Canon
5D Mark IV
I straight up love this camera. It destroys the 5D Mk 3 in almost every possible way. The surprising thing is how much I love the touch screen. It has improved my workflow in the field immensely. The image quality is awesome and the ISO is much MUCH better on this camera. It also finds focus MUCH faster… My only complaint is its sensitivity to rain. My 5D Mark iii seemed more stable when it got wet, whereas this camera gets funky as soon as there is a bit of water on it.
Canon
EF 11-24 1:4 L USM
This is my favourite lens. The creative look you get at 11mm is simply gorgeous. It is huge, heavy, requires a dedicated filter system (polarizer) but all that aside it is completely worth the extra effort required to use a lens like this one.
Canon
EF 16-35 1:4 L IS USM
This lens is a work horse. The images are sharp and it delivers quality constantly. I use this lens a lot since all my filters fit beautifully. It’s versatile and reliable.
Canon
EF 24-70 1:4 L IS USM
To be perfectly honest, I have to force myself to put this lens on… only because I rarely feel inspired by the 35-70mm range… but every time I do find myself needing that range this lens does the trick. It’s light which is nice but there is definitely a different look to this lens. I compared my 11-24mm, 16-35mm and 24-70mm (all set to 24mm) and took a series of shots. Without a doubt, the other lenses took better quality images, but they also cost significantly more. For the price, this is a great lens.
Canon
EF 70-200 1:2.8 L IS II USM
This lens is incredibly sharp. I have much to learn about using it, but every single shot I take with it looks crisp and clean. I find I am always reaching for my wide angle lens, but it baffles me as this produces just spectacular results.
Canon
EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
I really love this lens, and I use it mostly for portrait stuff. It’s incredibly sharp, and I love shooting with it. The autofocus is a wee bit slow at times, but other than that I am really happy with this lens.
Sigma
50 1:1.4 DG 77 ART
Without a doubt an absolutely stunning portrait lens. I have taken so many photos of my son and wife with this lens and all I can tell you is that I love it. The price vs quality ratio is simply unbelievable. Just be aware that if you are shooting close there is a bit of noticeable lens distortion which can be a tad odd in portrait shots.
Rokinon
14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC
I only use this for shooting stars (and just starting doing this recently). It lets in a ton of light which is perfect for that application. It’s not that sharp and certainly cannot compare in quality to the other lenses in my arsenal but for the cost, it does fine at capturing the stars… That said, the rest of the image is kinda garbage due to softness of this lens. Typically, to get around this, I’ll shoot the foreground with a different lens (while it’s still lighter out) and then blend in the stars in Photoshop… If I shoot more astro, I’ll probably invest in something better. For the cost of this lens, it’s a good deal, but you do get exactly what you pay for.
F-Stop
Sukha
I used to be a touring musician and I was extremely particular about my equipment. I had heavy duty road cases for all my equipment… and even had a couple of road cases for my road cases lol. So, I am someone who appreciates protection and organization for my equipment. This bag is simply amazing. It holds a TON, is very comfortable, well built and keeps my stuff very organized and protected. You’d have to peel this from my cold dead hands if you wanted to take it from me.
Really Right Stuff
Tripod – TVC-33
Everything I own from this company is simply amazing. Well made, well functioning, and works like a tank in the field. There is simply no other tripod system I would use. I also use the 5D MKiv L-Plate. The only thing to consider is the weight. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you are carrying a lot of gear, every extra pound counts. Sometimes I wish I had a lighter tripod for this reason, but of course I enjoy the stability of the heavier tripod that I have.
Really Right Stuff
BH-55 PCLR w/ PC-LR clamp
Everything I own from this company is simply amazing. Well made, well functioning, and works like a tank in the field. There is simply no other tripod system I would use. I also use the 5D MKiv L-Plate. Be advised… this ballhead is pretty heavy… Something I wish I could shave off some of that weight but I can’t justify buying another ball head.
