My Camera Bag

Some people like to say that tools are just tools; that the making of good photographs (like other creative efforts) has more to do with the skill and creativity of the maker than the quality (or expense!) of the tools. I believe that’s true; people have made (and continue to make) great images with a wide variety of cameras, lenses, paints, brushes, charcoal, papers, etc. But there’s also something rewarding in using good tools in creative ways. Dedicated cameras and high-quality lenses also provide immense flexibility, manual control, and quality benefits that modern smartphones don’t (yet) provide. Photography is mainly a hobby for me, and I enjoy the technical aspects as much as the creativity. So here’s what I currently use.

Camera & Lenses

Nikon Z 14-24/2.8 S

My current collection consists of the following camera and lenses:

  • Nikon Z7 (45.7 MP)

  • Nikkor Z 14-24 f/2.8 S

  • Nikkor Z 24-120 f/4 S

  • Nikkor Z MC 105 f/2.8 S

  • Nikkor AF-S 200-500 f/5.6 E (+FTZ adapter)

I only carry all these lenses when I’m hiking or traveling specifically for photos, however. For general travel, backpacking, or other activities in which photography is secondary, I typically only carry one or two lenses at a time. Some common kits:

  • Travel: 14-24/2.8 + 24-120/4

  • Backpacking: 24-120/4 (+14-24/2.8 occasionally)

  • Wildflowers: 24-120/4 or MC 105/2.8

  • Wildlife: 200-500/5.6 or MC 105/2.8 (most animals are small!)

Of course, camera and lens collections are never truly static due to evolving technology and interests. Others I hope to pick up over time:

  • Nikkor Z 85 f/1.2 S (outdoor portrait lens)

  • Nikkor Z 400 f/4.5 VR S (for medium-tele wildlife)

  • Nikkor Z 800 f/6.3 VR S (for long-tele wildlife)

Tripods

I have accumulated many accessories over the years, but arguably the most important are my tripods:

  • Induro GIT304L tripod with FLM CB-48F ballhead (for frontcountry use and maximum stability)

  • Gitzo GIGT1545T tripod with Sunwayfoto FB-36DDHi ballhead (for traveling light)

  • Manfrotto Pixi Evo II (for traveling very light)

The Gitzo tripod and FLM ballhead are fantastic, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy either of them again if needed. They are both very well engineered and entirely dependable. I have mixed feelings about the Induro tripod: it is solid and reasonably light for a full-size modular/systematic tripod, but the plastic shims in the legs (to prevent sections from sliding out) are poorly engineered and difficult to keep seated. I saved a few hundred dollars at the time, but I should’ve just purchased a Gitzo 3 Series or RRS (and I rarely need a tripod that sturdy anymore). The Sunwayfoto ballhead is small and lightweight for travel, but it tends to settle a bit under load. It’s also too wide to allow the Gitzo legs to fold (reversed) all the way together, so I have to store it separately when packing tight. I’d like to replace it with an Arca-Swiss P0 or similar head at some point. The Manfrotto Pixi Evo is for backpacking when even the Gitzo is too heavy.

Other Accessories

Flash & Studio

  • Godox XProN TTL wireless flash trigger

  • Godox MS200 and MS300 studio monolights

  • Godox AD400Pro outdoor monolight

  • Godox AD-S85 softbox, 43” bounce umbrella softbox, and Glow EZ Lock 12x36 stripboxes

Filters

  • NiSi 100mm filter holder (for Nikon Z 14-24/2.8 S)

  • Kase K9 100mm filter holder (for all other lenses)

  • NiSi 100mm Nano IRND 1.8 filter (6-stop)

  • NiSi 100mm Nano IRND 3.0 filter (10-stop)

  • Haida 100mm NanoPro CP filter

  • B+W Kaesemann CP MRC

Cards & Software

  • SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B cards

  • Adobe Lightroom Classic CC and Photoshop CC