My Camera Gear

My Camera Gear
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“What kind camera do you use?”

It’s the question I get asked most often. And the answer might surprise you. While I do own a nice mid-range camera, it’s not something that costs thousands of dollars. (Although if someone wanted to buy me a top-of-the-line camera, I wouldn’t say no. *Hint, hint*.)

In fact, the camera I use for the majority of my blogging costs less than $300. And today I’m sharing all of my camera gear with you.

Photography has always been my favorite hobby, and this is the gear I’ve collected along my journey. These are my favorite go-to items that have proved their weight in gold. (I’ve included links so you can learn more information about each item, or purchase your own!)

My Camera Gear

1. Canon 80D The Canon 80D is my current go-to camera body. I purchased it last year, after my original Canon Rebel was stolen. It was a slight upgrade at the time and I have nothing but great things to say about it. (I did notice a big increase in photo quality after the upgrade.) I’d be lost without my DSLR. Get more info here: Canon 80D.

Canon Rebel (not pictured) The Canon Rebel was the first camera I owned, and it’s taken the majority of the photos for my blog. Last time I checked, I had taken over 60,000 photos with it – that’s a *long* camera life. It had been something I used daily, and extensively traveled with. It was the camera I learned how to use manual mode on, and it will always have a special place in my heart. Unfortunately, my Canon Rebel was stolen last year, which is when I upgraded to the Canon 80D. More info here: Canon Rebel.

2. Canon 35mm f/2 lens The Canon 35mm f/2 lens is the lens I have on my camera 90% of the time. It is a fixed lens (meaning you cannot zoom in or out, you have to manually get closer or farther away from your subject using your feet). Over the years, I’ve learned that I prefer fixed lenses. I really like the sharp images and crisp focus. More info here: Canon 35mm.

3. Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens The Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens (often referred to as the “nifty fifty”) was the first non-kit lens I bought for my camera. It’s a great starting point, because it’s so inexpensive. You get a lot of quality for a small price! I still use this regularly for portraits, photo sessions, and any close-ups I need. Like the Canon 35mm f/2 lens, this is also a fixed lens. Again, you cannot beat the price on this. I love recommending this lens to newbies. More info here: Canon 50mm.

4. Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6 The Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6 lens was a Christmas gift from my in-laws (thanks Donna and Rick!) and I love it. Unlike the other lenses I’ve mentioned, this is a standard zoom lens – it has the ability to zoom in and out. I often use this at my children’s sporting events. It can get some great up-close action shots! More info here: Canon 55-250mm.

5. Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 The Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens is also a zoom lens, but it is ultra wide-angle. I can’t even remember why I purchased this, but I love that I did. I use this to capture wide-angle shots. It’s crazy how much you can fit into the frame with this lens. I definitely dig this out during parties, sporting events, and any other time I want to capture an entire room. More info here: Canon 10-22mm.

6. Camera strap I’ve had a lot of camera straps over the years, but this is HANDS DOWN my favorite! I bought this Capturing Couture chevron camera strap for myself last year. It’s super soft, pleasing to look at, and stretchy! Where most camera straps are rigid and have no “give”, this camera strap stretches and bounces. I absolutely love it. Get your own here: Capturing Couture Chevron Strap.

7. Batteries These are obviously a must-have item for your camera. I always use the Canon LP-E6N Battery Pack. I make sure to have at least one backup battery charged and with me at all times. More info here: Battery Packs.

8. Memory cards A quality memory card is a MUST!! (Don’t forget to format it before you use it for the first time.) I’ve always been a SanDisk girl. The most recent memory card I purchased was a SanDisk UltraPLUS 64GB. It’s been a great investment! More info here: SanDisk UltraPLUS.

9. White balance cards I’ve come to love my set of Anweck Grey White Balance Cards. These are definitely not mandatory – in fact a lot of photographers never use them. But they are a great timesaver for me (especially when I’m in editing mode). I use these white balance cards whenever I take indoor photos with odd lighting. Think: fluorescent lights, gymnasiums, rooms with a mixture of natural and tungsten lighting… These are inexpensive and help me get the perfect white balance. Bonus: Kids love helping me use these! More info here: Anweck White Balance Lanyard.

10. Lens cleaning kit I got this Promaster MicroClean Cloth in my Christmas stocking two years ago and didn’t know if I’d ever use it. Boy was I wrong! I use this all of the time. It’s a great icebreaker with nervous children at photo sessions – I offer to let them clean my lens for me. Plus my son has glasses, so I use it daily to wipe those off as well. More info here: Promaster kit.

Camera bag (not pictured). I own the Lei Momi Camera Bag. I love, love, love my camera bag. It’s stylish, looks like an actual handbag, and can fit my camera, three lenses, and all of my equipment. (Full disclosure: I’ve also been known to shove in a few diapers.) Get yours here: Lei Momi Camera Bag.

Photography gear can be a very personal choice. I urge everyone to do their research and figure out what works best for them. These have been my go-tos for a while, although I am often swapping items and trying new things. I’ll keep this list updated as my collection changes.

SHOP THIS POST

Camera:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Canon 80D
Backup Camera:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Canon Rebel
Fixed Lens:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Canon 35mm
Fixed Lens:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Canon 50mm

 

Zoom Lens:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Canon 55-250mm
Wide Angle Lens:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Canon 10-22mm
Camera Strap:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Chevron Strap
Batteries:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Battery Pack

 

Memory Cards:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
SanDisk UltraPLUS
White Balance Cards:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
White Balance Lanyard
Lens Cleaning Kit:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Promaster kit
Camera Bag:
My Camera Gear Who Arted
Lei Momi
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Want more information? You can view all of my photography-related posts here.

2 Comments

  1. You are so talented my friend! Love your clear pics and thanks so much for putting this together – I’m going to shop your list when I’m ready to upgrade!

  2. You are the greatest 🙂 Thank you Tanya! Let me know if you need any recommendations when you’re ready to upgrade!

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