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My Camera Gear

My Camera Gear

Photography is light but no photo is taken without a camera. That is why all the photographers need the right tools in order to transform the light into pictures. From the simpliest pinhole camera to the most sophisticated camera system have the same purpose. Capture the light. It is just matter of taste, budget and needs we opt for certain equipment. I will show you what I use. That doesn’t mean it is best than others. It just means it has been my choice for a number of reasons. Technical reasons, mainly.

I am attaching a direct link to Amazon for all the items possible since it is interesting info for those who landed to this Gear page :). We all need the right tools and direct info to specs and pricing is useful information for many photographers who are looking for equipment. In some cases, there is no such link to the exact product I own but the equivalent – like a version “III” instead of “II” of a lens). I wish to be helpful all the information here.

Equipment Summary

Camera Body

Zoom Lenses

Prime Lenses

Flashes

Accessories

Computer & IT

Storage

Bags

Camera Body

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Since 2016 this camera has been my main camera. Previous to the 5D Mark IV I was using a Canon 5D Mark III and a Panasonic GH4. Unfortunately it was stolen at the time I was coming back from a photo road trip to Scotland. There is some equipment listed in this page which was stolen as well and never recovered but I believe it was important to include. On the other hand I usually rent equipment although I just quote here the equipment I owned or used enough to be considered one of my tools.

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Zoom Lenses

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR

This lens was my very first lens I bought for my very first Digital SLR camera back in 2003, a Canon 10D. A 6 megapixels camera I still keep as a treasure. Since this camera had a 1.6x crop factor it was like a 27-64mm on 35mm format equivalent. Robust as all others “L” lens series has been a great travel companion for outdoors landscapes, indoor photography, concerts and extreme portraiture. Later on I was using it with full-frame 5D series cameras gaining this ultra-wide look it offers @17mm. At this time, other options has been released in their similar price range. If I would pick a 17-40 f/4 substitute I would go for the new Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 IS USM which has more resolution and overall sharpness since has a newer lens tech and design.

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Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens

The 24-70 has been my workhorse since I moved into full-frame cameras. I first started with version I of this lens and upgraded to version II. The version II offers much better optical performance and resolution given the demanding cameras using high megapixel count sensors in the last decade.

I usually grab this lens in most cases I can pick just one, to travel light. I use the 24-70 for either landscapes, indoor photography, wide to standard focal length range in portraiture and wide scenes in concerts/events. In pair with the following 70-200 2.8L IS II/III is the perfect multipurpose lens kit.

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Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L III USM Standard Zoom Lens

This is my second lens of choice ahead of the 24-70. Since the model I am using (70-200 2.8L II USM) is discontinued, the replacement is the version III which offer minor changes. It is a nice, sharp lens and quick AF lens. An all-terrain and multi-purpose that you want to have in your bag.

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Prime Lenses

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard PRIME Lens

One of the little gems of canon lens lineup. I use it mainly for ambient portraits and close-up portraits. It is not an L lens (in terms of sealing and build quality) but it has a really nice color and sharpness 3x cheaper than their Canon L series equivalent 50mm f1.2L USM. You can still go for a cheaper version than the non L series 50mm, the 50mm 1.8 STM.

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Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Macro Fixed Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

This lens is a classic for Canon. Good for macro and portraiture. The AF and build quality is just average but worth for the price you pay. Really sharp and one of the best tools for macro photography I want to have in my bag.

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Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens for Canon SLR

This is one of the best lenses that Canon has ever built. Is still selling nowadays. Excellent for portraiture and low-light photography it is one of the sharpest and quick lens Canon ever made. It is one of my favourites!

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Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM II Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

This is a serious lens indeed. Easy to guess, the heaviest lens I owned but on the other hand quick and sharp as well. Using a monopod is almost a requirement. I used it for sports, concerts, portraiture and wildlife. It is more versatile than other options than 400mm lenses and above. The detail and colour it is just awesome.

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Flashes

Godox AD200Pro

Also branded as “Flashpoint” in some areas, the AD200Pro is one of the most versatile portable flashes for indoor and outdoor photoshoots. It delivers 200W offering a variety of accessories and shaping tools. It is true that Godox has done a really great job last years releasing some powerful lighting tools and accessories.

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Godox X2T-C Wireless Flash Trigger for Canon

I have been using the old and reliable Pocket Wizard Plus II for many years. Until now. Since I tried the Godox X2T-C, a transmitter that let me not only trigger both Godox and Canon-compatible flashes but also set the power of every flash and group them as I wish, remotely. Powerful and reliable where the few downsides you can mention is their construction build quality.