NiSi
180mm Square Filter System
This is an incredibly well designed piece of equipment. It is exactly what I needed after struggling so badly with the Lee SW 150 system which is, in my opinion, utter garbage. This unit goes right on the front of the lens, is well constructed and does everything it needs to do. It’s pricey, but after receiving it, I don’t regret the cost at all… It is rather large but this is due to necessity to remove vignette when shooting at 11mm (which is does fantastically).
Nisi
180x180mm Square HD Polarizer
This is HUGE. 180mm doesn’t sound like much but when you are trying to slide it into the holder without causing fingerprints, it can be tough! There is no “single hand” holding this filter, at least not with my sausage fingers. Make sure your camera is already on the tripod, holder in place, and then you can easily use both of your hands to hold this filter by the edges to get it in place. I also bought the hardshell case to hold the filter(s). I am not too keen on the case as it is really hard to get the filter out without the lid latch dragging across the glass as it slides out. Obviously I need a case for the filters as they are huge and expensive, but this is the only drawback so far.
NiSi
180x180mm Nano IR Neutral Density 10 Stop Filter
As with all the 180×180 filters, the size makes handling the filters a bit tough, especially with one hand (I have small hands and sausage fingers lol), but the size is a necessary evil if you want to eliminate vignette at 11mm! This filter is incredible quality with pretty much zero colour cast and of course has zero vignette at 11mm. This stuff is well built and unparalleled in quality.
Breakthrough Photography
X3 3, 6, 10 stop ND Filters
These filters are an unbelievable product. Their customer service is amazing, and I use this a lot. No colour cast at all, relatively durable, and easy to use.
Breakthrough Photography
X4 Circular Polarizer Filter
The first thing I will say about this is the company has fantastic customer service and delivers many great products that I love and use. The polarizer however is not what I had hoped for. It does a great job of minimizing vignette because of its low profile, but the low profile means you have very little to hold on to when removing the filter… and gets stuck often. The first one I ordered started fogging up regularly, which was replaced by the company without hassle, but the new one seems to have a bit of the same issue. I guess I have not found the perfect polarizer yet but I will keep looking.
Phottix
Aeon Intervalometer
I love this unit, other than the fact that the strap system does not hold up and the printing on the controller rubs off so you’d better know what the buttons do (I work in the dark often and get by ok). I am actually on my second unit, but that is because I got the first one wet. (Really wet, as in underwater ;-)). It’s a pretty great unit but when the second one goes I may try something different.
LEE Filters
SW150 Mark II Filter System
When you think of Lee Filters you think quality. This thing is anything but. I hate it. The thumbscrew to keep the holder attached to the lens fell out, the ring that locks the holding system to the lens is stripped after a few uses, it’s extremely hard to take on and off in the field (especially if your hands are cold). After using the Nisi holder I have no good thing to say about this product… just this:
Profoto
Profoto B1
As of late, I have been really enjoying portrait stuff. And these lights (I have three of them) are phenomenal. Tons of power, really easy to use and to sync to, and deliver the most gorgeous light you could wish for.
Profoto
Deep White XL Umbrella
It’s huge, easy to set up, creates wonderful soft light. Could not live without this modifier.
Profoto
Softbox RFi 5’ Octa
Much more of a pain in the ass to set up than an umbrella, but this modifier creates stunning light. Love it.
Profoto
Softbox RFi 1×4’ Strip
This is great for creating direct soft light. Love it. It is a pain to set up, but worth it.
Profoto
Air Remote TTL-C
This unit is super easy to use and is pretty flawless in what it does. It eats the batteries pretty quick, but that’s not a critical issue for me, just something I need to be aware of.
Sekonic
JE10 Flashmate
It’s a new thing for me to shoot using a light meter (portrait) but this little unit saves me a ton of guess work when dialling in lighting. Simple to use once you understand how it works. So far it’s pretty reliable. The only thing to be aware of is that your lights cannot be in modelling mode unless they are at full power, otherwise the meter can’t figure out what it is measuring. This was a pretty frustrating thing that I had to figure out with my Profoto B1’s.
