Cameras

In 2002 I purchased my first digital camera: a Canon S200. The “200” represents 2.0 megapixels. I took it everywhere. iPhoto and Apple’s now retired photo printing service allowed me to drape my dorm room walls with my photos. Shooting has always been both relaxing and exciting. I find it meditative. A quiet, calm setup with a multi-second focus silenced by a button press. Below is a breakdown of all my cameras, accompanying gear, and software I use across iOS and macOS.

The most important thing to note is that a bigger, better camera with more impressive specifications will not produce better photos. You need to practice, experiment, and not give up. Similar to learning an instrument or a craft, it takes years of mistakes to learn how to be good.

Big camera

Today I shoot with the Fujifilm X-T4 (which also works well as a Zoom camera). I arrived at this setup after dabbling with a Canon PowerShot, a heavy Nikon DSLR, and a virtually pocket-sized full frame Sony. The Fujifilm is the perfect combination of versatility, size, and weight.

Lenses

With the X-T4 I swap between three lenses regularly (and my wife patiently watches me) depending on the environment and subject.

Bags

The camera bag says more about you as a photographer than the camera. Lowepro? You’re either an actual professional or you yearn for the 1990s to make a comeback. Leather messenger bag? You’ve never shot in a wet environment. No bag at all? Respect.

Similar to my straps, I am all in on Peak Design products. They are more functional than MacGyver, look great, and last forever (so far). When I’m confident that I only need my camera and lenses, I wear the Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L. It comfortably fits my X-T4, all 3 lenses, sunglasses, extra batteries, extra SD cards, and the Peak Design Slide Lite.

Note: Since purchasing Peak Design has upgraded the Sling line to a new a slightly larger version that, according to the website, can handle an entire “6-er.” I have not tested this yet.

When traveling with my tripod, iPad, noise canceling headphones, filters, or other large items, I wear the Peak Design Everyday Backpack. This backpack should come with its own podcast. It has so many features, straps, buckles, sprockets, compartments, and secrets.

If you really want to look cool and blend in to a new city, I recommend attaching the Peak Design Capture to one of your backpack’s straps. This allows you to casually walk around hands-free with your camera positioned at a convenient spot of your body. When you want to take a photo, press the button and slide the camera out. When you’re done, slide your camera back in. My wife is too kind to allow me to live like this.

Straps

Every time I witness someone carrying a camera without a strap my stomach turns. I always have my camera strapped to my body. I’ve never dropped a camera, but in Marrakech I stepped out of a taxi without zipping up the side of my backpack. My zoom lens crashed against the ground on the first day of my honeymoon. Fortunately it still works.

I swap between two straps depending on my mood. The Peak Design Micro Clutch fuses your hand and your camera with only two fingers. It’s small and it blocks the camera’s battery door, but I love the way it looks.

The Peak Design Slide Lite is a typical neck strap. I appreciate both its subtle design and ability to not irritate my neck after a few hours of wear.

Accessories

One cannot simply operate a digital camera without a few accessories. When trying to shoot a scene filled with movement, it’s helpful to increase the number of frames per second in burst mode. You can accomplish this with the Fujifilm Vertical Power Booster which also provides a much stronger feel in your hands.

When shooting long exposures, you can set a 2 second countdown so pressing the shutter does not vibrate the camera and affect the shot. I find those 2 seconds to be excruciating shot after shot. The Fujifilm Remote Release moves the shutter button from the camera to your finger.

One small, helpful addition to a largeish camera kit is a thumb grip. With the Lensmate Thumb Grip your thumb becomes a lot more useful while holding the camera.

For years I struggled with a cheap, flimsy tripod that would fall over with a gust of wind. One day when I thought about shooting objects on a table with an overhead camera position, I realized I needed a new tripod. Something sturdy. Strong. Versatile. Occasionally I’m basic so I went with the Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 thanks to a Wirecutter review.

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Dinner Party Camera

When friends and family come over for dinner, I will occasionally take out the Leica Sofort. It’s a great way to capture moments and make them tangible. By the end of the night there’s a collection of small prints on the table. Please thoroughly enjoying this. Trust me.

The Sofort case is designed for the Sofort to gracefully slide in and out without hesitation. Of course there are cheaper options available, but the little red “SOFORT” tag is so satisfying.

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Small camera

The Ricoh GR IIIx is my walking around camera. I keep it in my backpack when I go to work just in case I feel inspired to snap some photos during a coffee break.

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Software at Your Service

The intersection of photography and software is thrilling. Year after year new, innovative apps launch that expand how we catpure and edit photos. Below are a few apps I use in my photography kit.

Lightroom CC allows me to view, edit, and share photos from my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. I also store all of my photos in Adobe Cloud.

For casual shooting I use Apple’s built-in Camera app. When I want to shoot something in RAW format with the intension of making future edits in Lightroom or Darkroom, I always use Halide.

Shooting a long exposure of a lake while the sun is setting is a magical feeling. Historically this has required two things: a shutter release button, and a big camera. With Spectre you can accomplish this with an iPhone.

With TouchRetouch you can make objects and lines disappear from your photos with a swipe or a tap. I’ve removed people, cars, power lines, and even cows.