Did you see, there have been big changes on what’s in my camera bag?!
While I haven’t changed what I’m photographing (I’m still a Seattle Family Photographer), it was time to make the jump to mirrorless.
Summer 2021 I made the jump to Sony Mirrorless, which meant big changes in my camera body, lenses, and overall gear. If you’re curious about why I made the jump to Sony, I shared why and answered some questions on my IGTV “The Mirrorless Switch.”
So what’s in my camera bag now?
The camera body in my camera bag is the Sony a7R III.
I did plenty of research and asked questions and decided on the Sony a7R III Mirrorless Camera.
This camera body is so lightweight that I first felt like I wasn’t a pro photographer anymore. It felt like a point-and-shoot. Then I started using it and man it packs punch. From the color depth in both highlights and shadows to the amazing focus capacity. This has upped my photography game.
Next, which lenses are in my camera bag? The first might shock you a bit.
The lens on my camera most frequently is the Sony 24-70mm.
The Sony 24-70mm F2 G Master lens is a really amazing lens. Not only did I switch from Canon, but I changed from being a prime-only shooter. This was probably the hardest part of the change. Not having the capacity to go lower than a 2.8 aperture was an adjustment. However, the lens is sharp, so fast, and great when you’re capturing families and not wanting to spend time switching lenses.
With that, I couldn’t make the jump without having my most favorite outdoor lens.
In my camera bag, you’ll also find my favorite lens for outdoor photography, the Sony 135mm.
Before purchasing the Sony 135mm F1.8 G Master Lens, I rented it along with the Sony 85mm F1.4 lens. I know several photographers who LOVE their 85 lens, and even the Sony 85mm lens. However, I have never been comfortable with that focal length. So I stuck with the 135 lens and it is pure love.
A lens that is fast, sharp, and has such amazing compression. It is a gorgeous lens that I love pulling out for family portraits that really help the family stand out from the background. (It’s also great when you have young kids who love to run!)
With the upgrade to a mirrorless camera, I found myself needing to size up in SD cards too.
My final lens is the Sigma 35mm lens.
A friend who made the Sony jump before me suggested having the mount swapped on my Sigma Art 35mm lens. It was a great option as the rest of the gear switch was pricey. For just a few hundred dollars I could still use my 35mm lens. I may switch to the Sony 35 at some point, but for now this is working beautifully.
I also carry 128 GB SD cards in my camera bag.
The file sizes of the Sony are so much larger that I found I was needing to change my 64GB memory cards during a regular family session. While I can still use those memory cards just fine, I found getting the SanDisk 128GB Extreme Pro SD cards worth it.
Other things in my camera bag are accessories I find useful during sessions.
I have an SD card carrying case that clips to my bag so it’s easy to grab a new card without digging in my camera bag for one. I also carry extra camera batteries, chapstick, hand sanitizer, a cloth for my lenses, a water bottle, and a fresh pair of socks.
The socks may seem strange, but I change my socks when I enter a clients home for a newborn shoot so they know I have clean socks as I’m standing on their furniture and over their baby.
Questions about my switch to Sony Mirrorless? Send me an email or drop a comment below. I confess it was a really hard choice, and this brand loyalist struggled in the beginning. But a few months in and I’m so glad I did it.
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