Canon
5D Mark IV
I straight up love this camera. It destroys the 5D Mk 3 in almost every possible way. The surprising thing is how much I love the touch screen. It has improved my workflow in the field immensely. The image quality is awesome and the ISO is much MUCH better on this camera. It also finds focus MUCH faster… My only complaint is its sensitivity to rain. My 5D Mark iii seemed more stable when it got wet, whereas this camera gets funky as soon as there is a bit of water on it.
Canon
EF 11-24 1:4 L USM
This is my favourite lens. The creative look you get at 11mm is simply gorgeous. It is huge, heavy, requires a dedicated filter system (polarizer) but all that aside it is completely worth the extra effort required to use a lens like this one.
Canon
EF 16-35 1:4 L IS USM
This lens is a work horse. The images are sharp and it delivers quality constantly. I use this lens a lot since all my filters fit beautifully. It’s versatile and reliable.
Canon
EF 24-70 1:4 L IS USM
To be perfectly honest, I have to force myself to put this lens on… only because I rarely feel inspired by the 35-70mm range… but every time I do find myself needing that range this lens does the trick. It’s light which is nice but there is definitely a different look to this lens. I compared my 11-24mm, 16-35mm and 24-70mm (all set to 24mm) and took a series of shots. Without a doubt, the other lenses took better quality images, but they also cost significantly more. For the price, this is a great lens.
Canon
EF 70-200 1:2.8 L IS II USM
This lens is incredibly sharp. I have much to learn about using it, but every single shot I take with it looks crisp and clean. I find I am always reaching for my wide angle lens, but it baffles me as this produces just spectacular results.
Canon
EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
I really love this lens, and I use it mostly for portrait stuff. It’s incredibly sharp, and I love shooting with it. The autofocus is a wee bit slow at times, but other than that I am really happy with this lens.
Sigma
50 1:1.4 DG 77 ART
Without a doubt an absolutely stunning portrait lens. I have taken so many photos of my son and wife with this lens and all I can tell you is that I love it. The price vs quality ratio is simply unbelievable. Just be aware that if you are shooting close there is a bit of noticeable lens distortion which can be a tad odd in portrait shots.
Rokinon
14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC
I only use this for shooting stars (and just starting doing this recently). It lets in a ton of light which is perfect for that application. It’s not that sharp and certainly cannot compare in quality to the other lenses in my arsenal but for the cost, it does fine at capturing the stars… That said, the rest of the image is kinda garbage due to softness of this lens. Typically, to get around this, I’ll shoot the foreground with a different lens (while it’s still lighter out) and then blend in the stars in Photoshop… If I shoot more astro, I’ll probably invest in something better. For the cost of this lens, it’s a good deal, but you do get exactly what you pay for.
F-Stop
Sukha
I used to be a touring musician and I was extremely particular about my equipment. I had heavy duty road cases for all my equipment… and even had a couple of road cases for my road cases lol. So, I am someone who appreciates protection and organization for my equipment. This bag is simply amazing. It holds a TON, is very comfortable, well built and keeps my stuff very organized and protected. You’d have to peel this from my cold dead hands if you wanted to take it from me.
Really Right Stuff
Tripod – TVC-33
Everything I own from this company is simply amazing. Well made, well functioning, and works like a tank in the field. There is simply no other tripod system I would use. I also use the 5D MKiv L-Plate. The only thing to consider is the weight. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you are carrying a lot of gear, every extra pound counts. Sometimes I wish I had a lighter tripod for this reason, but of course I enjoy the stability of the heavier tripod that I have.
Really Right Stuff
BH-55 PCLR w/ PC-LR clamp
Everything I own from this company is simply amazing. Well made, well functioning, and works like a tank in the field. There is simply no other tripod system I would use. I also use the 5D MKiv L-Plate. Be advised… this ballhead is pretty heavy… Something I wish I could shave off some of that weight but I can’t justify buying another ball head.
