Photo Gear
Cameras
Lenses
CANON 300 MM F/2.8
My workhorse lens, the 300 mm f/2.8 is awesome. Sharpness is great, and the wide aperture allows me to get creative and to work in low light.
SIGMA 150 MM F/2.8 MACRO
I love this macro lens. 150 mm is the sweet spot for me, light enough for handheld work (not so with a 180 mm) but long enough for tripod work (not so with a 100 mm). Tripod collar comes with the lens.
SIGMA 150-600 MM F/5-6.3
I love this lens. Not super fast in terms of aperture or focus but the ability to get tack sharp shots in a small, light, cheap package (under $1000) is awesome! I love the zoom for wildlife framing options too.
CANON 70-300 MM F/4-5.6
A nice versatile lens for hummingbirds, flowers, lizards, butterflies, and landscapes. Built like a tank and super sharp, it’s a nice lens for an affordable price.
CANON 1.4X TELECONVERTER
Canon’s teleconverters are great performers. The 1.4x with my 300 mm lens allows me to shoot 420 mm at f/4 with very little loss of image quality and autofocus speed.
ROKINON 24 MM F/1.4
This lens is a bargain for night work. The wide aperture is fantastic, sharpness is great across the frame, and the lack of autofocus is not an issue for night landscapes.
CANON 16-35 MM F/4
My go to landscape lens. Great sharpness corner to corner, good AF, and even IS for handheld or aerial work. Standard 77 mm thread makes it easy and affordable to use a polarizing filter.
KENKO EXTENSION TUBE SET
Extension tubes allow any lens to focus more closely with no effect on optical quality. This Kenko set works great and doesn’t break the bank.
Flashes
GODOX AD200
This amazing flash packs the power of a studio strobe in a small package, and the light quality and shadow softness, even undiffused, is incredible. And it works with any camera system (with the right transmitter)!
CANON MACRO TWIN FLASH
The MT-24 EX works well for super tight macro shots (e.g., ants, weevils). It’s portable and easy to use and can even wirelessly control a Speedlight off-camera.
CANON 430 EX
A classic, the 430 EX works as a slave or as an onboard hotshoe flash. A great option for macro work. I have relegated mine to camera trapping/remote wildlife work as it is easy to disable the sleep function.
YONGNUO YN560 II
I use these cheap manual flashes for my multiple-flash hummingbird setups. They work well and have lasted for years of intensive use. The newer version III and IV will work fine as well. I use them with the Phottix Strato.
GODOX XPRO TRANSMITTER
A full TTL, HSS, manual flash transmitter for $70? And one that works with any flash in the Godox system from studio strobes to pocket flashes? Sign me up!
GODOX V860II
Based on the Canon 600-RT design, these flashes work as radio masters or slaves with the Godox Xpro transmitter. The integrated Lithium battery pack offers quick recycle time and holds a charge for a long time.
PHOTTIX STRATO KIT
These work great as radio triggers/receivers for any cheap manual flash. You don’t always need TTL, particularly for studio or setup work, and these are an affordable way to build a system with mixed flashes.
Buy it from Amazon.
PHOTTIX STRATO RECEIVERS
The kit above consists of one transmitter and one receiver. Use the link below to purchase as many added receivers as you need for your quantity of flashes.
Buy it from Amazon.
Filters
POLAR PRO DRONE FILTERS
This pack contains combo ND/polarizing filters in strengths of 2, 3, and 4 stops. They are great for slowing down movement in water but the polarizer is what really adds richness to drone photos.
BIG STOPPER
The Lee Big Stopper is a 10-stop neutral density filter that has little to no color cast. It’s great for really slowing down movement, even in bright midday light.
6 STOP CIRCULAR ND FILTER
Breakthrough Photography is a new filter company making some great products (I hope to hook up with them somehow). This 6 stop circular ND is great for when you don’t want to break out a filter holder system.
FILTER HOLDER
When using square filters (grad ND, straight ND), you need a filter holder. This system works great and is available at a reasonable price.
Buy it from Amazon.
GRAD ND FILTERS
Yes, you can do grad filtering in post-processing but sometimes you just can’t get all of the dynamic range contained in your histogram. This is where real, physical graduated neutral density filters help!
FILTER POUCH
A filter pouch that clips on to your belt, bag, or tripod is really handy. I use this one from Lowepro. It has slots for square and round filters alike.
CIRCULAR POLARIZER
The circular polarizer is the one filter that absolutely cannot be duplicated in post-processing. I have a polarizer for every lens that I use for landscapes, and these B+W models are a fantastic value.
Bags
CANON 200EG BACKPACK
One of the cheapest backpacks around ($40!), this little Canon 200EG is well made and designed and is perfect for a limited kit for a day shoot.
PELICAN AIR 1535 ROLLER
If you’ve seen the review on my blog, you know that I love this new case for international travel. Light, secure, and inexpensive, it gives the traveling photographer some peace of mind.
Buy it from Amazon.
GURA GEAR G ELITE 32L
I still use the original Kiboko bag, and it’s the best field photo pack I’ve ever used. When (if!) mine falls apart someday, I’ll replace it with the latest version.
THINKTANK SHAPESHIFTER 17
This bag is the perfect complement to the Pelican Air 1535. It lies flat if you pack it in check through luggage for later use in the field. Or it can do double duty as your personal item carry-on.