THE GEAR I USE
I know photography is about much, much more than the gear you use. However, as an adventure photographer it has taken years of trial and error, as well as a lot of purchase and replace, to settle on my current collection of equipment. I try to use items that are light and fast with great optics and professional build quality. If it can't take a beating, I'm not interested. I want great images, so I use the equipment I've purchased without hesitation.
CAMERAS
CANON EOS 7D MARK II
This newly released DSLR body features 20.2 megapixels, 10 frames per second, dual processors, great ISO performance, improved autofocus, 1080p video recording at 60 fps, and a slew of other features. One of my favorite features added to this body is the professional level weather sealing.
CANON POWERSHOT G15
Unlike its predecessors, the Powershot G15 finally offered a wide aperture for better low light quality. This camera shoots full 1080p video, has a 12.1 megapixel sensor and an aperture range starting at 1.4. It's got impressive image quality for such a small package.
LENSES
CANON EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
This lens is the fastest of the Canon 50mm options and features professional level optics along with professional level build-quality and weather-sealing. The majority of the lenses I own are L-series lenses for the weather sealing, professional quality, and advanced optics.
CANON EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Almost a standard lens amongst portrait photographers, the 70-200mm is a spectacular focal length that produces exceptional bokeh (out of focus areas). The image stabilization makes this lens much more manageable at slower shutter speeds, and the wide f/2.8 aperture gives you a broad range of options in low-light conditions.
TRIPODS
MANFROTTO 190XB TRIPOD LEGS
This is a full-sized set of aluminum tripod legs that allows me to place the camera above eye level if need be. It's heavier than many carbon fiber tripods, but comes with greater stability at a lower cost.
MANFROTTO 3021BPRO TRIPOD LEGS
I use this set of tripod legs when traveling as they easily fit into a carry-on bag. Though shorter than the 190XB legs above, this tripod still gives me great reach with the center-column extended.
MANFROTTO 804RC2 TILT PAN HEAD
This head has been a workhorse for me over the years. The precision and ability to make minute adjustments makes it great for shooting landscapes and architectural work.
MANFROTTO 468MGRC2 MAGNESIUM HYDROSTATIC BALL HEAD
Every photographer needs a good ball head for their tripod. I love this head because it's relatively light and allows me to dial back the friction on the ball. This allows for quick adjustments without having to ratchet down the ball head.
MEMORY CARDS
DELKIN DEVICES 32GB COMPACT FLASH CARDS
I've used Delkin Device s cards for many years now and I have yet to have a card fail on me. Even after drowning my camera, my compact flash card was readable and still usable.
DELKIN DEVICES 16GB COMPACT FLASH CARDS
With memory increasing in speeds almost overnight, it's nice to use fast cards that can keep up with cameras that shoot several frames per second.
DELKIN DEVICES 32GB SECURE DIGITAL CARDS
With the addition of an SD card slot on the Canon 7D Mark II, I have been able to switch almost exclusively to SD cards. I like their compact size, equal memory capacity, and the added feature of water protection.
DELKIN DEVICES 16GB SECURE DIGITAL CARDS
Shooting at 10 frames per second I have relied heavily upon the speed of my memory cards to quickly empty the camera's buffer and get me shooting again. Delkin Devices cards give me the read/write speeds I need.
LEXAR WORKFLOW THUNDERBOLT HUB HR2
Lexar introduced the new HR2 Hub with the added feature of Thunderbolt connectivity. In addition to faster downloads, I can now daisy-chain several items to my single-port laptop for more accessibility. Not that I was shutter shy to begin with, but these faster download speeds may have made me a bit more trigger happy when shooting. The interchangeable ports have added much-needed flexibility to my workflow.
VIDEO
RODE VIDEOMIC PRO
This compact microphone takes audio to another level. It easily eliminates in-camera noises such as shake and autofocus while maintaining a very small shell. I pair this with the Beachtek audio adapter to better record audio in-camera.