NiSi
180mm Square Filter System
This is an incredibly well designed piece of equipment. It is exactly what I needed after struggling so badly with the Lee SW 150 system which is, in my opinion, utter garbage. This unit goes right on the front of the lens, is well constructed and does everything it needs to do. It’s pricey, but after receiving it, I don’t regret the cost at all… It is rather large but this is due to necessity to remove vignette when shooting at 11mm (which is does fantastically).
Nisi
180x180mm Square HD Polarizer
This is HUGE. 180mm doesn’t sound like much but when you are trying to slide it into the holder without causing fingerprints, it can be tough! There is no “single hand” holding this filter, at least not with my sausage fingers. Make sure your camera is already on the tripod, holder in place, and then you can easily use both of your hands to hold this filter by the edges to get it in place. I also bought the hardshell case to hold the filter(s). I am not too keen on the case as it is really hard to get the filter out without the lid latch dragging across the glass as it slides out. Obviously I need a case for the filters as they are huge and expensive, but this is the only drawback so far.
NiSi
180x180mm Nano IR Neutral Density 10 Stop Filter
As with all the 180×180 filters, the size makes handling the filters a bit tough, especially with one hand (I have small hands and sausage fingers lol), but the size is a necessary evil if you want to eliminate vignette at 11mm! This filter is incredible quality with pretty much zero colour cast and of course has zero vignette at 11mm. This stuff is well built and unparalleled in quality.
Breakthrough Photography
X3 3, 6, 10 stop ND Filters
These filters are an unbelievable product. Their customer service is amazing, and I use this a lot. No colour cast at all, relatively durable, and easy to use.
Breakthrough Photography
X4 Circular Polarizer Filter
The first thing I will say about this is the company has fantastic customer service and delivers many great products that I love and use. The polarizer however is not what I had hoped for. It does a great job of minimizing vignette because of its low profile, but the low profile means you have very little to hold on to when removing the filter… and gets stuck often. The first one I ordered started fogging up regularly, which was replaced by the company without hassle, but the new one seems to have a bit of the same issue. I guess I have not found the perfect polarizer yet but I will keep looking.
Phottix
Aeon Intervalometer
I love this unit, other than the fact that the strap system does not hold up and the printing on the controller rubs off so you’d better know what the buttons do (I work in the dark often and get by ok). I am actually on my second unit, but that is because I got the first one wet. (Really wet, as in underwater ;-)). It’s a pretty great unit but when the second one goes I may try something different.
LEE Filters
SW150 Mark II Filter System
When you think of Lee Filters you think quality. This thing is anything but. I hate it. The thumbscrew to keep the holder attached to the lens fell out, the ring that locks the holding system to the lens is stripped after a few uses, it’s extremely hard to take on and off in the field (especially if your hands are cold). After using the Nisi holder I have no good thing to say about this product… just this:
Profoto
Profoto B1
As of late, I have been really enjoying portrait stuff. And these lights (I have three of them) are phenomenal. Tons of power, really easy to use and to sync to, and deliver the most gorgeous light you could wish for.
Profoto
Deep White XL Umbrella
It’s huge, easy to set up, creates wonderful soft light. Could not live without this modifier.
Profoto
Softbox RFi 5’ Octa
Much more of a pain in the ass to set up than an umbrella, but this modifier creates stunning light. Love it.
Profoto
Softbox RFi 1×4’ Strip
This is great for creating direct soft light. Love it. It is a pain to set up, but worth it.
Profoto
Air Remote TTL-C
This unit is super easy to use and is pretty flawless in what it does. It eats the batteries pretty quick, but that’s not a critical issue for me, just something I need to be aware of.
Sekonic
JE10 Flashmate
It’s a new thing for me to shoot using a light meter (portrait) but this little unit saves me a ton of guess work when dialling in lighting. Simple to use once you understand how it works. So far it’s pretty reliable. The only thing to be aware of is that your lights cannot be in modelling mode unless they are at full power, otherwise the meter can’t figure out what it is measuring. This was a pretty frustrating thing that I had to figure out with my Profoto B1’s.