MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO GEAR
The following is a list of gear I use across all of my personal, editorial, commercial photography and video production businesses along with my YouTube channel . This list is updated periodically and I use affiliate links that truly help support this page and my channel so if any of these items interest you and I turned you on towards them please click the Amazon link below, thank you for your support.
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CAMERAS
Curious why I use Leica. Watch my entire episode on why Leica here.
Leica M10D - This is my favorite camera I’ve ever owned. It’s no longer in production but it’s a niche within a niche. A digital camera without a screen seems ridiculous, but for me, it works in an oddly nostalgic way. I started my career with film but not developing it myself, so it’s a good fit for me.
Leica SL2-S - I’ve talked about getting this camera for years, and I finally pulled the trigger on a used model. As a pro, I need two cameras for all assignments and even though I used it with M lenses with manual focus it comes in handy it has that crisp viewfinder. Battery life isn’t great and autofocus is average but the build quality and being able to use it with M Lenses makes it all worth it. I’ll probably invest in a few SL lenses for commercial work if the SL3S lives up to the billing.
Ricoh GR3 - I dig this little camera, I take it on bike rides, and short trips , and it makes for a nice little low-key camera for certain sketchy situations when I want to be discrete.
LENSES
Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH - I’m a 35mm person through and through, I shot an entire year of NY Times assignments with a 35mm and it made me a better photographer. No autofocus and a high price, but the small form factor makes it all worth it for me and I’m willing to pay that extra price for 1.4 as I shoot white open all the time.
Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH V2 - I recently bought a demo version of this lens at a good price. I haven’t used it a ton yet but I opted for the newer version because closer focusing is important to me for portraits and details shots.
Leica 21mm - A bit wide for me most of the time but I have it just in case I’m doing a travel story and need a nice establishing shot. The distortion is minimal for 21mm and it’s an extremely sharp lens.
Leica 135mm F4 - It’s a really old lens but affordable for a Leica. It’s more of an insurance policy for the rare times I need a telephoto lens that doesn’t break the bank or weigh down the bag.
BAGS
I use the whole Wotancraft collection from their camera bags to their everyday bags, and straps. I’ll list them in order of how often I use them. You can see my in-depth review of the Pilot
Series bags on my YouTube Channel here.
Wotancraft 3.5L - My go-to one camera one lens, street photography bag. Lightweight, durable, functionally perfect, and love the look of it as well.
Wotancraft Pilot Series 10L - Perfect for my editorial assignment kit consisting of a Leica M10D, Leica SL2-S, and 3 Leica M lenses. I use the modular pouches in the front for a vlogging camera, accessories, and my phone. Durable, low key and I feel stylish as well, I use the black model.
Wotancraft City Explorer - This is my everyday bag, laptop, and camera setup. Heading to the coffee shop to work but still want to take my camera with me. It’s a little heavier than the Pilot Series bag, but it’s super stylish and rugged-looking.
Wotancraft Pilot Series Backpack - I’m not a huge backpack dude, but when I need a full video and photo kit and I’m going to be walking a lot, I take this bag. Same quality and design as the other Pilot Series bags I backpack formation.
Parashooter Camera Strap - I love the style and story behind this strap and the color combinations are endless. I use the black and red option with the Peak Design quick release, love it.
Disclaimer - I’ve been an ambassador for Wotancraft bags for almost a decade.
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VIDEO GEAR (YOUTUBE AND DOCUMENTARY)
Leica Sl2-S - I don’t have a ton of experience using this as a video camera but I’m excited to use it as my documentary camera.
Sony ZV E1 - My main Youtube camera and b-roll camera, full frame at an affordable price and snappy autofocus. I still hate the Sony menu system but it’s hard to argue with the quality and value of this camera.
Shure MV7 Mic - It’s simple and easy to set up and the sound quality is fantastic, love it.
Rode PSA1 Boom Arm - I mount two of these to my desk for my YouTube channel, one for my camera and the other for my mic. I didn’t need to drill any holes in my desk, the clamp system works flawlessly, and they allow me to tuck away my recording set up when I’m not using it.
DJI Pocket Osmo 3- A home run of a vlogging camera. The mini gimbal with a 1-inch sensor, it’s perfect to take with you everywhere and the
quality is fantastic. UI is fantastic, good in low light, and tracking is decent as well. The wireless mic with the creator kit comes in handy but the built-in mic isn’t bad either.
DJI wireless mic set - The built-in case charger is genius, and makes it all worth it, plus it’s super easy to use and the quality is great for the price.
Diety Shotgun Mics - I had so many issues with Rode that I finally switched over to Diety, affordable and solid quality.
MISC
Qwstion Lifestyle Bags - Swiss everyday bag company with a focus on sustainability with a series of minimalistic bags made from banana fibers called Banantex. I love their slings, backpacks, and totes.
PROGRADE CARD READERS/CARDS- I switched to this brand a few years back, so far so good.
Photo Mechanic - Old school working photographer’s go to software for sorting images and batch functions.
Davinci Resolve - Intuitive, free( but I upgraded to pro). I’ve used all the other pro video editing software out there, this was the easiest for my brain to understand.
CapCut- Video editing for shorts, reels, and quick edits It’s simply amazing both for my phone and my desktop, love it. The built-in music library, effects, and auto captions work incredibly well, incredibly intuitive.
Squarespace - Super easy to use, well made, and I love the customized options. I use it for 4 different websites, including this one, and they made e-commerce easy and profitable for me.
Macbook Air M2 - As a professional, you might ask why not just get the Macbook Pro, but these days I try to give myself time in between shoots to edit at home on my iMac. I travel a ton so having something even slightly lighter makes sense for me. If I only used one computer for everything I’d most likely go with a maxed out Macbook Pro.
Docker Hats (also known as Miki hats) - For a professional photographer who teaches and does gear reviews the thing I get asked the most about is my hats, like way more than anything else.
I’ve got a decent-sized bald spot in the back, not trying to hide it from the world but I am trying to hide it from the sun. Hats with brims are terrible for photographers, and they get in the way, docker hats don’t have that issue as they are brimless. I also love the look of them, kind of become my thing I guess. I bought some of them at boutique shops in Japan and a few mainstream brands I like listed below.
Beton Cire - My go-to brand, love them.
New Era started making them as well.
