I've been working in freelance photography on and off for roughly eight years now, and I finally decided to upgrade my camera bag. As my arsenal of camera equipment has grown over the years, I've been lugging it all in the same - very trusty, sturdy - camera backpack. Don't get me wrong, I loved my backpack - it fits everything and not a single strap, pocket, or buckle has broken. But... I'm getting old. And my back hurts.
I took the plunge and swapped out my Canon backpack for a Pelican 1510 case! It's a little bit smaller than a carry-on suitcase and the customizable foam makes it very versatile for me to fit all that I need for a photo gig.
Let's break it all down by equipment and price! For all you future photographers or people just interested in photo, I am by no means a true professional but I've honed in on all my favorites and wanted to share them with you.
The backpack I previously used:
Canon Deluxe Backpack 200EG
Pros: So many pockets! Also, super comfortable and durable, and has a front buckle to go around your waist.
Cons: If you've got a lot of stuff and a 15"+ laptop, it's a very tight fit. The zipper tends to slide and doesn't stay put when there's lots of stuff.
Where to buy:
Note: Prices may have fluctuated since the time of this blog post.
The case I have now:
Pelican 1510 case with Foam (Black)
Pros: sturdy, durable, and it's just like a suitcase. A little smaller than a carry-on and looks 10/10 professional when taking it to gigs.
Cons: The pick & pluck foam isn't very versatile so you'll need to really work with it to get it organized. The case is also heavy on its own, so adding all your equipment makes this thing a beast but it makes up for it in wheels!
Where to buy:
Note: Prices may have fluctuated since the time of this blog post.
Camera bodies:
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Pros: 10fps burst speed and really great quality images
Cons: Slight shutter lag on continuous shooting, poor autofocus in low light
Where to buy:
Canon EOS 70D
Pros: Touch screen LCD and built-in-wifi
Cons: Quality isn't as great as the 7D Mark II, 7fps burst speed
Where to buy:
Canon or Nikon? Sony? Mirrorless? Can't say I have an opinion. Started with a Canon, and would love to try other camera makes and models. Would love to own a mirrorless camera for travel (they're lighter, more compact), but alas, just haven't gotten around to it! Also, my money goes towards my crafts for the most part ;)
Lenses:
Sigma 30mm F1.4 Art DC HSM Lens
Pros: This lens is sooo beautiful. I've never been disappointed with the bokeh I've gotten with this lens and the clarity is incredible.
Cons: Fixed lenses are tough to get used to because you have to move yourself to change the distance. It's not great for large group photos because of the low aperture & bokeh, so you'll need to play around with your settings and ISO to accommodate large group photos when bumping up the F-Stop.
Go-to use case: portraits, headshots, and the finer details
Where to buy:
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens
Pros: solid quality and bokeh, more affordable than Canon's comparable lens
Cons: heavy and slightly larger than Canon's, quality starts to fall when zoomed into 200mm
Go-to use case: portraits, wildlife, sports
Where to buy:
Sigma Zoom 17-70mm f/2.8-4.0 DC Macro OS HSM
Pros: Quality macro lens at an affordable price. Very versatile for traveling because of the zoom lens.
Cons: Terrible in low light.
Go-to use case: macro photography, travel lens
Where to buy:
Canon EF Wide-Angle 14mm f/2.8L II USM
Pros: Clarity and quality
Cons: It's a fixed lens, so not as versatile
Go-to use case: landscape, portraits, special events
Where to buy:
As you might have noticed, I'm a very loyal Sigma lens user. I don't particularly have a reason for it, other than price and quality! Their lenses tend to be cheaper than Canon's and they're comparable in quality. My favorite and first Sigma lens is the 30mm, and ever since I first used it, I haven't turned back.
Accessories & Programs:
Camera Tripod
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Adobe Photoshop
My Lightroom Presents (Coming soon to the shop!)
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