BEACHTEK MCC-2 2-CHANNEL AUDIO ADAPTER
This audio adapter is really all about expanding your in-camera options. The ability to further monitor and control the audio while recording video has helped me achieve a more consistent product every time. It's small and requires no additional power to operate.
ELVID FIELDVISION 7" ON-CAMERA MONITOR
Having a 7" monitor will definitely improve your video work. The monitor is thin and mounts directly into the hot shoe of my camera for easy access during operation. I especially like the fact that it operates with the Canon LP-E6 battery my cameras use. This cuts back on the number of cords, chargers and batteries that I need to carry into the field.
COMPUTERS
APPLE MACBOOK PRO
A laptop isn’t always the best place to edit images. For me, the screen size is too small, especially on a 13” screen. However, connect it to a larger, high-resolution monitor and it’s a dream. I’ve started carrying a complete backup of all my images with me everywhere I go to make myself a bit more mobile.
LG 4K DISPLAY
I utilize two monitors in my editing workflow and they happen to be an LG 4K Display and the screen of my laptop. I love the color consistency on this monitor and will likely upgrade when Apple releases a 4K monitor.
STORAGE
LACIE RUGGED 500GB USB 3.0 HARD DRIVE
I use this drive for storing the necessary backup items while traveling. In addition to company documents and computer and software backups, it contains movies, music, and audiobooks to make traveling a bit more enjoyable.
LACIE 1TB THUNDERBOLT HARD DRIVE
I have two of these drives and they stay empty. I clean them off before each trip, and use them in the field for backing up cards every day. If I can help it, I try to carry enough cards and memory to not format the cards until I return home.
G-TECHNOLOGY 8TB RAID ENCLOSURE
This is my at home backup. After downloading every image from the field, I backup my 8TB of internal computer storage to this external enclosure. It's just one more layer of protection from catastrophic failure.
BAGS AND CASES
PELICAN 1510
Hard sided and weather sealed, this case is everything but bomb proof. I love the capacity of this roll-on case, especially when paired with the TrekPak inserts and a Pelican 1519 lid organizer.
PELICAN 1519 LID ORGANIZER
After buying the Pelican 1510 without foam, I had the option of adding a lid organizer with several pockets or one with a laptop case. I went with the pockets so I could keep all of my camera equipment together. I like having everything together in a stand-alone package. This ensures I haven't forgotten anything when I get into the field.
TREKPAK INSERTS
These are a lifesaver and coincidentally a space saver. I know I have raved about these on my blog several times, but they really are revolutionary in the camera bag field. They adjust easily, are completely customizable, and very durable. These beat Velcro dividers any day of the week!
DEUTER MEN'S FREERIDER PRO 30 BACKPACK
This bag was designed as a rear-entry ski mountaineering pack. From there, TrekPak adapted it to be a camera bag with removable inserts. I have taken this bag to the bottom of canyons and to the top of mountains and it's comfortable and durable.
THINKTANK AIRPORT NAVIGATOR
This bag acts as a bit of a catch all for me. I carry my laptop and iPad in the outside pocket and stuff the interior with smaller bags carrying grouped equipment. I have a cleaning kit, backup kit (hard drives and cords), connectivity kit (computer cords), GoPro kit, charging kit (batteries and chargers), audio kit (microphone and cords), and video kit (monitor and cords). All of these things live in this bag and make packing for travel a breeze.
LOWEPRO PHOTO RUNNER 100
This bag replaced a previous waist pack I carried because of the extra depth it provided. I can easily carry a body and 3 lenses in this bag with a few needed accessories. This is my go-to bag for short hikes or quick weekend trips where photography isn't the main goal.
CLIK ELITE STANDARD SLR CHEST PACK
I bought this bag with the intention of having a bag that could carry a point and shoot camera and underwater housing safely down a canyon. The added feature of external buckles that can be applied to any pack always comes in handy.