My Gear - Does size matter?
All of the gear was purchased with my own money and I have received no sponsorship to promote said gear.
My kit is arguably small and my expertise with using it is decidedly imperfect. Does that matter when wanting to step out into the world with your work? Well….yes and no.
First let me introduce my gear. I love what I have been able to procure up to this point. I am now using everything fairly regularly, except for the gimbal. I’ll get back to that a bit later.
Canon EOS 80D - This is my main camera. It is a mid-level DSLR with 24.2-megapixel dual-pixel CMOS crop sensor. The weather sealed body has allowed me to shoot in wind, rain, snow, and some constant splashing around water. I’ve shot in -20 degrees Celsius for hours and normal functions were not affected. The AF is superb and with a fully articulating screen that’s been great for both video and photography. At the time of purchase, it was the best camera that I could afford with both video and photography ability. It does not shoot in 4K, and for the time being that’s still okay for me. I will eventually upgrade, but I love this camera for what I’ve been able to do with it.
Canon EOS M50 Mark ii (known as the Kiss M2 in Japan) - A 24.1 megapixels entry-mid-level mirrorless camera, this is a new purchase for me and I am still getting use to it. So far, it has delivered what I needed most, a lightweight vlogging camera that, with the right lens, could shoot in low light situations. Again, Canon’s AF is excellent and the fully articulating screen is great for filming myself in the field. There were many options that I looked at when choosing a camera to film myself with, but in the end I this won out because I wanted a camera that could mount my current EF lenses. I purchased a relatively inexpensive adaptor and Viola!
Canon EF-S 18–135mm - This lens is the main workhorse of my photography. It is a standard to short telephoto lens with Step Motor (STM) and image stabilization capabilities, meaning it can refocus silently and reduce some blur when shooting handheld. This has been very beneficial for the videography wing of my work. I love this lens.
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM - This little lens packs a great punch. While I do use it in limited ways, I love the clear, crisp focus and creamy bokeh it produces. If I am able to set up a home studio to shoot in, I will most likely use this lens more to film myself for my YouTube Channel.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 - This wide angle lens is perfect for vlogging and since it is such a fast lens, shooting in the wee hours of dusk and dawn, are a cinch.
Canon EF-M Mount Adapter - This allows more creative freedom when shooting in the field as I can use EF lenses from the 80D on the M50 mark ii.
Rode Vid Mic Pro - This shotgun pic is great for capturing directional audio. Since I’ve started shooting for my channel, I haven’t used it more than a handful of times in the field since there’s so much to juggle, having a mic this size on top of my camera is cumbersome. I have used it extensively on other projects in different seasons, and am more than happy with the quality of the audio. I am in the market for a smaller mic for vlogging.
Zoom F1 Field Recorder - This lavalier mic offers great sound quality for the price. It’s not the easiest to deal with, I have learned, while shooting this winter. It is highly susceptible to the cold and dies too quickly. There is an added step in post production to sync the audio, and not to mention challenging to operate as a separate unit when shooting in the field this winter. (think gloves, multiple layers of clothes, and lost pop filters) This mic definitely has a place in my kit, but once I get a smaller mic to go in they hotshoe, I’ll probably use it more selectively when I want to roam away from the camera and still capture quality audio.
Zhiyun Crane 2 - When I purchased this gimbal, I thought that I would use it all the time, and that just has not materialized. Currently, when hiking out with our gear, carrying this gimbal with you is just not practical. It takes time to set up and you need hands with out gloves to manipulate it. There are some scenarios that will be ideal for using the gimbal, not in sub-zero, deep winter, snowy conditions. I look forward to using it more in the summer though.
Manfrotto BeFree - Once again, I had to go for a tripod that wasn’t too expensive and gave me the best bang for my buck. This is a wonderful travel tripod and packs down pretty small. The aluminum frame that I got is fairly light, but it also can be purchased in carbon fiber. The best thing about the tripod is the fluid drag head. It is not exactly film industry grade, but for vlogging and and the kinds of projects I do, it works very well. My only grip about this tripod is that I can not set it up in portrait orientation.
Velbon RUP-L43II Monopod - Sometimes I want more freedom to move about and to change setups quickly. I haven’t used this monopod in the winter time, but have used it extensively in the other seasons.
Since my gear is pretty much all midrange quality, what that mean as a photographer? Well…they say that it’s not about the body (of your camera), it’s about the glass (the lens). You can have a cheaper body with the best glass and nobody would know your secret. Ansel Adams is also quoted as saying, “"It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument." I believe that, and this comforts me in no small way. It gives me permission to focus on the quality of the content and the degree of creativity with which I approach my work. I have pretty good gear, and I think I’ve captured some wonderful images with it. Would I like to have more/better cameras and lenses? You bet! But, not having them will not impede me from using the tools that I do have. So this is the “NO” portion of my answer. If you are not capturing images that have a soul, that don’t tell stories, and you don’t have an understanding of composition, the best gear in the world is not going to help you one bit.
Having great gear CAN take your images to the next level, if you know how to use it, and that is why I say “YES.” I have a wish list like most photographers have. I dream of long, fast lenses, arthouse lenses, medium format cameras, going mirrorless, and so on. I want to experiment with new cameras and upgrade my kit. Moreover, having just started using Lightroom editing software, I can attest to the changes in quality of my work through the editing process. All of this costs money and can be daunting to say the least. This is an expensive endeavor for beginners straight through for professional. It’s best to move past that thought and just get what you can, when you can.
Get out there and use what you have. Even if it’s a phone or a compact camera. There were years when a compact camera was all I had. I kept shooting and have images that I still love today. If you are slowly building up your gear as most of us are, focus on purchasing the things that can gradually make your work shine brighter and brighter. For example, if you break the bank on a slick camera, but have nowhere to edit your awesome images, that doesn’t make sense. Make a wish list and put it in order of necessity. Eventually, you will find yourself with better gear. Until then, work on developing your eye, finding your shot, and learning to tell a story with your images.
