Cameras & Batteries
Sony A7r3 42mp Camera Body
After moving from Canon to Sony, I’ve had the A7r, A7rII and now the A7rIII. This is by far the best Camera I’ve ever used. Now the A7r4 has been announced, when I get it, I will update this and post a review.
Wasabi Battery Set for A7r3/4 (better than Sony Battery and 1/2 the price)
I’ve been using Wasabi batteries for years. I don’t know why but they stay charged and last longer than the Sony batteries and are at least 1/2 the price.
Sony A7S2 – High ISO camera
This camera is AMAZING. I opened a closet while touring a public building, Set the A7S2 to ISO 20 THOUSAND and snapped a photo. Amazingly it appeared as if it were daylight, everything in the closet was visible. I’ve started using it for time lapse because of the clean images at high ISOs and the results are worth carrying a seperate camera for.
Wasabi Battery Set for A7r 1 or 2
As I said above, Wasabi batteries are better than Sony batteries. And the charger is so much easier to pack and works with standard micro USB cables.
Lenses
Sony 24-105 G Series Zoom
This is a new addition to my camera bag and I have to say, I am loving how light, sharp and accurate it is. While not as much range as the 24-240, you can see the results when you look at your images. This is a fantastic lens.
Sony 16-35 Vario-Tessar F4
This was the first Sony lens I purchased with my A7r and It’s held its own with each camera upgrade I’ve made. I’ve done everything with this lens; landscape, time lapse and ASTRO photography which absolutely pushes all your equipment to the edge of it’s performance curve.
Sony 24-240 F3.5-6.3 zoom
This was the second Sony lens I’ve purchased and it hold up well until you hit the end of it’s range. I detected some softness at around 200mm or more. But as a all-in-one lens, it’s darn good.
Sony 50 mm F1.8
The “nifty fifty” is light, easy to carry with me and it’s baled me out of several situations where bigger and slower lenses just can’t perform. When paired with my Sony A7sII, the photos are detailed, rich and colorful, even wide open if you can work with a shallow depth of field.
Venus Laowa 15mm F2.0 Manual Focus for night photography
Here’s my secret gem of a lens. The Venus 15 mm F2.0 has improved my night photography more than a new camera. Why? Because it’s super wide and super fast. It’s 2 stops faster than my Sony zoom. That means instead of ISO 3200 I can shoot milky way at ISO 800. It’s a massive upgrade to image quality. And it’s sharp as a gang member’s switch blade 🙂
Bags & Carrying
Lower Photostream RL 150 rolling case
I just added this to my arsenal of travel gear because the old one was smaller, the telescoping handle was flimsier and because this still fits in the overhead compartment on the plane. I upgraded to get enough room to take my drone and controller with me in this bag instead of packing it separately.
Peak Design 10L Sling
I have struggled with day pack camera bags for years until I found this little guy. It’s the perfect size for a Sony A7rIII, with the Sony 16-35 zoom, AND two more lenses, like the Venus 15mm and the Sony 24-105. There’s also other pockets for accessories too. Main reason is that besides being easy to carry, it’s durable, light and fits most of what I need in a day or night shoot.
Peak Design 20L Backpack
This doubles the size of the Sling (above) but is so well designed and organized, that it feels lighter and smaller than it really is. I can get a MacBook AND my full system in this bag and still have enough pockets for everything else. Check it out…
Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap
I have mixed feelings about this, but I haven’t found anything better yet. It’s perfectly functional but those large metal buckles on both sides can scratch your gear if you are not careful. Also, it’s a little bit bulkier in your camera bag. But using it to carry your camera is a dream. Well distributed weight and the smoothness of the materials make using it a pleasure!
Peak Design – Capture Camera Clip V3
This is the accessory I didn’t think I needed until I used it! I attached it to the right shoulder strap of my Peak Design 20L backpack and never have to worry about having the camera swing (on a camera strap) while I climb up stuff. It’s clever in how it works and darn useful.
Tripod
MeFOTO Roadtrip S Travel Tripod Carbon Fiber
I paid about $800 for my first carbon fiber tripod, now you can get this for under 200 and it’s a solid performer. I saved about 50% of the weight as well.
Accessories
Sensor Cleaning Kit for Full Frame
If you are traveling, NEVER leave for a trip without sensor cleaners. The one time you forget them you will be sorry. I learned the hard way after changing a lens outside at night. I couldn’t believe the amount of crap that landed on my sensor. ALSO, just because you don’t change lenses, don’t think your sensor won’t get dirty. It does, you need this.
If you want to see what I take with me when I am out shooting the night sky, Click Here:
If you want to see an overall review of flashlights at different price points and power output, Click Here:
