A question we get asked all the time...
"Whats in your camera bag?"
As some of you know, Walker and I, took our first trip to Asia in 2017. It was this trip that made us realize we love traveling and making content that we could look back on for years to come. Of course, during this trip our skills were lacking, but you have to start somewhere! We did the best we could at the time, with little to no experience. It's an amazing process to see how far we've come and how much our skills have grown.
Anyways, the vlogging world was really just starting then. At the time, there wasn't as much info out there like there is now. We started with the typical gear: A GoPro 8, A Canon g7x and a Phantom drone (who remembers those giants?) My, how the times have changed!
Fast forward to 2022, our backpack has become our second home. It's important for us to not only have good equipment that lasts, but a backpack that wont fall apart, keeps our gear safe and can withstand all the weight. 30 lbs of weight to be exact. And because we both create content for different things, we have quite a bit of equipment for different jobs. All the links to these products are listed in gold.
Cameras:
The Sony A7V is now our main camera and the one we reach for on almost every shoot. It builds on everything we loved about the A7IV and refines it in all the right ways.
One of the biggest upgrades for us is uncropped 4K 60fps. Having full frame 4K 60 makes a real difference when filming travel content, especially in tight spaces or when we want that wider look without stepping back. It also shoots 4K 120fps with a crop, which gives us high quality slow motion when we want to add more emotion or drama to a scene.
The camera feels noticeably faster and more responsive. Autofocus is more confident, subject tracking is improved, and the overall performance just feels snappier. In real world use, that speed matters.
We shoot in S-Log on this camera for video and love how flexible the files are. The dynamic range gives us room to work in harsh tropical sun, deep shadows, and everything in between. The footage grades beautifully and the colors are easy to dial in to match our style.
In terms of image quality, photos are very similar to the A7IV. It is not a massive leap in look, but more of an evolution in performance. The A7V simply feels like a more refined, more versatile version of a camera we already trusted.
This is the backbone of our current setup.
The Sony A7IV is still an absolute beast and a core part of our kit. It features a 33 megapixel full frame sensor, excellent autofocus, 5 axis in body stabilization, and 4K 60fps video.
Even after upgrading, we genuinely do not feel like this camera is outdated. Photo quality is essentially identical to the A7V. The images are sharp, detailed, and consistently beautiful. For video, the 4K 60fps still looks great. The main difference is that it crops in at 60fps and does not offer 4K 120.
We also shoot in S Log on the A7IV and get the same flexible, gradable files that fit perfectly into our workflow. The colors match seamlessly with the A7V, which makes multi camera shooting easy.
This camera has carried a huge amount of our YouTube content, client work, and travel shoots. It is reliable, proven, and still one we would confidently recommend to creators and professionals alike.
Lenses:
We have a ton of lenses, so bare with us as we list and generally explain what they're used for. Starting strong with our favorite lens, The Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM. Some of the key features of the 35mm f/1.4 GM include a fast aperture of f/1.4, which allows for low light shooting and shallow depth of field effects, as well as a number of advanced optical elements, including ED (Extra-low Dispersion) and aspherical elements, which help to reduce distortion and produce sharp and detailed images.
Our everyday wide angle lens that we love is the Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8. It has good low light performance and shallow depth of field. The lens is great for vlogging, and whenever you need a nice wide angle like at a waterfall. It has a more compact and light weight body, making it easy to keep in our bag at all times.
Next on our list is the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. It has all the same specs as the 17-2, but is a zoom lens. Most of our professional work, like weddings and commercial work has been done using this lens. It's so versatile and the reason why we can't live without it!
Up next, we have the Sony 85mm f/1.8. We use this lens primarily for portraits and videos where the subject may be in motion. It has a great auto focus feature and amazing background blur.
The Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is a telephoto zoom lens that we use for isolated subject like animals or landscape shots.
Drone:
- DJI Mini 5 Pro
The DJI Mini 5 Pro is our current drone and honestly this thing is a little beast.
What we love most about it is how small and easy it is to travel with. It folds down tiny, barely takes up space in our bag, and most importantly, it is way quieter than our old Air 2S. That was a great drone, but it was loud and always drew attention to us. We never liked feeling like we were disturbing people or turning every head on the beach.
The Mini 5 Pro is much more subtle. It almost looks like a toy in the air, but the image quality says otherwise.
It has a 1 inch sensor, which is the same size we had in the Air 2S, so we are not sacrificing sensor size to go smaller. The results are sharp, detailed, and surprisingly strong in tough lighting conditions.
One of the features we really love is the dual native ISO performance when shooting in RAW for photos or D Log M for video. When using auto ISO, the drone is able to pull more information from both highlights and shadows, giving you noticeably better dynamic range. For travel work where you often have bright skies and dark landscapes in the same frame, that flexibility makes a big difference.
It also shoots 4K up to 60fps and gives us smooth, high quality footage that matches really well with our Sony cameras. Native vertical shooting is another feature we use more than expected. Being able to rotate the camera for true vertical content saves time and keeps the quality higher for reels and client work.
Overall, this drone gives us everything we need in a package that is small, quiet, and easy to fly. It has all the intelligent flight features we rely on, feels stable in the air, and makes aerial shots feel effortless.
Action Camera:
This compact powerhouse has become an essential tool in our content creation arsenal. One standout feature we can't stop raving about is its incredible stabilization technology. No matter the adventure or fast-paced action, the Hero 10 delivers buttery-smooth footage, ensuring every moment is captured with astonishing clarity.
Size matters, and the Hero 10's compact design makes it incredibly convenient to carry and use. Whether we're chasing spontaneous candid moments or diving into thrilling action, this lightweight camera is always at our side, ready to capture the excitement.
One area where the GoPro Hero 10 truly shines is underwater. With its 4K resolution at 120fps, we're able to capture mesmerizing footage beneath the surface, bringing the underwater world to life with stunning detail and vibrant colors.
But the Hero 10 doesn't stop at capturing epic adventures. We also love using it for vlogging, especially with the Media Mod mic. The combination of high-quality video and crystal-clear audio elevates our vlogs to the next level, ensuring our storytelling is immersive and engaging.
Whether you're a thrill-seeker, a travel enthusiast, or a content creator looking for versatility, the GoPro Hero 10 is a game-changer. Its exceptional stabilization, compact size, underwater capabilities, and vlogging-friendly features make it the perfect companion for capturing unforgettable moments.
Backpacks:
Introducing our go-to day bag for protecting our gear: the trusty dry bag. While it may not win any beauty contests, it excels in functionality and keeping our camera equipment secure, and SAFE.
One of the standout features of this dry bag is its convenient water bottle holders, allowing us to stay hydrated on our adventures without compromising gear storage. It's the perfect blend of practicality and protection. When it comes to organizing our gear, we've developed a clever system. At the bottom of the bag, we place the dedicated drone bag that came with our drone, ensuring it remains well-padded and protected. On top of that, we utilize a small shopping bag to house our lenses and camera, keeping them easily accessible while maintaining their safety.
The real star of the show, however, is the dry bag's 100% waterproof design. Unlike camera bags that claim to be water-resistant, this bag provides unbeatable protection against the elements. Even in heavy rain, we can confidently carry our gear without worrying about water seeping through.
Our other camera bag is big enough to hold all of our gear, has all the proper organization and has a waterproof cover. We typically only use for professional shoots because it fits all of our gear and has better organization.
Accessories:
The purpose of a polarizer is to get rid of glare. It helps especially when shooting around water, helps diffuse really bright light and makes colors more rich. We use it on a lot of our photos especially if there is water or bright sunlight in the scene.
We only use the Sony batteries for our Sony Camera's. We don't want to risk causing problems with our expensive gear by cheaping out on batteries.
When it comes to reliable and high-performance memory cards, our go-to choice is the Samsung PRO Plus. These memory cards have been our trusted companions for the past four years, and they have never let us down.
One standout feature of the Samsung PRO Plus is its compatibility with a wide range of devices. We've used these memory cards across multiple cameras, drones, and other devices, and they have seamlessly worked with all of them. It's a relief to know that we can rely on these cards regardless of the device we're using.
Not only are the Samsung PRO Plus memory cards versatile, but they also offer impressive speed and reliability. With fast read and write speeds, we can quickly transfer files and capture high-quality footage without any buffering or lag. These cards have handled our demanding shooting needs with ease, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted recording.
What truly sets the Samsung PRO Plus apart is its exceptional value for the price. These memory cards provide a generous 256GB of storage capacity, giving us ample space to store our photos, videos, and other media files. The best part is that despite their affordability, we have never experienced a card failure. We can confidently rely on these cards to safeguard our precious memories.
This we just recently added to our bag. We have the Fuji Film Instax Mini 11. It is so cute, small and portable. We like to bring it with us for fun, especially if were going to be hanging out with out friends.
It's important to choose the gear that will help you get the most out of your camera and meet your photography needs. Whether you're a professional or passion photographer, having the right gear can make all the difference in your photos. Take the time to carefully consider what goes into your camera bag, and you'll be well-equipped to tackle any photographic challenge that comes your way!