Iceland, and was testing out the new Mark IV with some astrophotography in my backyard.

I’m ever so glad I wanted to give it a whirl to get used to the new camera before my trip because the whole tripod fell over from the weight.

I needed something quick, and my shopping/purchasing options were limited.

I’m not going to do a Pros and Cons for this particular one, but here is the advice about tripods I will give:

1. Know the weight of your heaviest gear you will put on the tripod.
2. Think of durability.
3. Does it matter how heavy the tripod is? This matters to me a great deal as a traveler. Not just dealing with airport luggage, but carrying the tripod with me on hikes.
4. Tripods can get oddly expensive quick – know your budget.
5. If you have the money and you don’t mind, just get the good shit.

My next tripod purchase will definitely be from Peak Design. It’s expensive AF, but was designed with the wandering photographer in mind, and its features are everything.

 

Notebook/Journal

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always carried a notebook. It’s important for me to write down information for hikes, photo notes for myself, and notes about the moment. I favor Moleskine journals and currently have their extended pages, soft cover something or another. I couldn’t tell you what got me hooked on them, but they’re great.

Sometimes, there are moments where I need to be wholly present as a photographer and focus on my work. I make sure I jot down details, what the air smelled like, maybe memories I’m reminded of, how I felt… could I hear the water running?

I thank myself for this later. My subconscious might remember everything, but my awake persona does not.

There are other times when I choose not to take the picture and be in the moment. I absolutely want to have a memory of the place, in my brain and on paper.

Not all moments need to be shared on social media to prove they happened and were enjoyed.

My journal is also a scrapbook of sorts. It contains notes, postcards I’ve received, polaroids of friends, lovers’ dark secrets, and a list of addresses for people I send postcards to. By the time I’ve filled a journal up, it doesn’t close right anymore because it’s happily robust with memories.

 

Batteries, Chargers, and Cords For Days

I’m just going to lump everything together here. I carry at least one (hopefully charged!) battery pack. It can charge three things at once, and this is good for some juice for the phone, a last minute boost for the GoPro battery.

I have a spare battery for pretty much everything.

Drone

I have a bright red DJI Mavick Air. I got a pretty cool deal on one of their bundles. The drone, a bag, a case, a bunch of batteries, a car charger (I’m primarily a traveler via road trip, so that’s helpful!), extra propellers – all of the things.

Pros:

1. Air is super travel friendly. It folds up so nice and is really light.
2. DJI makes a really great product and they take feedback well. Their warranties are good and I appreciate they’re always improving.
3. Air was relatively cheap considering everything I got with it.
4. Controlling the camera is the same as working with the manual settings on my own camera. It’s very easy to adjust to what I need.

Cons:

1. Does not do as much photography stuff as I would like, example: does not zoom in. (Although there is a drone for zooming in.)
2. If you have never owned a drone, there’s a bit of a learning curve with using it and finding all of the settings.

Please fly responsibly.

 

Cleaning Equipment

I carry sight savers, microfiber cloths, a small microfiber towel. I’m OCD about having clean glasses, and freak out over tiny fuzzes on my lens.

I do not travel in a hazmat suit… in case you were wondering.

For Me

It definitely depends on the expected weather and planned trek. But I at least have some kind of rain jacket that’s light, sunglasses, eco-friendly sunscreen, chapstick, granola bars, and at least a water bottle/bladder.

I’m not sure if this is strange? But I also carry an extra pair of clean socks and panties.

On really long trips – I also carry my kindle.

 

For You

I hope this breakdown was helpful. Feel free to ask any questions about my gear, or share what you have in your camera bag.

What’s in your camera bag?

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