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Godox X1R-C Wireless Flash Receiver for Canon

In pair of the previously mentioned Godox X2T-C it is a simple receiver where you can set the group and channel and you are ready to go. Offering TTL and remote power control from the transmitter for Godox and Canon compatible flashes like Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT or the Canon 430EX III-RT

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Computer & IT

Apple iMac Retina 5K 27″ Intel Core i5

This is my main workstation where I work with all my RAW library. It is a late-2015 model but still functional. Love retina display color accuracy. I use 16GB of RAM and a 2TB Fusion drive. Mixed feelings about the latter. Probably I would have changed if it wouldn’t be such a surgery doing so! The link does not match the exact model since there are hundreds of options and a computer configuration is question of taste and use case.

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Apple MacBook Pro 13″

My travel companion. A mid-2017 MacBook Pro 13″ Touchbar with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. This was the touchbar base model and works pretty well. Once the new MacBook Pro got rid of all traditional USB ports in favor of USBC ports, it was a very discussed topic. I still miss sometimes at least one of this forgotten ports. On the other hand happy having a 4-thuderbolt 3 ports equipped laptop that allows plenty of connectivity to most of the peripherals I ever need. It is a powerful laptop with an excellent color accuracy. I believe an 8GB RAM & 256GB SSD is a good balance for usability and price. That doesn’t mean that if you can afford something better, go do it.

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Tether Pro USB-C to USB Micro-B 3.0 4.6m

That is the go-to cable for photoshoots. It is a nice and flexible tool in order to have your camera connected to your laptop with enough cable to work with your model and check on a big screen what’s going on. It can save you time and money insuring you have no focus or other miscelanous issues.

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Storage

Synology DS418

One of the only downsides of taking hundreds of pics in a photoshoot is the fact them takes a LOT of hard drive space. That is what a NAS is for. I have one of the basic 4-bay NAS storage array that helps not only to store large amount of RAW files and videos but keeping them safe thanks to the redundancy settings available. In addition, a NAS has plenty of useful tools to organize and access to your media files. This drive is ought to stay at home and always-on.I previously had a 2nd generation Drobo usb/fw 4-bay unit which I just left behind since it became old due to their old interface. Switching to a newer NAS system provides me also a handful of new features.

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Crucial X8 1TB SSD

When you are on the go, there are chances you either have to go edit quick and deliver your work ASAP or download and edit the current day’s shooting in a photography trip. That is why the speed is key. From older mechanical HDD’s it is now time for newer SSD drives that offers blazing fast speeds and also helps support more demanding video formats like 4K. In an extensive research for a portable SSD I came across a few different models that would pass the “test” and insuring roughly 1.000MB/s, doubling the speed of a lot of popular SSD Sata interface based drives still in a decent price range. There are still faster options but really pricey which I will not mention in this list.

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Lexar Professional 1066x 64GB Compact Flash

That is my Compact Flash of choice for Canon 5D Mark IV’s storage in CF format. It offers speed and also capability of keep the demanding bandwith in 4K recording mode.

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Sandisk 64GB Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I SD

After no little research, I found out that this is the best choices for a 5D Mark IV camera since it is enough fast to hold 4K recording and be compatible with their interface. Note that faster UHS-II SD cards are NOT supported by this camera so in other words is a waste of money.

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Bags

Lowepro Pro Roller X100 Rolling Camera Bag

This is my favourite rolling camera bag. Although the version I own is a previous one, it has mainly the same benefits as the current model. It is an Airline carry-on compatible bag, weights roughly 5kg, has a detachable backpack with handles, all-Weather cover and a TSA-approved lock. After some use I had to swap their wheels by an inline skating ones which were much more smoother and durable. I believe Lowepro learned from the model I own and changed that in the current model :).

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Lowepro Inverse 200 AW Camera Beltpack

That is my favorite camera bag when I just grab a couple of lenses. I can fit a full-frame body + a 24-70 2.8 + a 70-200 2.8 lens and a small accessory. It has also a couple of bottle compartment at the sides. I use this bag either for city photo-trips, hiking and other scenarios where portability is key and a rolling case is not an option.

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Manfrotto MB BP-D1 for DJI Phantom drone

That is my backpack of choice for hiking with my DJI Phantom drone and the 5D with a couple of lenses and some accessories & filters. It looks like big but on the other hand is pretty comfy since it does not mean being a big bag to be heavy. The drone needs a lot of room in a backpack but it is lightweight.

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