What’s In My Bag: Camera Gear
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Canon 5D Mark IV | Camera Body
I started with a Canon 5D Mark II and shot with it for six years straight. Even though it wasn’t the newest version of that camera, it is a perfect (cheaper) version to learn the system and still produce very high quality images. That camera has been all over the country with me and has taken many hits, but still works absolutely perfect. I currently have it as a back up and a spare camera to help educate others about the system.
I currently use a Canon 5D Mark IV. This is the exact same camera, just with additional capabilities (such as wireless connection to your phone for edits/shooting in real time). It’s also touchscreen! I have to say, if you were looking to start photography with the Canon 5D series, I recommend starting with the Mark II or III, and if you’re more experienced moving into the Mark IV or 1DX. Think of these like an iPhone7 vs iPhone10.
50mm f/1.2L | Canon EF Lens
This. Lens. I tell ya. If you go from a starter camera to a full-frame camera with this lens, I promise you will cry tears of joy after your first shoot. This lens is magic for portraits and so playful with light. The 1.2 aperture gives you the possibility to shoot with a very small depth of field and can make your photos look extremely clean, artistic, and full of beautiful bokeh (blurry background).
50mm | 1.4f | ISO 100
50mm | 1.6f | ISO 100
24mm f/1.4 | Sigma Art Lens
This is my most recent purchase, and so much fun! This is a great lifestyle and portrait lens. It provides a unique “real life” view of objects. Think about if you were looking at a water bottle on a table one foot in front of you - that’s how the distance of objects in the photo will turn out, BUT with a nice blur in the background. If you were to open your iPhone camera and take a photo on its normal setting, this lens would give just a slightly wider perspective with a much blurrier background. This isn’t a Canon lens, but I have never had any issues with it. It is extremely crisp, probably the sharpest lens that I have.
24mm | 2.0f | ISO 100
24mm | 1.8f | ISO 100
24-105mm f/4L | Canon EF Lens
I can’t say this one is my favorite, but it is great for a zoom lens. My photography style focuses on the blurry backgrounds and a crisp focus on the subject, so because the aperture of this lens is 4.0 it doesn’t provide that look and doesn’t work well in low light. However, I do take this lens with me when I'm carrying my camera on a hike without a bag, because it provides a wide range of zoom and even lighting. It’s a great “all-around” lens, especially for different perspectives of landscapes.
I would recommend the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 over this one if you still want a zoom lens, but with more depth of field and light capabilities.
65mm | 4.0f | ISO 100
45mm | 5.6f | ISO 100
Accessories | Additional Items In My Bag
Canon Photo Backpack | Hike and Travel Camera Bag
DJI Mavic Mini | Drone
SD Card | Stores Images on the Mark IV but not the Mark II (takes CF only)
Card Reader | Both SD and CF
Other Great Lenses | My Wishlist
Though I don’t have these lenses in my camera bag, I have used them before and would recommend them to anyone looking for different or additional lenses than mentioned above:
35mm f/1.4L | Canon EF Lens
24-70mm f/2.8L | Canon EF Lens
70-200mm f/2.8L | Canon EF Lens
